!-- page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --
Disclaimer I do not own InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho or any of it's characters. Or Ouran characters for that matter. This is for the entire story!
/Shuuichi/
/Youko/
\Hiei\
(Kurounue)
((Shiori))
Introduction: Stand Out
It was the seemingly red rain that reminded her of it. The night that had changed everything, everyone. She frowned, thinking for a moment before deciding. She'd have to tell them sooner or later, she had merely planned on waiting until they were all older than they were now. She turned, looking to the children that had gathered, as usual, at the foot of her recliner.
She couldn't help but smile at their innocent eyes and hopeful smiles. So much like herself when she had been younger, before it all happened. "Nana, are you going to tell us a good story? A nice long one?" A small girl with bright red hair asked, her eyes a beautiful green color. She was so much like her grandfather, right down to that fluffy golden tail of hers.
"The story I'm about to tell you is truth, every last bit of it. It's not a pretty story, it's a story of blood, loss, and love. I normally wouldn't tell it to children at such an early age, but it's our story. The story of our family, and how we all came together. Tonight, here in the Makai, you see the red rain? It seems so normal here, doesn't it? How it creates a crimson landscape, it reminds me of that day. Listen carefully, my young ones, for this tale is important, and something you will one day pass on to your own children, and they to theirs."
Blood. Blood was everywhere. The ground seemed to be a littered with puddles of it, and it kept raining down from both sides of the battle field. A war was never clean, and this one was no exception. Not that it bothered Sesshoumaru at all, or many of the others he could see in this short still in the battle. He nearly sneered in disgust as he saw that miko of his brother's, Kagome, he knew her name to be.
Not by choice, mind you, but one would have to be deaf not to hear the hanyou shouting her name every two seconds during any battle. She currently looked as if the blood was going to make her hurl, and she probably would too. She was such a weak being, how she survived this long he didn't know. What happened next confused him, however.
Kagome could hardly stand the amount of blood that covered her and the field, not that she hadn't been in such a position before. Not at all. Over the years she had grown use to such things, but this wasn't just the enemy's blood. No. This was everyone's blood. Even Shippo's. She slapped on an angry look, glancing to her kit who was off to the side fighting the weaker demons. That's right, HER kit. Her determined, angered face caused many youkai to back away in fear, add on the miko powers flaring out in her aura and you have a lovely youkai repellent.
InuYasha's eyes drifted from Naraku to Kagome, but only for a moment. He saw her disgusted look and almost sighed at how weak she was. She should be fighting the enemy, not standing there being grossed out by something so simple as blood! Kikyo wouldn't have been...no. She wasn't Kikyo. She was Kagome, his Kagome, and he had to protect her no matter how weak she was, he had thought as he lunged at Naraku.
Naraku, as we all well know, was a foul hanyou made of a weak and tainted ningen heart and thousands upon thousands of youkai. He was powerful, plenty powerful, but nothing compared to what would come, but we're getting ahead of ourselves here.
Kagome scowled, feeling his eyes on her. He probably thought her weak, from the way he had looked at her. She narrowed her eyes at InuYasha from across the clearing, as he did her at that moment in time. She would prove him wrong! She was strong, stronger than that...that bitch! How dare he compare her to Kikyo, again! He didn't say so aloud but she could feel that thought cross his mind, as it did so often over the years. She growled in frustration at the thought of said hanyou's unchanged mind.
Within the privacy of her head she found that a door had suddenly opened, inside it knowledge she never knew she had possessed. Within it she found the power she needed.
Open up your eyes take a look at me
If the picture fits in your memory
I've been dreaming by the rhythm like the beat of a heart
And i won't stop until I start to stand out
to stand out
Some people settle for the typical thing
Living all their lives waiting in the wings
It ain't a question of 'if', just a matter of time
Before I move to the front of the line
She raised her bow and notched an arrow, aiming at Naraku's unprotected back as he battled her InuYasha. She would not just stand there and be that weak little girl! Not this time, InuYasha! She poured her powers into the arrow and released it, watching her powers explode from the usual weak pink color to a dark blue, almost fluid looking aura. Her back arched and her hand grasped her chest, something inside her snapped. Her eyes opened and unknown to her, she now had glowing blue eyes.
