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Silver Memories

By
Im ur misconception



The day had finally come for them. With the Jewel of four souls complete and Naraku now dead, all that remained was for her to make the wish. With world weary, tired cobalt blue eyes, Kagome looked at the battered and dirty rag tag group around her. Well, all but the infamous Taiyokai of the west Sesshomaru. A faint smile curved her lips as she made eye contact with each person, before looking down at the small pink pearl-like jewel pulsating in her hand. Nodding her head, she quickly peeked up at them all through her bangs. It was a bit hard to believe that it had been almost three full years now since her journey had started that fateful day, on her fifteenth birthday, when she fell down the old seal shrine well.

She gave a soft sigh that was mixed with a small snort of laughter, making the others look at her with curiosity, and lifting her head, Kagome met the eyes of each person once more, ending on her adoptive son's beautiful green orbs. Giving a small nod of her head, she closed her eyes, lifting the jewel up so it rested over her heart. Kagome took a deep breath and summoned her own Ki from deep within her body, allowing it to flow out around her and into the jewel, when she was hit with the sudden sensation of being sucked into a void, reminiscent of when she was pulled down the well, and each time she traveled through it..

“You are ready to make your wish now, Kagome?” a definitive female voice echoed around her.

Once more Kagome nodded her head as she opened her mind's eye to see a white and black void around her floating body. Her eyes shifted to the left and right, before catching on a tall, dark-haired woman with cobalt blue eyes like hers. Her mental self smiled at the woman in warm understanding, but still she didn't say a thing, as the woman raised her eyebrows up to her hair line, her own eyes showing that understanding of what the girl wanted.

“Are you sure you want this, Kagome? There will be no return once you make this wish, and it isn't completely selfless either, so the Jewel will continue to remain in existence,” the woman spoke, as she took a few steps forward toward Kagome.

Taking a deep breath and letting out a long, melodramatic sigh, Kagome stared up into the eyes of her true ancestor, the one that she was a reincarnation of, Midoriko, the Priestess from whom the Jewel of four souls originated. “Yes Midoriko. I am sure of this wish. My reasoning is this, I no longer belong in my future time, and here in the past, while I care deeply for my companions, the truth is that the one I want to be with, will never love me for who I am, but the person I look like.”

Midoriko looked at her descendant with a calm worry in her blue eyes as they darkened to an almost midnight hue. Reaching out, she pulled Kagome into a hug, stroking her now waist-length, curly black hair. “Then child, speak your wish so that the kamis will hear it. Speak without hesitation in your heart, soul, and mind. Remain true to what you want, and we shall see if they are feeling gracious.”

Kagome waited till Midoriko stepped away from her, her own eyes darkening as she pulled on more of her power. “I wish on thee, Jewel of four souls. Please hear what I say, and grant that wish to the best of your abilities,” Kagome intoned in a voice laced with her own miko powers. Soon, the Jewel against her breast flashed brightly, blinding those that stood around her still body as they watched her physical form began to glow with the pink touch of her Miko power. Her mouth moved, speaking her wish silently as the others tried to read what her lips were saying.

“The wish I ask you to grant, is to let everyone have what their heart of hearts truly desire. For the love I feel for them is a reflection of me wanting them to be happy. That my family and friends both past and future are taken care of and never forget me. For I wish to be taken to a place, away from here, were I will be needed, and I can find my happiness on my own,” Kagome gasped as she felt her body become encompassed in a massive wave of pressure.


That pressure made her feel very small and tiny, as she began to hear many voices in her head. The loud, cacophonous drone was almost deafening, making her want to scream out in pain, but she knew that she had to endure, since it was a test of her resoluteness. She let her eyes search out Midoriko who was staring at her with sad, yet happy looking eyes. Then, it was all over, and her mind was silent, once more her own, the pressure no longer pressing her body. Blinking a few times, she just looked in confused awe at her companion, who smiled warmly.

“Your wish is granted, but there is a price that must be paid for a selfish wish, young lady. Go now. Tell your friends goodbye, and see what changes you have wrought in their eyes. I will be here waiting to explain some details of your new life when you're ready.” Midoriko curled her lips into a slightly sardonic smile as she turned her back to Kagome.

Understanding that she was being dismissed, Kagome called her power back to her, allowing her mind to reconnect to her physical body. As she started to come to, Kagome felt a harsh pain just under her breast bone, causing her to gasp and clasp at it. Opening her eyes, she looked down to see the faint glow of the jewel from under her shirt before it finished merging with her body once more. Lifting her cobalt eyes to the scene before her, she found a mixed reaction on all her friends' faces, and her lips lifted in a small, sad smile.


Miroku and Sango looked the same, except that they were holding hands, and Miroku wasn't showing any inclination that he was gonna grope Sango. Her eyes traveled down to Kirara and Shippo who were standing there looking at her with pain clearly written into their faces, making Kagome's heart skip a beat. Soon enough, she turned away from them, almost as if in shame, to see a look of obvious anger on Sesshomaru's face. There were no visible signs of him having changed, making her wonder what exactly the man who wanted nothing would wish for. Beside him, Rin and Jakken just stared at her, the latter with his toad mouth hanging open in shock, while Rin sniffled as silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. Once more, she turned her face away with shame more clearly written across it, only to have her gaze land on the man she had come to love, InuYasha, and her jaw dropped open at what she was seeing.

There he stood arms crossed, tapping his foot in his normal irritated and impatient attitude. Unable to believe her eyes, Kagome walked towards him, lifting her hands up, and rubbed the two small white triangle ears on his head, causing his face to turn an embarrassed shade of red. It was clear to her that he was still a hanyou. When she finished, Kagome took a few steps back, her face showing the curiosity that she was feeling as she just looked at him.

“WHAT! You act as if you haven't seen them before. AS to WHY I am still a hanyou, it is because this is how you met me and fell in love with me. But I have a feeling that it doesn't matter now, does it Kagome?” he barked, baring his fangs in anger at her.

Pain written on her face, she took several more steps back so she could see them all in her gaze. When she stopped, Kagome just looked at them, feeling the hot sting of tears as they began to fall from her eyes unheeded, leaving twin burning trails down her cheeks. Her shame caused her cheeks to flame red, only confirming InuYasha's insinuation, making the others' reaction more defined. Not hanging her head this time, Kagome stood up straight to her full height.

