Her breath came in ragged bursts as her legs worked tirelessly to move her suddenly heavy body past her limits. Ahead she could see them already engaged in the battle, the final battle if they had any say about it. She burst out of Naraku's castle and into his courtyard where scores of demonflesh and blood littered the dark and crumbling stone.
Sango and Miroku panted nearby, sweat beading on Miroku's brow as he clutched his kaazaana arm painfully. Kagome wouldn't doubt that he had absorbed some of Naraku's poisonous insects already. She could see two silver blurs circling the writhing mass of evil above her and the dark taint of the jewel within the spider-hanyou's body.
Her own body trembling with exhaustion she drew her bow back and charged as much energy as she could muster before letting her arrow fly through the heart of the spider. She watched as if in slow motion as the mass of tentacles that made up Naraku pierced his red-clad opponent and ripped a still-beating heart from his chest.
"No!" Kagome jerked awake. Her body was tangled in her sweat stained sheets as tears burned her eyes. Her breath shuddered in her aching throat as if she truly had been there, running through that cursed castle in search of Naraku. She had lived through a thousand different scenes in her nightmares, but they all ended the same. Quietly she sobbed into her pillow before taking a fortifying breath and turning to look at her alarm clock.
03:32 blinked back at her in bright green numbers. She took a deep breath and crinkled her nose at the musky smell of her sweat-soaked sheets.
'Might as well get these washed...' The young woman stripped her bed and piled them into the washer before going to change her clothes. Her eyes were sore and her chest felt empty from her impromptu display of emotion after the nightmare. The nightmares did not come as often now, and she supposed that was a good sign. She would never forget her friends or the sacrifices made to rid the world of the Shikon jewel, but at least she could recover and move on with her life.
The priestess pulled her hair back into a high pony-tail as she adjusted her tank and yoga pants before starting her morning jog. She breathed deeply when she entered the almost preternatural stillness of the pre-dawn and smiled to herself. At least she could pretend in this quiet time of the morning that nothing had changed, and she was still in the past with her comrades.
Emotion burned in her chest again and she clamped down on her thoughts as she jogged through what remained of Inuyasha's forest behind the shrine. She concentrated on keeping her mind blank as Miroku and Kaede had both taught her during meditation. The crisp not-quite morning air burned pleasantly in her lungs as she pushed herself forward. The trail left the trees onto a main street and she turned on the sidewalk to start the long loop around the block and back towards the shrine.
Her senses touched lightly over the area. Kagome had yet to run into any sort of demon in modern Tokyo, but old habits died hard. She would not admit to herself that she was hoping...In any case, she had been caught with her pants down in the past enough to at least keep tabs on anything unusual.
Soon she was back home and enjoying the sting of hot water on her chilled skin. She glanced at the clock as she re-entered her room, toweling off her wet hair and sighed.
04:56 she glared at the numbers blinking merrily at her.
She dressed and began on the chores that grandpa usually did. His health had taken a concerning turn for the worst since she had returned permanently from the past, nearly two years ago now, but she had shouldered the burden of extra chores as easily as she had the duty of the Shikon no Tama.
'At least the thing can't hurt anyone anymore...' she thought with a little hint of pride. It had been her wish in the end that nullified the jewel. If only she had been a little quicker to reach the battle...It had been the hardest thing in the world, not to use it to bring him back, but despite the turmoil in her heart she knew it had been the right decision.
Her mind quashed those thoughts before she could go down that path again. The sun began to peak over the horizon and Kagome paused in her sweeping to enjoy the soft bruise of pink and purple against the dark sky. The world was still turning, and she had a life to live.
The miko had held out hope of seeing some familiar faces when she returned to her time, though with the two-year mark nearly upon her those hopes had nearly faded to nothing. She had thought, if nothing else, maybe Shippou would still be around. 500 years was a long time, though, and she wondered if he would even remember her. After all what was the four years they shared to 500? Not even a drop in the hat.
'Even if they didn't remember me, I'd he happy just to know they're alright..' She held no illusions of her human companions, there was no way that they were still living. Kagome had tried to trace public records of family lineages back, but to no avail. Only the most important lines were recorded back in that time, so even the chance of finding her friends great-great-great so on grandchildren were out of her grasp.
"Kagome?" Her mother's voice called softly from the house. "Do you want to help with breakfast?" The young woman turned to her mother with a 'hai'.
Eight o'clock finally rolled around and Kagome fiddled with the straps of her back-pack as she walked to her University. It had taken alot of work to dig herself out of the academic hole she had put herself into during her adventures, but she managed to scrape by without repeating a year. She was majoring in history, which, goes without saying, had become her best subject in high-school.
Ayumi gushed to Kagome about her new boyfriend once classes were over. The cafeteria was bustling with fellow students and Eri and Yuka plopped down at the small round table. Eri rubbed her temples with a sigh.
"I don't know how you find time for a boyfriend with all this work." She whined earning chuckles from around the table.
"There's always time for love." Ayumi sighed. "Aren't you going out with Hinata, Eri?" Her friends conversation washed over her as she savored her meal.
"Ooooh look! Its Shuichi!" Sighed Yuka drawing the envious stares of Ayumi and Eri to the red-head that walked by one of the windows. Several girls trailed behind him tittering and blushing. "I'd love to land even a date with him..."
"You'd have to fight your way through his fan-club first!" Laughed Eri. The other two chuckled good-naturedly. "You're pretty quiet Kagome, everything ok?"
"Of course." She grinned at her friends over her rice. "Just thinking about my next project."
"You're always so studious Kagome, it's a complete one-eighty from when you were out sick all the time in high-scool." Eri's voice was envious. "I never could have bounced back so well."
