Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or his characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.

Rebirth of the Phoenix Priestess
VIII: Resolutions

Miroku held in a sigh as he held Sango's trembling form close to him as Kirara flew. He still couldn't believe all they had just learned. Kagome was gone, dead. She had been killed, murdered, and they had been traveling with her murders.

Inuyasha and Kikyou had murdered her. Inuyasha may not have struck the killing blow but he had stood by idly and watched Kikyou do it, and callously checked and confirmed that Kagome was dying and wouldn't live.

Kagome had drowned in her own blood. He couldn't imagine a worse way to die for someone like her. For a long time he had thought his death would be from his wind tunnel, meaning it would be quick and hopefully painless, or from battle which he also hoped would be quick and relatively painless. Kagome on the other hand, for her to die in such a way. It hadn't been quick or painless. She must have been so scared.

And they had been ignorant of it, and even happy she wouldn't be around. She'd been selfishly torn away from life, and they had been more concerned with their peace and revenge.

Miroku sighed as he closed his eyes and let the wind try to blow his thoughts away. It didn't work but he was glad to be away from Inuyasha and Kikyou. He'd only tolerated Kikyou's presence because he thought she could sense jewel shards and would be another fighter, but it turns out she couldn't sense the shards since they hadn't found any and she barely fought, and that was when she decided to actually help.

And Inuyasha. He just couldn't stand to be anywhere near him. He'd made it clear he wanted and had chosen Kikyou, but he at least thought Inuyasha considered Kagome to be a friend after all she had done for him.

It was now glaringly obvious that he hadn't even thought of her as that for him to plan out her death and watch her dying. Maybe he wasn't giving Inuyasha enough credit; maybe he really did care about Kagome. Kagome knew him best and was always able to tell what he was feeling even when he was saying something different, but he wasn't Kagome and he wasn't feeling charitable.

He was not going to look deeper into Inuyasha's feelings and motives, because ultimately they didn't matter. He had been a part of her death. He hadn't cared about what Kagome felt or wanted when he and Kikyou made their plans. He hadn't cared about the many repercussions of his decision.

He hadn't care about Kagome's family, a family he had met and been welcomed into, hadn't cared about Shippo's feelings, hadn't cared about Keade's feelings, or his and Sango's. But then again it shouldn't be surprising since Inuyasha was always rushing into situations without considering the consequences of his actions.

Miroku opened his eyes and looked around. He realized they were close to Edo, and decided they needed to go there. They needed to let Keade know what they had learned, and he wanted to check the well just to be sure.

"Can you take us to Edo Kirara? To Keade?" He asked the fire neko, who roared lowly and changed direction.

A short time later she was landing right outside the elder priestess' hut. He helped Sango dismount and Kirara returned to her smaller size and returned to Sango's arms before they entered.

Keade looked up and was alarmed at Sango's grief and Miroku's grim face. She looked behind them to see if Inuyasha and Kikyou would enter but they didn't.

"What is wrong? What has happened?" Keade asked as they sat down and watched as new tears began to stream from Sango's eyes as she held Kirara. She turned her concerned gaze toward Miroku as he sighed.

"One of Naraku's incarnations approached our group and informed us that Kagome wasn't at home like we believed, and that she had been killed by Inuyasha and Kikyou." He said gravely.

"Kikyou did not react, and Inuyasha did not deny the accusation. I demanded to know how Kagome died, and we eventually learned that she had been shot with an arrow and drowned in her blood before her body disappeared back to her time." He continued.

Miroku briefly considered that he shouldn't have told the older woman those details, but decided she must have heard worse in her life and seen worse in her role as priestess.

"I could not stand to stay around them anymore, not after learning they had murdered Kagome, and with Sango so distressed I asked Kirara to take us away. Once we were away I came out of my thoughts and realized we were close to the village, and decided we should come here and tell you what happened. I also wish to check the well just to be sure." He explained.

Keade listened in surprise. She had almost expected them not to learn with Kagome not interested in revealing herself to them, and definitely never expected them to learn the way they did. She honestly wasn't surprised at Kikyou's non reaction nor Inuyasha's initial silence, but she hadn't expected either one to talk of what they had done so easily.

She shook her head slowly in response to Miroku's words and her thoughts. She couldn't believe they had been so careless as to talk about what they had done to Kagome out in the open. She certainly didn't approve of what they had done, but one would think secrecy would take precedence over having a conversation about the deed.

"Do you think Kagome's family knows what happened to her?" Sango asked Keade softly.

"I believe they do." Keade said honestly since in actuality she knew Kagome had informed her family.

"It is a sad and disturbing thing that has been done to young Kagome. To be betrayed so by one she trusted and considered a friend." She said with a slow shake of her head. "Do ye have any news on Shippo's whereabouts?" She asked.

"We do not." Miroku answered as he shook his head. "We found no trace of him. It did not help that Inuyasha seemed glad that he was gone."

"What do the two of ye plan on doing next?" Keade asked after a period of silence.

Sango sniffled and looked from Keade to Miroku as she pet Kirara's soft fur.

"I think we should leave tomorrow. I don't want to chance having to see Inuyasha and Kikyou if they decide to come here." She said quietly and Miroku nodded.

"I think we should continue searching for Naraku since I still need to get rid of my wind tunnel, and I am sure Sango wants to avenge her family." He said.

"I do." Sango said with a nod. "So we'll head out tomorrow and continue our search without worrying about jewel shards this time. It's better than doing nothing."

Miroku nodded in return and stood up. "I am going to go check the well. I shall be back soon."

He watched them nod then left the hut and began to make his way to the well clearing, wondering morbidly where on his path his friend had met her end. When he arrived he stared at the well as if expecting Kagome to climb out. He sighed when nothing happened and moved forward and began focusing on the well.

He focused his spiritual energies on the well and discovered that, though he could sense the wells power a bit, it was in fact closed, and that it had never been sealed.

Miroku sighed heavily and began to make his way back to the village with the sure knowledge that Kagome was indeed gone.

"The well is closed, and it was never sealed." He said when he arrived, confirming what they had already known.

Sango closed her eyes in pain at the further confirmation, and Keade simply shook her head and remained silent.

They spent the rest of the day talking about Kagome, avoiding mention of Inuyasha and Kikyou, wondering if they should continue to look for Shippo even though they had no clues to his whereabouts, and how they should search for Naraku.

That night Sango and Miroku had a filling dinner and went to bed early. They woke early the next morning, had breakfast, and bid Keade a goodbye before they set out to continue their search for the evil hanyou.

oOo~RPP~oOo

Inuyasha watched as Kirara flew away with Sango and Miroku. The last living members of his pack.

They knew; they knew he and Kikyou had plotted to kill Kagome and had succeeded. They knew and they had left. They left him. His pack was no more. It had fallen apart because he had wanted to be with Kikyou.

And he was still unsure if he even still wanted to be with her, so now his pack was gone and he was alone with her.

Inuyasha growled, unable to express his anger and hurt over what happened. How stupid was he to not have checked the area to make sure they were alone before they talked about what they did to Kagome?! He had made sure they were far enough from Sango and Miroku, but since there were no other ningens in the area he had been secure in their privacy.

He gripped the hilt of his sword with one hand, the other balled up in a fist, his ears alternating between going flat against his head and twitching agitatedly.

I hate this! Hate it, hate it, hate! Why didn't I check? Why did I even admit that I'd done? That it even happened? They wouldn't have believed Hakudoshi's words over mine. So stupid! He thought angrily, and growled again.

