Shaman King

by The Amazing Sakumachan

For Higurashi Kagome, moving to Tokyo was supposed to be a fresh start. But little did she know that she was walking a similar path that was walked before. A fateful encounter. A promise that transcends time and space. A gift that keeps giving. What path lends a Happy Ending? [SPOILER-IFIC]

43. Canary: Being

Canary: Being

Kagome's unlife proceeded the way it did the previous year. This time around, her visitors alternated between relatively frequent visits from Manta with Second, and Ren. The tips of lush green leaves were dipped into buckets of warm colors. It was an unlife of solitude. But Kagome was pleasantly surprised that although she was often alone, she wasn't always lonely.

Boredom tended to rear its head in, but she usually solved it by venturing out into the closest neighborhoods to the shrine. Other times, the shrine would be toured by strangers who either had no clue that it was now private property, or had no qualms about trespassing. Usually, the trespassers were teenagers and young adults motivated by boredom, mischief, or curiosity. Most of the visits were completely harmless and made Kagome chuckle from observing the antics of the youth. Other times, her eye would twitch as a few teenagers would deface the shrine with spray-painted graffiti or carelessly discarded cigarettes and beer cans.

As tempting as it was to punish the flippant individuals, Kagome refused to let her emotions control her again. Anna's warning and the injury she inflicted on the construction worker still haunted her mind from time to time. The priestess would still herself with a deep breath and quick meditation. Then she'd prank the disrespectful youths until they fled the shrine screaming in terror. It usually only took knocking over objects or levitating them to make their faces lose all color.

Manta easily caught wind of rumors of new paranormal activity reported at the restored Higurashi Shrine. "I see you've been busy," he sent her a teasing accusatory expression.

The priestess responded with an innocent head tilt, "Whatever do you mean, Manta?"

While Manta shared Kagome's mild amusement on the matter, Ren was less than entertained when he discovered that the shrine was sometimes defaced and marred. His gaze would meticulously note the damages and litter before he'd turn to the priestess and tell her, "You let them off too easily."

Kagome chuckled and shook her head almost incredulously. "They're just kids. What would you have me do, Ren?" She asked. "Uh-huh…" She didn't humor him when he told her that he had a few ideas. Instead, she flipped the script and questioned him on whether he was putting any more effort into his interpersonal affairs. She was met with the answer that she somewhat expected: that he hadn't found anyone who interested him yet, but he would try when it happened. He answered with an almost pouty grumble, but it was progress.

'Yoh, I think I finally passed your kindness on,' Kagome found herself thinking one day as she stared up at the Goshinboku. 'I finally moved forward, even only a little bit. I want you to be proud of me…' Her hands cupped as she closed her eyes and poured her heart out to the great tree. It was probably only wishful thinking but she prayed that the mysterious power of the tree would deliver her feelings to her friend who was becoming more and more of a summer memory. 'I won't make any unreasonable requests of you. So please, watch over me.'

To one not of the physical world, time was of no consequence to Kagome.

People habitually came and went, both fairly and cruelly unaware of her existence.

Time was of no consequence to her.

And yet, her mortal heart still wondered how much time had passed since she saw his face.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kagome awoke to an odd sensation, a nagging sensation that tugged at her very being. It was a feeling that was familiar but she couldn't quite name it. Describing this anonymous, heavy force weighed on her mind as calling it "uneasiness" was an injustice. She promptly exited the well-house and took to the skies to scan for troublemakers. There were indeed unexpected visitors, but she was largely unprepared for what she saw.

Beneath the golden foliage of the Goshinboku and other trees were hoards of small, fuzzy bodies. From tanukis to raccoons, martens, and small cats, a hoard of small mammals gathered and carpeted the shrine grounds. Many of the critters were visibly trembling while others bristled and screeched and hissed. "What the?" Kagome's eyes widened. She floated higher and spotted flocks and flocks of birds flying away from inner-city Tokyo. "Something bad must be happening," she quickly surmised.

The spirit took to soaring towards the city at top speed. The fleeing hoard of birds parted, making way for the otherworldly presence as she flew straight through them. As Kagome raced through the skies over Tokyo's outskirts, she first passed over nearby residential areas. Many people below were on their knees with their hands covering their heads and others were trying to steady themselves by holding onto large objects like trees and cars. She flew faster, her eyes staying on the earth below.

Soon, the ordinary scenery was scarred with remnants of disaster. It started with a visible but thin crack in the street; it appeared as if a god drew zig-zags along the asphalt. The priestess gasped and immediately understood what just occurred. A few houses suffered minor damage but the more she approached downtown Tokyo, the more extensive the damage became. But Kagome was relieved that no one appeared fatally injured even as she scouted deeper into the metropolis.

Glass from vehicles and buildings littered the streets and sidewalks. Many vehicles suffered from dents and damaged tires. Kagome was no architect but from her vantage point, the damage that the recent quake dealt to downtown Tokyo was relatively minor. 'Thank goodness for Japanese engineering,' She thought as her eyes took in the tear in the earth that gradually became wider the more that she traced its path. Traced along the edge of the great fissure were jagged teeth of asphalt and cement.

For a moment, the priestess paused mid-flight. She looked back in the direction of the shrine, 'Animals have a sixth sense that humans don't possess. For all of those animals to flee to the shrine like that…could it be that…?' Her eyes narrowed as her mind processed the information. 'And it looks like a sizable earthquake…'

That was when Kagome flashbacked to her younger years, back when she was a studious high school student. Back when she was losing hope of returning to the Feudal Era, she began studying human biology and modern medicine in hopes of becoming a physician. In her moment of clarity, her mind's eyes displayed a clear image of pages in her geology textbook. There was another devastating natural disaster that soon followed earthquakes, especially on the coasts of Japan. 'Tokyo is probably safe, but—!'

As she recalled from the past, Kagome knew of the nearby coastal areas that were most vulnerable to probable proceeding events. There were the Chiba and Miyagi prefectures who were no strangers to the pending disaster. And if her memory served her correctly, Kagome knew that the window of opportunity to escape was…

'Less than twenty minutes?!' Her inner mind screamed out in panic. 'They have to evacuate quickly!'

With a revitalized sense of urgency, Kagome rushed west towards Chiba. The world raced by in smeared hues. The grays, blacks, and silvers of urbanization and the greens and brilliant colors of nature were obscured as the priestess made haste. 'I have to at least help the smaller towns that don't have the same infrastructure as Tokyo!' She recalled the summer training camp that she and the volleyball team took to the Chiba prefecture. The club president asserted to the student council that the trip was to train without the distractions of the big city. But actually, all of those years ago, they rented a seaside house and did nothing but goof off.

Even to a group of giggling city girls, the people of that town were kind and welcoming. It was years since then, so there was no telling that those people who offered them directions, discounts, and smiles were even still around. But that didn't mean anything to Kagome. Her only concern was enduring the current residents' safety. It had been a long time since she visited the Chiba prefecture so Kagome didn't have a fresh map of the area in her mind. So she followed her gut and used her aerial vantage point to find the sea.

As she flew, Kagome noted the drastic change in landscape and architecture. Even a sleepy, fishing town wasn't spared from modern urbanization. Green woodland was mowed down and replaced with paved asphalt roads that connected to other urban areas. The space between previously small structures was consumed and overstuffed with larger buildings. But more pressing was—.

'The quake really did hit this place worse than Tokyo…' She took in the destruction with a heavy heart. Some buildings were set aflame while many others collapsed or suffered from crumbled foundations. The streets were filled to the brim with bumper-to-bumper vehicles: some abandoned with doors left open and others with panicked drivers battering on their horns.

'There're so many people just standing around…!' Kagome was alarmed at that observation. 'They don't know they're in danger?!' The spirit quickened her flight, soaring through the sky like a bullet. She came to an abrupt halt once the shoreline came into clear view. Her heart dropped as she drew nearer.

On the beach that she once walked years ago, there was the standard expanse of sand that acted as a liaison between the land and sea. But what alarmed Kagome was what lied beyond the obvious boundary between sand and sea. The space that should have been swallowed by the deep blue depths was barren of the saline waters. What should have been a massive body of water that spanned the horizon was nothing but exposed seabed. The place where one would normally wade to cool off or swim around was reduced to the moist sand, eroding stones, sea plants, and pitifully marooned marine life. 'The tides have receded!'

Kagome frantically turned her back to the sea and scanned the area. She spotted a small crowd of people clumped together near a cluster of buildings that did not exist in her memory. Resolved to her cause, the priestess propelled then descended until she was hovering above the circle of humans.

Adults of varying ages were gathered around a panicked woman who was knelt, cradling an unconscious child in her arms. Kagome gasped, her hands rose to her mouth as she took in the scene. The child was a boy no older than four years of age. His current state was unbearably sickening. The left side of the boy's head was split; the wrinkles of his bare brain exposed to the air. Nearby, just beyond the crowd, lay a fractured, bloodied chunk of concrete.

His mother frantically jostled the young boy as she shrieked, "Hiro-chan, Hiro-chan! Open your eyes!" She looked up at the faces surrounding her and her son, "Someone, help me! Call an ambulance!" The woman's tears were met with the unfeeling lenses of mobile cameras that captured her distress.

"Is that…me…?" A tiny voice suddenly inquired, soft and bewildered.

Kagome lifted her head and gasped. Floating before her was the spitting image of the unresponsive child. "I-It's you…!" The small spirit evaded Kagome's touch as she reached for him.

"Mama, I'm right here!" The boy called as his arms fazed through his mother's body as he tried to embrace her side. "Mama?! Look at me! I'm here!"

The priestess's heart ached as she watched the boy's spirit desperately call out to his mother's deaf ears. His hands tried reaching for someone who he could no longer grasp. She knew that feeling. She lived this moment before. "H-Hey…" Kagome landed in the circle of humans who filmed the weeping woman and reached for the boy. She gasped and froze when she heard a familiar sound, the 'hoo'ing of a flute. She whipped around and looked up, "Tatarimokke, it's still alive!"