Sesshoumaru elegantly cut the heads off a couple youkai that Naraku had sent after him, watching with slight interest as Kagome's aura changed drastically, becoming so strong he knew even he, one with a slight immunity towards purification, would have been hurt by such power. Not purified, but left with a rather nasty scar. He jumped back, noticing his brother and the wolf prince were also taking the time to do the same. His next glance at Kagome made him scowl. She had the same eyes as that other miko, Midoriko, had had.
InuYasha's eyes widened at Kagome's changed aura, jumping away quickly in fear. He noticed even his brother was doing so. Sesshoumaru was almost immune to spiritual powers, Kagome had tapped into some kind of locked power no one knew she had! Her eyes locked with his for only a moment, a scowl plastered on her normally very happy face. "KAGOME!"
Miroku didn't stop to stare at the unlocked powers of the Shikon Miko, having his hands full with an ogre at the moment. He knew something like this should, technically, happen. The Shikon Miko should have powers beyond that of any miko, to protect the jewel. He glanced quickly at Sango as she, too, called out for Kagome. She was so close to the girl from the future it would be heartbreaking when she had to return.
"Kagome!" Sango called out, jumping away from Miroku and towards her dearest friend. She slaughtered the poor youkai that thought to stop her, the fools. No one would keep her from protecting Kagome. No one. She reached her hand out to her, but stopped when Kagome turned to look at her with those bright blue eyes.
Kagome knew it wouldn't kill him, but it would anger him quite a bit, and that's what she wanted to happen. Turning back towards the hanyou now that Sango had stopped, Kagome narrowed her eyes. She dropped her bow and arrows as he turned at her, his red eyes glowing with hate, anger, and pain. He launched his tentacles at her, snarling in anger as she dodged gracefully, anyone watching would have thought it beautiful. Not the fact that she had dodged, but the clashing of the blue and red auras.
InuYasha watched, in complete horror, as Kagome ran towards Naraku, her fists glowing that odd dark blue color. "KAGOME!!" He shouted, but she refused to listen, blocking out his voice.
And if you're watching every move that I make
Ya gotta believe that I got what it takes
To stand out
Above the crowd
Even if I gotta shout out loud
'Til mine is the only face you see
Gonna stand out 'til you notice me
Kagome leaped into the air to dodge the final tentacle before coming down fists first, her lungs burning from the miasma that came pouring out of the being. She watched, without disgust, as the places her fists hit exploded into dust on contact. She jumped away and began dodging again as Naraku focused completely on her. Her legs were moving much like Kouga's shard-powered limbs, keeping her safely away from the angered hanyou.
"KAGOME! RUN!" InuYasha yelled as he ran back towards Naraku, hacking through mindless youkai on his way there. He had to get to her before she died! There was no way he would let that bastard kill her! How could she always get herself in life or death situations?!
Sesshoumaru raised a brow when InuYasha failed to notice the sudden jump in her strength. He only noticed she was simply in harms way, which she was handling quite nicely on her own. He noticed the miko power flowing through her legs, making her movements faster than normal. A smirk found it's way to his face without his notice as he watched her from the corner of his eye.
Had he known he was taking pleasure in a ningen's power, he would have been horrified. Had he known what the decision to watch her would set in motion, he would have looked away. Had he known before what the kamis had in store, he would have killed her long before. But he didn't know. He didn't have a clue. And so, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West, watched with interest as Kagome attacked the hanyou as if she, herself, were a youkai.
If the squeaky wheels always getting the grease
I'm totally devoted to disturbing the peace
And I'll do it all again, when I get it done
Until I become your number one
No method to the madness and means of escape
Gonna break every rule I'll bend them all out of shape
It ain't a question of 'how' just a matter of when
You get the message that I'm trying to send
Kagome jumped over two youkai, getting away from Naraku as InuYasha neared him. He was trying to save her again, when he should be watching her kick ass! Kagome nearly growled, in her own human way, in anger at the idiocy of the man she had come to love. She didn't even notice she had landed beside Sesshoumaru until he sliced a nearby youkai in half. Even then she didn't pay him much attention, but his next words caught her off guard.
