Beautiful Souls

First, there was chaos.

From the depths of chaos, a film arose and hovered above the rest. This became the heavens, and the heavier leavings floated like oil upon the seas and became the earth.

The heavens gave birth to the divine deities. They were glorious, but still, all was chaos. A gathering was held, and two of these beings were summoned and imbued with the power to create, and rule.

Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto descended to the Floating Bridge of Heaven and, as they stirred the waters with the point of their spear, an island formed. The two kami went there, and named the land Onokoro.

A great pillar was erected, and the two deities circled round it in opposite directions, greeting each other upon meeting. Because the woman spoke to the man first, their earliest children were boneless, and weak. Realizing their mistake, Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto circled the pillar again and this time, the male addressed his mate first.

From them, the islands of Awaji, Shikoku, Oki, Kyushu, Tsushima and Honshu were born, strong and proud. These eight islands were given the name Oyashi-ma-kuni or, ‘The Country of the Eight Great Islands’, and later it would be called, ‘Japan’. The kami continued giving birth; creating numerous smaller islands to surround the eight main ones, and soon a great country was formed.

Next, Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto gave birth to the deities who would rule the land, sea, mountains, rivers, trees and herbs. Then, these kami gave birth to other kami in their turn. All was well – perfect and beautiful – until one day, an unexpected disaster occurred.

Another god child was born – Kagutsuchi no Kami, the deity of fire. Upon this god’s birth, the delivering mother was horribly burned. Izanagi no Mikoto managed to revive his mate, but the divine mother had no appetite, and everything she ate was rejected from her body.

A miracle occurred. From the mouth of Izanami no Mikoto sprang forth two deities – the god and goddess of metals. From other body parts sprang the god and goddess of earth. Finally, she gave birth to her final child, Mizuhame no Mikoto… the goddess of death.

With death now introduced, Izanami no Mikoto died, but left behind her was a beautiful new world.

Mortals began to walk the earth, and then the youkai were summoned by the gods to counteract the growing power of the humans, who had become strong and proud. These early inhabitants of the earth were gatherers, fishers, and hunters. With the introduction of youkai to the world, they were now also the hunted.


Time passed, as only time can, and the people grew. Agriculture gave way to social classes, which gave way to systems of government. Emperors ruled the developing provinces, but no one ruled the youkai, who also continued to grow.

Towns were formed, religions introduced, a military rose, and taxes were adopted. Through it all, the youkai remained unchallenged, and the people sought one from among them. Someone who had the power to fight the demons and keep mankind safe from their treachery.

A beautiful miko became their warrior, and she served them well. Her power was unequaled, and in the end it took the force of thousands of youkai to defeat her. But even in death, the young priestess did not fail in her duty. In a final moment of strength, her soul was forced from her body - along with the souls of those demons who fought her. The collection of their kami formed into a tiny jewel - the Shikon no Tama.

The Jewel of Four Souls was the embodiment of perfection, and ultimate power. You see, in every creature and thing upon this earth, there resided a kami – a spirit. Goodness of spirit brought incredible harmony, and wickedness, likewise, invited horrific evil. The power of the Shikon no Tama was great, but easily swayed by the battle continuously raging within its fragile core. The brave miko would find no peace until the Jewel was dealt with.

But no one knew how.

And so, the Shikon no Tama passed from hand to hand, being protected by some and manipulated by others.

More time passed, and the country fell once more into chaos. Warlords fell into violent battle for control of the whole land, and the people suffered. The youkai were pleased, for in the midst of the glorious civil war, they grew more powerful, more evil, and could act as they pleased without fear of opposition.

Until the Shikon no Tama was placed in the hands of another miko – beautiful, and with great power. This miko was just as loved as the ones who had come before her, but she was sad too. Her life was not her own, and she could not afford to lose herself to her own desires, thus failing in her most sacred of duties.

The youkai heard that the Sacred Jewel had reemerged, and they sought to kill the miko and use the gem’s power to increase their own. The priestess defeated them all, but she continued to feel sorrow, even as she delighted in helping the people around her.

And then, a hanyou came – seeking the Shikon no Tama for himself.

The half-demon – born of a mortal woman and a youkai father – had lived a life of horrendous persecution. He found solace in neither of the worlds that had created him, and the isolation of ostracism fed his boiling anger until he was consumed by a desire to become a full youkai.