"Let's go!" He said in Kikyou's direction before he turned and began walking in the opposite direction that Kirara had flown in. He wanted to run instead of walk but Kikyou was with him, and though he wasn't sure he wanted her anymore she was still all he had now.

He pushed thoughts of Kagome's death and his broken pack from his mind, and instead focused on continuing the hunt for Naraku and the jewel shards.

Since they had no success in finding jewel shards since Kagome had been gone he decided to go where he knew for sure there were shards. He scented the air as they walked and a good time later he caught Kouga's scent and began to head in his direction.

"Kouga's near. We might as well get his jewel shards before Naraku does. That way we'll have jewel shards, and it might get Naraku to come to us." Inuyasha told Kikyou.

"Yes. That is a good idea, especially since we have heard nothing from Naraku in some time." Kikyou agreed.

When they reached the ookami they found him relaxing at the edge of a grassy plain with Ayame, and the normal members of his pack that usually follow him when he was away from the main pack.

Kouga blinked at them from his place next to his woman. He hadn't expected Inuyasha to come to him with Kagome not being there anymore despite her warning him.

Where's the rest of his pack? He wondered idly.

"What do you want?" He asked the pair.

"Give up your jewel shards." Inuyasha demanded, and Kouga raised an eyebrow.

"No. Kagome let me keep the shards, and I'm only returning them to her." He said, remembering what she had said about Kikyou not being able to sense them.

"Hand them over!" Kikyou demanded. "They do not belong to you, but to the Shikon Miko."

"You're not the Shikon Miko. Kagome is, and when she asks for them I'll give them to her." Kouga replied. She just confirmed what Kagome said. She should've been able to tell that I didn't have them. He thought as he shook his head slightly.

"Where's Kagome anyway?" He asked, wondering what they would say.

"She went home." Kikyou answered before Inuyasha could. "She obviously decided she could not handle searching for the jewel shards and Naraku anymore."

Kouga raised an eyebrow as he noted Inuyasha's shiftiness. If he hadn't already known her words were a lie then Inuyasha's behavior would have let him know.

"Where are the others? Sango and Miroku?" He asked, deciding to satisfy his curiosity.

"Obviously they're not here, and that's all you need to know!" Inuyasha snapped, and Kouga raised his eyebrow again.

"I must have touched a nerve." He said with a smirk. He wondered if they had found out the truth or at least that the inu hanyou was responsible for Kagome's death. He couldn't see any other reason for their absence and Inuyasha getting bent out of shape at the mere question of where they were. But then again Inuyasha was an idiot and could have done something else to drive them away.

"Well since my curiosity is satisfied there's nothing else for you and your undead woman here, so you can leave." He told Inuyasha, and listened as he sputtered at the dismissal.

"I'm not going anywhere without the jewel shards." Inuyasha said angrily.

"Alright." Kouga said and stood. "I'll just make you leave."

Around him Ayame and the rest of his pack stood as well, ready for a fight.

Kouga wasted no time and sped toward Inuyasha, still fast regardless of not having the jewel shards anymore, and hit him in the face before he could grab his sword. Soon fists were flying and they were dodging claw swipes left and right.

As they fought everyone watched, but Ayame kept an eye on the undead priestess as well, which was a good thing as she saw her pull an arrow and lift her bow. Ayame refused to let her fire on her mate, and ran toward her, using her speed to get to her, before she broke the bow with her claws. She then backhanded Kikyou and sent her flying.

Inuyasha heard Kikyou's cry and abandoned his fight and ran to her.

"You need to go. Now." Kouga told Inuyasha once again as he joined Ayame.

Inuyasha looked around, and realized he has no choice. Kikyou no longer had a weapon and was hurt, and he couldn't leave her defenseless while he fought Kouga for his jewel shards.

So, he did the only thing he could. He picked her up and ran.

oOo~RPP~oOo

Early morning dawned and Sesshomaru greeted it by sending all of his pack, except his phoenix priestess, to his stronghold so the children would be safe while they were away. Today was the day Sesshomaru and Kagome were going to begin their hunt for Naraku. Where ever he was they were going to find him, no matter how long it took.

They decided to start by trying to find any trace of him. Sesshomaru would try and track his scent, and Kagome would try to find his aura.

Sesshomaru walked along a path he had traveled before, weaving through trees and high grass, delicately scent the air looking as normal and composed as he always did. Kagome had taken her miniature true form and flew high in the sky above him, her senses spread out, searching.

It was nearing afternoon and so far neither of them had any luck. Kagome had sensed many youkai, hanyou, and even a few ningen with spiritual powers, but no trace of the hanyou they were looking for. She hadn't even sensed a large part of the Shikon jewel.

She sighed internally as she flapped her wings and looked down. Her sharp eyes immediately found her mate, looking like a bright beacon in his white silk.

What they were doing wasn't working. Naraku was hiding himself well. They needed to try something else for the rest of the day. The question was, what could they try? Tracking him by his scent, aura, and the jewel shards wasn't working, and she doubted her mate hadn't tried to find him by his youki.

Is there something I can do as a phoenix? She wondered thoughtfully. After a few thoughtful moments an idea came to her, and she began to dive toward her mate. When she was close she pulled up sharply and glided to the ground where she shifted back to her ningen form.

"I have an idea on how to find Naraku, but I'm going to have to be careful and try to make the right adjustment to do it." Kagome said.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I think I can find him by flame traveling." She answered. "I obviously don't want to appear right in front of him, so I'm going to try and appear in the area he's in instead."

His phoenix mate had said nothing about him accompanying her and he wasn't sure he wanted her going alone. Still, he knew she would have an easier time getting away if she were alone, and not have him trying to react instantly to danger.

"Alright." Sesshomaru said as he nodded. "Be careful." He added, trusting her to do what she was going to do.

Kagome nodded and shifted back into her miniature true form. She flapped her wings and jumped into the air, circling him as she focused her thoughts with her Lady's encouragement.

She focused her mind on Naraku. Picturing him, remembering his mannerisms, and his voice. Once she felt a lock on him, she consciously decided to appear not in front of him, next to him, or behind him, but in the general area of his location out of his sight.

Her fire engulfed her form and in the next moment she was appearing in the sky in a completely different area than she was before. Below her was a small shiro, still large in its own right, but small compared to those known in this time in history. As she gazed at it, she sensed a strong barrier, and she knew he was there in that building.

She flamed back to her mate and quickly took her ningen form.

"Naraku's inside a castle surrounded by a strong barrier." She said immediately, and Sesshomaru nodded.

"Take us there." He said.

Kagome took his hand and fire engulfed their forms and took them away. They appeared in a large grassy area just down a slight hill from the shiro and gazed at the structure. Kagome released her mates hand as she shrugged her bow from her shoulder, and pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and notched it.

"Are you ready?" She asked as she looked to her mate.

Sesshomaru nodded and she lifted her bow, drew it back and fired her arrow. They watched it streak through the air, surrounded by the blue glow of her purity, and slam into the barrier before puncturing a hole in it. Her purity began to spread from the hole outward, purifying the barrier until it was gone.

The large panel siding slid open down the center, one going left and the other right, revealing a doorway. Out walked Naraku with Hakudoshi at his side, showing that he was clearly his last incarnation.

"So the little bird came to me, saving me the trouble of coming after her." Naraku stated amusingly.

Kagome said nothing and just looked between him and the child like incarnation.

