AN: I know that I have been promising an update to this fic for a while now and I am sorry for not updating soon enough. The problem is that I had some major thoughts about where this story was going so I decided that I would revise and revamp the whole thing. The revisions will be major so do not skip over them if you have already read the first couple of chapters. There will be major plot changes so please reread what has been rewritten. If you do not like the new changes please feel free to inform me and I will see what can be done. I decided that my writing in the first couple of chapters was not satisfactory so I am going to rewrite and spice up all of them. I plan to fix some of the out-of-characterness that appears ever so often and some common mistakes on how things happen in each world. I do however have great news. I have over half of chapter seven done as of now so a fresh never before seen chapter should be coming soon. Arigatou for not giving up on me.

Disclaimer: If only...if only...

Teardrop One

Shippou.

He was her reason for living. If it wasn't for that kit, Kagome would have more than likely ended her own existence long ago. To die would be such sweet relief for her. No more pain, no more suffering, no more cries of torment from the tortured souls around her. Only he held her back from raising the razor to her thirsty wrist. She ached for the touch of the blade to her flesh, for the false hope that she could somehow cut away her sins and short comings. But no she could not send her son into the world alone to fend for himself. No matter how grown up he acted sometimes he was still just a kit, her kit, and she would not let him go just yet. He had suffered the agony of being orphaned once and she would do anything to spare him that pain a second time.

What lingering thoughts she had about her own death had left quickly when there was no longer anyone around who would protect her kit should she die. They were all each other had now, there was no longer any one left that could help them or support them. No one left to watch over her kit as he grew into the youkai she knew he would become. The others had been cut down, dieing with honor in battle. The lives of her traveling companions had each been snuffed out cruely before their time, their flames extinguished forever. The thousands of youkai and the blood-thirsty hanyou had seen to that, along with the aid of the miko who was supposed to have been so pure. So many had died that day and yet in the end had it really been worth it? All of the blood and wasted lives over a jewel that was nothing but a curse. Because of that cursed stone she had watched as those she loved were cut down around her.

FLASHBACK

Kagome battled uselessly against the tide of youkai that kept her seperated from her companions, for every one she cut down four rose to take its place, she was forced to watch as all she had known for the past four years was taken from her in but an instance.

Kirara fell first.

The fierce neko-mononoke charged towards Naraku's form intent on distracting the vermin from her mistress as she fought along side the houshi. The hi-neko lept on lower class youkai, ripping and slashing them with her claws and fangs as rage overtook her form hazing her mind in a mist of red. Her battle style while feral and wild, was beautiful and effective, apparently too effective. Seemingly out of nowhere Naraku threw his tenticles out towards her. As hard as she tried she could not avoid them all due to the closeness of the lesser youkai that swarmed around her. A single misstep was all it took to end it. Kirara took a blast of tenticles head on. They sliced through her unrelentingly, piercing every organ and even then she fought on. It was not until a single cleverly manipulated appendage struck that it ended.

Sango screamed in anguish at seeing the head of her last family member fly through the air and land somewhere near her feet. She attacked, blinded by her tears of rage and pain as she swung her Hiraikotsu, killing youkai with every move of the flying bone. In her rage Sango failed to notice the tenticles that was aimed straight for her chest until it was too late. As the tenticle pierced through her skin and ripped open her chest cavity headed for her heart Sango saw her life flash before her eyes. She saw her now dead family, her otouto Kohaku who she had been unable to save from death. She saw Kagome her imouto and Shippou who grew to be so much like Kohaku. Then she saw InuYasha and finally she the one person who had grown to mean more to her than life itself. She saw... Miroku, her beautiful, perverted houshi Miroku. The only man who had ever really saw her.

Turning her head to look on his beloved face once more she tried to whisper to him what she had never been able to tell him before...that she loved him.

"Miroku...love..." It was never finished; the gurgle of blood blocked what she had been trying to say with her final moments.

Miroku screamed out his pain, "Sango no!" Unleashing his kazaana Miroku ripped the body of the only woman he would ever love off of the tenticles that impaled her. Closing his curse off as she came sailing towards him Miroku cradled the limp and blood soaked form to his chest. Softly he kissed her lips and stroked her hair.

"Sango my love, I never got the chance to let you know that I really loved you. But don't worry I'll see you soon, very soon."

Turning to Kagome Miroku shouted out to his imouto, "Kagome, I am sorry for what I must do. I'm sorry that you never found the love that you so rightfully deserve, and that InuYasha betrayed you so many times. But I am most sorry that I have to leave you alone right now for I cannot live with out Sango by my side."

Turning to Shippou Miroku stated calmly, "Shippou I have one last request. I want you to look after Kagome-sama for all of us. She will need a strong man like you in the future."

Grasping the prayer beads that contained his kazaana Miroku turned one last time to Kagome,"Please judge us fairly imouto." With this Miroku, flinging the prayer beads far from him, unleashed his curse one last time and pulled hundreds of youkai into the void. At first it seemed as if nothing would happen until the winds grew ever stronger and the ground beneath his feet began to quake. The red hot flames of pain unlike anything he had ever experienced flowed through his hand and continued throughout his body. He could feel the tunnel growing larger with every youkai and youkai puppet it consumed. And then in an explosion that rocked the surrounding areas Miroku and Sango were gone. They would be together forever inside the black void that had killed the houshi just as it had killed his father and his grandfather. All that was left was the crater; he had succeded in his life long dream to end the curse, only there would be no future generations to enjoy life without it.

"Judge you fairly," Kagome whispered,"how could I do anything but that?"