“No, you are correct InuYasha. I made my wish, that all of you, along with my friends and family in the future, are happy, protected and get what you want most, but I also made a wish for myself.” Her voice trailed off as she lifted her head up, showing she had no regrets. “To the kamis I asked that I be sent to another place and time where I am needed and can find love on my own, a love that doesn't come with any requirements or strings attached. Truth be told, I am exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. I do not belong in my own time any more, and here has a lot of bad memories. Can you honestly tell me InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and you too Lord Sesshomaru, without any of your emotions clouding your opinion, that I would be happy here with all that has happened? That everything would be peachy and perfect?”

Her words were met with complete silence. She looked at them, noting that InuYasha's ears had gone flat against his head, while Miroku and Sango honestly averted their eyes. Sesshomaru just narrowed his gaze as Rin hid behind him, trying to smother her sobs in his haori pants. When her gaze came to Kirara and Shippo, there was a pain tearing at heart so strong, to see the loss and hurt in their eyes, making her shoulders slump ever so slightly as she sighed.

“Mama... would you like to know what my wish was?” A small child like voice came from the little kitsune as she watched him take a few tentative steps forward.

Looking at him as he did so, almost like he was scared of her or what was to come, she nodded her head as she knelt down, holding her arms out to him. At the action, she found the small kit running into her arms, along with the fire cat as well. She knew that Kirara had taken to her quite a bit over the last few years, but to this extent was a bit shocking. Hugging them close, she looked down at the ginger hair of her adopted son, waiting for him to speak. She had a feeling that she knew what he had wished for, but hearing it would make a difference.

“Mama, I wished that I would always be with you. No matter what happened, I would always go with you wherever you went. That way, I could make sure you were okay, cause I love you so much.” His voice trembled, as he lifted his green eyes, wavering with unshed tears.

His words were the final nail in the cracked dam, causing Kagome to sob aloud, tightening her hold onto Shippo and Kirara. It took her a few minutes to regain her composure, but when she did, Kagome stood up and looked at her friends and companions once more. All the emotions she felt, both the ones she had openly shared and kept hidden all this time, showed there in her dark cobalt eyes as her body became rigid.

“Your choice has been made, your wish granted. There is a resoluteness in you that I haven't previously seen. If this is what you truly wish, Lady Kagome, then all we can do is accept it and allow you this small bit of happiness. But do, before you decide to leave, say proper goodbyes. Rin and even Jakken will miss you,” a deep yet mellow voice half growled at her.

It wasn't often that any of them got to hear Sesshomaru speak, more than a single sentence in one breath. So all 6 turned their eyes to him in shock, while a soft sputtering of indignation could be heard from the area around his feet. This caused a small soft giggle laced with sobbing to come from behind him, which in turn made Kagome and the others chuckle softly aloud. The mood was now lightened as they all looked at each other.

“Well, I do hate long goodbyes, but I have Midoriko waiting on me. So I guess it is time to do that, and thank you Lord Sesshomaru for your words,” she mumbled shyly all of a sudden as she knelt down once more to set Shippo and Kirara on the ground.

She stood back up, her normal bright sunny smile on her lips, making her blue eyes dance, and with a small soft laugh, she walked forward, lifting her arms up and open, in Miroku's and Sango's direction. Neither hesitated as they met her half way, embracing her in a warm hug of their own. It was something that was familiar and yet alien to Kagome as she released them, to look at the couple that had a huge struggle to be together. This was especially true considering Miroku had a habit of being a pervert with a wandering hand, whilst Sango was a proper lady who refused to grieve until all the souls of her village was laid to rest. Knowing that they would have a chance to have a normal relationship, or as much as possible if Miroku didn't change his way, made her very happy.

Next, she walked to InuYasha, who still had his ears laid flat against his head. The smile was still on her lips as she looked at the man or rather hanyou she had fell in love with, traveled all of feudal japan with, and fought along side with. A bit of hesitation showed in his movements before he walked slowly towards her. Kagome felt a small wave of trepidation as she lifted her arms to hug him, slightly tilting her head down, but when his arms wrapped around her, Kagome exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Lifting her eyes up, she looked at InuYasha's sad and apologetic golden eyes. The words that were on his lips she didn't want to hear, but knew she had to hear them, even if they would only cause the hurt in her heart to deepen.

“K-Kagome I am sorry. It took me a long time to realize that I cared deeply for you. I don't like you leaving like this, but I understand that, like you, I know we could never have a relationship like you truly deserve, since I cannot love you like you truly deserve.” As he finished, InuYasha dropped his arms and stepped back, a faint smile on his lips, showing his small fangs.

“Thank you InuYasha, for understanding. It does mean a lot that you understand why in part I am doing this,” Kagome said, as she lifted a hand to wipe away some errant tears that had spilled over again.

A faint tugging sensation came from where the jewel was now embedded in her chest, letting her know that time was getting short, so not wanting to continue looking in his eyes, she turned to face InuYasha's brother Lord Sesshomaru. Kagome was at a loss for what to do. As she looked at the Taiyokai for a few silent seconds, his own golden eyes bored into hers, and the smile on her lips became a bit hesitant. Letting her eyes travel over him, down his body to the small imp Jakken and the small girl with black hair and soft doe brown eyes standing behind him. As her gaze went back up, inspiration bit her in the butt, and she gasped, causing the Taiyokai to blink once.



Throwing away her hesitation, Kagome clapped her hands and walked forward. She knelt down, grabbing Rin in a hug as she whispered her goodbye to the small girl, who just hiccuped and grinned as she looked down at Jakken. The small imp visibly shuddered under that grin, then without warning, threw his hands up in the air and ran away screaming, Rin following closely behind him. Neither would go too far from where Sesshomaru was, which was a good thing for Kagome. Standing up, she looked the Taiyokai in the face with her smile, as she lifted her left hand to indicate that she wanted to shake his hand. What he did next shocked not only her, but all others in the clearing as he stepped forward and took her hand in his only one, and shook her hand firmly.

Feeling her face grow ten degrees hotter, her instincts kicked in. Kagome began to release a small fine stream of her Ki, letting it down her arm and Sesshomaru's, before focusing it on his left arm, the arm that he had lost in his encounter in InuYasha's and his father's tomb. As she did so, she felt him release his own Youki, as if mimicking her, letting it wrap down his arm before it circled up her own. It confused her as it focused on two spots, one being her forehead and the other where the jewel now rested. Their powers synced up and merged as they did their task, leaving each feeling strange, but once it was done, Kagome stepped away first, letting go of his right hand, her eyes wide in amazed shock as she looked up at the smirking Lord of the west, who was now flexing his new left arm.