It had been so long since Kagome laid eyes on the Soul Piper. It still maintained its perfectly spherical shape, complete with its scaled curved tail. The demon was playing a lulling melody on its flute, its eyes closed but still fixated on the crying child. Just as before, the priestess could hear its melodic inner voice call out, "Come, child." The Tatarimokke's voice was a symphonic chorus of the child souls that gave birth to its existence. Although eerie, it was strangely inviting and the just sound was enough to reduce the recently deceased boy's from screams to choking whimpers. He wiped at his eyes as his attention turned to the demon.

'This boy will be fine with the Soul Piper!' Kagome thought as she refocused on her task. 'I have to find a way to get these people out of here!' Her eyes scanned the crowd and then the faces of onlookers. To her horror, there were even more people walking down the sidewalks and weaving between the rows and columns of vehicles. 'So many people!' Her eyes hardened, 'Someone here has to be able to hear me!'

If she could relay the message to one person, then maybe the one could save them all.

"Everyone, run away! You're all in danger!" She called between her cupped hands. As swift as a hummingbird's wings, Kagome whizzed from crowd to crowd, face to face, couple to couple, family to family. "Your lives are in danger! You have to get to higher ground!" The spirit continued zipping over human heads, calling out her warning and hoping that someone would hear her. "Everyone, run away before it's too late!"

Kagome searched for a pair of surprised or curious eyes, for any indication that she pierced through the invisible veil. But no one seemed to perceive her voice. Each face that she found remained fixed on their phones, the sky, or the earthquake's aftermath. She inwardly cursed; none of these humans showed any signs of spiritual awareness.

"Damn it! How do I get through to them?!" The priestess's teeth clamped down on her lip as she wracked her brain for ideas. Speaking to them was out of the question. Possessing someone to play messenger was too risky, as Manta told her that most humans lose consciousness after being possessed.

'Think, Kagome! Think!' She screamed internally as she shut her eyes. 'There has to be a way to reach these people without endangering someone!'

Suddenly, Yoh's face appeared in her mind.

[ "Feelings are the source of a spirit's power, because spirits are feelings." ]

Kagome's eyes shot open, 'That's it!' Her eyes scanned down the stretch of asphalt and cement. 'Powerful emotions are able to reach across the veil and affect the physical world, even humans,' She thought as she recounted what Sota told her about when she haunted the shrine. Her eyes narrowed and hardened, 'I just have to focus!'

"Everyone…" Her hands formed into fists as she shouted with all of her might, "Run away! You're in DANGER!"

A shockwave, naked to the human eye, pulsed through the area, stopping many of the passersby in their tracks. Many eyes were wide with shock and a sudden sense of terror that they couldn't explain.

"That's right…" the priestess encouraged. "Be afraid. Run away, or you'll DIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" The spirit's voice and feelings reverberated, bouncing off walls and smacking into humans like a gust of wind. The feeling that she wanted to reach them was more than to flee for their lives; it was deeper than wanting them to live.

It was only after she died that Kagome realized how much her old school friends cared about her. There were so many humans that knew nothing of her world, saw through her facade, and still tried to help her without prying. From teachers to fellow club members to school friends like Yuka, Ayumi, Eri...even the ramen shop chef who allowed a sleepless, high school Kagome to chat well after hours… People had flaws, but they were also capable of amazing amounts of empathy and compassion.

A small sense of relief fell over Kagome when some people hastily fled the scene, undoubtedly unnerved by the sudden, strange sensations. Others scrunched up their faces and idly discussed their change in mood and the unsettled feeling in the pit of their stomachs. The priestess opened her mouth but her words were caught. The roar of mighty force drummed into her ears; it was akin to the rumble of a train rushing by. Not a second later, the gut-wrenching screams of humans boomed and resounded.

The spirit looked towards the sea, unsurprised yet still aghast at its ferocity as rushing rapids raided the land. The depths that once receded returned with a thunderous vengeance. The sea's catastrophic crusade crushed and consumed everything in its path. Even the mighty trees that aligned the beach were barreled through and shoved over; the oceanic impact easily lifted the towering plants from their roots and carried them along.

The mortal fright instilled in the human hearts was grounded: an inevitability that none could blame them for. Shrieks, warnings, and screams intertwined with the deathly rumble that drew nearer and nearer.

Kagome had no reason to fear for her life.

She lost that centuries ago.

But the humans who were scrambling to start their vehicles, the ones who were rushing towards high-rises, and the others that followed instinct and made a break using their feet...those people had a lot to lose in a short window of time. The deluge was a handful of meters away, promising to swallow anyone and anything in its path.

Her sandals made no sound when she landed on the ground.

'I don't know what I'll be able to do, but—!'

Her arms outstretched to her sides protectively.

'I can't give up on them! If I did,'

Her gaze was unwavering as the rolling waters approached.

'how would I be able to face the person who didn't give up on me?!'

A massive barrier that spanned the city's sea-facing side was erected. The spiritual barricade was invisible to the naked eye but as immovable as pure steel. The priestess grunted through clenched teeth. Her eyes squinted as she struggled to hold her ground. The pressure of the furious sea was unlike any force she ever encountered. 'R-run away…!' Her desperate heart cried out to the people who she wanted to protect.

It was no wonder that so many religions and mythologies believed in sea gods. The might of the endless depths were unrivaled by any other: a force of nature that was forgotten until it erupted into chaos. Kagome could only hope that she was giving the humans the chance that they needed: valuable time that could mean the difference between living on and joining her in the afterlife. 'Please, everyone…!' The priestess' eyes shut as she put her all into the barrier. '...live…!'

'If you're dead…' The priestess' memories glimpsed Ren's gentle smile. '...you can't sample this beautiful wonder's treasures…' That's right. Higurashi Kagome was feelings. The source of her power was her feelings. As she imagined the array of emotions that she experienced, she could feel the weight of the sea lifting. Everything from the fluster, bliss, and despair that Yoh gifted her to the laughs, love, and longing that Ren granted her… Those memories were a kaleidoscope in her heart. The emotions behind them were an array of colors: blue, orange, red, yellow, pink. And those precious moments electrified her.

Emotions set ablaze into pure energy that sparked and crackled like lightning.

Unbeknownst to the priestess, her unseen heroism drew many pairs of awe-struck eyes. The minds that were once garbled with nothing but pure survival instinct were now mystified by curiosity. The stragglers who had yet to create much distance between themselves and the sea were stunned and befuddled at the sight. Never before had any of them witnessed or heard of these monstrous waves suddenly halting in their course. The fact that they could see more water continuously rushing to land from the far distance only intensified their astonishment and confusion.

The invisible wall that thwarted the flood and monstrous debris provided the onlookers with a spectacular show. In their eyes, it was a wall of water, unaffected by gravity, accumulating more and more as tsunamis continued wave after waver.

"Look! The tsunami stopped moving!" "How's that possible?!" "It's a miracle!" "It must be God!"

Kagome's head snapped to shout at the humans from over her shoulder, "Don't just stand there! I can't hold this forever!" Upon her head returning to its normal position, her eyes closed for fractions of a second. A simple blink. An involuntary action that stayed with her despite having no physical body.

When she reopened her eyes, she gasped, finding that she was no longer in the city. Her new surroundings were a brilliant world: an expanse of the perfect sky-blue accented with sparse, immaculately white clouds. This was what Kagome would have pictured heaven being like if it weren't for how desolate it was. There wasn't another soul in sight. "Where…" She wondered soft and breathless. "...am I…?"

"Inside of the Great Spirit," A voice suddenly answered from behind. This gasp was sharp as Kagome whipped around. Just under four meters away was a cracked, stone throne. A man dressed in a flowing, white cloak was seated there with one leg crossed over the other. "The highest society." He looked upon her with a startling familiar face, a crown of draping brunette hair, and chestnut brown eyes. He exuded an elegant and regal albeit haughty aura. His expression was outwardly calm but Kagome easily caught wind of a bored and expectant look in his eyes.

"Oh," Kagome blinked slowly as her initial shock wore off. "Hao-sama, it's you." Hao inwardly flinched at her nonchalant tone, but it was instantly replaced with a sense of urgency, "You have to send me back, those people—!"

"—are unsavable," Hao finished, his indifference startling the priestess. "What's done is done."

Kagome dared to bound towards the throne like a knight storming a hostile castle. "How could you be so cruel?!" She cried just as stopped just shy of a meter from the king. "If you didn't interfere, I could have—!"

"Fought against the natural order of the world?" Hao queried smoothly as he leaned back and rested his head against a propped arm. "Humans have been defying the ways of the world through the ages, always finding ways to cheat the great equalizer," he informed. "Do they really need more assistance?"

Kagome silently glared at Hao for a moment. She heard the stories about Hao, about how he was in the past, and how he felt about humanity. But none of those stories prepared her for who sat before her now. "So the fate of the world is in the hands of a jaded king…" she mused in an audible, heated whisper.

"A jaded king? That's a fair assessment," Hao admitted impassively. "As for you, beloved priestess, Kagome…" Her scorned face turned into widened, horrified eyes at his next words, "I think it's about time for you to rest."

She interjected quickly, her hands rising as defensive, loose balls at her chest, "You can't!"

"I can," Hao corrected, his eyes narrowing as he reminded her, "I'm the Shaman King."

Kagome straightened her back but didn't hide her glower as she clarified, "I mean, you can," she relented, " but…" Her head lowered ever so slightly, her long bangs cascaded as a curtain before her eyes. At times like these, when her back was against a wall and she felt panicked, her mind fell back to Yoh. She had yet to meet him again. She didn't have the chance to tell him what she held in her heart. Her fingers curled until her hands were tight fists. She then lifted her head, revealing eyes full of both tender emotions and solid resolve. "I'm not ready to leave this world just yet! I have unfinished business here!" She told him, both firmly and urgently.

Hao didn't appear moved by her declaration. His eyes merely bore into her soul with a piercing gaze that Yoh never gave her before. While Yoh's eyes were warm and gently knocked on her heart's door, Hao's eyes were clouded and forced their way inside of her. It was as if Hao was trying to read her without getting to know her. It was as if Kagome was a mere subject to be studied and not a person to become acquainted with. "...is that so?" He drawled half-heartedly. "And what would that be?"

Kagome gestured at herself with an open palm to her chest, "I don't know what it is yet! But I know that there's something that I'm meant to do!" She took a half-step closer. "If you were to send me away now, you wouldn't just be jaded, you'd be unjust."

