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.


Existential Plight
Chapter Two, Part III: The Nineteenth Century

"One moment
at a time."


Kagome chewed on her thumbnail, glancing out the window of her modest house in Kyoto. There was a dark undercurrent in the air that grew with each passing day. The next hundred or so years were ones she had no desire to live through in the Ningenkai. All the wars and turmoil and bombings... They spoke of too much darkness and death, and she had seen enough of both to last her a lifetime--multiple lifetimes, in fact. Needless to say, she was anxious to get back to the Makai. It was perfect because finally the rumors of the shikon's existence had faded, in much the same way they had in the Ningenkai.

And Inuyasha and Shippou were late. As usual. They had never had a sense of time.

Though quite a few decades had come and gone again (around fifty-three and a third, she surmised... Not that she was keeping count or anything), and many changes had taken place in both the Makai and Ningenkai. There would still be a great many more changes and years to come before she could be reunited with her family again. She could not wait for that day; partly because she was closer than ever to it, and partly because she could barely remember her family. She knew she had lived with her mother, grandfather and little brother, but their names and appearances had faded from her memory. She could not even recall what her home looked like. Being a few decades away from four-hundred years old did tend to ruin one's memory, especially when one was not meant to live for so long.

Yet she wanted to remember. And if lying low in the Makai was the way to make it happen, then so be it.

As the familiar, yet aged, forms of Inuyasha and Shippou came into her view, Kagome turned away from the window in favor of grabbing her old yellow backpack. It was damaged in more ways than one and should have been burned decades ago, but sentimentality forced her into keeping it. It was all she could remember about her school life.

She was out of the door before they even reached it. Her desire and foreknowledge of the events to come caused her to want to be as far away as possible. "You both are late! Again. Do you guys constantly cross paths with black cats when coming to get me or what?"

Inuyasha spared her a strange look, his red bandanna keeping her from seeing his ears twitch in confusion, while Shippou shook his head causing his russet hair to cover his hazel eyes. The centuries had been good to Shippou, and it showed in his illusions. Yet she knew he had grown used to her odd speaking mannerisms long ago, even if they were becoming common the closer they got to her century.

"The hell you talking about? Is the air in the Ningenkai making your brain go dead?"

Kagome glared. "Osuwari, Inuyasha. But what did take you two so long?"

"I don't see why you get so worked up over a couple damn hours. Not like time's gonna go anywhere on us."

Shippou elbowed him in the gut. "We lost track of time talking to Jinenji. He agreed to let you stay with him until you head back home. He's got more than enough space."

When Inuyasha ignored Shippou's jab that was when Kagome knew they were not telling her something. Those two bickered worse than lovers, but Inuyasha betrayed serious situations by acting his age. Those moments never went well for her as she was always involved somehow. She dreaded asking about what they were not telling her, but she did anyway.

It took a moment for Inuyasha to respond. "Well, y'kno how there's three realms, right? Some old codger of a god decided to make Reikai the one that keeps the 'balance' between the Ningenkai and Makai. But if you ask me, the bastard's got a deep fear of youkai and anyone powerful enough to knock his ass down a peg or two."

Shippou rolled his eyes. "Off the point, Inubaka. Anyway, he's off enforcing the barrier between the two realms. And to visit we had to petition and tell him about you. So..." He shuffled his feet about and did not dare to look her in the eyes. It spoke more than anything he could have said.

After having spent so much time with them, Kagome was quick to put what they had said and what they would not say together. She clutched her backpack straps tighter. She did not like the ache in her heart nor the conclusion she was coming to. "I don't have a choice but to go, do I?" Both youkai looked away from her, confirming her question with their silence. "Will I be able to return?"

Inuyasha placed an arm around her shoulders and drew her into a tight embrace. Their failed marriage had kept displays of affection to playful hitting and brief hand-holding save for in situations such as the one they were in now. She could feel him sigh against her hair. "He says you will, but I don't trust him. He's an asshole with too much power and he knows it."

Shippou's reassuring hand gripped her shoulder. "We're being forced out of here, too, along with every youkai he can find hiding. Don't think he'll be letting us back in anytime soon either. So, you won't be alone, Kagome-chan! We'll always be nearby."

Despite herself, she started to cry. Not because of Inuyasha's familiar warmth or Shippou comforting her in much the same way she had done in years long past, but because she would not be able to return. Because leaving was no longer a choice, but a forced path. It was a much better idea, going to the Makai, when it had been her decision. She could unmake it if she wanted to and whenever she wanted. Yet it was not her choice anymore.

It felt too final for her. And so terribly unfair.


The sheer amount of youkai waiting at the breach to head into their own realm was startling to Kagome. Inuyasha and Shippou appeared unaffected by the sight as she was certain they had seen it when they left to get her. Yet the tensing of the grip they had on her shoulders told a different story: one that was angry and unfair.

"You two really weren't lying about this," she whispered with sickening awe.

They grunted in reply causing Kagome to smile despite the situation. It seemed only the small things were left for her to hold onto. Though she would not be able to see her family whenever she would desire, at least she would be spending her days in peace with Jinenji. The great mystery behind the missing youkai in her time was solved. Though she did not like the reason for it at all; it seemed as if it would cause far too much dissatisfaction and unrest among the youkai. She wondered what happened to the deal that Sesshoumaru had brokered centuries ago.

A gentle nudge from Shippou caused her to look up at him. He tilted his head toward an older human-looking male whom Inuyasha was glaring intensely at. "That's Enma. He apparently has a young son, but no one's seen him yet. Rumors are that he's going to use some power of his kid's to reinforce the barrier, making it impossible for more powerful youkai to escape."

She stared at the god as she was herded by. It was her first time ever seeing one, and she found she preferred the presence of youkai--at least they did not blend in so well. More than that, she did not know what she thought of him: he was locking her away in another realm full of youkai who would not think twice about killing her, and he was probably hoping they would. He was tearing her away from her family...

Looking around, she realized she was not the only one in her situation. So many of the youkai had to have human family they had to leave behind, lives they had spent years building, and so much more. At least she had Jinenji, Inuyasha, Shippou and a place to live. She would bet it was more than most had waiting for them in the Makai.

It was all too soon before she passed Enma with Inuyasha and Shippou. Like all the times before, a strange pulling sensation grabbed her skin and threatened to pull her spirit under. Just as the constricting power threatened to tighten and restrict her breathing, it vanished.

Mauve skies greeted her eyes as the scent of blood hit her nose. She heaved a sigh of frustration and sadness, while her two friends relaxed. She could have sworn that she saw them share a smirk as a sign of their happiness at being back in such a realm. She wished she could have joined in, too.

Inuyasha knelt down in front of her. "Get on. We can make it to Jinenji's by tomorrow night this way."

As she climbed on his back, she wondered about one little youkai she had left behind. Kagome wondered what had happened to him and if she would see him again.