Authors Notes:

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the following story. Kinda disappointed, though, because playing dress up with Sess would be soo much fun!!

Never done this before, hope I'm not wasting your time, hope its not a disappointment!

"…" - words spoken aloud

'…' – thoughts

IIIIIIIIIII - a change of perspective or different setting

Enchanted Orbs

Chapter One: Awakening Powers

They were fighting again; Kagome was getting really sick of the insignificant and petty arguments. It seemed like all they ever did was pick at each other.

"Would you just leave me alone, I'm sorry I got in your way, ok! Are you happy? You killed it anyways, it's not like the thing got away?" Kagome huffed as she tried to walk away from the irritated hanyou.

Miroku and Sango shared an exasperated glance and started setting up camp for the night, and it looked like it was going to be a long one.

"Leave you alone? Its your fault the thing got a chance to attack us in the first place!! If you had listened to me and stopped nagging me, wench, it wouldn't have heard us in the first place. I coulda snuck up on it, killed it, and that would have been the end of it, but nooo. You had to alert it, then miss when you wanted to prove you could do it yourself without my help. Well, big shot…I had to chase that stupid thing half way across Japan because you decided you wanted to try things your way!! Feh, what good are you

anyways? I'm amazed I still let you follow me around." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and raised his nose at an arrogant level, daring Kagome to argue with him.

"What?! Follow you around!!" Kagome rounded on him.

Inuyasha took an involuntary step back at the temper that flared in the girl as she continued. "If it weren't for you and your stupid quest…" She took several threatening steps towards him.

The hanyou caught himself before he took another step backwards. His eyes hardened as he interrupted Kagome. "Shut it wench, just be glad you're the only one who can see those shards." Inuyasha yelled to overcome her own shouts.

"Yeah, well, why don't you just go find Kikyou and have her help out, I'm sure she would just love to…" Kagome retorted as steam started to rise from her rage-flushed face.

"You leave Kikyo out of this…she's twice the woman you'll ever be, you're just mad because you're nothing but a reincarnate. Just a second copy." He echoed the words he had heard spoken by the undead priestess several times before, ignorant of the effect it would have on his companion.

"SIT!!! I have heard enough from you!" Kagome's voice was steady, but a pained whisper echoed through her voice. She turned around to face the others. A smile formed on her face, but the deception was proven through her eyes. "Sango, Miroku, I'm going to go bathe and cool off a bit. I'll be back in a little while." Kagome went from bitterly angry to sweet and cheerful, and Miroku and Sango hesitated before attempting to reply.

"Take your time Kagome, I'll take care of Shippo" Sango said, ever supportive of her friend.

"Do you need help Kagome? I can get your back for you." Miroku offered with feigned innocence before wincing at the glare Sango sent him.

WHAM!

Miroku hit the ground as the subduing spell started to wear off Inuyasha. Kagome took a brief glance around the camp. She sent a smile to Shippo then turned to disappear around some trees on the way to her chosen bathing spot.

Shippo waited until Kagome was out of hearing range before attacking Inuyasha's ears. "Why do you have to be to so mean, you big jerk!!," but all he got as a reply was a "Feh!" and a sulking hanyou by the fireside.

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Kagome's rage dwindled and disappeared as she walked toward the spring. 'Just a second copy, is that all I am in comparison?' With her anger gone, all the cruel things Inuyasha had said over the past couple of days ganged up on her. Tears start to form. "NO!! I will not cry. That will just prove him right in his eyes!" 'But I am just a shadow compared to Kikyo, I'll never be out of her shadow, at least as far as he's concerned.' Kagome's eyes became dull as her sadness overwhelmed her.

As she came upon the spring, Kagome saw a woman kneeling at the waters edge. She was dressed in a thin white robe which clung to her figure, flattering yet conservative. Her hair reached to her lower back, its platinum color gave her an ethereal appearance. A silver chain braided into designs that reflect the moon's shimmering light twisted in and out of her hair in various places creating their own design. Kagome was about to turn and leave to prevent interrupting the elder woman, when she called out to Kagome.

"Why is you heart filled with sadness little one? I have never seen one so pure and powerful that doesn't have joy overflowing within their soul." The woman's voice tingled across Kagome's senses, soothing her.

The woman remained facing the pool, her eyes never straying to the young miko.

Kagome's mind reeled at her questions. "How did you…"

"It is not important. What is important is your spirit. You are so full of life, so pure hearted. You have a grave task ahead of you. How do you expect to be able to purify when the emotions within you are unsettled? The jewel can see into the depths of your soul; if you are not at peace with yourself, the wish will become twisted and all is in vain." The woman slowly turned to face Kagome. Her eyes were the colors of the bluest sea; her face is was pale as a glacier. All about her spoke of a gentle yet great power.