"You made a mistake coming after what is mine." Sesshomaru said as he pulled his sword, Bakusagia, from the sheath at his waist. "You probably would have lived longer had you stayed away."

"Is that why you are here? To attempt to kill me?" Naraku said as he laughed. "Come then and try your best." He added before turning to Hakudoshi. "Subdue the little bird, and bring her to me." He ordered.

Sesshomaru looked to his mate and Kagome nodded before she walked away to give the both of them room to fight, her eyes keeping track of Hakudoshi as he walked toward her.

She knew she couldn't use her bow and arrows. That was for distance fighting, and her battle fan was out of the question. It just wouldn't work against the naginata Hakudoshi was clearly going to be using. That left her with her sai swords. It meant fighting him up close but she had been trained to do it.

When she first got the weapons she had no idea how to use them, but her alpha had known and took it upon himself to train her. Once they started she learned that her mate was a master of many weapons and that he just preferred the sword.

He had not taught her how to use her sai swords against a naginata in particular, but he had taught her to use them against a bo staff. Her Lady had even coached her on how to use them as if they were another set of talons, so she was fairly comfortable with the idea of using them against Naraku's last incarnation.

Kagome stopped and tossed her bow aside a fair distance so it would hopefully not be damaged in the coming fight, and pulled her sai swords from her obi sash.

Hakudoshi casually stood across from her, holding his weapon like he didn't plan on using it, so she stepped forward. Before she got too close a pale magenta barrier sprang up around him.

She stopped short and stared at the barrier before she put one of her swords away and brought out her flame whip. She flicked her wrist and the thin blue line of fire flew forward and smacked into the barrier with no effect.

"You can break my barrier." Hakudoshi said with a laugh.

Kagome pursed her lips and focused on the barrier, tuning out the sounds of Sesshomaru's fight, and spread her aura to see what she could find. What she found was a very strong barrier made out of youki similar to Naraku's.

It wasn't identical since she had the suspicion Naraku's was augmented by the Shikon jewel, but it was similar. Youki wouldn't work to break it, but then Hakudoshi probably thought she was a youkai.

Kagome decided to do what she always did to break barriers, though she would have to improvise since she couldn't use her bow and arrows.

She focused as she lifted her hand again and this time a glowing solid blue whip made of her reiki flew from her fingers and slammed into the barrier, ripping a split into it that caused the barrier to dissolve into nothing.

Hakudoshi jumped back in surprise and she ran forward, pulling her reiki back and pulling her sai sword into her hand.

He reacted quickly, taking his naginata into both hands and pointing it toward her, blade first, as he narrowed his eyes. He thrust it toward her head and she batted the blade aside with her right sword as she moved to her left, remembering from her training to dodge as well as block in case blocking didn't work.

He swung the end of his wooden shaft at her legs and she jumped over it. She thrust her left arm forward, her sharp sai blade aiming for his neck. However, Hakudoshi quickly rolled forward into a crouch and turned to her, his naginata at the ready, before he stood with a smirk and disappeared.

Kagome blinked and looked around, all her senses on alert. She finally spotted him on the other side of Sesshomaru's battle with Naraku, looking right at her and still smirking.

She realized then that he must have used a method similar to her flame travel. She had never seen him use the technique, but then she hadn't actually seen him herself in some time. When she did see him he was walking or floating away inside a barrier.

So he's transporting or teleporting himself. She thought as she watched him. She knew from then on the fight would be an interesting test of her skills if nothing else.

She focused on the child incarnation and the area where she wanted to appear and vanished in a burst of flames. She reappeared right behind him and swung her right arm, aiming to slice through his neck with her sai sword, but he ducked and swung the shaft of his naginata backward as he spun around.

Kagome jumped over it and quickly blocked an overhead swing from his naginata with both her swords and pushed forward. He stumbled back slightly and one again teleported away before she could attack.

She spread her aura out, deciding to keep it that way so he was easier to find the next time he teleported, and looked around. She watched Sesshomaru gracefully slice through Naraku's tentacles with his sword, his green acid whip flying around him occasionally when Naraku tried to wrap them around him.

She finally spotted Hakudoshi on the roof of the shiro and instantly flamed to him. She found herself blocking a strike from him instinctively before her flames even cleared. She pushed his weapon aside and swung at him, which he blocked with the end of his wooden shaft then moved it in a circular motion that effectively pushed her hand and sword back.

He quickly stepped back and swung the naginata at her horizontally, blade first, and she quickly brought her left sword up and blocked it as she side stepped to her right. She thrust the sword in her right hand toward his chest, piercing the silk of his top before he turned to his right and spun backward, away from the sharp blade and once again teleported away.

Kagome huffed and focused on her senses and pictured him in her mind before she vanished in a quick burst of blue flames. She reappeared next to him, where they had originally begun, seemingly just as he reappeared and swung her sword at him.

This went on for some minutes. The sound of metal clashing with metal as they attacked with blades and blocked with blades. Thuds came as a secondary sound as Kagome's blades blocked and struck the wooden staff of Hakudoshi's weapon.

Hakudoshi swung his naginata horizontally and vertically, up and down, left and right, and spun it with a skill Kagome was irritated to see him have with a weapon nearly twice his size.

Kagome swung and spun her sai swords, blocking and thrusting with the blades as if they were an extension of her hands. She spun around, away from strikes she couldn't block, jump up and drop to the ground to avoid getting hit by the spinning pole and blade.

She knew this couldn't go on long. Sooner or later one of them would make a mistake and she was determined that it wouldn't be her. She needed to figure out how to finish him off.

Already she knew she wouldn't be able to land a blow with either of her swords, so that left her reiki and her fire. After a few moments thought she figured fire had worked on Kagura and Kanna, so why not Hakudoshi?

She just had to figure out how she was going to utilize her fire.

oOo~RPP~oOo

Miroku and Sango walked around the village, visiting stalls, and talking to and questioning people, looking for clues for the whereabouts of Naraku. They didn't asked after Naraku specifically since the villagers wouldn't have heard of him, but they asked after other things they had seen when he was near a village.

They asked if there had been a lot youkai around, if there were any strange smells, any unusual things happening. They were answered the same by all. That there was nothing at all wrong with or around their village. It was just the same as every other village. They even had a quiet Lord that lived in the area.

They eventually meandered out of the village, unsatisfied with the lack of information they had gained.

"Did you sense anything while we were in the village?" Sango asked.

"No. Not even a small spike of anything. There's just nothing to sense." Miroku answered and she sighed.

"What's are we going to do next?" Sango wondered as she pet Kirara. "Going from village to village isn't working, and we hadn't come across a single youkai, not even a low level one."

Miroku nodded and spread his senses once again.

"We should go to some of Naraku's previous locations." He suggested. "I doubt he would go back to any of them, but then again it would be just like him to do something we would not think he would."

Sango nodded and was about to reply when Miroku stopped mid stride and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she watched him.

"I can sense a fight in the distance in the direction where the villagers said the lord lives." Miroku said as he opened his eyes and looked at her in surprise. "Naraku is involved. It is his youki I sense."

"Are you serious?" Sango asked as her eyes widened.

"Yes. He is fighting someone strong, but I cannot tell who." He said.

"Then let's go." She said.

Kirara immediately transformed into her larger form and they hoped on and headed toward the fight, both of them wanting to be rid of the evil hanyou once and for all.

~oOo~oOo~

A large crow winged its way over tree tops as its tiny passenger pondered the information they had recently learned.

