A/N Hello! I just had a neat idea! I could leave the story pretty much the same until the defeat of Naraku and then write it as it's being lived… 'course that'd make it much longer, and I'd hafta stay up really late to write it. But lemme hear from you about your thoughts!

Also, I forgot to add the part where Nura-chan defeats the evil fox, so go back and re-read chapter 10.

Thank you for reading, reviews are the cream to my coffee.

Kagome turned, looking back at the figures who came to see her departure. Rin was crying, but smiling, slightly leaning on her newlywed husband, Kohaku, who was left with instructions on what to impart his sister's children. Standing behind them was Sesshomaru, he merely nodded his head when her eyes caught his. Miroku, Sango and their four precious children, all screaming, "Goodbye, Auntie Kagome!". Jinenji was also there, waving. Shippo was frantically waving his hand, and a smile came to her face at how childish he looked. And lastly, there was Inuyasha with his new mate. A pretty young inu-hanyo who greatly resembled a certain dead miko.

Stopping she pivoted, cupping her hands around her mouth she shouted,

"The West forever!"

Her shout was greeted in kind,

"Long live the West!"

Swinging her leg over, she broke out into a run. Considering Sesshomaru's palace was built on a cliff, she would have to run for a long time to escape their sight. But since they were at the gates at the foot of the cliff, she only went to the bridge that was built over the river. Stopping at the other side, she looked back.

This was home for the past 6 years…

A thousand memories threatened to bring tears to her eyes.

Rin, growing from a flower-loving child, to a beautiful woman capable of being a Queen.

Shippo, now able to best Sesshomaru's kitsune general, and even hold his own against the lord himself. Well, to an extent anyways.

Kohaku, moving beyond the memories of his past, had completely rebuilt the Demon Slaying Village and is the Chief. I have left my messages with him, should I ever return.

Miroku and Sango, settled down with the twin girls, and their two sons.

Jinenji had moved to the palace since the war had taken the life of his mother, he helped with the injured.

Inuyasha, too, has moved on. Sorta. He was happy with his mate, Hana.

And Sesshomaru… he still hadn't spoken what had happened in his disappearance, but he returned softer and more smiley. Well, at least to his pack. To his enemies he was much more scarier.

Sighing to herself, she straightened her shoulders and took tall. She took another step, followed by another.

Soon, the Western Palace was out of sight.

Since the well had stopped working, and left her on this side, she was determined to fit in. So she burned her school uniform, and took on the robes of a miko. Though not of the traditional miko, she used her dyes from her time to die the hakamas black and the top a green color. After Kaede had passed and Sesshomaru took her to the Western Lands, she wore the heavy kimonos befitting of a lady. Or at least, sometimes.

When he had disappeared, she had asked one of servants if he knew of any tailors. Fortunately for her, his mate was in the beginnings of opening her shop. She made the silk herself, as she was a spider youkai.

So off she went and order made what she was wearing currently.

Hakamas made to look like the bottom part of a kimono, a high belt and the long sleeves. This one was in the traditional colors of a miko.

Kagome decided she should journey to the northern part of Sesshomaru's lands, and then travel east, looping around to Edo before setting of for Kyoto.

Normally, it would take decades for one to walk Japan, but as she was immortal she had all the time she needed. Her reiki was formidable as Kaede, Miroku, and even Sesshomaru had helped in her training. Though she still vastly preferred a bow and arrow, she could wield a sword when necessary.

So off she set out for modern day Itoigawa. She planned to also visit modern day Hachioji, Yamanashi, Saku, Nagano, and then straight to the sea. From there she would travel to Niigata, and then Minamisoma and back to Edo.

Once she reached Edo, she would continue along the coastline until she reached Kyoto.

"Yosh!" She said clapping her hands together, "It's early in the morning and I have about 11 hours of daylight. I'm assuming that I'm somewhere near Saitama, so I'll head south-west."

Nodding to herself, she hefted her trusty, yellow backpack over her shoulder and continued walking.

As she walked, she kept her senses extended keeping a lookout for hostile youkai, ayakashi or demons. It really was a beautiful spring day. The birds were singing in the trees, and she felt several auras of nearby animals. Her spirits lifted as she took in the untouched beauty of wild Japan.

Oops, I spoke too soon.

She laughed silently to herself as a village came into view. It was the village she had visited most often as the Lady of the West. Many youkai, ayakashi and several demons would easily recognize her. Sighing softly, she paused and quickly said a chant, a glamour complete with scent change quickly slid over her features.

Though this was very useful, it consumed large quantities of energy so she could only hold it for so long. She had no need to stop as her bag was already full with provisions.

Presently, she came to the edge of the village. Letting her glamour drop, she continued on her way.

Let's see, the Western Lands aren't so much west as they are south and northeast. Though there is a small village about a hundred miles away that pledges itself to the west, the Southern Lands run adjacent to the West. So the route I plan on taking just skirts the borders. Once I get to Hachioji, I should be at the borders.

8 hours later found her taking her first step outside the Western Lands in 6 years.

As she entered the village of the Southern Lands, she immediately sensed the telltale signs of trouble. There was a large crowd gathered at the edge, shouting and insulting someone. Feeling the aura of an extremely stressed out and exhausted miko, she plunged headfirst into the angry mob.

