Clothed in her new miko garb, Kagome set out the next morning toward the appointed meeting place. It was terribly early still, the pink light of dawn just beginning to creep up over the dark horizon. Though the air was far from warm, it was a vast improvement over the chill of the preceding weeks. If she squinted hard enough, she could almost see the first inklings of winter’s end.

Kagome breathed in deeply, only her bare hands, face, and toes feeling the coolness at any rate, the rest of her body pleasantly warm beneath the insulating magic of the fire-rat’s fur. With her bow, quiver, and backback slung over her shoulders, she felt as though a bit of balance had been restored to the universe. It felt indescribably good, to be working toward her destined goal once again.

Smiling, she and Entei drew up beside Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Kaede atop the preordained hill. At once Shippou sprang into her arms.

“You look really pretty, Kagome-chan,” the fox-kit remarked, a light bashful tinge dusting his cheeks.

“Aw—thank you, Shippou-chan,” Kagome said, blushing as well.

As the wind rose, she brushed the errant end of her hair ribbon from her cheek, the lower unbound half of her hair trailing free as she glanced over at Sesshoumaru. A short distance away he stood with a teary-eyed Rin at his side, his golden eyes looking over at her in turn. Kagome’s blush deepened.

“Ready?” she asked him.

At his nod, she swung up onto Entei’s back, peering toward the East. Fuzzy and purple in the distance, she could just make out the range of mountains where Kouga lived. Her sights set, she turned back to her friends. In the movies, this would be the part where she delivered a dramatic line of farewell or said something rousing and inspirational—but this was real life, and nothing that didn’t sound overly trite or cheesy came to mind.

“Well,” she said, crooking a smile, “I’m off.”

“Safe travels, Kagome-sama,” Miroku said, inclining his head.

Sango smiled back, Kirara chirping in her arms. “Come back soon, Kagome-chan.”

“Take care, child,” Kaede said with a concerned frown.

“Don’t let Kouga get too handsy!” Shippou called after her as she took to the air.

Kagome blanched, hoping Sesshoumaru hadn’t caught that. Judging by the way his eyes were currently narrowed in her direction, it seemed unlikely…

She was just about to tactfully change the subject and ask him if he was coming along when the last voice in the world she pretty much ever wanted to hear cut through the quiet morning atmosphere like—well, the grating squawk of a toad.

“Milord! I have saddled Ah-Un—ugh—as you commanded!”

Scowling, Kagome looked down as Jakken trudged up the hill, leading along the drowsy two-headed dragon with obvious difficulty. As Sesshoumaru settled gracefully atop Ah-Un’s back, the imp clambered up after him.

Kagome gaped in annoyed disbelief as they drew up beside her in midair. “Don’t tell me you’re bringing him along!”

“Silence, impudent ningen!” the imp shouted with an affronted wave of his staff. “This Jakken is Sesshoumaru-sama’s loyal retainer. I will follow milord wherever he travels! If er…milord wills it so,” he amended hastily at the daiyoukai’s warning glare.

“We have tarried long enough,” Sesshoumaru said, giving Ah-Un’s reins a brisk crack as he caught Kagome’s eye.

“Right,” she said with a nod, trying to keep her voice strong and steady as she realized she’d been staring at his mouth. “Let’s go!”

This, Kagome thought, as the five of them sailed together through the blustery sky, might just turn out to be the longest day of my life…

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi