Once again, the recurring disclaimer. Blah, blah, blah, I don't own Inu or FFVII. The rich people in Japan own them. And to SOLDIER 1st Class, yes, this is a slight AU of FF&, b/c I never finished the game. Cloud and his party leave for Kagome's world just after he breed his Gold Chocobo & got his Apocalypse in the Ancient Forest.

CHAPTER SEVEN:

LIKE LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER

About an hour later, Kagome had talked to each and every villager of Kalm Town. She now knew that youkai had showed up in this world as well. She knew that to get to Midgar, she would have to fight them on her own. She knew that Midgar was southwest of here. She knew that these monsters dropped various items, including Gil, which was this world's currency.

The villagers were gave her 3 Ethers, a Guard Source, and 10 Potions. They also gave her 2000 Gil, a map, some food, and a backpack to hold it all in. They advised her to go to the Chocobo Ranch before going to Midgar. "Arigato!" Kagome cried out, waving at the villagers as she departed from Kalm Town.

"Let's see." Kagome took out her map and studied it. "It'll take me a while to get to the Chocobo Ranch, but I hope it'll be worth it…" So Kagome set off southeast in the direction of the Chocobo Ranch. For at least fifteen minutes, Kagome was fine on her own. But then she saw a flash of light and a bunch of monsters and youkai appeared. "NANI?!? Can't a girl get a warning around here?" Kagome shot through three youkai with one arrow. "Good. Now for them."

The three remaining monsters stood before her. There were three odd blue elephant-like creatures that shot water out of their mouths at her. Kagome fell to the ground, but got up quickly to attack one with a Bolt3. It instantly died. The elephants attacked her with water again and Kagome hit another with a Bolt3. She did this to the last elephant as well.

"I did it!!" Kagome cheered in victory. She received 420 Gil and two Hi-Potions. She continued on merrily, after using a Potion on herself. In her next battle, she faced five of these same water elephants. Needless to say, Kagome departed with 700 Gil, 3 Hi-Potions, and two Ethers.

In her fourth battle, a new monster showed up among youkai and one blue elephant. It seemed to be a purple wolf of some kind. It bit her right in the arm and in anger Kagome shot an arrow through it, killing it effortlessly. After this battle, she received one Hi-Potion, one Ether, and 232 Gil.

About an hour later, Kagome saw some odd footprints on the ground. "These look like bird tracks. I wonder what they're doing here?" Kagome decided to ignore them because judging by the map, she was close to the Chocobo Ranch.

Kagome was so close to the ranch, she could see it. But then she was surrounded by a bunch of small green plant-like monsters. They all punched her simultaneously, but for some reason, Kagome didn't feel hurt at all. It took one arrow to take all of them out. She received 945 Gil, 7 Ethers, and two Lasan Nuts.

Kagome practically flew to the Chocobo Ranch. She knew she was safe here for the time being. "Fight after fight after fight…" She was exhausted. "Then I have to go all the way back and then some… but at least I'll have a Chocobo."

She was leaning against a fence, a pen possibly. When she turned around, she saw the cutest animal. It seemed to be a golden cross between a duck and an ostrich. Whatever it was, it was magnificent. There were four of them prancing around. "Oh wow." She leaned in close to the nearest one. "You're so cute!!!"

Then all of them stopped and looked at her. They all did a little dance together and a red orb came out of nowhere. It fell on the ground near Kagome. "Huh?" She picked it up and looked at it. "Oh! Arigato!" Kagome grinned and ran inside the stables. She found the man she had been told to look for: Choco Billy.

"Hello there! I suppose you need a Chocobo! Well, I can't sell any to you. I'll sell you the Chocobo Lure for 2000 Gil, right now." Choco Billy smiled broadly.

Two thousand Gil?!? That's almost half my money! What should I do? What kind of ranch is this anyway? Kagome sighed. "I'm sort of running low on Gil…"

"Suit yourself." Choco Billy shrugged and turned around. Kagome was seething and she stomped outside the stables. She sat on top of the fence and stared up at the sky pensively.

I suppose I lost this battle… Kagome moaned in despair. I have to spend 2000 Gil on a Chocobo Lure that I have to catch myself! This was a waste of time. Kagome dragged her feet right back into the stables, but she couldn't see Choco Billy. All she could see was the majestic gold-colored Chocobo standing right in front of her.

This Chocobo was different from the others. Why wasn't it outside behind the fence like the others? It stared at Kagome unflinchingly and then amazingly, bent its head, as if it wanted Kagome to pet it.

"Shinju, back! Don't touch her!" Choco Billy ran over hurriedly. "I'm so sorry! Did she attack you? I'm sorry!!"

"No, no. Shinju, right? She didn't attack me." Kagome held her hands up. "She's beautiful. There's something special about her."

