Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Bleach, or any of the anime/manga characters.
Warnings: Angst
New World
"Mama, can I go explore the village?" Shippo asked, waking Kagome up with a jolt.
"Hn? What?" she asked, turning to her son, who was smirking.
"Can I go and play in the village?"
Kagome sat up, petting his hair as she blearily rubbed sand out of her eyes.
"It's a town, not a village… It's not like the villages back on the other side of the well, Shippo… It might be a good idea if you just stick with me for today."
"But aren't you going to be trying to figure out a way to control your powers with your cousin all day? That'll be boring to watch," he complained.
"Hmm… Well, I can see your point. But there's a lot more to worry about in the modern era than on the other side of the well. I don't want to let you get too far, here, because things are a lot more confusing in modern day cities."
"The air here smells cleaner than near your house. I'll be fine," he said, puffing out his chest and smirking. "Besides, if Bakayasha could get around here, then so can I," he added.
Her eyes went as wide as a deer in headlights, and he gasped when he realized it.
"Oh, mama, I'm sorry," he said, eyes almost comically wide.
"I'm sure he's alive," she said with a shrug. "Us being on this side of the well was caused by the incarnation's death. And Kikyo could take it if it didn't really die when it blew up," she added, a sad tremor creeping into her voice.
"So, are we going back?"
"We have to, eventually… And I don't want to make you lose your home," she sighed.
"My home is where you are, mama," he said, eyes wide.
In response, she pulled him to her chest, raining kisses onto his head.
"You're so sweet," she cooed, tickling him until he was shaking with laughter. "Anyway, I'll teach you a few things about the modern era. If you can show you know them, I'll let you go on your own, okay?"
His eyes widened, and she couldn't help but laugh at the happiness there.
"Okay!" he chimed excitedly…
Kagome sighed, her cousin's footsteps nearly identical in rhythm to her own.
"So, you let him go on his own?" Uryuu asked, frown apparent in his tone.
"Yeah. Shippo's a smart kid. And he's got really good instincts. I'm sure he'll be fine. Besides, I'll know if he's in trouble," she finished mysteriously.
"He's only seven. How smart can he be?" Uryuu scoffed.
At that, she turned and smirked, glaring playfully at him. Finally, he broke out into a blush, and looked away.
"I'm an exception," he practically growled when she started giggling.
"Hmmm… Maybe. Then again, maybe that runs in the family, too. I was out a ridiculous amount of time from high school, and I still got good enough grades to get accepted into med school."
"Yeah, I think that does run in the family. So, I'm not usually a social person, but do you want to cover what's happened since I saw you when I was twelve?"
"Hmmm… If you can take me somewhere good for lunch, I'll do it in a heartbeat," she said with a smile.
Fifteen minutes later found them in a small, cozy fast food restaurant and fully sated.
"Wow. I've never been to a fast food restaurant that had such good food!" Kagome sighed, glaring when she found him smirking. "What?"
"It's just fast food, Kagome."
"Yeah, well let's say I haven't had a lot of opportunities to have it since I was 15," she growled. "So, where do you want to start?"
"Well, how about when you realized you weren't an average human?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.
Kagome began to respond when she felt energy sources enter the building. She turned to find the people from yesterday, and for an odd moment, she met a surprised-looking Ichigo's eyes. Then the group veered towards them, and Kagome couldn't help but notice the strange look that entered Uryuu's expression as Orihime came to a stop.
"Hello!" she exclaimed brightly. "Are you enjoying Karakura Town?"
"Haven't seen much of it, yet. Uryuu was just showing me around."
"And except Orihime, you haven't been formerly introduced," Uryuu said, turning slightly pink. "Sorry about that. Sado Yasutora, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, this is my cousin," he said, pointing each one out in turn.
"Nice to meet you," Rukia stated, a slightly cold glint to her eye as she took Kagome in.
"I prefer Chad," the big, burly man said, offering his hand, which Kagome promptly shook.