"What if I said that I'm not concerned about what peasants consider to be just?" Hao inquired.

Kagome visibly deflated. Her eyelids hooded over her eyes as her arm lowered to her side. "Honestly, it would be a little sad. I'd feel hopeless…" she confessed in a lowered voice before her eyes hardened. "...if that were true." Hao was wordless but the priestess caught onto the subtle uptick of his brow. "But, I don't believe that you're an unjust king, Hao-sama," her voice was steady and calm as she expounded, "If you were truly unjust, you would have done away with humanity already. And if you wanted to, you could have seen me to heaven or hell without bringing me here at all."

It was faint, but Kagome glimpsed a glimmer of warmth in his eyes; it was a lovely marriage of pleasant surprise and affirmation. That fleeting flash of feelings in his eyes was confirmation enough for her. She stifled a chuckle as a smile grew across her face, "I mean, you are the Shaman King, after all."

A smirk quickly graced Hao's face as he confirmed, "Indeed I am."

"So, what's the true reason behind why you brought a lowly peasant like me here?" Kagome questioned curiously. "If you wanted to simply stop me, you could have sent me anywhere. Why here?"

"What if I said that I just wanted to see your face?" Hao countered without batting an eyelash. His amusement visibly grew when Kagome stiffened and blushed brightly. "Are you embarrassed because it's Yoh's face telling you something like that?" His eyes narrowed, becoming more sly and cat-like.

Kagome's eye twitched and she immediately exploded with a fiery aura, "You summoned me here to be a source of entertainment?! You gotta be kidding?!"

"Ah, there it is," Hao's eyes lit up, twinkling with gaiety, as he smirked wide. "The infamous fire that does it for Yoh," he furthered delighted in the dusty pink tinge to Kagome's cheeks as her mouth fell open.

"Oh, that's enough about that!" The priestess proclaimed as her arms crossed and stuck her nose up. "That's all in the past. I'm a new Kagome now." Hao was thoroughly unconvinced when she asserted, "No one can hold that over me."

"Is that so…?" Hao wondered rhetorically. His expression went from thoughtful to wearing a playful smile as he stated, "Allow me to debunk that claim." Kagome's stubborn frown softened into a curious expression, her lips parting slightly. He straightened from his relaxed position then placed a hand over his chest and recited, "You found me, and you never gave up on me." Kagome's eyes widened and her blush burned brighter as Hao's obvious smirk grew. "Even when I pushed you away—."

The priestess' aura flared as she marched a few strides closer. Her hands were fists at her side as she shouted, "Shaman King or not, you have no right to make fun of my feelings!"

Suddenly, his amusement was snuffed out like a flame, his smirk wiped clean. "Yoh really does prefer spitfires," he remarked casually, ignoring how Kagome's glare darkened.

"You must really be bored to call me here just to get on my nerves," the priestess huffed then sighed softly, regaining her composure. With a flat expression, "If you have nothing else better to do, why not go out and do something? What use is a king that stays held up in his castle?"

Hao instantly returned to his wide smile, his eyes closing as he asked, "My, my. Is the little canary inviting me out?"

"Little...canary…?" Kagome repeatedly lamely, blinking with her befuddlement.

"It suits you," Hao remarked. His eyes became hooded as he explained, "As Shaman King, I can see the memories of all of the souls that you touched. Even your exploits in Sengoku Jidai are not lost to me." Kagome was surprised to spot genuine warm admiration on Hao's face. "Higurashi Kagome, the priestess who habitually offered herself as a miner's canary...even after death, you put your all into protecting others."

Kagome didn't dwell on the nickname, as if it was trivial in comparison to what was on her mind. "More importantly, Hao-sama," she diverted, "I know that there's something that I'm meant to do while I'm still Higurashi Kagome. Please, send me back to Earth. I think I'm on the verge of discovering what I'm meant to do.

"What a pity. I was looking forward to finding out why everyone is so enamored with you," Hao feigned a disappointed sigh. "But as you wish. Just don't interfere with the natural order again. Someone who died centuries ago has no business being a heroine."

Kagome lightly shook her head before smiling and replying smoothly, "I can't keep a promise like that. I wouldn't be me if I stood by and watched people suffer and die."

"Hmph, so foolish…" Hao looked as if he would genuinely sigh at any moment. "You're just like them—Yoh and his friends." The ghost of a smirk beautified his face. "But I do admit, you lot who advocate for peace and the redeemability of the humans…" He straightened his posture, pressing his back against the throne and his arms settling on the proper rests. "You amuse me."

Kagome's gasped as she felt herself become wrapped in a foreign but warm sensation. She lifted her hands and gazed down at her palms. The skin and cloth of her spiritual body were losing their color as her form was enveloped in pure white light. 'This light...this energy…' she unconsciously noted. 'It's balmy, and kind. It really does feel like Yoh.'

"Oh, one more thing, canary," Hao caught her eye just before she was teleported. His voice lowered an octave, becoming steel-like and grave. "Do not return to the disaster zones."

Within the blink of an eye, Kagome was suddenly standing in the Higurashi shrine courtyard. The majority of the critters who sought solace and sanctuary there had cleared away some time ago. All they left behind were hints of their refuge: paw prints, light scrapes and scratches, food scraps, and excrement. She looked up at the vast ocean of the night sky: it was glistening with stars.

A hand rose to her chest as the priestess sighed, a huge wave of relief washed over her. She had met Asakura Hao for the first time. Despite hearing stories of him from her friends, Kagome never thought that she would have the opportunity to meet him for herself. The encounter was like a whirlwind. She was swept up, spun about, and then released before she knew it. From that interaction alone, she didn't know what to make of him entirely.

All that Kagome could take away was despite him not sharing her sentiment towards humanity, Hao was still a lot kinder than he let on. She could feel it in his aura alone. And more importantly...despite his theatrics and fox-like nature, she spotted something in his eyes just before she disappeared from within the Great Spirit.

'I know what I saw…right before I left,' Kagome told herself. 'His eyes…they looked so sad...'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Between being overloaded with work, attempting to appease the naggy but concerned Kagome chibi in his head by socializing outside of business affairs, and being bombarded with newsfeed on the devastation in Japan, Ren's mind was heavy and weary. There was hardly ever a moment to breathe inside and out of the office, a person who he could talk to about his interests and worries, or uplifting news to look forward to. He wouldn't admit it but losing his spectral companion made him realize just how much distance he placed between himself and other people. The select few who he could truly be himself with were scattered across the globe, only accessible virtually for a few hours every couple of weeks.

Ren had convinced himself long ago that he wasn't lonely when Jeanne died. He convinced himself that he had everything that he needed to be happy: their son and stable income. But it was only until now, after Jun questioned how he was fairing after Kagome left, that he realized that he was in denial all of these years. Jeanne left the world of the living, and she took a part of him and their son with her. And there was nothing or no one in the world who could ever be Jeanne. He felt that way for years, never wanting to seek another woman's touch out of respect for Men and Jeanne's loving memory.

Despite that…having Kagome around had been comforting, completing.

It almost resembled having a life partner: someone who cared enough to chastise or criticize him when he wasn't paying attention to the important things—the little things that made life worth living.

It had been weeks since she turned him away—no, since she saved him.

His bare skin was glistening from his steamy shower as he bent over to peer into his refrigerator. "Good morning, Ren~" The Tao sighed and ignored the familiar voice. He told himself that he had to stop being pathetic and imagining that a ghost came back to visit him. "Ren," Kagome repeated casually.

"Yeah, yeah," Ren grumbled to his conscience that took on Kagome's voice. "I'll go grocery shopping this weekend," He told the voice as he straightened his posture and closed the door—only to find Kagome standing there. The Tao instantly bristled, "K-Kagome, don't jumpscare me!"

Kagome blinked slowly, "Eh…" She spoke just as slowly, innocently, "But I didn't. I called you a couple of times and you even responded to me." She then smiled, "Glad that you plan to take care of yourself. Your fridge is looking a little sad."

"Yeah, I'm going to have my PA pick up some breakfast for now," Ren informed her, knowing that he'd be chastised for missing "the most important meal of the day" (as the priestess once said). "So, to what do I owe the honors?" He queried as he left the kitchen with the spirit trailing close behind.

"Oh yeah~" Kagome clapped her hands softly, unaware that Ren secretly found her bubbly chirp adorable. The man paused mid-step when Kagome sped up so that she blocked the stairs to his bedroom. "I was hoping that you'd tell me everything that you know about Asakura Hao."

Ren eyed the spirit almost suspiciously, "And why do you suddenly need information on Hao…?"

The priestess closed her eyes and bowed her head behind clapped, pleading hands, "I promise it's not for anything bad." She then peeked an eye open and added, "Please, Renny~"

The Tao stiffened, his cheeks flushing intensely, "Only my sister can call me that!"

Kagome opened her other eye and dropped her pleading posture. She turned her head and raised a thoughtful, closed hand to her mouth and muttered, "Damn, I really thought that would work on him…" Ren's eye twitched when she faced him again with a slight cock of her head as she casually asked, "What do you think? Was that not cute enough?"

"Being cute is not the problem!" He outbursted while punishing the spirit with a tug of her cheek.

Meanwhile, the Spirit of Thunder watched idly as the head Tao bickered with a deceased priestess. "Ow! That's no way to treat a high priestess!" "You'll be treated like one when you start acting like one." "Oh yeah? What do you know about Shintoism anyway?" "...enough." "That's what I thought," she concluded with a small, triumphant smile and raised nose.

Kagome spent the entire day shadowing Ren as she often used to during her vacation. Curiously, Ren was more inquisitive than usual this time. Normally, the priestess would be the one who would inquire about papers on his desk or the blinding e-mails that reflected dull light in his eyes. But during this impromptu visit, it was obvious to Kagome that Ren didn't have his typical focus. His eyes rarely strayed from his work but throughout the day, the executive engaged the spirit with curious and somewhat pressing inquiries. "You never explained your sudden interest in Hao." "...did he do something to you?" "You know he's nothing but trouble, right?"

