Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own it. I keep waiting for ownership documents to just drop into my lap one day, but I'm slowly realizing that this is probably not likely.

...The Search...

"I think the worst part is not knowing what happened to them. My mind comes up with all kinds of horrible endings, and it all just becomes too much."

Kagome had finally told her mother what had happened before the Well stopped working. Like a good mother of a teenage girl, Mrs. Higurashi did not pester her daughter for answers, but waited until she was ready. And like a good mother, she offered Kagome every consolation for her loss. After much discussion and many tears, Kagome's mother finally said, "If the worst part is not knowing, then why not just go to the library and find out?"

Kagome blinked. The answer hit her like a sack of bricks.

Without a word, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

ooOoo

The librarian was a sweet, helpful old lady with square-rimmed spectacles, and was more than happy to help Kagome with her "report on ancient legends." She had helped her find a few good books, and a couple of websites, as well. Kagome thanked her and went to work.

Wherever you are, I won't stop searching
Whatever it takes, I need to know

After a scan for Inuyasha's name turned up nothing, Kagome figured the best place to start her search was the Shikon no Tama. She found many different articles on Midoriko, several on the various enemies they had run into (though they made no mention of Inuyasha), and one very interesting story about Sesshomaru, the hard-hearted taiyoukai who was softened by a little human girl who showed him some kindness. Finally she found something that might be money.

It was the story of Kikyo, and her time with the Shikon Jewel. It told about how she had fallen in love with a hanyou who origionally wanted to take the Jewel from her (though it did not specify the hanyou's name), how Naraku had tricked them into hating each other in order to taint and steal the Jewel for himself, and how Kikyo's last act had foiled his plans. Then it went on to say that Kikyo's reincarnation came to give the hanyou another chance at love, and how they went on many adventures together, fighting to destroy Naraku, who had origionally torn them apart.

'...and through perseverance and the help of many friends along the way, they defeated Naraku, sending him to the pits of hell.' Kagome sighed. At least I know Naraku's dead, she thought. Then she saw a little footnote at the bottom of the page.

'Though this is debated by many scholars, it is also said that Kikyo's reincarnation mysteriously vanished on the night of Naraku's defeat. One version of the story says that the hanyou made a wish on the Shikon no Tama to find her again, and that to this day he is still out there, searching for his true love. Of course, this is all purely theoretical, but...'

Kagome shut the book and ran home.

ooOooOooOoo

Not one of my longer chapters, and neither is the next one, so I'm putting them both up today. This chapter is Kagome's waiting period, and the next one is Inuyasha's...titled The Wait, in a burst of creativity.

And who says there aren't people who study ancient myths and search for a tiny grain of truth in them? People make debates about Shakespear's stories all the time, so I figure, why not this?