Myouga had just come from spending a few days with Totosai and was still in disbelief over what he had related. He had been surprised to learn that Kagome was traveling with Sesshomaru, but was even more shocked to learn that she had been killed and reborn as a phoenix and the circumstances surrounding the event.

He was outraged that a son of the Inu no Taisho could fall so far and do such a thing, and that it was the younger son rather than the elder just sent him over the edge. Never had he thought Inuyasha would do such a thing, let alone to the one person who had cared so much for him and done even more for him. To betray her the way he did boggled the mind.

From what he understood Inuyasha hadn't dealt the fetal blow, but he had been a part of planning the occurrence and watched it happen.

Myouga wondered if Inuyasha thought keeping his hands clean would be different from doing the actual killing, or maybe he just couldn't bring himself to do it regardless of wanting it to happen.

In the end it didn't matter. Inuyasha did what he did and Kagome was a celestial being now because of it.

Now he was on his way to see Inuyasha. He wouldn't let on that he knew what happened, because Totosai related that Inuyasha most likely thought her dead and she wanted to keep it that way. He would ask questions and see what Inuyasha said. His answers and behavior would determine if the inu hanyou would ever see him again afterward.

He had been a loyal advisor to the Inu no Taisho and had transferred that loyalty to his sons, mostly the younger son. He had advised him when he needed it and whenever he sought him out, and put up with his brash and abusive behavior, but now he wondered if he deserved that loyalty.

Myouga shook his head as he spotted a pair of people walking along a dirt path through some trees. He never thought he would ever question whether Inuyasha was deserving of his loyalty.

As his transportation grew closer to the pair he recognized Inuyasha and the undead priestess he decided was worth killing a loyal friend for. He instructed the bird to fly lower then thanked him for the ride before he jumped.

He plummeted through the air but he controlled his descent enough to guide his body to land on Inuyasha's shoulder. Once he settled, unnoticed, he decided that although their relationship may change it was no reason not to enjoy a meal from him in the meantime.

Inuyasha suddenly smacked the side of his neck as he felt a familiar pinch. He pulled his hand away to confirm what he already knew.

"Myouga!" He growled as he looked at the tiny body lying in his palm.

"Inuyasha-sama! It is good to you." Myouga said, acting as usual to get the answers he sought.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked bluntly.

"To see you." Myouga answered. "I was visiting Totosai and he said he hadn't heard anything from you or about you, so I came to find you and see how you were."

"Here I am." He said obviously.

"Yes. You look fine and certainly taste well." Myouga said with a nod before he looked over to the undead woman.

"Greetings priestess Kikyou." He greeted her politely and watched her nod in return.

"Where are the others? Have they all decided to take a break?" He asked as he looked around unnecessarily before he watched Inuyasha look away with a quiet growl.

"They're following another lead." Inuyasha said.

Myouga frowned slightly, Inuyasha's body language making his words false, but he decided not to press.

"Well where's Kagome? She usually stays with you whenever the pack splits up." He said.

"She went home. She couldn't handle searching for Naraku and the jewel shards anymore." Kikyou answered, speaking up before Inuyasha could, giving the same excuse she had given to Kouga.

"That's unexpected." Myouga said as he blinked slowly. "She lasted the last few years. I wonder why suddenly stop."

Of course he knew the truth and he watched Inuyasha, taking in his silence and the fact that he wouldn't look at him. Obviously he had no plans to tell him the truth, so he supposed he had his answer.

He would not be seeing Inuyasha after this meeting. Already he was planning on trying to find Miroku and Sango to see why they weren't with Inuyasha, hoping to get the truth. Then he would search out Kagome. He was admittedly curious about her appearance with the description Totosai gave.

"She probably finally decided her life on her side of the well was more important to her." Inuyasha finally said.

Before Myouga could reply both Inuyasha and Kikyou looked off into the distance before looking at each other.

"Did you sense Naraku too?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes. Along with another youki signature." Kikyou said and he nodded.

"It must be a fight from the sounds of it." Inuyasha said as his ears twitched, catching the sounds. "This could be our chance to get our revenge."

Kikyou nodded and they began to head that way to join the fight, and make sure Naraku actually died and stayed dead this time.

Myouga hung on to Inuyasha's clothes, and silently wondering why he was headed into the danger as well.

~oOo~oOo~

Kagome once again blocked the wooden length of the naginata coming at her then ducked under the blade portion as it swung toward her face. She blinked and frowned internally as she felt a breeze from the blade passing over her.

That was too close for comfort. Time to get rid of that. She decided. The weapon was partially made of wood, which was good as far as she was concerned.

She put one of her sai swords away and summoned her flame whip. She flicked it and carefully wrapped it around the wood, and increased the heat of the flame rapidly then watched as the smooth wood caught fire, and forced Hakudoshi to drop it.

She put her other sword away and quickly put up a barrier made of her reiki around the child incarnation. She willed it to keep him and his youki in and purify him if he tried to leave it.

She then lifted her hands and casually watched as they were surrounded in her blue fire. She looked back to Hakudoshi, seeing him flinch every time he touched the barrier then glare as he noticed her watching him. She stretched her arms, palms forward, and let streams of fire shot out, passing through the barrier, and surrounding him.

The two small groups of Inuyasha, Kikyou, Myouga, Sango, and Miroku arrived at roughly the same time from two different directions, to see Sesshomaru fighting Naraku. Off to the side of that fight at a slight distance they saw a female wielding blue fire killing Hakudoshi.

For that was the only explanation for what they were seeing. They could clearly see him inside a pale blue barrier, and the fire passing through the barrier and filling it, surrounding him. His childish voice filled the air with pained screams, but it clearly didn't affect the female controlling the fire as she continued to feed her fire into the barrier.

The screams stopped and the fire stopped flowing, but they all noticed the fire inside the barrier stayed.

Kagome stepped up to the barrier and lightly placed a hand on it, and willed it to shrink, snuffing out the fire and purifying anything it touched. Eventually the fire within the barrier was gone, and so was Hakudoshi aside from his ashes.

She felt fierce satisfaction at her success then turned her attention to her mates fight. She sensed his pride and pleasure at her accomplishment as she watched him slice through tentacles and gracefully avoid attacks.

His feelings pleased her. They were just another example of how good he was to her, that he would feel the way he did instead of being jealous or angry that she hadn't let him do all the fighting.

She pushed those thoughts aside as she took a calming breath, and glanced around to confirm what she had been sensing for a while. They had company and to her displeasure it was her former pack. She could only hope they didn't recognize her.

She turned her attention back to her mates fight. It seemed he wasn't making any headway. Naraku just continued to regenerate every time he slice off a tentacle. She thought about why that was. He'd always had that power as far as she could remember. At least he did from the first time she had seen him fight, but then he also had jewel shards to enhance his powers.

Is that the solution? Kagome thought as she blinked in surprise. Take away the jewel shards he has and a large part of his abilities go with it.

She nodded slightly to herself and focused on sensing the jewel shards. She had been sensing them the entire time they were there, but she hadn't tried to pinpoint their location. Now that she did she could see them glowing inside his chest, a large chunk that looked like it was nearly complete.

She then split her focus to the shards inside her body and realized her connection to the jewel was stronger with the shards being inside her. She figured it was because it had been with her since birth. More importantly it gave her a literal connection with the chunk of jewel inside Naraku.

She used that connection to purify Naraku's portion of the jewel, forcing him to expel the small glowing orb with a cry of pain, which instantly stopped his ability to regenerate.

