Saa wasuremashou sono mirai ga
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C’mon, let’s forget that the future |
The light…
Flicker.
Memories… Ying-Ying lying on the ground in a pool of blood, her throat cut. The feel of a hand ripping her clothes open as she lay paralyzed from the poison of the dart in her neck. A shadowy figure above her holding a knife. Tears as she felt herself violated. Despair as she was turned over, her hair jerked savagely as a bowl was placed under her and her throat was cut as well. Then only fading sight..
Flicker.
The light coursed through her, turning her blood to fire
Flicker.
“You will marry Sung Li, niece, and I will hear no more about it.”
A wedding, her sad face as the ceremony was completed, and she was taken away by Li. Her cries of pain as he forced himself on her over and over. Her shame as she hid her bruised and blackened face from the village. Fear as she felt an iron collar around her neck as she stood naked on an auction block. Hatred as she looked upon a serene porcelain mask with red slashes descending from dark eyesockets. Pain unbearable as the blade pierced her heart…
Flicker.
The light burned within her, a brightness so intense it was beyond sight…
Flicker.
Tears. The body of Rei burned and broken in her arms, her Sailor uniform charred as a dark figure stood over them, laughing.
<<such a foolish girl, as if mere love could stand against chaos. and now, you are oh so alone.>>
A hand made of midnight touched her cheek, and lifted her tear streaked face to meet a non-existent face.
<<and now, you are mine.>>
Flicker.
The light sang…
Flicker.
“So my little playtoy, you have decided to rebel? But where will you go? Who will shelter you? So many dead by your hand. So much destruction. Even your darling Ukyo. You do remember Ukyo… how you tortured her, how you savored her pain, how you made her pay for turning her back on you, for failing to save you?”
She gasped for breath on the floor as the figure in the baboon cloak circled her, his hand caressing a beating heart… her heart… as she struggled to rise.
“Ah yes, and what about that priestess you loved as well. You beheaded her if I recall… after she tried to kill you. So many sins, my little mouse.”
“You… you were controlling me, you bastard!”
Dark laughter came from the figure as he knelt, a taloned hand caressing her cheek before it fell and gripped her throat. “Controlling you? T’was it not the darkness in your own soul which corrupted the Shikon shard I gave you? The anger and despair you hid so deep inside? I may have used you, but I did not give rise to the lust which made you rape Ukyo.”
His hand clenched around her heart. “No, Zhu Shu. It is far too late to repent.” The fingers at her throat burned as she felt them burrow into her neck. “But I do thank you for slaying Kikyou and Inuyasha. Now it is time for you to become a part of me. The power of your black dragon blood will come in handy when I invade China and slay this upstart wizard who has dared challenge me…”
Flicker.
The light was singing a song of power beyond power.
Flicker.
Death. Pain. Destruction. Memories of lifetimes spent. Memories of failure. Memories of loss.
Flicker.
The light was tearing her apart…
Flicker.
She screamed her denial with her soul and she felt something within well up and tear. For a flickering second she heard the ringing crystal music within the light and looked upon the face of infinity, and knew she was lost…
Then she felt a hand touch her cheek, and cool metal brushed against her ears as she beheld a shining kindly face that smiled at her as he gazed at her with a single azure blue eye…
Then the light was fading, and she fled into the merciful darkness.
* * * * *
Urd picked herself up off the floor and looked around to see Mara struggling to sit up. Across the dance floor Ke Lun was helping Belldandy to sit, while a bunny eared Lo Shen was rubbing her temples and looking dazed.
“Wot hoppen.” she managed to say in a slurred voice.
Skuld crawled out from under a table, shaking her head as she looked into what appeared to be a compact. “Some… some sort of backlash. I’m getting a reading like a wish transmittal, but on its heels was some kind of massive power surge of a magnitude I’ve never seen. It was like a seal was broken on someone with a lot more power than any of us could wield even if we all worked together.”
Belldandy waved vaguely in the direction of Nabiki’s office. “I think it came from that way.”
The buzz of conversation started up again as the revelers realized the sudden collapse of the goddesses and Lo Shen might have been dramatic but didn’t seem serious, at least to them. Urd managed to stand, though a bit unsteadily, and headed towards the office, only to be met by the Senshi and Akane.
“Nabiki? Zhu Shu?” Akane knocked on the door again as Urd blinked at the five girls.
“Did you feel it too?”
Akane looked at the white haired goddess, remembering that Shan Pu had pointed her out. “You’re Urd, right? I… Um… We felt something weird just now from in there. I don’t know what it was but it made me pass out for a minute.”
Urd nodded. “Yeah, open the door.”
“It’s locked.”
Belldandy had arrived and murmured at the door, which creaked open. Akane beat Urd inside.
“Huh? It’s empty?”
A moan came from behind the desk, and Urd stepped around it quickly. “What the hell? Peorth?”
Belldandy knelt beside the unconscious goddess. “She’s in shock I think.”
“But where is everyone else?” Akane asked.
“Yeah, Rei and Zhu-chan and Ukyo all came in here to see Tao-Ching give that sword to the old guy who just got here.” Usagi chimed in. “And I think that Samurai guy was in here too.”
“My readings show that there were seven people in this room just prior to the wish transmittal,” Skuld confirmed. “Now there’s a massive temporal flux and traces of that surge, but I couldn’t tell you what made it. I’d need a remote to Yggy for more detail.”
Mara had poked her head in. “So what happened?” She blinked. “And what is Peorth doing here?”
Urd looked at the unconscious Goddess. “That is what I intend to find out.”
* * * * *
The storm broke over Muhashi domain without warning, forming impossibly fast in a clear sky. In a small village a few miles outside of Edo, a miko raced to the village watchtower and looked toward the heart of the disturbance. Miles away, a massive column of light pulsed, each flicker growing weaker as the clouds above spread further from the center. Lightning crackled as rain began falling in sheets, obscuring the distant light.
The village elder had made it to the foot of the tower and called up “Lady Kaede! What is happening? What has caused this storm?”
“I know not! I cannot tell if this be an act of god or demon. I know only that it be the result of a surge of powerful youki!”
“We were caught in the fields!”
“Get everyone into shelter! I think not this storm shall last, but I fear it may grow more fierce before it fades!”