“Am I to take it Lord Sesshomaru that you like what I have given you?” she whispered softly, her eyes hooded.

In response to her question, he leaned in and whispered into her ears, so only she could hear. “Yes, Lady Kagome, I do indeed like what you have given me. I hope you like what I have given you in return, since no matter where you go, you are mine.”

With those cryptic words, he turned and walked towards the edge of the clearing, his intent obvious, as he called for Rin and Jakken to follow him, leaving Kagome to stand there with confusion and consternation written on her face. With a slightly annoyed huff, she placed her hands on her hips and spun to look at the others. That tugging sensation in her chest was getting a bit more painful, but the looks on their faces made her stop, drop her arms, and wrinkle her brow further in confusion.

“Okay...Uh..Everyone this is really odd, but um it is time for me to go now. I will always remember you and miss you all. Please live good lives and take care of each other okay.” Her words trailed off as a soft pulse was felt at her chest.

Looking down, she saw its soft glow, then with a quick glance up, Kagome smiled that soft sad smile. Bending down, she grasped her yellow backpack, along with her bow and quiver of arrows. Then she felt that familiar sucking sensation as she was pulled physically into the jewel of four souls, not crying out in either shock or pain. It made her glad at how far she had come since their journey had started. When the world became still once more, Kagome noted that she was once more in that white and black void, her only companion being her ancestor Midoriko. With raised eyebrows and amusement in her dark cobalt eyes, the woman stared at her, focusing on her forehead, making Kagome feel a bit insecure as she lifted her hand to rub at the spot where Sesshomaru's Youki had focused.

Silver Memories

By
Im ur misconception

Day after Impact

Midgar, Shinra Inc. President's Office

“WHAT! Why now, of all times, do you want to take a vacation, Professor Hojo!? Please explain it to me in detail,” a short pudgy man asked from behind a large oak desk. His fingertips pressed together like the steeple of a church, while small squinty eyes bored into a man of medium height who stood across from him, garbed in a lab coat with dark hair and glasses.

“Well, a month and a half ago, you really stressed for me to take some time off when my wife Lucrecia disappeared. At that time, I didn't find it prudent to take one with all the important projects you had me doing, President Reginald Shinra,” the man said, pushing his square-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose. “And I do so choose to take the vacation now. Also, I want to be left alone, so there will be no body guards I need. Where I go is my business. Was this not in the contract we worked out seventeen years ago when I signed up for the Labs under Dr. Ghast? Correct me if I am wrong, my dear respectable president.”

There was a subtle twitch on the Presidents forehead as he took several shallow breaths, trying to contain his annoyance at the man before him. He knew that Kenya Hojo was correct about his contract, and some part of him had the feeling that the man's sudden interest in a vacation had to do with the meteorite that had impacted in the southern hemisphere of the planet. It was just the thing he didn't want this particular man to be around, until he had gotten his own hands on that lump of dirt’s, precious metals. With a soft snort, Reginald Shinra pressed his lips into a thin line, grinding his teeth as he looked down at the scattered pile of papers on his desk. The man had made sure that he had all his affairs in order before submitting his vacation request. Knowing he was defeated even if he didn't like it, Reginald placed his hands on the edge of the desk and shoved the chair back from it. Quickly, he stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of the only good scientist he had, in spite of the fact that there was something seriously off with the man.

“Fine Hojo. I will give you your vacation, but you will be back in four weeks, which means your a** is here in this building the first of next month, clocking in on time for your shift in the labs and working hard on the Jenova project. I still think you shouldn't be leaving it alone for a month, even if the results of our number on super solider and general for the Shinra Army is stable,” Reginald spoke, his voice laced heavily with defeat as he waved the man away.

Hojo looked at the small round man before him, making sure not to smile in a malicious manner as he bowed at the waist. When he stood back up, he noted the small petulant pout on the mans lip, before he turned and left the room without waiting for any other dismissal. His hands clasped behind his back as he hunched over, quickly making his way to the elevator. He had specific orders to give to his assistants about what was to be done and how during his absence. Already he was getting excited about his trip, knowing what landed wasn't a piece of dirt and metals but something much more interesting. If things went the way he hoped, it would turn out to be a wonderful new experiment, one that possibly could hold limitless possibilities, since the voice in his head said that it was a very unique and seemingly powerful being.

“What do you recommend in the handling of the new specimen, Jenova? I don't want to harm it or make it mistrust me just yet,” he thought to the other person in his head.

“I do not know right now, just that what landed was a human being that radiated a great amount of power. I am thankful to you, Hojo, for implanting my cells and consciousness into yourself until my son is ready enough to do what needs doing to help save this planet,” a distinctly female voice said softly, almost as if cooing to him.

0000000000000

Mideel, one week after Impact

After she had woken up from blacking out, Kagome had taken the time to listen to the Tama's and learn from them as best she could. Already, she had picked up the local dialect, speaking it as if it was her natural language. She had learned that she didn't need a bow and arrow to shoot off her power at things anymore, but rather she could summon it up at will. That fact alone made survival easy especially with hunting, since it killed the animals and strange beasts painlessly. In the last week, she also learned that she could tap into the jewels powers to alter her physical appearance. This was an amusing thing since the first thing she did was change into a man, only to find out that if she stayed in that form, Mother Nature still treated her as a female, which was rather awkward for her and hilarious for Ara Mi Tama.

Possibly the biggest thing she had learned was that she wouldn't be getting rid of the magenta-colored brand on her forehead. No matter what she had tried, the crescent moon had stayed there and probably always would. The next change came when she finally made contact with the only village on the island. It had happened on her fifth day there, she was out hunting when she heard the scream. Instinct made her run towards it to help, only to find a small boy on the ground surrounded by what she had come to term as Goblins. The boy was hurt, bleeding from a small head wound, as the creatures were closing in with jeering screeches at their prey. Without thinking, she had summoned her bow and shot a singular arrow into the group of beasts, purifying them all in one blow, leaving the boy stunned sitting on the ground looking at her, while she just blushed a dark red.

