"Me!? You think I- that I have- that I could-" They just continued to look amused at her sputtering. "But… you're wrong."
"How do you figure?"
She remained silent for a moment, lips pursed as she attempted to corral her thoughts into some semblance of order and sense. "Because she – me?- I." She huffed in annoyance, at a loss of what to call that part of her that had remained stagnate to suffer times wrath, weathered down until only the harshest of emotions remained, until even death seemed like a sweet release. "The part of me who remained behind, she is the one who theorized what virtues one must have in order to rid the world of the jewel, but she, I have been corrupted by time. My isolation, my time spent apart from my body has… changed me. I am not pure enough."
"Hogwash." Jade colored eyes rolled in exasperation.
"While not the word I would use I agree."
"I don't-"
"You said it yourself, her memories are like a story to you, one you've heard and maybe even feel for, but are not connected to. You will know them as a child knows a story, distantly and with little attachment, that's what she told you isn't it?"
"Yes but-."
"Kagome." The blues of day and night clashed as her eyes roved to meet Shinobu's narrow gaze. "You seem to have this terrible habit of comparing yourself to the deceased, you place them on a pedestal that overshadows you, you see their merit and dismiss your own. When you shattered the jewel you did not shirk in your duties, you held your head high and sacrificed your future for the future of strangers, with that you showed courage. As you traveled you brought demons and the humans meant to destroy them together for a common goal, not just as allies but as friends. You showed them and me what it means to have friends. You have the wisdom, despite your experiences, to realize that you do not know everything, the wisdom to understand people and their hearts even at the cost of your own. You adopted a child not only not of your blood but not even of your species you love him unconditionally despite the years that have kept you separated. You showed an undeserving half demon that love comes first when you learn to love yourself as you are and not as others feel you should be. Your friend your family you love them unconditionally and unfalteringly."
His voice grew soft as he finished his tirade with one final thought. "And whether you know it or not you stood between me and my fate, your love gave me a reason to fight back, a reason to live. So no I don't think there is anyone better suited to the task of disposing of the jewel."