She turned back towards the no longer visible light, feeling as the pulses faded below her ability to sense. “Be it good or ill, I doubt not that it will attract more than just my attention…”
* * * * *
She fled as fast as the wind would carry her, but she couldn’t outrun the storm. A wild gust caught her feather and sent her tumbling, and she crashed into the forest. Branches slammed into her, knocking the air from her lungs and left her bruised but alive. Her heart hammered in her chest as she took inventory.
Her kimono was in shreds, but that was not important. She was alive.
Alive and free!
She laughed as her hand pressed against her naked breast and felt the pulse of her heart. Her Heart! She had been shocked that it had been given back, and that had nearly been her death. Naraku knew she had betrayed him, and had sought to kill him in order to gain her freedom, so when he had confronted her, she had expected only to die. Indeed, she would have…
Except that just as he had returned her heart, a surge of power like she had never felt before had exploded almost overhead, and thrown both her and Naraku head over heels.
It had saved her life. Even as she had sat in numbed shock that her heart had been returned, she had seen Naraku’s tentacles stabbing towards her. A second later and she would have been pierced, her doom sealed. She hadn’t even tried to figure out what had happened, simply reasserted control of her feather and fled as fast as she could
The rain pounded down through the forest, but it was already lessening. Whatever had caused it was fading. No doubt Naraku had recovered. Likely he would investigate the source of the power surge, but it would not be long before he would be on the hunt for her. She was free, but she doubted he would let her go so easily. She needed to hide for the moment, then figure out how to escape for good.
There was a step behind her, faint but audible. In a panic she whirled, her fan coming up as she prepared to cast a wind blade, but it wasn’t Naraku.
The girl was strangely dressed, wearing a tight pair of form fitting pants and a top that clung like a second skin to her breasts but left her shoulders free. Her hair hung in straggles and she was covered in bits of leaf and mud. All Kagura could see of her face was a pair of unnaturally red lips. She staggered, barely catching herself on a large, strangely shaped weapon, like an axe with a squared blade. A bandolier of smaller versions of the weapon crossed her chest.
“H-help me…”
The weapon fell from her hand as she pitched forward into the mud under the tree Kagura stood against. She knelt, her kimono tearing further as the branches it was caught on refused to relinquish their hold. The girl seemed human, her pulse weak but steady under Kagura’s fingers.
Then her eyes caught the edge of the tattoo under the clinging top, and she brushed away a leaf and drew it down to see the golden form of an imperial Chinese dragon. The eyes of the dragon were piercing, seeming to look right through her.
Curious, but there were more important things to do. She looked around and spotted an overhang that looked likely to harbor a small cave along a nearby stream. She stood and started to step towards it, then stopped and looked down.
“Heh, I really am getting soft,” she said as she stooped to pull the girl’s arm over her shoulder and dragged her towards the cave…
* * * * *
Rei awoke to the fall of a leaf on her face. She groaned and brushed it aside. She must have left her curtains open.
“Kagome! I think she’s waking up!” a young voice called from next to her, and Rei’s eyes snapped open.
She found herself looking into a young kids wide eyes. His red hair hung in his eyes, and his fox ears twitched in excitement.
She blinked, but the ears didn’t go away. “Oh wow, a Kitsune!” Almost without her being aware of it her hand rose to play with the kid’s ears. “Cuuuuteeee!”
“Hey!” the kitsune giggled. “That tickles!”
Memory hit and she suddenly set up. “What the hell? I was at the club. Where the heck am I?” She looked down to see she was soaking wet and seemed to have fallen through a tree from the amount of bark and leaves smeared on her dress. Her hip hurt like hell too.
“Muhashi domain, Sengoku era as best I can tell.” A new voice chimed in and she turned to see a girl her age dressed in a school uniform approaching from a nearby stream. “I am guessing from the cocktail dress that you’re from my era though. You from Tokyo?”
Rei blinked. “Huh? Sengoku era? What the hell?” She looked around. “Last thing I remember was being in the club with my friends, then there was this bright light and… um… well nothing.”
“Humm. I guess that weird energy pulse was probably what brought you here then. I’m Kagome Higurashi. Nice to meet you.”
Rei took the outstretched hand. “Rei Hino, of Hikawa shrine.”
As her hand touched the girls, a surge of energy swirled between them. Rei blinked. “Wow. That’s some serious spiritual power you got there.”
Kagome was blinking too. “You too. Are you a miko?”
Rei nodded. “My grandfather is the priest of the shrine, and I’m the temple maiden.” She looked around. “So if I got transported here by that weird light, how did you get here?”
Kagome smiled. “I come and go, really. There’s this well at the shrine where I live that seems to connect back and forth to this era. I thought only Inuyasha and I could use it though.” She turned to a pack nearby. “I have a spare school outfit if you’d like to change out of that cocktail dress. It’s a couple of days walk back to the well.” She smiled. “Not to mention it would probably be better not to let Miroku see you in that dress, and I expect that they’ll be back soon. They went to see if they could find the other disturbances we felt. If you were with friends, that might be what they were.”
“Miroku?”
“He’s a Shinto priest, but he’s also a real letch. That dress is just way too revealing for your own good when he gets back, not to mention your missing about half of the back of your skirt.”
Rei sighed and nodded. “Okay. I can take care of myself if I have to, but thanks for the warning. If I have to walk thorough woods, I certainly am not going to do it in high heels and a ruined evening gown. If my friends are here too, we can discuss what we need to do to get back when they get here.” She took the proffered uniform. “So where can I change?”
* * * * *
Nabiki woke to the sound of wind through the trees. Her head hurt, and her body ached in a dozen places. She sat up and looked around.
She was sitting in a forest, and from the look of the branches scattered around her and the torn state of her dress, she guessed she must have fallen from the tree above her.
“What the fuck? What was that light? And where the hell am I?”
Her rabbit ears twitched as she heard the sound of a footstep nearby. She tried to cover herself but the dress was just too shredded. She looked around quickly and grabbed a rock, then lay back down like she was still unconscious.
Through slitted eyes she saw a man dressed in the robes of a Shinto monk step from around a tree. He stopped when he saw her, and blinked. Then a leer crossed his face and he stepped forward, his hand reaching for her naked breasts.
The zanbatou slammed into the tree above her, just a bare fraction of an inch from the monk’s hand. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, priest. Nabi-chan is likely to brain you with that rock if you try,” Tao-Ching said from across the clearing.