In the moments that followed she had gone to the boy, expecting him to run away screaming from her. When she had gotten close enough, she saw that this boy had accompanied the elder to her crash landing site. Shaking her head, she spoke softly to the boy as she let her bow dissipate, then squatting down by the silents boy's side. Reaching out, she had placed her hands over the wound on his head and willed it to be healed, causing the boy to gasp as crashing in the jungle under brush was heard, accompanied by shouting. She lifted her face up to find several men standing there, baring weapons, a clear indication that they were the village warriors.

A small smile on her lips, she recalled the three hours of conversation spent trying to explain things to them. Eventually, history repeated itself as she let herself be bound this time and taken to the village elder for his decision. She was thankful that he was like Kaede and let her speak her piece, before he ruled that she was not a threat. The next few days followed peacefully for her as she settled into the village, a bit of an outcast, but still allowed her to pull her weight.

“Hey Kagome, where are you going today? Can we come with you on your errands? PLEASE!” asked several small children who had taken a liking to her, after finding out about her healing of the young boy.

Turning, Kagome looked down at the children, a soft easy smile on her lips as she sighed. “Nope, not today. I am gonna go hunting for some herbs and such for me. How about when I get back, I play hide and seek or tag with you all? Does that sound like a fair plan?” she said softly, her blue eyes pleading with them to accept.

The kids looked at her for a few minutes before they stepped away. They huddled into a circle and talked in what they deemed a secretive whisper, which she could hear clearly. Her lips pressed into a thin line while still smiling, trying not to laugh aloud. They made her miss her adoptive son, Shippo. The children broke out of the circle, coming to stand before her, hands on their hips trying to look contemplative with great speculation in their faces. To her it was adorable, but she knew that they were trying to act like adults, so all Kagome could do was raise her eyebrows and put an expression of curiosity on her face.

“We have discussed it, and we accept your propa..propos.. We agree with your idea, Kagome. So hurry and come back quickly, okay?” a girl with green eyes and short brown hair said, nodding her head as if her words were law and expected to be obeyed.

“I will do as you have asked Cali. Thank you for allowing me to do my errands. It is most gracious of you, my friends. Bye bye,” Kagome said, making her voice sound grateful as the children squealed and ran off to play some where else.

She watched the kids as they ran away, as a feeling of being watched tingled down her spine. Slowly, she let her eyes roam around before catching the gaze of several of the adults. The looks on their faces were still very wary of her, but the smiles on their lips spoke of their approval of how she had handled the kids. Giving them a bright smile and a quick wave of her hand, Kagome turned and left the village.

The sites and sounds of the jungle thrilled her, since her senses were now enhanced greatly between her new powers and Sesshomaru's youki coursing through her body. She was still trying to get used to all of it, and knew that she had a long way to go. It would come in time according to Kusi and Nigi who seemed to root for her, while Saki was on the line, and Ara seemed to think her an incompetent ditz. While she knew she couldn't deny being a ditz, Kagome didn't like being thought of as incompetent. In fact, it grated on her nerves, since she had dealt with it the whole time she traveled with InuYasha.

At the thought of the hanyou, Kagome felt a small pain in her chest, letting her know that she missed her friends. She couldn't help but wonder just how they were doing, and what had happened. Giving a sigh, she closed her eyes and let her senses spread out from where she was now standing. Kagome felt a sharp pain in the back of her skull, a signal that someone was poking around the barrier she had put up around the place she had crashed. Something deep within her told her it wasn't the villagers since they tended to avoid the place. With that, her eyes snapped open before narrowing to dark shiny blue slits of annoyance.

Turning slowly in the direction of her crash site, Kagome summoned her power, taking care to mask it as she ran at a speed that looked like nothing more than a blurred image. In a matter of minutes, she was at the edge of the clearing around the site. Keeping herself hidden from view like she had that first day, she observed a man who looked to be in his late twenties to his early thirties poking around the barrier, muttering to himself. Her senses told her that something about this man was just not right, as if he was a foreign entity like her and didn't belong, or that was what it felt like someone was telling her. She had yet to learn what it was that would whisper things like that into her mind at times, but when she had questioned the Tama's, all she had gotten was 'The planet speaks', leaving her confused.

“You do know that it is rude to keep oneself hidden from view and watch other people work. Unless you are a voyeur,” the man spoke, lifting his head up briefly to look at where she was hiding.

She felt the breath leave her chest in a whoosh of air. Blinking her eyes once she replied, “Yes I guess it is, but I am no voyeur sir. But you should know it is rude to poke around places without permission from the people who live in the area.”

A soft, dry chuckle escaped the man as he stood up from his stooped position, giving her hiding spot full attention. He cocked his head to the side as if listening to something, then spoke up. “Well, you are correct, yet wrong there young lady. So, why don't you come out and speak to me, unless I scare you,” he said, his voice almost mocking.

Kagome narrowed her eyes a bit, as that soft voice told her to be careful, and stepped from her hiding spot so the man could see her in her short green skirt, white sailor school shirt, sans socks or shoes. “You do not scare me, so much as something about you leaves me feeling very unsettled. So I ask you, what is your name and purpose here? Because I am sure that the villagers wouldn’t appreciate you poking around their land,” she asked, her tone calm, neutral and totally unassuming.

Once more, the man chuckled softly and dryly before speaking to her, “Ah you are an odd one, if not very perceptive. My name is Kenya Hojo. I work in the world's largest city, Midgar as its top scientist. My purpose is this impact site and the person who landed here, who I take, from your odd clothes and strange markings, would be you.” His thin lips curved up in a small knowing smile, daring her to lie.

Kagome felt her eyebrows jump to her hair line as she looked at the man with his brazen audacity. The smile on her lips became thin to indicate she didn't appreciate the way he worded his sentence. “Perceptive is something I have learned over the last few years, Hojo. And you make great assumptions, which if you are wrong, makes an a** out of both you and me.” Her voice was a bit cold. “Also my name is Kagome Higurashi. And sorry, but I cannot say that making your acquaintance is a pleasure I like.”

She watched Hojo carefully after speaking, only to raise her eyebrows to her hair line again as the man laughed once more. The laugh reminded her of Naraku in some odd manner, causing her nerves to twinge, though she kept totally still. Her calm blue eyes stayed trained while her body looked relaxed and lucid, but in reality was tighter than a wound-up steel spring. After his laughter died off, she noted he shuffled forward to the barrier and tapped on it, causing an idea to pop into her head. Her lips lifted in a smile that would do Sesshomaru proud at how cold and cruel it seemed.

