Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

Allied Promises
Chapter Three

Kagome kept her eyes and ears closed to the sounds of battle. Honestly, she did not like fights, especially to the death. This was the twenty-first century, not the sengoku jidai: there should be no need for such things anymore. The taunts of their enemy, the grief and anger in their own taunts, the sound of a heart failing to beat anymore... They were memories of a life she thought she left behind in the past; a life she did not want.

Not to mention, all three of Yuusuke's friends were powerful enough that if she did not do her best not to pay attention, she would be feeling the roller-coaster of their emotions. Because they were that powerful, and emoting in their rapidly increasing battle auras. The ningenkai, on the other hand, could not ignore it and the earth began to shake dangerously from the pressure of their power.

Yet she continued to sit just outside the entrance to the part of the cave they were in with a calmness that came from taking part in one too many battles. And she waited for the inevitable:

For them to cross into what remained of the barrier separating the ningenkai and the makai. For the barrier to be cut by the "Kuwabara" Raizen had written of. For them all to cross into the makai.

And it did. Though she and her friends may not have much luck on their side, they did have some.

Once she could feel the last bit of the barrier fall and their energy signals cross over into that realm that could withstand their power, Kagome came back to herself. Now, it was time for her part in this whole situation: making sure Yuusuke was not killed after his rebirth.

"Strange... Yuusuke's soul hasn't left his body, even though his heart has definitely stopped beating."

Kagome recognized KoEnma's voice as she entered where the previous battle had taken place. He was really going to be in for a surprise when he came back to life, despite being a god that held some sway in that area. And she hoped she read him right, and that he would be happy, too.

"You mean... He's not really dead?" This time a young man she did not know spoke. He spoke flawless Japanese, yet he looked very much like a European boy with his blond hair. Raizen had written nothing of this boy, and neither had Inuyasha or Shippou. Yet she figured he was not a threat given how at ease KoEnma was around him.

"Oh, no. He's definitely dead," Kagome said when she reached their side. Already she could see the signs of Raizen's influence working on awakening the demonic atavism. It made the brand on the back of her left hand itch and warm.

And she was glad when, just as Raizen had predicted, the SDF appeared and made it clear that they were a threat. To KoEnma, to Yuusuke, to everything that scared Enma-sama. It allowed her to not answer any questions they had, and to get away with what she needed to do without issue. KoEnma would be enough of a distraction to them, along with the barrier. It was for the best.

She knelt beside Yuusuke and placed her hand on his chest, beginning to heal him and guiding Raizen's energy throughout his body. At such a close distance, she could not help noticing the similarities in appearance he shared with Sango. It was the shape of their face, she decided: both held a certain warrior cut to their face that showed in the sharpness of their jaws and the shape of their eyes. Not only that, but they were both stubborn and strong-willed beyond belief: Sango had clawed her way out of a shallow grave, Yuusuke would be eluding death for the second time. He was very lucky, in her opinion, to have descended from such strong and noble lines. Sango and Raizen would be proud of their progeny.

And so long as he continued to be that strong-willed and stubborn, and lived, she knew her previous debt to Raizen would be paid.

Yet that thought came just one second before all her luck ran out.

They had been banking on the SDF being more concerned with KoEnma and repairing the barrier, not turning their attention on her and Yuusuke so soon. It was a simple mistake on their part, and now she was staring into the face of certain death by high-powered ki attacks. Reiki attacks, not youki; not what her hama no reiryoku could protect against.

Protection had come a second too soon in the form of a giant blue spirit beast. Yuusuke's, she assumed because it had not been mentioned in any letter. Just as she assumed those three boys had to have known about it, yet failed to mention it. She would not put it past them at this point, and it was just one more thing to yell at them for when they finally met.

Conversations, KoEnma dragging her on the back of the spirit beast, flying into makai... All went over her head as she tried to figure out what was going on. The plans that had been laid out had fallen apart as none of this was supposed to happen! It was not until she felt the oppressive force of youki in the makai air and the increasing discomfort of the brand on her hand that she realized where they were.

