InuYasha Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Death Is Only The Beginning ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Bleach nor any of their characters. Those belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Tite Kubo, respectively. I only own any original characters that may appear.

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Death Is Only The Beginning

Chapter Eight

Kagome took a deep breath as she stood in front of the enormous Senkaimon used as the gateway to the living world. She was still intensely nervous about this trip despite being reassured many times by Captain Kyouraku that everything would be fine. Her stomach was tied in knots and her palms began to sweat as she went over the simple rules she had been briefed on the previous day.

Rule Number One: Normal humans should not be made aware of the supernatural/spiritual beings around them. `I think that's their way of telling me that I'm not allowed to go find my friends and family from when I was alive,' Kagome thought with a frown.

Rule Number Two: Keep a low profile. `No drawing attention to myself, so basically nothing that would be a lot of fun.'

Rule Number Three: Dispatch all Hollows within the area and assist souls with the crossing to Soul Society. `I can handle that one,' she thought. `And one out of three isn't too bad, right?' Even Kagome knew that it was pretty pathetic as she pouted slightly.

She placed a hand on her zanpakutou as it was the only thing that she would be taking with her. When she arrived in the living world she was supposed to go to a man named Kisuke Urahara, and he would supply her with what she would need during her stay. Kagome startled when a hand clapped down on her shoulder and she looked up to see her captain. “Don't be so serious, Kagome,” he said as he smiled down at her. “It may not seem like much fun at first, but you'll meet plenty of new and interesting people. All you need to do is keep up with Ichigo and he'll show you what to do.” He watched Kagome once again glance towards the gate nervously, and he laughed at her obvious anxiety. “Don't worry about the gate, Kagome. Once it opens all you have to do is stay close to the butterfly and there won't be any problems.”

Another few deep breaths and Kagome nodded at her captain's words. She was nervous because she had learned of the dangers of travel between the worlds in her classes. While she knew that using an official Senkaimon was safe as long as you traveled with a hell butterfly, she was well aware of what could happen if you were separated from said butterfly. The gate opened and Kagome was temporarily blinded by the bright light from within. Needing one last reassurance, Kagome turned towards Shunsui to ask, “And you're sure that you'll be able to look after Aya until I come back?”

“Yes,” Shunsui answered as his hand moved from her shoulder down to her back. “She'll be well cared for and waiting here with me when you return. Good luck!” Shunsui called as he gave her a solid push into the white light of the large gate.

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The trip didn't take long and when she reached the set of shoji doors that led to the living world, Kagome opened them and stepped out to find herself on a sidewalk. It was very early in the morning, the sun not yet bathing the horizon with bright oranges and yellows. Kagome looked around and saw that the streets were mostly deserted. It would probably be a while before people left their homes for work and school.

“Captain Kyouraku said to find the Urahara Shop,” Kagome spoke to herself as she looked around to see if the gate had deposited her anywhere near said shop. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kagome saw a building marked `Urahara Shop' sitting towards the back of a large lot across the street from where she stood.

She checked both ways before crossing the street—a habit learned as a child, and something that she realized was a little moot now—and crossed the dirt lot to stand outside of the store. She knocked on the door a few times and waited for an answer that never came. She was about to knock again when she heard a sharp cry to her right before two children ran around the corner. A boy with bright red hair was chasing a dark-haired girl who appeared as though she would cry at any moment. They flew past her without a word and went around the other corner of the building.

Kagome was about to follow the two children but stopped in her tracks when the boy suddenly leaned back around the corner and looked her up and down. “You must be the new one,” he said in a serious tone. “The door is unlocked; go on in. Manager should be somewhere in the back,” the boy instructed as he disappeared around the corner once again.

Reflecting on how strange her week was starting out, Kagome slid open the door and stepped inside. Since the front room where she stood was still dark she figured that the `store' wasn't open yet. But there were noises coming from one of the back rooms and Kagome went in search of the person she was supposed to meet. When she stepped into the main room at the back of the store there wasn't anyone inside, but there was a hatch-like door opened in the floor near the corner. Kagome looked around once more before she approached the curious door. She found that it opened to an extraordinarily long ladder that extended into an enormous underground room. “How weird,” she commented to herself.

“Not really,” replied a smooth voice directly behind her.

