Hope and Choice

by XxSayuyaxX

The universe is all about balance. Good and Evil. The Eternal Struggle. It is said that the Shikon no Tama needs a pure wish to be destroyed and that requires a good, pure person. So when Naraku is defeated and the Jewel gone, that leaves a lot of extra purity in the world... and there must be balance. (Rated for language)

4. Chapter 4 - Tears of the Pure

"Wait, wait, wait! Now hold on!" Kagome spoke up quite loudly. "Don't I get some time to think about this? I mean, you can't just expect me to make a choice this important at the snap of your fingers! I mean, I don't want to make a selfish wish- but wouldn't a known evil be better for the world?"

"I cannot give you any opinions on the matter, this is a choice for you alone, Kagome. You are the Shikon Miko, therefor the decision sits firmly in your lap" Midoriko informed the poor young woman. As much as she wished to help her or ease her decision, she could not. The Kami would not allow it.

"But do I at least get some time to think about it?" Kagome asked, having latched onto the fact that the other woman had not answered that particular question.

"How much time do you want, Kagome? As was said earlier, your body is currently floating in the middle of a battlefield. How long would you like it to stay that way? Your corpse is not deteriorating but that does not mean that time is standing still" Midoriko pointed out.

Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes and she wasn't sure if it was from sadness, fear or anger. She had effectively killed the most evil being the world had ever known, died for doing it, and now she had to decide the world's fate at the drop of a dime? How screwed up was that? She felt a tear slowly make it's way down her cheek, quickly followed by another on the other side.

"Alright" she whispered. Thinking quickly and adding up the pros and cons, it inevitably came down to this: her friends would never forgive her if she threw away the years it took to finally get rid of the blasted thing. They had all been hurt so much by it... she couldn't stand the thought of purposely making a selfish wish to keep it in existence. Her mind made up, she looked at Midoriko with hard conviction in her eyes.

"Like you said, the world will keep it's balance, no matter what. I can't knowingly make a selfish wish- not only does it go against everything I am, but I would feel as if the years spent collecting the shards were for nothing. I will make a pure wish and destroy the Jewel, come what may"

The famous miko knew that despite her unwillingness to do so, Kagome would eventually come to this decision. It simply was not in her to do otherwise; the Kami had created her as such.

"Then wish, Kagome, Miko of the Shikon. Wish a pure wish and rid the world of the Jewel's influence forever"