"You're darn right!" Choco Billy nodded his head. "It's odd though. This a Gold Chocobo, the rarest of her kind. Shinju barely lets me look at her. She's a very violent, aggressive Chocobo. I'm keeping her here for a friend of mine."

"Shinju…" Kagome pet the Chocobo's head affectionately.

"Wow… She didn't attack you or anything." Choco Billy shook his head. "Would you happen to know a man named 'Cloud Strife'?"

"Yes, I do!!" Kagome blurted out.

"Well then, why didn't you say so?" Choco Billy grinned. "This here, is Cloud's Gold Chocobo. It took him a long time to breed one, but he doesn't give up too easily. You go on and take her."

"Me?!?" Kagome blinked. "Why?"

"Because if Shinju likes you, then I have no choice but you like you as well. You go on and save Cloud, wherever he is." Choco Billy fished around in his pocket.

Kagome was still in shock as she petted Shinju's head. "So you belong to Cloud, ne?" She cocked her head to one side.

"Here you go." Choco Billy handed her 2000 Gil. "Get to Cloud safely, wherever he is. Be safe. Shinju, take care of her!"

"Arigato!" Kagome grinned at Choco Billy and led Shinju out of the stables. She then went to the Vegetable Store and bought one Pahsana Greens, one Tantal Greens, and one Krakka Greens for Shinju.

"Ikuso, Shinju." She jumped on Shinju and the Gold Chocobo sped off. Shinju somehow knew to go in the direction of Kalm Town and Midgar.

Kagome decided to check on her supplies. She now had 4847 Gil, 6 Hi-Potions, 6 Ethers, 5 Potions, and three different Greens. "Wow. I'm doing well so far…" She grinned happily. And Shinju was fast. Very fast.

About a half hour later, Kagome and Shinju reached the city gates of Midgar. "Are you ready, Shinju?" Kagome gulped, looking at the gates. The pollution was practically seething around her. "I suppose I'll have to ignore the smell…"

Shinju raced in the city. Kagome was shocked at the pollution, litter, and smoke. The city was so dirty! Shinju raced past bewildered city dwellers. Kagome tried to keep her head down and ignore the stares. She dozed off for a while, but then Shinju stopped abruptly. "Huh?" Kagome looked up groggily.

Kagome was next to a huge wall with a long cable that seemed to go up to the heavens. Two small children were climbing up the cable. The wall was covered with graffiti and Kagome could make out the words "No Mercy" written in green letters. The "o" in "NO" was an angry face.

"Shinju… Where should we go now?" Kagome sighed. "Now that we're actually in Midgar, I have no idea what to do…" I wish someone had told me more about this place… I do know that Tifa has a bar somewhere. But I have a feeling there's more than one bar in this place…

Shinju began swiftly running again and Kagome found herself in a town with a whole bunch of buildings. Shinju first turned left and passed a huge, expensive-looking entrance. Shinju and Kagome entered a store near a woman with a pot.

Kagome bought a Restore Materia and then bought herself meal at the restaurant. She found out the name of this town was "Wall Market". She knew why. There were so many shops there. Sure, she got more stares because of Shinju. She also knew that rumors must be flying around about her now.

"Ikuso, Shinju." Kagome whispered to Shinju, jumping on the Chocobo's back. Shinju ran out of Wall Market. They were now in a wrecked playground. "What happened here?" Kagome cocked her head to one side.

Shinju squawked and trotted around the playground for a bit. She then ran full speed ahead for a gate in front of the playground. "Nani? We have to go in?" Kagome instantly shot an arrow through the gates, destroying them.

Ok… That was a bit rash of me… I suppose I'm a bit desperate. And exhausted. Kagome inwardly sighed as Shinju raced in through the gates. Battle cries were heard. Kagome's head shot up attentively. Explosions were heard all around. Destruction was everywhere.

Shinju squawked angrily when a bunch of fire shot out at them. The Chocobo dodged it effortlessly, but was still furious. They seemed to be next to a train station. Well, there went the train. More screams were heard. People were running around everywhere.

Kagome finally saw the cause of all the destruction: a huge green dragon with a red/pink stomach. "I suppose I have to take care of it…" Kagome hopped off Shinju. She took out the Bahamut Materia and summoned it.

The dragon responded by sending a flamethrower at Kagome. She let out a scream, held Shinju's neck close to her and closed her eyes. A single deafening gunshot was heard and then a huge plop. Kagome opened her eyes. The dragon was dead and she had 1400 Gil.

Kagome looked around for the person who shot the dragon and saved her life. She finally caught sight of a tall, hugely-built, muscular man with a gun where his right hand should've been. The man stomped over and looked down at her.

"What the heck are you doing with Shinju?" The man narrowed his eyes at her. "You must know Cloud then. Have you seen him?"