The hanyou followed the miko, waiting for opportunities to steal the Shikon no Tama from her. He took them when they arose, and though he always failed, the priestess would never kill him. He became intrigued with her. Though he continued to seek her, a measure of interest crept into the lonely creature’s heart.

They fell in love. The miko knew that she could not be free to love him unless the Sacred Jewel was taken care of. She urged the hanyou to take the Shikon no Tama, but to use it to become human. Then, they could live together a normal, quiet life. He agreed, and they arranged to meet again, when she would bring him the Jewel.

In a cave not far away, a mortal thief had also fallen for the beautiful priestess, but he was horrible burned, and ached from his inability to act on his desires. In a horrifying moment of evil, the thief offered his body to countless demons, begging for a physical body that would enable him to get to the miko in exchange for his soul.

With the youkai controlling the body and soul of a warped man, the newly formed creature tricked both the hanyou and the miko into thinking they’d betrayed one another. The hanyou was blinded by rage, and in his fury he attacked the miko’s village, stealing the Shikon no Tama and killing anyone in his path.

The evil and deceitful creature had injured the miko in his effort to poison her love for the hanyou, but still she managed to arrive in time to see the half-demon destroying her village. With the last of her strength, she fired a sacred arrow that pinned him to a tree, enchanting him into an eternal sleep. Despite the hate that had taken her heart, she still could not kill the man she loved.

The miko’s dying wish was to have the Shikon no Tama burned with her remains, so that it could not harm anyone ever again. Her wish was granted, and the deceitful creature who had sought her for his own, despaired that she had not been manipulated into using the Jewel for herself, thus tainting it with her hatred. For a time, he faded into obscurity.

Time passed, and the wars eventually came to an end. The youkai began to blend in with the mortals around them, and many did their best to disrupt the land. Cities grew, people forgot the past, and war came again… and again. The economy of Japan was greatly weakened after the First World War, and depression fell heavily upon the land.

The military established almost complete control over the government, and other countries grew fearful of the unstable nature of Japan’s power. The youkai reveled in their growing power among the mortals, and many fell into positions of great influence. In 1933, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being criticized for her rape of the Chinese capitol of Nanking.

The Second World War was the start of a turning point in their history. An attack on an American harbor expedited what had promised to be one of the bloodiest wars in world history. When the triumphant Allied forces demand for Japan’s surrender was refused, two atomic bombs decimated the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The evil among the youkai populace reveled in the pain and destruction.

The kami watched it all, and it was finally decided that something must be done. However, although the decision was made, nothing would come of it for another thirty or so, years

Japan had been devastated by the wars, but somehow everything began to turn around. A new constitution was signed and peace treaties were forged. Economic growth revitalized the nation, and even the oil crisis of 1973 was handled with ease, by switching from oil heavy industries to high technology.

Finally, an event occurred which topped all others, although no one but the kami knew of its importance.

A girl was born. She entered the world red and screaming, in a manner that betrayed the passion she would come to be known for. She was raised in Tokyo on the grounds of a temple shrine, and until her fifteenth birthday, showed no interest in the history of her homeland.

Until a youkai dragged her through a well on her family’s property and pulled her into the Sengoku Jidai – five hundred years back from her own time.

The girl was drawn into a familiar, yet unfamiliar place, and while searching for her home, she stumbled across the Goshinboku tree that sat in front of her family’s shrine. There, she saw a hanyou pinned by an arrow.

This was the same hanyou who had been enchanted by the miko he had loved, and believed had betrayed him. For fifty years, he had slept pinned to that tree, until this strange girl from the future freed him. In doing so, the girl set in motion events that would forever change the course of their world.

This girl was the reincarnation of that long ago miko – the hanyou’s lost love. Thus, it should not have been a surprise when the Shikon no Tama reemerged, having been carried within the girl’s body until it was violently torn from her.

In the ensuing battle for the Jewel’s possession, the gem was shattered into countless shards, and the girl from the future was forced to join with the hanyou in order to prevent even one of those shards from falling into the wrong hands.

This was a difficult task, but was made easier by others they met along the way. A young kitsune was the first - newly orphaned, and terribly alone. A handsome monk came next - cursed by the same demon that had caused the murder of the hanyou’s lost miko. A sorrowful taijiya and her nekomata companion were last – a recent victim of that same youkai, having lost her entire village to his treachery.