When Kagome shrieked with a little jump at being startled, a quick hand reached out to steady her so that she didn't fall through the hole in the floor. Kagome was then turned to see a smiling face half-hidden in the shadow cast by a green and white hat. “You shouldn't scare people like that!” Kagome scolded as she pressed a hand to her chest willing her heart to slow down. Once her nerves calmed some, she pulled away from his steadying grasp and asked, “Are you Kisuke Urahara?”

“The one and only,” Kisuke answered as he removed his hat and bowed with a flourish. “And you must be the lovely Kagome Higurashi. I must admit that I had more fun than usual while engineering your faux body,” he stated as he straightened with a charming yet boyish grin.

“Faux body?” Kagome questioned. Captain Kyouraku hadn't mentioned anything about that. “I don't understand.”

“Yes, it tends to make things easier since you'll be with us for a little while,” Kisuke explained. “You'll be staying with one of Ichigo's friends—a girl named Orihime—and it would be best if they didn't look like they were talking to themselves when you're with them. Shunsui sent a picture so that I could make a body that looked like you, but then I ran into a little problem,” he said with an exasperated expression.

Rising to take the bait, Kagome asked, “What kind of problem?”

Smiling wide, Kisuke was only too happy to speak of his work. “Well, you see, a faux body typically looks like the spirit meant to inhabit it. But you haven't been dead all that long, and we can't take the chance that someone might recognize you. So this was the first time that I've ever created a faux body that didn't look exactly like its user! It should still work, but I'm eager to find out for certain,” Kisuke said excitedly as he grabbed her wrist and tugged her along to another room.

He opened an odd type of closet that looked like a morbid display of limp bodies. Lifting one from its place, he carefully arranged it so that it was seated on the floor as he helped keep it in an upright position. Kisuke motioned for Kagome to come closer as he instructed, “All you need to do is relax and slip into the body through the back. That's the entry point that most find is the easiest.”

Kagome took a deep breath and nodded before trying to follow the instructions given to her. Her first attempt ended with her passing straight through the vessel. It took ten minutes of trial and error before Kagome had finally gotten the hang of slipping into her new body and she was able to examine herself in a mirror.

Thankfully her body had come pre-dressed—she decided not to think on whether or not Kisuke had dressed her himself or not—and she was relieved to find that her features hadn't been drastically altered. For the most part she looked much like her normal self. The only real differences were that now her hair was shorter—falling only to her shoulders—and her skin held a deep, sun-kissed tan. If she were to see anyone from her previous life on the street, they may notice the resemblance but would likely brush it off as nothing more. Suddenly, a thought struck her. “Um…Mr. Urahara—”

“Just Urahara,” he corrected with a grin. “Or Manager, but no need for the `mister.'”

Kagome nodded, “Okay, Urahara, exactly how close are we to Tokyo?”

Kisuke's grin widened into a knowing smile. “Karakura Town is just on the outskirts of Tokyo. The city is only a few minutes away by train,” he answered amiably. “I only tell you because I'm sure you wouldn't plan on doing anything like…oh, let's say, visit your living family. Right, Kagome?”

Kagome sputtered indignantly for a moment at the mischievous smirk he cast her way before turning away in a huff. Once glance back at the blond man told Kagome that he knew exactly what she had been thinking, but he didn't seem to have intention of stopping her.

It was little more than an hour later that Kagome was standing on the sidewalk and leaning against the wooden fence that lined Urahara's lot. After checking that her small purse contained her cell-phone-like communicator and her soul candy, she smoothed her hands over her clothes again. She had been living in Soul Society and wearing traditional clothing for so long now that clothes from the modern living world felt strange against her skin. The dark wash skinny jeans clung to her legs and made her twitchy. Though she had to admit that her white tunic top was light and airy, and the red sandals on her feet were actually more comfortable than what she normally wore with her shinigami uniform.

Hearing someone approach from her left, Kagome turned to be greeted by a young man with bright orange hair and a slightly bored expression. “You're Kagome, right?” He asked with a yawn.

“That's right,” Kagome smiled with a quick bow. “And I assume that you're Ichigo Kurosaki.”

Ichigo hummed a small confirmation before he continued walking, school bag tossed over his shoulder, and waved for Kagome to follow him. “Come on,” he called, “I was told to explain how this will work.” Ichigo glanced at the small woman from the corner of his eye as she caught up and fell into step beside him. “While I'm in school you can pretty much do anything you want as long as you don't cause any big scenes,” he started.

