Chapter 2.- Different kind of fighting
Kagome huffed but kept walking while trying to tune out the absolute nonsense that was coming out from the self-proclaimed strongest sorcerer strolling at her side.
Her day was already frustrating enough as it was without forcing herself to try and find some logic in the white-haired man's words. Some time after waking up the day of her fifteenth birthday for the second time, the girl came up with a reasonable explanation for the migraines that tried to split her head open. Three years of memories had been unceremoniously shoved inside her brain, but it was more than just having an extra set of things to remember. In a way, it was almost like she was experiencing both versions of reality at the same time. Whenever her actions differed too much from the ones of her second set of memories, her head would begin hurting, creating the sort of pain that left her stuck in a bed, sleeping days away, in an effort to not overload her mind. Her attendance record for this version of reality was as bad as the one she would leave behind in a couple of months.
The migraine from this morning had been bad enough that her mother insisted on having her stay home; she was meant to be trying to not get lost as they entered a demon-infested, fog-covered forest. Her walk was supposed to help her match her actions with those of the other world and give her a little reprieve. Of course, that was when she noticed the pulsing evil intent that belonged to the weird monsters that seemed to plague this version of reality. Kagome didn't hesitate to enter the mall.
It was stronger than any other being she'd come across so far. If even the smaller monsters could cause severe accidents, then there was no way she could ignore it. And then it all went to hell. Really, if not for her not quite experience in the Sengoku era, the girl would've frozen in fear along with everyone else when the first beast fell on top of a young man, ripping into his flesh. Tearing him apart. But the miko Kagome was used to death and fell into the role she'd once had with ease. Not that it made the bitterness on her tongue any easier to swallow when she realized she could count the number of people she'd managed to bring to the storage room alive with just one glance.
Cut off from the rest of the world, she wasn't sure how long she'd spent in this hell-like dimension, making rounds and destroying as many monsters as she came across. It felt like hours. And despite the couple of people she found during her scouting, the constant reminder of the many lives that were lost in this tragedy was only making the situation harder to swallow.
So truly, Gojo Satoru's incessant rambling was doing nothing to help lift her mood.
Unexpected didn't begin to describe what she felt just a few minutes ago. Aside from the odd little monsters, everything seemed to point to the supernatural being exclusively relegated to myths and legends in this place.
But not only were people involved with what felt really close to demonic energy, the sheer power she felt rolling from the lean frame of this so-called sorcerer made her think back on her first encounter with Sesshoumaru. Although the white-haired human was likely stronger. Pity that the similarities seemed to end there. Letting her gaze fall on her sudden companion, she took a second to study his aura before snapping her eyes away and switching her focus to the darkened hallways once more. Dealing with the Lord of the West's icy demeanor would've been easier than this faux cheerfulness that clashed with their surroundings. And she'd already agreed to work as his assistant for the foreseeable future.
"By the way, miss archer…" She'd told him her name, she was absolutely sure of it, and even if she didn't, the people in the storage room called her by name more than enough times for him to catch it, but the sorcerer was apparently determined not to use it. "Are you planning to share with the class how you're going track this curse?"
"My name is Kagome, and I'll explain when we're out of here." Rolling her eyes, the miko pretended not to notice the still-wet, crimson stain they were walking over.
"Aww, but I'm so curious right now~" His voice was halfway singing, halfway whining, and completely fake. "Being a teacher's assistant means being willing to teach, you know, Ka-go-me-chan!"
"We're using a different type of energy. It makes no difference if I explain things now or after we're out of here." The girl huffed, refusing to turn to look at her grinning future co-worker.
Perhaps she should be grateful for the mess inside her head because otherwise, the tonal dissonance of this situation would make her question her sanity. There didn't seem to be any more curses wildly running around, but the mall still looked like it had been plunged into the depths of hell itself. Between the broken glass windows, the crumbling infrastructure, and the unmistakable blood splatters, this place wouldn't be out of place in one of Souta's horror games. For all intent and purposes, there should be at least some tension in the air, keeping her senses on high alert and pushing her to mentally prepare herself to face the demon that caused this mess, but Satoru might as well be strolling on their way to grab a cup of tea on a sunny Sunday afternoon. It was enough to make any regular person lose it.
"So…how much help can I expect from the strongest sorcerer?" Kagome didn't bother to look around as she jumped over a half-destroyed wall.
"Are you worried about the curse?' Curiosity leaked through his words. "Have you fought special-grades before?"
"Special-grades?"
"Curses are graded depending on how strong they are," he explained, keeping up with her, just as unconcerned about keeping a close watch on their surroundings. "Special-grades are the strongest; these are the ones I usually handle, so don't worry too much. If things start to look dangerous, I'll intervene."
"I'll be mostly on my own, got it." This time, the miko didn't hide her huff.
"Ahaha, we usually have newbies do a bit of fieldwork as a test." There was probably more than what he was saying, but she bit her tongue. "Figured we might as well save us some time."
Sternly refusing to acknowledge what looked a little too much like a cut-off limb, the miko did her best to put together the little bits of information Satoru had given her.
To begin with, there were enough curses and with enough variation to warrant a classification system. Not all sorcerers were strong enough to deal with something like the one in this mall, and short-staffed or not, there were enough people able to fight for them to be able to assign the task of getting rid of these monsters according to their own qualifications. Things were structured enough to have tests, and if this man wanted her to skip steps, her suspicions of being received with more fear than understanding were likely justified.
Staring down the stairs to the basement levels, the priestess rolled her eyes again.
Letting her mind wander too much was bound to make things more complicated for her. She really should focus on dealing with the current threat before trying to figure out just how much of this world she'd remained blind to.
Concentrating on the curse's energy, Kagome bit her lip. This wasn't the strongest enemy she'd faced. Not by a long shot. Naraku was certainly leagues above this monster, but unless something had gone wrong, the miko always fought in a group. Making sure to offer cover with her arrows as her friends fought in close range. Besides, even if she didn't count that, there was no denying that she hadn't quite caught up to what Kagome had been able to in the Sengoku era, the strength she'd held in a nearby future that'd never come to pass. She didn't even have her bow with her…There were about a dozen ofudas left in her pocket. One third would only serve as a distraction, not to mention this was the first time, in this version of her life, she had to use her power this much, so she was beyond tired. Glancing at the man almost made her regret accepting that job offer.
Clearly, this guy was intrigued by her abilities so, at the very least, she'd survive this fight.
"That's fine," she mumbled, glancing back at the white-haired sorcerer. "I've gotten through worse."
"Oh? Those impossible situations you mentioned?" Have you fought stronger curses before?" He fired one question after another as they climbed down a static set of electric stairs.
"Not curses." Even with the mess that once was her life, nothing she was sure nothing like this existed in the Sengoku era. "This is the first time I've seen one of these things this powerful."
"And yet, you're still here…" the sorcerer trailed off.
"Is it so hard to believe?"
"Well, you're here, putting your life at risk, getting hurt, and you're still getting yelled at by an asshole."
Kagome didn't need to see his eyes to know Satoru's gaze was fixed on her, but it would've been too much to hope he wouldn't bring it up.
Being screamed at and insulted for not being fast enough to save others by one of the people she guided to safety wasn't exactly a pleasant experience, but it'd be a lie to say she hadn't been expecting someone to snap at her. It was human nature. Under these extreme circumstances, some people showed the best of what humanity had to offer, caring for others to the point of self-sacrifice, while others…some others buckled under the stress. All of it was nothing more than a normal reaction; it could be upsetting, but it wasn't anything the miko couldn't handle. The Feudal era was cruel and ruthless, and surviving in it was no easy feat. Hunger and war were always lurking around the corner. Even regular people could act like monsters when pushed to the edge. Just because they helped a village or a random traveler didn't mean they'd be treated with any level of respect. Hell, just the fact that she was traveling with a hanyou and a couple of full-blooded youkais meant many people were quite quick to spit on their ragtag group. Human decency could only be expected in times of peace, and the girl had come to accept that during her travels. Getting angry at every villager who looked at them in disgust was too tiring an exercise to keep up.
