A Wolf's Tale, The Devil's Genesis

Here's another Inuyasha/Devil Lady crossover. Can't help it. I'm a fan of both Inuyasha and The Devil Lady. So here it is!

Summary: Kagome comes to learn that not only she's the reincarnation of Kikyo, but she's from a long line of chosen successors of the Kokage, a powerful, lupine beast-spirit that gives it's new inheritor the spiritual power to vanquish dark demons and apparitions. When Kagome ends up assuming her late father's position as the new Kokage, she finds out the curse behind her new fate: those who let the Kokage live within them takes on the form of a wolf after sunset. One night while fighting a demon, she was wounded and ended up being taken in a by a woman named Jun Fudo. What happens when one learns the other's secret? Can a wolf and a devil work together to destroy a new race of Devil Beasts?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and or The Devil Lady, and that's that!

Ch. 1

The Successor

The afternoon started out as usual for Inuyasha and the gang in the feudal era. After everyone found a nice spot near a stream Inuyasha and Miroku were hard at work trying to catch a few fish for lunch. Shippo and Kirara came back from the woods with firewood while Kagome and Sango are setting up the the spot for a cooking fire. The guys came back a while later with their catches. As the fish were slowly grilling, Shippo and Inuyasha happen to be fighting over who gets the bigger fish in the catch.

"Why do you get more food?! I'm a growing boy, so I need more!" Shippo argued.

"Well, I'm the one who had to do all the work and all the fighting around here! And all that stuff works up an appetite!" Inuyasha shot back. "Besides, you're so shrimpy that I doubt you have a big enough stomach to eat a big meal."

"Says the idiot with a mouth bigger than his gut!" the fox retorted. Not a good idea...

WHACK!

Shippo's head was swollen badly.

"Inuyasha, OSUWARI!!"

WHAM!!

"How many times have I told you to take it easy on Shippo-chan?!" Kagome rebuked the hanyou as she tended to Shippo's huge bump.

"How simple of you to forget that children must be handled with gentle care as if they are a precious, fragile porcelain vase," Miroku added.

"Not like your kind of handling, pervert!" Sango spun around and swiped a palm across the monk's face. "This is the tenth time this week!"

Suddenly, Kagome's bright face dimmed. "What day is it?"

"It's been at least seven days since you came back from your world," Sango answered.

"OH MY GOSH!!" Kagome rushed to grab her her backpack until Inuyasha swooped down and stood right in front of her.

"And where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha asked with a suspicious tone.

"I've got to get home so I can at least have some time in school to review for a huge test," Kagome said spitting out the every last word in haste. She tried to sidestep him but he kept moving in her way. "Inuyasha, I need to get home and take it. It's, like, one of the biggest tests I couldn't afford to fail."

"You've only been here for a couple days and now you wanna go home? We barely even found one jewel shard."

"It's not my fault I can't seem to sense it anywhere because of a certain hothead who's always on my back."

"Then maybe you should've been doin' your job finding the shards. Oh, wait, I guess you couldn't because all you do is keep your head in the cloud and thinking of everything else but why you're here in the first place!"

"Oh, I'm just some shard detector for you, am I? Some slave who hasn't got anything better things to do but bend to your will to find the Shikon Jewel?"

Inuyasha's face was really shocked. Who'd have thought she'd go that far? Unfortunately, Inuyasha's temper can't help but react. "If you think it's too much for a human girl like you to handle then go ahead and go home! I could care less!"

That really brought down the hammer. Without another word, Kagome shoved past the hanyou, grabbed her pack and ran off to the ancient well. The whole gang was left speechless, but glares were shot at Inuyasha. At a lost for words of what to do, Inuyasha sat himself on the grass, arms crossed and huffing.

Kagome finally reached the well and jumped in. She returned back to her time and climbed out of the well. Running to her house, she kept her head down and thought of nothing more than to just make it to her room. She opened the door and ran upstairs. Luckily no one was home at the moment – it's exactly what she needed. She finally reached her room, dropped her pack to the side, and fell on her bed exhausted. Even if she didn't want to, tears began to form in her eyes. Not wanting to have to deal with them, Kagome buried her face in her pillow, but it's not enough to keep her from letting out small sobs. Only after a few seconds, Kagome drifted off to sleep.

