Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from InuYasha or YuYu Hakusho. They are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshirio Togashi for making such awesome works.
Author's Note: My attempt at a crossover between InuYasha and YuYu Hakusho. Why? Because the settings match so well, I couldn't resist.
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Chapter #1: Reset
"My Fellow Lords of the Demon Realm,
Many greetings to you, my brothers of the this world.
A blessing has fallen at the feet of demon kind. And like a fleeting dream, we would be foolish to let this opportunity slip through our fingers. A gift of ancient renown has returned to the world. And with its power, we shall reclaim the realm that was stolen from us.
Human World.
I, Lord Yuuden, send you this missive in hopes that you will meet with me in council. An interesting bit of information has reached my ears, and I believe you -- too -- shall be intrigued by this discovery.
The meeting has been scheduled in two moons after receiving this message. It shall be held in the neutral lands of the Central Territories. Lady Asami has agreed to house the assembly.
I eagerly await to share this glorious information with the rest of our kind. May we succeed in our endeavor,
Lord Yuuden"
A rumbling growl filled the sun-lit office.
"Can you believe this guy?! What a grade-A idiot!" said the young man with a disgusted sneer. Harsh breath whistled between disguised, human teeth as the man folded his arms with a huff. Barely concealed claws ran through his auburn bangs, pushing the hair away from his eyes. Just thinking about the missive made his blood boil. That fool Yuuden couldn't really expect demons to agree to this... could he? 'Perhaps, the lower level apparitions will be interested. But then, the integrity of demon has diminished in last few centuries...' The young man snarled. Green eyes glared down at the letter in his hand before slamming it angrily onto the desk in front of him. The table let out a pathetic squeal under the force of his palm, rocking shakily on its four legs.
"I would prefer you not assault my furniture, kitsune," came an icy voice from across the room.
Looking over his shoulder, Shippo swallowed nervously. The mighty Daiyoukai stood facing one of the large windows, looking out across the cityscape. The pale morning sun reflected on the steel and glass of the surrounding office buildings. And like ants, the streets were already crowding with life. Hands clasped behind his back, golden eyes shot in the kitsune's direction. "Heh, sorry about that."
"Hn. See that it does not happen again."
"Ah... sure."
Turning towards the fox, Sesshoumaru gracefully crossed the space between them. Taking a seat behind the desk, long fingers lifted the paper in front of his vision. What was all the commotion about? Glancing over the message, one silver eyebrow rose into his bangs. And slowly, the sickening sweet scent of the doukasu filled the room.
Clapping his hands over his nose, Shippo leapt from his seat and scurried across the room. "Geez! At least warn someone before you do that! Are you trying to kill me?"
"A fool," stated the daiyoukai. "What Yuuden seeks is impossible. Reikai will not permit it."
Shippo warily returned to his seat. "Forget Reikai! What about the other Cardinal Lords? Do you think they will attend the meeting?"
Dusting the remains of the message into the waste basket beside his desk, Sesshoumaru remained silent. It had been sometime since all the lords were summoned to one place. 'If you can call them Cardinal Lords anymore...' Those kingdoms were dead and gone now. Far too many centuries had past since the Lords of the Four Territories could claim such names for the land they roamed. Add the new way of selecting demon lords - that horrendous tournament brought about by that ex-Reikai operative - and all the territory of demon world belonged to one being. And yet, despite the annexation of the territories, the passage of the titles persisted. He still claimed the title of Lord of the West, being the son of the last Inu no Taisho. And though he could not speak for the North or East, the ruler to the South sat across from him. The kitsune who, after the destruction of Naraku and the disappearance of the Shikon no Miko, followed him into the West and sought to become the warrior he could not be had he stayed with InuYasha.
And now, centuries later, the kitsune lay claim to the title of Lord of the South.
"The North and East are not my concern. What of the South?" asked Sesshoumaru. Threading his fingers on his desk, he waited for Shippo's response. The kitsune had not been a lord for very long. There were still things he needed to learn.
Straightening his shoulders, Shippo nodded firmly. "The South will be attending, if only to find out what he's planning. Yuuden isn't a real demon lord. He should know better than to try to claim something that he has not the power to. That's why he's attempting to take Human World instead of competing in the tournament. He's just a minor lord with too big an ego." He picked at a loose thread in his sleeve, snipping with a quick swipe of his claw.
Rising form his seat, Sesshoumaru gazed out the windows once more. This is why he missed the old days. When killing an enemy would not warrant trouble or place one in a detrimental position. Those were the good times. Nowadays, a demon couldn't have a battle without Spirit World breathing down their backs. But the past was past. And it was best to leave it there.
Sharp, yellow eyes leveled on the kitsune in the room. The stoic iciness of his gaze caused chills to race down Shippo's spine. Despite living with the Dog Lord, there was still a fearful respect the fox held for his tutor.
"Hn. The West will be attending. I must speak with Lady Asami."
"The whole thing is going to get out of hand if he's not taken care of quickly. You know that. We both do."
"This Sesshoumaru will not allow another Naraku to exist."
-------
"Ogre! What's the meaning of this?!" shouted the toddler as he stood in his high-backed chair, waving a letter in his hand. Angrily gnawing on the pacifier, Koenma glared at the blue-skinned creature in front of him.
Rubbing the back of his head, Jorge laughed nervously. "Heh heh. Funny you should ask, sir. That's a letter from Yuuden of Makai. We think he's going to try to take over Human World."
"And why am I just now being notified of this!?"
"Well, sir..."
Leaping from his seat, Koenma rushed towards the door. The letter flapping in his hand, he had not realized it had been snatched from his fingers.
"It doesn't matter! Get in touch with Yusuke immediately! That boy has a meeting to go to!"
