Emiko was sitting in a field of wildflowers teaching a little girl how to braid flowers into a chain. She took a deep breath of scented air and sighed happily at how peaceful it was here. It was then that she realized that something just wasn't right here. She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing *gasp of horror* PINK!! She stood up in shock surprising the little girl that sat next to her.
"Are...are you okay Mama?" the girl asked and Emiko looked down at her. She was a beautiful child with black hair and blue eyes. No ears, no claws...just a human girl. Emiko looked at her hands and found that they were still clawed. *What in the name of all the gods is going on?* she thought puzzled. She looked again at the little girl and found that she had disappeared. *Is this a dream* she asked herself.
"Yes, it is a dream. It's a dream of what your future could be" said a familiar voice behind her. She turned around in shock and saw that Huyana was standing behind her. She looked at him in shock for a second then ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Huyana! What are you doing here?" she cried as she hugged him tightly.
He smiled softly and held her tight. "I'm here to stop you from doing what you planned." He said.
She looked shocked. "I have to help them, both Mama and Papa asked me to!" she said and Huyana shook his head.
"Not that silly, what YOU planned on doing. You don't think that I wouldn't know?" he asked sadly.
She shook her head in denial. "What are you talking about?"
"You were planning on getting yourself killed. Saving your parents friends at the cost of your own life is something I doubt that they would want. I love you Emiko. I always have, but you have to move on with your life." He said softly as he held her.
"I want to be with you Huyana, our time was too short" she cried.
"I know Emiko, but you're still alive. I'm gone from this earth now. You cannot continue to live your life inside your shell of grief. I think it's time you stopped pretending to love life and actually do it." With that he kissed her softly.
"I have to go, please Emiko, you could have so much more than this, if only you let yourself live again." He said as he started to fade. She cried out in anguish and tried to reach for him. Her hand made the barest contact with his and he disappeared. She sunk down to her knees and started sobbing. Suddenly a small hand touched hers.
"Are you going to be okay Mama?" a little voice asked.
Emiko looked down into the face of her daughter and nodded. "Yes, I think now, I will be okay honey." The little girl smiled softly and hugged Emiko.
"Good, I'll see you then Mama" and with that she too faded from view.
Emiko's eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly shocking poor Shippo who was dozing next to her. She looked around her and saw her family and friends and knew that Huyana was right, it was just a dream.
"Are you okay Emiko?" Miroku asked concern written on his face. She smiled warmly at him.
"Yes, I think maybe I am now." She said.
"Well then, now that you're awake do you think we can go?" Inuyasha said gruffly.
"Oh, were you waiting on me Papa?" she asked with a sly grin. Inuyasha grunted at her and stood up.
Emiko stood up and picked up her bag. She opened up the bag and reached into one of the inside pockets.
"Here Papa, these are for you" she said and handed Inuyasha a small paper-wrapped packet.
"Eh? For me?" he said as he opened it up. Inside were the teeth of a Youkai capped with gold and strung on a necklace of beads.
"Why?" he asked.
"To help exorcise some ghosts" she said with a grin and picked up Shippo. "You guys ready?" she asked Kagome, Sango and Miroku.
"Yep!"
"Good, then lets go!" she said and walked off carrying Shippo on top of her pack on her back.