"You should come to Riku's party tonight!" Yuka exclaimed as she positively vibrated with excitement. She could see the rejection on her friends lips and so continued, "Oh come on! Please? It's been so long since we've all gotten together outside of school." All three of her friends gave her puppy-dog eyes.
"Fine!" Kagome almost snapped as she snatched her drink. "I'll go." She sipped her drink as her eye twitched with annoyance, she hated it when her friends ganged up on her. Her hackles smoothed almost immediately as her friends happy chatter picked up again. It wasn't as if she'd had plans or anything...
Kagome sighed as her heels clicked against the cement. The party had not been bad, but she was still glad to be on her way home, even if it was nearly midnight. Yuka and Eri chatted on either side of her, the symphony of their footfalls echoed around them. A pleasant buzz covered her skin, but she was sure that Yuka was a bit more than just buzzed from the way she laughed just a little too loud at Eri's jokes.
The priestess stopped suddenly and put her arms on either side of her to stop her friends as well. Something was tickling the edge of her senses. Her eyes scanned the dimness beyond the streetlight and a gasp lodged in her throat.
Ahead of them was a dark alley, and what appeared to be a woman's foot and leg disappeared into the darkness within. Her friends gasped and took a step back as they, too, saw the appendage.
"Should we make she she's ok?" Eri took a half-hearted step forwards but Kagome shook her head. She could sense a demon in the alley with the woman's body, and she'd be damned if she exposed her friends to that kind of danger.
"I'll check on her, you two call an ambulance." This was not a situation she wished to enter after a night of light drinking, but, buzzed or not, the role of protector was not one that could be cast off lightly, even after two years of peace.
"Our phones aren't working!" Wailed Eri.
"Then go back to the liquor store!" Kagome snapped. "Tell the cashier to call an ambulance." Her friends blanched at her authoritative tone and nearly stumbled over themselves as they ran towards the store. Kagome took a steadying breath as her heart slammed against her ribs.
'Come on, you've beaten Naraku, this small fry should be nothing.' Her eyes scanned the nearby area looking for a viable weapon. Finding nothing she kicked off her heels and snatched one off the concrete. 'it's not like I can fight in heels anyway.'
The miko eyed the darkness before her wearily. She could still sense the demon, but it was further back in the alley. Kagome knelt beside the woman and placed her fingers on her pulse point. It was soft, but there.
'fainted, probably.' She stood up as she felt the malicious energy coming closer.
"What have we here?" The rough voice echoed out from the alley, "A sweet little virgin for dessert?"
"Back off!" Snarled Kagome as she felt the energy press in around her. A dark chuckle caressed her ears.
"Or what? You'll smack me with your shoe?" He was close now, but still just out of reach of her arm. She dared not throw the heel and loose her only means of defense to the inky blackness that surrounded her.
She sensed more than saw his lunge. His energy spiked and Kagome channeled her own power through the heel as she would her bow. The alley was bathed in pink light and she brought the sharp heel of her shoe down into one of the demon's eyes. She flinched at the amazing volume of his death-cry as he almost immediately dissipated into ash.
She was frozen from the ease with which the human-looking youkai had been dispatched.
Her breath escaped her in a rush and her heel clattered to the ground from nerveless fingers. She fell to her shaking knees as the adrenaline began to leave her. Sirens could be heard approaching and she knew that her friends had come through with the ambulance.
The battle may have been anti-climactic but she knew if there had been more to it she wouldn't have lasted. It had been so long since the feudal era, and while she had kept in shape with jogging and archery practice those were a far cry from a life-or death situation.
'shake it off, girl.' Kagome slapped some life and color back into her cheeks and stood up suddenly. 'Just a low-class demon. No big deal.'
"Kagome!" She heard Yuka's voice and her stumbling steps accompanied by Eri. An ambulance pulled up near the alley and Kagome got on her feet to stay out of the way of the professionals. Yuka and Eri's arms were thrown around her and the two trembling girls sniffled as they watched the ambulance load the woman into the back.
"Do you think she's dead?" Eri sniffed into Kagome's ear. It was a testament to how much the other girls had drank that night that neither noticed their friend was barefoot.
"No, she just fainted." Kagome reassured as she rubbed both her friends backs. "She had a pulse and everything, honest." She gave her friends her warm smile and leaned her forehead against both of theirs.
It may not have been the same way Sango supported her after a difficult fight, but she was still glad for the warmth and friendship that she gained from her modern-era friends.
"Come on, let's go. These guys have everything under control." Indeed the ambulance was already pulling away from the curb and speeding towards the hospital.
That night Kagome tossed and turned in the throws of yet another nightmare.
"We traced an E-level demon from the boarder to Tokyo. He claimed one victim, a man. A woman witnessed the attack and fainted. An ambulance was called for her. She's already been released from the hospital and her memories have been altered" Kurama stood with his hands in his pockets as he delivered his report, Hiei looked off to the side.
"You called her an ambulance?" Koenma's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"No. Someone else called before we arrived on the scene." Kurama corrected.
"And the culprit?" The demi-god pressed.
"Vaporized." Emerald eyes studied his employer for any signs of surprise, and was not disappointed. "Before we arrived." Another beat of silence stretched between the three figures. "All that was found at the scene was ash...and a pair of high-heels."
A/N: This is my first attempt at an Inuyasha/YYH crossover. I am more familiar with Inuyasha than YYH so if you have any suggestions for a character's personality or the spelling of a name please don't be shy to let me know in the reviews.
Also let me know if you think I should continue this fic or not, I've got a vague idea of where to go with it but all suggestions will be taken into consideration. This includes wants for a certain type of pairing or certain events you'd like to see play out.