Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Not Your Normal 9 to 5: Overtime ❯ Chapter 3: Assessing the situation ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 3: Assessing the situation

 

 

 

The air smelled as crisp as it had the last time he had been here, and to Lennex, it was a welcome change from all the polluted air he had in the future. He and Shippo had cleared the Bone Eaters Well right away and now stood in the grassy meadow that contained it, surrounded by the trees of the forest. He took a quick reading of the area with his mind and felt all the signatures that were of demon origin. He also felt many battle powers that had not been here before. These had to belong to the Kremon Alliance and most of the battle powers were very low, probably signifying the common soldiers that Vegeta had told them about. There were however a few strong ones and if they could hide their power just like himself, then there was no telling what kind of trouble they would encounter.

 

Lennex glanced at Shippo and saw him staring at the well, or what had been the corner of it. There was chunk missing out of it and the edges of that missing chunk were charred and blackened.

 

“Near miss eh Shippo-chan?” he said to the fox. Shippo nodded his agreement and Lennex felt the entry of Krillian through the well. He assumed that 18 was with him, since her android body didn't produce a normal ki signature and wasn't disappointed when the blond android cleared the well with her short husband. The two looked around in a bit of awe as they took in the past for the first time.

 

“Amazing, Do I know how to pick a vacation spot or what?” Krillian said to his beautiful wife. He got a slight nod from her, and to those that knew her, that was a ringing endorsement. He saw Krillian's jovial attitude slide of his face a little bit and knew that he must have just sensed all the energy signatures around them.

 

“Wow, this is going to be Namek all over again.” He said more to himself then anyone.

 

“The energy signatures that feel different and odd to you are the ones that belong to demons like Shippo here. Hopefully they won't give us any problems while we deal with the Kremons.” Lennex clarified

 

“Well that's something at least. Still, this could take a while.” He replied. At that moment they felt the arrival of Bra and Piccolo. The two leapt out of the well and moved towards the rest.

 

Bra stopped by Lennex and smiled at him while glancing around. This would be her second trip to the past so she was prepared for the difference in site and smell. Lennex looked at his Namek sensei and saw him taking everything in with a cool eye. He looked at Lennex and spoke.

 

“If that's all the more powerful they are, this should be easy, but I doubt we will be that lucky.” He said indicating that the first thing he had done was scope out the enemy.

 

“We never are, are we?” Krillian responded to Piccolo. The Namek grunted in agreement and looked around at the forest waiting silently for the rest of their companions. They didn't have to wait much longer as they felt Goku's arrival. He floated up out of the well carrying Kagome's mother bridal style. When he set down on the ground he set her gently to her feet, both of them looking around. Lennex could see that the past didn't have that much of an effect on Goku. He figured the reason behind that was because Goku lived far outside the city, in the wild untamed countryside of Japan. Mrs. Higarashi however took everything in with wide eyed wonder.

 

“So this is the land my daughter has been helping defend the last couple years.” The woman's respect for her daughter skyrocketed immensely. She always knew the dangers Kagome faced as her daughter rarely kept anything from her. But hearing about the past and seeing it first hand were two entirely different things

 

“Welcome to feudal Japan everyone.” Lennex said jovially waving his arms to encompass the land. The others smiled and took in everything around them in silence. A silence that was brutally shattered.

 

“…kill you in your sleep, I know where you're most vulnerable you miserable son of a ...” a woman's voice shouted from inside the well before it was cut off.

 

“Why don't you just let any potential enemies know we have arrived? I swear your planets definition of genius does not match the rest of the galaxies.” A male voice retorted

 

Those that stood in the meadow cringed, some immediately dropped into defensive stances, but then, those familiar with the voices straightened up, some of them grinning, others shaking their heads. Shippo and Mrs. Higarashi, seeing everyone else relaxing did the same. Moments later, Vegeta flew out of the well and unceremoniously dropped Bulma to the ground. The look on her face promised retribution, but the Sayjin prince either was not worried, or chose to ignore it.

 

“You always did know how to make an entrance.” Lennex said laughing, Krillian joining him in the ribbing. They both however dropped the smiles of their faces when Vegeta glowered at them. Bulma stood up and brushed her pant off before seeming to forget about Vegeta's rude behavior and looked around at the past.