"H-Hai…" Kagome said nervously. "Thank you for saving me. And yes, I've seen Cloud. But not here."

"Hmm? Your welcome." The man said gruffly. "My name is Barret Wallace. Nice to meet you. So that means Cloud's still in that other world, eh?"

"Hai." Kagome nodded. "My name is Kagome."

"Eh? So you're the girl Tifa was talking about…" Barret smiled. "So you are an ally. Once I saw Bahamut, I thought Cloud was here… Guess I got my hopes up too soon. But come, on. Welcome to Sector 7 Slums… or what's left of it, anyway."

Barret led Kagome and Shinju into the ruins of the Sector 7 Slums. There was one building standing in all the rubble. "Is that Tifa's Bar?" She pointed to the structure Barret was leading her to.

"How'd you know?" Barret raised an eyebrow.

"Marlene told me about it." Kagome shrugged. Then she put two and two together. "You're Marlene's father?!?"

"Yes, I am." Barret sighed. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She's making plenty of friends and playing with them. Kohaku, Kirara, and Ah-un are protecting them." Kagome would've said Yuffie as well, but then she remembered that she had lost Yuffie before she came here.

"Tifa! Red XIII! Cid!" Barret shouted out, sitting on the steps of the bar. "Get out here!" They all did hurriedly and Tifa stared in shock at Kagome.

"Kagome?!?" Tifa rushed forward and hugged her.

"Shinju?" Cid crossed his arms over his chest. "What the #$ is she doing here? And who's this girl?" Kagome was shocked at Cid's language, which reminded her of Inuyasha, which made her a tiny bit sad.

"She brought me here. I had no idea where I was." Kagome smiled fondly at the smart Chocobo. She took the Tantal Greens out of her backpack and tossed it to Shinju. "Tifa, what's going on? Why aren't-"

"Calm down, Kagome." Tifa held her hands up. "We came back to get supplies and check on Midgar. But yesterday morning, a vast ambush came."

"That dragon was the last of them." Red XIII spoke up. "We were so tired of fighting. It wasn't that easy fighting them off by ourselves."

"We were ambushed too. Sephiroth and Sesshoumaru left to find Naraku without us. Yuffie is missing and Cloud is angry at me." Kagome sighed. "Vincent and Sango were looking for a new hiding place for the kids."

"Why is Cloud mad at you?" Tifa cocked her head to one side. Shinju looked up and blinked at Kagome. Sighing, Kagome started from the beginning, from when Cloud and Kagome had traveled back to Kagome's time and ended with fighting the dragon. Once she finished, everyone stayed silent.

"It seems you have the ability to combine two or more Materia into one when you're in danger." Red XIII observed. "That skill could come in handy. But Cloud wasn't upset with you, he was upset with himself. As for Yuffie, we'll have to look for her. I bet Sango and Vincent already found that new hiding place."

"What makes you so sure?" Kagome cocked her head to one side.

"You found a new rift between the worlds." Tifa explained to her. "While you were in that rift, you lost an entire day."

"I did?!?" Kagome shouted in shock. "How?"

"No one can control time and space." Cid rolled his eyes. "You're lucky an entire century didn't pass. I've heard stories." Kagome fell silent.

An entire day passed?!? I don't remember a thing. Cid is right; I am lucky. I just hope everyone else was as lucky as I was. Kagome looked up at the polluted sky. No, that wasn't even a sky.

"If I can get here, then what's stopping Bankotsu or Hakudoushi from coming here?" Kagome asked after a while. "Or did they come here already?" Out of nowhere, Kagome could sense about twenty shikon no kakera. "NANI?"

"Be careful what you wish for, Kagome." An ominous voice said from above them. They all looked up and saw Sephiroth grinning down at them. Grinning?!? Oh no, this can't be good… Kagome shuddered in fear.

"It's just Sephiroth." Tifa shrugged. "Don't look so scared."

"D-demo. He has shikon no kakera!" Kagome pointed at Sephiroth, who was now standing before them. "Did you join forces with Naraku?"

"Yes, I did. I'm tired of taking orders from a spiky-head fool." Sephiroth laughed. "Naraku and I really are very muck alike. He killed Kikyo, I killed Aeris. He took control of Kikyo because he feared her power. And now… I have control of Aeris. But enough of that. You will all die!"

They were all frozen. That is, except Shinju. She squawked furiously at Sephiroth and then had to dodge an Ice3. "Insolent little pigeon. I should kill you off first." Sephiroth grinned at the fear on Kagome's face.

Oh no… what do we do? What do we do? Where's Cloud? Kagome's chin quivered. Is this… really the end? Without flinching, Sephiroth drew his sword, leapt forward and tried to slash through Tifa, but Red XIII jumped in the way at the last second. Everyone watched his body fall to the ground, never to get up.