As Kagome found her voice she managed to question the female. "Who are you and why are you…?"

"Again it is not important; just know that I am a friend. I have come to teach you, to help you. Come, kneel next to me, child. I have a gift for you, one that only someone such as you could maintain." Her voice was gentle but there was no arguing with her tone.

Kagome did as she was told. The woman took her hand and a brilliant gold light began to shine. Kagome tried to see where the light originated from, but her attempt was in vain. The light radiated from everywhere. The water, the woman, the surrounding trees, and even Kagome were all engulfed in the radiant beams of light.

"What's happening?" Kagome spluttered, thoroughly confused and disoriented.

"I'm awakening your powers, most need years of experience to train abilities such as yours. I am speeding up the process a bit." A small smile appeared on her face, as if she shared a secret with the world.

The light receded, and only Kagome was left glowing. The nameless woman looked at Kagome to stress her lesson. "You no longer require spells or chants, just think about what you wish to happen, and it will. You have few boundaries to what you can do as long as you keep your inner strength, little one." Her tone was fond and motherly.

Kagome's head felt a little fuzzy, but she was warm all over and serenity filled her being completely.

"You must listen to me child," the woman continues, "the confusion of your worth which was present as you arrived is not an option. You cannot hope to defeat evil when doubt exists within you." Kagome nodded to show she was paying attention. "This will hurt beyond belief, but he does not deserve your love." Kagome tensed as she realizes who the woman is talking about.

"But I love him, I can't help it. This is not something I can control" Kagome objected fiercely.

"I know you feel that way, child, but you can never step out of that shadow when you are with him. He will always see the other woman. My words are not meant to be cruel. The danger present with such a fluctuation of your emotions is monumental. You will be challenged by immeasurable evil, and such uncertainty will mean your death along with countless others. There exists such evil in these lands that any doubt will be turned against you and your companions with dreadful results. The triangle that has been established between your incarnation, yourself, and the inuhanyou must be broken."

"You still speak as if a can just take my love away from him, that's not within my power." Kagome protested as she tried to digest all the information she had been flooded with.

"Do not forget, you were told that little is beyond your abilities. Imagine your love fading into a friendship, a close bond shared between family. Shift your emotions until you feel for him what you feel for the monk. It is a simple task, child, and it must be done."

Kagome broke down into tears, her chest started to heave and she cried out, "I can't do that; I would rather be in pain but be in love than to feel no love at all!"

The woman raised Kagome's chin with her hand and their gazes locked.

"Kagome, child, you are loved, and you will be loved by more. It is not yet time for you to know what is fated for you, but you will find happiness and completion. The love to be bestowed upon you will not be able to be twisted, and evil will lose. Until that time, you must trust me and do as I say. Until you find your inner peace and strength, the control you have on your abilities is not complete. In order to create serenity, you must create a happiness within you. I can start you on that path, but from there it is your own spirit's journey to find fullness." The woman pleaded with the priestess to understand without full knowledge.

As she said this, the tears that were flowing down Kagome's face began to glow. They were lifted off her face and began swirling around her. The orbs multiplied and shifted until Kagome was surrounded by dancing lights that illuminated the clearing. Kagome laughed in wonderment as the lights caressed her face and hair, whirling in patterns around her.

The woman spoke to her, "Little one, this is your power, take control of it. Let your spirit fly with the glow globes." A warm smile lit her face.

Kagome nodded and began to concentrate on the flickering lights surrounding her. She laughed as the orbs stopped their movement; the hundreds of lights were drawn to her and converged into five golf ball sized lights. All was still for a moment until Kagome released them. The five shot out across the land in five different directions, curved upwards to the sky, then came together above her head. She gasped in amazement when they exploded as a fireworks display. Shimmering lights cascaded to the spring as Kagome's light show ended. Joy filled her at her own accomplishment, and she was content. Kagome turned to thank the woman only to find her gone.

"Oh well, guess I better bathe before the others get worried." Kagome spoke softly, a smile lightly her face.

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A short distance away, a little girl watched as the sky was lit by an explosion. Her eyes widened at the glittering particles as they slowly fell back to the earth.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what were those pretty lights? Can Rin go see?" Sesshomaru, curious himself as to what was the cause of the power surge that accompanied those lights, nodded his head slightly.

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I reconfigured this chapter, made some grammatical corrections, and touched up the dialogue a bit. No big changes, so no worries.

Syrinx