Apparently, that didn't sit well with the jujutsu sorcerer because Satoru's anger was beyond palpable. Walking up to the man and all but threatening to toss him out of the little safe heaven until the priestess intervened. She'd bowed and apologized while subtly reminding the man that even if he was right and there was blood on her hands, persecuting her would do nothing to help their current situation before dragging the white-haired sorcerer out with her in search of the cause of this tragedy.
"People are more than a single moment in the worst day of their lives." Azure eyes took a moment to notice the change in the man's aura. "I know Satoshi-san won't just magically decide to be a better person. He might've been a jerk from the start for all I know, but I won't be able to sleep tonight if I let a random stranger die just because they weren't grateful enough or weren't willing to reward my effort. My ego isn't that fragile."
"You're used to this."
"Keep fishing for information, and I'll make things as confusing as humanly possible." There was far more hidden in the happy tone of voice Satoru, but this wasn't the time for her to try to dissect the frozen feeling hidden under his words. "But I guess you can say that."
"Fine, fine. I can wait. You know how to keep a guy interested." He grinned at her.
The girl swallowed down a groan. Well, if nothing else, this nonsense helped in calming her nerves. And considering this was technically the first time she ever fought something that wouldn't vanish with a single blow from her reiki in this world, she wouldn't complain.
In another vague attempt to soothe her ever-present migraines, the miko began to re-train herself in archery, trying to mimic the actions in her second set of memories. Compared to the physical condition she achieved in the Sengoku era, however, she was very much lacking. There was only so much constant walks and controlled archery could do to help her when she was also forced to stay in bed for entire days. Really, nothing got one to exercise as much as running for her life from superhuman speeds or attempting to fight back against insanely strong demons. Admitting that wasn't something Kagome was about to do. But she was thankful for the bits of levity she could get. Just because she knew she could handle a bit of pain didn't mean she enjoyed getting stabbed, sliced, or pounded to the ground. This likely wasn't the purpose of Satoru's antics, but she'd take it all the same. But it was about time for her to find out what a special-grade curse could do.
If they could find a way through the last flight of stairs.
Parts of the wall had fallen in, not to the point where she feared it'd collapse on them, but the real problem was the number of cars violently flung at the staircase. No matter how she looked at it, there was no way for them to find a way to contort themselves through this mess.
"Alright, we can probably find a hole in the floor somewhere." The girl mused, scanning the area around them. "Worst case scenario…we can bait it?"
It wouldn't be ideal. Having the floor break right underneath her feet, not knowing if the thing could jump straight at them, was a risk the girl didn't want to take, but it would get the monster to clear the way for her.
"Once I stop hiding my reiki, it will come straight at me." If not, letting the Shikon flare once would do the job. Though she'd rather keep that little bombshell to herself. At least until they weren't stuck in a destroyed mall crawling with monsters.
"Now that'd be interesting to see, but I can get us through." A strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and turned her to stare back at the debris-filled stair.
She felt the concentration of negative energy half a second before the twisted metal vanished in front of her eyes. Vaporized in an instant. There wasn't any tension in the man's frame. And yet, he'd precisely destroyed at least half a dozen cars. The strongest sorcerer, he'd called himself, powerful enough that a promise of protection would ensure her well-being despite the fact that the girl counted with no other backing whatsoever on the part of society she'd be dragged into after this. It's not that she doubted him. She'd felt how overwhelming his aura was the moment he entered the mall, but seeing the effect of the supernatural in a modern construction felt alien, even with her second set of memories reminding her that she'd seen stranger. Most of all, however…
"What if you hit the walls?!" Ignoring the fact that she was depending on him for her future safety, the miko slapped his arm. "Or the ceiling? This whole thing could've fallen on us!"
"So little faith in me, I'm a little hurt." Was the man actually pouting?