After Ren's eighth expression of concern that day, Kagome chuckled and embraced the seated shaman from behind. Her eyes closed and she whispered a comforting smile into his ear. "Ren, I'll be alright. Hao is harmless." The shaman didn't seem moved by her voucher, as his body stayed hot and rigid. The priestess then stifled a chuckle and added, "When we first met, I never would have guessed that you're such a worrywart. But…" Her arms gripped him tighter, and she was glad to feel his shoulders slacken. "Thank you for caring about me."

Kagome's smile only widened when she heard Ren sigh. She could hear the warmth in his voice as he responded, "You don't need to thank me. It comes naturally."

It was after they returned to his penthouse and beneath dim overhanging lights that Kagome bade Ren farewell. Her goodbye was murmured to his slumped form before she returned to Higurashi Shrine.

She sat on the roof of the newly constructed but uninhabited home and sighed. 'Asakura Hao…' She thought as she gazed at the marshmallow-colored moon. 'A powerful shaman who plotted to end humanity by becoming Shaman King…' She summarized what she gathered from her friends. 'But Yoh and the others were able to reach his heart and prolong humanity's existence…'

Kagome didn't know what to think of the world after hearing the stories of Yoh and their friends. She had grown up not believing in the paranormal or supernatural. And even after she began her frequent voyages through time, it never occurred to her that there were people like her out there. With her mind loaded down with thoughts of the ramifications of shattering the Shikon and maintaining her modern life, and her heart heavy with love for Inuyasha and feelings of inadequacy compared to Kikyo...she was ignorant and blind.

'I was seventeen back when the Shaman Fights in Tokyo began…I was still here in Tokyo.' The priestess' mind continued weaving thought after thought. 'I wonder…' She recalled the picture of Yoh and the others when they were only thirteen. 'I wonder if I could have done something to help them if I had known. I never told anyone...but after I couldn't return to the past...I felt so alone inside…'

Kagome remembered how many times she spaced out while participating in high school extracurricular; she often became lost in thought, thinking about what Inuyasha and the others were doing. 'I felt like I was the only person in the world who had a secret life outside of the ordinary human world. But I wasn't, all of my friends...they were right here and I had no clue. If I had bumped into them back then, would things be different now…?'

If she had met her friends back then, would they still be friends? She would have been a few years older, but still—.

Would Yoh have brought her out of her shell and healed her heart?

Would she still be alive…?

If she were alive, would she have been able to save those people?

She shook those useless thoughts away and curtly chastised herself for having them.

Kagome's arm rose as she outstretched her fingers towards the moon. It was so grand in appearance: so perfectly round and glowing like an interstellar lantern. It was so gorgeous, yet so sad. The moon was just as intrinsic to life on Earth as the sun, and yet, the moon wasn't widely praised or smiled at the way the sun was. After a rainstorm, people yearn for the sunshine and not moonlight.

It made her wonder, 'Asakura Hao...do you feel as lonely as the moon…?' As much as she didn't want to, she couldn't stop seeing Hao's lonely expression. 'I'm sure of it...Hao must feel like the rest of the world is as far away as a distant galaxy. But…' Her eyes softened. 'He's just as wrong as I was back then. People who understand him are closer than he thinks.'

It was then that Kagome made up her mind.

This had to be it: the purpose of her afterlife.

Yoh had given her something meaningful that she wanted to pass on to someone else.

Manta nurtured that gift and kept her going when she was listless.

And Ren had reminded her that strength was useless if you didn't use it.

The spirit pushed herself to her feet. She stood on the apex where the slants of her gable roof met. 'Yoh...wherever you are…' She thought as her eyes stayed fixed on the night sky. 'I want to see you again. There are words that I have to tell you before I move on.' Kagome smiled softly and closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping in peaceful resignation, 'But first, there's something that I need to do.'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"So she went, despite my warning…" Hao noted as he watched the priestess' eyes soaked up the aftermath of nature's fury. He wasn't surprised that she didn't heed his warning. Nor was he taken aback later when the atmosphere of his throne room began filling with her presence. Kagome's aura greatly preceded her and alerted him of her arrival long before she manifested. Her presence was like helium in an untouched balloon. She filled up nothingness, transfigured nothingness into everything—everything that she was.

In spite of being aware of the spirit's manifestation into his realm, Hao was largely unprepared for her disposition. Her approaching figure slowly faded into view, as if she was walking through a veil of heavy fog. Even something as simple as her gait was entrancing: a feminine stride that was graceful and refined, but steady and strong. His weary eyes didn't reflect his inner surprise in seeing the serenity of the smile that bedazzled her features. Her eyes took him in beautifully. Her hazy ponds stared at him with an emotion that hadn't been directed at him in ages.

When Hao first sensed Kagome, his tongue was silvered and readied with haughtiness. The witling would reinforce his anticipated ego-boost with the smirk that no soul would be spared from. Asakura Hao was the Shaman King. He was the world's savior and the embodiment of all spirits. Thus, even without Reishi, Hao could predict what any soul would do. His clairvoyance in conjunction with his sagacity knew no bounds. And yet, Higurashi Kagome proved him wrong, and proved Yoh right.

[ "I'm half of you and... I felt it. When I met Kagome, my soul resonated." ]

That was what Yoh told him back then; it was what Yoh thought he needed to know. At the time, Hao was beyond skeptical, full of so much doubt that he dismissed the idea. Hao lived more lives than most souls did, and he retained those memories. He was an exception amongst exceptions. And throughout all of his years and his lives, he had the opportunity to meet many Shinto priestesses. They ranged from young to old and ordinary women to godly beauties. And none of them struck him in the way that Yoh described. No priestess nor any spirit came close to what Yoh suggested.

That was why the elder Asakura scoffed, eliciting an amused chuckle from Yoh. Hao found the mirth in his brother's eyes to be irksome. Hao was the Shaman King and Yoh acted as if he was the knowing adult. The younger Asakura looked at Hao, his eyes softly whispering, 'You'll understand someday.'

Annoyed, Hao sent the couple on their way. Moreover, he opted to ignore the information and implications—or so he planned to. But watching humans was becoming more and more of a chore and their corruption always left a bitter taste in his mouth. The first day that he decided to allot some time to observing Kagome, he was purely motivated by boredom. That boredom became intrigue when Hao observed that the priestess could hear the Spirit of Thunder's inner voice. Under most circumstances, only the bonded partners of the Great Elemental Spirits could hear their inner voices.

The only exceptions to this rule that Hao knew of were other Elemental Spirits, the Great Spirit, and the Shaman King himself. Thus, anyone communicating with them in such a manner was unheard of. And yet, he watched and listened to Kagome chatter with the Spirit of Thunder as if it was as natural as green grass.

Despite his curiosity growing over time, Hao never had an intention to meet Kagome in person. He served a higher cause. He had achieved the ambition that had burned within him for many lifetimes. So an existence as small as a beautiful priestess with a big heart paled in comparison with his duty to himself and the Earth.

That was what he thought—until he summoned Kagome to his abode.

Originally, Hao beckoned the spirit to chastise her for interfering with the conflict between humans and nature. But that executive decision ultimately resulted in the Shaman King being served a piece of humility that he hadn't tasted since his mother struck him in front of that audience years ago. Kagome's first appearance alone confirmed Yoh's words.

It was both mysterious and unsettling how every fiber of his being pulsated, for Kagome.

"Hey there," Her greeting was casual, a stark contrast to the celebration dancing in her eyes. "I hope you don't mind but I let himself in." Her tone was as light-hearted as Yoh, as if she too didn't care for who he was, his title, or what he was capable of.

"I think you're becoming far too familiar with me, you walked in without knocking," Hao wore a lop-sided smile, mildly amused by her attempt at small talk.

Kagome feigned innocence, but she was cute enough to get away with an obvious farce. She blinked once and pointed out, "But you're the one who left the door open." Her fingers then interlocked in front of her as she shifted before the Shaman King. "Sooooo...what's...up?"

The spirit was definitely out of practice in shooting the breeze with acquaintances.

Hao almost chuckled.

"The usual," He humored her, more than a little interested in finding out how this encounter would pan out. "Observing how quickly the humans are marching towards their doom, and how they're dragging the rest of the world with them," Hao answered nonchalantly, as if it was as mundane as packing a lunch for work.

"That's a convoluted way to say 'people-watching'," Kagome grumbled with a sweatdrop. She then shook her head and asked, "Hao-sama, don't you ever get…" There was one specific word that came to her mind. But she refrained. "...bored?"

"Of watching those predictable creatures?" Hao's voice was saturated in sarcasm. "No, never."

The priestess' brow twitched as she deadpanned, "No need for the attitude." But she didn't dwell on it. Instead, Kagome braved to inch closer to the throne until her hakamas were brushing against Hao's cloak-covered knees.

Kagome was in his space but Hao's defenses were down.

He was too captivated by her movements to resist or protest the actions that would have been brazen from anyone else.

"Then…" His eyes were hyper-focused on the curve of her lips. "If that's all there is then I suppose…" Kagome's arms moved so naturally. Her fingers curved gently as her hands took hold of Hao's. Her expression softened, seeing Hao's surprised, unguarded face.

The feeling of someone touching him so delicately was surreal.

The fleeting moment transpired in slow-motion, but even eternity wasn't long enough to cherish it while it lasted.

"You're ready to go~," Kagome declared sweetly as she continued her motion. She took a step backward, simultaneously peeling Hao away from his throne and to his feet.

The moment that her other foot mimicked the movement, the vibrant vacancy that was Hao's home became the canvas of colors that was Higurashi shrine. The once ethereal tenderness that beguiled Hao was now a look of satisfaction and accomplishment. Kagome released Hao's hands and placed her own on her hips. "It's no high society, but this is my home," She informed him, her eyes closed as she brimmed with pride. "Higurashi Shrine~" The spirit and the Shaman King arrived

"You know," Hao smirked and boasted teasingly, "I was once known as Japan's greatest onmyoji. It'll take more than a single shrine to impress me."

Kagome's deadpanned expression reflected her lack of amusement, "I forgot to mention to leave that ego at the door." She then sighed and shook her head, "Hao-sama, I know that you haven't been out in years but you could at least try to be pleasant."

Hao seemed pleased with her exasperation, "My, my~" His half-smirk was entertained as he continued poking at her patience, "And here I thought the little canary invited me out because she fancies me as I am."