Kagome opened her eyes to find herself in the city, well, whatever was left of the city. Rubbles were scattered across the ground. Rifts broke the ground and streets into rugged territory. Electric cables and wire posts were all pulled from their cemented stands and lie upon the ruins of fallen skyscrapers. Kagome looked around, thinking a huge earthquake must've hit Tokyo. Suddenly, the light dimmed as the sky was painted a crimson shade. Kagome then saw a two figures in the dark shadows. Decinding to find out what they are, she approached the shadows, only to find two demons facing one another. She quickly backed away. These demons, though, looked nothing like the demons she and Inuyasha have encountered. These look more beastly and somewhat humanoid. The two monstrosities charged each other, and Kagome was forced to watch the gory battle. It was a horrible spectacle. Claws and fangs tore at the flesh, and blood sprayed everywhere. Just then, another demon flew down and joined the battle, but this one was different. The demon had the appearance of a devil. The two demons turned their attention to the devil-like demon and attacked it instead. The devil easily dodged their attempts and tore the two in half, literally. Kagome was horrified as the sheer power of the devil and was frozen stiff. The devil's golden eyes turned their gaze to the trembling human. Taking slow steps, the devil advanced towards Kagome. Before she could do anything, she felt a chilling sensation inside her body, her heart, but most likely her soul. The feeling grew to the point where it's becoming unbearably painful. The devil was getting closer, making it worse for her to control her fear, much less her difficulty breathing. The demon stopped inches away from her and extended a clawed hand towards her as if to grab her head and rip it off. Kagome shut her eyes and prepared for the hand to make contact.

Kagome forced her eyes opened after she realized she fell asleep. She quickly lifted her head from her pillow and found it partly wet from her sweat. She looked around and sighed to be relieved she was in her room. 'It was just some whacked out dream,' she thought. Looking drowsily at her clock, Kagome can discern it's already 8:00 at night. She suddenly felt four paws on her back and sat up to find an overturned Buyo on her bed. Smiling, Kagome reached out to pet the fat cat but pulled back her hand to hold herself when a burning feeling struck her as though a wildfire burned straight into her body. She had a difficulty with breathing when she felt her heart pounding like 90 mph. 'What's happening to me?! My body feels like it's turning into an fireball!' As suddenly as it came, the burning sensation disappeared. She opened her eyes and found Buyo staring at her.

"Kagome," her mother came through the door.

Kagome shook her head to set her mind straight. "What is it, Mom?"

"Could you come downstairs for a moment? Your grandfather wants a word with you."

"Coming." Kagome got out of bed and followed her mom down the stairs to the living room where her grandfather sat.

"Kagome, please have a seat," Gramps offered.

"What is it this time, Grandpa?" Kagome asked taking a seat on the tatami mat.

"There's something I believe you should know."

Kagome cocked a brow.

"You're already fifteen, and I believe it's about time you start upholding a responsibility in life."

"What're you talkin' about, Gramps? I'm already holding a responsibility in trying to pass ninth-grade."

"Kagome, there's more to your life than you think."

'If you mean the time-traveling to the Sengoku-jidai, then don't waste your breath.' Kagome thought with no interest.

"Kagome, you are a descendant of a long line of Kokage."

'Ko... kage?' Kagome was starting to become skeptical. 'Did you overdo it with some sake again?

"This may sound like a shock to you, but you must understand, Kagome, that it is now your duty to become the Kokage."

Staring at the old man in disbelief, Kagome thought through her options of whether to believe him or not. 'It's already a surprise that I can travel from this world to the feudal era. But then again, so many strange things happen to me. Why should this be a shock to me? I mean I've had worse --' Her thoughts were cut off when that same scorching feeling hit her again. She wrapped her arms around her body and began to to tremble uncontrollably. 'Not again! What's going on?!' Her mother rushed to her daughter's side. Then she stopped shivering when the burning feeling disappeared again.

"Now, do you see?" the old man continued.

"I don't understand what's going on. If you know what's going on here, then tell me what's happening to me," Kagome said desperately.

"First, you must understand what a Kokage is," he replied. Kagome had no choice but to listen to the old shrine keeper. She settled herself and listened attentively. "Long ago, when the once-peaceful, ancient world fell into darkness, demons and evil spirits of all sorts filled the earth and possessed the hearts of men, turning them into corruption of society. After a long period of terror and bloodshed, a powerful priest made one desperate sacrifice to destroy the demons. Like fighting fire with fire, the priest called upon the highest demon of the Underworld: Kokage, the great demon of Hell's Fire. Possessing the heart and soul of the priest, Kokage gave its host the power to destroy the demons. With the power of Kokage protecting the land, the world continued to live on in peace, unafraid of demons."

As far as the story went, Kagome was partially believing everything and yet still skeptical. "So, you're saying I'm some kind of new host for this spirit that can destroy demons?" Kagome asked once he ended the tale. He nodded. "I still don't understand the whole descendant deal."

