The Crow's Last Cry

Summary: The jewel is done, and Kagome finally has a peaceful year... that is until her little brother develops a crush on an older woman. One thing leads to another and Kagome finds herself on a plane to New York to chase after Souta, who had recently joined the 'Foot Clan'. –A punkish furball and Nozume collaboration!-

Hello, all! New Story Time!

A Word from Us:

punkish furball – Hello, everybody! As stated in the summary, this work is a Nozume and punkish furball joint! XD This is our first collaborated fic, and I'm excited to work with someone who loves TMNT/Inuyasha crossovers as much as I do (As much as we all do!). I hope you all enjoy the fruits of our labor, and, until next time, TCB! X3

Nozume: Hope you guys all enjoy the first chapter! Punkish and I will try our best to update this story when we can, so hopefully everyone will look forward to later chapters. If I were to write this story myself, I'd end up killing Kagome at the end of it, but thankfully Punkish here can stop me from doing that (I hope (punkish furball – And I will!)). Thanks everyone and see you all later!

Chapter 1

Well It's Not Like I Wanted Peace and Quiet

A relaxed sigh escaped Kagome's lips as she slid her back against the trunk of the Goshinboku. Her blue eyes briefly lingered on the empty shrine she closed them. In the background, a murder of crows gave out a cry before flying off towards the setting sun, piercing through the stagnant silence.

'Another day has come and gone,' thought Kagome, smiling as she cuddled closer to sacred tree.

Right now, life was peaceful, and she appreciated it wholeheartedly. Before everyone was always in a hurry - running away or running towards a demon. There was never a day where they could just stop and enjoy the view. Time was a luxury they didn't have. All that mattered to the dog half demon, the orphaned kit, the cursed monk, the deceived demon slayer, and the girl from the future was the defeat of Naraku and the destruction of the Shikon no Tama.

And so, just as they set out to do, the jewel was destroyed, wished away from existence. Every wish, every plea, and every greedy desire that it ever granted was dissolved as if they were never requested in the first place. Sadly, without the presence of the fiendish jewel, Kagome found her form disappearing from her friends, without leaving a trace that she ever existed.

As soon as Kagome arrived back home with her family worried sick, she wondered with tears in her eyes... did they remember her or was her existence permanently erased from their memories? Was this a final, cruel work from the jewel?

Did Inuyasha remember me?

That mantra ran through Kagome's head as she cried and cried for 5 days and nights. Then after all of her tears were gone, she finally realized she was back home.

Home.

Kagome may have missed the family she left behind, but this was her home. This was where she belonged. With the comfort of her family, Kagome was able to move on. Looking back at everything she went through, she noted, with a dark tone humor, that time never stopped for anyone.

So why should it stop for her?

However, moving on was not without its hardships. All of the school she missed made it difficult for her advance and make a living for herself. Luckily for her, she had a wonderful friend named Ayumi, whose father owned a small finance business. With her connection, she was able to get a job working as a part time administrative assistant. The pay was decent and the work was easy, but the best part of all this was that she wasn't required to do math!

…That was a lie. There was a little math. Kagome's main job duties involved customer service, but some of the paperwork she did had some simple business math calculations. It was nothing too intensive, but it never seemed to end.

Sometimes, she wondered what would happen if she set them on fire and watched them burn before she grabbed another cup of coffee to help her get through the rest of the day.

When she opened her eyes again, Kagome smiled at her approaching brother, lifting her arm and giving him a lazy wave.

Souta quickly settled down beside her, his voice slightly squeaking—ah puberty, she thought to herself—as he told her his day and how he met up with his new friend.

His pretty new girl friend, Kagome thought with a very distinct space between the words "girl" and "friend".

As much as she wanted to tease her younger brother about his new friend, she opted against it. After all, even if she did, he was far too engrossed with his story about how he finally managed to impress his mystery lady today. It was best to just let him have this moment.

For now anyways.

"And then she just looked at me and nodded! She nodded at me!" he continued to gush. If Souta could grin any wider, Kagome was sure his face would fall apart.

"I mean, I know I screwed up on some of the footwork, but she was really impressed!" He wrung his fingers into his shirt, scrunching up the fabric with pride and poorly hidden embarrassment.

Oh how Kagome wished she could tease him about this new crush of his.

"That's great!" she replied instead while her nimble fingers found themselves tangled in her younger brother's raven locks, giving him an affectionate pat.

"Maybe tomorrow I'll teach you another move set! After all…" Kagome paused for a second, debating whether or not she should give in to what she really wanted to say. Ultimately, she decided to.

"... I want my younger brother to do the best he can to show off to his new crush!"

At the sight of Souta's tomato red face and stuttering protest, she couldn't help but giggle. After all, it wasn't nice to keep secrets from your older sister.

Especially if said older sister was a demon butt-kicking, time traveler miko. And, although Souta was certainly not a demon, kick his butt she did. Like all of their training sessions, he ended up lying on his back his clothes drenched in sweat as he fought to regain his breath. He had his suspicions that Kagome pushed him harder today than she usually did. She taught him a complete move set and an extra finishing move, not stopping until his form was as perfect as possible after only one session.

Souta smiled. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to tell Kagome about the girl he liked. He just hoped she liked his new moves. He really would do anything for her, Oroku Karai.

Hidden in the shadows, a male garbed in twisted metal with a heart just as warped stared out his window, watching as time passed in his city. He was so engrossed in his observations that he did not acknowledge someone entered his room.

"Father." A bow. "All our units are being assembled on the plane, we are ready to leave at any time."

There was silence. Still in a bowing position, the speaker wondered what was on his mind.

"Karai," he finally spoke, his voice cutting through the tense air, "That child you spoke of before, I have high expectation from what I heard." Turning around, he stared at his own child, carefully eying her movement.

