Author's Note: I'd have updated sooner except not only did I have midterms, but my chapter 31 file that I had started on was mysteriously deleted. I had to restart this chapter over from the beginning. But seeing as how it turned out, this version is better than my first one. So I guess it was meant to be.

The Samurai of Tomorrow

Chapter 31: Reunions

Inuyasha gingerly sniffed the ground before he stood up and peered at the arrow mark in the tree. There were many such marks dotting the area, with the scattered remains of dead youkai as trophies.

Most of the bodies were gone, disintegrated into thin air. He had seen this before. Kikyo and Kagome's arrows had left similar markings of their passage. An archer of immense spiritual power had killed these youkai.

The hanyou lord stared on through the forest. He'd picked up the scents of two humans, which he now knew to be Kenshin's friends.

He'd also picked up the scent of graveyard soil.

What could it mean? Inuyasha took a deep breath to still his beating heart. It was too soon to jump to any kind of conclusion.

He jumped up into a tree and began leaping his way through the dense forest. Regardless of who this dead person was, he had to find out the truth.

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Kenshin crouched silently behind the leafy briar in front of him. Tall, leaf leaden boughs sheltered him from unfriendly eyes. At least, he hoped that they were. Someone had been following him for the last few minutes.

His violet blue eyes peered out through the underbrush. He carefully sniffed the air, but the smell was still there. In fact, it was even closer than before. The faint crackle of dead leaves reached his ears as his quarry finally immerged from the woodland trail.

He was human. At least, he appeared to be human. By all appearances, he was a young monk. Something about his face seemed faintly familiar, but Kenshin couldn't place the image. However, despite everything, his scent was clearly that of a youkai. To his surprise though, this youkai appeared to be very nervous, skittish even.

The swordsman waited until the man was closer. Then, with a quick flash of speed, he stepped out in front of the surprised youkai. To his even greater surprise however, instead of going on the offensive, the disguised youkai jumped back in fear and seemed on the verge of running away.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked politely. The "monk" stared at his face before inching back a few more inches.

"This one does not intend to hurt you," Kenshin reassured him. "He only wishes to know why you have been following him."

"F..following?" the youkai stammered. He looked once more at Kenshin's face and realized that he couldn't lie his way out of this.

"All right," he admitted reluctantly. "I was following you." Kenshin hid his amazement. He'd never seen a youkai act like this before. This creature was clearly frightened of him.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked curiously. "You are no human, that you are not." The youkai sweated for a moment before finally sighing and transforming into his true self. A small smile twitched at Kenshin's lips as he surveyed the other creature.

"A raccoon dog?" he questioned. The youkai did indeed look much like a large raccoon dog with clothes. He didn't have the more human appearance of Kouga or Shippo.

"Why were you following me?" Kenshin questioned. He no longer felt any danger from this creature. He could clearly see that a gentle soul existed within his furry exterior. The other youkai trembled slightly before he bowed politely.

"My name is Hachi…my lord. I was following you because…because you have the markings of a youkai named Sesshoumaru on your face." Kenshin gave a start at that. He gave a sharp look at Hachi, but the raccoon dog only shook more in fear.

He is frightened of this one. Is it because of this one's face? Is it Sesshoumaru that causes him such terror?

"What do you know of Sesshoumaru?" Kenshin asked.

"…I know that he was the older half-brother of Lord Inuyasha," Hachi answered. He seemed to gain some inner strength at the mention of the hanyou's name because he suddenly puffed his furry chest out in pride.

"I'm a friend of Inuyasha," the youkai declared. "I've fought along side him in many a battle." Seeing as how the creature had been so cowardly before, Kenshin somehow doubted that. Even so…

"This one is also a friend of Inuyasha, that he is. In fact, this one is looking for his friends, who are coming this way. Then they will reunite with Inuyasha. He and this one parted ways not even an hour ago." The strange youkai seemed to lose some of his fear at that.

"Who are your friends?" Hachi asked curiously.

"Miss Kamiya Kaoru, her student Myoujin Yahiko, and a…dead monk named Miroku." Kenshin had paused at the mention of 'dead', but something had made him say it. The raccoon dog's ears perked up at the mention of the perverted monk.

"This monk…" Hachi said, "…is he…um…a little enamored of the ladies?"

"That would perhaps be an understatement, that it would."

"Ah! Master Miroku! He has returned!" Hachi yelled joyfully. Master Miroku? Kenshin wondered.

"As this one has said, Miroku is dead. His soul currently resides within a wooden bokken, that it does." Kenshin paused a moment before continuing. "Perhaps you would like to help this one find his friends?"

"Of course! Of course!" Hachi agreed.

And thus Kenshin gained a new traveling companion.

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"We're lost," Yahiko complained.