Frantically reading over the letter, Jorge moved to block his boss from the large double doors. "But sir! The meeting isn't until two months from now. There's no need to rush Yusuke there."
"Orge! Don't make me hurt you! Get out of my way!"
"But sir-!"
"Move!"
-------
Without a moment's hesitation, her palms flew up and bright, pink light flared from her splayed fingers.
'One would think that after returning to the future...' thought Kagome.
A frustrated growl escaped from between her teeth.
'There wouldn't be anymore demons!'
Her feet holding a wide stance, she kept her arms stretched out in front of her. Her muscles tightened, determined to hold her strong against the oncoming attack. Blue-black hair whipped about in the spiritual wind that encompassed her slender form, sliding past her cheeks and flowing over her shoulders. Storm-gray eyes held their gaze, narrowing at the malicious power charging towards her. Long, white sleeves billowed in the energy that radiated from under skin. And the loud snap of the heavy clothe from her hakama echoed in her ears as she watched the creature come at her from the shadows.
It was lava. The spiritual energy bubbled in her veins, trickling down her arm and bursting from her fingertips. Like a roaring flame, it lit up the darkened courtyard. Everything glowed with a brilliant pink; day in the middle of the night, her power continued to surge forth. Arching upward and around, a dome of reiki surrounded her steady form only breathes before the demon crashed into the barrier. The shrill zing of claws rending against her energy resonated through the shrine grounds. It snapped and snarled, claws striking at the swirling magenta that protected the young miko. White froth spilled from its mouth as it tried to bite at her through the barrier.
Teeth clenched tightly, Kagome pressed her energy further outward.
'The third one this week...'
A low hiss slipping pasted its hideous fangs, the demon leapt away before it could purified.
Landing partially in the shadows, Kagome could barely make out its gnarled features. Not that she could have determined what sort of demon it was anyways. The demons of the present were different from the demons she had fought in the past. Despite having more human-like qualities, their auras were saturated with a bloodthirsty chill. 'But it's nice to know who - and what - is attacking me,' she thought as it crept forward into the light. Mottled, purple skin glowed a sickly hue in the pink light. And like the many others, "Miko Magenta" certainly wasn't its color. Red eyes glared daggers at her from its crouched position. The large tusks protruding from it's mouth made its lips twist in a gross fashion. A high-pitched squeal erupted from its throat as it dug its claws into the cement. She kept her palms raised, not daring to drop the barrier in favor of picking up the bow at her feet. From her place across from it, she could see its muscles quivering, ready to pounce.
'Not a chance, beasty,' she thought, holding her place.
"Go away!" she shouted from across the barrier.
And suddenly, she knew she'd give anything to have her friends at her side.
The demon snarled, rising to its feet. Stuffing one hand into a greasy, pants pocket, it stalked towards her. A crooked grin pulled on its face as it pointed a taloned finger in her direction. A wicked cackle filled the space between them. The strange tusks caught the glow from her spiritual light, and Kagome could make out the dark color that seemed to permanently stain them.
A quick shiver chased up her spine. Ew.
"Foolish, little miko," the demon started. Its voice was like nails on a chalk board. Screechy and shrill, it grated against her senses. Her barrier wavered slightly before holding once more. "Do not think you can keep it from me. You practically reek of it, little priestess."
Kagome bit her bottom lip, holding back the soft curse behind her tongue. And somehow, it was all starting to make sense. Why there were demons in the future. Why she could finally see them for what they were - demons, disguised as humans in everyday life. All the pieces were falling into place, and the biggest clue was nestled deep into her abdomen once more.
What other reason could this demon have to be there.
It pulsed in her side, as if to call the demon to it - and yet, pushing the foul creature away at the same time. 'Why? It wasn't supposed to come back.' her thoughts snarled. The demon lurked in the shadows, searching for weak points in her barrier. Every now and then, she could feel his youki crackling against her energy. 'What went wrong! It should have been destroyed! It wasn't supposed to exist anymore!' Something had gone wrong in the past. A pure, selfless wish wasn't made. And that's why it returned, finding sanctuary in her gut. Kagome could feel the anger boiling under her skin. She grit her teeth as she slowly lowered her hands to her side, splayed palms curling into tight fists. The barrier shrunk, pulling closer and closer to her body. 'This wasn't how it was supposed to happen...' her mind whispered icily.
The roar of the demon's laughter filled the night. Perched in a branch of the Goshinboku, it sneered down at her. Long fingers gripped the bark like talons, kneading at the tree in sick excitement. With the energy closing in around her, the demon knew that now was the time to strike.
You have it... and I want it!" it cried, leaping from its branch.
And finally, she snapped.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this!"
Pink energy erupted from her under skin, setting the shrine grounds ablaze. Hands fisted at her side, Kagome clenched her teeth as she rode out the waves of her power. It splashed against the sides of the house in tides of pink and rippled against the base of the God Tree, before spilling over the shrine steps like a waterfall. Storm-gray eyes glowed white as the power continued to flood her senses, buffeting against her skin. And surrounded in pink light, the demon shrieked as it burst into shimmering dust of purified energy.
Steadily, the brilliant light faded. Silence fell over the courtyard, save for the rustling of leaves and the soft chime of bells. The sky returned to a deep indigo and the stars glimmered from far off in the heavens.
With a tired breath, Kagome dropped to her knees, her palms flat against the concrete. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, hiding her face behind blue-black strands. Heavy breathes passed her lips as she sucked in the cool night air. Sitting back on her heels, she closed her eyes as her heart slowed to its usual pace.
"Why," she wheezed, greedily sucking in more air to fill her lungs. "Why do they keep coming?"
Pressing her hand to her side, she inwardly cursed. 'Why did IT have to come back?'