 

“Wow this is amazing. I can get a lot of data from being back here. Soil samples, water samples, we can have an actual comparison between this time and ours. Science would...”

 

Her thought was never finished as Vegeta cleared his throat. Bulma looked at him with the menace back in her eyes. Again Vegeta ignored this.

 

“Later woman, we have a battle to win first.” He said to her before turning to Lennex. “We need information. I'd like to know what's going on if that's possible in this backwater time.”

 

Lennex nodded to the Sayjin prince. “The best place to go would be the village, if anyone knows what's going on around these parts, the priestess Kaede will.”

 

“Lead the way then.” Vegeta commanded

 

Lennex nodded again, and together with Shippo, started off along the beaten path that led to the village.

 

 

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They had walked to the edge of the forest before Vegeta called a halt. He deemed a small group would be best to go into the village. If they wall went it might draw more attention then they wanted. Lennex volunteered almost at once and Shippo was not far behind. Surprisingly Mrs. Higarashi also spoke up, wanting to visit the village she heard her daughter talk about so much. Vegeta nodded and turned to Bulma who had crept up to the edge of the forest and looked down the hill towards the village, a pair of electronic binoculars to her eyes as she surveyed the rice fields and the village below.

 

She dropped the binocular and let the strap carry the weight as she walked back to the group, her face a mixture of thought and triumph.

 

“I knew we'd need disguises to blend in so I already had some stuff put together. The ready made outfits almost match, and I should be able to remove the things that don't.” she said when she was in earshot. She removed a capsule box from her belt and opened it, quickly selecting a blue one. She pressed the button on the top and tossed the capsule to the ground. A small poofing noise accompanied by a cloud of smoke erupted on the ground and when the smoke cleared a large crate was on the ground.

 

She repeated this two more times and started digging through the crates tossing clothing to either Lennex or Mrs. Higarashi. When she was finished the two walked back into the trees for some privacy to change. Bulma re encapsulated the crates and put the small capsules back in the box before selecting a red one. She threw it to the ground and a few moments later a small box laid there. She picked that up and opened it reveling two small ear transmitters. She handed one to Vegeta, while pulling the other one out of the box.

 

After a few moments the two infiltrators came back to the pathways garbed in the clothes Bulma had given them. Lennex and Mrs. Higarashi both wore the clothes of village peasants

 

Lennex spoke to Shippo “Well what do you think, these match pretty well?”

 

The kit looked them both over and after a few moments he nodded his head Bulma's face had a smug look on it. She walked over to Lennex handing him the other ear bud. “Of course they match, I put it all together remember. Now this little item will let Vegeta hear everything said so he can get a first hand account. They will also let him talk to you so he can have you ask the questions that you haven't already asked.”

 

Lennex nodded his head and clicked the small button on the item causing the insides to glow a faint blue. He shoved the piece into his ear and the blue faded away, replaced with the exact color of Lennex's skin.

 

“Well, let's go to work shall we?” Lennex said gesturing towards the path. Shippo and Mrs. Higarashi went first followed closely by Lennex. The others stepped back further in the trees.

 

“Ok most of the villagers are going to recognize Shippo here, but if anyone who doesn't know him asks, we're all just one happy family.” Lennex said to his female companion. She nodded her understanding and they continued on. Lennex nodded his head to the workman out in the rice paddies as they walked between the fields. It didn't take them long to enter the village

 

There were women about with baskets of goods or cloths, heading to their destinations while the men were either out in the fields or working on the huts of the village. The one thing Lennex noticed was each villager walked with an air of alertness that he had not seen in them before. Shippo led the way to Kaede's hut and the two followed him closely. The reached the hut in minutes and saw the old woman sitting in front of her hut, separating herbs. She must have been deep in thought because she didn't look up till they were almost upon her. When she did, her one eye widened in surprise.

 

“Shippo, thank the gods, they said you had died?” she said to the small fox as he ran up to her giving the older woman a fierce hug. Lennex spoke next.