"I'm sure there's more to your character than obnoxiousness, Hao-sama," Kagome quipped light-heartedly. Her hand then found his once again as she began leading him away from the shrine square and towards the structures. "It's not up to your standards but I still want to show you around my home."

With her eyes on the growing image of the shrine, Kagome was unaware of how Hao's gaze dropped to her hand. Once again, her small fingers wrapped themselves around his larger hand as he allowed her to gently pull him along. Despite the blustery air he put on to provoke the priestess, Hao found that there was something soothing about the shrine's atmosphere, about her.

For years, he was content to play the role of silent observer. In the case of humanity, he was the witness, judge, jury, and executioner. He continued his existence solitarily inside of the Great Spirit, his only contact with the world outside were the scarce visits from his brother. And on those sparse visits, even Yoh didn't have what it took to drag Hao from his throne. But this strange creature known as Higurashi Kagome had both the nerve and the heart to cross boundaries the most respected or feared.

It made him wonder…

"...what inspired you to seek my company?"

"What kind of question is that?" The priestess' chuckle was bubbly as she kept moving forward. Only for a moment did she look up at him from over her shoulder. "You've been wanting some company, haven't you?"

This time it was Hao's turn to chuckle. "Your heart is just like his…" He murmured, "Yoh's." His mind could draw up images of what transpired here not long ago just by taking in the fresh architecture. Between the mysterious tree that radiated waves of timeless magic and the priestess whose aura was bathed in that same magic like a heavy layer of perfume, the shrine still had sources of purity that were staples to Shinto shrines. But with much of the old structures replaced with newer counterparts, regardless of if they were identical to their predecessors, this shrine didn't hold the same ancient, mystical air that came with the passage of time.

But still…

"He once said that I have no friends," Hao mused with a smile. Kagome's form bounced gleefully as she chortled. Her entertainment was a sound that he didn't mind, even if it was at his own expense.

"Did he?" She rasped in a higher octave. "Well, you didn't do a great job at proving him wrong~"

Hao's smile only widened as they neared the shrine. "Aha, so you invited me out of pity," he seemed more amused than offended by that prospect.

The spirit halted and stood before the shrine. Hao stood just one stride behind her. "Not pity…" She corrected him softly. "I just wanted to," she stated simply. She faced him after a graceful but swift turn on her heel. "When I look into your eyes, you seem so sad," her own eyes melted at this statement. "And when I took your hands to take you away, your eyes…" she recalled the raw emotion simmering within Hao just a few minutes ago. "They said, 'please'."

Hao responded with a slight slump of his shoulders and a light-hearted sigh. He looked at Kagome as if he was stumped by her words. "So you'd indulge a complete stranger just because they look lonely?" He inquired, his tone walking a fine line between incredulous and exasperated.

The priestess blinked, unable to discern if Hao was hiding how he truly felt behind faux disbelief. But instead of prying or poking at the shield, Kagome merely smiled and asked, "Is there something wrong with that?" Her lips stretched a bit more, "I just want to be your friend, Hao-sama."

It was then the Shaman King caught the priestess off-guard. In one swift motion, he closed the short distance between them. When his arm raised from his side, Kagome froze. A flash of Yoh patting her head crossed her mind. But she was quickly snapped back to reality when Hao's hand landed on her cheek instead. "Just call me Hao," he told her lightly. His eyes closed as his lips stretched out, "Addressing me so formally feels a little distant, doesn't it?"

Kagome's cheeks pinkened from the contact. It ended only because of how her head dipped as she took a sudden interest in her sandaled feet. "I guess that'll work…" She was silent for a moment as her embarrassed, pursed lips relaxed softly. "Hao, huh…?" She whispered inaudibly.

The scene was but a memory of a forgotten world, the original world. It was like a movie where everyone in the world were but fictional characters, completely oblivious to the eyes that watched them and the versions of themselves that followed in the proceeding worlds. Floating in the space between time-space was the disembodied spirit of the present Higurashi Kagome.

The more she witnessed who she once was and what she once did, the more she felt it… Thoughts and feelings crossed through the veil like a gentle breeze over the ocean.

The more she watched her past self, the more she understood her present emotions.

Kagome could feel every crushing weight in her past self's chest. She could hear every thought, every wish, every whim, every desire that she felt before. 'I finally understand...what I've been feeling…'

[ Kagome nodded, "I am. I met Yoh, and…" Her cheeks flushed and her eyes became tender, raw. "He's a guy who takes life at his own pace, but he still accomplishes so much. He inspired me to pick myself up and try again." Her hands rested over her heart, "I think about him a lot, actually. When I'm training, just the thought of him trying just as hard keeps me going. And also…"

"...also…?" Sango took another nip and leaned forward. She was more captivated by Kagome's tale than expected. The Tao unknowingly was listening with curiosity, not her usual analytical mindset.

"...also…" Kagome repeated. "Lately, when I think about him, I feel so warm. And oddly, I feel like there's something important that I've wanted to tell him for a long time." ]

Having her memories from the world she was born into…

And seeing the world of her past selves…

The memories from the eight worlds, including her own, blended splendidly.

It was like stirring a spoonful of sugar into a glass of pure water.

The scenes were a crystal clear homogenous mixture.

It was clarity.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"They've been sleeping for three days now…" Tamao's whisper was laden with concern. Anna lightly huffed as she glared at Kagome's unconscious body from her peripheral. The itako was leaning in the doorway of the guest bedroom, her head dipped and arms crossed as usual. She watched as the Asakura apprentice reached into her pocket for a handkerchief. She gently dabbed at the corner of Kagome's moist eyes. "Kagome-san keeps crying in her sleep," she noted worriedly, "I wonder what she's been dreaming about."

"Hmph, you should be wondering how Yoh and Kagome ended up comatose like this in the first place," Anna remarked. Her eyes then narrowed as she whispered suspiciously, "And who was it that brought them inside."

"Anna-sama, I'm worried," Tamao admitted with a crestfallen heart. "I overheard part of Yohmei-sama's discussion with heads of shaman clans…" She delicately folded her handkerchief. "I don't follow everything but they believe that someone named Hao has something to do with it."

"Hao, huh…?" Anna echoed to herself. "The epicenter of all of our suffering."

As Anna watched Tamao tend to Kagome, an assembly was being held in a spacious conference room. Just as the young shaman stated, numerous shaman family heads and elders were gathered and seated on zabuton around the perimeter of the room. And at the head of the congregation sat Asakura Yohmei.

"Asakura-san," an elderly shaman croaked his name as she caught his eyes. "I've heard that you're currently hosting Higurashi Kagome, the girl of interest."

Numerous eyes widened at this declaration. The room immediately filled with murmurs as close allies locked eyes. "Nothing gets past you lot," Yohmei almost grunted, somewhat irritated. "But it is true. As you all probably know, Higurashi Kagome is a close friend to our family heir, Asakura Yoh."

"Well, if she's here right now then we should call her in to gather some information!" A middle-aged shaman suggested, his body subtly leaning towards Yohmei.

Yohmei shook his head to express his disapproval, "Mm. Higurashi Kagome is but a fledgling priestess, a child. We mustn't involve her in the affairs of adults."

"Forgive any disrespect, Asakura-san," Another family head's eyes narrowed. "But I do believe that's a feeble excuse to protect her. Higurashi Kagome is more involved with this matter than anyone else."

"Indeed," A young woman with snow-white hair purred. "I've heard whispers that Higurashi Kagome is Hao's intended bride." Between the scandalous gasps and roars of shock, no one noticed her mischievous smirk. She took in Yohmei's shocked gape and added calmly, "That's right. The girl of interest who is rumored to be a target is actually going to bear his heir."

"Asakura-san!" a man punched the floor in a fit of passion. "If this girl is Hao's future bride then we must annihilate her before that happens! The last thing we need is for him to breed a direct heir!"

Yohmei barked at the nodding faces before him, "I will not allow it!" He glared at the many faces who agreed with the brutal proposal. "If we resorted to murdering an innocent child for merely capturing Hao's attention then we'd be no better than him." His arms crossed obstinately as he declared boldly, "Higurashi Kagome is officially under the Asakura family's protection. Any acts of violence against her will be seen as a declaration of war!"

The Asakura head's stern didn't waver, even from the pointed glares and suspicious gazes aimed at him. 'Yoh...I know that I was hard on you about Kagome.' The image of the last look Yoh gave him before running after Kagome flashed in his mind. It was Yohmei's first time seeing so many layers of emotions on his grandson's face. From the boiling, accusatory glare to the glistening of the angry, painful tears behind...and that clenched teeth glower… It spoke volumes about how Yoh felt. '...so, this is the least I can do for you.'

Yamato Takato, the head of his clan, looked to his daughter, who sat on his left. She looked at him with regret-filled eyes, her hand raising to her lips in a dainty pose. "Forgive me, Father. I just...I heard some things and I couldn't hold it back anymore." Takato shook his head, smiling warmly at his daughter. He ruffled her white hair and responded just beneath the cacophony that was the chaotic meeting.

"You needn't worry, dear daughter. Such news was a burden on your fragile heart," He told her. "Rest assured that your father is proud of you, Tsubaki."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Bankotsu was in the basement of his new home: a multi-leveled, modern structure located just outside of downtown Tokyo. He was indeed guilty of asking Kagome's other half for many favors, one included enough luck to win an impressive lottery. He then used that fortune to buy out a place where he and his brothers could stay comfortably. They converted the entire bottom level into a gym and training space. He often went there to blow off steam or clear his mind. Even now, Bankotsu was deep in thought as he twirled his sword in one hand.

"Kagome…" He whispered, his brows furrowing as his mind found its way back to her. He fully believed in everything that her other half told him. He knew the secrets of the world and why they continued similar repetitions. It was one of those pills that was terribly hard to swallow, even with water. The image of Hao's smirking face flashed in his mind, prompting Bankotsu's arm to swing his weapon through the air.

How he wanted nothing more than to cut the Asakura down to size.

But even if he could, Bankotsu knew that it wasn't the answer.

The last thing that Kagome needed was bloodshed.

What she needed was—.

["When those times come, will you be able to stand on her side?"]