The monk turned and tried to look innocent. “I was merely going to check to make sure she was alive.”
Tao-Ching grinned. “Of course you were. Who could resist a chance to fondle those incredibly sexy tits?”
Nabiki rolled her eyes. “Keep it up, furball. You might not get a chance to fondle them yourself.” She set up, and gave her shredded dress a sad eye. “Plus, this dress cost a bundle, and now it’s just a rag.” She sighed, then shrugged. “Screw it. Enjoy it while you can boys.” She finished the last tears and tossed the dress aside.
The monk blinked as his face turned crimson, and a foolish grin spread across his face as his eyes roamed up and down her body.
“Oh my… Umm… Could you bear my children?”
Nabiki gave him a sour eye. “No. Only children I plan to bear will belong to this lug over here.” She jerked a thumb at Tao-Ching, who was holding out his shredded tuxedo jacket towards her almost reluctantly. She looked at it’s tattered state and looked heavenward. “Forget it loverboy. I really don’t care if I’m naked. I seriously doubt I have to worry about being molested while you’re around.”
Tao-Ching laughed as he dropped the jacket and opened his vest to reveal the Desert Eagle. “Nope. Least wise not so long as they want to stay alive.” He grabbed the hilt of the zanbatou and with a crack the tree splintered as he freed it. “I’d offer the shirt, but…” He turned to reveal that most of the back of his vest and shirt were missing. “The tree I fell through seems to have decided it wanted it for a snack.”
He turned to the newcomer. “So mister monk,” he said. “Where the hell are we? Last I knew we were in Nerima ward at the party. And I certainly don’t remember taking a walk.”
The monk swallowed hard as he wrenched his eyes from the lush curves of Nabiki’s body. “Um… Muhashi’s Domain actually. My name is Miroku, and I am a wandering monk. I was seeking the source of a major mystical disturbance, and I strongly suspect that you would be it. May I ask where Nerima domain is?”
“Nerima ward, Miroku. Tokyo.”
Light seemed to dawn behind his eyes. “Ah, you must be from Kagome’s homeland. She is also from Tokyo. That explains much. Perhaps it will be clearer if I tell you that you are in what she calls the Sengoku Era?”
Nabiki blinked. “The Sengoku Era? We got sent back in time?”
Tao-Ching sighed. “Okay, based on what Shan-Pu told me about when she got her wish, I’m going to take a wild guess and say that “nurse” was a goddess granting the old man a wish. When he wished we could return the sword in time to save his family, we must have ended up here.”
Nabiki looked at the katana Tao-Ching had shoved through his cummerbund. “Okay. Then logically if we get that sword back to the guy who it was stolen from, we’ll probably go back home.”
“Oh joy. Just how the hell are we supposed to locate a single samurai in the Sengoku era who lost a family blade?” He grimaced. “And second, is it just us, or did everyone in the room get sent back?”
The monk was staring at Nabiki again, seemingly fascinated with the bunny girl’s tail. “Um… we felt several disturbances, and found a young black haired girl in a strange red dress. My companions are seeking the other sources. If you would care to come with me to where we found the other girl, perhaps my friends and I may be of some assistance.”
Nabiki waved him ahead. “Lead on. Maybe you can provide us with a tent when we get there. All this exhibitionism is getting me really turned on.”
The monk turned crimson again as Tao-Ching chuckled.
* * * * *
“So who the hell are you? And why do you smell like Sesshomaru?”
Tatewaki opened his eyes and found himself staring at a white haired boy of his own age, with dog ears and fangs. He blinked. An Inu? His resemblance to his sister was remarkable.
“I am Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School and samurai of the Kuno Clan. And may I ask who you are?”
The white haired guy blinked. “Huh? You’re awfully calm for someone woken up by a youkai.” He shrugged. “My name’s Inuyasha. So why do you smell like my brother?” His nose wrinkled. “And like that place Kagome lives too. That nasty smoke and sulfur stink she always reeks of when she first gets back.”
Tatewaki took the proffered hand up. “I know of no Sesshomaru, save that it is the name of an uncle I have never met. As for the rest, I could not say - and I do not reek.”
Inuyasha grinned. “Yeah, if you’re from that Tokyo place I suppose you’re so used to it you’d never notice, like Kagome. So are you the source of this “Mystical Disturbance,” as Miroku called it?
“I have no idea. I was last in an office in a club, then there was a bright light and now I find myself here.” He looked the white haired youth up and down. “I note from your attire that you are a warrior such as myself, yet you openly admit to being a youkai?”
“Don’t let it upset you. I don’t prey on humans.”
“I see. I will warn you though that it is my family’s duty to defend humanity from the demons who seek to harm them.”
“Sounds like my line. Besides from the smell you must have some Inugami in you too.”
Tatewaki nodded. “My family’s patriarch was said to be descended from the greatest of the Inugami youkai and the fairest of human maidens. He was also called Inuyasha. The name of Kuno was bestowed upon us during the reign of Tokugowa.”
“Never heard of him. The Damiyo of this Domain is Muhashi.” Inuyasha pointed over his shoulder. “We found a girl in a strange red dress about a mile or so that way. Sound like a friend of yours?”
“I believe it may. There was a girl in the office when the light occurred who was in a red dress. Also a gentleman in a black tuxedo named Tao-Ching, Nabiki Tendo, who was, I doth believe, in a black dress, Ukyo Kuonji, also in black, and my fair Goddess, Zhu Shu, who was wearing a red top and pants. If they have accompanied me to this strange locale, it is imperative that we find them quickly. Methinks it is doubtful they would be as prepared to deal with youkai as I.” His hand gripped the hilt of the katana at his waist. “The mighty blade of my ancestors, Tetsusaiga, was forged to slay demons.”
Inuyasha blinked. “What did you say?” His eyes locked on the sword in Kuno’s belt.
“My family’s heirloom blade, Tetsusaiga, was forged to slay demons. I fear for my companions safety should they be attacked by youkai.”
“That’s impossible,” Inuyasha gripped his own sword. “This is Tetsusaiga.”
* * * * *
Kagura dipped the shreds of her kimono in the stream and ducked back into the cave. Now that the rain had stopped it was best to stay under cover, lest Naraku’s wasps find her. But now that she had better light, she had decided to clean up the girl a little. Something about her had been naggingly familiar, but she’d been too covered in mud to tell what it was.
