Redemption
Chapter 1: Neighbors
A/N: 2/4/2024 made a slight edit just to make it visually easier to read.
I think this is a slightly different take on this x-over. I have a couple of different ideas bouncing around but for the most part the first few chapters have all been generally thought out. I also have another story that has started to manifest and may post soon. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Jujutsu Kaisen belongs to Gege Akutami. Only the idea of this fanfic is mine.
The taijya village was bustling with movement and sound, its previous dilapidated state was a distant memory. A taijya school stood in the center and had grown in number and housed a variety of people from those that had lost their homes from Naraku's devastation, to those who wanted to learn the taijya arts and protect their loved ones.
As Miroku made his way through the village he nodded his head in greeting as many familiar faces called out to him but didn't stop his pace to engage with anyone. Clutching at the inconspicuous wooden box hidden within the sleeve of his robes, he picked up his pace, zori sandals shuffling hurriedly along the path that led through the village.
At the outskirts of the village stood a small, unassuming shrine. It didn't appear to be anything special with a modest design and size but compared to the bustling sounds of the village the shrine was eerily quiet. While most shrines emanated a sense of peace, the power that emanated from this shrine was unsettling, tendrils of power seemed to offer a sirens call both alluring and dangerous.
Movement stirred from the corner of the engawa as Miroku strode past the tori arch and stepped up onto the wooden flooring. Sango stepped forth from behind a post and set down her hiraikotsu. The bone weapon made a solid thump against the wood of the engawa breaking the oppressive silence that encased the area. Fresh blood dripped sluggishly down the side of the weapon and Miroku quickly scanned his wife for any injuries a frown weighing heavily on his features. Sango offered a small, strained smile in response to his worry and shook her head to reassure him that she was unharmed.
"The attacks have continued to pick up but none got past the village defenses," she murmured as Miroku stepped towards her and pulled her into an embrace, not caring that youkai blood stained her taijya uniform. An unspoken yet hung heavy in the air.
It had been weeks since they had last seen each other and once Miroku had wrapped his arms around his wife his shoulders dropped in relief. The tension in his posture waning at the feeling of her pressed to him.
"Did you get it?" Sango asked softly as she returned her houshi's embrace, smiling slightly as she felt his hand dip lower than her waist.
Despite being married for a year she usually made a point to still punish him for any lecherous actions but she allowed this one to pass knowing how hard he had been working himself and also finding some comfort from his familiar touch.
"Of course," Miroku chided gently.
Reluctantly pulling away he entwined their hands together before pulling Sango with him to venture past the shoji doors of the shrine and step into the building.
They walked swiftly down the narrow corridor towards the main hall, it was enclosed with another set of shoji doors that were plastered with sutras. Eyeballing the sutras to ensure none had been damaged in his absence Miroku hesitated for a moment before pulling the door open. They stepped inside the room quickly before snapping the door shut as though a single lost second could result in calamity.
The main hall was plastered from floor to ceiling in sutras. Talismans decorated the room and candles strewn throughout offered limited lighting. In the center sat a small altar lit by candles, the Shikon no Tama resting at the center. The power in the room was oppressive and Miroku had to steel his resolve as he stepped towards the accursed jewel.
Sango stood on guard by the door watching somberly as Miroku pulled a wooden box from his robes and a stack of sutras before settling down to his knees before the Shikon no Tama. Flicking the box open Miroku gingerly grasped the sutra covered finger, despite it being sealed the object was powerful and the energy made his stomach churn uneasily.
Reaching out for the Shikon with bated breath he shuddered heavily once both items were within his hands and sweat trickled down the side of his face. The all consuming power that rolled off the cursed items threatened to devour him, the whispered promises of receiving his greatest desires tried to tempt his soul but he forcefully pushed down the temptations, his resolve hardened as he glanced back into his Sango's worried eyes.
