Summary: Naraku and Muzan were one in the same. The same being, just different faces and names. Centuries after she was sealed within the jewel, awaiting his resurgence, Kagome wakes from her slumber. All she once knew is no more, yet she finds a new place among the Hashira. Yoriichi's memories are cradled close to her heart, and she finds a reminder of him in Tanjiro.

Pairing: Undecided

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Prologue

The faint sound of water colliding against the cliffside beneath them gently carried up to where they lounged in the soft grass. Silence lingered between them as they merely sat in each other's company. The sun was close to setting in the distance, casting a warm, amber glow across them.

Her expression was one of serenity, despite the solemn light cast through her ocean eyes. He always found her soul best compared to the waves far below them. Vicious and powerful, yet docile and tame all at the same time. Though she made no comment on it, he was well aware she could feel his attention lingering on her. Such a profound skill for someone as young as she was. Certainly, she was a being of many skills.

The pink jewel hanging from her neck stole his attention the next second. A heavy weight settled in his chest as it hung there like an ominous reminder. That's all it was, after all. He didn't miss the way her fingers had curled into the vibrant red hakama she wore.

"It won't be much longer, will it?" He was the first to speak, severing the silence they had been basking in up until that moment. He glanced away from the jewel, red eyes landing on her heart-shaped face. Youth stained her expression, and he was reminded just how young she was. She had just barely reached her fifteen year, and already such a burden rested on her petite shoulders.

From within his chest, his heart ached for her. In the months he'd known her, it'd become far too natural for him to see her as family, a child in need of his nurturing and protection. He offered it in full, and she latched on to his kindness. It filled the hollowness lurking within him, yet knowing what lurked in her near future was harrowing. Even more so when there was nothing he could do to protect her from it like he could from enemies.

Her hand gently traced along the grass between them, nimble fingers plucking a soft pink-petaled flower. She lifted it to her lap, fingers gently gripping the stem as a soft ivory glow encased it.

"Yeah," she eventually managed to say. A soft smile lingered on her face as she gazed down at the flower she held. She picked her head up and leveled that gentle expression on his face, blue eyes catching his red ones. "I'm a little scared, but this way I can sleep until Naraku comes back," she mused softly, admitting to her fear outright for him to have. He nodded and she glanced back at the flower, twirling it gently between her finger and thumb. A second later, she offered it to him, much to his surprise. "The jewel will keep my soul far from their reach, so it can't be too bad."

Despite his surprise never showing on his face, he still reached a hand out to grasp the offered flower. It felt warm- like the sun's glow.

"Yoriichi…" she began softly, pulling her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on her arms as they folded over her knees. He glanced at her upon hearing his name.

"Yes, dear child?" he implored. Kagome smiled at his title for her.

"Do you think we'll meet again?" she asked, a bright light shining in her eyes.

The thought lingered in his mind for a long time as he thought his answer over. How he deeply hoped that would be the case, yet he knew the odds. "None can truly say," he eventually said. Kagome shrugged and nodded in agreement. He didn't miss the somber air that settled around her.

"I know," she responded. "If we don't…" she paused, feeling his attention linger on her as he waited for what she'd say next. "If we don't cross paths again, will you always remember me?" The words, though soft-spoken, reached him easily.

He glanced at the flower, a token imbuded with her aura, and he nodded. "I will keep your light close to my own heart," he stated. Not only that, but he would undoubtedly miss her presence by his side.

The sun was almost below the horizon by now, shadows starting to stretch across the lands.

It was nothing more than a harbinger for her fate, he felt.

"Will you guard the jewel while I'm sealed?" she broke through the silence with another question. This one didn't surprise him. Just like all their moments together before, nothing would change.

"Sealed or unsealed, I will guard you with my life," Yoriichi vowed. "From now, until the moment I take my last breath, I will keep you safe." She never had any reason to fear, as long as he was with her.

"And I will have your memory with the jewel," she mused softly, a smile resting on her face. "No matter where fate carries me, I will keep your memories, brother."

The thought left her feeling at peace.

She knew she was safe in his hands.

000

The pink jewel in his hand felt remarkably heavy as his red eyes lingered on it. It possessed her aura, but he knew he shouldn't be surprised by the escalation. Her physical form had faded once the jewel absorbed her soul so she could fall into her slumber.

The silence around him was heavy. No longer did he have her chipper humming to soothe the solitude. No longer did he have her to chatter away whilst he listened. No longer did he have the children of the village to inturrpt his conversation with her by ambushing her for her attention.

Despite all that, she was still with him. That notion was what pushed him to fix the string around his neck to ensure it was safely in his clutches.

"Rest well, my dear child," Yoriichi spoke softly to the wind. "I know you will grow far stronger than I shall be." He paused glancing down at his hand as a somber expression rested on his face.

"I merely wish I would be there to witness what you grow into."

The pink bauble rested upon the altar, a sheer pink barrier encasing it. A soft light filled the otherwise dark room, casting an oddly soothing aura throughout the calm space. Fierce winds howled outside, yet the building remained undisturbed.