 

“While I would love to hear who they are, I think it would be better to speak inside your hut, Lady Kaede.”

 

The older woman looked up at him it didn't take her long to recognize him.

 

“I see ye have returned to our world, and yes it would be best to go inside.” She laid the herbs aside and Lennex helped her to her feet and the four entered the hut.

 

“Kaede, have you heard anything about Inuyasha and the others?” Shippo asked before they had even finished settling down.

 

Kaede nodded and looked at Lennex. “I think I can answer both questions at the same time. Men have appeared here in the village of late. They are not demon but they have items that give them such strange power. They all wear a silver armor and treat everyone they come across as beneath them. Certain ones have made repeated visits, asking about the young one here. It seems they wanted to know more about the fox they had killed in a pursuit so they could take the knowledge back to his friends who they said they held captive.”

 

Shippo's face lit up a little at the mention of his friends. “So they are still alive?” he asked, the hope evident in his voice.

 

“As far as I know they are. From what I have gathered from the near by villages, these men have appeared all over in the last day. They are searching for something, and it seems that they keep focusing on demons, but they still search. The ones I spoke of before have come back to this village twice for food and supplies. Their strength is unmatched. They have come to see me personally asking about Inuyasha and the others. It seems they know this is his home, but the people have told them little. From what I hear most of them are in bad shape.”

 

The comment caused Mrs. Higarashi to gasp and place a hand to her mouth. Kaede focused on her. “I have yet to make your acquaintance. May I ask who you are?”

 

Lennex spoke for her, seeing that the woman needed more time to get herself under control. “This fine woman is Kagome's mother. She wanted to come back with us to help out her daughter.”

 

Kaede bowed her head in greeting. “You should be very proud of your daughter; she has faced many perils to help this country out. Things are starting to become clear now,” She said turning her attention back to Shippo, “they said they had killed you in the bone eater's well meadow, and that nothing was left of the body, but you went down the well to enlist his aid. Very clever child, as I feel we do need it. But unlike last time when there was only one opponent. Now there are many. Can you handle it alone?” she asked Lennex

 

“Ah, but I'm not alone, my friends wait for me on the edge of the forest. We have some knowledge of the enemy, who they are and what they are looking for. We just wanted to get a picture on what has been going on since Shippo left. You said from what the other villages are saying, they are spreading pretty fast eh? Is there any idea on how long they have been here?”

 

Kaede nodded “That they are. One village reports seeing these men as early as two days ago. Nothing I have heard of since then has said any earlier then that. The village stores have been raided and even the Daimyos are feeling the effects of these interlopers.”

 

“Well that's why we are here. To put them in their place.” Lennex said, he looked at Shippo “But first things first, lets go save your friends, can you remember the way to that camp?”

 

“I can get us close, close enough that my nose should be able to get us the rest of the way, I wasn't exactly watching my surroundings when I was running.” The kit responded.

 

Lennex was about to respond when he went silent, the ear bud had made three quick static bursts before going silent. He pulled the item from his ear and the skin color faded leaving it the dull blue. The glow had disappeared.

 

“What happened to it?” Mrs. Higarashi asked remember it should be glowing.

 

“Remote shut off, Bulma turned it off for some reason.”

 

That reason was quickly discovered as a villager stopped at the door way of the hut. “Lady Kaede, they have returned.” He spoke quickly as he ran off. Lennex crept to the doorway and peered out. Sure enough several men were walking through the village. Some splitting up while one remained on a direct path to them.

 

“That is the one that keeps coming back almost every two hours.” Kaede said from his side.

 

Lennex looked back at the other two. “Ok new plan Shippo on the bed and pull up the covers so they can't see your feet. You get to play sick.” He said and looked at Mrs. Higarashi, “and you get to play the worried mother.”

 

Shippo quickly got on the bed and pulled the covers over his fox feet while Mrs. Higarashi knelt beside the bed, doing a very good job of looking worried. Shippo closed his eyes and then opened them quickly.

 

“What about my ears?” He asked.