Refocusing on the task at hand Miroku placed the Shikon down within the box before quickly peeling the sutras off of the shriveled finger. Intending to rewrap both items with more powerful seals, ones mixed with reiryoku and juryoku, he placed the finger down beside the Shikon and paused his shuffling of papers. He watched in fascination edged with horror as the shriveled finger pulsed with life before curling around the jewel. The Shikon seemed to respond in kind but the color stayed stable as the cursed energy of the finger seemed to envelope the Shikon's allure.
Offering a silent prayer to what ever Kami might listen Mirkou deftly wrapped both objects in sutras until both were fully covered. Placing them within the wooden box he added the same layers of sutras to the outside of the box. His shoulders dropped as the energy from both considerably dimmed. Finished his handiwork he laid the box upon the altar with the utmost care. Standing he bowed his head in prayer backed away until he stood beside Sango at the entrance of the room.
Opening the door in silence they both stepped out immediately noticing the air felt lighter and their breathing became easier. Walking down the hall and back onto the engawa, Sango stood still as she looked out back towards the village her hand absently reaching out to grasp the hiraikotsu. Her dark eyes drank in the scenes of the lively village but her visage remained somber.
"Do you think she'll be okay?"
Sango's question was barely a whisper and had Miroku not been staring so intently at her he probably would have missed it. Holding her gaze when she looked back at him for a response, he raised a hand to her face to caress her cheek, wiping the tear that dripped down, and Miroku smiled sadly, he had alway admired the strength of the woman before him. Sango had kept herself busy with rebuilding the village while Miroku had exhausted all possibilities on retrieving their lost little sister. When he had failed, she had remained resolute in her faith that they couldn't give up and had steadfastly guarded the shrine and village. The youkai attacks lured by the jewel's power had increased at an alarming rate and Miroku had gone in seek of a solution, albeit a temporary one.
The solution was unconventional, essentially fighting fire with fire. But it was the only course of action that could work.
He didn't know the correct answer to his wife's question, he didn't know if one existed but like her he wouldn't give up his faith in their friend who had managed to overcome the impossible many times over.
"We've done all we can," Miroku murmured just as softly in response as he pulled Sango into his arms. "The rest is up to Lady Kagome."
Having been born with the Shikon no Tama within her, the irony of being trapped within the Shikon was not lost on her. Yet, Kagome was not amused in the slightest at her current predicament. Well maybe only slightly amused, but that was probably only due to being driven slowly insane by the emptiness she was trapped in.
Never in her life had she been so utterly alone, the silence was stifling and the nothingness that surrounded her was beginning to become unbearable. She had no idea how long she had been stuck in the Shikon but it felt like an eternity and then some. The Shikon itself was a vast void but it held distinct boundaries, how that was possible in a void wasn't something she was particularly interested in dwelling upon and when she had tried to recall theories regarding time and space and dimensions she ended up with a headache.
But she had quickly discovered why the boundary existed, Naraku inhabited the side of 'evil' and she was on the 'good' side.
When an impure wish had been made on the Shikon, Kagome had been sucked into it to replace Midoriko. She had initially expected to be forced to continuously battle Magatsuhi's replacement, Naraku. However, the battle was less of a physical battle and more of a never ending spiritual battle. Her soul felt like it was being torn apart as her energy was constantly being fed to maintain control of the Shikon and stabilize the barrier that kept the hanyou from crossing over to her side. Although Naraku couldn't cross the barrier his influence was felt as his youki buffeted Kagome's reiki in attempts to dominate and destabilize the Shikon. It was exhausting and Kagome wondered at how Midoriko had been able to last for so long.
When she had the strength, Kagome had searched the vast emptiness of the Shikon even being as bold to cross the barrier and go into Naraku's space and engage her enemy. The first handful of times they had clashed in and exchange of reiryoku and youki, unable to maintain civility. But her more recent ventures had been a poor decision and she had quickly retreated shuddering in disgust.
The hanyou had become even more twisted and despicable than when she had fought him in the wilderness of the Sengoku Jidai. His desire for Kikyo and the lack of anything else existing in the void had caused him to become fixated on her instead and he seemed to think that being trapped for who knows how long with her was the perfect scenario for them to work on their non-existent relationship.