Kagome tilted her head to the side as he tapped on the barrier once more, but this time when he tapped, she opened up a small hole, allowing him to fall into it just before she sealed it up. The smile on her lips only grew wider as the man picked himself up off the ground with a slightly dazed and confused look on his face, before he trained flat black eyes, narrowed in a mix of thoughtful contemplation and annoyance, at her. Shaking her head with a sigh, she took those few steps toward the barrier and crouched down so she was eye level with him, neither saying a word, but both fighting for dominance over the other using will power. And it was hard for her not to crow her happiness when he looked away.

“I do not know how you put me in here, but I am going to make the hypothetical guess that you created this shield or barrier. Now let me out of here. I do not make a good caged animal, Ms. Higurashi,” Hojo said in a soft voice that seemed to be dual-toned. As he walked to the edge of the barrier to stand before her, he placed a hand on it, which resulted in him being flung back hand smoking from being shocked by pure energy.

Kagome frowned a bit as a thought occurred to her. Standing up, she looked down at Hojo with curiosity in her sky blue eyes as she spoke in a calm soft voice, “Whatever had been telling me that you are not a natural being is correct. If you were a normal human, the energy that creates this barrier wouldn't have affected you, let alone have harmed you at all. Now you have my full attention, because I want to see what type of demon you are. Then, and only then, can we talk.”

Stepping away as she began to summon her powers to her, she noted Hojo staring at her with a mix of intense hate, anger, fascination and fear. On some level, it pleased her to see it, but it also caused shame to well up inside her from feeling that pleasure, indicating that her miko powers and the demon youki in her were conflicting once more. Giving a small shake of her head, Kagome let her power spring around her in a bright but soft pink aura, before lifting her hand and flicking it towards the barrier, transferring the power from her to the barrier.

She studied Hojo, as he watched her power surface and make the connection before he screamed in pain, writhing in agony where he stood. Her body flinched at the pain she felt coming from not only him, but the thing that was inside of him as they separated into two distinct beings. Hojo looked paler, and a lot older then he had a few seconds before, while next to him was tall, thin black thing, distinctly female with twitching tentacles for legs and arms. Those flat, black eyes that had been Hojo's seconds ago now stared out of the female's face with hate and anger, making Kagome blink before she turned her gaze to the man whose eyes now appeared human, a soft green with gray specks in them.

Something inside her told her this was the thing she had waited for in the week she had been in this world. So stepping close to the barrier, she crouched down once more, addressing both of the barrier's occupants. “Well, I can see that you are a twisted little man, but you have given me an idea and purpose. So listen closely cause it will benefit both of us and that alien you have implanted in your body, Hojo, meaning I wont purify it, essentially killing it. You are a scientist and want a new test subject, if I don't miss my guess. Am I right?”

Kenya Hojo lifted his gaze up to the girl, after taking a good look at what the Jenova cells had become in his body. He was more than curious where this was gonna lead. Speaking in a mono-toned voice, he said, “You would be correct, Ms. Higurashi. I do want a new test subject. More so, I want you to be it, since you are demonstrating interesting abilities, but I see no material on your person.”

At his words Kagome smiled a bright, sweet, happy smile, making Hojo blink and step back further from the barrier and her. Something in that smile made him feel as if he was not the evil one, with an evil entity residing in him, or rather by him at the moment, but the woman before him was the evil incarnate. Kagome noted his reaction, and let out a small laugh as words rang in her mind, “You woman are just as alien as I am, but at least I have a goal and purpose here on this planet, where you do not.”

The smile that had been on Kagome's face faded away as she looked at the alien creature, and slammed her mental consciousness into its own mind, finding out that it called itself Jenova, that it hopped from planet to planet, destroying them, and would use any method to achieve that goal. But the thing that made her more amused was the fact that this wasn't the original body of the alien Jenova. “Oh you are right. I come from a whole other dimension. Not that I know if it is parallel to this one or not, which no longer matters, Jenova. But shush, I will get to you in a minute, and stay out of my mind. You leave an oily residue, which is nasty feeling really.” Her voice was calm, but harder than iron, making the alien flinch back from her hissing.

Turning her attention back to Hojo who was now slack jawed, Kagome smiled once more at him as she spoke in a soft authoritative voice. “Good, I am glad you didn't lie to me. I abhor people who lie to me. I have a deal to make with you, since I know I am not to stay on this island the whole time I live in this world, Hojo-sama. There is a small village here, about two miles east of this crash site. I want you to go to there and talk to the elder, asking if you can study the culture and surrounding area. For however long you are able to remain on this island, to be exact. In a days time, I will return to that village, and we should act like we have never met. No suspicion or harm should come from the village folk or to them, cause I wont hesitate to kill that thing in you, making you feel every damned last second of it. At the end of the time you are here, I will personally come to you and ask if I may travel with you to see the world, meaning I will submit myself to being your test subject, working as a mutually beneficial team. BUT here is my one big condition Hojo-sama - you ever try to inject the cells of that thing into me, I will kill you before I kill it.”

Audible swallowing could be heard from both Hojo and Jenova at her words. As she stayed there in that crouched position, watching his mind quickly thinking over what she had proposed, she heard a derisive snort in the back of her head, sounding distinctly like Ara Mi Tama. When nothing was said, she waited silently, watching each of the occupants in the barrier. Kagome was glad she didn't have to wait long before Hojo coughed and walked up to the barrier, which he gave a leery look before touching it with his hand, signaling he had accepted her terms. Her lips pressed into a thin line to hold in a laugh at his amazement when he wasn't shocked and thrown back this time.

“What you ask for isn't too bad. I have until the end of this month, but I would like to leave a week and a half before since travel to the main continent takes a few days. Is that okay with you? And please can you return us to the way we were before and let me out?” he said in a very polite voice that barely concealed his giddiness over getting a new experiment.

Standing up and stepping away from the barrier, Kagome nodded her head and lifted her hand once more, waving it left to right, causing the alien Jenova to slam back into Hojo's body with a bit more force than was necessary but gave her much amusement. Then as she turned, she caused the barrier to glow brightly before it gave a small popping sound. Not waiting to watch as Hojo climbed out of the small crater, she made her way back into the jungle to finish her hunting and gathering of herbs. She had a previous promise that had to be kept at any cost, for she hated seeing children upset or crying.

