Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha or Yuu Yuu Hakusho. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Yuu Yuu Hakusho belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

Title: Lost the Real Dream
Chapter 13: His Dark Designs

Getting used to the fact that there were demons and tournaments to the death was both hard and easy. Easy because she felt strangely at ease surrounded by them all, and could not even hate her little brother for keeping it from her. Hard because of the strange energy that gathered in the air and settled heavily against her chest, making it difficult to breathe at times.

There were times she felt like all her memories and something else would just explode if she was there one more day...

Then Yusuke would make a goofy remark or get her out into the forest on the island to watch some of their training sessions. It let her forget for a while and pretend to be normal. Or rather, as normal as one could get in her unique situation.

"Kagome-san?" a young woman appeared from behind them. She was beautiful and elegant with a rich voice and crimson lips. Her hair was as dark as ink and her kimono was old-fashioned in its simple design. But what Kagome noticed most were her blood red eyes.

The men around her eyed the obviously demon woman with wary expressions. They held no trust toward most others participating in the tournament. "Who're you?" Kuwabara asked.

The woman pulled out a fan and unfurled it, using it to hide her lower face, "Forgive me, I am Kagura."

Kagome stepped forward, "Are you related to Naraku?"

Her eyes narrowed, "I am. He is what you would call my father. If you don't mind, we have something to discuss with you."

Kurama placed his hand on Kagome's arm, "Whatever you have to discuss with her, you can do so in front of us."

The fan hide Kagura's baleful smirk, "I would be glad to, but the finals are about to start. I believe you are needed there."

Yusuke looked at his watch and swore, "Fuck! She's right."

Kagome smiled and waved them off despite the sinking feeling in her chest, "Go on. I'll be there to cheer you all on, I promise."

They reluctantly left, casting suspicious glances at Kagura. When they were out of sight, Kagura closed her fan. It clicked shut with a tone of finality to Kagome. She swallowed thickly, "What did you want to talk about?"

Kagura walked closer to her with confident steps, "I'm sorry. This isn't something I want to do."

"What --?"

All Kagome felt was a glancing pain to the back of her head before everything went black.

The unease settled heavily in Kurama's stomach as they waited for the final matches to begin. After the first matches which destroyed the arena, things had been delayed for a few hours. He stayed with Hiei as, despite his better senses, Yusuke and Kuwabara searched for Kagome. They all could do with some of her optimism at the moment to ease some of the tension of waiting. He would be able to breathe easier if he saw that she was fine.

Soft, near delicate steps had him glancing up from his book at Hiei's side. For a second, his heart jumped at the hope that it might be Kagome. But as the footsteps neared, he could hear the heaviness in them that crushed his hope.

The door opened to reveal Keiko smiling at him. "I ran into the guys in the stadium, and they said you were here."

He could only offer a strained smile in return, "Have they found oneesama yet?"

She sat down next to him, placing her hand on top of his, "Not yet. They're still looking though... But everyone is to be back in their seats in a little while. Some Naraku guy has some entertainment or something to show everyone as a treat before the next match."

Kurama's eyes narrowed in though, "You said Naraku, right?"

She nodded, "Yes. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara said it sounded familiar."

"She mentioned his name before the finals started," Hiei spoke as he sat up. His hand went up to rub his forehead as Keiko removed her hand from Kurama's. He smiled at her, soft and quick, and she could not help blushing.

"That's right," Kurama turned to face Hiei. "This doesn't feel like it will end well. We should get Yusuke and Kuwabara."

Thirty minutes later they had reunited with their teammates and friends in their seats. It was odd to be in the stands surrounded by blood-thirsty demons who wanted them dead during the finals they were supposed to be fighting in. Each of them sat with unease and anxiety as they could find neither Kagome nor Naraku. Not even the female demon who called herself Kagura.

None of it sat well with them.

Juri did not come on as the announcer, but Koto. She still sat in her commentator's box, looking as confused as everyone else. "Well, this has come as a surprise to us all. One of the more mysterious backers of the Dark Tournament, the half-demon Naraku, has asked for an interlude in the finals. He claims to be bringing some entertainment that will be very interesting to all demons watching.

"Everyone, Naraku-sama!" she shouted, pointing to one of the arena entrances.

The sight that greeted Team Urameshi was not what they were expecting of the demon that had brought Kagome to the island. He looked much like Kagura, with the inky mass of hair that flowed to his legs and crimson eyes that held much malice and cruelty, but dampened or enhanced by the cock-sure smile he wore. Aside from those things, he looked and dressed deceptively human-like.

"That guy gives me the creeps with that look," Kuwabara commented.

"As he should," the teenage-looking KoEnma remarked. "Naraku is a slimy fake half-demon."

"Fake half-demon? I thought you were either one or not, like being pregnant," Yusuke said, his eyes never leaving Naraku's approach to the center of the arena...where he should be right now, kicking Toguro's ass.

"Not exactly," KoEnma spoke with forced calm. "From what we can gather, Naraku was human once. He made a pact with a demon and allowed himself to be consumed by demons, his hate and desire transforming him into a half-demon made up of many other demons."

"That doesn't sound too promising for him to be a good person," Botan said.

"Do you know why he'd want Kagome?" Kurama asked.