Unfortunately, Naraku's sick version of love fluctuated between torture mixed with attempts at groping and dirty talk that was in truth plain menacing and ultimately depraved. She had now resigned herself to fully avoid the hanyou and had refocused her efforts on searching the areas he could not access. And there was nothing. Absolutely nothing and no way out.
Being stuck alone with her thoughts and eternity was a terrible combination. In the years Kagome had spent trekking through the Sengoku Jidai, searching for pieces of the jewel she was now trapped in, there had never been enough time to do nothing but think and feel. Without the distraction of her friends, of her promise, and of the daily fight to just stay alive she was trapped trying to make sense of the emotions she had ignored in favor of trying to reverse her fate.
Sorrow wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, it usually waxed and waned with the death she had become accustomed to but within the void it never receded and instead laid heavily upon her. It numbed her to the other feelings of pain and anger, overpowering the outrage she felt and leaving bitterness in the wake. She was left reconciling her new fate and the betrayal that had led to such a hellish existence.
It was sobering to realize that the one she had loved and had believed loved her, even in his own gruff way, had abandoned her. And her mind was left to wonder if this was how it was always meant to end, if she would continue to simply exist but not live. The reality of this prolonged death added to the out of body numbness she had become all too familiar with.
There was no way to tell how much time had passed and it was unlikely that the concept of time was even the same in the jewel. Kagome had slowly resigned herself to her fate allowing her conscious to sink deeper and deeper into her psyche until the thoughts that plagued her were silenced and she felt as though she could meld into the nothingness that surrounded her.
.
.
.
And then she felt it and her eyes snapped open. Pure, unfiltered power.
It was electrifying, strong and overwhelming, dark and sinister, more-so than any youki she had ever felt and it sunk into her skin causing her hands to clench and toes to curl. It was tantalizing and scintillating, pushing the haze from her mind and eyes, waking her from psychosis. It felt tangible and playful.
Kagome blinked slowly her blue eyes focusing as her senses slowly came back to her. She frowned at the thought of this obviously negative energy feeling playful, it was clearly dangerous and it had been a long time since anything had felt so disturbing to her. The fact that it caused her breath to quicken and her heart to hammer not in fear but excitement was something she'd have to analyze later...maybe she really was going crazy.
Allowing her reiryoku to spike in response as a warning to whoever or whatever had caused that surge in power. She waited almost eagerly as she was rewarded for her patience. The power she had felt spilled into the space around her as though it was trying to suffocate her, it pulled at her reiryoku and she closed her eyes as it seemed to examine her, pulling and prodding, it wasn't gentle but she embraced the sting of the raw power that sparked her own. After having felt nothing for so long she almost felt disappointed when it was suddenly retracted.
Opening her eyes slowly Kagome stumbled back startled at the glittering red eyes that gazed hungrily down at her, pausing she blinked slowly...yep there were definitely four red eyes, two set just below the regularly placed eyes. The upper eyes locked onto her own and she couldn't look away almost entranced by the life she saw within them but she felt the roving pair of his lower eyes assessing her and shifted her weight on the balls of her feet to try and dispel the nerves that seemed to take hold of her.
Powers subconsciously rising to her defense in the presence of an obvious threat, Kagome felt somewhat like her former self as anger flooded her system at the mocking laugh the youkai in front of her released. The laugh was deep and borderline maniacal, it should have frightened her and sent shivers running down her spine but it unwittingly warmed something within her and chased the oppressive silence away.
Ryomen Sukuna had been 'asleep' for a long time, ever since his subjugation during the Heian Era. While not at full power without his other fingers no one had been foolish enough to incarnate him...yet. He had remained in wait for some foolish curse user or jujutsu sorcerer to swallow his finger, it was after all only a matter of time. Ningen in all forms were weak and desired power, someone would eventually make the mistake that would be the key to his awakening.