Kagome instantly flame traveled to the jewel, grab it, and flash away so Naraku couldn't get it again. She appeared next to the bone eaters well and concentrated on hiding the jewel inside her body, combining it with the rest to keep anyone from trying to get it.

She then flashed back to the area of the fight, next to her bow, which she retrieved before heading for her mate. Still ignoring the company that was still standing in the areas they had stopped in when they arrived. Apparently too stunned to do whatever they had planned, if anything.

Each newly arrived group watched the happenings in the area. The fighting between the Western Lord and Naraku was intense, but they were all distracted by the unknown female. They watched as she looked around the area, noticing them and ignoring them, before focusing back on the fighting.

After a few moments they were all surprised to see Naraku's face shift into a pained grimace before he cried out and a light shot out of his chest. To their further surprise the female vanished in a burst of blue flames and reappeared closer to the fight, before she knelt down and picked something up and once again vanished in a burst of flames.

It was only moments before they saw her reappear, this time further from the fight, and pick up a bow and start walking toward the fight.

Kikyou suddenly gasped in realization at what had just happened. Naraku had stopped forming new tentacles after the light had come from his chest, which meant the light must have been the Shikon jewel. She didn't know why Naraku had released it, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that the female now had it.

"That woman has Naraku's portion of the jewel." She told Inuyasha. "The light that came out of his chest was the jewel and she picked it up."

"Ummhmm." Inuyasha hummed absently as he nodded, but he didn't understand why she cared. The jewel was no use to them with the pieces Kagome had unavailable to them.

"We need to get it." Kikyou said with a slight huff of irritation. "She cannot purify the jewel and we definitely do not want to chance Naraku getting his hands on it again, or worse, someone else altogether."

"Alright." Inuyasha said with a nod before he began to move toward the fight.

Who is she? He wondered curiously as he looked at the female. Does she have some connection to the bastard? Maybe she's his mate. He considered. He tried to catch her scent to see if that could be true, but Naraku's was overpowering all others.

Miroku frowned as he thought over what he just saw. The light from Naraku's chest, the female with the fire grabbing it and disappearing, and Naraku no longer regenerating. It must have been his portion of the jewel. It had to be.

"I think that female just took Naraku's portion of the jewel." He said as he turned to Sango, and she nodded.

"Do you think she's connected to Sesshomaru?" She asked. "He doesn't seem to mind her being close to the fight. And shouldn't be fighting as well?"

"She must be someone he knows since she seems comfortable being in his vicinity unlike others who would not get close for fear of what he would do to them." He answered. "And I wish we could fight but the only one to fight is Naraku himself, and he seems much weaker without the portion of the jewel he had. We would unfortunately be in the way at this point."

"You're right." Sango said with a sigh before she nodded toward the other arrivals. "What about them?"

Miroku looked over, and saw Inuyasha and Kikyou watching the fight.

"Ignore them. I am not interested in speaking to or even seeing either of them again. It is unfortunate that they happened to be here at the same time as us." He said.

Miroku watched Inuyasha moving forward, obviously intending to join the fight, and thought it was yet another example of his brash recklessness. If Naraku somehow got away because of his interference he was going to show Inuyasha a whole other side of his personality.

Kagome stood near her mate but made sure she wasn't in the way as he focused on Naraku. She kept an eye on him as well since he was glaring her way, and in case he tried anything unexpected, despite the loss of the jewel.

She watched her mate swing his sword and a green beam of light that appeared to have lightening in it suddenly rushed out of the blade and swept over Naraku.

"No!" Naraku cried out in denial but the end still came, his body dissolving as the attack engulfed him.

When the light cleared Kagome quickly moved forward and began to purify the remains that hadn't been dissolved, determined to make sure that he couldn't come back through a cast off piece of himself.

Sesshomaru sheathed his sword as he watched his mate take care of Naraku's remains then turned around, finally acknowledging his mates old pack.

He supposed they had come because they realized Naraku was in the area and wanted the chance to fight. He didn't know why they hadn't joined in, but he was glad they hadn't. He would have been very displeased if their interference had caused the hanyou to escape.

He cut his eyes to the half-breed, seeing he was closer than all the rest, and narrowed them dangerously as he caught him eying his female.

Inuyasha approached the fighting, hand on the hilt of his sword, as he kept his eyes on the fight and the female. Now that he was closer, and away from Kikyou, he could see that the female was very beautiful. He was tempted to dismiss the thought just because she obviously had a connection to his bastard half-brother, but he could admit it to himself. She was even prettier than Kikyou.

Her hair was longer than Kikyou's and the color in her hair attracted his eyes. She was wearing a silver short kimono decorated with sapphire blue flaming suns, a black obi sash, thin feminine hakama that stained from silver into a royal blue from the knees down, and black boots covered her small feet. And he knew she was powerful. She had to be to defeat one of Naraku's incarnations on her own.

The combination had him attracted to her and he hadn't even seen her face or heard her voice. His youkai half was already trying to urge him to her. That had never happened with Kikyou. It was actually his ningen half that had wanted her so strongly and his youkai half just seemed to latch on out of loyalty after a time.

The only time his youkai half reacted when he wasn't out of control was with Kagome. He had never understood it. She was a miko but she hadn't been anywhere near as powerful as Kikyou. He figured it must have been because she was Kikyou's reincarnation, but he had never been quite sure about it.

He stopped walking and covered his eyes at the sudden bright light of his bastard half-brothers attack, and growled as he heard Naraku's cry and realized he'd been too busy staring at the female to get an attack in on the evil kumo.

When he could see again the female was walking among the pieces of Naraku that hadn't been destroyed by the green attack, and placing her hands on them, turning them to dust. His eyes couldn't help being drawn to her movements as she walked around.

She is beautiful, and so is her body. He thought once again. What kind of youkai is she? He wondered idly.

Miroku narrowed his eyes as he watched the female moving among Naraku's remains and touching them. He had been distracted by the pain in his hand as his wind tunnel disappeared, confirming Naraku's defeat, but now he spread his senses to confirm what his eyes were seeing.

What his senses told him was that although the female wielded fire, she was also very spiritually powerful. He couldn't believe he hadn't sensed it earlier.

"She is purifying his remains." He told Sango in surprise.

"How is that possible? I thought she was a youkai." Sango said with a frown.

"I thought the same thing with her using fire, but she is using reiki right now and it is very powerful. At this point I do not know what she is." He replied.

"Do you remember the light the came out of Naraku?" He asked after a few moments of silence, and Sango nodded.

"He seemed to do worse after that." She said.

"I suspect that it was his portion of the jewel. I do not know why he would get rid of it, but I saw the female pick it up before she disappeared. She either has it now or took it somewhere before she came back." He stated.

"What are we going to do now?" Sango asked with a light sigh. "Even if she does have the jewel it isn't our responsibility, and we can't do anything with it if we did manage to get it."

"You are right." Miroku said with a nod. "But I want to make sure Inuyasha will not get it. The woman is obviously known to Sesshomaru, so if she does have it I feel it will be fine since he has never wanted it."

Sango nodded and they began to walk toward the youkai Lord.

Kikyou frowned as she watched the female, ignoring the fact that the hanyou that had killed her had been defeated. She watched her movements and realized she was purifying his remains.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, wondering who and what the female was that she could wield fire and reiki. And a powerful reiki at that. She may not be able to sense the Shikon jewel or its shards, but she could still sense youki and reiki and that female's reiki was very strong.