Silver Memories

By Im ur Misconception

Junon Docks: 1 week later

As soon as the boat docked and the loading plank landed with a resounding clang, Kagome wobbled down it before falling to her knees on the hard cement, not caring if it scraped her knees open. Then throwing her hands up in the air, she cried out, “Land, I will never ever take you for granted and hopefully never ever have to leave you again.” Closing her blue eyes, she let her rolling stomach calm itself as she just sat there with the sounds of waves, gulls crying, people working their various jobs and people talking rather loudly over the din.

Though she heard a few of the nearer people comment on her actions, it didn't matter to her at all at the current moment, since her stomach was finally settling down. Never had she been on a ship before, so how was she supposed to know that she would get sea sick? The rolling waves constantly rocking the boat was made worse when a storm blew through. Even with all tricks the Mitama's taught her, nothing helped her sea sickness, which made her question how she was able to ride on the back of Inu Yasha's back all those times, because he jumped all over the place at a high speed.

“Are you quite done with the dramatics, Ms. Higurashi? Because I have to check in with whom my boss, President Shinra sent to be my babysitter,”Hojo drawled from behind her, making Kagome open her eyes as she tilted her head back further to see the man walking down the plank with a slightly amused look on his face.

Giving him an un-lady like snort, she righted her head and proceeded to pick herself up off the dock. Making much to do about the dirt she had gotten on her bare legs, before turning to look at him, she raised an eyebrow at him in question, hoping he would give her a bit more of an explanation on what he meant. However, all Hojo did was turn away from her and walk down the dock, causing people to part from him with looks of fear and amazement on their faces. Kagome felt her eyes shoot wide open at their reactions.

After a few seconds of this, her brain finally caught up with what she was seeing, and she realized that he wasn't waiting for her at all. Puffing up her cheeks, she sprinted after him, calling out, “Dr. Hojo, wait up! Don't leave me here. I have no clue what is what in this town. Besides, I am your invited guest, and you're being very rude!”

She noted that her words earned her stares as the people moved further back from not only Hojo, but herself as she caught up. The man himself gave her an obligatory side glance as he continued on, leaving Kagome to continue to speculate just what she was getting herself into. Though she supposed it was a bit late to go back on her word, which she hadn't actually given to begin with. So in silence, she continued to follow him down the dock and through the twists and turns until he came to a halt before a man dressed in a well tailored black suit, long black hair pulled back into a ponytail that only high-lighted his features.

She blinked her eyes a few times, trying to make sure she was seeing what she was seeing. Kagome wondered if this world had a place with a culture that was similar to her own in Japan, since the man before her definitely looked Asian, though it was hard to tell since his eyes were hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. She tilted her head to the left, then to the right, before finally standing straight and angling her head up a bit so she could meet his eyes since he was a few inches taller. She could tell he was aware of her actions, though his attention stayed focused on Hojo, who seemed to be nonchalant about it all.

“Professor Hojo, I am here to take you back to Midgar. May I inquire as to who this young lady standing beside you is? Because I was not told that there would be two for pick-up in my orders.” The man spoke in a slightly accented voice, making Kagome narrow her blue eyes at him, distinguishing his accent as Japanese.

Letting her eyes drift to the side to glance at Hojo for a second, before letting them go back to looking at the man, Kagome heard Hojo speak, “She is someone I have acquired and has agreed to be my lab specimen. As for introductions, I think, Tseng of the Turks, she can handle that if you think you can talk to her.”

Kagome didn't miss the hint of humor in his voice, making her purse her lips so that she wasn't smiling widely. In the weeks she been around him, she'd picked up on his body language and personality quirks, and sharing a cabin with the man had given her a new impression of exactly what he was really like. He always found a way to surprise her, including the fact that he was once married to a fellow scientist by the name of Lucrecia.

“Introductions will be left for later. Let me show you to the hotel we will be staying in. I will have to call ahead to president and let him know that you're safe and have.... a willing participant in your experiments.” Tseng said the last part a bit drawn out as Kagome felt the full weight of his gaze land on her, even without turning his head towards her.

Plastering a large smile on her lips at that and giving a small laugh at his reaction, Kagome lifted her hands up and waved them in a shooing manner, indicating that she was ready to leave whenever. Her actions earned her a raised eyebrow and frown from Tseng, while Hojo just chuckled softly in his amused way, causing the other man look at him like he had grown two more heads. This of course had Kagome laughing at the thought and how accurate that actually was.

“Well, don't just stand there Turk. The young miss has indicated that you should lead the way. She is from Mideel, and this is her first time in a city like this, I believe. Again, all questions you have will have to be asked, because I don't care to be on the receiving end of her temper for answering for her,” he said, muttering in his normal low voice and earning a dark look from Kagome for his jab at her.

This type of interaction had become a natural thing for them in the last week, but it got them a rather odd and confused looked from Tseng before he turned on the ball of one foot and set off towards a large inclining hill. Rolling her shoulders so her large yellow backpack was sitting higher, Kagome let her head drop back once more to try and see just how far up the city went. What she found however was what appeared to be a half finished canon above her, making her whistle loudly.

When she looked down from the sight above her, she noted that they men were a good distance away and starting up the incline. Grunting, she crouched, causing the muscles in her legs to bunch up, and took off at almost a full run. She easily darted, spun, and weaved through the throng of people that littered the dock, and caught up to the two men just after they had begun the climb. Her blue eyes took in the sights, sounds, and smells, and she made mental landmarks of things so if she was able to make an escape from where ever they were staying and their babysitter, she could explore more.

As they walked in silence, Kagome observed her surroundings, and she took the time to watch Tseng, noting the predatory grace he walked with, showing that he was very well trained. The grace almost resembled Sesshomaru when he was around little Rin. Though he appeared to be relaxed, his body showed, to her trained eyes, that his muscles were actually coiled tightly like a cat ready to pounce on its prey at a moment's notice. She knew that while he didn't move his head at all, other then the normal motions everyone did, he was scanning anything and everything for a threat or attack.

Their walk up the hill gave her a rather impressive view of the ocean as the sun started to set, making the ocean look like it was bleeding red and gold. She was awed at the beauty of it before it was lost from view as they entered into a wide, squatting tunnel. A pout gracing her lips, she let her shoulders slump, and her backpack slid down and unbalanced her, making her gasp as her body tilted. Kagome stumbled but managed to twist her body ever so slightly to regain her upright balanced position and sit the back pack on her shoulders correctly.