The girl moaned a little as she started to wipe her face, and she murmured something too faintly to hear. Then as the rest of the mud was wiped away, Kagura got a good look at her features.
What the hell?
“Kagura? Is that you?”
She whirled, her fan snapping open, but more in reflex than alarm as she recognized the voice.
“Sango. Dammit, get out of sight. Last thing I need is Naraku finding me.”
The youkai exterminator looked around and ducked into the cave. “You’re the last person I expected to see, Kagura.”
“Humph, I figured you would be chasing after Kohaku.”
“We started to but some sort of mystical explosion occurred. It knocked me and Kirara out of the sky, and Kagome thinks it sent Kohaku a lot further than you intended. She felt him passing out of range of her senses far to the west, away from where you directed us to hunt for Mouryoumaru.”
Kagura surprised herself by feeling relieved. “That is good.”
Sango nodded. “I thank you for saving him from Hakudoushi. The offer still stands to join us. We will get your heart back for you.”
Kagura laughed. “This morning I refused you simply because I really didn’t think you could beat Naraku, but now I think I have no other choice but to hope you will. I have my heart back, Sango. And if that strange storm hadn’t shown up when it did, I would be dead right now. The only reason that bastard returned it was to torture me even more as he killed me.”
Sango raised an eyebrow. “That storm is what brought me out here. One of the disturbances was near here according to Kirara.”
“The center was right over where Naraku nearly killed me.” Kagura sighed. “You are being awfully friendly to someone who has tried to kill you so many times, Sango.”
The other girl shrugged. “You’ve proven that you’re not my enemy anymore. And you saved my brother’s life. I’m willing to give you a fair chance to be a friend.”
“I see. Well I dare say your ‘disturbance’ is probably this girl here. Maybe you can explain something for me.”
Sango looked as Kagura moved to reveal the unconscious girl, and her eyes widened.
“Any idea why she has your face?”
* * * * *
“What?”
“You heard me Urd. I was on an authorized assignment. Ano Hasai was duly registered in Yggdrasil’s database as deserving of a wish. His wish was that Tao-Ching could return the family’s heirloom blade in time to save his family from the misfortunes caused by its loss. Yggdrasil gave a seventy percent likelihood that the companions sent back in time with him would successfully allow Tao-Ching to not only complete the delivery of the sword, but even gave him a fifty-five percent chance to break the Hibiki curse while doing so. Like it or not Urd, I was doing my job!”
Urd scowled at Peorth, and looked to Mara. “Fuck.”
Mara shrugged. “The question Urd, was whether that was the only way the wish could have been granted. Take it from me as your ex-nemesis, the Nifelheim system will generally spit out a list of possible variants that any given wish could take. I had a friend who was a sysop, and she’d slip me an occasional bit of info on the possible options the Ultimate force might use to ensure a wish was met so I could try to foil it.”
Urd nodded. “Yeah, most Goddesses only do wish transfers, but as sysop I can look up that same info.” She fixed Peorth with a dark look. “If I was being clever, I could probably manipulate a grantee to word a wish in a particular way if I knew ahead of time what the possible wishes he might be likely ask for were.”
Peorth looked like she was grinding her teeth. “There’s no way you could prove that Urd, no matter how pissed you might be that my duty crossed paths with this fucked up wish you’re supposedly trying to grant. You’d think that since the Ultimate Force won’t touch it, you’d get the hint.”
“The Ultimate Force won’t help me because that was one of the conditions of the test, Peorth. Dad is going to hear about this.”
“He’s the one who signed my orders, Urd.” Peorth sniffed. “Regardless, I am done being interrogated. If you’re upset, take it up with Megami-Sama.” In a huff, she turned to leave the office.
“May I ask a question, Peorth?” Belldandy interjected before she had made it to the door. “Do you have any idea what that backsurge was?”
“How should I know? I’m going to check the logs when I get back to Heaven and file a report. Check with the admin department if you want to know what I find out.”
Belldandy sighed as the other goddess stormed out. “I wish I knew why she has always seemed to hate the both of us, Urd.”
“She’s a stuck up bitch, Bell.”
Urd looked out the door, where the opening night party was slowly breaking up, then over at the Senshi and Akane. “I will try to find out if I can get everyone back from the Sengoku Era, but it may take some time.”
The Senshi gave each other concerned looks. Akane frowned. “I’m really worried Miss Urd. I can’t feel Zhu-chan at all.”
Urd raised an eyebrow. “That’s funny. A soulbond like yours to Zhu Shu should resonate on the temporal bands and give you some sense of her. I wonder if that backlash was due to her link to the Dragon.”
“Indeed it was, Goddess Urd,” an unknown voice said. They all turned to see a girl standing behind the desk. She was dressed in a short cheongsam, and her long pink hair was flowing as if it was being ruffled by a gentle breeze.
She was also transparent.
Akane blinked in shock. “Ying-Ying?” she asked in astonishment.
The girl nodded. “Ni hao Akane-chan. I am glad to see you still retain Zhu Shu’s memories of me.” She turned back to the white haired goddess. “I was sent by Legend to deliver a message, Goddess Urd.”
Urd nodded. “Must be important if he gave a ghost enough energy to appear in the material world.”
“Oh, no, Goddess Urd. I am able to be here because my love found the path to me, and through her I have a path here as well. Legend sent me simply because it was convenient. I was asked to tell you that what has occurred was arranged. I delivered Peorth’s assignment myself. Legend asks that you recall your conversation with him.”
Urd nodded. “Ah. So this was the event he was talking about.”
Ying-Ying nodded. “I was also asked to tell the Senshi that Akane could fill in for Rei for the time being.”
“What?” five voices chorused in unison.
Ying-Ying nodded, and drew from her back Zhu Shu’s transformation wand. “Sailor Mars is needed elsewhere. In her stead Legend asks that you, Akane-chan, accept the role of Sailor Earth for the duration. Once, long ago Empress Lin Tzu was granted this role, though it was a lesser duty to her role as Empress. You posses the power to be a Senshi, Akane-chan, granted to you through your link to Zhu Shu. The Dragon asks that you accept this task for the sake of his daughter, and the love you bear her.”
Akane sat down hard. “Oh fucking awesome.” She sighed heavily. “Alright, I guess. I doubt that being a Senshi will be any more dangerous than being Zhu Shu’s friend right now. At least I can’t recall any fights you girls have had with a dragon.”