"I met you literally ten minutes ago!" His carefree attitude was fake, she knew; she could tell with one glance at his aura, but damn it, he'd truly mastered how to get on people's nerves, and Kagome's nerves were already shot. A loud growl seemed to respond to her exasperated scream. "Great, it noticed us."
Refusing to acknowledge the fake hurt expression on the man's face, the priestess pulled one of her remaining sutras before rushing down the cleared path. Getting caught in narrow spaces when she had no clue what her enemy was capable of was asking to be killed. Kagome had beaten stronger, but youkais that seemed weak could have dangerous special abilities, and the sorcerer had neglected to mention if such a thing was true for these monsters as well.
Something pierced the space above her as soon as she landed on the last step. Curses left her lips. Reiki flowed through her fingers, activating the paper between her fingers.
Bright pink exploded.
Narrowed eyes strained against the light, barely giving her the time to hide behind the twisted carcass of yet another car. Crouching, she bit her tongue to keep from gasping as her left hand touched the wet, crimson patch spreading around the vehicle. The light blinded the curse, but with her luck, it wouldn't last long. Taking her chance, the girl leaned over the destroyed hood to get a look at the so-called special-grade curse.
Humanoid enough, with emancipated limbs that created a contradictory image with its bulging stomach. Long purple nails contracted as they failed to cover the many eyes splattered across what should have been its face. Crouching as it was, its head neared the ceiling. Could it even walk with those legs? They looked far too weak to support its weight, but she was willing to bet physics mattered to a curse the same way they did to youkais. Meaning, not at all. It shouldn't be too fast regardless, since it failed to reach the stairs before she made it here, and the priestess lost quite a bit of time admonishing Satoru. Speaking of…she couldn't see him anywhere. Overpowered jerk was probably still on the upper floor; it wouldn't surprise her if he had a way to monitor the fight from afar and intervene in case it looked like she was about to get herself killed. Well, it worked well for her. Worrying about someone else when her body failed to keep up with her memories was more than she could handle right now.
Azure eyes looked down at her feet.
Her shoes were ruined, stained in grime and blood. The floor was covered in broken glass and metal, dirty as they were; her black shoes would still provide some protection…they'd make a lot of noise, too. Careful not to make any noise, the girl balanced herself as she took them off. Stepping on broken windshields wouldn't be entirely silent, but it would be better than nothing. It couldn't hurt more than stepping on a youkai's stomach acid had.
Taking cover once more, she tightened her grip on her improvised weapon.
There wasn't enough time for her to figure out a proper strategy, not when this monster was probably tough enough that her sutras wouldn't have the power to deal the final blow. It seemed to have pushed away all the cars its path to the stairs. To get rid of it for good, she'd have to get close to it, and for that, there was no other choice than to run in the open. If she got caught between the twisted metal, she'd walk away with more than a handful of scratches…if she could still walk.
One ofuda for protection, one for a last-minute flash bomb, one to help her gain time to retreat if she failed.
All the others would become her net.
Holding her breath, she stood lightly, throwing the broken piece of concrete as hard as she could. The sound echoed, reverberating against a truck that survived the special-grade. And she could see it turn around, lured by the sound. Slow and unsteady. Her breathing was short but silent as she sprinted, sliding behind dust-covered electric red, even as the pain assaulted her senses. It really didn't hurt as bad. The paper left her fingers before she had time to doubt her plan, left hand closing around one more piece of concrete. Not yet. She couldn't stop yet. One more throw, one more sprint. Not too fast either. No need to know what else it could do when angry. Keep the rhythm up. Scratches could be healed. She knew how to keep her footing on wet ground. Blood wouldn't make the metal too slippery as long as she tightened her grip on the broken piece of metal. Glass was loud. It worked just as well as a rock for distraction. She could handle the pain.
Breathless, she leaned against a car roof. The last sutra calmly rested above her shoulder.
Pushing back a strand of messy black hair with bloody fingers, she willed herself to stop.
Stop moving. Stop breathing. Stop thinking.