The six companions traveled all over the country, seeking pieces of the Shikon no Tama. For three years, they struggled to prevent the old deceitful creature from obtaining all the shards before they did. Countless times, they nearly lost their life. However, through their strength, determination, and friendship, they finally succeeded.

The Shikon no Tama was put back together again, and the terrible foe was vanquished. The life of the young girl from the future was nearly lost but instead, something wonderful happened. The souls of the three powerful miko’s were joined, and the spirit of the Sacred Jewel was divided among the warriors.

The friends were granted immortality, and in exchange they vowed to devote themselves to the protection of the world so that the forces of evil would never again rise to such great power as it had. They were stronger, they were purer, and they loved more deeply than any others.

The kami had watched these companions throughout their lives, but special attention was paid to the hanyou and the young girl from the future. It was she who had been the driving force in the unification of the warriors, and although she did not know it, the gods had chosen her especially for this task. She had not let them down.

The young girl could not have accomplished all she had without the love, support and friendship of those around her, for her strength lay in the depth of her emotions. The hanyou, the monk, the taijiya and her companion, and the young kitsune all were bound to each other – not just by their sacred oath, but also by their affection for one another. They would never know of the powers that had guided them, but their lives would always reflect the unseen influence of the kami.

There was much still for them to do, and many roads left to travel in order to fulfill their destinies, but the kami were there and would bless them every step of the way. They had fought so hard, and so determinedly, that the gods could not help but grant them things that no other on earth would ever possess… and a few of the regular blessings as well.

********************

Inuyasha was terrified. He, who had fought Naraku; who had battled with Kuroseirei; who had laughed in the face of countless youkai and walked away the victor, was not prepared to deal with the situation now before him.

Turning to Jinenji who waited calmly, the hanyou felt himself break out into a cold sweat. “ I swear to the kami, Jinenji, that if she dies….”

The doctor laughed without shifting his focus. “ She’ll be fine… it’s you I’m worried about.”
Inuyasha tried to snort in disgust, but it sounded more like a whimper. Another cry of pain came from his mate and his eyes widened as he turned to her and took her hand.

“ Inuyasha,” Kagome gasped.

“ Kagome?”

“ Don’t harass the doctor, Koshii.”

Jinenji hid his smile. “ Get ready to push again, Kagome… only a couple more and we’re done, alright?”

The nurse on the opposite side of Kagome took the girl’s other hand, and the hanyou resisted the urge to growl in a feral display of territorial anxiety. Another contraction shook Kagome’s small frame, and she tightened her grip on Inuyasha’s hand.

Kagome met his eyes and Inuyasha smiled, trying to look reassuring. Ten hours earlier during dinner at the Higurashi house, his wife had gone into labor, thus beginning the most exciting and excruciating night of the hanyou’s life. He had never been able to stand seeing his mate in pain, and any other doctor but Jinenji would have already thrown him out of the delivery room by now.

The large hanyou doctor glanced reassuringly at Inuyasha before turning his attention back to Kagome, continuing to encourage her as she struggled to bring a new life into the world. Jinenji knew this would probably be the only time he’d see his friend looking so lost, and it was strangely endearing.

“ Come on Kagome, one more,” Jinenji promised.

It actually took two more shoves of Herculean effort on Kagome’s part, but suddenly it was over, and the air was rent by the exhausted cries of one, and the livid screams of another.

Inuyasha stared in amazement at the tiny, red child that lay carefully cradled in the doctor’s comparatively large arms. A small pair of scissors was handed to him, and he barely registered the severing of the umbilical cord between mother and child before the shrieking bundle was passed over to a nurse.

“ Congratulations,” Jinenji offered with a smile. “ You have a daughter.”

Inuyasha could feel Kagome squeezing his hand again and, when a few moments later the afterbirth was passed, he felt the distinct need to sit down somewhere.

Kagome could feel the sweat dripping down the curve of her spine, but for a time she barely noticed the fatigue that coursed through her body as the nurse placed her child in her arms.
The girl was quiet now, staring up at her mother in wonder through slate blue eyes, flecked with golden mica. Her downy white hair curled slightly at the nape of her neck, and atop her head, two minuscule ears were still arched delicately against the scalp, too new to have yet unfurled.

