After Inuyasha's sacrifice, the Bone Eaters Well had sealed itself upon the completion of the jewel, leaving Kagome stuck in the Feudal Era with no hope of returning home. Kagome mourned the loss of both Inuyasha and her family and friends. Sure, she had Sango, Miroku, and Shippo around, but they would soon move on with their own lives.
After the final battle, Sango and Miroku married shortly after and before everyone knew it, Sango was expecting her first child. Shippo stayed within the village for a few years before he decided to leave and train and retake the fox demon exam.
Kagome obviously stayed in the village. She didn't want to wander too far from the Bone Eaters well in case it started working again. She learned all she could from Kaeda and from other priestesses that would occasionally pass through the village. Much too soon for Kagome's liking, Kaeda had passed away peacefully in her sleep.
The years passed by her in a blink of an eye. It wasn't until Sango and Miroku started to grow gray hairs did the trio realize that Kagome had not aged much after her 20th birthday.
"It probably comes with being the guardian of the Shikon Jewel," Sango said as she and Kagome strolled through the ever-growing village. "We don't know exactly what the jewel is capable of, so prolonging its guardians' life is definitely a huge possibility. I mean you haven't aged a bit after all."
Kagome sighed. She prayed that she would age alongside her friends, however, the jewel clearly had other plans for her. She didn't want to watch her friends and loved ones grow old and pass away while she continued to walk the earth.
The jewel was more of a curse than anything else.
"I didn't want this," she said softly.
Sango squeezed her best friend's arm, "Just think of it this way, Kagome. Perhaps you'll live to see your family again."
The mere thought of seeing her mother, grandfather, and brother, ignited a small hope within her. "You're right, Sango. Thank you."
It was quiet for a moment before the former demon slayer spoke."It sure has been quiet lately. Demon attacks have started to become less and less. We haven't had a single report of a demon attacking the village in months.
Kagome frowned. Demons not attacking the village was normally a good thing, "Not just that, but I haven't heard of a single sighting of a demon in the last few months either. I haven't even sensed any either."
"Maybe this is what happened to the demon," Sango said, "You said that there were no demons in the future. Maybe they just all disappeared?"
Kagome shrugged, "I'm not sure. Miroku suggested they learned to blend in with humans. The more powerful demons such as Sesshomaru or even Shippo."
"Bah," Sango waved her hand in a dismissive manner, "Enough talk about demons, let us go take a bath!" Kagome agreed and the girls rushed to get their things, giggling and gossiping the whole way there.
~X~
As the years continued to pass Kagome by, Sango eventually died. She was buried beneath the Goshinboku where Inuyasha rested. Not long after Sango's death, Miroku closely followed after her.
"Lady Kagome," the dying monk motioned for her to come closer to him.
"Yes? What is it, Miroku?" Kagome clasped his hand into her own, holding back her tears.
"I feel my time is coming to an end," Kagome bit her lip to keep from sobbing, "Promise me something?"
"Of course, anything!"
"After I die, please look out for our children."
Kagome nodded her head, "Of course!"
Miroku smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "I have left everything to you. Take extra care of the chest with all the scrolls stored inside of them. I made sure to record our adventures together. They contain our travels together, the legend of the Shikon jewel, and how its mysterious guardian brought us all together."
Kagome smiled softly. "You remembered that there was not much on the Shikon jewel from my time."
The monk nodded his head. "Of course. History will not know your name, only know you as the girl who saved the world from a great evil."
"That's okay," she said, "It's better that way. Everyone should know your names. Sango, Inuyasha, Shippo, Sesshomaru, Kouga, Kikyo even."
Miroku nodded his head in agreement.
They continued to make small talk and reminiscence of their shared time together. She stayed by his side until Miroku drew his final breath and slipped into the sweet embrace of death. It was only after he finally passed away did Kagome allow herself to cry.
He was buried alongside Sango and Inuyasha beneath the Goshinboku. "Be at peace, you guys…"
~X~
With the disappearance of demons, priestesses were no longer needed. Still, Kagome honed her abilities. After Sango and Miroku passed away, she lingered in the village a little while longer before deciding to leave.
Kagome traveled throughout the land, helping those in need. Whether it be exorcizing evil spirits, or delivering babies..She lost count of how many years she'd been travelling and things around her began to change.
Demons that once freely roamed Feudal Japan became myths and fairytales parents would tell to scare their children. The Shikon No Tama became a legend and not many people believed it, or its guardian actually existed. In each village she traveled to, she would tell the children stories of the heroes who saved the world by defeating an evil spider demon.
In time, Kagome became a nameless healer. Some people actually believed her to be a spirit stuck wandering the earth. While some believed she was a goddess sent from the heavens to aid those in their time of need. She stayed in each village until she felt she was no longer needed or the villagers grew suspicious of her never aging appearance.
She tried searching for Sesshomaru or even Shippo but with no luck. It was as if they had completely disappeared. Something told her they weren't dead. At one point in time, Kagome thought she had a really good lead on the Lord of The Western Lands, but eventually, the trail went cold and she was back to square one.