"My brother is a fool." Sesshoumaru said simply, noticing where exactly her anger was directed. He scowled deeply. Why had he told her that? She was distracting him again. He watched as she smiled a small smile that never even really made it to her eyes. She flexed her hand, much in the way he often did, and he saw her grow miko powered claws.
"I know he is." She said before jumping back into the battle, her miko claws turning any nearby enemies to ash. "He always has been." She added, blood splattering onto her shirt from a youkai he had just used his own claws on.
"And you love him." Sesshoumaru said, scowling as he let yet another comment slip through.
"Hai, I love him." She stopped a moment, jumping away from one of Naraku's stray limbs as he attacked InuYasha blindly. "Probably because there is no one else around who is as exciting." Kagome said off handedly. She then jumped away, landing behind Naraku.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The story was cut short as a boy frowned and tugged at the woman's shirt. "Nana, you're not--" He started but was silenced as she placed a hand over his mouth. He glared at her with his violet eyes, crossing his arms as he pouted at her.
"I know, sweetie, but at one point I was. Now, quiet and listen or you'll never know how things changed!" The woman said playfully, winking at the silver haired boy before letting her hand fall back to her side. "Now where was I, oh yes!"
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
I'm under a spell, I'm in over my head
And you know I'm going all of the way, till the end
To stand out
Above the crowd
Even if I gotta shout out loud
'Til mine is the only face you see
Gonna stand out 'til you notice me, yeah
Kagome was now back in the front lines, putting her childhood karate lessons to good use for once. Her hands, feet, and legs were now miko charged as she delivered her blows to random enemies, making it back to Naraku. The slayer and the monk were now protecting the fox kit, the fire cat was trying to keep back as many youkai as possible from the small group in the corner of the battle. Sesshoumaru scowled as he came up next to the miko once more, his beast demanding he stay near. It was instinct to stay near a strong ally, and he wasn't one to deny his instincts.
Too bad the poor man had no idea what other ridiculous things his instincts would have him do over the next few years or he would have immediately found a way to ignore them.
Kagome was slightly surprised that Sesshoumaru was next to her rather than InuYasha, but that didn't matter at the moment as she dove forward, grabbing a tentacle and purifying the whole appendage off the evil hanyou. She smirked at his pain.
"That's for Sango's family, you creep!" Kagome yelled before doing the same to another. "This is for Miroku!" Her shouting caught the attentions of her companions, and they cheered her on as they fought with renewed strength. Kagome was doing all of this for them, not for herself, not for InuYasha's pleasure, but for all the pain the hanyou had put on innocent people.
If I could make you stop and take a look at me instead of just
Walking by
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
If it was getting you to notice
I'm alive
Sesshoumaru slashed through a tentacle coming his way, then sent his acid whip flying across the hanyou's face as InuYasha brought his sword down the being's back. His screams were like music to his ears. He smirked when he noticed the mark his whip left would not heal properly.
Kagome jumped forward and latched onto Naraku's left arm. "This is for Kikyo and InuYasha!" She screamed as his arm turned to dust. She was tugged back roughly as Naraku's other hand came down to attack her. He was starting to regrow the tentacles and Kagome scowled.
Sesshoumaru let go of the back of her shirt and snarled loudly at Naraku. "Miko, you nearly got yourself killed."
"You just wait. I'll take him down with me." Kagome murmured under her breath, panting for air. Her body was exhausted, but she wasn't low on miko yet! She ran forward, just as a tentacle came forward. "THIS IS FOR ME!"
All I need is half a chance, a second thought, a second glance'll prove
I got whatever it takes
It's a piece of cake
To stand out Above the crowd
Even if I gotta shout out loud
'Til mine is the only face you see
Gonna stand out Stand out, hey
Stand out! Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Stand out!