"Oh, that's a shame. I really wanted to bring her dead body to Cloud." Sephiroth sneered at the red animal's dead body.

"N-no!" Tifa screamed as Sephiroth sliced through Cid next.

"To Highwind!!" Were Cid's last words. He was dead before he hit the ground. Kagome stared in shock, but Barret shot at Sephiroth, breaking her trance. Tifa and her jumped on Shinju. Shinju dashed out of Sector 7, leaving Barret with Sephiroth.

Now would be a really good time for me to combine Materia… But I can't control it, it just comes to me… I can't believe Cid is dead. Tifa looks so distraught. Kagome sighed as she wrapped her arms tighter around Tifa's waist. I suppose losing Cid and… Barret! Oh no. Marlene… Please stay alive, Barret. For Marlene. She needs you. You're her father.

"Yameru, Shinju!!" Kagome shrieked. Shinju halted. "Tifa, I have to help Barret. You get the Highwind and pick us up." Without waiting for Tifa's reply, Shinju dashed off in one direction and Kagome in the other.

Kagome took her Materia out of her new backpack. She had Bahamut, Alexander, Bolt3, Ice3, Cure, and the Materia the Chocobo gave her. They were all glowing purple. "I'll use this later." She put the Cure back in her bag, still running. She heard the fatal swipe of Sephiroth's deadly sword and heard something thump.

Kagome saw Barret on the ground, near death. It was time. The purple Materia was back. "Horobosu." She whispered and the purple Materia shone like the sun. Alexander, Bahamut, and a giant Chocobo with an odd creature on its back attacked Sephiroth simultaneously. Then Bolt3 and Ice3 hit him in unison. Kagome ran over to Barret and gave him 4 Hi-Potions.

I need to save the rest. Sephiroth isn't dead yet. Kagome looked at Sephiroth's body, which was on the ground. He won't stay unconscious for long. I hope Tifa gets here soon! As if to answer her frantic plea, a huge brown ship comes into view.

A long rope is brought down and Kagome ties it around Barret's waist. She then climbed on his back and held on tightly to the rope. The Highwind begins moving higher and faster.

If Sephiroth chases after us, I'll have to fight him. I'm sure Tifa's having enough problems piloting the ship. Kagome gulped. Don't look down, don't look down. Oh who cares! It's not like this day could get any worse anyway!

"Be careful what you wish for, Kagome." Sephiroth's cold words rang through her. I think I'm going to take his advice… Kagome shivered. Bankotsu and Hakudoushi are the last two people we need here right now. I wonder where we're going? Suddenly, the rope began to move upward.

In about five minutes, Kagome and Barret were inside Highwind. Barret was still out like a light and bleeding heavily. Shinju had single-handedly pulled them up. "You're amazing, Shinju." Kagome smiled. Shinju knelt down and gently nipped at Barret's check.

"Hmm? Whatsa matter?" Barret blinked weakly. Then a wave of pain hit him and he winced. Shinju licked Barret's cheek.

"Barret, it's okay. I need you to stay awake for me." Kagome tried to hold back tears. She remembered Marlene's happy face. "Stay awake for Marlene. And I'm going to bandage your wounds. Shinju, can you get some for me?"

"I'll… try…" Barret's eyes opened and focused on the ceiling. "Just keep talking." Shinju came back hurriedly with bandages in her mouth. Together, they managed to get Barret to the Highwind Operations Room. They laid him down on the table. Kagome bandaged his wounds and Shinju paced around nervously.

Kagome began talking about her earlier adventures with Inuyasha and the others. She told him about how Inuyasha and Shippo constantly fought over nothing. She told him about Sesshoumaru and how ruthless he was. She told him how even though Sesshoumaru acted emotionless, he still let a special girl named Rin travel around with him. She told him about Miroku and his hentai tendencies and his feelings for Sango. She told him about Sango and her violent tendencies and her feelings for Miroku. Every couple minutes, Shinju would have to nip Barret's cheek to keep him awake.

Finally, Kagome ran out of stories to tell about the Feudal Era. (The happy ones anyway.) She felt the Highwind stop completely. Tifa came running into the room. "Hurry, Kagome! We're outside Mt. Corel." Tifa and Kagome helped Barret get on Shinju's back.

The Highwind had landed near an odd reactor. It was nicely hidden, too. The trio ran down the steps and away from the reactor. They were now on old railroad tracks with holes in them. Tifa led the way, jumping over the first two holes. "We're going back!!!" Tifa jumped down the third hole.

Without thinking, Kagome jumped after Tifa. She heard Shinju's squawk of shock, but knew that the Chocobo would follow. Sure enough, she heard the fruitless flapping of wings. Kagome thought she was going to crash, but at the last moment a hole opened up below her and she fell in.

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