I'll Meet You in Hell

Yuri sat on the soft grass around the well, staring at it in loathing and wonder. She knew little about it, just the stories that Kaede and Kagome had told her after much persistence. And yet she still didn't know what it was she had to trigger to get to where she wanted to go. She was also a little anxious cause she knew it wouldn't be long before the others came after her, seeking their revenge. She twisted her mouth to the side, unsure what she would do, when they finally found her, if they found her. Would they try to exact their revenge, or try to come to an understanding. Somehow she doubted the last of the accusations.

Yuri then scowled in disgust, for in the back of the demon girl's mind, and in the pit of her stomach and stoned heart, she could feel the despair and hurt her human side felt for what had been done to the little kitsune. There was great grief and pain there, and she doubled over from it for a moment.

She slowly got to her feet, her breathing hard, and sweat trickling down her forehead as she continued to stare with cold eyes at the well. She then brushed a hand across her forehead, and stretched, trying to release the tension and the anxiety her bones had taken on. She was thinking about coming back later, but as she turned to leave, she glanced back at it, bathed in the sunlight but beneath the shade of trees, vines with small, pink flowers reaching down around it.

Walking back over to it, she bowed down onto her knees, and slowly peered wondrously over the edge of the well. It looked like nothing more than a mere well, though her eyes couldn't find the bottom. She stuck her tongue out of the side if her mouth like a child might have done when thinking hard, but then shrugged.

Without another thought on the matter, or even a moment to prepare herself, she used her left hand to push herself over the edge and legs first into the well. She found that it seemed to go on forever, and she expected to hit the hard ground at any moment. To her astonishment she passed right through it, and a startling, changing light from blue to green to white, and back, surrounded her, consumed her being, filling her like strong perfume. It took over her senses, and all she could do was continue to fall. It was only a few moments later when she landed at the bottom of a well.

Pulling herself up to peer over the side of the well, she cast her sight at the miserable wasteland around her. She released a shocked gasp. She definitely wasn't in her world anymore. The landscape here was miserable, and awful change from her world.

The trees were bare, and broken, it's branches crooked and its bark stained. They were rotting away, and there were no signs of life. The ground was either covered in red crust, or was red crust, and it seemed this way for as far as she could see. In the distance she could make out large cliffs with sharp sides that veered off. Then the air seemed to have a strange smell to it, almost like burning flesh.

She gave a shudder at the memory that came with it. Her mother, running as fire consumed all around her, and then the smell that her body gave off as she had raised a charred hand to Yuri's face, while the little girl kneeled down there beside her, her own body badly burnt.

But the sadness in her eyes, and the frown on her face became sheer determination. And then a smile crept over her face. She had a terrible, yet wonderful idea…

Tears dripped onto Shippo's already soaked, dirty face. Kagome had the little fox cradled in her arms, gently swaying him back and forth as she kneeled on the grass near the stairs where she had found him. She paid no intention to the blood that covered her. his body shook horribly as he told them what happened, stopping often to break into a fit of coughs in which Kagome clutched him close.

"M-Momo isn't t-the same," he said weakly, his words becoming illegible. "She's, she's, cruel and…hard…"

"Shh," Kagome cooed softly, her eyes springing new tears. "You'll be alright, won't he Inuyasha?" She looked pleadingly up at the half demon as he watched uselessly.

Inuyasha's gaze softened as he saw tears spring into the young woman's eyes as she clutched tighter to the little fox demon. He didn't know what to say that might comfort any of them, or make things any better. Shippo had been terribly wounded. Blood trickled from the kitsune's mouth. Even Kaede was unsure of what to do. The others had allowed the two of them carry him out into the night as Shippo had asked for.

"Where did she go?" asked Inuyasha softly.

"To the, the Underworld," he muttered, looking up, straining to see the half demon. He then went into another fit of coughs. When he pulled the cloth away from his mouth, it was covered in his blood.

"How do we get there?" Inuyasha persisted.

"I-I don't know. I-I-I'm s-sorry." His eyes half closed as his body gave a final shudder and released a deep breath, and then went limp.

Kagome clutched the body to her even tighter as she began to cry even harder. Inuyasha stepped over to her lightly, looking down at them, hesitant on what to do. Kneeling down behind her, he took Kagome into his arms, clutching her to him as he leaned back some. He felt Kagome's body go tense as her eyes widened, tears still flowing from them, and then felt it relax.