"You know what you must do."

Lifting her head, Karai nodded. "I will not fail you, father."

In the air, hung a heavy burden. Failure was not an option. It was never an option.

With only the night sky illuminating her road, Kagome started her brisk pace back home from her monthly get together with her old friends. Despite Kagome's secrets, Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka still valued their friendship with her. It was nice, knowing that there was something in the past she could still go to.

Mystical or not, she felt at ease, often envisioning herself as the carefree 15 year old she always wanted to be.

However, she couldn't get back those teenage years. No matter how many alternate routes she played in her head, there was no way she could have lived both as a high school student and magical priestess. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered what would happen if she never went to the shed, but continued on as a regular girl, but even then she couldn't imagine it.

It would have been different if she was allowed to stay, to remain with her friends and allies in the aftermath of their victory, but she couldn't. Her life was completely uprooted and put on hold for the greater good, and she had nothing to show for it other than a handful of precious memories she couldn't even share. As childish as it was, Kagome thought it was completely unfair and realized more often than not fate was cruel.

And for that, Kagome wanted to make sure Souta was able to experience what she couldn't and forced to make the sacrifices she had. Even with his pleading for something supernatural, she couldn't let him into her world, a world far too cold and cruel for someone like him. Once he entered, he could never go back to his previous life.

One foot after another, climbing up the stairs. The darkness covering where she had stepped before. There was only ahead, nothing behind her.

Training was one thing. The modern era wasn't as dangerous as its medieval counterpart, but the training was necessary for his protection and safety. Throwing him in a world of death and decay was another matter entirely. She never wanted him to be able to see the ghost of the death, begging to ascend to heaven, or relive the flames of hell during their meeting with the Pied Piper.

It was better like this, a peaceful life with no drama or spilt blood, the forgotten need to look behind her back every minute.

When Kagome reached the top of the stairs, she noticed the lights were still on. Usually by this time, everyone was fast asleep. A sharp chill up her spine, Kagome quickly stepped into the shrine, eagerly taking off her shoes as she bounced up towards the hallway.

"Mama? Are you awake?"

A sob replied back.

Her brain now fully on reality, she braced herself for whatever scene was to be thrown in front of her.

Souta injured? Her grandfather dead? Something stolen? The return of Magatsuhi or Naraku?

Instead, Kagome found herself face to face with her mother seated at the kitchen table, tears streaming down her face as her eyes lingered on a piece of paper in front of her.

"Mama?"

Her mother turn her head towards her eldest daughter, distraught covering her face.

"It's…" she began to say but her voice got caught in her thought. She took a large gulp of air before she tried to speak again.

"It's Souta. He's gone! All he left was this letter!"

A sob broke through her lips as another wave of tears spilled over her face. Her hands reached up and covered her eyes, unable to continue to let her daughter see horrified and agitated face.

Kagome approached the table and gently picking up the letter, bracing herself for whatever she was about to read. Her mind couldn't conjure any words as she looked through the letter. She gaped openly, unsure how to feel.

Dear family,

By the time you read this, I will have already left for New York City. Please do not worry me. I'll be staying with my friend and her family. I love you all very much and will contact you again as soon as I can.

Until then,

Souta Higurashi

Kagome bit her lips until they bled, nervousness bubbling inside her stomach. This was wrong. Souta wasn't supposed to leave like she did. No, it wasn't the same. Her fate was decided the moment she was born and that cursed jewel was reborn along with her. She left home to pursue a greater goal, to ensure that the future she came from remained intact. It was a thankless task, but she had no choice but to do the right thing. The more she tried to accept what Souta did, her every thought process halted and broke apart. Of all routes he was supposed to take, this wasn't it.

He wasn't supposed to go chasing after adventures.

Her thoughts were halted when weak hands reached up and grasped hers. Kagome looked down and immediately realized her mother was quietly begging for something, something she was afraid to request out loud. She lean down and stared at her mother, their eyes drowning in different emotions.

Confusion, horror, anger, disappointment, and, most of all, loneliness. An all-consuming loneliness that could only be felt when you've been abandoned by the one you loved the most. Kagome knew that feeling all too well and was certain her mother did too.

They both knew what was needed to be done.

"Tomorrow," Kagome whispered softly, "Tomorrow will be my last day here. I promise to return with him in one piece."

Her mother released Kagome's hands and pulled her into a desperate hug. Just when it seemed like her precious daughter returned to her life for good, she had to leave again. She didn't want to lose her again, but there was no other choice. It was one thing if one of her children went away, but, with both of them gone, silence would fill the house.

And silence was all that you needed to know you were truly alone.

With a bitter smile, Kagome reached up and wiped away her mother's tears. The moisture was gone, but she was still heartbroken.

Beneath all of her love and support, she must have looked just like this when I left, not knowing if I'll come back home.

But this time was different. Kagome was different. Souta was not separated from his family by time, only miles of land and sea. She had an idea who this "friend" of Souta's was and would take him home even if she had to drag him back by the ankles. Her mother wasn't allowed to feel this heartache again.

"I promise I'll bring him home," she repeated.

Her mother gave Kagome another squeeze, still not able to fully let her go.

"I know, dear. I know."

Tomorrow came, and it ended in a blur. Kagome didn't even remember falling asleep. Tickets were bought, bags were packed, and goodbyes were exchanged. She remembered her friend's faces as she said goodbye. They didn't understand, and they never will, her secrets made sure of that. But at the same time, they understood that she was different, and she had her own secret agenda.

And that was all she needed.

Before she knew it, Kagome was on a plane, staring at the sparkling night skies. Though the fates were cruel, she still prayed Souta wouldn't do anything to screw up.

After all, they didn't need another screw up in the family.

CHAPTER 1 END