Her gaze then landed on Hojo, who just looked a bit annoyed at her display, and she tilted her head in question before looking forward once more. She found that Tseng had turned to see what had happened and had witnessed her correct herself. “If you are okay, may we proceed? The hotel is just on the other side of the tunnel,” Tseng said, as he turned and began to walk again.

She narrowed her eyes, silently glad that he didn't ask any questions or anything. She had to admit though that his reaction to her giant back pack did strike her as odd. So far, everyone who had noticed the large pack on her back, full of gift from the villagers, had done a double take. But not Tseng; he acted like it was a natural thing for a girl like her to be carrying. A small, tight, thin smile curved her lips as an idea entered her head. Keeping her gaze forward, she let her eyes roam around, scanning and marking things in the mental map she was making.

The rest of their trip was actually quite short, for after leaving the tunnel only a few minutes after her mishap, they walked only twenty feet on a down grade slope, only to stop in front of a five story brick and cement building. “Here we are. Let's get checked in and then go to our room. It is on the top floor, so there should be plenty of privacy for me to receive a report,” Tseng spoke softly as he entered the building.

Giving Hojo a look, she followed after Tseng, knowing from her reiki that Hojo was following rather closely behind her. The smell of smoke and booze hit her nose from a set of stairs leading down and made her wrinkle her nose in distaste. Her blue eyes sought out Tseng, and she found him at a counter talking to a middle aged man who was smoking a cigar. Deciding to wait patiently at the foot of the stairs heading up, Kagome looked at Hojo who looked bored senseless at being there.

“Okay, we are checked in. Please follow me,” Tseng said as he made for the stairs, stopping briefly to look at Hojo over her head.

When he was done, Tseng led them up five flights of stairs to the only room on the fifth floor. Pulling out a small white card that looked banged up, he slid it through a scanner attached to door. With a small click, the door popped open, granting them access, and Kagome took a step forward to enter the room, only to feel a hand grab her arm and hold her back. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Hojo shake his head minimally. Looking forward again, she saw that Tseng was gone, but the sounds of someone moving cautiously through the room was all the indication she needed to know he was making sure it was secure.

When Tseng was done, he flipped the lights on and peeked out the door, waving a hand to indicate it was safe to go it. Not needing a second invitation, Kagome entered the room with Hojo right on her heels, closing the door after her. “All right then, since we are now safe, let's get some introductions done with,” Tseng said in his accented voice, and he reached a hand up, removing the sunglasses to reveal a pair of chocolate eyes that held the pales hints of golden flecks.

Kagome just stared slightly slack-jawed at Tseng as he almost did a one-eighty personality flip. Noting that he was relaxing, she ogled his gorgeous eyes, at least until she was tapped on the head by Hojo as he passed her. “I believe that is your cue to introduce yourself, young lady,” he muttered only for her to hear.

Blushing lightly as she collected her wits, Kagome took the few steps to one of the two beds in the room and let the yellow back pack slide down her arms to land on the bed, making it creak under the weight. Then moving to the side and sitting next to it, Kagome smiled like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. Then in a soft voice, she spoke Japanese as she introduced herself, “Watashinonamaeha Higurashi Kagome. Oaidekiteureshīdesu, Tseng of the Turks.”(*1)

Kagome watched both men carefully for their reactions. The smile on her lips only grew wider as Hojo did a double-take and hissed at her, while Tseng just went slack-jawed, making her mentally do a victory happy dance. Recognition was on both their faces at the words she spoke, letting her know that Japanese was a language of this world, or close enough to it. Raising a hand, she thrust it out towards Tseng for a hand shake, already noting that Hojo had collected himself while giving her a gaze that told her he was reassessing her.

It took a few seconds before Tseng carefully reached a hand out and took hers in a firm grip, giving her hand and arm a strong pump motion. Kagome returned the grip, before he let it go and coughed. “Tseng is fine, Ms. Higurashi. It is nice to hear my mother country's native language though it sounded a bit different from what I grew up with. Do you originally hail from Mideel Island, Ms. Higurashi?”

At his words, Kagome went still, letting her hand drop back into her lap. Her blue eyes locked onto his brown ones as she shook her head yes. At her answer, he looked at her with suspicion in his gaze, but as Tseng opened his mouth to make a reply, he was cut off with a cough from Hojo, bringing both their attention to him. Kagome let her gaze go hooded, though she sent him a silent thank you. She got only a sniff in her head from Jenova, making her blink her eyes and push a bit of her miko reiki towards Hojo, though there was no intention of letting it touch him.

“From what I got from the villagers, she washed up on the beach with no memory. She spoke the native tongue of Wutai, but has no memory other than the day she woke up in their village. Kagome is a very unique girl, so please don't pry. If her memory were to return naturally, that is good. But she willingly came with me to learn and be a specimen in my laboratory, so I expect you Tseng to not bother her. I believe that if pushed too much, she might have a mental break down trying to figure out her past,” Hojo said, lying with ease through his lips.

Taking a peek at Tseng, Kagome saw him flinch back from Hojo's words and warning while he gave her a pitying and confused look. For some reason, she couldn't seem to figure out why he looked at her with confusion at her being a willing participant for Hojo's experiments. The man already had his warning that if he tried anything that involved altering her physically, genetically or implanting the creature in her body, he would be dead in seconds. And she would make sure it was painful, self-defense or not.

When a cough broke the awkward silence that followed Hojo's story, Kagome and Tseng just looked at each other, each refusing to look away first, something she had gotten down pat from her staring matches with Sesshomaru. Finally, Tseng let his eyes flicker to the side, and he spoke, “Well that is good to know, Professor. I won't ask further, but from the look of her, she is Wutainese like us, roughly twenty years of age, has physical capabilities, and can handle herself. I must know, did you find that meteorite that fell, or did it land in the ocean or disintegrate as far as you can tell, Professor Hojo,” Tseng said.

Silence once more ensued, making Kagome look back and forth between the two men. Already, she connected the dots between Wutai being this world's Japan. That Hojo was also Wutai made her wonder cause he really didn't look it, except for the slant to his eyes and black hair. Otherwise, his skin was very pale. Then again, hers was too, but that was because as far as she could tell, her father was not full Japanese. Tseng had the traditional golden yellow skin that would tan nicely, the brown eyes, and black hair that was straight.