"And of course we already met," Ichigo stated, smirking. "That bike's going to make a hell of a birthday present for my sister Karin, when I fix it up."
At that, Kagome smirked, pretending not to notice the glare now focused on her from Orihime.
"That's good. But if you fix that thing, I'll be impressed."
"So, you've met Kurosaki before?" Uryuu asked, frowning.
"Yeah. Actually, he's the one that gave me directions to your house… except you weren't home when I went there," Kagome sighed. "I trashed my bike on the way in, and he took it off my hands for me."
"Huh… Well, you ready to go? I think that Ryuken probably wants to talk to you," Uryuu stated, standing up.
"You know, you really shouldn't be so disrespectful to your dad," Kagome said with a frown.
He simply shrugged, and began to head for the door.
"Well, it was nice meeting you all," Kagome said, following him.
There was a loud ringing sound as they left, and less than a minute of walking later, Ichigo was next to them, walking slightly fast.
"What do you want, Kurosaki?"
"Nothing. Just got a call. Dad needs some help with a patient… Think you could help?" Ichigo asked, frowning.
"What kind of patient?"
"I don't know. He just said he wanted me to see if you could come over. I'm not exactly a medical genius, so I don't think I can be of much use," Ichigo sighed.
After a moment, Uryuu gave a nod and began walking in the other direction.
"Think you could show Kagome around? And not hit on her?" he added, glaring at a now-smirking Ichigo.
"I think I can handle that. Thanks."
With another nod, Uryuu took off, and Ichigo began walking again, Kagome now at his side.
"So, my cousin's worried you're going to hit on me," Kagome stated. "Should I be?"
"Nah. Not my style," he said, smirking. "So, where do you want to go?"
"I have no idea. Uryuu was just going to give me a grand tour, I guess…"
"Hmm… Well, alright then. This way," he said, leading her down a side road.
After several moments of companionable silence, she felt his eyes on her, and then he laughed.
"I can't figure you out," he finally stated. "What the hell kind of powers do you have? I feel something, but I don't have anything else to go on."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kagome stated, though her heart was now beating doubletime.
"If you say so," he said, still smirking.
Illogically, Kagome found herself blushing, and forced herself to focus on the road ahead of her.
"So, are youkai a common thing in Karakura Town?"
"Semi-regular," he said with a shrug. "And did you say youkai? That thing yesterday was a Hollow."
"Looked like a youkai to me," Kagome said, frowning. "Care to explain, Mr. Karakura Tour Guide? You know, so I can know what to run away from and what not to?"
At that, he laughed, eyes focused on her with a strange expression.
"Alright, smartass. That thing was a Hollow. Youkai are myths, and Hollows are a kind of demon that is born from the souls of humans."
"Huh… Okay. Isn't that something you wouldn't normally just tell someone?" she asked, frowning.
"I figure that since you could see me last night, you know that telling people about anything you see will get you locked up in a psych ward. So, any other questions?"
"Yeah. What do you mean, I could see you last night? Why wouldn't I have been able to?"
"Because I was basically a ghost then. Hollows are hunted by Shinigami. A few years ago I was a kid that could see ghosts, and a Hollow attacked me and my family. I got saved by a Shinigami, and they gave me their power. And since then, I've been one."
"Uh-huh… So, you're a grim reaper?"
"Well, yeah, kind of," he said, grinning. "So, want to tell me how you saw me?"
"Well, I'm a miko, born to a shrine in Tokyo. I guess it's not really surprising that I'd have some kind of psychic weirdness," she concluded, the Shikon burning like an indicator of her guilt against her chest.
"Well, that's surprising. I didn't think mikos really had powers," he whistled.
"Not many do… I'm the only one I know. But it looks like it runs in the family."
"Yeah. So, how's it feel to be related to that gloomy guy?" Ichigo asked, smirking.