“Don't worry, I know how the city works,” Kagome piped in. “It wasn't long ago that I was alive and living in Tokyo.” She noticed that her guide seemed a little surprised by this but he seemed to shake it off just as quickly before continuing.

“Then you've got a jump on most shinigami they send here,” Ichigo commented. Silently, he was grateful that he wouldn't have to explain the nuances of the modern world or deal with any strange outbursts. “The phone you got back at the shop will start to beep if a Hollow shows up nearby. The screen will show you where and how far away it is. Depending on who's closest, it's up to one of us to take care of it. Meet me outside the gates when school is over and you'll go home with Orihime since you're staying with her this week. Got any questions?” He asked as he spotted his friends waiting for him at the school gates.

Kagome shook her head as she watched Ichigo raise a hand in greeting to a group of high school students. Just from looking at them, they seemed to be a fairly mismatched group. Though she knew that she had no room to talk; her closest group of friends had consisted of two demons, a half-demon, and three people whose nature and occupations called for the extermination of said demons. It only went to prove that people from all walks of life could find peace and friendship once differences were set aside.

Kagome noticed that a dark-haired young man with glasses seemed to be sizing her up before he asked, “Who is your friend, Kurosaki?” She thought that the boy was handsome, but seemed much too serious. `A smile would do wonders,' she thought.

“This is Kagome,” Ichigo answered. “She's the one from Soul Society I told you guys about. She'll only be here for a week since she's still pretty new to this. Kagome,” he said as he turned to face her. “This is Ishida, Orihime, and Chad,” he introduced as he pointed to each of his friends in turn.

With a small wave and a warm smile, Kagome said, “It's nice to meet all of you.” But her attention lingered on the tallest of the group. Quickly recalling that his name was Chad, Kagome was a little awed by his height as he was easily more than a foot taller than her petite frame. But as she took in his features she laughed lightly before saying, “We could pass for cousins!”

The girl with orange hair a shade darker than Ichigo's—`Orihime,' Kagome thought to herself—gasped before smiling brightly and agreeing, “You could!” The girl then turned her full attention to Kagome as she asked, “You're staying with me, right?” With Kagome's affirming nod, Orihime seemed to brighten more if it was possible. “That's great! You see, I live by myself so it'll be fun to have someone else there. It'll be like a really long slumber party!”

Kagome couldn't help but become a little more excited just listening to Orihime talk animatedly about all of the things that they could do together. None of them noticed the figure observing them from the window of one of the schools upper classrooms. But when the bell began to toll, Kagome said goodbye to the small group of friends and made her way farther into town to do a little patrolling and generally kill time.

As Ichigo and his friends walked into their classroom, a deep voice commanded, “Kurosaki, come here.”

Ichigo stiffened a little at the sound of his teacher's voice. The tall man was very serious and aloof, but was known for being strict with his students. He could feel hard eyes watching him as he placed his bag by his desk before approaching.

When the young man stood before him, the teacher asked, “Who was that young woman you were speaking with at the gates?”

Eyes widening marginally at the seemingly random question, Ichigo quickly tried to come up with a cover story. “A friend,” he answered quickly before expanding the vague answer with, “she's Chad's cousin. She's visiting from overseas.” Ichigo could feel his heart beat a little faster as his teacher's eyes narrowed suspiciously on him.

“Very well,” the man said as he waved the boy away in dismissal. “Take your seat so that we may begin.” He knew that Ichigo was lying, but would keep his thoughts to himself until more was known on the situation.

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`Day three,' Kagome thought with a small sigh as she wandered the streets. Window shopping had long lost its appeal, but Ichigo and the others were still in class and she didn't dare spend the day at Urahara's shop again. She'd quickly discovered that hanging around the shop meant an exhausting amount of manual labor assigned to her by the intimidating Tessai. But she was insanely bored as not a single Hollow had made itself known since she'd come to town. Ichigo was calling her a good luck charm and doing his best to try and convince her to appeal to her superiors for more time in the realm of the living.

But even though she was bored during the days, Kagome could honestly say that her captain had been right when he said that she would make interesting new friends. She'd been living with Orihime and, while the girl could be a bit oblivious, Kagome had grown very fond of the excitable red-head. She'd also come to discover that despite his intimidating size and presence, Chad was every bit a gentle giant. Ichigo liked to argue and had a quick temper, but that was nothing that Kagome hadn't dealt with before—though she had to admit that some of his mannerisms caused a dull ache in her chest as old memories were brought to the surface.