Kagome vaugly recalled how three hours before the entire Inugumi learned of her secret job and abilities, something that she had never desired them to find out about.

FLASHBACK IN FLASHBACK

The hunter caravan roamed through the deep woods once again on the trail of Naraku. Kagome was walking calmly behind the others, observing them as they traveled. Shippou was as always, arranged cheerfully on Kagomes' shoulder, while Kirara rested on Sangos'. Miroku walked quietly beside Sango with a dreamy smile on his face as if he was daydreaming of some pleasant memory, and knowing him as they did they had no doubt that it was probably a perverted one as well.

At the front of the group walked InuYasha, his pace slower than it normally ever would be as his hand rest on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, ready for an attack. He was always more catious now that he had Kikyous' saftey to be concerned with. The hanyou had invited the undead miko to join their group almost one week before on the context that Kagome's spiritual powers could not come anywhere close to Kikyou's. The taijya and houshi had directed many disapproving glares and protests in his direction and had tried to caution the head strong hanyou that his lover could and would betray him given the slightest opportunity. But alas the stubborn hanyou would hear of no slander on the name of the miko.

Seemingly as a result of InuYasha's numerouse betrayals Kagome had over time lost the joy and happiness that radiated from her form before. While she had dealt with him for a long time there was only so much a person could take before they broke. When that time had come for her she had not only broke, she had shattered. It was as if something had sucked the emotions from her slowly over time until she reminded the group of Sesshoumaru, only colder at times. It felt wrong for them to see the once happy, life loving onna so cold and seemingly bitter but it was too little too late, the damage had already been done.

The saying goes that time changes all things and it was no different where Kagome was concerned. The young miko had finally stopped wearing her school uniform, choosing to let go of her childish fantasy of returning to her regular life. She had finally accepted that for her there was no going back, that no matter what she did there would never be a normal life for her again. Her new clothes which she had made herself were styled after the traditional miko clothes that Kaede wore but with a few adjustments. Instead of the normal red and white colors Kagome chose to wear black and white. While these were the normal colors of the kuromiko, Kagome chose to wear them to represent the light and darkness with every heart. In truth she felt as if she did not deserve to wear the clothes of a true miko, the type which Kaede wore. The major change however was not in what type of clothes she wore but in the type of weapon that she now chose to carry. Kagome now carried a katana.

Now this katana was no ordinary katana at all. The blade was long and slender with a delicate design that curved towards the end like a scythe. Upon the body of the blade was the inscription of a cerulean dragon done in perfect detail from the tip of its tail to the flare of its nostrils. The dragons body curved from one end of the sword to the other, up to were its head formed the hilt. The face of the dragon was quite captivating on its own. With jaws agape and fangs bared, the dragons face possessed a cocky, slightly arrogant cast. While the face was captivating the eyes were more so.

Pink and glowing they contrasted sharply with the delicate cerulean hue of its body. The glowing orbs seemed to shift and scan the surrounding areas and its occupants, daring anyone to step out of line. If anyone so much as dared come within three feet of Kagome the eyes of the sword would glow and people could swear that there was a series of low growls floating on the air. The sword itself was surrounded with an aura of immense and potentially deadly power.

The blades less obvious use was as a warning system to Kagome. When in the presence of a ningen, youkai, or any other being that wished to do harm to Kagome the eyes of the dragon would glow a deep crimson red in warning. When in the prescence of one who ment no harm the eyes would glow a soft rose hue in comfort.

Kagome had recived this blade at the ending of her year and a half training sessions with the imprisoned miko Midoriko, which took place in her dreams. After a year and a half Midoriko and informed Kagome that she was now beyond her ability to teach. Within her training sessions with Midoriko and some others that she had meet along the way Kagome had managed to master a wide variety of skills. She was now proficient in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand and concealed weapons fighting, a powerful teleknetic and telepath, also thanks to her own intense study sessions at the suggestion of others she was a posion and healing herbs master, and had finally gained complete control over her miko powers.

Although Midoriko had complete faith in Kagomes abilities she was most surprised when Kagome developed a highly unusual trait in even the most powerful of mikos. The young woman had suprisingly developed the ability to control two opposing elements, and work with them in complete harmony.

Kagome had developed the ability to control the elements of fire and ice.

These were two of the most volitile elements, and on the few occasions a being had been granted the ability to wield two elements together it was never these two. If the wielder of two elements was unable to completely control their said gifts the battle within themselves would be unbareable.

If balance was not completely maintained between the two waring elements at all time the results were deadly. The weilders soul would continualy try to expel the two elements from the wielders body, which would cause the weilders soul itself to be ripped out of its resting place. This would result in the wielders body being ripped apart form the inside out.

Many had tried and failed to control the two elements that Kagome wielded so effortlessly.

The katana had not been gifted with a name when Kagome recieved it, but that siuation was quickly corrected. Kagome deceided to name the sword Midoriko, after the miko who was the cause and solution to all Kagomes problems. So now the great Midoriko had returned to once again slay and destroy the youkai that had caused her imprisonment. And with Kagomes help she would succeed.

Now as the group continued to walk through the forest Kagome began to get the feeling that all was not right. She felt as if there was something coming for her and her group. She was right. As she open her senses and scanned the area Kagome deteced the auras of two familiar youkai closing in on them rapidly. Raising her head and scenting the air she found that to her dismay her aura scan had been correct, they were going to have company very shortly.