“ Oh… Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered, ignoring the tear that trailed over her cheek. In an instant, he was beside her, and she could hear the breath catch in his throat.

Inuyasha stared back into the beautiful pair of eyes that now met his. A tiny smile curved the baby’s lips and the hanyou found himself returning it as he reached down to touch her.


“ She looks just like you,” Kagome breathed.

Inuyasha shook his head. “ No way… that’s your nose; your eyes; your smile.” He met his mate’s eyes in wonder. “ She’s perfect.”

Jinenji interrupted with a proud smile. “ Have you decided on a name for her?”

Kagome nodded, “Amara… Night Blossoms.”

“ Amara,” Jinenji tested the name before nodding in approval. “ It suits her. I’ll make sure all the necessary papers are drawn up for her. I don’t anticipate any problems there.” Walking towards the door, he stopped before leaving. “Congratulations, you two.”

Kagome smiled at her husband. “ Do you want to hold her?”

Inuyasha looked as though he wanted to refuse such a daunting task, but he nodded gamely. Easing himself gently onto the hospital bed next to Kagome, he held out his hands and allowed her to show him the best way to hold his new daughter.

The girl was tiny – barely seven pounds – and her entire head fit neatly into the palm of her father’s trembling hand. “ Hey there, Princess,” Inuyasha whispered to the wide-eyed baby. “ I’m your dad.” The word caught in his throat, and Kagome smiled up at him tenderly.

A miniature fist waved erratically in the air, and Kagome’s eyes widened as she caught the appendage. “ Look! She had claws!”

Sure enough, each finger ended in a sharp point, already dangerous enough to do damage.

Inuyasha smiled proudly. “Of course she does. She’s gonna grow up and be a brave warrior like her mom and dad, isn’t she?” he cooed to the infant.

Kagome hid her grin at Inuyasha’s reduction to baby talk. “ We ought to cut them… at least until she’s got enough control of her limbs that she doesn’t hurt herself.”

“ Oh no you don’t,” Inuyasha told her warningly. “ No child of mine’s gonna be left defenseless. No way.”

“ Inuyasha,” Kagome began, but before she could finish her sentence, the door opened and Mrs. Higurashi peeked in.

“ Jinenji told us we could come in,” Kagome’s mother explained. “ Is it okay?”

“ Of course,” Kagome urged, and smiled at the eagerness with which her mom joined Inuyasha at her side to admire the child.


“ Oh Kagome, Inuyasha… she’d just beautiful. She has your eyes, Kagome.” The woman’s own eyes grew teary, and her smile widened.

Kagome grinned. “ Careful Mama, she’s got claws.”

Mrs. Higurashi examined the tiny razors. “ So she does… we’ll have to do something to protect that sensitive skin of hers, won’t we?”

Kagome exchanged a knowing look with Inuyasha, who scowled in response.

“ Come on, Mom – let us see!” Souta and Jii-Chan had entered the room behind Mrs. Higurashi, but still lingered in the doorway.

“ Come meet your niece, Souta,” Kagome offered.

Souta grinned as Mrs. Higurashi held out the baby for the approval of her son and father-in-law.

Jii-Chan didn’t even try to hide the tears that slid down his cheeks. Gently, he took Amara from Kagome’s mother and sat down in the nearest chair with her in his arms. “Your grandmother had these same eyes, Kagome. Such a rare color… I’m glad to see it pass on again.”

“ Can I hold her, Kagome?” Souta asked.

“ Sure… just sit down first and let Jii-Chan give her to you when he’s ready,” Kagome agreed.

“ Can we come in too?” The door creaked open again and Sango smiled in at her friend. At Kagome’s gesture, the taijiya, Miroku, Kohaku, Shippou and Kaede joined the family, bringing the latest addition to their own as well.

“ Tenshi knows something’s going on… he’s been restless ever since we arrived,” Miroku announced, indicating to the happily chirruping baby in his wife’s arms.

Kagome grinned, “ Well, he is an amazingly intelligent boy.”

Tenshi had entered their lives on a rainy and wind-swept night only two weeks before, and already he had endeared himself to each member of his ever-extending family. They were positive that a superior intellect shone from the depths of his startlingly violet eyes, and no one would concede that they might be biased.