The only one that she hadn't quite been able to get past acquaintanceship with yet was the quiet Ishida. The boy was always polite, but he seemed to hold a quiet grudge against her very presence. Worried that she had done something to offend him, Kagome had asked Orihime about it. She had been told that it had to do with a very old enmity between those of Ishida's heritage—called the Quincy—and the shinigami. Assured that he had felt the same way about Ichigo and that he would warm up to her given time, Kagome had let the subject drop.

Glancing into the window of a small shop, a clock on the wall told Kagome that it was still only late morning. It would still be several hours before her new friends were out of school. Kagome whipped around at the sound of a train whistle and saw that she was very near the train station. Her short conversation with Kisuke replayed in her mind as she chewed her bottom lip in silent debate. Finally making a decision that she knew could get her in trouble, Kagome darted into the small store she'd paused by and bought a few supplies before darting over to the train station.

Purchasing a ticket for the next train to Tokyo, Kagome ran across the platform to slip onto the train just as the doors closed. Since most people had already made their morning commute and it wasn't quite lunchtime yet, the train wasn't very crowded and Kagome easily found a seat. Kagome glanced down at the newly acquired items in her hands before clicking the top of her pen and pressing it to the notepad. With a steadying breath to clear her thoughts, she began to write.

Dear Mama,

I promise that this isn't a trick and that it really is me. I'm not really allowed to explain everything, but that's probably best since it would be very difficult to do so. I miss you so much. Please don't cry—I know you've already started.

You can't tell anyone about this letter. But I wanted and needed to let you know that I'm alright and I'm sorry. I wanted to be able to come home safely, but the jewel decided to take one more person before it was all said and done. I'm not sure what happened when Inuyasha brought me home that last time, but I hope that you don't blame him for what happened. He always did his best to protect me. I want you to know that I died doing something important. I was able to make sure that the world would stay safe in the future so that you and Souta and Gramps could live safe lives.

I can't go into detail about what I'm doing now or how I'm able to get this letter to you, but hopefully you'll gain some peace knowing that I'm happy. I'm still able to help people in the afterlife and I've made so many new and interesting friends.

Aside from not being able to tell you goodbye and I love you, I have no regrets. I want you to be happy while you're alive, and I know that we'll meet again one day. Please tell Souta and Gramps to do the same and that I love them and think about all of you constantly.

I would like to be able to come see you, but I'm still fighting to keep people safe even if the monsters are a little different this time. As much as I miss you, I think that there are others that need me more right now. Maybe I'll be able to come back someday. But if not then be safe, be happy, and love each other.

Love, your time-traveling daughter,
Kagome

Reading over her letter, Kagome smiled sadly before gently tearing the page from the notepad and folding it carefully. Once it was securely placed inside her purse, she turned her gaze out the window for the rest of the ride and let her thoughts wander. She was able to reason with herself that since her family already knew about some of the supernatural elements of the world, she wasn't technically breaking the rules. But that certainly didn't mean that she was going to tell anyone in Soul Society what she'd done once she got back.

When she finally stepped into the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Kagome admitted to herself that she had indeed missed it a little. Even after being gone for more than a year the streets and sidewalks were still very familiar to her. She easily navigated her way to a large stone staircase and took a deep breath before making her ascent, counting every step along the way.

Cresting the top, everything was just as she remembered it. Kagome decided to take a few moments to reacquaint herself with her childhood home. She went into the main shrine to say a prayer and relished in the slightly musty smell of the old building that she used to find off-putting. As she walked through the courtyard her gaze lingered on the old building that held the Bone-eater's Well, and she noticed that the doors were sealed once again. When she entered the shadow of the God Tree a warm smile instantly took over her features as a calming sensation washed over her.

Kagome looked up at the ancient tree and felt like she was being greeted by an old friend. Her mother had once told her that this tree was part of her life and had watched her grow, and she had been right. The tree seemed to be a constant marker within her memories. She wanted to step past the ropes and lay a hand on the rough bark, but refrained in case someone was watching. Instead her eyes traced the large scar where Inuyasha had once been pinned, and she couldn't help but wonder what had ever become of her first love.