She was pulled from her musings when she heard Hojo speak, “You may presume that the meteorite didn't crash land, but disintegrated. There was no trace of it anywhere, and the villagers said it didn't land on the island. I thoroughly combed over the area; there was no landing site. But I have acquired Kagome here, so I am satisfied with my little vacation. That is all I have to report. Also, tell him that he is not to have anything to do with Kagome. My finds are mine; it is stipulated in my contract unless they would benefit Shinra Inc. I assure you Tseng that she won't.” The last words came out low, cold, and clearly a threat that made Tseng nod his head.

Once Hojo was done talking, Tseng walked past Hojo and around the bed before exiting the room. Kagome looked at Hojo who just turned his back to her and gazed out the window. Sticking her tongue at his back, she blew an absurdly loud raspberry that got no reaction. With a roll of her eyes, Kagome stood up and began to unpack her backpack, placing a small wooden box on the bed first, then pulling out odds and ends, before finally reaching her bathing supplies. Once she had what was left of her lilac and strawberry shampoo, conditioner, and body soap and her exfoliant glove in hand, she picked out a pair of faded jeans and a T-shirt that said 'I'm a Cute Little Girl!” on the front and “And Will kick your butt!” on the back.

“I am taking a shower, Kenya! I will try to not take too long, but it has been forever since I have had an actual shower... so pardon me,” she said, whisking by him and into the bathroom, a happy and very pleased smile on her lips as she shut the door.

In the span of five minutes, she had the water warming up and her bathing supplies haphazardly tossed into the bottom of the tub. Her clean clothes were dropped on the back of the toilet and her dirty clothes tossed on the bathroom floor. The steam from the water was already starting to fog up the medium sized mirror over the bathroom sink and counter. Giving a loud, slightly mad cackle of glee, Kagome jumped into the shower, hissing in delight as the hot water hit her skin.

Enjoying it as much as she could since she didn't know when her next one would come, Kagome quickly washed her hair and body before turning off the water and wringing out her long, thick and curly hair as much as possible. Then, with a sigh at having to get out, Kagome shifted the curtain to the side and stepped out of the stall. Taking a thin, well-used towel from the rack next to the shower, she dried herself off the best she could. Once she was satisfied that she wouldn't be leaking and dripping all over the place except down the back of her shirt, Kagome dressed herself quickly. She took the time to look herself over in the mirror and found herself glad that she had never worn this shirt in the village, though she might have a odd time explaining it to the men.

Sticking her tongue out at her reflection, Kagome bent down gathering up her dirty laundry into her hands, figuring that she would come back for her bathing supplies in a bit. Then, she stepped out of the bathroom as quietly as possible, only to hear Tseng speaking to Hojo. “...everything is good. There is only one problem I am foreseeing right now, Hojo. There are three of us and only two beds. Which of us is taking the floor?”

Suppressing a fit of giggles, Kagome walked the rest of the way into the room and tossed her clothes onto the bed next to the long wooden case. “I will sleep with Hojo since we slept together on the ship here. So, there should be no problem about anyone sleeping on the floor, right?” she said with a chipper voice and a wide, innocent smile.

Her words were met with mixed reactions, as Hojo sprayed his drink across the room in a fine mist and Tseng went wide-eyed, pale-faced, looking back and forth between Kagome and Hojo. He was obviously trying to figure out if she was joking or just how she could sleep with him. It was too much for her, and she broke down in peals of loud laughter, holding her sides. She slid to the floor, knowing Hojo was giving her a dark gaze and Tseng a complete look of horror at seeing what she said was true.

“Well.. I uh.. Can get another room if you two want to have alone time,” he said quickly as color bloomed bright on both cheeks and across the bridge of his nose, which only made Kagome laugh harder and louder, causing tears to form at the corner of her eyes.

With a cough, Hojo put his glass on the little table, still giving Kagome a very dark glare. “No, that won't be necessary, Tseng. You are taking what she said way out of context, but then again, with how she specifically worded it, it is hard not to. We had to share a cabin. I gave her the bed, but more often than not, she curled up next to me after having nightmares or something of the like. So, eventually I just slept on the little bunk the ship provided in their rooms. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, of the sexual kind ever transpired between us,” he said in a whip-like voice as a malicious smile curved his lips. “And as far as I can tell, she is very much a naive little virgin, not my type to begin with. I prefer aged experienced women.”

A soft 'oh' was heard from Tseng in the silence that was made by Kagome suddenly stopping her laughing. Her blue eyes sparked dangerously as she glared up at Hojo from her spot on the floor as the man himself seemed to smirk in a taunting manner down at her. With a low growl, Kagome stood up, stuck her tongue at the man, before presenting both of them her back as she headed back into the bathroom to get her stuff.

When Kagome stepped into the bathroom, Tseng had collected himself enough to speak. “I am sorry for taking that out of context, Hojo since I am well aware of your sexual preferences. But she is definitely a different type, one that makes you curious. So uh, will you share the bed with her? And the nightmares, are they frequent?”

Giving a soft sniff at Kagome's reaction, glad that she kept her temper in check and didn't try to zap him with what she called Reiki, Hojo answered Tseng. “Yes, I will share the bed with her. As for the nightmares, they seemed to be semi-frequent, though she won't tell me what they are about. By the way, when do we leave tomorrow for Midgar and what type of transportation are we taking?”

From in the bathroom, she heard them talking, making her pout a bit. However, she was glad that she had kept her temper and powers under wraps. Last thing she needed was to show what she was capable of again, and have it become public knowledge. Taking her time to gather her bathing supplies, she used another of the thin towels to dry them off so that they didn't soak everything else in her back pack, then made her way back to her roommates for the night just as Tseng was responding to Hojo.

“Well, we leave at nine am, and we're taking the Helicopter. He wants you to report in as quickly as possible, but I made sure that we were leaving late so you could sleep in a bit,” Tseng said, a small pleased quirk to his lips.

Not saying anything, Kagome began to pack her stuff back into the back pack, making sure it all fit before pulling the flap over and buckling it tightly. Then, with great care, she lifted the wooden box up and rubbed her hand over the polished wood. Inside held her most precious possession other then the Shikon no Tama - her trusty, well-worn bow that would, she hoped, serve a purpose in the future.