The junior ruler shook his head, "Unfortunately no."

"Ladies and demons," Naraku spoke, his voice oozing with dark charisma, "I think you for coming. And now, I have a special treat for all." He smirked and turned toward another entrance.

Two figures emerged; one was Kagura, and the other was a struggling Kagome. She dragged Kagome to the arena, none-too-gently, and threw her at Naraku's feet. The woman said something snide, judging from the sneer on her face.

In return, Naraku produced a heart and muttered something. Horror covered Kagome's face as she shouted out a "No". But it was of no use as he crushed the heart in his hand, and Kagura fell to the ground.

"How cruel," some of the demons around them muttered. Even Hiei and Kurama had to agree.

Naraku kicked the lifeless body out of the arena. Kagome made no move to get up, until he grabbed her upper arm and hauled her to her feet. He held her up as some sort of prize. "It is my great pleasure to introduce everyone to Higurashi Kagome. One of the few, rare women born with hama no reiryoku. A true miko of Amaterasu.

"Oh, but that's not all. She is also the famed miko of a legend, one everyone here knows. The legend of the shikon no tama."

The reaction was instantaneous: where there had been shocked silence, now was disbelieving outrage. Most demons knew that legend, and they also knew it happened around five centuries ago. Those who knew Kagome looked on in shock, disbelieving that she had been around for that legend. Kurama had seen and known her as a toddler, so there was no way it could have been. Kagome looked as confused and shocked as they.

Naraku only smirked and held his hand up for silence. "Though perhaps I should start at the beginning of our legendary miko as she currently suffers from amnesia. A side-effect from our traumatic last meeting."

He let her go and circled her, as a predator would. In response, Kagome wrapped her arms around stomach and tried to shrink in on herself. "Then perhaps I should even call you Kikyou."

"Ki, Kikyou?" she stuttered.

"Yes, the woman whose soul resides in you," he pointed at her chest and leaned in close to her. "But she was much more beautiful and powerful. Anyone could see why Inuyasha would choose her over you."

Kagome gasped. Images of a woman only slightly older than herself and dressed in miko garb flashed through her mind. Her form with a bow, her face contorted in hate, a burning desire for revenge... They all hurt her mind.

"And, of course, there were your friends," he continued, eying the bauble around her neck as it pulsed with pink energy. "Poor, poor, miko-chan. They abandoned you, didn't they?"

She could see the backs of three figures as they ran away to fight a battle. What battle? Her hands reached up and gripped the sides of her head.

"They all betrayed you, didn't they?"

Scenes played out in her mind. A boy with silver hair and the cutest dog ears flexed his claws at her, malicious intent shining through his golden eyes.

A monk with a hole in her hand was pulling her closer to her death. A void vacuum in his right hand... Kazaana...

The little kitsune she often remembered stole a jar from her, trapping her friend. The scene faded as she ran after him. Shippou.

Then a young woman. Her body bruised and broken with pain, hate and revenge blazing in her eyes as she attacked relentlessly.

Kagome fell to her knees still clutching her head, "Please, no more."

Naraku chuckled as the pulsing energy in her bauble became a steady, though weak, light. Just one more push, he was sure, and the shikon no tama would reemerge again. "And they did this to you, didn't they?"

Tears fell from her eyes as she remembered the doggie-eared boy wrenching her out of someone's grasp. Phantom pain blossomed across her back as she could almost feel her scars become wounds. Scenery and emotions blurred past her. Her next clear memory was that of the same boy pushing her backwards.

"I'm sorry, Kagome..."

The energy around the bauble became stronger, swirling around it. It continued to grow stronger and stronger as he watched. His smirk became dark and dangerous as he unsheathed a katana from his side.

Kurama gasped and stood, "Oneesama!" This was his worst fear come to life and he would be damned if he would be just a spectator. He could see Yusuke getting ready to follow him down to the arena.

But a strong hand on his shoulder shoving him back into his seat thwarted the both. A kitsune with five tails stood to his side. He, too, had red hair (though rusty looking) and eyes more blue than green. He gave Kurama a grim smirk, "You guys are no match for Naraku. You need to save your energy, Yusuke, and you have none, Kurama. Let me 'n' Kagome's other friends handle this.

"Besides, what kind of brother would I be if I let you take all the glory?" He was raising more questions then they had had before. "For now, sit down and shut up. We'll explain everything after this damn tournament is done."

The sound of glass cracking captured their attention. Kagome was still hunched over, but her bauble could be seen by all. The light and power and cracks in it were too great to ignore.

She was still focused on that scene in her mind as hundreds of other images blurred by, brief glances of a time she could barely remember. They boy gripped his giant sword tighter before turning around to face away from her.

"Keep it safe, Kagome. In your time... Only way for this to end."

And she was falling into a well, her head smacked against the rim. Everything started getting dark as she heard the sounds of fighting. She reached up, reaching for the boy, as the blue magic of the well surrounded her.

The bauble around her neck shattered into meaningless fragments, a power surging through her veins that frightened and comforted her. She fell to her hands in exhaustion, panting and sweaty.

A pain ripped through her side as she felt cool steel. Before she passed out, and like an old reflex, she screamed. Not for Yusuke or even her brother. But for someone she didn't remember.

"Inuyasha!"