“Wow, Akane-chan, you fought a dragon?” Usagi said. “We usually get weird slime monsters and stuff. A dragon sounds so cool!”
Makoto laughed. “Leave it to you, Princess. I doubt Akane-chan was any less terrified than we are during a fight.” She stuck out her hand to Akane. “I for one would welcome you, Akane-sensei. You’re better than any of us in straight combat, and since it seems we’ve got some new enemies in town, I dare say we can use your help.”
Akane nodded and took the pen from Ying-Ying’s ghostly hand. “I guess you can tell the Dragon that on Zhu Shu’s behalf I accept, Ying-Ying.”
The ghost gave her a hug. “You’re going to be awesome, Akane-sama!” Her lips met Akane’s, and the Japanese girl felt as if her entire insides were melting and freezing in incredible ecstasy as time stood still. Then Ying-Ying leaned back and giggled.
“Wow.” Akane managed to say.
“I thought you should get to be on the receiving end of a chi kiss, my dear tigress.”
Akane nodded in dreamy bliss. “So that’s what it feels like… No wonder Shan-chan and Ranma beg for them.”
* * * * *
Konatsu groaned and shook her head.
What the hell had happened? She groggily turned her head and looked around. No, it was still this strange cave. She had been burning the last remains of that damn teahouse her stepmother had forced her to work at, happy she had finally been freed. The gods had finally seen fit to bless her, and after all her failed attempts to kill the evil woman and her ugly stepsisters too! Those damn cigars her mother smoked had finally been the death of her. Oh what luck the kerosene she had been collecting for years had caught fire and exploded! She hadn’t even cared about the little man who had stolen all of her panties just before the shop blew up! She’d been dancing for joy when the fire department had finally showed up, the last of her stores of kerosene used up to ensure the entire building was ablaze. When they had finally left after confirming the deaths of her family, she could barely contain her joy and had re-lit the remains to enjoy the lovely flames…
Then, suddenly she had woken up in this cave, and no sooner looked around than some sort of dizzy spell had hit and she’d fainted.
She went to sit up, and felt an unfamiliar drag on her chest. She looked down.
And blinked.
Almost involuntarily her hand rose and caressed the full, heavy breasts, bigger even than she’d ever padded her tunic out to be. She shuddered as her hand crossed her nipples.
They were real.
Her hand slid further down, and felt only tangled curls, and then a warm wetness.
Sixteen years she had wished for this, and now to be rid of both her accursed step-family, and her shame…
Fifteen or so minutes later, when the hysterical laughter finally left her gasping and sore, she collected enough of her wits to take a good look around the cave. She found her clothes neatly stacked on a bench, and tucked into them was a note.
Hot water will turn you back to your normal sex, Cold water will restore this one.
The note was unsigned, and the handwriting unfamiliar. She looked at the kettle that had been next to her clothes, and the bucket of water. A few moments later she toweled herself off and pouted. Oh, if only she had been changed forever!
Still, if she just avoided hot water for the most part, she might never have to reveal her shame again. It wasn’t like she was ever going to get to be a wife… who would ever want a kunoichi like her any way? One who was so ugly, and talentless? A true kunoichi was beautiful and deadly, as lethal as she was seductive, and she was neither. No wonder her mother and siblings had treated her so poorly!
She shook herself and reached for her clothes morosely. It took a few minutes to adjust all her weapons, and reluctantly she tossed aside the pepper bags. However, getting dressed had cheered her up a bit. Her bust was so large she had barely been able to pull on her mesh undersuit, and her top was showing considerable cleavage. Ooooooh, she hoped she’d be able to steal a few cute girly outfits and a mirror! Large breasts and the proper hairstyle would do much to make up for her other deficiencies .
After spending a few moments looking around, she found that nothing else in the room seemed to be of any use to her. And the only exit led to a strangely foggy corridor.
Her nose couldn’t pick up the scent of any poisons in the mist, so she tied a light rope to one of the torch holders that supported her weight, and stepped into the swirling fog.
In just a few steps, she found herself standing by the still smoldering ruins of her former home. She turned and found her rope laying cut, only the forest behind her.
She shrugged. The rumbling of her stomach seemed far more important right now. She turned towards the road that led out of the valley. It was at least a three hour’s walk to Tokyo, and hopefully some food.
* * * * *
Ukyo’s eyes snapped open to see a slab of dirty rock above her head instead of her bedroom ceiling.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
She realized she seemed to be in a cave. Oh yeah, that bright light, and then she’d fallen. Crashed into a tree then dropped into a stream just as a horrendous storm broke. Her head still throbbed from the branch she’d hit on the way down.
She turned to the voice, and dimly remembered seeing the woman who was sitting next to her. She’d heard the sound of someone else falling out of a tree and tried to go to the sound, but the pain in her head had been so strong.
“Don’t try to move too much just yet. Sango said she thought you might have hurt your head. She should be back soon with some help.”
“Who- who are you?”
“Humm? I am Kagura of the Wind. Do you have a name?”
“Ukyo. Ukyo Kuonji. Where- where am I?”
“At the moment, a cave. Probably still in Muhashi’s domain, though I couldn’t tell you for certain. I wasn’t really paying attention to landmarks as I fled.”
Muhashi’s domain sounded familiar too, though she couldn’t place it at the moment. Her head was clearing though, and she felt more awake. She looked more closely at the woman, noting the pointed ears and red irised eyes, the midnight black hair pulled back into a short cropped pony tail. Not to mention that she was sitting topless and seemed utterly unconcerned by the fact. Beyond her it looked like the storm was over and the sun was shining on the forest across the stream. Kagura turned to look as well, and Ukyo saw a large burn scar on her back that looked a lot like a spider.
There was a soft noise from outside the cave, then a familiar face peeked into the cave.
“Hey Ukyo. You’re looking better than I was expecting.” Nabiki said. Ukyo blinked as the bunny girl stepped into the cave. Nabiki noted the look and laughed. “Yeah, I am naked. I fell through a damn tree and shredded my dress all to hell. Nobody seems to have any spare clothes just yet though. Looks like you lost your vest too.”
Ukyo looked down and realized Nabiki was right, though fortunately her tube top and form fitting pants had fared far better than Nabiki’s evening wear.
