Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshiro Togashi.
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Chapter #2: Blue
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Like something so innocent and harmless, the gem shimmered a brilliant pink in her bloodied palm. Kneeling in the muddy earth, Kagome's tired gaze drifted across the battlefield. The ground was torn with giant claw marks in several places from the Tetsusaiga's Kaze no kizu. The Hiraikotsu jutted from the corpse of a large spider demon. Carcasses of lower class demons littered the ground; they were all of what remained of Naraku's "great" army. The stench of blood and death and sweat seemed to fill the stagnant air. Clutching her free hand to her side, Kagome grinned as her friend's crowded around her. Miroku and Sango leaned on one another, arms thrown over shoulders as they staggered to remain standing. Kirara limped towards them, favoring her right foreleg as she brushed her muzzle against the taijya's arm. Approaching slowly, InuYasha crossed his arms over his chest with a confident smirk. Faces, smudged with dirt and blood, quickly brightened at the sight of the glowing marble in her palm. The excited lilt of their voices swelled as the miko held out the complete, purified Shikon for all to see.
And standing some distance away, still pristine and brandishing the Bakusaiga, Sesshoumaru watched with an air of triumphant stoicism.
'It's done,' she thought, closing her fingers tightly around the jewel. 'It's finally over.' They went through so much, for such a tiny thing. And after all this time, who knew it could cause this much destruction. But it didn't matter now. The threat was gone. The enemy had been defeated. And the prize was tucked safely in her palm, surrounded by those who would lay down their lives to protect its guardian.
And as the cheerful voices muddled together in her ears, the world suddenly seemed to tilt on its axis. The wet ground came up to meet her as she lay on her back. Familiar faces blotted out her vision, but she didn't mind. The muffled voices were a comfort, but her eyes lingered above on the vast expanse of sky. Arms and legs spread out wide, Kagome's smile grew as her hair pillowed her head.
And as her half-lidded gaze stared heavenward, a fleeting observation drifted through her darkening senses.
'It's so...blue.'
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It was a castle.
What it lacked in defense, it made up in beautiful architecture. It was nothing like the angular fortress in Raizen's old territory or the sprawling city that was once Yomi's, but like it had been stripped straight from the storybooks. It held no malicious aura like the castle of the Four Saint Beasts; instead, it appeared to be surrounded by a pure energy. Stark white against a pale blue sky, the palace had been carved from limestone and marble. Its tallest tower seemed to spear the clouds. The great turrets glinted like diamonds in the sun. Vast walls of marble reflected in the early morning glow. Decorated with delicate arches and intricate curls, it gave off an air of wealth and prosperity. Flags of blue and gold rippled in the breeze, proudly bearing the crest of the Central Territories. The castle was carved into the cliff face, a garden of lush green gracing each level. On the lowest platform, shops lined the streets and vendors - human, hanyou, and youkai alike - showed their wears to the newcomers to the territory. And with each rise, there was not much difference among those who lived within the sanctity of the marble walls.
The Central Territories was known for its tolerance. It was the only place in Makai that connected with Human World so peacefully. Humans were welcome into the territory, so long as they did not torment the demons. Full youkai were permitted as well, if they agreed to not eat human flesh. And like both, hanyou were most especially welcome if they sought a more peaceful existence - away from those in Makai who would seek to harm them. A powerful barrier encompassed the territory, stretching beyond the castle walls and into the deep forests that covered most of the land. And before one could even step foot into the forests, one had to ask permission for entry from the Lady herself.
He had forgone the slicked-back hair for just letting his hair hang freely. Tugging at his collar once more, Yusuke wished he had pockets to hide his hands. Formal attire was just not his thing. It wasn't something he was privileged to, and it was uncomfortable. Though the silk was soft and warm against his skin, the whole wealth of the thing made him itch. His lips turned down in a scowl as he glanced at the kitsune, who seemed unaffected by the clothing.
"You should watch your posture, Yusuke," started Kurama, glancing at the slouching ex-Reikai Detective from the corner of his eyes. Also dressed in fine silk, Kurama had opted to be the more diplomatic partner to accompany Yusuke on this errand. His lips tilted in a slight smirk as they followed a guard through the castle. "You're here to make a good impression and listen on Spirit World's behalf. Reikai does not have many demons who would help them willingly."
"Who says I'm doing this willingly? Tell me again why the toddler sent us on this mission?" he grumbled.
Kurama swallowed a light chuckle. "Incorrect, Yusuke. Koenma sent you on this mission. I merely agreed to be the more... level-headed of the two of us."
"Oi! Watch it!"
"It would seem Reikai has sent their little moles," came a dispassionate voice from behind. "Not that it will do them much good."
Turning to face the voice, Yusuke eyed the newcomer with a confident stare. 'Geez, if he isn't an ugly sight to behold...'