"Your late father was the recent inheritor of the Kokage spirit. Now, being his eldest child, he passed down this legacy to you. Kagome, you must accept your inheritance of this great history and responsibility!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down there, Gramps," Kagome stopped him. "I'm just a ninth-grader. What can I do with a spirit? And besides, I've already got a hard enough time playing double-life as a junior high student and a reincarnation of a miko looking for the Shikon shards."

"I knew that'd be your answer. But you have no choice in the matter, Kagome. I'm sure you've already received the signs."

"Signs?"

"That unexplainable heat you felt earlier? Yes, it's the most important indication of the new successor. The Kokage's spirit is the master of Hell's inferno. It's aura is said to have been able to disintegrate lesser demons just by standing near them. You see, Kagome? You are the next chosen Kokage. Accept your destiny."

She couldn't take this anymore. The simple talk itself is starting to drive her crazy. Abruptly, Kagome stood up and turned to walk away. "OI!! Kagome! Where are you going? I'm not done explaining this to you!"

"Well, I'm done listening to this nonsense! It's already hard enough to accept being the reincarnation of a dead miko!" Kagome shouted back. She's got enough to worry about back in the feudal era, and taking on the responsibility of something everyone expects too much out of her is overriding her systems.

"Kagome!" her mother tried to call back.

"Forget it, Mom," she stopped her. "I can't take anymore of what I can handle right now. This is going to have to wait."

"This is something you can't shrug off just like that," Gramps explained. "This is something that can determine the fate of mankind."

"And finding the jewel shards are just as important," Kagome said back. Rather furious, she stormed out the house, leaving her grandfather and mother calling out to her. She ran to the well and shut herself up in the shrine. Sitting at the stairs, she thought about what had just happened. 'Okay, maybe I shouldn't have left in that manner, but... I don't know how much of this I can take. Ever since the Shikon jewel shattered, I felt responsible for what had happened. And now people are depending on me to find the shards. If that's bad enough, how can I assume the position of the Kokage, or whatever?'

Suddenly, the light in the shrine disappeared. Kagome looked out the window and found dark clouds enveloping the sun and the clear blue sky. She slid open the door to investigate. Looking up in the sky, she saw the clouds darkening as the skies... turn crimson red, just like the one in her dream. Just then, she heard a scream coming from the house... her mother's. Adrenaline pumping, Kagome ran to the house and made a desperate sprint to her house. Inside, she finds a horrible sight.

A total maccabre in her sight. Blood stained the walls and tatami matting. Furnitures are overturned and painted with blood. There on the floor laid the most terrible spectacle that her eyes had ever behold. The bodies of her mother, grandfather, and younger brother lie before her in their pool of blood. She falls to her knees, eyes blank, and body completely numb. A mysterious and eerie growl was heard from behind her. She swerves around to find a pair of glowing red eyes glaring at her. There stood a humanoid beast, resembling some sort of cat demon. Around 7 feet tall, the hulking abomination stood with a small hunch. It's fangs are that of a saber-toothed tiger. Claws of blades are the first thing that caught her eyes. It's right arm is completely soaked with blood, no doubt her family's blood.

For the first time in her life, her heart and soul became a whirlwind of chaotic rage, sorrow, and confusion. It's nothing like what she felt when Inuyasha and Kikyo are together; this is more overwhelming than anything. Utterly flustered, she stumbled backwards and fell on the pool of blood gathered around her mother. She looked down and found her hand on her mother's cold hand. Lifting up her trembling hand, palms up, she stared blankly at her mother's life in her hands. Crimson, dripping blood has never affected her before, but why is it different now? Suddenly, her heart pounded like a one-ton mallet in her chest. Her blood-caked hand, no, her whole body was shaking violently. Her breath labored. Her head and heart, especially, were in a world of agonizing pain. She shut her eyes tightly closed, one hand holding her head and the bloodied one to her heart. Everything seemed to be pulsing around her like she's inside her own heart. If there's anyone around, Kagome would gladly have them kill her in an instance.

"Release me," an unknown voice called from within. Kagome opened her eyes and found herself in a swirling void of wind.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked, even though no one seems to be there.

"Release me," it repeated. "Release me... if you want to live..."

Kagome shut her eyes again when another wave of pain swept her. What's she going to do now?

She opened her eyes in a flash. Her usual blue eyes lightened into a silvery-blue shade. Around the iris, tints of gold glittered within the silver-blue color. Her pupils contracted to the point where it resembled a wolf's. An ominous smirk donned her face as fangs grew, protruding from her once-human cuspids. The cat beast let out a threatening hiss/growl when he heard an evil laugh coming from the human girl. Something has come over the once-ordinary girl, something that sent, even the demon itself, a spine-chilling sensation... something bloodthirsty... and almost equal to that of a devil.