'Kagome…' Bankotsu twirled around, swinging his sword along with him. A violent gust of wind howled with the motion, lifting his bangs and ruffling his training clothes.'No matter what path you choose, you can count on me!' As if his thoughts were heard, the shaman froze as he felt a familiar presence filled the room and cast long shadows in front of him. He turned around slowly, squinting and shielding his eyes from the blinding light that was her aura. Kagome's power in all of its ethereal glory extended her hand to him.

"Shichinin Bankotsu…" Her voice was as cool as usual. "I wish to see you, one last time."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

'The reason why…' the spectral Kagome thought as she looked at her transparent palm. 'I kept feeling like Hao isn't someone who I should fear is…'

She watched as her past self, the original Kagome, continued visiting Hao and bringing him out of his space. It was the same. Hao listened intently, his eyes fixed on Kagome's face as she made small talk with him. Once she exhausted herself, she'd disappear. And then manifested the next day. She sought out Hao, smiling and exchanging light-hearted banter with the Shaman King before dragging him out into the world. It was exactly the same.

The same love that drove Yoh to save Kagome from herself compelled the spirit to seek out Hao. Day after day, she would arrive at his throne. Some days she would deadpan or shrink away from his teasing, other days she'd just shake her head at him. But all of those days...she returned and scratched at his wall.

"I want to show you the world through my eyes," The priestess told the Shaman King as she sought out the beauties of the Earth, the saving graces of humanities. They visited reforested areas, food drives, marches for peace—all efforts from the humans who Hao had little faith in.

Hao once commented as Kagome smiled warmly at a teenager serving food to the homeless, "Your views on humanity skewed in their favor. Do you truly cherish them that much?"

"I wouldn't call my views on humans skewed," the priestess replied as her smile lifted to Hao. "I know that there are plenty of selfish people out there. But to me, that's beside the point. Humans as a whole...I have faith in them."

"You know, for every human good deed that you show me, I could show you a thousand more misdeeds," He pointed out nonchalantly but not challengingly.

"I'm sure you could," the priestess responded just as casually. "But that wouldn't change my mind. I'll continue believing no matter how many times you tell me otherwise."

The priestess and God himself continued their travels, journeying across the Earth in search of an answer, despite both knowing that they'd never reach an agreement. One day, the pair ended up walking a familiar terrain: an expanse where sand met the sea. The shoreline was crafted with platinum sand peppered with onyx rock formations that were pounded by cerulean waves.

The spirit floated along the shore, almost pouting as she pointed out, "It's almost a waste to be here without a body. I bet the water feels great."

"Maybe we'll end up here in another life," Hao speculated. "I'll play with you when that happens."

Kagome's blush was light as she stifled a chuckle behind her hand, "It's embarrassing when you put it like that."

Just as the disembodied Kagome expected, eventually, the sand bled into grass and that grass then became littered with vibrant flowers. Her past self's eyes lit up as she beheld the floral field. "This place is so beautiful," her mouth hung open in awe at the symphony of hues before her. She sat amidst the flowers and smiled, "Let's stay here for a while~" Hao readily agreed but remained standing at her side.

'The truth is…' The present Kagome thought as she watched her past self examine the funnel-shaped floral heads. The past Kagome finally plucked a single flower. 'Back then, Hao…' The priestess extended her gift to him, beyond content with the gradient of its warm complexion. Yellows, reds, and oranges met Hao's surprised eyes. 'I'm the one who took your hand first.'

"Hao, tell me something…" The spirit queried in a soft voice, "Do you know the name of this flower?"

For a moment, Hao was silent, almost bewitched as his hand rose to accept the gift. His fingers lingered on Kagome's before he lifted the flower closer. It was the flower that symbolizes trust. "Of course, I do," he responded, a smile spreading as his heart became as warm as the sun. At this point, only his godly powers kept him grounded. Just Kagome's smile alone made him feel like he could float away. That's how he felt around Kagome: so light, weightless compared to the load that his soul bore for so long.

But he couldn't allow himself to get carried away by the wind.

Because, Hao wanted to stay by her side, forever.

"It's freesia," He answered with his signature smile. After he breathed the name, the muscles in his face relaxed as his eyes rested on Kagome's face. She was practically glowing as her finger rose to accompany her jovial praise.

"Bingo! I should expect no less from the Shaman King himself." She was an animated, sweet creature, lost in her delight as she explained where she first encountered the flower. She only halted when he called her name.

Her large, doe-like eyes looked at him inquisitively.

"...do you want to witness more of nature's beauty…?" Hao queried, his eyes softening when the priestess nodded readily. "I see. Where should we begin?"

Kagome's hands clapped together gaily, "Well~."

And so they went. Their eyes laid witness to many of the world's wonders. From the iridescent swirls of the Northern Lights to ever-burning pits to remote villages that lived in harmony with the land. Sometimes, they merely stood as two soundless presences, content to admire Earth's splendors. Other times, they exchanged a few words in not banter or hold philosophical debates whose conclusions they never agreed on.

The spirit and Shaman King were blessed with a spectacular bird's eye view of the waterfall. They hovered side by side almost a hundred meters from the curtains of white, roaring water. Only nature could paint such a picturesque image. Everything from the gradients of browns and grays that made up the cliffs, to ever-running milky flows, and the greenery of the trees and valleys below complemented each other.

Kagome's eyes were shimmering with awe as she and Hao beheld the rushing waters before them. "This one is gorgeous…!" She remarked as they beheld one of the Niagara Falls overseas. "It really does look like a bridal veil…!"

"I'm actually partial to traditional Japanese weddings," Hao spoke casually. Despite his eyes not straying from the falls as he spoke, Kagome's reddened ears easily detected the mischief in his voice. "But I wouldn't mind seeing you in a Western-style dress if that's what you want."

Long used to Hao's shameless flirtation, Kagome instantly caught onto his words. Despite knowing this was but a way to communicate with her, the priestess blushed and gave him a half-hearted, admonishing glare. "I guess you'd get a nice view of my dress from the best man's seat," she deadpanned, almost unable to keep a straight face from Hao's ensuing dramatics.

His arm raised from the depths of his cloak as he clutched at his chest. "How you wound me, my little canary," Hao declared with theatrical flair in his arm motions. "Could you truly give your heart to another knowing that mine is in your clutches?"

Kagome, unable to stay in character, broke into soft giggles that warmed Hao's chest. She shook her head and smiled, "No one would take melodramatic confession so seriously." The spirit playfully circled the Shaman King once before settling for hovering before him. One hand extended to point towards the falls as her other took Hao's. "Come on, I wanna get a closer look!"

'Yoh…' The present Kagome couldn't help but sneak a peek at the young shaman who floated by her side. 'I think I understand what you did for me back then.'

"Mm?" As if he sensed her eyes on him, Yoh turned his head and peered down at Kagome. His cheeks colored when his eyes met hers. She, in turn, blushed from being caught. "Ah…" He scratched his head as he searched for words to ease his embarrassment. "Looks like you're popular no matter what world we live in," he pointed out, half cheeky, half sheepish.

Kagome, ready to move past her fluster, followed his lead. She placed her hands on her hips and stuck her nose up. "Well, of course, I am~" She boasted playfully. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Yoh smiled softly and remarked without missing a beat, "The cutest priestess who ever lived."

Kagome's blush intensified, her haughty airs instantly burst like a poked bubble. She nervously ran her fingers through a tuft of hair and almost grumbled, "Direct attacks like that aren't fair."

He merely chuckled and admitted, "Sorry. I kinda wanted to see what kind of face you'd make if I said that, so it slipped out."

The confession earned Yoh a pinch to his cheek, "You and Hao really are two peas in a pod," she huffed.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Hao had a limited range of emotions that he visibly wore. The faces that he often showed included the calm that he felt when savoring nature's beauty, the boredom or agitation from human observation, or the various smiles and smirks reserved for Kagome. But one autumn day, as he and Kagome were idling on the roof of the new house on Higurashi shrine, a peculiarity occurred.

It was barely audible, but it happened: a hushed sigh.

The two invisible spectators were amazed that the original Kagome heard it above the sound of her own chatter. She blinked slowly, as if she was processing what she just heard. "Hao…" She broached, both curious and concerned. "Are you alright…?"

The cloudiness in his eyes didn't clear up. Instead, his eyes remained hooded as he continued to stare off into the distance. "You needn't worry yourself over my problems, my little canary," he told her. His voice wasn't as jovial as usual, but it was neither warm nor icy.

"I know that I can't begin to underst—Eh?" Kagome's eyes widened and her mouth remained ajar when Hao suddenly stood.

He looked down at the priestess and gave her a strained smile, "Forgive me. I just need a moment to compose myself." With those words, Hao hopped off the roof and returned to his domain.

Kagome's surprised expression fell into a disheartened sigh. She uttered a single word, "Hao…"

She didn't give chase and intrude into his space, not immediately. This Kagome was both respectful and tactical in her approach.

It was a while later that the priestess spirit appeared within the Great Spirit. Pairs of eyes watched her ginger, calculated steps through the fog. With a peculiar bundle clutched to her chest, Kagome emerged through Hao's throne, only for her to blink. "What? I was sure he'd be here…" She then sighed and mumbled, "Knowing him, he knew I was coming and left."

Instead of being daunted, Kagome merely shook her and headed back into the fog, muttering to herself about how much trouble Hao was worth.

Eventually, after an immeasurable amount of time wandering around, she finally spotted Hao's familiar form. As the blanket of mist dissipated, the Shaman King's seated form became more and more clear. 'Did he really come to a place like this just to brood?' Kagome wondered, her eyes taking into her surroundings as she closed in him from behind.

Meanwhile, Hao long sensed her presence. He knew the moment that she let herself in and knew that it was only a matter of time until she found him. Even with his back turned to her, the priestess couldn't take him by surprise. Her aura told him everything-.

"All hail the Leaf King!" she declared from behind. She dramatically spread her arms out wide and dispersed the bundle she held to her chest.

Hao blinked when suddenly his vision was full of the many mellow colors and intricate patterns of autumn leaves. Yellows, oranges, reds, and every hue in between fluttered around him like sleepy butterflies looking for rest. Not a moment later, he felt an unfamiliar but comfortable weight slump against his back. Before he could process what was happening, he felt arms slide and interlock loosely around his neck.