"Damn demons, always keeping themselves hidden!" she kicked a rock and adjusted her bow. All she wanted to do right now was cry, but she knew she had to turn around and head back to the village she had passed through a few hours ago. It wasn't safe for people to wander alone in the dark. Especially with the rumors of brutal murders happening.
And trouble always seemed to find her.
"A woman walking alone at night with no one around?" A voice all but purred in her ear. Kagome quickly turned to face the owner and she wished she hadn't.
Her skin crawled as came face to face with a humanoid creature. Its cat-like eyes stared at her hungrily, licking its lips. Kagome was frozen in fear. Never before has she come across a demon such as the one before it. The aura of this particular monster was different from anything she had ever encountered. It was filled with more malice and bloodlust that rivaled Naraku's.
It filled her with a fear she hadn't felt in a long time.
It gripped her jaw with one of its hands, its nail pricked her skin, drawing blood. "You smell delicious!" The monster licked its lips in anticipation.
Kagome closed her eyes as she waited for the demon to devour her. But it never came. The hand holding her face had all but disappeared, she caught a glimpse of ash before she heard the sound of a sword being sheathed.
She opened her eyes as the shock and fear faded and she finally laid her eyes on her savior. A tall muscular man with long spiky hair with red tips kept secured in a ponytail stood before her. He wore a calm expression on his face as he approached her.
"Are you well?" he asked her.
"Huh?" she blinked.
He reached up and wiped the small bit of blood off her cheek.
"Oh! Yes! I'm fine! It was just a scratch! Thank you for saving me."
"Allow me to walk you to the nearest Inn," he spoke softly to her and motioned for her to follow him. He headed towards the village she passed through earlier in the day.
"So…um, what's your name?" she asked him after a long period of silence.
"My name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni," he smiled at her.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi!" She returned the smile with one of her own, "I can't thank you enough for killing that thing back there."
"No need to thank me. I'm glad I made it in time before that demon made a meal out of you,"
Kagome let out a nervous laugh, "So it was a demon…"
Yoriichi nodded his head, "Yes… with each human they feed on, they grow more powerful, but do not worry. We'll protect as many people as we can."
She decided not to question it anymore and stay silent for the remainder of the trip. And true to his word, the man known as Yoriichi escorted her safely to an inn.
"Thank you,"
"There's no need. Please take care and try not to wander alone after dark." he turned to leave before he paused and looked back at her, "If you ever find yourself wandering alone at night, demons are repelled by Wisteria Trees."
Kagome smiled, "I will keep that in mind, Yoriichi. I hope we cross paths in the future."
He nodded his head before finally taking his leave.
Kagome spared one last look at the man known as Yoriichi.
"What an interesting guy…" Kagome smiled and she hoped they would meet again, hopefully under better circumstances.
~X~
Many more years passed, and Kagome never got the chance to see Yoriichi again. She did encounter quite a few people calling themselves demon slayers. She lost count of how many of them she had tended to in her travels.
"Geez, Masaru," Kagome sighed as she dressed his shoulder wound, "This is the third time in the last month I've tended to you alone! You need to be more careful when dealing with those demons!"
"Right…" he let out a nervous chuckle, "I'll try and be more careful next time." the demon slayer let out a sigh, "They're just so… powerful. The only sure way to kill them is to cut off their heads with a Nichirin Sword."
"What exactly is so special about those blades anyway?" Kagome asked as she finished dressing his wounds.
"They're forged with Scarlet Ore and Scarlet Crimson Sand which are found on Mount Yoko and are constantly bathed in sunlight all throughout the year," Masaru explained to her, "Other than decapitating the head, direct exposure to sunlight is the only way to kill them. Some of their regenerative abilities are… insane."
"I see…" Kagome gathered his torn clothes in her arms, "I'll make sure to wash these and sew the holes in them. For now, rest and let your wounds heal."
"Yeah yeah," he grumbled crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Kagome smiled softly as she walked passed him with the bundle of clothes. She spared a glance at the crow sitting in the open window, seemingly watching her like a hawk. It unnerved her really, the crow was with him every time he came around with a fresh wound.
"The demons of today's age are nothing like the ones we battled," Kagome sighed. She had only encountered the one demon Yoriichi saved her from, and she wasn't looking forward to meeting with any more of them.
However, she knew that eventually, she'd have to. "Perhaps, purifying them would work?" she knew no one of this day and age would know. She was the last living true priestess after all, and the guardian of the Shikon No Tama. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
After the clothing he wore was clean from all the blood, she brought it back to the small hut she was staying in and hung it up to dry. Once done with that, she went inside and began to brew some tea.
Masaru watched her from his place across the small fire. Kagome was an enigma.
After a particularly rough battle with a demon, he and his companions were severely injured and probably would have died if she hadn't shown up. It was thanks to her that he and his companions even survived. By the time the Kakushi arrived, she was long gone and he thought their whole encounter had been just a dream. His companions didn't even recall seeing her at all.