Sesshoumaru reached out for her as she ran straight for the attacker, and was shocked when she allowed herself to be run through. Then she laughed, a strange gurgling laugh as her mouth filled with blood. With her last bits of strength she latched onto the tentacle and poured all the miko power she had in her into it. All youkai nearby jumped back in fear as Naraku's piece of the jewel was purified along with the hanyou himself.
Sesshoumaru was the first to get back to Kagome, just in time to see her fall face first into the dust that was once the most evil hanyou he had ever seen. She was struggling to breathe, tears coming to her eyes when she saw that InuYasha hadn't been the first to come to her. "In-Inu.." She gurgled out before the tears fell and her body gave out.
'Til mine's the only face you see
Gonna stand out
'Til you notice me
A repeated yell of her name came from her friends and loved ones, but one cry caught everyone's immediate attention.
"MAMA!!!" The kit screamed in horror, his little body zipping over to her side before the others even started running over. Sesshoumaru watched as the kit flung himself over his 'mama' and cried. The others had froze in shock over Shippo's scream, obviously he never called her that before.
"Move, kit." Sesshoumaru said a bit softer than he had meant to, though he made up for it with a quick shove of his boot. The kit cried out for him to leave his mama alone, but was quickly grabbed by the monk. Wise man. Sesshoumaru turned back to the miko and lifted his Tenseiga. It pulsed to life, pushing those within a ten foot radius away. Looking down at the broken miko, he saw the hell imps just getting to work, and he sneered.
"Hn." Was all that he said as he sliced through the supposed immortal beings. By doing so, he twisted the red string of fate. He knew it, at the moment. Just as he had done so with Rin and Jaken, he brought back the miko on his own. No begging from an outside party nor a pulse from the sword itself had brought this on. He kneeled down and lifted his own haori off and draped it onto the woman, her chest being exposed from the impalement.
"MAMA!" Shippo cried as Kagome began to stir. Her eyes opened to see two people. Shippo, and Sesshoumaru. Little did she know that this very moment altered her way of thinking, altering not only her own destiny but that of another's. Her sight blurred, the red of Shippo's hair blending into the warm gold of Sesshoumaru's. Red eyes. Beautiful blood red eyes. As her eye sight cleared she blinked, wondering where the eyes went. Where were the eyes that made her heart clench and her breath escape her? She looked at her little Shippo, recognizing him, if only just barely.
It was her son, she was sure of that, his name was Shippo. How old was he? She didn't know. When did she come to have a child? Again the answer slipped away, she wanted to open her mouth to ask but some how she couldn't. She turned her gaze to the untouchable figure above her. Silver hair and gold eyes. Her protector? No. He wasn't a threat, but he wasn't the one who shielded her from danger. This man was the shield against the shield. The one who she could talk to without fear of hurting feelings or telling her what she should do. Her hand lifted and the tips of her fingers reached for him, surprisingly he kneeled down and allowed her to touch his face, smearing blood over those twin stripes of his.
Blue eyes blinked as a pink orb came into view, hovering a bit above her before it seemed to dissolve. She watched with a child like wonder as some of the powder the beautiful thing had created entered her mouth. Slowly, one by one, it entered the mouths of many of those whom had fought beside Kagome. Shippo, Sesshoumaru, Sango, Miroku, InuYasha, Kouga, Ayame, Kagura, Kanna, and Rin all took in the pink dust before something happened.
Without a sound, without some burst of light, without so much as even a cloud of dust, there were suddenly several people missing. Shippo looked around before letting out a loud cry of fear and anguish. Of InuYasha's group only he and Kirara had been left behind.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Five hundred years later, in a elegantly decorated office with a large desk cluttered with paper work, there sat a demi-god. Why? Because he had the increasingly troubling job of keeping the trouble making youkai of the Makai to keep out of Ningenkai. He was the great prince of Reikai, and his name was Koenma.
Now Koenma wasn't very intimidating looking, in fact he was quite the opposite! He looked like a cute toddler, chewing on his pacifier and mumbling incoherently. Most would think he was babbling like a normal toddler rather than cursing over the piles of work he had to do. Return back to life? Sure. Permission to pass into Southern Makai? Fine! Want a meeting with the Prince of Reikai? OK!!