"Hao, compared to you, I'm nothing," Kagome told him. "I'm just Kagome. And you're the Shaman King…" She was kneeling behind him as he sat cross-legged. "I can't come to comprehend the burden on your heart. And I know there's nothing that I can really do for you."

It was here, sitting amongst a bed of autumn leaves that Kagome recited them, words that Hao didn't know that he needed to hear. "But still, if your medicine is too bitter, or if your load is too heavy..." She was glowing, a true ray of light in the darkness. "I'll take half. And we'll share our pain."

"...Kagome…"

"Yeah…?"

"Let's stay like this," Hao whispered half a wish. "For a while longer."

He could feel her nod. "Okay."

And so they did...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The original Kagome and Hao were lying side by side on top of the familiar hill in Crow Cemetery. "So...this is the sky that Yoh and Manta used to watch when they were younger…" The priestess mused with a content smile. Her hands were folded and rested on her stomach as she took in the spectacular, glittering sky. "I wish I could have seen it with them," she sighed softly.

"They still watch it," Hao informed him. "Even to this day, they watch the same stars that we're seeing now." Kagome almost melted at his words. "That means even when you're far apart, you're always connected by starlight."

"...I didn't expect to hear something so romantic from someone like you," The priestess admitted nonchalantly. Her eyes that were stuck on the sky were unable to see to Hao's amusement. But she heard it in his stifled chuckle and light-hearted voice.

"And why is that?" He queried rhetorically. "Do you think the Shaman King is above romancing a beautiful woman?" Like Kagome, he didn't need to see her face to detect the blush in her tone.

"I don't know what you take me for but it'll take more than pretty words to win me over," She countered pointedly.

"I've noticed," Hao felt himself smirking as he teased, "You're the type who falls in love with your knight-in-shining-armor. Both Yoh and Ren won you over by saving you, did they not?"

The priestess was quick to sit up and take to floating above Hao. She glared down at Hao with pink cheeks, "Didn't I tell you to stop teasing me about that?! Falling for people who you can't have stings enough!"

Hao was tempted to continue teasing Kagome. Even as she tried to intimidate him with a glare, her rosy cheeks and pouty lips were too cute to fear. But behind her aggravation lied pieces of a broken heart. It was that pain that prompted his smirk to fade as he asked, "So why not try falling for me instead?"

Kagome's blush spread from ear to ear as she landed next to Hao, grounded by her fluster. She sat on her in-step, her hands gripping her hakamas tightly. "H-Hao, you ought to learn to take my feelings seriously!" She chastised him while glaring down at her lap.

It was then Hao pushed himself up so that he was sitting upright. His eyes closed as he smiled widely, "But I am." When his eyes reopened, they were as mild and calm as a spring morning. "You couldn't have the ones you wanted, so why not choose me?" He inquired.

Kagome's arms rose, as if they were enough to separate herself from the embarrassing situation. "Woah, woah! Slow down!" She urged, her blush deepening. "This is all so sudden! And I—." Her blush only deepened when he laughed heartily at her antics.

Hao's wide smile was good-natured as he told her, "No need to panic. I can wait for your answer."

The heat in Kagome's face cooled as it dawned upon her.

This was more than his usual teasing.

He was sincere.

Still unable to meet his face, Kagome focused her eyes on her knuckles. "Thank you. I'll ...think about it," those words were somewhat directed at herself. Asakura Hao himself put his heart on a platter, just for her. He was Hao, and the Shaman King himself.

Thinking about such a proposal wouldn't be something that she could help.

For a moment, they sat on that fateful spot. The silence between them was electrically charged with Hao's broad smile and the nervous buzzing inside Kagome's head. A few minutes later, the priestess broke the silence with a flustered, shaky inquiry, "S-So, what's the time limit on my answer…?"

Hao flopped so that his back lay flat against the grass. His folded hands cradled his hand and he closed his eyes and responded simply, "If I can wait centuries to be Shaman King, I can do at least twice as much for you."

"Eh?" Kagome couldn't help but lean closer to Hao curiously. "You're exaggerating, right?"

"Nope," He replied, his eyes staying closed. "Just don't keep me waiting forever, okay?"

The priestess' eyes softened as she nodded, "I wouldn't dare."

It was then he opened his eyes, a smile still playing on his face. "It's off-topic but riddle me this, my little canary," He began with light-hearted whimsy in his voice. "How is it that an earth-born soul like yours has the ability to absorb spirits?"

Kagome blinked and looked taken aback by the question, "Eh? What do you mean?"

Hao spoke calmly as he explained, "I mean that I can sense the traces of other spirits within your own. Imagine smelling liquor on an alcoholic's breath. It's somewhat like that."

"Uh, well," Kagome shifted. "It wasn't exactly me, per say, but part of my soul used to absorb others to survive," she theorized as she recalled the times where she saw Kikyo's soul collector carry spirit orbs to her undead counterpart.

Hao looked amused, "Don't get me wrong. I'm well aware of your soul's last incarnation." He then clarified, "I just mean, your soul is exceptional. In addition to great spiritual power, you possess abilities that only god-class spirits should be capable of." Kagome silently took in the information as the Shaman King continued to speak, "For instance, you can directly communicate with otherworldly beings, Spirit of Thunder and Tatarimokke for example. That's not something most earth-born souls can do." Hao's brown eyes then opened as he pulled himself into an upright position. He smiled and raised a finger, "How about we experiment?"

"Eh?" Kagome sweatdropped and shrunk away, still, she dared to ask, "Experiment…?"

"Mm," Hao confirmed with an enthused nod. "Do me a favor. Close your eyes and open your mouth."

The priestess' face was set ablaze as she zipped several meters away. She crossed her arms protectively over her chest, "Shaman King or not, what type of woman do you take me for?!"

"Come now," Hao wore a lopsided smile, openly entertained, "What type of man do you take me for? If I was going to do something dirty to you, I'd prefer you to keep your eyes open and watch me."

"Yeah, that's not helping," Kagome deadpanned. She then sighed and floated back to her position next to Hao. She gave him a wary look and a weak glare that failed to disguise her unease, "I better not regret this."

"Don't worry. I just want to try something." When the priestess' lips parted to speak, Hao sealed them with his finger. "Let's try it. You just might like it." He gave a Yoh-esque, cheeky and toothy grin from her glare. "Now close your eyes and say Ahhh~"

Kagome, pink cheeks and all, complied. She closed her eyes and parted her lips to release a bashful, "A-Ahh—." Everything that followed was pure instinct. Her senses were painfully aware of the intrusion of Hao's fingers. Her blush burned hotter from the image that her mind painted: the erotism of closing her lips around his digits. But she easily refrained. There was imagining a scenario, and then there was acting it out. Two very distinguishable actions.

It took but a split second for the train of thought to hit the brakes.

Because Hao wasted no time in depositing a scorching, textureless something into her mouth.

He retracted his fingers and chuckled when the priestess stiffened and released a "HooHoo!" while frantically fanning at her mouth. It was akin to the reaction of someone whose mouth was being assaulted by a rush of capsaicin or meat fresh off of a grill. "Just swallow it," Hao told her and she swiftly obeyed.

Much to Kagome's surprise, whatever it was, went down easily.

But she spent little time being amazed at the ease. The priestess immediately barked, "What the hell was that?! I've never had something so hot in my entire life!"

"Ah, it was a small fragment of the Great Spirit," Hao informed her nonchalantly. "Just as I expected, you ingested it quite well."

"Eh…?" Kagome froze, her mind taking a moment to process his words. A second later, she exploded, "You gotta be kidding me?! Are you even allowed to do that?!"

Hao smirked as he asked back, "I'm the Shaman King. Who's going to stop me?" Kagome's head dipped and shoulders slumped, defeated by the response. "Besides, it was only a small piece. Nothing that I won't miss."

The priestess straightened her posture, but not without facepalming and shaking her head. "I just can't with you," She mumbled before looking at Hao and inquiring, "So what was the point of that experiment of yours?"

"Not just anyone can merge with the Great Spirit," The Shaman King began. "There's no scale for how massive the Great Spirit's power is, which is why the Shaman Fights are used to determine the only one capable of harnessing that power." He then smiled and added, "Taking in even a fraction of this power is like swallowing a nuclear bomb—not just anyone can do it. If the wrong soul even attempts it…" Kagome's eyes doubled as his smile widened and pitch dropped. "Boom."

[THWOMP!]

Hao rubbed the tender, pulsing lump on his head as Kagome retracted her burning fist, "How could you try such a dangerous experiment on me?! What if I exploded?!"

"Eheh," Hao's smile was crooked as he spoke through the throbbing pain. "If I had any doubt that you couldn't handle it, I wouldn't have done it," He proclaimed, his tone soothing and reassuring. "I was proving it to you, not myself."

Kagome's glare remained intense as she towered above Hao. "Regardless, you could have briefed me before trying something so risky," She asserted.

"Well, you're certainly not wrong," He admitted. He put on a scarily innocent, charming smile, "Forgive me, Kagome."

Her resolve crumbled from his tone alone. "Fine…" She released a breath. "Just clue me in before you decide on dangerous experiments next time," she instructed with her hands on her hips.

Kagome twitched when his innocent smile became more sly, "Next time…?" Hao's eyes became sharper as he continued, "By the way, I noticed how hard you were blushing when your eyes were closed…" The priestess twitched. "Did you imagine something naughty?" He purred.

[TWACK!]

With her nose high in the air and arms crossed, Kagome turned away, "I'm going home. Hmph."

True to her declaration, the spirit disappeared and left a groaning Hao behind to nurse his double lumps.

The spectating Yoh then looked to the Kagome next to him. "I guess she really did by that reaction," he surmised casually. He then grinned, "You don't have thoughts like th—? Eh." The shaman caught himself when he noticed Kagome's dark aura.

"Good thing you didn't finish that question, Yoh~" She chirped and beamed beautifully in spite of the dark energy swirling and howling behind her. "Or else you might have it worse than Hao there."

