140Summary: Kagome finds herself stuck in the present with a fully completed jewel to take care of. Team Urameshi discovers their new mission may impact the fate of world more than they bargained for. When the forces of a long forgotten evil begin to stir, destiny will draw them together. Pairings yet to be decided.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. Credit goes to the respective organizations who created them. This story however, is mine and written purely for the enjoyment of fans of both series.
Jewels of Our Hearts
Chapter One
Koenma stared at the giant screen before him in growing dread. On it a map glowed, red dots ominously collecting near the edges of a golden border. He crossed his arms, puzzling over the new development. 'It has to be that. There's no other reason for it.' A sudden knock to his office door briefly pulled his brown gaze away. "Come in."
A green ogre hastily burst inside. "K-Koenma sir! Another one slipped through!"
"How many does that make this week?"
The ogre glanced down at the disorganized mess of papers in his hands. "Three!"
Koenma turned back to the screen, his frown intensifying. "Get Team Urameshi in here now!" He didn't look back, even when his door closed loudly behind him. 'Damn ogres...no respect for my property.'
Before him the red dots glittered ominously.
/.../
Kagome held a black umbrella in one hand as she gazed sadly at the marked stone before her. Bending down she balanced on the tips of her toes before leaning in to place a single red rose on the grave. Instantly her hand was soaked by the pouring rain, but she paid it little head. Rubbing the appendage against the rough fabric of her jeans to dry it she stood once more and sighed. 'Eight years went by so quickly.'
"I bet he's so proud of you honey."
She turned to her mother, a soft smile lifting her features. "Not just me. You've been the best mom ever. It's not easy being the mom of a time traveler after all."
Her mother smiled weakly, but said nothing. Instead her gaze fixed on the pink sphere that hung complete around her daughter's neck. "Three and a half years."
She looked down at it as well, gentling lifting it with her fingers. The jewel glowed innocently at her, a warm pale-pink emitting from it even in the rain. "To be honest, I thought it would take longer."
"Sometimes I feel, it took too long." Her mother sighed deeply, then planted a cheerful grin. "Alright, I think that's long enough out here in the rain. Your father will understand if we cut his visit a bit short this year."
She waved her along. "Go ahead without me. I'll catch up. I just have a few more things to say."
With a silent nod her mother turned and left. After a few moments she found herself alone in the paved graveyard. The gentle patter of rain echoed off her umbrella, and for a while she remained silent as she stared at her father's name.
Eight years since the incident.
She still refused to label it an accident. Murder was no accident. Unbidden images flashed in her mind - patchy replays of horrors not completely forgotten. It was strange how future events could explain the past. It took her fateful trip down the well to make her realize just what had happened all those years ago.
A demon had killed her father.
She remembered telling what she saw to the police who found her. How they attributed that to PTSD. How the psychologist told her that her mind had created the images as a way to deal with her real trauma. How her mother had begged and begged for her to get past it - to remember who it really was that killed her husband so brutally. How even she began to doubt her own sanity.
Eventually the police had written it off as a tragic accident - a suicide drop from a building. Even her mother believe it, thinking that was why she could never admit the truth. After a while, even she believed it.
Until she met a demon again, when it pulled her down the well.
"I'm sorry dad. I should have fought harder for you." Only the steady hum of raindrops answered. Her hands fisted at her sides. "I should have been stronger." The jewel continued to glow gently, resting on her chest. 'I will be stronger.'
Then she turned to face the demon quickly approaching her.
/.../
"What is it this time toddler!"
Koenma eyed the disrespectful detective with obvious distaste. "Yusuke, how many times have I told you NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"
He huffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah yeah. Just spill it already, I'm missing a date with Keiko." Kuwabura snickered at that. He could already imagine the ear-full the detective would get upon his return.
'Ah young love. If only I had the time to worry over such things.' Koenma sighed, shaking his head as he motioned toward the giant screen behind him. On it a picture of a beautiful pink jewel suddenly flared to life. "This. This is your mission."
Kurama and Hiei both visibly tensed.
"You brought me here over a stupid pink jewel?"
"That's not just any jewel, Yusuke." Kurama's voice was even, but the detective paused any further objections when he saw his friend's face. The fox looked clearly unsettled, his eyes never leaving the screen from the moment the pink orb appeared. Even Hiei was captivated.
"Well, what is it then?" He shot a look to Kuwabura who shrugged, just as clueless as him in the matter.
Koenma cleared his throat. "This is what created the barrier between worlds. It's been missing for around five hundred years."
Yusuke burst out laughing. "Are you serious? That thing that looks like something from my grandma's jewelry box created the barrier?"
Kuwabara turned to Koenma. "Is it really that powerful?"
Koenma glared. "Yes. Your job is to find it, and whoever has it, and then bring them both to me."
"What makes you think we can find it now?"
Koenma scolwed at the fox. "I'm getting to th-"
"Yeah! And how are we even supposed to start looking for the stupid thing anyway?"
"Well, I'll explain if you-"
"Wait, how could you even let something that important go missing for so long?" Kuwabura looked at the jewel on the screen curiously.
"Quiet!" Koenma waved off any further questions with a dismissive flick of his wrist. "Pay attention, because I'm only going to explain this once." He clicked the screen over to an image of a map. "See that golden line? That's the barrier." He clicked again, and the screen flipped over to an enlarged image that now displayed multiple red dots scattered all across the golden line. "See those red dots? Those are demons. Hundreds upon hundreds of lower class demons."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Koenma turned to gaze at the map, arms crossing as he studied the numbers lining the barrier. "We think they are drawn to the power of the jewel. Lower class demons have always been more easily...swayed by its magic. The jewel draws those with weak morals and strength because they are easier to corrupt and control."