"Inuyasha…"

"Kagome," he said calmly as he nuzzled his cheek close to hers. "Shh, now. it's alright. I am…here for you." This seemed to calm her, cause she placed her left hand where his right one was on her left shoulder, right above the collarbone. She was looking down at the kitsune's body.

"But, Shippo—"

"We will make her pay," he said softly. "I swear it."

"But," she said with a small shake of her head, cutting off.

"What is it" persisted Inuyasha. He forced her around to face him, his face determined. She tried to avoid his eyes, but her eyes kept darting back to him. "Tell me what is the matter, now." She let her head drop, but she suddenly snapped it up, her eyes large and sorrowful as she spoke dramatically to him, clutching Shippo's body closer as she spoke.

"One death is not solved by another! Killing Momo will only lead to more problems, and fighting. She may be demon, but she is also human, and—"

"Kagome, listen to me!" he yelled at her, and she stopped. "Kagome, demons care for no one but themselves, or their kin, and that is about it. We fantasize about human women only because they are so much weaker, and have a shorter lifespan. Please, understand, she may be human, but when she did this act she was a demon. We cannot ignore the fact that she is still part demon, and still poses a threat to us. She may be expecting us to come after her."

"But—" He pulled her close, laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes narrowed a little at the comfort the exhaustion that washed over her. "Inuyasha…"

"Just listen," he said, softly, commandingly. "Listen to my words, Kagome, and hold them. She is half…" He hesitated, and then gave a nod. "As I am. I was once an awful demon, one of the more evil of them, in fact. I felt nothing for no one."

"Inuyasha…"

"Listen," he said softly. "She had the comfort I hadn't. she was brought about by humans, and without parents. She led a peaceful life, here in the village. She knows little about the outside world, and even less about what it is she is trying to do. I will try to talk to her, but, if she does not listen…"

"I know," said Kagome calmly with a nod. "Inuyasha…thank you…"

The young demon girl was surprised to see people in the village she had come upon, though she hadn't expected a village really either. She thought that they would probably just be wondering the desolated wasteland, lost and yet unknowing, or perhaps locked away somewhere. She was expecting floating, glowing balls that made eerie sounds. If it wasn't for the fact that they had no smell, and the blank, staring eyes that became an accessory to the dead, she would have thought they might have been alive.

Striding into the village, she noticed the villagers paid little attention to her, if any. Some did give her glances, and smiles, but they soon continued on their way. She noticed that it had both demons and humans here, seemingly in harmony as they chatted and laughed with one another.

"A place where humans and demons live in peace…"

She shook her head, knowing that things were different down here. She noticed a large temple in the back, and headed for it. She had just reached it when she saw something that stopped her. There, chasing some ghost butterflies, was a small kitsune demon. Speeding up, she stepped in front of him. Shippo came to a skidding halt at Yuri's feet and stared up at her with those blank eyes. She shudder slightly at the memory that had just so recently taken place. Another pang of guilt began to attack her, but she suppressed it.

"Who are you?" inquired Shippo innocently, putting his right index finger to his mouth in curiosity and wonder.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"No," he replied with a shake of his head. "You look familiar though…" Getting down on one knee, she was able to look Shippo directly into those dead eyes, gathering all his attention now.

"You truly do not remember who I am?"

"No, who are you?"

"It does not matter," she said with a sigh. "Who is the village leader here?"

"Leader?"

"You don't have a leader, do you?"

"We have a priest."

"That'll do. Bring me to him."

"Yeah, follow me."

Shippo's ghost, or perhaps the more correct term was soul, turned around promptly, and began skipping up the stone steps. Yuri straightened and watched him a moment before following slowly. Shippo had disappeared into the temple's entrance. There were no doors, and the inside was enshrouded in impenetrable darkness. Taking a deep breath, Yuri walked in. at first, she couldn't see anything, but instead, kept walking; hoping she wouldn't bump into anything, and the gave a small, short laugh at this. Because one of her senses were down, did not mean they all were. She stopped, and all around her fire sprouted into life in fiery red balls, lighting the chamber with an eerie glow.