A breeze blew across the open courtyard and she had to make sure that the hem of her orange sundress didn't lift up as her hair was left to whip about her face. As the wind made the branches of the old tree sway and rustle its leaves, she felt vaguely as though it was speaking to her; sending her the message that it was somehow proud of who she'd become. But when the wind died down and the message faded away into silence, Kagome knew that it was time to do what she came to do and be on her way.

She closely surveyed the area and made sure that there were no eyes on her before quietly making her way towards the Higurashi household. Once her letter was slipped into the small mailbox that hung next to the front door Kagome quickly turned and made her way back to the shrine's steps. She cast one longing glance back at what was once her home before disappearing into the Tokyo crowds once more and returning to her duties.

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Beneath the sands of Hueco Mundo a dark chuckle echoed through the darkness as it escalated into a sinister laugh. Thick tentacles lashed out to firmly wrap around the fleeing Hollows before pulling them back to become one with the eager body of Naraku. He had discovered some time ago that he was able to absorb these damned creatures just as easily as the demons of his home world. Naraku's eyes closed as a look of true ecstasy washed over his face; he could feel a new type of power building within and pounding through his veins.

The first absorption had been entirely unplanned and completely accidental. After being attacked by one of the white-faced monsters, he had been forced to take the creature into himself to end the fight. But when a ripple of power ran up his spine, Naraku had decided to test a new theory. One after another the Hollows increased his power. But the creatures soon began to hide from him as they did hold a sense of self-preservation. This only meant that Naraku had to become the hunter and flush out his prey.

When the last of the area's Hollow's had been added to his body, Naraku allowed a cruel smile to play on his lips. The high he got from the sudden wash of new power was beginning to fade as he brought a hand to his right cheek. He'd recently noticed that a small piece of bone-like whiteness had begun to form underneath his right eye and only expanded with each Hollow he absorbed. “It won't be much longer now, Kagome,” he spoke into the vast emptiness around him. “Soon you will join me here and all of that power you hold will finally be mine.

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Kagome walked along the bank of the river that separated Karakura Town from the outer edge of Tokyo. She still wondered if she'd done the right thing in leaving that letter for her mother. But she'd done it and left Tokyo so there was no way to take it back now.

She had met with Ichigo and his friends after school as had become her routine, and then she and Orihime had gone home. As they shared another strange yet oddly tasty supper of Orihime's creation, her friend had commented that she seemed distracted. Waving off the concern with the excuse of tiredness, Kagome announced that she was going to take a walk for some fresh air before bed.

Stopping to watch the city lights sparkle on the surface of the river's water, Kagome finally allowed thoughts of the past consume her. After returning from the shrine she'd been fighting off the unanswered questions that plagued the back of her mind. What had become of her demonic friends? If they had died, were they allowed into Soul Society? If they were still alive, where were they and what were they doing? There were so many questions that she doubted she would ever have the answers to.

And for the first time in over a year, Kagome had to admit that she wasn't as content with her afterlife as she had once been. Things were changing and it only made the vacant areas of her heart that much more obvious. She knew that something was missing from her life now, but couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. She had a duty and a purpose, she had friends, she had a small family with Aya, and she had a nice home; what else could she want for?

But just as her thoughts began to pull her deeper, she was brought back to reality by a sharp beeping sound coming from her purse. She took her communicator and flipped it open to view the small screen before her eyes widened. A Hollow was entering the living world and was to appear in her area by the river. Kagome's heart began to beat faster as she looked around for any sign of the fallen soul. She was just beginning to think that it might have been a false alarm when a ripping sound to her left caught her attention.

She turned to look a small distance down the river and watched as the air seemed to be torn open. When a large black figure emerged, Kagome began to fumble through her bag for her Soul Candy. She almost dropped it in her nervousness but was finally able to pop one of the small green balls into her mouth. After she was propelled from the faux body and made sure that the temporary spirit within retreated to a safe distance, Kagome began to size up her opponent.

`Okay, it's huge,' she thought with no small amount of trepidation. `But Ichigo isn't anywhere nearby, so I'm on my own. I can do this,' she told herself as she drew her zanpakutou and gripped the hilt tightly. She was reminded of the large Hollows that destroyed her home in the Rukongai and a buried anger added fuel to her determination. The ones she had fought back then had been slow because of their size, so maybe this one could be dealt with in the same way.