Hiei smirked. "Better watch the idiot then." He pointedly eyed Kuwabara, who flushed in outrage. "Hey! My morals are of the highest standard! At least I have them, shrimp!"
"It wasn't your stupid code of ethics I was concerned about."
"AHEM!"
They both quieted, but the room grew noticeably tense as they stared down one another.
Koenma turned back to the screen. "Now where was I...oh yes, well, as a result they are more attuned to the natural rift the jewel creates wherever it resides. They then swarm to the general location they sense it from." He turned to them. "In other words, the jewel is calling them to it. A number of them have already escaped into the human world. Find them, and you'll probably find the jewel."
/.../
She sheathed her blade as the demon disappeared into purified ash behind her. The rain carried away the dirt down the paved stairs. She was completely soaked now, her umbrella discarded. Standing straight she turned back to her father's grave. 'Would you be proud of me?' Her gaze drifted to the sky above, blue-grey eyes squinting against the onslaught of water. "Is this what you wanted? Is this my punishment?"
No one answered her, and she felt inexplicably alone again. 'Time to go home.' Stashing her katana back into the folds of her clothing, she gathered up her umbrella before heading towards Sunset Shrine. 'I'll need my rest for the crazy day at my new school tomorrow.'
/.../
"What do you mean 'it just disappeared' you idiot!? A demon doesn't just up and vanish!"
Kuwbara glared heatedly at Yusuke. "I mean what I mean! It vanished! I can't feel its energy anymore!"
Yusuke turned desperate eyes to Hiei. "Tell me you at least got something with that freaky third eye of yours?"
Crimson eyes narrowed. "No, detective."
Yusuke threw his hands up in frustration. They had been searching for five hours now, out in the rain no less, when finally Kuwabara had sensed one of the escaped demons. Then apparently it just magically disappeared without a trace before they could even start on the trail.
Kurama sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I suggest we call it a night."
"Whatever, I'll see you guys tomorrow then." Yusuke kicked a stray stone in annoyance. His mood was completely shot with their lack of progress. Here he was, dying to get some action and all they had managed to do was go for a very long walk in the rain.
"Hn." Hiei disappeared the next second.
Kurama placed a placating hand on his friend. "We'll get better results tomorrow, when the rain clears up so Hiei and I can use our other senses to help track them down."
Kuwabara pouted at that. "I can sense demons perfectly fine. None of them are active is all."
Yusuke puzzled over that odd realization. How was it that there were random escaped demons in the human world and none of them had caused any obvious havoc yet?
"It is strange, isn't it?"
Yusuke looked at the red head whose thoughts were echoing his own. "Yeah, it really is."
This whole damn day was strange.
/.../
Kurama found it hard to concentrate in class the next morning. Not that he needed to anyway, the subject matter was dull and easy to understand. It just so happened, that there was something much more interesting capturing his attention instead. Something, or rather someone with pretty blue-grey eyes, long ebony hair, and a body that had the silver fox in him purring with delight. 'That's a nice pair of legs.'
She was a new transfer, and her name was Kagome Higurashi.
Normally human females didn't really capture his interest. It was hard to rationalize getting himself involved with someone outside of his line of work. How could you form relationships based around lies and omitted truths? He had resigned himself to a life of solitude with only the ancient fox inside for company. Or so he thought. Something about this Higurashi girl intrigued him though, and it wasn't just because she kept casting suspicious looks in his direction when she thought he wasn't looking. Or maybe that was entirely the reason why.
He was used to adoration from the opposite gender. None had ever looked at him with such discomfort and confusion. It made him curious. The fact that she was easy on the eyes was just an added bonus. She was a puzzle, one he figured would be simple enough to solve and perhaps pass the time between living a normal life and his missions.
The class bell rang, signaling the end and his chance to strike up a conversation with her. He stood and put on his best dazzling smile. "Miss Higurashi?"
The girl stiffened, pausing mid-action with a book halfway inside her bag. She slowly turned her head to face him with her own small smile. "Um, yes?"
"Do you need any help finding your next class? As Class President I feel it's my duty to offer you an escort." He extended his hand in a rather Western way of greeting. "Shuichi Minamio. I'd be my pleasure to help you in any what that I can."
Hesitantly she reached for it. "Kagome Higurashi, as you already know. Thank you for-" Her words died when her hand wrapped around his. A sudden flare of energy erupted up his arm, and with a quick jerk she pulled away. "Uh...on second thought, I'll manage on my own. One of the office assistants gave me a tour. I'd rather not trouble you."
"Is everything alright? Did I hurt you?" His hand hung limply in the air where she left it.
She turned back to her desk and hastily continued packing her books away. "Nope. Just low tolerance to pressure. Some sort of autoimmune condition. It's nothing, don't worry." She zipped up her pack, slung it over her shoulder then forced herself to meet his gaze one more time. "Thanks for the offer though. It was a pleasure meeting you." She bowed slightly, then hurried from the classroom.
Kurama made no attempt to stop her. Instead he watched her go with growing curiosity. His green gaze studied the hand that she had briefly held. The touch had been so quick...the surge of energy he felt disappeared so fast he had no time to truly analyze it. All he knew, is that it was a power he had not experienced in quite a long time. 'The puzzle deepens.'
'And grows more interesting.' Yoko agreed.
...
Ok yes, I started another story. This one had been burning in my head for quite some time though, so I thought why not throw it out and see if there's any interest? As always I look forward to any and all feedback (positive or negative). If there's enough interest, then I will continue this story I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'll try to get better with up-dating. For anyone reading Fairytales Happen Everywhere, I am working on the next chapter and anticipate having it completed soon.
Cheers!
Spice of Inu-Yasha