Sango had also given birth in this hospital, under the care of Jinenji, and afterwards everyone had been welcomed into the Higurashi home to relax, and await the arrival of the second baby. Every day since his birth, both Sango and Kagome had sat together with Tenshi, letting him in on the excitement of the impending emergence of the miko’s own child. It didn’t surprise anyone that the boy was as excited about Amara’s appearance as the rest of them. They already knew that he was brilliant.

Shippou climbed carefully into his mother’s lap, kissing her gently on the cheek before peering over towards where Souta sat holding his niece.

“ Would you like to see your sister, Shippou?” Kagome asked the boy.

Shippou nodded wordlessly, and Kaede lifted Amara from Souta’s arms, taking a moment to admire her before passing the child on to her mother. The kitsune sat in silent awe, unaware of the audience watching him intently.

“ She’s so little,” Shippou finally breathed.

Inuyasha nodded solemnly. “ Do you wanna hold her?”

Shippou’s eyes got wider, if possible, and he looked at Inuyasha to see if the hanyou was serious. After making sure that the kitsune was seated comfortably beside his mother, the hanyou gently placed his daughter into the little youkai’s arms, helping him cradle the head.

“ Hey, Amara,” Shippou said, eyes glowing. “I’m your big brother, Shippou. I’m gonna take real good care of you, and teach you all about being a youkai... when you’re older, that is,” he amended quickly, looking at Inuyasha for approval.

Shippou continued to talk softly to her, oblivious to the happy chatter that had broken out all around them.

Jii-Chan stood and reached into a small bag he’d been carrying. “ Excuse me, everyone! In honor of my great-granddaughter, and little Tenshi as well, I’d like to propose a toast.”

“ A toast?” Kagome asked with amused curiosity. “What are we toasting with?”

The old man smiled slyly. “ This.” He drew a bottle from the bag with a flourish, hiding the label with his hand.

“Father, you didn’t bring champagne in here, did you?” Mrs. Higurashi teased.

“ Apple cider,” Jii-Chan announced with pride. “ I’ve been saving this for a special occasion. You know, there’s an old story about this particular brand of cider, from when I was a young boy....”

As Jii-Chan went on with his tale, allowing Kaede to help him serve each guest a glass of the bubbling golden liquid, Sango came to sit next to Kagome on the bed.

“ Tired?” The taijiya asked quietly.

“Exhausted,” Kagome agreed, smiling happily. Lifting Amara from Shippou’s arms, the two mother’s held their children out side by side, admiring them.

“ Tenshi... this is Amara,” Sango told the gurgling boy.

“ Amara, meet Tenshi,” Kagome explained to her daughter.

As the two new mothers watched, Tenshi reached out and gently tugged one of Amara’s paper-thin ears, smiling innocently.

And Amara purred contentedly.

“As I was saying,” Jii-Chan continued. “ I’d like to propose a toast. To old friends, and new,” he indicated to Kaede, who blushed. “ To family, young and old,” he raised his glass to the tiny infants. “ But most importantly, to life. It may be hard, but it certainly is beautiful.”

To life.

*************************

That night, as Kagome slept, a warm pink glow filled her room, slowing drawing in around the girl until only her hands remained alighted.

Were anyone to have asked her what she dreamt that night, she would have only smiled. For deep within a cavern in her mind, an ancient miko presented the new mother with yet another gift - one more difficult to understand, and to use. It was the gift of life... and in very few years more, Kagome would find cause to use it in a most unexpected way.

The young miko, mother, daughter, friend and mate smiled in her sleep.

**************************

Down a hallway, dimly lit in accommodation of both the late hour and of it’s tiny charges, a tall man stood silently outside the viewing room window of the nursery, gazing down at the white-haired hanyou child.

He recognized her feather-soft hair, and there was no mistaking the slate blue of her eyes, flecked with an amber color so much like his own. Unlike many of the other infants, this one slept peacefully, unaware of her visitor and he preferred it that way. He was taking a chance being here at all.

A tiny, toad-like creature waddled closer to the man, timidly clearing his throat. “ M~my Lord? We should be going... you have a meeting in the morning and there’s much preparation to do beforehand.”

A moment’s pause, and then a nod of his head. “Yes, Jaken. Go alert the driver that I shall be ready in a moment.”

Jaken hesitated, but obeyed with a final glance at the large window.