Yoh raised his hands and gulped, "D-Duly noted…" He sweatdropped.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The light of his computer screen reflected in Manta's reading glasses. The rapid clacking of his fingers against his keyboard was the only sound in his home office. Despite the relative silence, Kagome's presence alone was enough to make the space unconducive to productivity. The spirit was by no means disruptive or distracting by conventional means. Unlike the "Kagome visited me at work" horror stories that Ren sometimes told, the priestess was pretty quiet and reserved. There were no curious inquiries about Manta's projects and random chit-chat to fill in the dead air.

...And that was the problem.

Kagome's uncharacteristic silence was unnerving to Manta.

Many times, he resisted the urge to turn around in his swivel chair and ask the priestess what was bothering her. He told himself that she would talk when she was ready. But hours had gone by without a peep other than her initial greeting and "Do you mind if I hang out here?"

After his ears picked up on a soft sigh, Manta's resolve crumbled. He too sighed then twisted around. "Kagome, wanna talk about it?" Despite his amiable smile, the concern on his face was plain to see.

Kagome, who was entertaining herself by floating and gently poking at a napping Buyo the Second, looked up from across the room. Her own smile was apologetic, "Sorry. Did I disturb you?"

"Sort of…" Manta sweatdropped. "But more importantly, what's eating at you?"

The priestess' face immediately scrunched into a huffy pout, "Asakura Hao, he annoys me."

"Aha," the blond man chuckled. "Did you two get into a fight?"

"I…" Memories of her last interaction flashed in her mind. "I wouldn't call it a… fight, per say," She almost danced around the answer, "It's just… I don't know. He kinda made me angry." Unlike her usual direct and chipper tone, Kagome was responding slowly, hesitantly, almost guiltily. "So...I hit him."

Manta jumped out of his chair with bulging eyes and a jaw that touched the floor, "You hit the Shaman King himself?! What were you thinking, Kagome?!"

"I wasn't," Kagome was completely pouting as she fidgeted. "Honestly, I feel really bad about it… I guess… I'm here because I'm too embarrassed to see him right now."

Manta scratched his cheek, "I-I can see why… But the fact that he hasn't smote you yet speaks volumes." He attempted a comforting smile but it came out pinched, "I'm pretty sure he'll accept your apology."

"That's the thing!" Kagome took Manta by surprise by flying across the room. "I know for certain that he'll forgive me, easy peasy!" She proclaimed. "That's why it's so embarrassing! He'll just smile and be cool with it, while I got so angry that I struck him!" She then looked off to the side, muttering with a gloomy aura, "The fact that he always keeps his composure makes it feel like I've lost…"

Meanwhile, Manta sweatdropped and mumbled, "Eh—I don't even know what you're talking about anymore…"

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"Hao…?" Kagome called, her head turning to the left and right in search of him. Here in the heavenly space that she could describe as his throne room, she could clearly sense his presence. There was no aura in the world that compared to Hao's, even Yoh's; it was unmistakable. But when that undoubtedly uncomfortable stone chair came into view, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd you go?" Kagome asked the air itself, for it was all a part of him.

"All hail," Hao's voice murmured against her ear. "My little canary." He wrapped his arms around Kagome's frame and gently pulled her back against his chest. "You know, your angry face is really cute. But still…" If Kagome had a heart, it surely would have stopped. "For making you angry, I'm sorry."

Kagome shook her head, "Mm mm. I'm the one who should apologize to you." She stayed there, allowing Hao to embrace as long as he desired. "I'm sorry for hitting you. You didn't deserve that."

From their positions, she couldn't see Hao's surprised expression, but she did turn when she felt his grip loosen. When she faced him, he scratched the back of his head and grinned, "Oh. Apology accepted, though I can't say that I hated it."

Kagome shrunk away from the admission, "Hao, are you...a masochistic pervert?"

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

When Kagome appeared next to Hao's throne, he smiled and said light-heartedly, "My, my. You're quite late today."

Kagome smiled as she leaned against the side of the stone seat, "Sorry. Ren's wife just gave birth yesterday so I wanted to congratulate them."

The Shaman King closed his eyes and asked, "Did you now? I thought you'd be a little jealous—seeing that the last man that you loved got married to someone else."

"Mm… Well, I probably would have been a little stung if he did it years ago," She confessed. "How long has it been?" She wondered while lightly pressing her finger against her cheek. "Five years? Back then, I really was in love with him. But I already decided there was no point in pursuing those feelings. So jealousy or not, it wouldn't matter in the end." She gazed up into the open sky.

"I see…" Hao noted in a whisper. He looked thoughtful for a moment before he took on that familiar sly expression. "And is there anyone who you love right now?"

"Hmm~?" Kagome's own smile was faint and gentle. "There is someone out there who I love, and I've loved him for a very long time."

The brunette seated at her side and shook his head, "I'd like to think you're referring to me. But," he peered over his shoulder to catch her eyes, which were surely already peeking at him. "You're talking about Yoh, aren't you?"

Hao's glimpse of Kagome's smile grew into something somewhat teasing at his inquiry, "My, my, Hao~ You're the one who said he could wait centuries for my answer. Are you reneging that statement~?"

"A man is only as good as his word, so I would never," Hao feigned shock, as if she asked something preposterous. He then returned to staring off into the distance before him. "But seriously, Kagome…" The priestess blinked at his shift in tone and mood. He reserved such a tone for rare occasions. "Because of you, I think that world is still a beautiful place. I can't say that I put all of my faith in humanity, but…"

Kagome's eyes widened at his next words. "I'm willing to give them a chance. It just might be possible to save them, and the rest of the Earth." Hao paused for a moment, as if debating on if he should lay all of his cards on the table.

But with Hao being Hao, someone like Yoh, who didn't have it in him to deny himself.

"Humanity has strayed so far from the proper place that guiding them won't be easy, even for me," Hao admitted. It was a rare case of the Shaman King showing humility, and he was showing it...to her. "But...if you're here by my side, I believe that I can bear that burden."

"Hao…" As difficult as it was, Kagome forced herself to float around the armrest so that she was hovering before him. Face to face was the only way to have this weighty conversation. Looking him in the eye was a task. She wasn't capable of beautifying this moment with a positive response to his feelings.

It was on her mind for years.

Every time that she was by his side, and every time when she wasn't, Kagome thought about it all.

His feelings.

Her own.

Eternity.

That was why she had to be honest with him.

"...I can't give an answer just yet," Kagome's voice was soft as her hand rose to her chest. "I'd like to say that I love and I want to stay with you forever," She told him. But she shook her head, "But I can't bring myself to say that right now. And it's because...even after all of this time, Yoh has been on my mind. Even now…"

The wounded confirmation in Hao's eyes made her own glisten.

"There's something that I need to tell him," Kagome confessed. "If I keep these words inside of me, I'll be haunted by them forever." The loose fist near her heart tightened, "And then, I wouldn't be able to completely give my heart to you."

"And those words...that you can only tell to Yoh…" Hao's head lowered as his pitch dipped, reflecting the way his heart dropped. "...are that you love him?"

Kagome then blinked, stunned into silence for a few moments.

"...Hao…" She blinked again. "You're not brooding because you think I'm in love with Yoh, are you?"

Hao's head raised. He wore the crooked, twitching smile that he only wore when he was trying to hide agitation or scarce fluster, "What else did you mean by all of that?"

Kagome sweatdropped, "Exactly what I said. I do love him, but not that type of love. More importantly, there's something that I've been wanting to tell Yoh for years, but I haven't had the chance to yet. It wouldn't feel right uh…" she blushed lightly. "Giving you an answer with Yoh stuck in my head like that." She then deadpanned as a visible, wide smirk spread across Hao's face. "I see you're feeling better already."

"Well, of course," He confirmed. "My little canary just might choose me after all." Kagome couldn't help but smile warmly from seeing the way Hao was beaming at the prospect.

"So, Hao," She decided to switch gears since there wasn't much else to be said. "Is there anywhere that you want to visit today?"

"Actually, I'd like to stay here today," He said while beckoning her closer with a "come hither" motion of his finger. "And teach you something nice."

Kagome deadpanned and inquired as she obliged, "You're not going to give me more of the Great Spirit, are you? Cause I'm pretty sure I've taken more than I should have over the years."

"Ah? Are you full already?" Hao asked curiously, "Don't tell me I've filled you up already."

Kagome's face went beet red as she squeaked, "Be serious for once!"

"As you wish," Hao released a faux disappointed sigh. "I really do want to teach you something though. But before that, tell me, my little canary," his grin reached his eyes, "What is the deepest regret that you carry after death?"

"My deepest regret?" She blinked, not expecting such a question after all of these years. "That's easy. I really wanted to, but I never got the chance to be a mother." Her eyes almost glazed over as she recalled her excitement during her pregnancy. "I wanted to know the feeling of loving someone who I created. The conditionless love that my Mama gave me… I wanted to give it to my child."

Hao rubbed his chin, "I see… Mm." He nodded to himself, "That's perfect." With those mutters, he suddenly hoisted himself off of his throne.

"Eh? What is?" Kagome asked, her legs instinctively moved to take a step back to make space for him. But Hao was too smooth and quick. His arms rose from his sides and his hands found her cheeks. Their sudden close proximity put her into a haze. She couldn't tell if she held her ground because her instincts submitted on their own or if the gentle hands were the ones holding her in place.

"Everything," His eyes were hooded and his voice hushed. "After today, I won't poke you for your answer. I'll just wait and let you decide on your own." Kagome's lips were pursed as she nodded numbly, too entranced to use her voice. "Today, my little canary… I'll teach you the secret to controlling your rebirth."

Kagome's lips parted, but she was too stunned to gasp.

"And if you choose me…" Hao dazzled her with that smile: the genuine one that he reserved for her. "We'll go together. And when we're reborn, I'll give you the family that you always wanted."

"E-Eh…" Kagome turned her head to avert her gaze, but Hao's hand remained plastered to her cheek. "I don't think anyone can trump an offer like that… But… I don't know if I'm capable of such a thing."

Hao stifled a chuckle and gave her a bemused smile, "After all that you've done, you still don't believe in yourself?" He tenderly guided her to face him again. "Here…" He leaned down and whispered, "I'll give you the confidence that you need."

And his lips landed on hers.

---

Authoress' Notes: Dang. I thought that I'd have this posted way sooner. But life happens. So yup. I hope you all enjoyed this one. I'm almost finished with this arc.