Then he encountered her once more in the woods after a long night of battling. He had been bleeding in several places, none of his injuries was life-threatening, but they hurt like hell. She had dropped what she was doing and rushed to his side immediately. She led him to a small hut he thought was abandoned.
He stayed with her for another week after she told him he was fit to travel again and they became fast friends.
Masaru didn't know much about Kagome. He tried to pry for more information about her but to no avail. He hadn't learned a single thing about her other than the fact that she was rather lonely and had no family. He often caught her dazing off, a faraway look on her face, and he could never bring himself to ask what was on her mind.
He also learned she never stayed in one place for very long.
"Where do you plan on going after you leave here?" he asked her while she sewed the holes in his uniform.
"I'm not sure," she replied, "Wherever I'm needed I suppose."
"You should come back to the Demon Slayer Headquarters with me!" He beamed, "You'd make a great Kakushi!"
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to have to decline," she said.
Masaru sighed but didn't press the issue further. She'd be done fixing his uniform tonight and he'd be on his way tomorrow. He wished he could repay her, but each time he tried, she denied him, telling him he owed her nothing in return.
Just as he had predicted, when he awoke the next morning, his uniform was neatly folded beside him and she was nowhere to be seen. With a sigh, he dressed himself in the demon slayer uniform and sought out the mysterious woman. He found her beside the small stream of water.
"Kagome!" He called out to her.
She turned to him, "Good morning Masaru!" she greeted. "Are you leaving?"
He nodded his head, "I am."
She was always just out of arms reach, they were close, but not too close for her to become attached. She knew what fate awaited normal humans, and demon slayers tended to live shorter lives. She couldn't bear watching more people she cared about die.
"Please be careful out there!"
"As always," he said. "Until we meet again, Kagome!"
"Hopefully under better circumstances."
With a laugh, Masaru set off. His ever so faithful crow flying just overhead, leading him to who knows where.
"Until next time," she whispered.
The next time she saw Masaru, he was no longer alive.
It happened a few months later. Despite the warning she had received from Yoriichi, Kagome traveled along the pathway, her only source of light being the moon. And as she was passing through a smaller village, she sensed a demon.
She shuddered as she quickly made her way toward the demon, drawing her bow as she moved. She gasped as she saw the demon throw a body across the clearing. The body crashed through fencing and ceased any form of movement. She couldn't feel the aura from the person and instantly knew they were dead.
A scream ripped her from her thoughts. The demon had a hold of a woman, ready to take a bit out of her flesh. Kagome quickly nocked an arrow in her bow, "Hey ugly!"
The demon turned to look at her and laughed at the arrow. "You think a mere arrow can kill me?"
Kagome swallowed thickly, "Maybe not…"
The woman whimpered as the demon tightened its hand around her neck, "Don't make me laugh girl! Leave now and maybe I'll spare your life!"
Kagome scoffed, "You honestly think I'm going to leave while a damsel in distress? You're a bigger idiot than I thought!"
"What did you say?" his eye twitched.
"You heard me ugly! Now let her go!" She pulled the bowstring back, ready to release the arrow at any given second.
The demon laughed at her and threw the woman to the side, "Stay put." he turned his attention to Kagome. "You seem like you're the type that needs proof. Go ahead and shoot me, but once you do. You won't have another opportunity. I'll kill you right where you stand!"
"As you command," Kagome smirked. She didn't realize that the demons were so cocky, or perhaps it was just this particular one.
She took a deep breath, "Please work." she prayed as she released the arrow. It soared through the clearing, quickly being enveloped in a bright pink color. The demon's eyes widened as the arrow struck him and he felt his whole body be enveloped in the same color as the arrow.
"You bitch!" He screamed as he began to fade to ash, "What the hell did you do to me!?"
"Your the first demon of this era to have a taste of pure spiritual power." Kagome approached him, "So you were right, a simple arrow couldn't kill you. Unlucky for you though, it was no simple arrow."
Kagome walked passed him as his screams faded into nothing.
"Are you okay?" she asked the woman.
She could only nod her head, not able to find her voice.
"Now, go on home. No more wandering the streets out at night, okay?" Kagome helped the girl up and gently nudged her towards the homes. Once she was out of sight, Kagome rushed to the fallen demon slayer.
Her heart dropped in her stomach.
"Masaru…" she dropped to her knees. "I'm sorry I didn't make it in time to save you." She silently wept for the boy. "Be at peace my friend." She grabbed his sword and placed it beside him, surely he'd want it even in death.
She leaned down and placed a kiss on his cold cheek. "Thank you for everything." with a heavy heart, Kagome left the scene.
From that moment on, Kagome vowed to destroy any demon she came across.
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a/N: so sorry if this seemed rushed.
Characters may be OOC.
I don't know much about Yoriichi other than what the wiki page has.
Hope you enjoyed the Prologue!