Sighing deeply Kagome turned to her friends, "Sango, Miroku there are two youkai approching quickly, and I would ask that you follow my instructions closely since I know who they are. Now I want you Sango, Miroku, and Kirara to handle..."

"Oi. Bitch no one gives orders in my pack except for me. I'm the alpha male and you all will follow my lead. I decide who fights who and when. You don't have a say in anything your only a cheap copy of Kikyou..." that was as far as InuYasha got.

Quicker than lightning Kagome had drawn Midoriko and had her blade pressed against the inu hanyous throat. "Listen to me you sorry excuse for a bitch dog," Kagome snarled her eyes flashing form red to black to blue,"this is not your pack any longer. You are not the alpha male. Alpha describes the one with the most power, and that is most definatly not you! And since I am the alpha female and Shippou is my son, I declared him as alpha male. You will never again claim his position of power. Is that clear?", Kagome barked. "I said is that clear? Answer me if you wish to maintain possesion of you head."

"Yesss!"

"Yes who you filthy hanyou?"

"Yes leader."

"So your not as stupid as you look." At these words InuYasha blindly lunged at Kagome claws extended. Quick as the breeze she brought the hilt of Midoriko crashing down on his head, rendering him unconscious immediatly.

"Now as I was saying before I was so rudley interupted, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara if you three will be so kind as to handle the wicked kaze bitch Kagura, me and Shippou shall handle the child."

The three nodded to show that they understood and quickly turned to assume battle positions.

'Let them come' was the only thought in her mind as Kagome turned with Shippou to face the treat that was Kanna of the void.

"Shippou," Kagome called, "come and perch on my shoulder. I want you to cast your kitsunebi around yourself and levitate like I taught you okay."

"Yes Kaasan." Shippou happily replied.

"This will not take long my son, then we shall go and play for a little while."

Never removing her eyes from the threat that was Kann's soul mirror Kagome unseathed Midoriko and waited patiently for the "child" to attack. The move came soon enough as Kagome felt a pulling in her soul. The pull was to let go and be free, free from pain and grief, free from the constant betrayal that was InuYasha, free from it all. But as tempting as the offer was Kagome refused to die at the hands of Narakus incarnation, and give him the use of her soul and control over her powers.

Gripping Midoriko tightly Kagome raised her hand and shot out a stream of purifying energy at Kanna in place of the soul the girl had been sent to take. The mirror quickly began to shake and vibrate then began to splinter rapidly. Kanna had unknowingly absorbed Kagomes miko ki. The child showed no emotion, no pain, no hatred, no nothing as she was slowly purified from the inside out, leaving only faint remains of her body on the forest floor.

Her task for the moment completed, Kagome turned to face the spot were Sango, Miroku, and Kirara battled Kagura the kaze sorcceress. The trio was not having an easy time. Miroku could not unleash his kaazana due to the swarms of Saimyousho that had accompined Kagura; Kirara was busy killing any youkai or insect that came at Sango or the houshi from behind, and Sango was valiantly attempting to ward off Kaguras kaze blades.

Stepping forward Kagome once again raised Midoriko and sent out a blast of purifing energy at Kagura who was unprepared for the seemingly weak and useless ningen to attack her. Under estimating Kagome was her final mistake. The remaining half of Kaguras body fell to the ground along with the bodies of Narakus poison insects.

With a single fluid motion she sheathed her blade and advancing, Kagome extended her hands to rest above the lifeless remains of Kanna and Kagura. Turning her face towards her friends she told them in a calm voice, "There are things about me that none of you, excluding Shippou, know. I am about to show you my true form and I do not want you to be alarmed, so I ask that you not attack anything that you are about to see. Please Shippou go and stand wiith them and keep them calm."

At her words the kitsune jumped from her shoulder and went to stand between the houshi and taijya. "Mother I love your real form, you're so beautiful! Just wait Miroku you're gonna love it!"

Turning her attention towards the two bodies once again Kagome carefully extened her aura outwards until it engulfed the entire area. The power of her spirit washed over each and every person in the clearing. It made Shippou feel the love of his Mother wrap around him and engulf him, Sango felt the love her imouto held for her like she had not felt it in years. Miroku felt the worries that he held over the spreading of his kaazana lift from his shoulders as if taken away from him. Kirrara purred in contentment feeling warm hands run down her spin and caress her fur. InuYasha whimpered on the ground feeling sorrow like he had never felt before as his world was wrapped in black with slashes of red blood. The sheer amount of power rose the hairs on the arms of Kikyou as she seethed in jealousy over the amount of power her reincarnation possessed and plotted to have it for herself soon enough.

As the power levels rose higher and higher those in the clearing took notice of the steady glow that grew brighter and brighter and seemed to be coming from the ground near the two corpses of the fallen youkai. Soon to the suprise of all two crimson balls of light rose from the bodies of Kanna and Kagura and floated to Kagome. As the young miko lifted her hands towards the sky there was a flash of blinding light that engulfed her entire body. When it faded the houshi and taijya stood amazed.

Before them stood the unharmed figures of both Kanna and Kagura. The two youkai look exactly the same as they had before the fight except for the fact that they were slightly transparant. With them stood another that no one but Shippou recognized.

Although she was fairly normal in stature the figure had a certain quiet strength that seemed to shine through to the outside and radiated around her body. And yet there was still something fragile about her, as if she was stong and yet brittle in a sense. With a willowy body the figure wore the miko clothing regally with silver and cerulean dragons intertwined around the legs of her hakama and traveling up to rest across the front of her haori. Her face was delicate, yet strong with a thread of steel that showed she would not be broken. Her eyes were large and completely black with no white showing at all and gave her a distinctly disturbing gaze. Beside each eye was a small tattoo. On the right side was the tattoo of a small flame and on the left that of a small snowflake. On her forehead was a pink pentagram which held in its middle a small ying-yang of ice blue and flame red, showing to balance this creature represented between two waring elements.