Sesshoumaru continued staring at his niece, admiring her delicate form. He already knew the strength of the woman she would become, but the youkai Lord had wasted so much time in his own foolishness that he had missed some of the smaller, yet no less significant moments in life. He was grateful for the opportunity to make amends, and repay priceless debts.

“ Sesshoumaru... thank-you for coming,” Jinenji greeted the Lord, shaking his hand warmly.

Sesshoumaru nodded, “ Of course. All the necessary documents have been signed, I assume?”

Jinenji opened his briefcase and handed the man an envelope. “ Yes. I’m guessing that you have everything taken care of already?”

Sesshoumaru glanced at Amara, exchanging the doctor’s envelope with one of his own. “ I’ve been waiting for this day for centuries... it was not hard to come prepared.”

Jinenji grinned, examining the envelopes contents. “ You’re as thorough as always... I’ll make sure your brother and Kagome get all of these documents for Amara. They already know to come to me when it’s time to update their identities, but I’ll remind them anyhow.”

Nodding, Sesshoumaru reminded him, “ They are not to know about my part in this... at least, not yet. I will tell them when the time is right.”

“ Of course.”

******************************************************************************
finis


Amara - Night Blossoms

Tenshi - Heavenly Gift

A/N: Almost all of the characters in this story are brought to you by the genius of Rumiko Takahashi, and the letters A, L & L. I do not own the characters, they own me.

THAT’S IT GUYS! Yay me! I finished my first fic! Woo! I’m happy, yet sad all at the same time!

HERE’S THE NEWS ON THE SEQUEL AND THE ONE-SHOTS! - A series of one-shots will follow, starting next week and continuing on until I’m ready to start posting the sequel. I hope that you all will continue on this journey with me and I only promise to keep doing my best with this story.

The sequel will be entitled: Beautiful Lives, and is set five hundred years from the Sengoku Jidai... or in other words, in the Modern Era! Except we’ll be following the lives of Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippou and Kirara as they are five hundred years from when this story takes place.


That’s right folks, our good friends are still the stars of this show! Along with them, we will also see much more of Sesshoumaru and Rin, Kouga and Ayame, and Amara and Tenshi, among many others. In a few weeks or so, I will add to the end of one of the one-shots a quick synopsis of the sequel, so that you can get even more excited about it!

I’ve decided to send out an e-mail when I post, so if you’d like to be on the list, please send an e-mail to me at BrethlessM@aol.com and I’ll add you!

Now some fun announcements! The winner’s of the Baby Names contest are Ofir, who suggested Amara, and Crossbow Trueshot, who offered Tenshi. Thanks to everyone who sent me names, and I still intend to use some of them by the time we get to the sequel. Ofir and Crossbow, please e-mail an address to me and I will be sending you a little gifty soon!

Special thanks are in order, so please bear with me whilst I indulge myself. First of all, thanks to my mummy and daddy for indulging their brain-damaged child.

Thanks to my brother for at least admitting that Inuyasha is one of the better anime’s, even if he doesn’t like them at all.

Thanks, love and adoration to my best friend Bryen for hours of proof reading a fic about a show he’s never seen.

Thanks to Stuey for my website!

Thanks to Diane, my sister-soul and artiste extraordinare! We inspire each other’s greatness, and someday we’ll get where we so desperately need to be. Love You!

Thanks to Vikki, who has reviewed EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER *cough* except one *cough* ;). Follow your dreams, girlfriend!

Thanks to Centuryjagswim for his support, and friendship. You’re wonderful!

Thanks to Crossbow Trueshot for spinning ideas with me. You’ve been a lifesaver on more than one occasion!

Most importantly, thanks to EVERYONE READING THIS! You guys are the best and I love each of you! I couldn’t have done this without you being right there with me, so I owe it all to you.

You like me! You really like me!

All right... I’m done now.

Diane - ARGH! You caught me on the fire mouse kimono! I’m so ashamed. I’ll fix that, I promise. ;) I’m glad you’re excited about the one-shots, and I know we’ll be talking soon! Love ya, Sis!