"We are NOT lost," Kaoru repeated. Her horse stamped his foot impatiently as Yahiko's nimbled on the grass. The two of them had been quarreling for the last half hour while Miroku had been strangely silent.

"WE'RE LOST YOU UGLY WOMAN!" the boy yelled.

"UGLY! WHO'S UGLY? I'M A LOT PRETTIER THAN MOST GIRLS YOU'LL EVER BE BLESSED TO SEE!"

Miroku sighed within the bokken and hid a chuckle. He was going to have to teach Yahiko the finer points of what constituted a beautiful woman. In all actuality, Kaoru was fine specimen of womanhood. Not nearly as attractive as his dear Sango, as her hips had been far more pleasing to the eye, but Kaoru was not without definite female characteristics.

After all, she did have a nice rear end. However, even he had to admit that Megumi's was more…attractive.

"We are not lost," he finally said to break up the fight. And a fight it was, Kaoru was currently bashing Yahiko across the head with her bokken. So it could be said that he also spoke up to avoid being used as a blunt object against the young woman. Not that he would have minded all that much mind you, he might actually have enjoyed it on some perverted level. However, there were far more important things to be dealt with.

"What'd you mean, 'we are not lost'?" Yahiko asked in mid fight.

"I have felt a dark presence ahead of us for some time. Although much of it has strangely vanished, I know that it is centered in Kurashiki."

"Vanished?" Kaoru asked. "How?"

"I don't know, but I fear that great evil is at work."

"I'll bet that Kenshin and Inuyasha killed Naraku!" Yahiko exclaimed. Kaoru began to smile in agreement, but Miroku quickly broke their rising hope.

"I doubt that. As strong as Inuyasha has now become, and as strong as Kenshin is, the fact remains that this is not the first time that Naraku has disappeared on us. I doubt very much that they killed him."

Kaoru and Yahiko each gave a dejected sigh as they stared into the distance. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

"Yahiko," Miroku said. "You should be able to feel this as well. Close your eyes and concentrate. You should know what it is that we are facing."

"I felt him before, remember? He was in my body."

"I know, but I still want you to feel this. Naraku has grown stronger since your last encounter with him."

Yahiko took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He centered his thoughts as Miroku had taught him. With frightening clarity, the young boy briefly perceived the darkness ahead.

His eyes snapped open and he stared wildly down at the bokken in his sash.

"M..Miroku?" he stammered. Kaoru studied the boy quietly with a worried expression on her face. Very rarely did Yahiko drop his bravado and show any kind of fear.

"Now you know," Miroku said quietly. "And this is after much of it has already disappeared."

Yahiko stared quietly into the distance. His heart was deeply troubled by what the monk had just said. Then with an arrogant smirk of grim determination, he thrust his possessed bokken out at the direction of Kurashiki.

"I'm not scared!" Yahiko declared boldly. "I'm Tokyo Samurai Myoujin Yahiko, the great descendant of warriors! The blood of youkai runs in my veins! I'll defeat Naraku for all the cruel things that he's done, you'll see!"

Miroku marveled quietly at the strength in the young boy's face. Truly, not only did he see much of Inuyasha in that face, but also that of Kagome, Sango, and perhaps even a little of himself. This boy did indeed not only have the blood of his ancestors in his veins, but also the bold spirit to match.

He felt a swell of pride at that moment, but none more than Kaoru did as well. Yahiko just might become one of the Kamiya Kasshin's greatest students. After her that is.

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Kagome held a hand over her eyes as she surveyed the stretch of land outside the forest. In truth, she wasn't really sure where they were. Aoshi had said they were by Kurashiki. She vaguely remembered about where that was, but it had been a long time ago.

She was feeling more energetic now. The soul collectors that she and Sango had finally found had provided her with new souls. Kagome had let them go for now however, as they had been making Misao uncomfortable.

Kagome wasn't sure what to do, but she did know one thing. She needed Inuyasha.

And so, without any other option, she came to a decision.

"I have an idea," she said cheerfully to the other two. "Let's go northwest. I need to find my husband. Then we can go after Naraku." However, the other two didn't quite share her enthusiasm.

"We need to go to Kyoto," Aoshi said bluntly. "We have friends in Tokyo that we need to contact." Kagome blinked before smiling sweetly up at the tall, emotionless man.

"Nope, sorry. I have to go to Inuyasha and you two are coming with me. You can find your friends when we get done."

"Forgive me for any offense priestess," Aoshi protested. "But we must get to Kyoto. I thank you for your concern, but we are quite capable of protecting ourselves. We do not require your aid for the time being." He wasn't going to let himself be ordered around by this woman, well meaning that she might be.

Kagome glared at him.

Moments later, a sullen Aoshi and an impressed Misao were trailing after the smiling priestess.