"Excuse me, please! I'm trying to get through!"

She nearly gagged at the strong scent of body odor, and her ears rang as the shouting grew more loud.

There's no need to use my powers, I'll just hold my breath and slip through.

About halfway through, she felt a tug on her backpack. She dismissed it as someone pushing someone else into her. But then it was violently yanked sideway, as someone screamed right next to her ear. Instantly she called a barrier, pushing everyone away from her.

"That is enough!"

Quiet reigned.

Glancing around, she noticed the miko who was backed into a wall trembling, and the men who surrounded her wore expressions of anger and hate.

Her eyes landed on one who seemed calm and carried an air of authority. Releasing the barrier, she approached him.

"Would you explain what is going on?"

He shuffled his feet, looking off into the distance.

"Why would a pretty young thing like you want with a town like this?"

"That was not the answer to the question I asked."

"Neither was that," he drawled.

She resisted the urge to argue with him, and turned her attention to the miko. Laying a hand gently on her shoulder, she spoke softly.

"Hello, what seems to be the problem here? I am a traveler, but maybe I can help?"

The woman burst into tears.

"They said she just had a fever!" she wailed, "I'm only an apprentice! How am I supposed to know how to cure someone?!"

One of the men behind her spat out a curse.

"Yer a miko! Yer suppose't have holy powers! What kinda m-"

He snapped his mouth shut at the glare Kagome leveled at him.

"Take me to your sick, and I'll heal them," she said harshly, then gentling her voice she turned to the miko, "Here, I'll show you how to heal someone."

Placing an arm around her shoulders, she shot a look clearly telling someone to show her where to go. The man she had originally tried talking with shoved off from the hit he was leaning against, and entered it.

Following closely behind, the sight that greeted her eyes, almost had her throwing up her lunch. Rushing to the side of a young woman, heavily pregnant, whose leg was black and an awful smell was emanating from the broken skin. Breathing heavily, and moaning she was in obvious pain.

Placing a hand on her forehead, she then lifted her skirt revealing her leg. At the sight of swollen skin colored black, and the smell made the miko's apprentice attempt to run from the room.

A pink barrier blocked her.

"Come here."

Turning to look at the woman kneeing over the futon, she flinched at the look in her eyes.

"This is a soon-to-be mother, how can she raise her children if she can't walk? This is supposed to be your responsibility, so buck up and deal with it. Now get over here."

She slowly came to the side of the older miko.

"Now, watch closely."

Her eyes widened in awe at the soft pink glow that radiated off her hands. The pregnant woman's face relaxed, as the black skin slowly faded away.

"This is how a proper miko is supposed to heal, however you are not extensively trained enough to accomplish this. There are several treatments you can use, such as herbs, but you have to treat this kind thing quickly so you might need to take off the infected area," she said, speaking firmly.

"I-I was never taught that!"

Kagome spared a glance for the girl.

She can't be more than 16, and her teacher obviously didn't put much faith in her.

She sighed.

"Where is your teacher?"

"She left for a neighboring village."

"When she gets back, you are to ask her to teach you. This is apart of being a miko, if you're not cut out for this, then find yourself a new occupation!"

"U-understood."

Kagome spent the next three days teaching the girl several things. Her name was Miako, and she was an orphan that the miko took in when she was young. When said miko returned, she thanked Kagome and promised to teach Miako more thoroughly. That being said, she left the village.

Over the next new years, she developed a habit of healing those and teaching new things to the mikos of the villages she traveled through. Though mostly her dealings entailed teaching, she was asked to exorcise evil beings haunting homes, villages, forests, caves… Most of the time it was demons, but occasionally they were ayakashi. As the result of that, her journey to Itoigawa stretched out far longer than she had planned.

On the day of her 32nd birthday, she finally reached her destination, looking no older than 18. After asking around, she found a small inn just a short walk from the ocean. She entered the establishment and was startled to hear a name being called out.

"Miko-sama!"

Whirling around, she encountered a vaguely familiar face. She was taken back a year or so ago when she stumbled upon a group of heavily wounded samurai. She healed their injuries and sent them on their way. From that incident, another nickname for her had been made. Angel-who-walks-the-Earth.

I think this was one of the foot soldiers?

"Good afternoon, I assume you are fully recovered?"

The man bowed deeply.

"Yes, I am. Are you staying at my family's inn?"

"I am, how much is a room?"

He straightened up and smile on his face.

"I will not allow to pay, if it was not for you, my wife would have been widowed."

So she nodded an accepted his kindness. She was introduced to his wife, who wept and bow repeatedly to her. Retiring to her room, she quickly laid down and drifted off to sleep, planning to swim tomorrow.

Upon waking the next morning, she quickly dressed and made her way to the front. After asking the man's wife where the best place to shop was, she left for the beach.

Craning her neck this way and that, she closed her eyes extending her senses.

There's no one around!

Carefully removing her clothes, socks and sandals, she folded them neatly setting them on a rock. Not wasting a second she darted off into the water.

In that moment in time, she wasn't the former Lady of the Western Lands, the Shikon no Miko, Miko no Mao or anyone. Just… Kagome.

As she lay on her back, floating staring up at the clouds, she was content.

A/N See? Summarizing quickly as to get on with the story! Go me!

Thank you for reading REVIEW, MY PRECIOUS.