Her knee length hair was soft and silky and shined in the moonlight. It was straight with a small wave and black as night. There were two pink streaks that went from the top of her head all the way down framing her face before ending at her knees.

When the figure shifted slightly the houshi and taijya focused on a glint of steel at her waist and instantly recognized Midoriko, the mysterious blade that never left Kagome's side.

"Kagome?" the stunned houshi and taijya questioned.

"Yep thats my Mother alright. Isn't she beautiful Miroku?" Shippou whispered.

"Stunning." replied the shocked houshi.

Kagome inwardly smirked at their astonishment, but her emotions never showed on her face. Turning to face Kanna and Kagura she began to perform her task.

"Kanna of the void and Kagura the kaze witch, you have been found guilty by the Reikai counsil of the crimes of killing innocents, stealing souls, and many more dasterdly deeds that will go unmentioned but not unnoticed." Kagome's voice was as hard as granite and just as cold. "Thus your judgement has been placed in my hands. Since many of your crimes have been commited against me and the ones I call family it is only right that I have say in your judgement."

"Kanna, Kagura," Kagome's voice noticably softened, "I know that many of your actions were not of your own choice, since Naraku holds your heart. With that in mind I hearby sentence you both to rest forever in eternal peace. One day if fate sees fit you may have another chance at life. But know this, if you are ever given that chance, I will be there watching you and if you miss step even once I will personally drag you into the deepest pit of Hell there is and chain you there."

At this Kagome clapped her hands once again and the souls of the two former youkai turned back into identical balls of light, but this time they were a brilliant, blazing white, the color of purity. They had been forgiven by the very one they had wronged so many times before. As the soul floated away into the heavens there could be heard on the wind the soft sound of a childs voice, "Arigatou Mistress Kagome, if you are ever in need of my mirror you know were to find me."

"Arigatou Kanna," Kagome quietly laughed, "I will keep your request in mind."

Turning back to her friends Kagome once again resumed her normal appearance. Stooping to pick up her son she turned to the others with one of her increasingly rare smiles. "Lets continus shall we?"

END FLASHBACK IN FLASHBACK

Turnig to face the crater that was now all that remained of the man she had thought she loved Kagome recalled how every word the group had told InuYasha in warnig about Kikyou had come true just seconds ago.

Naraku had aimed a deadly tenticale straight at Kikyou as she supposedly stood frozen in shock. InuYasha spotting the "attack" on his preciouse clay pot broke into a sprint to reach her before Naraku. Kagome somehow sensing that all was not right turned at that moment and took in the sitiuation. She was over come with a feeling of wrongness, that something was not right with Narakus attack. Wathcing she realized that it was all happening too slow. She remembered the quickness with which the hanyou had slayed her comrades and knew that InuYasha was running into a trap. She was right. Before she could utter a word she was forced to watch as InuYasha was struck down and slowly dragged into hell by the miko that had always betrayed him.

All that Kagome could register was that her and Shippou were now truly alone. It was just them, they were all that remained of their once strong team. As this ran through her head she turned to face her greatest enemy the way she felt she was doomed to always remain...alone.

END FLASHBACK

'Shippou where is he?' That was the only thought on Kagome's mind as she searched the ash and corpse littered battlefield for the shape of her son. Suddenly out of the corner of her eyes she saw a flash of red towards her right. Turnig she was confronted with the worse sight that a mother could face.

Naraku stood off to her right and in his grasp was the struggling form of her son.

"Naraku!" Kagome screamed as she saw that the evil hanyou had her beloved kitsune in his grasp.

Suddenly Kagome's aura flared and she began to glow. It pulsed with a dangerous mixture of flame red, ice blue, and pink. Kagome's eyes were uttely terrifiying, they glowed a deep crimson as the color bled into the whites giving her the appearance of a youkai in the midst of battle rage.

"Naraku," Kagome smirked with a dangerous smile, "in all the years of your pathetic and wasted life, you failed to learn one of the most vitail survival lessons of all..."

Drawing Midoriko Kagome stepped towards the hayou and slashed the tentecale that held Shippou, and watched dispassionately as it exploded into a flurry of ash after being instantly purified. Before the kumo had a chance to react she had scooped up the unconscious kit in her arms and jumped a ways away from him to place the child gently on the ground. Placing a barrier around him she slowly readjusted her grip on the hilt of the katana. "Never fuck with a mother, especially a miko mother. You will not live through the experience." Sword flashing Kagome turned on Naraku. "I am going to make you pay with your flesh for what you have done to me and mine."

She flew across the clearing towards him, blade drawn and eyes flashing with the pain of loss and the anger of one who suffered and yet blamed it on themselves. The first downward thrust of her katana was blocked easily with a swift shift of Naraku's tentecale. However it had not been a serious blow to begin with. She was simply testing her opponent, checking for flaws in his defense as she had been taught. She was testing his reaction times and how strong he was on a purely physical sense. Slowly she increased her speed and strength while withholding her miko powers. She did not want to give away all of her secrets or her main fighting tactics until she was sure she had seen what he held in his own. This strategy had been drilled into her through hours of training and sparring with the one who had saved her life. He had been invaluable to her and yet he had left, taking a part of her soul with him when he went.