Nabiki was running her eyes up and down the other woman’s figure. Ukyo had been around Zhu Shu enough to recognize that lustful look. She shook her head.
“Okay, if you’re here I guess I wasn’t the only one who got hit by that weird light.”
“Nope. Tao-Ching is pretty sure we got caught up in a wish for the old man, Mr. Hasai. What happened is apparently similar to what Shan-Pu told him happened when she got her wish. We’re in the Sengoku Era.”
“What?”
“Yeah, the old guy wished we could return the sword in time to save his family, so here we are.” She looked over her shoulder. “Yo, Tao-baby! Look’s like she’s okay.” She shouted. “But there’s another hottie in here who might appreciate a shirt.”
“Just a sec, Nabi-chan.” Tao-Ching’s voice came back from above. “I was stripping anyway. No point trudging through these woods when you can ride.”
A few seconds later, Tao-Ching’s tux, much the worse for wear, was dropped to Nabiki. She turned to Kagura, who had been watching warily. “It’s not much but here’s his coat. I’m waiting for some real clothes.”
Kagura shrugged and took the proffered garment. “Sango had said she was going to get her friends, and that she had spare yakuta.”
“Yeah, we met her. She ran across us as she was heading back, so we came here. From what that lecherous priest said, I think Rei was already at their camp. Sango kind of dragged him off with her when she found us. I suspect she wasn’t too happy with the drooling he was doing over me.”
There was some splashing, and then Tao-Ching’s huge feline head looked around the edge of the cave. Nabiki scratched his ears affectionately. “You got their scent?”
The smilodon nodded.
“You better not get us lost you big lug. We’re counting on your nose.”
He snarled non-committally.
Kagura was looking at the cat strangely. Nabiki noted it and tilted her head at the other woman. “Don’t let him worry you. He’s just cursed to turn into a big cat.”
Kagura nodded. “So I see. Yet I sense another curse on him as well. One who’s source I know all too well. So you have dealt with Naraku before.”
Nabiki raised her eyebrow. “Naraku, humm? And what do you know about Naraku?”
Kagura’s fan slid open and she fanned herself with it. “That depends very much on if you serve him or not.”
“Serve him? Fuck no. The bastard cursed the entire Hibiki line and stole the family’s sword.”
The big cat rolled his eyes. Nabiki bopped him on the ear. “I don’t care whether you believe in the Hibiki curse, Tao-baby. I don’t plan to get stuck with it when I marry you. So, so long as we are back here, I plan to track this Naraku asshole down and make him break the curse.”
Kagura seemed to relax. “So, you too are his enemies.”
Nabiki shrugged. “I guess you can say that.”
Kagura smiled slightly.
Nabiki turned back to Ukyo. “You ready to ride? At best guess all of us who were in the office showed up here, so if Rei is at their camp, that means we still need to find Kuno and Zhu Shu.”
Ukyo nodded. “Well Zhu-chan should be-” she broke off.
“What’s wrong?” Nabiki asked.
“Zhu Shu! I- I can’t feel her in my head!”
* * * * *
Inuyasha examined the transformed blade for the dozenth time. “This makes no sense. How can this be Tetsusaiga?”
Kuno had yielded to the others request to examine the blade. “I know only that this blade has been in my family for nearly 300 years, though much of its history was lost. I spent months polishing and sharpening the blade when first my father left our home and it came into my care. I learned its true name but recently, when with it I slew a demon of darkness, and it grew to that massive size. My Grandfather had called it the Demon’s Fang.”
Inuyasha sheathed it again, the blade transforming once more as he did so. “I can’t doubt that it looks like my sword, though I’ve never seen Tetsusaiga in it’s untransformed form looking so pretty.” He handed Kuno back the blade and drew his own. “It’s always looked pretty ratty when it’s not transformed.”
Kuno nodded. “I do recall that my blade did look much as yours when first I came into possession of it.”
“I guess I am going to have to ask Totosai about it. It seems to be identical but there is a very different feel to it. I could only get it to change to it’s base form.”
The blade in Inuyasha’s hand shifted in appearance, first to red, then to what appeared to be diamond. “I could feel the other forms, but your sword wouldn’t obey me.”
Kuno drew his sword, and tried to figure out how to make it change. It seemed easy enough to get it to transform into the giant blade, but that was all.
A roar from overhead made him look up as the blade shifted back to it’s normal form. A large cat was descending, its feet flaming and twin tails lashing. A woman and someone dressed as a monk rode its back. He looked to Inuyasha, and saw that he was unconcerned.
“Yo, Sango, I found him!” Inuyasha called.
The cat landed, and the woman looked Kuno over. “So I see. We found a couple of other people too. Are you Kuno?
Tatewaki bowed. “Indeed fair maiden. I am Tatewaki Kuno, Devil Hunter and Samurai of the Kuno clan. I am honored to make the acquaintance of such beauty in this wilderness.”
Sango gave him a smile. “Well spoken, sir, though not what I was warned to expect by Nabiki Tendo.”
Kuno sighed. “Indeed, once I was a shameful man who passed my days in vain pursuit of beautiful maidens. I strive to be so no longer. The nobility of my line, and our duty to stand guard against the depredations of youkai was revealed to mine eyes but recently, and I have dedicated my life to these goals.”
The monk nodded. “Noble sentiments indeed, Sir Kuno. We came to lead you to our camp. Only one of your companions still seems to be lost, if the list Rei Hino gave me was correct. Someone called Zhu Shu.”
Kuno straightened. “Nay, good monk. If my fair Chinese Goddess is endangered, I cannot cravenly seek the safety of thy camp. She must be found!” The blade in his hands suddenly transformed again and he shouldered it. “Such delicate beauty as hers would tempt the foulest fiends to possess her. I must go to her at once!”
Both Sango and Miroku stared at the blade in shock. Inuyasha laughed. “Worry about it later guys. Which way is the last disturbance?”
“To the east,” Sango said.”
Inuyasha nodded. “Let’s go.”
* * * * *
Kagura couldn’t believe she was actually doing this.
Her feather was speeding along, Kagome and Rei behind her while Ukyo, Shippou, and Nabiki rode Tao-Ching below. Ukyo’s worry over Zhu Shu had driven them to head towards the last disturbance…
The one that had saved her life. The one where she had nearly been killed by Naraku.