Darting forward for an attack while the Hollow's attention was elsewhere, Kagome was surprised when the creature disappeared just before she landed her blow. She turned quickly and was instantly frozen by the dark eyes beneath a mocking white mask. She stepped forward again, employing some of the meager Shunpo steps she'd attained, but was again shocked when her target disappeared before she reached it. A deep echoing laugh drew her attention to her right.

Realizing that she wouldn't be able to get close enough for a physical attack, Kagome decided to quickly change tactics. Rapidly pulling energy into her hands, she tucked her sword under her arm before calling out, “Hadou Four: White Lightning!” But her panic increased when the Hollow seemed to easily dodge the attack. Looking around for her opponent, Kagome was taken by surprise when a sharp pain raked across her back and sent her flying forward to tumble across the dirt a few times before coming to a stop.

“Foolish girl,” the Hollow spoke as she tried to lift herself but cringed as her muscles seized in protest. “Did you really think that I was slow or stupid just because of my size? I would say to learn from your mistake, but there won't be another chance for you to apply the lesson. At the very least, I'm sure you'll make a delicious meal.” Kagome watched at the Hollow rose to its full height as it stood on two legs and towered over her.

Kagome ignored her body's protests and pushed herself up but stood on shaky legs. She could feel the blood coursing down her back and was forced to blink the haze from her vision as her breathing became labored. `No!' She screamed within her mind as she planted her feet firmly on the ground and held her sword before her. `I will not die like this—not here, not because of that thing,' but as her head swam, Kagome knew that she only had one more good attack left in her. What could she possibly do when it would simply dodge direct attacks?

Something just beyond the Hollow caught her attention and Kagome was confused when she saw a large black wolf with glowing amethyst eyes. As they stared at each other, time seemed to slow down and Kagome could feel a calm radiate up from where her hands gripped her zanpakutou and spread through her soul. The wolf never moved, but when a soft feminine voice echoed through her mind, she knew it couldn't be coming from anyone else. “You need my power now, Kagome. You're ready,” it said. “Say my name. Release me and I will give you the power to finish your enemy.”

As time sped up again and Kagome looked to her enemy once more, she commanded the name that had been buried within her heart, “Rise Tsukiko.” Even though she didn't dare take her eyes off of the Hollow, Kagome could see the soft white glow that her zanpakutou began to emit. Not sure what to do for a moment, she readjusted her stance and heard the water of the river move in response.

The Hollow laughed as she seemed to take a few steps away, but never realized that she was testing the water's response to her movements. Kagome decided to do what she would only be able to describe later as `what felt natural.' Using all of her remaining strength, Kagome swept her sword from her left, where the river flowed several feet away, to her right in an upward diagonal. The Hollow had no idea what hit it—and Kagome was fairly surprised herself—when a sheet of water shot from the river before forming into a blade of ice and slicing the Hollow's body cleanly in two.

Kagome watched as the body disintegrated into the air and the ice instantly returned to its liquid state before drenching the area. When her blade's glow faded away, she sheathed the sword and allowed her exhaustion to wash over her. The wounds on her back were screaming at her and she knew that she had lost a fair amount of blood. Sinking to her knees to rest for a moment, Kagome was about to call out for the temporary soul to bring her body back to her, but all thought processes stopped dead when a deep voice spoke out from behind her, “That was quite an impressive feat for someone who is supposed to be dead.”

Kagome quickly turned around and was met with the figure of a tall and lean man. His black hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and Kagome noticed that none of the water or mud had gotten on the man's black slacks or white dress shirt. She looked up into light honey eyes that seemed to pierce straight through her. There was something about him that rang through her memory with familiarity, but she was having trouble placing exactly what it was. She watched as a small smirk tugged at the man's lips before a sudden wave of power collided with her. Her breath was taken away, but when she gained it back she knew exactly who stood before her. Astonishment clear in her voice, she asked, “Sesshoumaru?”

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AN: Oh my gosh. Only one more chapter before I get to post all of these new chapters. I'm so excited! This chapter is three pages and just over 1,500 words longer than the original. I'm still giving credit where credit is due: The name for Kagome's zanpakutou was given to me by Lovelywitch and the ideas for the abilities were drawn from what secretlovers suggested. Mother's Day is tomorrow, so I have to finish my mom's present today. These revisions have taken a full week longer than I thought they would…but I'm happy with them so I think it's worth it. Sorry this has taken so long, but I hope you're enjoying the new chapters! Don't forget to let me know what you think and, as always, thanks for reading!