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"Kenshin! You're okay!" Kaoru exclaimed in relief. She hugged the startled swordsman before blushing and jumping back in embarrassment.

"Who's your friend?" Yahiko questioned.

"Where's Master Miroku?" Hachi asked excitedly. "Where's the wooden sword?"

"HACHI?" Miroku exclaimed in disbelief. The raccoon dog whirled in his direction and peered at the wooden sword hanging from Yahiko's sash.

"Master!" he yelled.

"Uh..Kenshin? What's going on?" Yahiko asked. "Where's Inuyasha?"

It took some time, but Kenshin related what had happened. He paused at the startled expressions on his friends' faces when he showed them his broken sakabatou. But Miroku had quickly reassured them that their friend Totousai could fix it. Kenshin had then continued up to the point that he had found the others.

"Hmmm…" Miroku murmured. "Both you and Inuyasha smelled the scent of graveyard soil?"

"Is that a problem?" Kaoru asked. There was a pause.

"I'm not sure," Miroku finally said. There was another pause, then.

"Leave the horses," the dead monk ordered. "Hachi, please give us a lift. We need to join Inuyasha as quickly as possible."

"What's wrong?" Yahiko asked. "Why's the smell of graveyard soil so important?"

"I'll explain on the way. Kenshin, you may have to go to the ground from time to time to make sure that we're on Inuyasha's trail." Kenshin nodded his head in agreement.

"Hachi?" Miroku asked. The chubby youkai puffed out his furry cheeks and transformed into an elongated balloon like figure. The humans looked at each a moment before pulling their few items off the horses and leaping up onto the transformed youkai.

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Inuyasha sniffed the air. He was close now, he could feel it. Just a little further.

The hanyou landed atop a tall tree and gazed around him. His ears twitched as they caught the faintest trace of a human voice.

He bounded forward from tree to tree before halting again to listen. This time he heard the voice again, as well as another, deeper one. However, it was the third voice that caught his attention.

It was another female voice, cheerful, proud, and demanding.

Kagome!

Inuyasha's ears perked up and he raced through the forest with a single minded determination. Nothing could have stopped him from reaching that beautiful voice.

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Kagome paused. Something was heading their way. She could feel it.

"Priestess?" Misao asked. Aoshi paused in his silent brooding to stare impassively at her. Kagome stared off into the forest as her hand unconsciously pulled an arrow from her quiver.

Aoshi automatically unsheathed his short sword and stepped in front of Misao. Misao, in turn, pulled several hidden shuriken from within her sleeve.

"Kagome? What is it?" Sango asked.

"A youkai?" Aoshi questioned. Kagome stared off into the forest.

"…No…not quite…." she murmured. Still, she held her bow at the ready. Her heart began to beat in her chest. This aura was not quite youkai…but not quite human either. Could it….

A flash of silver and red zipped through the trees and landed in front of her. Kagome dropped her bow and arrow as the still injured Aoshi stepped protectively towards what he believed was a new threat. The priestess tried to find the words to halt the swordsman, but her voice failed her.

"In…Inuyasha…" she whispered. Tears blurred her vision as she beheld the silver haired hanyou in front of her. Never before had she seen such a welcome sight. He in turn stared at her, unbelieving in uncharacteristic timidness.

"Ka…Kagome…"

The moment was broken abruptly by the attacking Aoshi. She and Inuyasha's exchange had lasted only a few seconds. The swordsman brought his sword towards the hanyou, who leapt out of the way.

"Priestess! Run!" Aoshi commanded.

"Of all the…" Inuyasha growled. "Move you puny human! I'll pulverize you if you don't move away from my wife!"

Aoshi halted in surprise as he gaped at the dog eared man. Wife! This was her husband!

Inuyasha growled as he leapt down at the briefly stunned Aoshi. Sango muttered to herself inside Kagome.

"…Inuyasha… Kagome you have to stop him."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome finally managed to yell. "Don't hurt him! He's just trying to protect…" Inuyasha punched Aoshi. Kagome sighed as the irate hanyou raised his other fist. Aoshi narrowed his eyes and prepared to strike with his kodachi. There was only one solution to this problem.

"Inuyasha! SIT BOY!"

CRASH!

A loud yelp, then…

"Kagome! How could you…!"

Inuyasha stopped as he felt Kagome slip her arms around him. Her lips met his for a long kiss. Then she tightened her grip and laid her head down on his chest. Tears slipped from her eyes and she and Inuyasha embraced.

They stayed that way for a long time.

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Author's Note: I'll probably jump back to Shippo and Co. in the next chapter before going back to Kenshin, Inuyasha, and Kagome and Co. That's the tricky part about going back and forth with two divergent storylines, knowing when to jump back and forth. Everyone will end back up together eventually, but right now they've all got other things to face.