Kagome had an arrow nocked and ready while Rei fairly crackled with power, the strange transformation she had undergone when she had been made aware of the danger Naraku posed seemingly amplifying the strange priestess’ powers enormously. Nabiki was wearing some strange form of weapon like those that had been brought by the Dutch traders, but that Kagome had said was far more powerful than a “flintlock” whatever that meant. Ukyo of course had her strange axe.
She hoped it would be sufficient to at least let them escape if Naraku was still in the vicinity, and Sango had said they would send Inuyasha towards the area too. Maybe she would live out the day.
Her heart was hammering, a sensation she was extremely unused to feeling. Yet much as she feared for her life, she had volunteered to lead them.
And somehow, she couldn’t help but feel that she owed this Zhu Shu. The disturbance caused by her fall had been all that had saved her from Naraku.
“I can feel a shard ahead!” Kagome said. “But it’s not large enough to be the Jewel.”
Kagura nodded. “We are near the place where I fled Naraku.”
* * * * *
Inuyasha gaped at the devastation. The forest had suddenly ended, the trees shattered to splinters around a large crater. Sango and Miroku joined him at the edge of the trees as he held up his hand to stop Kuno.
“Careful. I smell Naraku.”
“Well, well, well. Inuyasha. What a pleasant surprise. And here I was, just hoping that you would drop in.”
The air above the crater shimmered, and a white cloaked form stepped onto the crater’s edge from nowhere. The baboon mask seemed to smile evilly.
“I apologize for not being here in person, Inuyasha, but other business has proven far more pressing. But never fear, I have prepared a suitable welcome for you.” A figure in a dark cloak stepped up from the crater, the deep hood shadowing it’s face.
Inuyasha blinked. It smelled like nothing he had ever smelled before, redolent of spices and another, almost reptilian scent. And it’s hood hung strangely, as if the figure was wearing a wide helm. Was this a new creation of Naraku?
“I don’t care what new monster you made Naraku. I’ll kill it like all the others. Just like I will kill you!”
Kuno stepped forward. “Demon! Away with you or face the wrath of Tatewaki Kuno!”
An evil chuckle came from the baboon mask. “Indeed. From a foolish human I have little to fear. Yet the same cannot be said of you. Farewell Inuyasha.”
The figure of Naraku faded away as Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga. “Do your worst, fool!”
From under the figure’s hood a stream of flames shot out to engulf Inuyasha, and even through his fire rat tunic he could feel the heat. He blinked in shock as the fabric actually started to burn. Then a sixth sense for danger caused him to dodge, narrowly avoiding getting spitted on a long curved sword. A second sword cut towards his head, only barely blocked in time by Kuno.
There was no time for words. He blocked and parried furiously, the figure moving its blades so fast he never had a chance to counter attack, even though the cloaked figure fought Kuno as well. Miroku and Sango had to dance out of the way, never managing to get a shot in as the two swordsmen tried to match the weaving blades of their foe.
Then from overhead he heard a cry of “Mars Firebird, Attack!” and a bird of flame dove into the whirling dervish.
The burning figure turned to face the new threat, and stopped. Then the cloak burned away and Inuyasha saw his attacker for the first time.
She was small, her skin a charcoal grey that seemed to glitter like a snake’s scales, and the three horns that poked out of her jet black hair from either side of her head were razor sharp and shone like blackened steel. Small wings grew from her back and a tail lashed behind her. Her eyes were a solid black, deep pools which seemed to suck in all the light, and from her ears hung large gold hoops connected by fine chains with tiny bells to a series of cuffs that ran up her ears. The embers of her clothes still burned about her, their heat seeming to affect her not at all. Only the ribbons attached to her swords remained unconsumed, the crimson cloth curling around her like writhing serpents.
Kagome stood next to the girl Inuyasha remembered from the camp, accompanied by several others, including Kagura. But all the new people were staring at the attacker.
Then the girl who had sent the firebird spoke.
“Zhu Shu?”
In a swirl of sparks, the dragon girl disappeared.
* * * * *
“There’s no doubt about it, she was the one who had the shard.” Kagome said in answer to Ukyo’s questions. “And it was as black as midnight. Naraku’s controlling her.”
Tao-Ching growled as Nabiki softly said “Fuck.”
“How can we save her?” Ukyo asked flatly.
“If we can remove the shard…” Kagome spread her hands.
“As fast as she was, that isn’t going to be easy.” Inuyasha said. “I never even had a chance to attack.”
“And Naraku might kill her at any time.” Kagura said. “That’s if he doesn’t send her up against Mouryoumaru.”
Ukyo held up her hands, “Okay, enough.” She pointed to Kagome. “I met you on a train a few days ago in Tokyo, which means there’s some way back to our time. That’s good enough for me, but none of us knows what the fuck is going here. Who the fuck is Naraku? And this Mouryoumaru? Or this ‘shard’? And what the fuck happened to Zhu Shu!”
Kagome looked around at her friends, and sighed. “Okay, bear with me. To begin, yes, I am from Tokyo too. There’s a well that I can pass through to get here. I am hoping that it will work for you to get back as well. This is the Sengoku era, exactly when I have no clue. However, fifty years ago here, a priestess called Kikyou was in charge of a sacred jewel, the Shikon, or the Jewel of Four Souls. Ask Miroku later what that refers to. Anyway, she was purifying the jewel, which is a huge repository of spiritual power. It can make any demon more powerful just by possessing a small shard. Inuyasha here met Kikyou back then and she fell in love with him, but there was this guy, Onigumo, who out of desire for Kikyou sold his soul to a bunch of youkai. When he did this, Naraku was born. Naraku tricked Kikyou into sealing Inuyasha to a tree, and killed her, trying to posses the Shikon, but Kikyou had it burned with her when she died.”
Ukyo nodded. “Okay.”
“I-” Kagome pointed to herself, “-am apparently the reincarnation of Kikyou’s soul. When I first came here, by falling into the well, we found out that the Shikon jewel had also reincarnated with me. A youkai tried to steal it, but I unsealed Inuyasha and he saved me, but right after that, the jewel got broken.”
“You mean YOU broke it.” Inuyasha said.
“Whatever, it broke and scattered all over Japan. My friends here have been trying to reclaim it. Unfortunately, Naraku has been too. He’s got most of the shard though because Kikyou, who got brought back to life by an Oni witch, gave it to him. She has been fighting against him, but for some reason she seems to want him to complete the jewel.”