Towering over him, a broad chested demon had his arms folded over his chest. Two horns protruded from his skull as ash gray hair fell past his shoulders. Sharp red eyes glared down at the puny ex-detective as a sneer pulled on his lips, revealing long yellowed fangs. With a box-shaped face, the tall youkai seemed to resemble a bull - beefy, brawny, and brainless. Large, meaty hands were fisted in the billowing sleeves of his coarse, wool top. A tattered, green sash wrapped around his waist and draped across his hips while the hems of his indigo pants whipped about his ankles in an invisible wind. Bone armor shielded his chest and looped over his shoulders, only to wrap around his forearms and shins like guantlets. And slung low against his hip was a battle-worn sword, dark splotches of blood marring the silver metal. As far as youki went, it wasn't very impressive. Just like every other low-class apparition in the Makai Realm, this demon - too - was lacking.
"And... who are you supposed to be?" asked Yusuke, unimpressed. Kurama shook his head before motioning to the guard to wait for his partner. The kitsune had no intention of getting lost in this maze of marble and limestone.
The large demon sputtered, his head rearing back in indignation. The gray mop on his head seemed to bristle like quills at the slight against his pride. And in typical male fashion, he retaliated. Baring his fangs, his voice thundered past his lips in a snarl. And for a second, Yusuke thought this beast of a demon would begin pawing at the ground like an angry bison.
"I am Lord Yuuden, you insignificant whelp!" he bellowed, leaning down to snort in the partial-demon's face.
Yusuke grinned, rocking back on his heels. This was an opportunity too good to pass up. Kurama pressed his face into his palm and noticed that their guard was beginning to grow uneasy in their presence. 'This can only end badly,' he thought as the guard motioned for fellow soldier nearby. 'Very badly.'
Placing a firm hand on Yusuke's shoulder, Kurama spoke quickly. "Yusuke, I do not think this is a wise decision. You do not want to start a confrontation here. Especially here." The last part came out in a quiet hiss. It was never a good idea to start a fight in the Central Territories. Too many times had Youko already experienced the wrath of the guards - and the Lady - who defended their keep with great pride.
Brushing the hand away, Yusuke let out a raucous laugh.
"Relax, Kurama. Don't sweat it."
"But-!"
It was too late. Already, Yusuke was leaning forward to antagonize the big oaf. Inching away, Kurama located a place near the guards. He would let the ex-detective deal with this. 'Honestly, I tried to warn him.'
"So, you're the idiot who wrote that shit letter? Heh, you wouldn't know eloquence if it bit you in the ass," Yusuke said with a smirk.
Not that he was much better, of course.
Puffing out his chest, Yuuden drew his fists from his sleeves. His shoulders shook with unconcealed rage as his eyes flashed a darker red. Pure, unhindered youki began to seep from his pores as the ex-detective prepared for the worst. Large hands clenched at his sides before Yuuden tightly gripped the hilt of his sword. With a sharp tung, the blade came free from its place at his hip and the demon held it above Yusuke's head. Brandishing it like a club, the minor lord waved the sharp steel about with an angry abandon. The denizens of the castle shied away, ducking into the safe arches that lined the streets. The heavy footsteps of the palace guards seemed to echo in Yusuke's ears as he watched Yuuden cautiously.
"You insolent fool! I'll crush you!" he roared as he brought the blade down in a heavy arch.
Narrowing his eyes, Yusuke charged his Spirit Gun.
But neither had the chance...
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"... and the sum of 2x2 plus the sum of 3(x4 + 12) is equal to... equal to..."
With a defeated groan, Kagome pressed her head against her homework, silently praying that she could solve the problem through osmosis. 'Sometimes, I wish we were plants,' she thought with a tiny whimper. Was it too much to ask for something simpler? A socked foot kicked the wastebasket in frustration. Not that it mattered. For too long, she had neglected school to traverse the countryside of ancient Japan. And now, instead of battling bloodthirsty demons with purifying arrows, she combatted math with a Texas Instrument and a mechanical pencil. Despite all her hard work, struggling to catch up with her fellow classmates, it seemed almost pointless. She graduated with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi, but beyond required schooling, Kagome saw nothing but an blank page. It wasn't until her mother urged her to take a few courses at the community college did she start taking an interest in her future.
But even then, it didn't seem like there was much to look forward to.
So, instead of focusing on the courses she had chosen, Kagome had taken to practicing her spiritual powers. Without Keade, she had no idea where to begin. And he was hesitant to ask her Grandpa about such things. He was already exuberant about demons and other historical relics. She didn't need to add priestess training to his agenda. 'Besides, Grandpa doesn't have much power as it is,' she thought with another sigh. Nevertheless, Kagome did what she could. Whenever she found the time, she would go into the deeper part of the forests that surrounded the Sunset Shrine to meditate by herself. She practiced making barriers and calling her powers to her fingertips. And yet, no matter how much she practiced, it never seemed enough. Sometimes, she found herself regretting not asking the elderly priestess to teach her.
'And with the jewel's return, I could really use that knowledge.'