She decided to move closer and see what she could learn, a decision that was strengthened as she saw Miroku and Sango heading in the same direction.

"What do you want half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked coldly, causing the hanyou's eyes to snap to him and away from his mate.

"You killed Naraku!" Inuyasha snapped. "You knew I wanted to get my revenge and you did it anyway."

Sesshomaru suppressed the urge to raise an eyebrow.

"Selfish half-breed." He stated disdainfully. "The hanyou approached my pack and paid the price. Instead of complaining you should be thanking me for getting rid of the evil menace."

Sesshomaru then turned and looked to Kagome as she walked up to him.

"Are you finished?" He asked and watched her nodded calmly, completely ignoring the company surrounding them.

"Is it complete?" He asked, referring to the Shikon jewel.

Kagome closed her eyes and focused her senses on the jewel within herself. She pulled it all together and positioned it where it had rested in her side when she was first pulled down the well, and saw that it actually was complete, not a sliver missing.

"It's complete." She answered as she opened her eyes.

At the sound of her voice all except Sesshomaru gasped at the musical sound. It was completely unexpected, but they enjoyed the sound. Still, it had some of them wondering again what the female was.

Inuyasha shook his head to try and clear his mind before he glared at his bastard half-brother.

"I'm not thanking you for anything!" He said belligerently then turned to the female. "Give me the chunk of jewel you took from the battle!" He demanded.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and looked to the others thoughtfully.

"That must be why the rest of you are still here." He said evenly.

Sango simply shook her head as she held Kirara.

"We are not." Miroku said as he gestured to himself and Sango. "We remain only to make sure neither Inuyasha nor Kikyou get their hands on the jewel."

Sesshomaru nodded slowly, wondering why they seemed to be against the half-breed getting the jewel, but not caring to ask. Seeing that they were standing away from him, he concluded that he must have done something to turn them against him. He wondered if they had learned of his involvement in Kagome's death.

"She will give you nothing." He said coldly as he looked at Inuyasha. "Leave before I decide to end your worthless life."

"It does not belong to her." Kikyou spoke up.

"It matters not. It does not belong to you. You will not get it either." He replied.

"I am the Shikon Miko." She countered haughtily.

"You are not. You are a dead woman with construct body living on captured souls, and if you wish to remain that way you will mind your own business." He countered.

Kagome meanwhile was hearing but ignoring the back and forth talk. Instead she was wondering if she should go find the arrow she fired off then or wait until they were going to leave. She didn't want to leave it behind since it was made of her talon and was a part of a matching set.

As she was deciding it occurred to her that she should feel something when she looked at her former pack. She didn't feel anger, pain, or hurt. Oddly she felt nothing. Not even disinterest. She wondered if it was her minds way of coping.

She should feel anger and betrayal when she looked at Inuyasha, and anger when she looked at Kikyou. Sango and Miroku should inspire confusion if nothing else, but she wasn't feeling any of that.

Maybe it's because I haven't spoken to any of them. She wondered. Inuyasha addressed me but I didn't have to speak. So if that's the case I honestly have no idea how I will feel or react. Then again I could be thinking too much. It could be as simple as the fact that they don't realize who I am. I might start feeling something if my identity is revealed.

"Why are you keeping the jewel?" She suddenly heard Kikyou ask over Inuyasha's angry growls at her mate.

"So I can get rid of it." Kagome said as she looked at her. "It's a cursed jewel that needs to have its power extinguished."

"It will become tainted in your presence." Kikyou stated.

"I just purified the remains of that abomination. What makes you think I can't keep the jewel pure?" She countered. "Does it look tainted? You claim to be the Shikon Miko, so you should be able to tell."

Of course Kagome knew that even if she could still sense the jewel she wouldn't be able to with it being masked inside her body.

"You can't see it can you?" She said as she raised an eyebrow when Kikyou said nothing.

The anger was coming to her now. At least as far as the undead woman in front of her was concerned. This was the undead clay and dirt construct that killed her. Shot her with an arrow and smirked at her as she left her for dead.

Suddenly she heard a meow and looked down to see Kirara's small form looking up at her. The neko tilted her head slightly and meowed a few more times, stringing a series of sounds together.

You look familiar. Kagome blinked as she realized she had understood the sounds.

It is a part of being a celestial being. You can understand different languages; ningen, youkai, and animals. Her Lady said. I wanted that ability to be a surprise so I said nothing.

How come I haven't understood Ah-Un? She asked.

You have not focused solely on the dragon to give your ability to activate. Her Lady replied.

Kagome understood that. She also realized that neither Sesshomaru nor Shippo had spoken while in their true form, so it wouldn't have happened then either.

"Do I?" She said softly after she knelt down and slipped her bow over her shoulder.

She waited to see if she would figure it out. She knew that her aura and scent held little nuances of her former ones, and that she wasn't exactly recognizable with the difference in her hair and eyes, the markings on her skin and clothes, and even her personality and the way she carried herself. But she had seen herself and she didn't look too much different if you could ignore those differences.

Kirara stared and Kagome idly noticed that it had gotten quiet, no doubt from the fire neko's odd behavior. Then the meowed again, the sound coming out questioningly.

Kagome?

Kagome smiled lightly and nodded before she reached out and stroked her fur. She had always liked Kirara.

Sesshomaru watched, understanding what had happened, and enjoying his mates smile. Even if it wasn't a full blown one.

Suddenly he heard a shocked gasp and looked over to see the half-breed staring at his mate, his face pale, ears flat against his head.

"No! It can't be." He heard him say, and narrowed his eyes. He knew the whelp hadn't understood that conversation, so it must have been something else.

He looked back to his phoenix miko and saw her still smiling, and understood what had clued in the half-breed. He recognized her smile, small as it was.

"K..Kagome?" The half-breed stuttered, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. He held in a sigh and watched his mate to see how she intended to handle the situation.

Inuyasha couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe, and even thought he was seeing things. But it was there. Kagome's smile. He'd recognize it anywhere. It was small but it was there, and now he could see other things. Her face was the same shape, her nose, and eyes as well. Remembering back to when she was standing he realized she was the same height as well. Even the way she carried her bow now that he thought about it was the same.

Still, he didn't believe it. It had to be his guilt playing tricks on his eyes. After all, this female didn't smell ningen.

Sango and Miroku shared a startled look at hearing Kagome's name. They both looked back to the female and wondered if she was really Kagome.

She had strong reiki, used a bow and arrows, and Kirara seemed to know her. But Kagome was dead. Inuyasha and Kikyou had admitted it, and the well was closed. This female looked different than the Kagome they were used to, and she could use fire. Something they knew Kagome couldn't do.

But Miroku recalled his concern with their claim of Kagome's body disappearing back to her time. It wasn't something that he could confirm, and he didn't believe Inuyasha when he said it.

Miroku looked back to Sango and saw she looked just as concerned as him. They moved forward a bit to better hear, not knowing how they would react if it was true.

Kikyou frowned and looked at the female then glared as pieces came together in her mind. Her reincarnations missing body, the missing jewel shards, the rest of her soul not returning to her. She even looked a bit like her reincarnation if she stared long enough.

Kagome held in a sigh. She knew everyone had heard Inuyasha. She also knew everyone was smart enough to put the little pieces together and would have suspicions of who she was.

Still, she knew that they couldn't be sure without her confirmation since even Inuyasha was unsure. The question was, did she want to confirm it and reveal that she was who they thought she was?