Shaking her head she removed herself from her thoughts and focused once again on the task at hand. Naraku was apparently growing tired of her games for he had upped the skill level. Suddenly she found herself faced with not one but three Naraku's and she realized instantly that he was using his puppets in battle.

"What is the matter little miko? Do you miss you friends? Are you upset over the death of your precious hanyou? I am sure that he is happy at this moment. Afterall why stay with the copy when one can have the original?"

She was aware of what he was trying to do to her. He strove to bring back old memories and reopen scabbed over wounds. She would not allow him to use her own misery against her. The pain that she endured was hers. Her scars were not for him to toy with.

"It is a pity that you could not save the others, but not much of a suprise I suppose. You are much weaker than Kikyou ever was. She would have no doubt been able to save them. She would have never failed them the way that you did. We both know that."

That last bit was the final push that she needed to end her analysis of his tactics. It was time for him to die. She had no wish to hear more of his mind games, it normally meant that he was gearing up for the kill when he started trying to mind fuck you. This time she wanted to fuck with his mind. She wanted him to know that the incarnation of the woman he had coveted was the one that sent him to the darkest pit of hell, that she had disected him slowly for her viewing pleasure.

Finally ready to end the games she purified Midorkio's blade and set to work destroying the puppets. Every hit she took was returned on them six fold. And each instance her blade had even the smallest bit of contact with them, their limbs were purified to dust. Finally she stood facing the original alone. Covered in fresh blood, all of which was her own since puppets did not bleed, and bits of flesh from aforementioned foes she was tired, she was dirty, and most of all she was grieving inside. Her heart was heavy with the knowledge that because she was not strong enough her friends were dead and her kit was injured.

One hand clutching the gaping wound on her stomach and the other gripping the bloody hilt of her sword she powered up for her last assualt. It would be dangerous, more so than any attack she had tried so far but it was all she could do. She had tested him and she knew his capabilities. He would not fall for foolish tricks and he would not give her ample opportunity for a strike at the tama that lay within his heart. She needed to get close, very close. She needed to get captured.

He struck. An onslaught of tentecales came for her. She parried and she thrusted, destroying a few at a time, just enough to avoid suspicion on her motives. She slowed her movements in incriments so as to make it look as if she was simply weakening, until finally she appeared to be staggering around the battlefield. Finally she allowed her katana to fall from her hand as she was seized by the dreaded appendages of Naraku. She barely contained her smile as she was drawn in close to his body, close enough to feel his breath on her neck, close enough to hear his heartbeat with her enhanced senses. She maintained her emotionless facade as she had been taught, allowing only hints of her physical pain to shine through. She wanted him to believe her broken, defeated, so he would drop his guard even the smallest amount.

"You are such a beautiful little miko. Stunning really. So much like Kikyou, and yet so much warmer. Your fire is visible in everything you do. I can not help but wonder if you burn so brightly in any situation." He whispered seductively in her ear as she barely held back her tremor of revulsion. "You will make a fine mate for me, our children will be just as exquist as you my dear. Of course I will kill you first and shall we say retrain you. Afterwards however I do believe I will take great pleasure in your body. Turning your soul dark will be my greatest achievement, even greater than killing Kikyou. But don't worry my dear, you will have company. I do believe Sesshoumaru-sama has a little girl who posesses a personality and a potential almost as unique as yours. I trust he will most displeased with the loss of his little mate, but I suspect he will live. Well actually he will not. You see our dear Western Taiyoukai is one of the last who stand a chance of opposing me on any scale. It will be most pleasurable to bathe you in his blood."

She looked up at him then and meet his eyes head on. The fire that blazed there startled him briefly before she titled forward to rest against his form, she was not supposed to look so in control of the situation. She was supposed to be helpless! She was not supposed to be so calm. She had lost, he had her. She was at his mercy, she was wrapped in his clutches, pressed close to his body! No wait she was pressed to him! She was more than close enought to strike out with her powers! He had to get her as far away from him as possible. He tensed as her aura slowly began to extend away from her body once again. The bitch had wanted this to happen all along. He reared back from her, intent on throwing her form away from him before she had the opportunity to strike out.

Her hands gripping the front of his haori stopped his movements. Her head slowly rose from where it had rested oh so limply against his chest. The smile that spread across her face as he watched chilled him to the bone. It was demented in a way that he would not have expected from her. He realized that he had done this to her. Even if it had been indirectly he had some part in the destruction of her spirit.

"You might have killed Kikyou but you will not touch Rin. She is an innocent, unlike us she has never taken a life. We have both taken more than our fair share. We have killed hundreds, but she is pure in a way that I could never again hope to obtain. I would never allow you to live long enough to touch her. Even if I did die I would still find a way to reach out from beyond the grave and crush you before you had the chance. Even if it cost me my soul you will never have her. You die here today for what you have done to this world and these people. For your transgressions you pay with your soul."

Her hands did not losen a single bit as her power rushed forwards along her arms and into her clenched fists. As pure flames danced across her skin and frost rushed in afterwards he could only watch in awe. Her powers were so strong they paralyzed him, rendering him unable to escape her grasp or the fatal results or her energy. Her hands slowly sunk into his chest, his flesh being eaten away by the flames and purity in her skin only to be frozen by the frost to keep him from trying to absorb her. When her hand wrapped around his heart, the bitch squeezed it slowly.

"How does it feel to know that your heart lays in the palm of another? How does it feel that it could be crushed at any moment? Know the agony that you inflected upon Kagura! Know what it is like to realize your life is in the hands of another."