Fran - Yay for babies! My good friend Diane has done a BEAUTIFUL picture of Amara, through her three stages of life: baby, young girl and adult (whom we’ll be seeing in an upcoming one-shot!). See it, and all her other AMAZING work, at http://ivloongoddess83.deviantart.com/ It’s not there right this second, but I’ll e-mail her and make her add it. I love it! She’s also done a pic of the battle scene from chapter 11 and a picture of Kagome and Inuyasha after the prom earlier in the fic as well. More are to come, but you should definitely keep tabs on this one... she’s fantastic!
I will definitely check out Mark of Intent. I’ll be sure to review and tell you what I think too! Congratulations on joining the wonderful world of fanfic and good luck!

Vikki - !!!! I was sad! It’s okay... I’ll forgive you! Just don’t let it happen again! (Just kidding...) I really hope your brother is getting better, and please know that my thoughts and multi-secular prayers are with him, and you as well.
What do you mean, “the passion is dying out”? I’m confused! Do I suck? Are my relationships faltering? Clue me in, babe! I’m glad you liked my fight scene... it was hard! Actually, all of the vision’s Kagome had were from Inuyasha’s life... I even left some clues to unanswered questions about Inuyasha’s past in there, if you can catch them... read that part again and see what you can figure out! No lemons here, but there will be some in the future, I promise! Thanks for being such a good friend and dedicated reviewer! I needed you to get through this!

Inuzands - I’m glad you liked my description of evil! I was being inspired by one of my favorite authors and how descriptive he is, so I decided to play with it and see what I could do. It was fun! I hope you enjoy the babies and I’ll see you again (I hope) at the one-shots!

PJ - I definitely intend to keep writing... I’m having so much fun! I’m glad you appreciated Shippou’s bravery. Everyone in this show has so much depth to them... it’s why I love it so much! Enjoy the final chapter and I hope to see you at the one-shots!

Stuey - You’re right, in a way. The dog story is about devotion, but I used it as a fertility story for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is to show just how much folklore is twisted to fit what people need. Kagome, Inuyasha and all have become kami in the eyes of the people, because that’s what they needed then. The Sacred Dog story is a reflection of fiction creating truth. It happens all the time in history, which is why it’s so fun! A man can be a warrior, but depending on who’s telling the story, he can be portrayed as a crusader, or an invader.
The fight scene was challenging because I didn’t want to repeat stuff I did in the other battle. It’s tough to try and make it new and exciting all at the same time.
I haven’t e-mailed you yet, but I’m excited about your ideas for the website. We’ll talk soon, I’m sure. I’ve been so busy lately!
I actually don’t speak Japanese, but I do know a little. Very little. I highly suggest that you give the manga a try, even though it’s backwards. There’s something to be said for the purity of Takahashi-sama’s words and art. There is another version of the manga that reads from right to left, and it’s in color. I don’t prefer it, only because it’s mostly art from the anime and not Takahashi’s original format. I read an on-line translation, done by a guy in Britain who has the original sent to him weekly from Japan. It’s awesome!

Kumiko - Two babies for you! I hope you like them.... We’ll see more of them in an up-coming one-shot, so stay tuned!

New Fan - Sessh and Rin will have their own one-shot, but the main characters of the sequel will be the same characters in this one! There will be a lot of Sessh and Rin in there too though, as well as Kouga, Ayame, and all the kiddies! I’ll keep the enemy a secret for now, but I promise that Sessh and Rin will be there, and they will be significant to the story. Maybe not main parts, but definitely more than in this story.

cjflutterbye - Well, some of the stuff you mentioned interest in didn’t make it into this final chapter, but I hope it was pleasing all the same. We’ll see Chizuko and Zengoro again though... those two have been around forever! Hope you like the babies as much as I do!

Kirara1 - Thanks for the encouragement and I hope to hear from you again on the sequel!

Skywolf - YAY and welcome! Isn’t Diane’s work wonderful! Some of her art is for my story, and I’m so grateful to have her talent! She actually did a pic of Amara, and I have to get on her to post it on Deviant art so that you all can see it there. Thanks for come to see me and please come again!

Catz2.0 - I definitely needed to do another chapter... there’s still so much left to do! I decided to do a sequel just because I still had so much I wanted to explore with these guys. I’m so happy you enjoy my story, and I hope you stick around for the one-shots and the sequel! I’m excited about writing them. I chose the name ‘Amara’ for IY and Kagome’s daughter because it conjured up this really beautiful image in my mind that totally made me see the character. It means, ‘Night Blossoms’, and maybe you’ll be able to see why that name touched me when we get to that one-shot. We’ll see!