InuYasha Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Sovereign Destiny ❯ Colors of Life – Part I ( Chapter 14 )

Sovereign Destiny

Chapter 13: Color of Life - Part I

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.

 

Story Summary:

A new threat will reunite the Yu Yu Hakusho team once again but this time the stakes are different and much higher. Will the once spirit detective and friends rise to this new challenge or will they prefer to sit back and allow fate to decide for them their place in the worlds?

 

Chapter Tagline:

The group looked in the direction that Sota was and soon they saw a magnificent creature.

 

Chapter 13: Colors of Life- Part I

 

When they arrived at the Higurashi family shrine they found it quiet and deserted. Business this time of year was usually slow so it was not unusual for Kagome's mother and grandfather to close down the shrine and go visit friends in other cities as was the case now.

 

“This is where you and Kagome grew up?” Yusuke asked Sota as he surveyed the property.

 

“Yes it is,” Sota answered before going into his tour guide mode and explaining some of the shrine's history that he thought would be of interest to them.

 

While Sota talked Kagome silently lead the way to the Goshinboku as her eyes hungrily took in her surroundings. It had been many years since she had been able to visit her family at the shrine for fear of being discovered and bringing King Yama's wrath down upon her family. Koenma followed a good distance behind Kagome but close enough to the group to hear Sota. He could tell she was thoughtful and could fully imagine what was occupying her thoughts since he had many memories here as well. Koenma and Kagome were both pulled out of their thoughts when Sota made an announcement.

 

“And that over there is the well house that contains the well that allowed my sister to travel though time,” Sota said with a dramatic show of his hands.

 

“In that thing? You got to be kidding. It feels creepy,” Kuwabara said as he walked towards the well house.

 

“You see the well was originally used to dispose of the bones of demons. It was made from the Goshinboku but the negative energy from the demons has been absorbed by the well warping its aura. Here, I'll show you if you aren't scared,” Sota said with a laugh as he walked over and opened the door.

 

“Sota, we are here for a reason you know,” Kagome said, stopping him short.

 

“Oh come on, sis, after you activate the Goshinboku there won't be any time for anything fun since we'll be rushing around trying to activate the other five sacred objects of Gaia. This will only take a minute,” Sota said with a pout.

 

“Yeah, come on, Kagome. We want to see to see it. Stop being such a slave driver,” Yusuke said before walking towards Sota.

 

Kagome just sighed as she watched passively as their big group followed Sota and Yusuke into the well house. She then turned to Koenma, catching his eye since he had remained outside with Botan and George and mouthed the word “children” to him before turning and continuing to the Goshinboku.

 

When they got to the Goshinboku, Kagome climbed over the small fence before going up to the tree and gently reaching out and touching it. She then ran her fingers along the familiar mark made by the arrow that had pinned Inuyasha to the tree centuries before. Next, she knelt down and started stroking her right hand along the trunk as she placed her other hand on a root that was visible. She closed her eyes in concentration and soon the tree, along with her, began to shine a pale green. Feeling a spike in energy, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama, followed by the rest of the group, came and stood beside Koenma who was watching.

 

“Kuwabara, Sota, do you see that?” Kagome asked without looking up or opening her eyes.

 

“Yeah sis, the life flow is amazing,” Sota said excitedly.

 

“We never saw life or spirit patterns like that in training, that's for sure,” