A QUESTION OF INCARNATION

CHAPTER5: You Can't Escape From Your Past: Part 1

A/N: Another sad chapter. What I tell ya'? But it'll get better. The fluff is coming. Just not right now. And someone you'll remember will show up next chapter, but they are not mentioned in this one. So yeah.

He remembered everything now, discovering his sword had taken care of that. At some point and time he had been that hanyou, 'No.' He mentally corrected himself, 'I am that half-demon.' And somehow he had been given a second chance to get all the things he had given up by sacrificing himself. It became both the curse that made everyday a living hell, and yet provided the only reason for him to go on living. But, another lifetime had granted him with signifigantly more patience than he had previously, and he had to admit himself, if a guy you had known for less than a week had walked up to you and said he was the reincarnation of your dead boyfriend, you'd probably just slap him and run far away. So. He was stuck. And it wasn't a particularly nice place to be stuck in.

After much thought Adrian decided the only thing he could do was keep up the act. Maybe after she trusted him a bit more he would have more options. With this plan in mind he ventured downstairs the next morning. The first thing that he noticed was that Kagome was gone. At first he thought that she wasn't the only one, but he found her mother and brother a moment later. Both sat ashen-faced in front of the news. He walked up and took a cautious seat in the armchair beside them, anxious for some reason that he could not define.

The newscaster was standing in front of a bulldozer, in what looked to be a construction site, swarming with men in lab coats and uniforms. "This miraculous historical discovery has changed the viewpoint of many historists around the country, making previous unknowns in many historic texts fit when this manuscript is assumed to be true. It also proves the existence of demons in feudal Japan, and shows potential for some to have survived to the present day. The tomb was unearthed during construction for a strip mall in downtown Tokyo, near 34th street..."

Adrian paled. He knew where Kagome was now. He grabbed his portable radio and earbuds and ran out the door, the news station turned on before he had even rounded the corner.

"The remains in the tomb are being examined on site by forensics experts, very few details have been released as of yet. We do know that the two humans were a male and female, around the age of 20. The bodies are in excellent condition, 'They look like they could get up at any moment, and start looking around and asking questions about why we're disturbing them.' one eye witness recounts, but the source of their preservation is still a mystery, as there is no evidence of them having been embalmed, frozen, or encased in amber, which are the only other methods at this time of preserving bodies this effectively.

"The manuscript was found in a pottery jar near the male, and in a matter of a few hours it has leaked onto the internet in it's entirety. It tells of a half-demon named Inuyasha..."

What little color was still in Adrian face left that moment. He was approaching the intersection with 12th street. 'Only a few more blocks to go... It can't be...It can't be.' He didn't want to hear it, but he kept listening.

"...and his quest in defeating the demon Naraku, along with a young monk, demonslayer and a priestess, who was apparently from the present day. This priestess is of particular interest, as she is said to have brought supplies from her time to the others in the feudal era. Although this modern day priestess seems only to be a flight of fancy, the case of lip gloss found on the person of the female was released only last year by the American company, Lip Smackers, but testing has proved it to be over 500 years old.

"Already the web sites featuring the manuscript have had over a million hits in a matter of hours, the tragic story of the hanyou's demise and his love affair with the mysterious priestess has become a countrywide obsession, and already several men have come forward claiming to be- Wait! A young woman has stumbled onto the site, and she matches the description of the priestess! Excuse me, Miss!"

Adrian had almost reached the construction site at this point. He could just see it in the distance, the tops of the front loaders and bulldozers barely visible above the heads of the masses of people already surrounding it. He ripped the earbuds off, shoving the mass of wires in his pocket. Only one thing was on his mind, and that was Kagome. It drove him forward through the crowds of people, and he leaped the police barrier, not hearing the men's shouts as he ran toward the young woman crouched in the shadows ahead of him. One policeman attempted to stop him.

"This is a restricted area, sir, I need to ask you to get back behind the barrier, please." He demanded, his tone betraying the mock politeness of his words as he grabbed Adrian's arm.

"Get off me you bastard! That's Kagome over there!" He took advantage of the man's surprise and wriggled out of his grasp. He slowed to a walk as he picked his way down the makeshift chipboard ramp into the partially unearthed room. It only contained a rough stone block, about 3 feet high, resting in front of the wall farthest away from him. The two bodies sat on top of it, leaning against the wall behind them. The man in purple robes had his arms wrapped around the woman, his beautiful face contorted in such grief and pain that he could hardly bear it. The woman's was peaceful despite the gaping wound in her chest. The pottery jar, sitting beside him, was presumably where the manuscript was found. The Hiraikotsu and staff leaned on the wall beside them, both covered in blood. As the stared, the ancient bloodstains covering the floor and the stone slab became apparent as well. He finally found his voice.

"No...N-Not Miroku and Sango too...No..." He mumured, struggling to hold back his tears. 'Men don't cry.' He resolutely thought, memories he didn't want to see playing on the inside of his eyelids. The familiar Grope/Slap/Laugh routine, the way they would gaze at each other when they thought no one was looking, how they would shield one another in battle, oblivious to the danger, and occasionally fell asleep leaning on each other when they were supposed to be keeping watch. But the look on the man's face was enough to make anyone cry. The feeling of loss, pain, and love displayed on it was as fresh as that fateful day 500 years ago, it something that every person that has ever loved could empathize with, regardless of what age they lived in, that indescribable feeling of loss that only comes when part of your very soul is ripped away. Very few people could truly understand such a feeling of complete and utter loss, but he was one of them.

Kagome eventually noticed Adrian, standing behind her, unable to take another step, frozen in place. She didn't look at him, just kept petting the small, cold, bundle of golden fur in her lap, the tears running down her cheeks the only sign of her grief, her voice was a simple monotone, devoid of all emotion.

"They died this way. One of Naraku's incarnations was intent upon finishing his master's work, and decided to attack the village where Sango and Miroku had made their home. Miroku was by himself at the time of the attack, Sango and Kirara were back at their house. The demon badly injured him, stealing the jewel from his unconscious body and later using it to resurrect his master. He then went and slaughtered the whole village, including Sango and Kirara when they tried to protect it. Miroku woke up to smoking ruins and dead bodies. He was the only survivor. He used his powers to preserve Sango and Kirara's bodies and buried his neighbors.

"He didn't really intend to keep on living, even after he had physically healed. His kazanna had returned, and it was getting bigger everyday. But he didn't care much. He didn't have any purpose, any reason to go on living, after Sango was killed. He wrote down all our adventures and preserved them as well, somehow hoping that by providing a record he could provide meaning to all our sacrifices, since we were unable to to stop Naraku. Maybe prevent someone else from making the same mistakes as us and getting killed as well.

"When he finished he built a tomb. He placed his wife and love, Sango, her faithful companion, Kirara, his writings, and their weapons in it, finally taking his place as well. He hadn't been the flirty monk we had all known for a long time. Miroku's only purpose had been to be there for Sango, and after he had lain her to rest he had no reason to go on. He used the last of his powers to preserve himself while he wept, finally ending his pain and effectively commiting suicide. And here they have rested until today."

A/N: No yelling at me for being late! I DID say in the A/N for my first chapter that my usual update time would be late Saturday evening, and I had something going on then. The only reason I was able to churn so many chapters out previously was because I was on winter break, and had a lot of time on my hands. So! The pressing question. I can't decide... when Inu- I mean... Adrian, and Kags finally go back to the feudal era, should I have Sango and Miroku there? Or should they be dead already? I have an explantion for if they are alive, but you'd have to deal with a big speal on crossroads in time, which you may decide is simply not worth it. But if they're dead, the plot may move along a lot quicker, and the battle sequences (ugh.) would be a bit smoother because I would have less people to keep track of. And then there's the whole revenge deal. I will be writing a Sango/Miroku AU fic after this one, so you will get your fluff quota, it will simply be delayed a bit. But then, there is a lot to be said on Sango and Miroku (hooray! The man in purple is my favorite!) so it's your decision- I don't have much of an opinion either way. I can't finish the chapter after this until I get an answer, so review or I can't update! This is your chance to make your thoughts heard, and have this story work for you, so REVIEW!

Also, fluff will be showing up soon, so be aware! (throws waffles in air and cheers)