However, having his consciousness abruptly woken was not something he had expected. And while it was freeing to be shaken from the perpetual boredom he had been subject to he wasn't quite sure what to make of the blue-eyed onna that stood before him. He had practically salivated at her energy, the purity was an addicting taste but to find it was emanating from such a small creature and one who only seemed startled and then enraged when he had released the laugh that had curled up his throat. It was interesting to see that she was not afraid of him, truly amusing, if not only mildly irritating that she lacked the sense to prostrate herself before him.
Allowing his lower eyes to drag up and down her form, he maintained eye contact with her and his smirk widened as she began to fidget slightly, clearly aware that his lower set of eyes were raking across her.
Saliva pooled in his mouth as he took in the lithe form that wasn't fully hidden despite the hakui and hibakama that she wore, of course she was a miko and, if he were so inclined to admit, a powerful one.
Drinking in her features Sukuna could feel his smirk practically cracking his skin. The minimal skin she had exposed was creamy and dark waves of hair cascaded around her like a halo, the deepest blue eyes that rivaled the darkest depths of the ocean gazed back at him and the hunger he saw within them had him leaning forward. How intriguing, how utterly fascinating he had found such a unique toy in such a short time of being woken.
Sukuna wasn't foolish enough to think he had finally regained a body he knew he was still trapped in a half-realized state. But now that his mind was alert he would need entertainment and his mind buzzed with the possibilities of how he could use her.
He could shape her to his will, force her to trust him and then devour her whole. He could crush her bones with ease and tear her limbs from her body. He could pluck out her eyes and then let her run from him while he hunted her. He could torment her mind, body, and soul until she begged for death. He could make her desire him and use her for his own pleasure. He could corrupt her soul until it was as dark as his own, cursed to become something more, something worse than a kuro miko. He could force her to become his personal shrine maiden and have her worship and pray to him as the god he was and still is, she would pay homage to him in anyway he chose. He could always just consume her in the end once he tired of her...
Lost in his depraved thoughts he barely noticed that the miko that had invaded them had narrowed her eyes into a glare and had taken a step back to create some distance.
Kagome had quietly eyeballed the clearly deranged youkai, her eyes traced the outline of the black markings that adorned his admittedly handsome face and she wondered if he had any more hidden beneath his loose kimono and the black scarf that wrapped around his neck.
Her head tilted in thought a frown pulling at the corner of her mouth. He was immensely powerful but he felt incomplete. Glancing back into the red eyes. Kagome felt a sudden surge of heat rise to her cheeks. The way he was staring made it seem like he was going to devour her, as if he were a lion and she were a lamb. It was similar to the look she had received from Naraku the last time she had visited him.
Freezing in horror Kagome scowled before stepping back more annoyed with herself than the incarnation before her. The ridiculous youkai was obviously a puppet of Naraku's the red eyes and hunger were blatant indicators. She pushed aside the nagging thought that said the energy she felt was nothing like Naraku's or any youkai's she had felt, it had to be some trick.
The fact that he was was in the Shikon should have been a dead giveaway, no one could enter the Shikon and no one could leave it. Somehow Naraku had managed to bypass her barrier using his latest incarnation. The hanyou had taken a liking to disguising himself or a puppet as Inuyasha as way to torment her but she guessed after the last fifty times it must have finally started to lose its appeal. This new form was definitely different than any other creations of his and had Kagome even more irritated. Why exactly had Naraku decided to chose such a well-defined, distracting form?
"Naraku," she breathed out, sounding somewhere between a hiss and a sigh. Her eyes locking with the now very focused red gaze that she was sure the hanyou was able to use to view her. "I told you last time I wasn't going to play this game anymore. I don't know how your incarnation managed to bypass my barrier but it won't be happening again."
Turning on her heel in dismissal, her reiki flared in warning and instinct had her swinging back around.