Now, although he seemed to say yes to everything he was truly thinking of what would happen should he screw up, his father was never kind when it came to punishments. Koenma was to watch over and protect ningens, and so anything, and I do mean anything, that had to deal with them had to be looked over by him and his Ogres. Yes, I said Ogres. Yellows, blues, greens, reds, there were all sorts of ogres working under him, and all of them had jobs.
One Ogre, by the name of Jorge, had the the wonderful, if one could call it that, job of being Koenma's right hand man. He did everything in his power to keep Koenma out of trouble and things in Reikai moving smoothly. He had worked hard for a couple centuries for this hard job, and he was proud of it, though the stress was so bad he had developed a nervous stutter.
That day Jorge was doing his normal routine of checking over each working team under Koenma when he found out something horrible, and so he quickly ran to his boss, often tripping over his own feet as he hurried to bring him the news.
Koenma was angry when Jorge burst into his office without warning, and had nearly began yelling, but he noticed the urgency on the blue ogre's face and immediately calmed.
"What's going on, Jorge, speak quickly!" Koenma had shouted at the nervous male in front of him, watching with a smug satisfaction as Jorge winced.
"Ko-Koenma, sir, the Department of Barrier Upkeep is under Code 77215." Jorge said, and Koenma scratched his head in confusion.
"Code 77215...77215...Why does that sound so familiar?" Koenma asked to himself, this of course caused Jorge to sigh at the boy-god. He had, after all, made the codes and should know them. Alas, the demi-god had so much he was suppose to remember he couldn't memorize things well at all.
"They are running low on holy power, sir." Jorge supplied, causing Koenma to nearly jump out of his skin. Had he not learned to control his bladder a few decades ago he would have had to have his pants changed! Low holy power in the barrier made it a lot easier for rogue youkai to get through!
"Get me Botan, NOW!" Koenma shouted into a speaker on his desk before holding his head in his tiny hands. "Oh dear...father's going to be angry...how could this happen? I thought we had enough power for another few centuries!"
Koenma got another scare when Botan, a bubbly young ferry girl, appeared in front of his desk with a strange pop sound. "Botan reporting for duty, Koenma, sir! Is it more youkai? Do you need me to gather up Yusuke's team again?" She asked with a sweet voice, her pink eyes glistening with excitement.
"Bring me the Head of the Barrier Upkeep, quickly!" The boy said, grasping the sides of his overly large hat. "It's a bat-hanyou by the name of Shiori Suzumiya! What're you still doing here?! HURRY!"
"Yes sir!" Botan answered and hopped into a portal, only to return seconds later with a beautiful woman with her. The woman was, of course, Shiori the bat hanyou. She had long white hair and lovely violet eyes. She had long ago grown into her wings, the white appendages folded neatly behind her as she bowed to the prince.
"Koenma-sama, I'm sure you've heard of our recent problem?" Shiori said as she stood, patting at her lilac lab coat with one hand while the other held onto a beautiful red orb.
"Why wasn't I notified of this sooner?!" He asked her, slamming his hands onto his desk almost painfully.
"Because, Koenma-sama, there is only one who has the energy to power the barrier. Look for a miko, one with power beyond Midoriko. I cannot tell you where you can find her, I do, however, know her first name. She is called Kagome, my lord, and she must be found within the next five years or the barrier will fall." Shiori answered, tucking a stray bit of her silvery-white hair behind a elongated pointed ear.
"Jorge! Find every file on every Kagome!" Koenma shouted and hopped onto his desk, pointing at Botan. "YOU find Yusuke's team, Jin's team, and contact the Lords and King of Makai! We have no time! GO NOW!"
With that Shiori left to get back to her department, Jorge ran to filter through the millions of files for any and every Kagome, and Botan to find everyone. Koenma fell into his chair with a flop, tears stinging his eyes. "I don't understand why these things happen so often!" He whined and covered his chubby face with his small hands.
---------------------------------------
Chapter One is Officially Up!