At that point, Kagome just shrugged her shoulders. Screw carefully-laid plans that now meant nothing, and screw the fact that she was at least a hundred meters in the air. If the burning of her brand was anything to go by, Raizen was three seconds away from posessing Yuusuke, and her improvised plans generally worked out in the end in the past, so she jumped off the back of the spirit beast and toward Yuusuke-about-to-be-possessed-by-Raizen-without-her-around. Which had a good chance of killing him.

She could just hear KoEnma screaming at her. However, she discovered that movies lied and that one can not actually have a conversation in the air because one is falling too fast. Before she could even think to reply with something along the lines of, "It's OK," the newly transformed Yuusuke caught her easily.

"Glad to know you weren't late." Though the words were spoken from Yuusuke's mouth, it was undeniably Raizen's tone.

Kagome huffed before climbing onto his back, where she could easily use her hama no reiryoku to keep him in-check and not be a burden in his fight with the human. "When this is all done and I see you again... You and Inuyasha are gonna get it."

"I look forward to it, miko-chan. Try not to plummet to your death because you're too much of a prude to hold on."

Together they stood guard in front of the room Raizen was currently in. Five-hundred-years ago, it seemed as if they would never get along enough to fight alongside each other, but time had a way of changing everything. Once rivals, now comrades-in-arms. Inuyasha and Shippou proudly protected their weakened leader. Any who dared get too close would pay with their lives. They had waited and prepared for this for far too long, and they would be damned if they slipped up on their end. Raizen was sending out his spirit and power to his descendant, who would hopefully be with Kagome, which left his body vulnerable. They were to protect it and make sure no harm came to it while he was screwing around in his descendant's body. Raizen may be over a thousand-years-old, but his maturity was still somewhere around fifteen.

"Say, Inuyasha," Shippou said, finally bored with standing around in front of a door, "do you think she's changed at all?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Still a stupid runt. It's only been a few days for her."

"I know that, Inu-kkoro! I'm asking if you think she's changed at all."

Inuyasha smirked when he finally caught onto what Shippou was really asking about: if anything would change between them and the relationships they had had with her when they met again. "Knowing her, it ain't likely."

Shippou smiled to himself, reassured by his words. He did not want anything to change between how they had been centuries ago because he always wanted Kagome to remain as his older sister. He wanted their friendship to always be there, no matter what happened or how much time passed between them.

It was with great reluctance that Kagome opened her eyes when she felt Raizen's presence fading from Yuusuke's body. To use her hama no reiryoku in such ways, especially when she was already not very adept at using said power, was very draining. More so when coupled with her trip to Mushiyori City. Though she did not mind: just because she had spent time in the sengoku jidai did not mean that she loved to watch battles to the death.

She loosened the grip she had on Yuusuke's shoulders, and briefly wondered if he even realized she was there, and could not help smiling at seeing some of Raizen's looks on him: the tattoos and the heel-length hair. She was grateful it was not silver.

Her strength left her as soon as her feet touched the ground, and soon after crumpled to the ground. The Reikai Prince was at her side in a moment as the others were focused upon the human Raizen had killed.

"Who are you exactly?"

"Someone sent by Raizen to help... As I said before." She smiled. "He's a lot like the woman who helped start his family line... He'll want to find Raizen."

"Are you saying he'll choose to stay here in the Makai?"

She shook her head. He would want to find Raizen, but not if he had to stay in the makai to do so. He was not entirely ready. "No. Just that he'll want to find him, and fight him. Tell him... I'll be waiting at the Higurashi Shrine in Tokyo. It is the last thing I was asked to do: bring him to Raizen when he wants to meet."

KoEnma nodded, and she finally closed her eyes again. She was so tired and exhausted of energy, and she trusted the prince enough to make sure she arrived home safely.