After considering it she concluded that them knowing wouldn't change anything. She was a phoenix now and happily mated to an inu youkai. She had her life companion who would be with her forever. Shippo was with her and now she had Rin as well. She could travel wherever she pleased whenever she pleased.

She wasn't going to suddenly forgive and forget and go back to them. Two of them had been responsible for her death, and the other two were indifferent to the verbal abuse and callous treatment that had been heaped on her. So, since it would change nothing she decided to get it over with.

"Go on back to Sango. She's going to need you." She told Kirara, speaking so softly that only the full youkai's would be able to hear her.

She watched her for a moment before a pale clawed striped hand came into her view. He's such a gentleman. She thought as she smiled slightly, and grabbed the offered hand and was helped to her feet.

Kagome smiled at him in thanks, her eyes sparkling, before she released his hand then looked at the people watching them, her smile fading and her face and eyes blanking into stoicism. She looked to each of them for long moments before her eyes finally rested on Inuyasha.

"Sit!" She commanded softly and watched as he instantly face planted into the ground.

Sango and Miroku gasped, and Kikyou glared as they all realized she really was Kagome and that she was obviously alive.

"I wish I could say it's nice to see you all again, but I can honestly say I would rather have never seen any of you again." Kagome stated quietly but clearly. "And though I don't know what will happen from this point on I can guarantee that at least two of you will wish you had never seen me again."

Inuyasha groaned and was finally able to move. That sit had been much harder and the command more powerful, despite how softly spoken it was, then it had ever been. If nothing else the familiar command convinced him entirely that the female really was Kagome.

He slowly climbed to his feet and looked at her. She was alive and looked well, and apparently comfortable in his bastard half-brothers presence.

"Kagome!" Sango said and took a quick step forward as if she planned to run and hug her, despite Kirara in her arms, but Kagome held up a hand that stopped her short.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked as she looked at her, feeling incredulous.

"I wanted to hug you." Sango answered. "I'm so glad you're alive."

"Really? I find that hard to believe considering how indifferent you treated me the last time we saw each other." She said.

"In fact, both of you were indifferent to me for weeks, and now because you thought I was dead you suddenly feel differently." She added as she looked between Miroku and Sango.

Miroku looked to Sango's crestfallen face and back to Kagome as he took a steadying breath.

"You are right. We were indifferent and selfish. We wanted to focus on each other, and we were blaming you for the lack of progress in the hunt for Naraku and the jewel shards." Miroku admitted.

"Just a few days ago we learned from Hakudoshi of all people that you were not at home like we believed but dead, and that you were killed by Inuyasha and Kikyou. They admitted it and I checked the well myself and found that it was closed, but you are obviously not dead." He added.

"No. I'm not dead, but I did die which is why the well is closed." Kagome said.

"You lie!" Kikyou interrupted. "If you really died your soul would have come back to me."

"I did die." Kagome countered firmly. "It was painful and frightening, but a higher power was watching over me. The Kami sent me a being that caused me to be reborn. I'm now an immortal phoenix. My soul is my own. The piece you now have is your complete soul."

She then shifted her gaze to Inuyasha and stared. The longer she stared the angrier she got, heat built inside her before it began to show in waves in the air around her.

"He is not yours! I will not let you have him!" Kikyou snapped as she watched her reincarnation. She pulled her bow and aimed an arrow at her, but Sesshomaru instantly destroyed them with his acid whip.

Kagome had ignored Kikyou entirely and continued to stare at the inu hanyou that she used to love, used to consider a friend. Now all she felt was anger at how he had treated her and indifference for anything he might feel.

"I remember your part in my death very clearly." She stated calmly, despite her anger. "You're a self-centered, disgraceful, disloyal, dishonorable bastard, and I'm ashamed I ever considered you to be a friend let alone anything else."

Inuyasha was speechless. Kikyou had just tried to attack Kagome in the same moment she had claimed him, and Kagome had just said things to him that he never thought she would say. She had always accepted him, but he had obviously gone beyond even her ability to forgive if she could say those things.

She was looking at him with a blank face and seemed to have heat coming off her, reminding him that she could use fire now, but even so he couldn't help seeing her beauty. Couldn't help his youkai side wanting her. If he was honest with himself that was quickly spreading to all of him.

Already Kikyou was growing distant in his mind, especially since he hadn't been sure he still wanted her. Kagome couldn't want him, didn't want him, but his youkai half was urging him and he was becoming determined.

She was beautiful, strong, and immortal. She had loved him once without him ever having done anything, so it shouldn't be too hard if he put effort into it.

"I'm sorry." He finally said, apologizing for the first time since he had met her. "I thought I was doing the right thing, and following my heart. Like you always told me to."

No one there believed a word he said but Sesshomaru was the first to speak.

"Dishonest half-breed." He said, calling him out on his lie. "You can add that to your numerous list of faults as well."

"Inuyasha is only feeling guilty. He will get over it once some time passes." Kikyou commented in disgust. "Now, I am tired of waiting. Hand over the jewel." She demanded as she looked to her reincarnation.

Sesshomaru lifted his hand, fingertips already glowing green, tired of hearing her voice and wanting her dead for what she had done to his miko, but his mates hand settling lightly on his arm stopped him.

Kagome saw the tale tell sign that her mate was going to release his acid whip and could sense his irritation.

"Let me deal with her." She said, and watched him lower his arm.

She in turn quickly brought her bow to her hand, lifted it and drew back, a blue arrow of reiki materializing instantly. She pointed it at Kikyou and let it fly. It flew through the air before it slammed into her chest. Her body glowed blue for a moment before the trapped souls began fleeing her body, leaving only hers behind.

Kikyou gasped and collapsed to the ground, and Inuyasha rushed to her.

"Now that only your own tainted soul remains your false body will continue to weaken and eventually breakdown. You won't last the day." Kagome told Kikyou. What she didn't reveal was that Kikyou barely had more than an hour left at most.

"You should spend what time you have with her since she will be dead for good before long." Sesshomaru told Inuyasha before he looked to his mate. "Are you ready to go?"

"Oh. I need to grab something first." Kagome said before she disappeared in a burst of flames.

She appeared on the roof of the shiro and carefully looked around. She spotted her arrow within moments and picked it up and stored in her quiver with the others before flaming back to her alpha and mate.

"I'm ready." She said.

"You're leaving?" Sango asked as she stepped forward.

"Yes. I have no reason or desire to stay." Kagome answered.

"You cannot stay a little longer to talk? I hoped we could start our friendship over." Miroku said.

"Yes! Please Kagome, give us a chance." Sango said.

Kagome frowned slightly. She wasn't sure she wanted to be friends with them anymore. When it had come to her needing their help, they had acted like nothing was wrong. And apparently they had blamed her for the lack of progress in finding jewels shards and Naraku.

That had been new to her. Why they chose to blame her instead of themselves or Inuyasha and Kikyou was a mystery to her, and another reason why she wasn't jumping to reestablish a friendship with them.

"I'll think about it. That's the best I can do right now." She said.

The couple nodded solemnly. It was all they could do.

"Come mate." Sesshomaru said as he put a hand on Kagome's lower back.

Sango and Miroku's eyes widened at the youkai lords words.

"Mate?!" Inuyasha said an incredulous disbelieving tone. He stood from his kneeling position next to Kikyou and drew the Tessaiga, and pointed it at Sesshomaru.

"You mated Kagome?!" He said before he looked to Kagome. "You let that bastard mate you? After all the times he tried to kill you?!"