 

Lennex swore as he forgot about the fox demons pointed ears. He looked around quickly and saw a pot of water with some rags behind it. He quickly wet one and folded it handing it to Mrs. Higarashi. She caught on and laid it across Shippo's forehead, letting the edges fall over the tops of his ears. Lennex quickly turned to Kaede and said

 

“He fell ill last night and his fever hasn't broken. We didn't know what to do and our village elder said you know how to cure many sicknesses, please Priestess, help our son!” Lennex finished the statement by dropping to his knees and bowing low just as a shadow fell over them from the doorway.

 

“Yes Priestess, help the poor fools and their child.” Lennex glanced up, keeping the fear of loosing a child on his face as he watched the man take off his helmet. He was humanoid and his skin matched theirs but his hair had a greenish tint to it. He walked over to the bed and peered down.

 

“I could end his suffering for you.” He said as he pointed his arm at the child, a small glow appearing at the end.

 

Lennex recognized the ki cannon and was about to move when Mrs. Higarashi flung herself over the child, playing her part well, “No please, he's my only son. Don't take him from me!” she said hiding her face in the crook of Shippo's neck.

 

The Kremon solider laughed but powered down his cannon as he turned to Kaede.

 

“You know why I am back. Our Recon keeps pointing us to this village. Our information states that many strange things happen here and many powerful creatures show up. We believe what we want is here or that someone one here knows about it.”

 

Kaede walked up to the man unafraid. “I have told ye that we are protected by the great half demon Inuyasha, anything that comes here looking for trouble is dealt with by him.”

 

The soldier laughed. “That weakling mongrel is your savior eh. Maybe what we want isn't here then for that pathetic…demon is it… couldn't defend anything from what we have seen. All he does is constantly moan and whine and threaten us over the treatment of the young girl that was with him. We keep trying to tell him that she is a slave girl to us now, and she will be properly taken care off.” He said laughing.

 

Lennex was glad that Kagome's mother still had her face hidden because the glance of it he'd gotten saw it go deathly white. He reached into his tunic and under his armor where he stored a few things before bringing out a small cube of adhesive putty. He quickly molded it and stuck the ear bud inside. Before crawling in front of the soldier.

 

“Please sire I beg of you, please leave the priestess be, our child is sick and she is our only hope.” He said, bowing low before him and grabbing the man's boots and pressing the putty into the back as he begged.

 

Like the ear bud the putty quickly color changed matching the silver of the boots. That was the only thing he saw as the soldier kicked him back.

 

“Get off of me you sniveling worm. We do what we please. Your world will soon find this out the hard way I fear.” He laughed at his own wit and left the dwelling, apparently satisfied with what he had been told.

 

Lennex picked himself up off the ground and wiped the blood from his lip. “Remind me to repay him for that.” He said to no one in particular. Shippo sat up and Mrs. Higarashi turned to face him, he could see tear tracks on her face but she had her emotions under control now.

 

“Thank you for the shelter Lady Kaede, but we have a jail break to put together.” Lennex said looking out the doorway. The last of the soldiers had taken to the air and were gone over the trees. He motioned for the two to follow him and they hurried back up to the woods.

 

When they were close enough to Bulma Lennex said “Please tell me that you can track those communicators even when they are off?”

 

“Of course I can. Why?” she asked.

 

“I planted mine on one of the soldiers; he all but confirmed he's from the camp that is holding my friends.”

 

Vegeta nodded his approval. “Lets find some place that's out of view to set up our temporary headquarters and then we will pay them a visit. We need something like a small valley or a large cave or something.

 

“There's a small canyon just south of the village that have plenty of caves. Inuyasha once fought a giant scorpion to the death there.” Shippo piped up.

 

“Perfect, lead the way runt.” Vegeta replied.

 

Shippo quickly bounded off and the rest moved to follow him. Krillian sidling up beside Bulma.

 

“Gee, hiding in a cave, this really is Namek all over again.”

 

Bulma chuckled and the two walked on to their next destination.

 

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AN/ Well here is the next installment. Hope you liked it. Feed back is always welcome. Next chapter should be out sooner then it took to do this one, but I always say that so I wont make any promises, but I am itching to write it as we will be seeing our old friends once again, hopefully our heros are not to late wink wink. Until next time.