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"Rin!"

I turned to see Kagome running up behind me, waving her arms, as if she hadn't already gotten my attention. She no longer wore priestess wear, but rather a plain scarlet haori. She had given up on being a priestess when she learned that she wanted to be with Inuyasha and gave the honor back to Kaede. Her priestess powers had weakened greatly, what a waste, but at least she was happy. Of course, she never came out right and said it, but the way she made icky moon-eyes at him was enough for even me to see.

Kagome is eight years older than me. She doesn't look it though- I suppose she has just been very happy. She is nearing 25 years now, yet, she only looks 20 or so. That fact didn't boost my ego.

"Hey! Kagome!" I grinned. It was hard not to grin when I was just wishing for company and Kagome came. I returned her wave.

She sat down beside me. "Kaede wants to speak with you."

My stomach flipped. "What?" I shrieked and then covered my mouth, afraid that Kagome would leave. "Why?"

Kagome winced, but put her hand on my shoulder. If it wasn't Kagome's hand, I would have shrugged it off. She looked at me, with concern in her brown eyes. I don't need your worry! I turned away-"I'll go talk to her."

I got up, leaving Kagome alone. Her black hair, which was kept in a loose tie behind her back was swaying with the wind, along with the brightly lit daisies that whispered to the tall grasses whenever the wind blew by. Her red haori, designed to match Inuyasha's looked slightly off on her, it was too big and bright, yet she didn't seem to mind. In fact, before, she didn't mind wearing the curious clothes that she had from her place either, but after all of the village girls mocked her for them, she burned them. Kagome looked lovely, much lovelier than I will ever be, I thought bitterly before taking one last look at my friend. She turned and looked at me.

Was that sadness in her eyes? Why? Why- She had everything anybody could possibly want.

Everything I would possibly want.

I didn't try to think about it.

"Rin."

I watched the old miko climb the steps to my room. She stumbled and I rushed up and grabbed support of her arm. Lady Kaede smiled a meek smile and sat me down on my bed.

It was damp and humid inside, not to mention hot. Perhaps it was just that I had sprinted back to the village and my haori was still plastered to my back with perspiration. I grabbed a fan, a plain boring one, and handed Lady Kaede an elaborated decorated one- one that my Lord had given to me. The curtains were pulled back, only slightly, keeping my room a warm, cozy hue. I liked it that way; it was perfect. My room was spotlessly clean, something that I felt was absolutely necessary, and it did not take much effort to keep that in check, for I only had a meager number of belongings.

I pulled up a stool, one that Kohaku had helped me gather wood for. I had carved it last year out of an oak tree that the villagers had cut down for no reason. It was my masterpiece- I had spent months carving the lilac pattern into the legs of the stool; it was a pattern that I had used many times before. "Milady, please sit."

The old priestess sat, nonetheless stiffly, never taking her eyes from mine. "Rin."

"Yes?" I prayed it was not another offer. "Milady?" I added hastily, almost forgetting her title.

"I am not here to push another offer onto ye, my dear." She narrowed her eyes when I let out a long-held sigh of relief. "But, I do wish for you to take this amulet."

She placed an arrowhead amulet into my palm. Her eyes bore into mine.

I looked down into my palm, partly because her stare was creeping me out, and partly because this amulet was curious and strange.

It was cold, for the arrowhead was made of flint, like all arrowheads, and the jade beads surrounded it, strung around twine. This must have cost a fortune. Jade was so expensive I had never dreamed of owning any. Well, except for the things my Lord had given to me. I wrapped my fingers around it.

This feeling. What is this feeling?

I felt a twinge of spikes creeping up my arm- slowly, faintly, hardly noticeable. It slithered up my arm, twining between my fingers, circling every bit of me. What is this feeling?

It seeped into my skin, filling up the emptiness inside that I had never known was there. A surge of energy, pulsating in my heart and pounding in my head. I clenched my fingers around this gift, hanging on as if it was all that held me to sanity.

I felt a hunger, a desire for more of this- power.

Yes. Power.

I finally put a finger to this strange sensation. Power, huh? This was something that I had never had before. Now I understood why my Lord had gone chasing after this.

I felt sure of myself. Safe. Reassured. Powerful. Love. Anger. Bitterness. Hate.

W-What-What is happening to me?

I dropped the amulet onto the wooden floor.

Distaste was evident in Lady Kaede's face as I bent down to pick it up. My face felt flushed. It seemed as though I had come out of a trance, come out of the suffocating water and took a clear, long breath back into reality. Thank Kami.

"Child."

Her voice was distant, my ears were still pounding, blood flowing from my head to my feet. I felt dizzy and nauseous. Like that time when I had eaten that poisonous mushroom with Jaken.

"Ye almost fell prey to power."

Her voice was still so distant, but her words hit too close to home. How did she know that this amulet would do such a thing to me?

I stared at Kaede. Explanation please? I begged with my eyes, my throat to dry to use yet.

"This amulet contains spiritual power, of a very powerful priestess." I dropped the amulet again, this time out of shock. I didn't bother picking it up. "Ye will take the amulet and be the next priestess of this village."

"But"- I stopped. The priestess looked strange. Scared, as if.

"I will not live much longer. Ye are the one destined to take my place."

She picked up the amulet and undid the clasp. "Ye are destined." Lady Kaede fastened the knot behind my neck and let the arrowhead fall. It fell right beneath my collarbone. It was still cold.

"It is your fate."

I reached up and touched the amulet. Power. There is was again, seeping into my fingertips.

I felt power. I would be powerful!

"Ye cannot avoid your fate."

I nodded with newfound energy.

"I cannot escape my fate."