She didn't know what to make of it. The gem that she distinctly remembered leaving in the past had found its merry way back into her body. And with it, a great expanse of power followed. Kagome feel it there, thrumming beneath her skin and boiling in her veins. And whenever a demonic presence was nearby, a spark seemed to travel through her body. It would overcome her, engulfing her in pure, blinding light. It was warm. It was powerful.
But it was uncontrolled.
"I need to get some air..." she murmured. Pushing back from her seat, Kagome glared down at the page on her desk. She came to the conclusion that there was a special place in Hell for math homework; it was burning right alongside child molesters and people who talk in theatres.
It didn't take her long to slip on a pair of loose jeans and old sneakers, still caked with dirt from the Sengoku Jidai. For sentimental reasons, she refused to let her mother wash them. Five hundred year-old mud; the once white sneakers were now stained a permanent brown. She did not bother with a jacket. The weather was warm and humid and a short sleeve shirt was enough for this kind of climate. Grabbing her small backpack filled only with the essentials, Kagome departed the house with a hasty farewell. And as she took the shrine steps two at a time, she figured that today would be a good day to just wander.
Kagome had no idea where she was going, but someplace where her math assignments couldn't reach her would be a vast improvement.
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SSSHHHNNNKKK!
It took only a moment.
A well-planned, swiftly acted-upon moment, but that was all he needed. With both hands, he had halted the conflict before the two could even cross weapons. Like a streak of silver light, the daiyoukai darted between the pair. The thin metal of Bakusaiga squealed against Yuuden's sword, trapping the poorly-crafted steel in place. Spinning the young detective, Yusuke's arm was twisted awkwardly behind his back, cuffed in Sesshoumaru's clawed hand. And with a small flare of his youki, the skirmish came to an end as both aggressors slammed into the marble of the castle. The building seemed to groan softly from the abuse before it quieted once more. The citizens remained in the safety of the arches and away from the open street.
Yusuke sat up hesitantly with a cough, gingerly rubbing the back of his head. He shot the silver-haired youkai a dirty look before wobbly rising to his feet. Kurama was already at his side, informing him it was best he not antagonize this particular youkai. For once, Yusuke held his tongue.
From across the the city street, Yuuden was also gaining his bearings.
Sheathing Bakusaiga at his hip, the inu-daiyoukai flicked a stray hair over his shoulder. Donning his ancient regalia from the Sengoku Jidai, there was an aura of propriety and honor in his stance. The long sleeves of his haori stilled as the his youki gradually receded. The Mokomoko-sama proudly trailed over his shoulder for all those present to recognize his trademark presence. Icy, golden eyes casually drifted about the two.
"It would be wise for the both of you to keep your tempers in check," Sesshoumaru stated cooly.
The hulking demon staggered as incoherent syllables made it past his lips. Never before had he been so publicly humiliated before. And the look the tiny daiyoukai was shooting him dared Yuuden to retaliate. Clutching the metal in his grip, he returned the blade to his hip. And on trembling muscles, the minor dipped his head with a disgruntled greeting to the daiyoukai.
"Sesshoumaru-sama. I am glad you-"
"Especially you, Lord Yuuden," he continued with a glacial chill frosting his words. The evenness of his tone expertly hid his disapproval, but the inferno behind his gaze said otherwise. "You called this meeting to order. Show some understanding of self-control."
Yuuden choked.
Sesshoumaru turned his gaze to the two Reikai representatives. They both seemed to be of considerable power. His golden eyes scanned the one with dark hair, but his nose was able to tell him what his eyes could not. 'The boy reeks of youki,' he thought. However, the smell of youki was permeated with the odor of human spirit energy. His mind drew the conclusion what his nose had; the boy was only partially demon. And from the way the boy was looking at him, his little perusal was not welcome. It mattered not. He got what he needed. The daiyoukai stored that information for a later date before moving his eyes to the other operative. With a slight sniff, he knew this one was familiar.
Far too familiar.
The stampede of booted feet echoed over the cobblestone road, interrupting his silent investigation. Guards, bearing the castle's crest, swarmed the street. They amassed from the lower and upper levels of the castle. Spears after spear was attached to lances that were aimed at those at the cause for the disturbance. Yusuke and Kurama cautiously backed away from the sharp circle of metal with nervous glances. Yuuden scoffed, gritting his yellowed teeth. Sesshoumaru faced the guards, patiently for the one to reveal themselves.
He did not have to wait long.
The guards parted to let a single figure through. Built athletically, with chestnut skin and pale hair, a woman with bright blue eyes glared heatedly at the men gathered in the ring of soldiers. Dressed in a light azure haori and black hakama, her bosom was protected with thick bone armor. At her front, thick leather shielded her legs and hips, while a black belt wrapped around her waist to hang to the back of her ankles. Two katana strapped to waist, her youki swirled about her in a luminous aqua hue as it lifted the trailing ends of her hair. And in a girlishly brusque voice, acidic words dripped through her teeth.
"What is the meaning of this?"
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End Note: Slowly getting better at this, or I'd like to think I am. Just trying to get a better handle of Sesshoumaru's personality. Ugh.