Before she could respond, a strange chill filled the air. As one, they both turned to watch a transparent girl running across the end of the street, letting out a series of hollow, echoing screams. As she made it halfway through the street, a mass of white formed.
"Damn," Ichigo cursed.
Suddenly, there was a pulse of energy, and Kagome turned to find a mind-bending thing. Ichigo was standing stock-still, frowning. And next to Ichigo was… Ichigo, in the black kimono from yesterday and holding the massive sword.
"Huh… Neat trick… Well, let's get going," Kagome stated, taking off before he could react.
"You're not chasing that thing," he stated, frowning.
"The hell I'm not. It's going to eat her," she growled.
"You think you can keep up with it? With that leg you're trying not to limp on?"
At that, she grabbed his wrist, and his smirk vanished.
"Alright. Then you can keep up, right?"
"Yeah. But you're not coming."
"And you want to leave me here if there's more of them?" Kagome growled.
After several seconds, he gave a sigh and then met her gaze.
"Leave the fighting to me, got it?"
Without hesitation, she nodded. And suddenly, an arm went around her waist, and before she could give protest, the ground was gone from beneath her feet.
When she touched down again, they were in a small construction site, and the girl was cowering before the Hollow.
"Hey, ugly!"
The Hollow stopped in its attack, slowly turning to face a fierce-looking Ichigo.
And then, its mouth turned into a sneer, and it launched for him, a roar leaving its body. In less than a second, it was over, and the Hollow was breaking down into ash, two halves lying on the ground.
The girl stared at Ichigo, eyes wide in horror.
"Please, stay away from me!" she cried, staring at his sword.
"Relax, kid. I'm going to send you to the Seireitei now," Ichigo said, raising the bottom of his sword to reveal a small, black stamp etched into the hilt.
"No! I don't wanna go!" the girl cried, turning to run.
"Wait," Kagome said, having moved to block the girl, no more than 8 in appearance, from running.
She knelt down to put herself on the girl's level, a sad smile on her face.
"Who're you?" the girl asked, glaring suspiciously.
"I'm Kagome. And you?"
"What's it matter? I'm dead!" the girl snarled.
"Dead's a state of mind," Kagome scoffed, making both the girl's and Ichigo's eyes widen. "My friend wants to send you to Heaven, so you can play with others like you."
Kagome didn't really think about what she'd said, but clearly being deemed a friend after only knowing her for a day made Ichigo feel good about himself, because he was now smirking. She focused only on the girl, slowly extending a hand.
"I don't wanna go! I want my mommy!" the girl cried, aetheric tears forming on her face.
"It'll be alright. Trust me, sticking around here will lead to bad things," Kagome stated gently.
"Bad things? What's worse than dead!" the girl practically snarled, glaring at Kagome.
"Well, I'll be honest… There's this big monster. It isn't as scary as the one that was trying to eat you, but it's terrifying in its own right. It drags lingering spirits to Hell… It's not a pleasant sight," she added, shivering. "So trust me, going on and enjoying the company of your ancestors will be much better for you."
"I don't wanna go to Hell! Please, save me, Mister!" the girl cried, turning to a stone-faced Ichigo.
With a gentle smile, he placed the hilt to her head, and she began to shimmer.
And then, she was gone, and Kagome glared down at the ground.
"You just scared an already-terrified girl. What the hell, Kagome?"
"You said that Hollows come from human souls, right? Well, I've seen worse things than them," Kagome stated, glaring at the ground. "I watched a little girl almost get dragged into Hell by the Soul Piper. Besides, she was scared and sad, and she was looking for a reason to pass on. I gave it to her," she added, rising.
As they began to leave, the Shikon suddenly turned into a ball of ice against her chest, and Kagome froze in place…
A/N:
And there's the next chapter! We're starting to get into the main plot, now! Hope you've enjoyed and will continue doing so. As always, be sure to leave your opinions, be they positive or not. See you next time!