"You tried to kill me as well." Kagome said quietly. "I never forgot exactly why you're wearing those sacred beads after all. I also never forgot the secret of Tessaiga." She revealed.

"You are no longer my protector, and you never will be again." She said firmly.

Everyone watched in surprised as the large shiny Tessaiga glowed and transformed back into a rusty beat up katana at her statement.

"What the hell just happened?!" Inuyasha said as he stared at his sword in shock.

"The Tessaiga is mine. I originally pulled it from its pedestal. I gave it to you in a foolish mistake of youth, but it was still done to protect me. You promised to protect me, but that's clearly no longer possible or wanted." Kagome told him.

"You can't do that!" He said in outrage and anger as he sheathed his sword. "I need it to protect myself."

Kagome hummed lightly as she considered his angry face before she looked to her mate.

"Can you enter the black pearl without the staff of two heads?" She asked for his ears alone.

Sesshomaru nodded. He had never had to do it after the Tessaiga had been found, but he was definitely strong enough not to need an aid to open the pathway to his father's grave.

"I plan on putting the sword back inside the pearl. He can no longer use it but I don't want us to have to worry about him losing control somewhere down the line and killing innocent people." She explained just as quietly.

"I understand." He said as he turned back to the others then moved forward, disappearing from view. He reappeared in front of Inuyasha and grabbed his neck, giving him no time to react and lifted his hand.

Kagome moved forward and watched as he began to extract the pearl despite Inuyasha's struggle. The action kept Inuyasha distracted, so she used the time to take the sword from his waist.

Once Sesshomaru had the pearl he tossed Inuyasha to the ground, and Kagome quickly put a containing barrier around him to keep him from going anywhere. Sesshomaru then opened the portal and they watched a black hole open in the air in front of them that showed a clear sky.

"Are you coming?" Kagome asked curiously.

"No. I will watch the portal and make sure no tries anything." He answered.

Kagome nodded and jumped in. She free fell for a bit before a skeletal bird caught her. She thanked it and waited as it flew her to the large skeleton of the Inu no Taisho. Once inside it flew down and landed among the small skeleton bones.

"I'll only be a moment." She said as she slipped off its back.

She went to the pedestal and pulled the sword from its sheath and stuck it upright into the pedestal where it had once rested. She then placed the sheath on the ground off to the side and returned to the skeleton bird and climbed back on.

It flew her out of the large skeleton of her mate's father and up to the portal where she jumped off its back and through it back into the outside world. She landed on her feet and turned to see the portal close and the black pearl fall to the ground.

Sesshomaru picked up the pearl and approached the blue reiki barrier. She released it and he quickly grabbed Inuyasha by the neck once again and returned the pearl to his eye before he released him.

Kagome watched her mate walk back toward her and Inuyasha pick himself off the ground.

"What the fuck?!" He complained angrily as he rubbed his eye.

"I put the Tessaiga back where it came from. I don't think your father actually intended for you to use the Tessaiga anyway. Its purpose seemed to have only been to keep your youkai blood in check so you never had to deal with losing control. Well, now that will no longer be a problem." She informed him then turned to her mate.

"I'm ready to go now." She said softly and he nodded.

"Then take us away." He said.

Kagome grabbed his hand and flamed them away without a second glance at her former pack.

oOo~RPP~oOo

After Sesshomaru and Kagome left the battle field Sango and Miroku turned and began walking away, neither one of them interested in being near Inuyasha now that there was no need. Kagome was alive and well, but he and Kikyou had still killed her. She would still be dead if the Kami had not deemed her worthy.

Once they were at a distance that was out of Inuyasha's hearing rang they discussed what they were going to do next. After a while they decided to head to Edo and inform Keade of all that had happened before settling into their new, hopefully peaceful, life.

Inuyasha on the other hand watched them for a few moments, reminded that they were no longer pack and wanted nothing to do with him. He sighed morosely then went to Kikyou and lifted her weak form into his arms and walked off. She was all he had for the moment and he wouldn't leave her to die alone.

He got his wish. She wasn't alone when she died. She was in his arms for he had only been walking for a few minutes before he could swear she was getting lighter. Then she gasped suddenly and her body seemed to crumble to nothing within the blink of an eye, leaving his arms empty except for her clothes, before a ball of light speed away.

Just like that Kikyou was gone. Inuyasha was left alone. No Kikyou, no Kagome, no Sango, no Miroku, and not even Kirara. There was no one. No friends, no love, and no pack.

Kagome and Sesshomaru meanwhile appeared in a clearing, one of many they had used for camp, and Kagome summoned the complete Shikon jewel from her body.

"I wish for the Shikon jewel to cease to exist." Kagome wished firmly as she looked at the glowing jewel.

The pink jewel glowed brightly before it winked out of existence, leaving no trace behind.

Kagome looked to Sesshomaru and smiled.

"No more Shikon jewel. No more Naraku, and no more hiding that I'm alive. I'm free!" She said happily with a musical laugh.

Time moved forward as it does. Kagome began to settle into her life as Sesshomaru's mate, living in his stronghold, getting to know those who lived and worked there, and taking on the duties of the Lady of the West. Aside from those duties she also juggled taking care of Rin and Shippo, helping them grow closer, and continuing her high school studies.

Kagome did manage to graduate from high school, passing with one of the highest grades in her class much to the surprise of her modern friends and classmates. It had helped that she didn't need to sleep unless she ran herself ragged or was stressed out.

Nearly a year and a half after Naraku's defeat, constant training and proper eating, Shippo grew into a teenager, looking as though he were in his late teens. Rin seemed to blossom as a result of his growth spurt and grew almost as much as he did. It wasn't long after that their courtship officially began, much to the pleasure of their adopted parents.

Beyond that the Lady of the West had given some more thought to Sango and Miroku's request to start their friendship over. She was going to live way beyond their lifetime and possibly beyond their descendants as well.

It would hurt to see them die, but she would be going through the same thing with her grandfather, and she supposed her mother and brother though she wasn't currently getting along with them. They had been indifferent to her plight, selfish in their wants, but before that they had been good friends for the last few years.

She was forgiving enough to chalk their behavior up to a series of circumstances: their own deepening relationship, being weary of the hunt, and Kikyou's presence. Still, she would never forget, and never trust them as she had before.

So she decided to visit from time to time, taking the opportunity to see Keade as well, and write them between visits. Hoping that perhaps the letters would help their friendship return to some semblance of what it was.

As for Inuyasha, the battlefield of Naraku's defeat was not the last the western Lord and Lady saw of him. It seemed that after Kikyou's death he became fixated on Kagome. Believing that he could still make her love him again if he could just get to her. That she would see how sorry he was, how sincere he was, and come back to him and end his loneliness.

They quickly learned from his loud rants that he didn't believe they were mated since he had seen no proof, and that assumption seemed to add to his determination to get at her.

Neither Sesshomaru nor Kagome felt the need to give him proof. It didn't matter that he had seen no proof, the fact that it had been said at all should have been enough.

Kagome decided not to worry about the situation. She could easily leave without Inuyasha knowing so she didn't have to see him or be concerned about him following her as she went about her business. Besides that she didn't care what happened to him.

"It's up to you to deal with the matter. I don't care for the details regardless of what you decide to do." She informed her mate.

Sesshomaru grinned, his fangs beautifully on display and emphasizing his gorgeous face. It wasn't long, a few days after her declaration, that the disturbance to their home stopped altogether and peace was restored to their home lives.

Author's Note: The story is complete, but sometime in the future I will be adding one-shots.