"Do it miko if you can. I do not think you are strong enough to crush the heart of an enemy as you look them in the eye. Not even one such as myself. It would haunt you for the rest of your existance."

The pressure on his pumping organ lightened slowly and he smiled confident that he had won.

"You are correct Naraku. It will haunt me."

With that her fist clenched completely closed. His screams reverberated through the clearing as she ripped the tama from his body and with a blast of purifying energy was flung away from him to land in a heap on the forest floor.

"You bitch! Do not think that you have won! No matter what happens you will never escape me! I will be in your dreams Kagome, I will be in your dreams..."

The injured miko smiled faintly as she watched the last of Naraku's body be purified into ash and float away on the wind. Gripping her fist around the tama she wiped the blood off her hands onto the damp grass below her and purified even his blood, wanting to leave no trace of him of the earth. Looking down she could see the almost completed jewel slowly begining to lighten in color as it absorbed her powers and began to purify. All that was needed was the last shard that she possessed and it would be whole again in shape. However she knew that it would take many hours of intense prayer before the process would be complete.

Pushing herself onto her feet she stood swaying in the middle of the battlefield. Hair blowing across her face until only her eyes were visible she looked like some avenging tenshi. On unsteady feet she crossed over to the crumpled form of her kit and dropped heavily to her knees beside him. With a wave of her hand the barrier dropped and she turned him onto his back from where he had rolled onto his side. The wound on his side bleed sluggishly as if to slowly count the passage of time. His arm hung at an unnatural angle and his beautiful eyes were swollen closed. Careful not to wake him so he would feel no unnecessary pain, she slowly set his broken arm. When she was finished she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Healing youkai with her miko powers took a great deal out of her even when they were as connected to her as Shippou was. She had to forcefully hold her blood back from purifying the natural poisons or other youkai quailities that they held within their bodies. The pinkish glow jumped forth from her hands willingly, seeming to understand for once the urgency that came with healing this particular youkai. They could tell that the kit was special to her and they desired to protect whomever she deemed important.

She mentally pictured the shattered bones in the kit's body reconnecting and healing without any problems. Slowly she opened her eyes and watched her dream become reality. The arm healed perfectly until there was only faint scratches left that would be easily cared for by his powerful youkai healing. Next she envisioned the torn flesh of his stomach being resown and the brusied skin around his face going down and returning to its normal healthy peah color. It became reality. Wiping beads of sweat from her forehead she slowly removed her haori and wrapped it around the shivering form of her kit. Sending him into a deep healing sleep and ensuring that his dreams would be pleasant she stood. Clad now only in her hakama and the bandages that wrapped from her stomach up to above her breasts she prepared to set to work.

She had much to do and little time to do it in. She refused to leave what was left of her friends in such a unhonorable state. She made her way over to the torso of Kirara, which was in all honesty the only body that was left of her comrades. Gently extending her aura outwards she called upon the telekinetic powers that she barely used. She would not leave the fierce neko laying on the battle field in pieces but for some reason she could not bring herself to move her body with her own hands. Instead she used her mind, a task much more draining but still useful. The remains lifted into the air, the torso from before her and the head from somewhere to her right near the place that Sango had made her last stand. The pieces floated to a clear area on the battle field before coming to a rest gently on the ground.

Slowly approaching the fallen form Kagome made a snap decision. Kirara did not have to die completely, she could in a manner live on and help to protect someone that she had cared for and protected in life. Reverently sinking to her knees in front of the giant neko's head Kagome slowly reached her hands into the gaping mouth of the fallen warrior. She was careful since it was a well known fact that even if you cut off their heads a youkai still had the power to bite. When she was met with no resistance she wrapped her hands around the protruding top fangs and jerked. They snapped off and lay on her palms as if they had been made for that purpose.

Gaining her feet again Kagome assumed a prayer stance and began the ritualistic rites for the dead. She would see to it that Kirara had a peaceful place in the afterlife along with Miroku and Sango. InuYasha was beyond her power to save. Anyone who willingly desceded into Hell was unsavable. And so she prayed. She prayed for the souls of her friends, she prayed for the souls of her enemies. She prayed for a peaceful afterlife for all of them. She prayed for their forgiveness.

Finally after what seemed like hours of prayer she stood on unsteady feet. It was completed. There was nothing more she could do to save to souls of the dead, the rest was left up to them. Whatever their fate would be in the afterlife would now depend on what they had done in their lives on earth. Quickly and calmly she set fire to the battle ground, careful to cultivate it until it was hot enough to melt bone and destroy all traces of any of the warriors. She paid special attention to Kirara. She would make sure that all was left of the neko was ash and then she would spread that to the four corners of the world. She would never allow someone to use Kirara's ashes as Kikyous had been used. The hi-neko had died in battle with honor and her memory would not be sullied by any clay golem imitation of her.

As the last bit of ash was scattered to the wind Kagome exhaled slowly. She could breathe slightly easier now that there was only a few things she had left to do, however she wanted them done quickly. First she opened her mind and sent her spirit soaring out across the land in search of two specific youkai.

"Myouga, Totosai I need you."

She felt the answering call right away. They had felt the power levels in the area sky rocket and then had felt the evil presence of Naraku leave the earth. It was like an immense weight had been lifted from their shoulders and they had set out to investigate. They were already half way there. Even though the two were cowards by nature even they knew that the happenings needed investigating.