And then, she closed her eyes, letting out the air in her lungs as she tried to focus. The ofudas she carried were all made by hand. It was her power that charged them. Hers to control, no matter the distance. She had sealed the Shikon itself; this couldn't compare. Reiki rose within her, ebbing in a circle, traveling from one sutra to another. Sluggish, the special-grade moved in the opposite direction, chasing an ever-escaping noise.
Now!
Chaos erupted.
Pink light swallowed the lot, cars screeched as reiki exploded from sacred paper. The curse's high-pitched screams joined the insane chorus. Drowning the sounds of her steps, of her ragged breathing.
The metal in her hands was heavy, almost unbearably hot, as her power transferred. But her fingers tightened, ignoring the screams of pain from her open flesh. It clashed against the monster, but she pushed harder until a squelching sound reached her ears. The curse's screech gained another octave. Bladed nails scratched her shoulder for only an instant before Kagome yelled herself. Reiki forced forward, attacking all that wasn't human.
Cold concrete met her knees, tired arms scrambled to keep herself from falling face first as the monster vanished. Her purification leaving nothing behind. Pain shot through her left shoulder as she attempted to sit back. Something was burning through her veins. Right, of course, this thing had poison. Clenching her teeth, Kagome called forth her power, directing it only to the wounds the special-grade caused. A groan escaped her as the sacred energy purged the miasma from her blood, and her skin began to knit itself back together. Loud claps threatened to break her concentration.
"That was impressive," Satoru whistled, taking his sweet time walking towards her. "Sloppy as hell, but impressive."
"So, this was a special grade, huh?" Her voice was a bit rough, but at least it wasn't shaking.
"Not the strongest one I've destroyed, but yeah." Satoru stopped in front of her, offering one of his hands to her, in his left hand, he was holding her ruined shoes. "Need a doctor?"
"I'll be fine after I sleep a bit. I'm more tired than anything else…and I told you to stop fishing for information."
Pulling back her hand from her now uninsured arm, azure eyes glared at the offered hand before giving up her pride and accepting the help. Still, she pulled away and tried to reclaim her poor shoes when it looked like Satoru didn't think she could walk on her own two feet. A scream got stuck in her throat as she slid her ruined feet back into the stained black leather, but the girl pushed forth; she could heal that later. Exhaustion was already lying in wait to knock her out, but she still had to go out and let the others know this hell was finally over.
There was still a long and tiring conversation to be had with Satoru. And she still had no clue how to explain to her mother that she'd gotten involved in an accident that ended with hundreds of victims and somehow ended up with a job offer she'd already accepted, but she'd rather not think about that right now. Kagome retained enough pride to get herself back to the storage room and see the survivors out before passing out.
A/N:So, yes Kagome can definitely handle a special curse on her own, but I do think it's important to keep in mind that there are going to be some growing pains here.
Not only is she a long-range fighter, she's also used to fighting in a group, and in most of those fights, she works supporting the others until she can get a clean shot. And though she did get far more training here it still wasn't as consistent as it should, so in a way, she is brute forcing many of her skills and wasting energy while trying to catch up to the control people like Miroku and Kikyo had after spending most of their live training (though in terms of how much power they have, Kagome still has them beat). Plus, Kagome's physical skill was never the strongest and now she lost a lot of what she gained in the feudal era. Not to mention she isn't used to having to spend so much energy anymore. Of course, even with all that this particular fight would've been way easier had she either had her bow and arrows with her or if she hadn't spent so much time and energy trying to help people, including taking hits for the other survivors. It might take some time, but she'll get there now that she'll have the opportunity to have some consistent training.
As for why Satoru thought she might need the help….well because he is Gojo Satoru and though his encounter with Toji helped him realize it's a bad idea to underestimate others, it's tough to break bad habits. Especially since at the end of the day, Satoru still won. That Kagome looked like a mess when they met definitely didn't help with her first impression. Sooner or later the lesson ought to stick though.
I hope this was clearer in this chapter, both of them still have room to grow, though in different areas.
As always, thank you guys so much for reading and any and all review/comment/criticism is greatly appreciated.