A lone figure lounged against the wall, a sword resting across their lap as the storm raged on outside. A guardian for it felt unneeded, especially when any being of impure intent combusted into flames the moment they got too close to the pink jewel. The aura produced from it was unparalleled, calling to all weaker than it as a warning to stay away. Despite that, being around it was peaceful. From the shadows in the room, it sometimes looked as if a silhouette of a woman was resting in front of it in a position that mirrored his own, electric blue eyes lighting up unnaturally. She was curious, an innocent smile highlighting her youthful face.

There was no mistaking who she was. The story of the woman within the jewel was passed on for centuries. Her presence was undeniable.

Lady Kagome.

Her light was unparalleled, her warmth radiant even though her physical form was no more. A rumble of thunder roared outside, and the small feline sitting beside the altar jumped up. Her fur stood on end, and low rumbling filled the room. A heavy aura plagued the room without warning. The glow from the jewel got brighter abruptly. A burst of lightning lit up the world outside of the small building, and, the following second, unnatural light filled the room.

When it faded and his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness once more, the feline had fallen silent. Finding her, his eyes widened as he clambered onto his feet.

The woman was far more than a silhouette now, a physical figure lying sprawled out on the ground. The jewel was fixed around her neck, shining boldly against her white haori. The feline, Kirara, was perched at her side, crimson eyes observing her.

Her aura was far more powerful than ever. It saturated the room. Not overwhelming, but pleasant and bearing a gentle warmth.

Giyu moved to approach her, and when he got close, Kirara cut crimson eyes up at him. She eyed him before turning back, as if she accepted him approaching.

He crouched at her side, reaching a hand out to brush a long lock of raven hair out of her face. Her skin felt warm against his fingers, a natural blush staining otherwise porcelain skin.

Her expression shifted, brows furrowing before dark lashes finally moved. Her eyes opened, and those electric blue eyes silently scanned the area. They eventually went back to his face, and she abruptly shoved herself up when she grew aware of the touch to her face.

"What happened…?" A soft voice broke the silence, surprise flooding electric eyes. "How…-?" Her surprise slowly shifted to confusion as she pulled her knees up, scooting away until her back reached the wall. The feline followed, bounding over to her with concern alight in crimson eyes. Several long seconds dragged by before she picked her head up again, wide eyes meeting his own. "How am I here…?"

The question was one that didn't have an answer. Her light blue eyes met his darker hue. Her hand came up to touch the side of her face- checking to see if it felt as real as she did at that moment. Her gaze clouded over and she looked down.

How long had it been?

What year was it now?

Her brows furrowed in concentration. The person with her matched her silence as she thought to herself.

"Ah…" She abruptly looked up, meeting his gaze once more. "Also… huh-?"

Her innocent tone was interrupted by something heavy crashing against the wall of the building. She jumped, the feline at her side moving quickly. A blaze of flames enveloped her, and the girl was knocked to the side right while the wall beside her got utterly demolished. Kirara hovered over her as Kagome picked herself back up. As she did, a demon clawed through what remained of the wall. Their attention was set on her, and Giyu was swift in drawing his blade.

It wasn't needed, however.

The demon ran at her, and she reacted just as swiftly. A pink light formed around her, and the demon erupted into a blazing gradient of flames- pink, blue, and white. Its yowls faded as the rest of the building crumbled around them. A pink barrier prevented debris from hitting the three, and soon the only sound was the light drumming of suddenly gentle rain.

Giyu stood frozen as she picked her head up, a light smile on her face. She was unaffected, cheerful almost. "Now, may I know your name?" she asked with a gentle tone. "It's so nice to finally speak to you!"

She recognized him well, but she never learned his name. She'd observed him plenty- and she knew he was perfectly aware of that.

"Tomioka Giyu."

Kagome blinked owlishly at the response, a second later a warm smile bloomed across her face.

"It's so nice to hear someone's voice after so long!" she exclaimed, her voice wavering with the presence of tears. The tears fell without warning, getting mixed with the rain pelting her. She laughed, bowing her head a second later. "I've never liked being on my own, you know, but I did what they decided was for the best. When I went inside the jewel, I wasn't able to hear the outside noise." She wiped her tears away and smiled. "It's so nice to meet you, Giyu!"

Kirara let out a low rumble, and Kagome was startled. She glanced at the cat, and her eyes lit up. A second later, she threw her arms around her warm mane in an excited embrace. "Kirara!" she exclaimed. As she did, Kirara returned the affection by nuzzling into her with a pleased rumble coming from her chest.

Kagome retracted her hands from Kirara's fur and her thoughts wandered.

If Kirara was still alive, did that mean her other demon companions were also alive, and, if they were, would they be able to feel her aura resurface?

Auroua-chan: So, this is a revamped version of my other story for these two series, Sunlit Soul. I wanted to add a bit more to it, so I took it down when this was ready to go up.

The pairing is still open for suggestions and all. Most characters are open for consideration. (Kagome's current age is 15 for reference.)

This chapter revealed Kagome and Yoriichi knew one another during the Sengoku Era, and he grew quite fond of her. (On a familial level, that is.)

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~