Smiling sadly Kagome gripped the fangs in her hands until blood ran down from between her fingers. She would gather the weapons of her comrades and take them home with her to a place where they would be cherished. Slowly she moved towards the first of her fallen friends weapons. The rosary beads that had allowed Miroku to hold his kaazana at bay lay so innocently on the ground. She scooped them up and gently rolled the beads between her fingers. So much pain concealed behind such a small thing. Next she swiftly plucked the golden staff that had been so dear to him from the ground where it stood. Using it as a support she walked on to her next destination listening to the calming music the rings made as they gently clinked together. She swore she could almost hear his soft laughter on the breeze.

The Hiraikotsu lay buried in the earth carelessly in the same position it had fallen upon Sango's last attack. With a quick flash of muscle Kagome wrenched it from the ground. She already possessed Sango's seldom used katana and a duplicate of her taijya suit including armor and a set of her arm blades, a gift on her last birthday. Kohaku's chain sickle was also in her possession although she did not carry it with her. It already rested in her shrine where at the behest of Sango she was training Souta to use it. Sango had told her that Kohaku would have wanted his weapon to help protect an innocent. Sango had said that weapons were made to be used and she did not want anyone other than someone she cared for to use her otouto's battle gear. Sango had left for two weeks to build the suits for Kagome and Souta.

Kagome's armor was done in blue while Souta's was in the tan pattern that Kohaku had once worn. Souta had been in awe of the girft and had demanded a picture of his new "nee-san" as he had taken to calling Sango. When Kagome had returned back that time it had been with a tape recorder full of messages for Sango from her new "otouto". After explaining to the girl that the device was not a youkai and would not steal her soul she had watched as Sango had tearfully replied to each and every one of Souta's questions. It had been a heart breaking scene.

Now she would have to return home and tell her otouto that he had lost his other onee-san. She was not looking forward to that experience.

Upon reaching the last weapon she trembled. This was the one that she had no desire to touch. Testsusaiga was something that she had never wanted to have control over. The fang was not for her and she had always known that. The blade was the protector of all the ningen in the world and as such should be used by someone who was worthy. InuYasha had at one time possessed the potential to be that person, but the twisted mind of Kikyou had warped him into something cursed. She had made him into a grotesque mockery of what he had once been. She had twisted his soul and his mind until all he could do was follow in her footsteps all the way to Hell.

The fang sent out a pulse of energy when her hand first made contact with the hilt. It recognized her aura and it accepted her even if it could feel the hesitance she felt towards it. The blade really did have a life of its own. Tetsusaiga picked its own master and apparently it was content to rest in her grasp until it chose another. Quietly she sheathed the blade and tucked it into the belt of her hakama. She had completed her mission and now it was time to rest beside her kit. Smoothly she made her way back towards him.

Kagome sunk to the ground beside Shippou and after depositing the weapons on the ground, pulled the sleeping kit into her arms, rewrapping her haori around him and gently petting his hair. She waited calmly for the two old youkai to arrive and soon enough the ancient three-eyed ushi youkai came down in front of her with a crack of lightning.

"Kagome-sama!" A tiny voice squeeked, followed by the annoying prickle of a flea bite to her neck. On relfex her hand came up to swiftly smack at the sting and she watched slightly amused as a now flat Myouga floated down to rest on her open palm.

"Hello Grandfather Myouga, Grandfather Totosai. It is good to see you again."

"Oh Kagome-sama I can't say I was expecting you to be here but I suppose if anyone was to kill Naraku it would be this group of youngsters eh Myouga."

"You are correct Totosai. No one but Master InuYasha would be able to defeat that evil hanyou! Speaking of which where is Master InuYasha? I would be honored to offer my congradulations on his sucess."

"I am afraid that what you see here is all that is left of my comrades in arms. The rest...did not survive."

The two elder youkai gasped before taking in the blood stained appearance of the miko for the first time. She was cut and bleeding badly. Slashes ran across her neck in the form of claw marks, while a single thin line traced from her the top of her eye to the underside of her jaw. Her hakama carried numerous slashes and were stained with blood and ash, the same as her chest bindings. And from what they could see her haori had not faired any better. However the slash on her stomach worried them. It was still bleeding rather badly and both of them could smell the stench of poison along the edges, it was festering and needed attention soon.

"Dear Kami Kagome-sama what has happened here!? What has happened to you and your kit?"

"Calm down Myouga, I am fine and Shippou is simply resting. As to what happened, well it should explain itself. We faced Naraku and we won, or at least I think we did. I am not really sure you can call this a victory."

"Kagome-sama..."

"It's alright Totosai. Now I called you for a reason. I need to ask a favor of each of you if you do not mind?"

"Anything for you Mistress Kagome."

"Myouga I am not your mistress. You are your own flea now."

"I disagree milady. The Great and Terrible Inu Taisho would never forgive me if I failed to serve one such as yourself. Why I dare say that he would have been proud to call you musume."

"As I would have been honored to call him Father. Now as for the requests that I have of each of you. Myouga I need you to seek out Sesshoumaru-sama. Tell him that the Tetsusaiga is his if he wants it and that Naraku has been disposed of. Tell him that my debt has been repaid. Tell him that he has three days to reply or else Tetsusaiga will go with me to my homeland. Make sure he is aware that I mean no disrespect."

"Of course Mistress Kagome. I will leave at once. However I ask you one thing. When will I be able to find you again? I do not want to fall behind in my duties."

"Look for me at the Bone-Eaters well five hundred years from now. Where that well is I will be. As for your duties, I wish for you to travel to the hanyou Jinenji's garden. Tell him that I sent you and you are to be his to command for the next five hundred years. Serve him as you would serve me Myouga. I expect an answer from Sesshoumaru in three days time at the Bone-Eaters well. I will be waiting."