BOOM
A black tipped claw had slammed into a barrier less than a meter from her throat. But there was no spark of purity to signify it was her power that had stopped the hand. Examining the black bands that twinned around the exposed wrist Kagome's eyes trailed up to meet the slitted red eyes of the youkai who's smirk had finally fallen from his face.
"Well that's new..." Kagome murmured fully ignoring the youkai and instead scrutinizing the invisible barrier that separated his outstretched had from her throat.
Tentatively raising her own hand she flexed her fingers experimentally before laying her palm flat against the area the youkai's hand remained. Her hand was millimeters from his when she felt it, a solid surface. But there was no energy. The barrier within the Shikon was made of reiki and youki, it was translucent but malleable and could be sensed, the strength of it depended upon her.
This was completely different it was fully solid like a concrete wall and the fact that the youkai hadn't simply broken through it sent her mind whirling at the possibility that maybe this was a defining edge of the Shikon. She had never run into anything like this before and wondered at what had changed.
Eyebrows furrowed in thought her blue eyes darted back to the youkai who had finally retracted his hand and while not hosting the manic smirk from before it seemed like his amusement was creeping back if the corner of his curling lips were be judged.
Both continued to appraise each other in absolute silence.
A pink tongue poked out between Kagome's lips and nervously wetted her lips. Sukuna watched it intently, enjoying that despite being unable to reach his goal of punishing the miko for her earlier grievance that he was still inciting her to worry.
"You aren't Naraku," Kagome finally said flatly, her eyes betraying her unease. It had been a long time (how long she didn't really know) since she had spoken to anyone else besides the Shikon's other prisoner.
Sukuna's four eyes seemed to darken at her statement, and the sardonic smile that he plastered on his face seemed to taunt her as if to say well done, you've finally figured it out.
"No."
The gravely, raspy voice had Kagome's rapt attention as heat rose to her cheeks and she internally cursed at herself for looking and feeling so foolish.
"I am Ryomen Sukuna, King of Curses and you will tell me where I am foolish miko," Sukuna ordered crossing his arms over his chest, his head raised high as he looked away from her but kept his lower eyes on her.
His amusement had been fully restored at the multitude of emotions that flashed across her face at his words and dismissal of her. Embarrassment, confusion, anger. What an expressive toy, how she was able to contain such a myriad of quickly changing emotions within her small form was fascinating. But it was clear that his name held no recognition for her and he had to wonder if Jujutsu sorcerers had kept information about him secret. Familiar with the way the society operated he wouldn't be surprised.
He watched as her lips settled into a thin line and her face seemed to glow more red from anger than embarrassment now. Raising an eyebrow at her his glee grew at her sharp inhale, something about that had obviously reminded her of something or someone.
Biting her lower lip to hold herself back from responding with a scathing retort, Kagome focused on the title that he had offered. If it was true than the youkai in front of her was not exactly a youkai after all. It would explain his energy but she couldn't recall ever running into one in the Sengoku Jidai or in her own time.
"You're a Jurei?" Kagome asked slightly incredulously but it was more of a rhetorical question and one Sukuna didn't deem to provide a response for. Leveling her breathing and trying to organize her wayward thoughts Kagome wondered at the best course of action. She could lie and the cursed spirit would be none the wiser or she could be honest and...well she didn't really know what he could or would do in either situation.
Deciding the fucked up situation she had been put into couldn't get anymore fucked up she visibly deflated, some of the initial adrenaline she had felt from being near a dangerous jurei draining from her.
"I don't know how you ended up here but we are stuck in the Shikon no Tama," Kagome said evenly but her eyes narrowed in thought as she considered him and his dismissive demeanor. His head had stayed turned away and he seemed to appear as though he hadn't heard her. The next words she uttered came out with extreme sarcasm and venom, and upon speaking them she immediately regretted her tone as four hungry eyes snapped back onto her with an unrivaled intensity.
"And I have a name it's Kagome Higurashi, Shikon Miko, your highness."
A/N: Review and let me know what you think! Chapter 2 is in the works but pretty much fleshed out.