“So why would Naraku want Zhu Shu?” Nabiki asked.
“Naraku seems to be having a problem with his own heart. He placed it into a baby and it seems the baby is now trying to kill Naraku so that it can replace him. Mouryoumaru is the baby’s guardian,” Kagura supplied. “I am also one of Naraku’s offspring, and I was being used by the baby to try and help him grow more powerful. Naraku was about to kill me for that, and for the fact that I betrayed him and tried to free myself from his control, when your friend’s appearance saved me. I didn’t know what had happened, I was just running away as fast as I could. My guess would be considering the talents your friend displayed fighting Inuyasha, that he will probably use her against Mouryoumaru.”
Rei grimaced. “I hate to tell you this, but she was hardly showing a fraction of what she could do. I’d even go so far as to say she was moving kind of slow for her.”
Kuno nodded. “Tis true. Zhu Shu can move faster than the humming bird’s wings do flap.”
“That’s not the worst of it though,” Rei said. “Zhu Shu is the last descendant of her clan, and the heir of some sort of deity. When she’s prepared, she’s got the ability to absorb and redirect amazing amounts of power. You saw how useless my firebird was against her. She could take on all of the Senshi and probably beat us.”
Kagome tilted her head. “Are you really Sailor Mars?”
Rei nodded.
“Wow. You guys are famous.”
Rei snorted. “I wish I had the rest of the group here.”
“Well, I have a couple of things I want to know,” Inuyasha said and poked a talon at Ukyo. “For instance, why do you look like Sango’s twin, and how the hell did you,” his finger moved to Kuno, “happen to have a copy of Tetsusaiga.”
“I think that’s obvious, Inuyasha.” Kagome said. “I remember thinking when I met Ukyo on the train that she looked like Sango, and I thought she might be a descendant-”
A strange look came to Kagome’s face.
“What?” Inuyasha demanded.
Kagome shook her head. “I’m not going to ask. I’m not! I don’t want to know!”
Nabiki looked between her and Inuyasha and then shook her head. “I remember Lo Shen saying you had a lot of inugami in your family line, Kuno-baby.”
Kuno nodded. “I admit to that with no shame. My line was founded by the greatest of the inugami youkai, who did bear the same name as our acquaintance Inuyasha here.”
Kagome looked sick. Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. Shippou looked puzzled.
“Do your family legends say anything about who his wife was?” Nabiki asked.
“Only that she was a beautiful shrine maiden of enormous spiritual power who did tame his heart.”
Kagome balled up her fists and punched Inuyasha. “You- You-” Her face went crimson in rage. “SITSITSITSITSITSITSITSITSITSIT!!!!!!”
The Nerima crew looked on in astonishment as Inuyasha slammed into the ground and seemed to be driven deeper with every repetition. Then Kagome turned and fled the encampment.
Ukyo raised an eyebrow. “Okay, now I know what she meant when she said she was going to make him sit in a river till he drowned, but why would finding out that Kuno is her great great whatever grandson make her so upset?”
Rei nodded, “Yeah, I mean, isn’t she a miko? I know she lives at a shrine.”
Inuyasha groaned as Sango sighed. “Kikyou is also a miko.” She looked at Ukyo. “So you are a descendant, humm? Any legends about your ancestors you care to share?”
Ukyo shrugged. “The Kuonji clan is descended from a long line of youkai exterminators is about all I know. You’d have to ask my great-uncle to find out any more than that.” She stood. “However, we now know what we need to know. It’s time to find Zhu Shu.”
Nabiki gasped. Ukyo turned to look at her. “What?”
Nabiki pointed to her shoulder. “I just noticed. When did you get a copy of Zhu Shu’s tattoo?”
“What?” Ukyo tried to look at her back and failed miserably.
Kagura raised an eyebrow. “It was on her back when I first met her.”
Ukyo pulled up the back of her tube top at Nabiki’s request, and the bunny girl let out a hum of interest. “It’s not exactly the same though. The Dragon is the same, and the swords with their ribbons, but the spatula has been replaced by a banner with a stylized imperial dragon. The staff in the center has been replaced by a very large naginata, and the Tigress has been replaced too. The claw is reaching for a phoenix.”
Rei looked at the tattoo as well. “That’s Lin Tzu’s banner, Nabiki. Can you pull your pants down a little Ukyo? Zhu Shu’s tattoo has a set of Senshi symbols at the base of the staff.” Rei shook her head when Ukyo did so. “That’s different too. There is a black Chinese dragon curled in a circle, but its tail is touching the throwing star.”
Ukyo sighed. “Damn it. It seems even the Dragon is trying to push me into loving Zhu Shu. I like boys!” The last sentence came out as a plaintive sigh. “Remind me when we rescue her to have her tell the Dragon off for me.”
Rei laughed. “It won’t do any good, Ukyo. But for what it’s worth I’ll try to remember. Now, does anyone know which way we should head to find this Naraku and kill him? Something tells me that we’re here for a purpose and until we receive some clearer sign, rescuing Zhu-chan is top of my list.”
Ukyo cracked her knuckles while Tao-Ching rumbled in agreement.
Nabiki frowned. “This may not be important, but something is nagging me. Tao-Ching’s grandfather told me that Naraku placed a curse on the Hibiki line, and based on what you guy’s have said, this Naraku does nothing without a reason, nothing which does not serve him, or protect him in some way.”
Miroku nodded. “The curse he placed on my grandfather was done because he had come too close to killing the fiend.”
“Then I have to wonder about the Hibiki curse. Supposedly it was placed on them because the entire clan sought revenge for the murder of their patriarch, and to recover Burekaishi, a sword created by a guy named Totosai, who Lo Shen said made Tetsusaiga too.”
Sango shouldered her massive boomerang. “Well, since I have no doubt that Mouryoumaru will have moved from wherever he was hiding now that Kagura has joined us, and until we get some clue to Naraku’s whereabouts, I suggest we go see the smith. My village is on the way, and we can restock and get you clothes that fit better than my spare kimonos..”
Nabiki jerked a thumb at the still unconscious Inuyasha. “Then dig loverboy out of the dirt and let’s go find Kagome and get started. I thought I lost Zhu-chan once, and I will be damned if I am going to let a two bit jumped up youkai get away with taking my sister from me again!”
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