It was the most vile and distasteful thing Yuri had ever seen. The room held an in ground well in the center with murkiest, deepest crimson water Yuri had ever seen. She felt that it wasn't just water that resided in it though. Skulls and the bones of demons and humans alike littered the ground and walls. Blood covered everything; floors, walls, alter, bones, everywhere. There was a swirling, crimson mist drifting around the room. And there, crouched on the floor before the alter, and the well behind him, with piles of bones on either side of him, was who Yuri expected to be the priest. He had his back to her, seemingly in deep prayer.

He turned his head slowly to look at her as she walked in and came to a stop. Her was observing her, watching her every tiny movement. The priest's face was hidden behind a blue mask, and though Yuri couldn't see his eyes, she could feel their gaze sweep over her, and she gave a slight shudder that she was sure he caught also. He wore a shaggy, white coat fur attached to the mask, making it impossible to make out the priest's features. Yuri's face showed nothing to the stranger.

"Ah," he said softly, seemingly floating to his feet. "If it isn't Momo, the daughter and soul heir of the demon lord, Sesshomaru."

"The name is Yuri," she snapped hastily. "How did you know I was Sesshomaru's daughter?" Her voice was demanding, and her gaze fierce. He gave a little chuckle.

"Dear, I know everything. I am, after all, the ruler of the Underworld. I know of all who re born, and of all who die. I have more power than God himself."

"Who are you?" she asked, slightly amazed.

"They call m Naraku."

Inuyasha sat on the hard, stone ground, waiting impatiently for Kaede to finish whatever it was she was doing. It wasn't just because he didn't like doing anything, but also because he sat right outside the cave where Kikyo had saved Naraku, the man who always seemed responsible for people's problems. Kagome paced the outside of the cave, just as impatient as he was. They were right outside the cave in which Kikyo had cared and saved the life of the man that killed her. Kaede then walked out slowly, and Inuyasha jumped to his feet as Kagome halted, and the others watched.

"Well?" asked Kagome expectantly.

"It would seem it is not here," said Kaede, shaking her head. "I don't understand why, but it has disappeared. Who could have taken the Cursed Jewel, I don't know. It can be held only by someone tainted by evil, and yet not influenced by it."

"Like me," said Miroku quietly, staring at his wrapped right hand. Beyond that fabric was the curse that Naraku had placed upon the monk's family; a hole that sucked anything in it, eventually growing bigger and consuming the person who had it.

"Yes," Kaede clarified with a nod.

"But who could it be?" asked Sango, rising to her feet.

"I do not know," repeated Kaede.

"So what do we do now?" asked Kagome, sitting down on a rock, placing her chin in her fists. Inuyasha looked to his brother, who had remained silent, leaning against the cave's outer wall.

"Perhaps who you are looking for, is what I have."

The group turned in surprise and astonishment as a young woman approached, smiling as she swept back some of her hair. And standing there, holding out her palm, Aerith held a white crystal.

Yuri surveyed Naraku wearily. She sat on the blood covered alter, staring up into the priest's dreadful, lustful eyes. He had revealed himself to her. he had long, curvy, black hair was pulled back, and his small cold eyes made her want to shrink away, and cling to what warmth might have been available, if any. He wore the clothes of a samurai before shedding them in one swift movement.

She kept her face calm and blank as well as she could, as he approached her, trying to her keep her eyes fixated on his. She did not trust him. her heart thumped dramatically as he drew near. What was she feeling? It seemed familiar, but more like a distant dream. Was she anxious? Nervous? No, it was something else. She tried to get eh facts straight.

She was in a room of a temple the reeked and bellowed of death, with eh Lord of the Underworld, while she was at his mercy, and with nowhere to run, and no weapons to fight with, and naked.

"Before we start," he said calmly. "Why do you want this so bad?" he asked her.

"Because I want the power," she said boldly. "And I want to do what neither my parents were able to do. That is why."

"And that is why you long for a child?"

"Yes," she said slowly, nodding slightly. "But I want one whose power will be unsurpassed, so that he or she may grow up without difficulties, and only one demon will do." She gave a terrible shudder, but quickly suppressed it.

"And what is it that I get out of this?"

"You said you can fix it so people age quickly down here," she said, choosing hr words carefully. "It wouldn't be long before the child is ready to destroy Inuyasha, and anyone the opposes us."

FIN