The flea-youkai was gone as quickly as he had come, the only clue to his departure was the caw of a crow as he turned it torwards the direction Sesshoumaru would most likely be partolling. Kagome turned to Totosai.

"Have no worries Grandfather Totousai, your mission is not nearly as dangerous as his. I simply ask you to forge for me a blade. I want you to make a katana for my kit from the fangs that I have in my possession and a large amount of my blood. Is it possible for you to do that for me in three days?"

"Well little missy it might me cutting it slightly close but I am sure that I can have you a high quality katana in under three days. So what fangs are you wanting me to use this time? It's not inu again is it? Inu teeth are always so hard to work with."

"Have you ever worked with neko before Grandfather Totousai?"

"Neko? Well only once or twice. Those furballs are so picky with what they do with their teeth. It is a shame though cause they make some of the finest weapons."

"Well then I expect this one to be especially excellent."

She extended her blood covered hands towards him. He gingerly removed the blood encrusted fangs from her palms and rolled them around thoughtfully.

"These will do nicely indeed. You will have the finest weapon of neko and miko to ever be made. I will do my finest work on these pieces. I will see you in a bit, no time to waste then. Ja!"

With a flashing crack of lightning he was gone the same way he had appeared, and once again Kagome found herself alone in the clearning. Her wounds were still bleeding and she knew that infection would be setting in about now. She desperately needed to clean her wounds. However they would have to wait. She had three days to get back to that well and Kaede's village and her strength was waining.

Trembling she stood, and after securing all of her weapons to her body she once again scooped up her kit and set off.

For two and a half days she walked without stopping. Her stomach had stopped bleeding a while back and had slowly scabbed over with clotted blood but now every step she took ripped it open again causing a fresh trickle of blood to flow down her front. Finally she arrived at the village, exhausted and trembling from exertion. She collapsed in the ruins of what had once been Kaede's hut. She deposited the weapons onto the floor of the hut and carefully set Shippou down to sleep on the mat. Standing up straight she cracked her back and set off to find the bath she so desperately needed.

A few moments later she sunk into the hot springs and began to rinse the blood and gore form her frame. She had no time to relax, this was no vacation. The others would be arriving any time now and Shippou was sleeping in the hut unprotected except for her slightly shakey barrier. Using the naturally growing plant life around her she set out to make a poultice which would help to heal her wounds quicker. She had been able to do only minor healing on herself before, actually only enough to neutralize the toxins in her systems before they killed her. Once she was finished she quickly redressed in her soiled clothes since she was without extras and did not have the time or the drive to wash them at the moment.

Returning to the hut she carefully gathered up all of the weapons that she had carried for almost three days non-stop and her kit and set off to the well. There was not time to waste with memories, she had a mission to finish and she wanted it over with. As she closed in on the well she felt nothing out of place so she calmly sat down with her back propped against the anceint wood and her kit in her lap.

Some time passed before she felt the auras of three youkai, all of which she recognized but none of which belonged to Sesshoumaru. It seemed as if Myouga, Totosai and Momo had returned earlier than expected.

"Mistress Kagome!"

"Kagome-sama!"

"Mooo!"

"Welcome back fellows. I trust all went well?"

Myouga looked sheepish for a moment and then quickly bounced up and down from where he stood on her hand.

"Sesshoumaru-sama says that he holds no interest in the Tetsusaiga! He says that the hanyou's fang is yours to keep, he has no need of it. I must say though that he looked highly amused when I told him that your debt was repaid. He smirked and said that he had expected nothing less."

"I am sure that he did exactly that. So Totosai, how did your project turn out?"

"Most excellent Kagome-sama! Better even than I had expected!" The old youkai hopped down from his place upon his noble steed and crossed over to her carrying a lumpy bundle. Gently he handed it over to her, and watched eagerly as she slowly unwrapped it.

Inside lay two exquistly forged blades. A matching set it appeared. The blades were curvy in a way that reminded Kagome briefly of the butterfly knives she had seen in the yakuza movies in her youth. The hilt tops were adorned both with small leaves, both of which held in their centers two blood red tama that Kagome suspected contained her blood. The sheathes were done just as fine, the detail was beautiful. Golden and silver kitsune ran around the base amongst a shower of sakura blossoms. They were more than worthy of her kit.

"Arigatou Grandfather Totousai. You have out done yourself. I am honored that my son will wield these blades."

"Only the best for the son of our savior."

"I am no ones savior Totosai. I am unworthy of such a title."

"But..."

"Do not argue with me on this onegai. Just take my word for it."

"Yes, I understand."

Kagome stood and vaulted up to where she sat on the rim of the well.

"I guess this is sayanora for now. It has been an honor to have met you all. Maybe we will meet again sometime."

"You can bet on that Mistress Kagome."

Finally after almost three days of silence Shippou stirred in her arms weakly and opened his eyed, "Mother where are we going?"

"Home, baby. We are going home." And with that Kagome vaulted into the well and disappeared into the time stream, never to be seen in that era again. The only witnesses to her departure were three old youkai and a tree that had seen much in its long life.

"What is it that you think he did to her Totosai? What exactly is it that Master InuYasha did to Mistress Kagome to make her think that way?"

"He broke her Myouga. He crushed her spirit and choked her soul. He shattered her heart into a million pieces, and I can only pray that she can find them all one day. I can only pray."

AN: And so is the first revised chapter of Tears. I would love to know what everyone thinks of it.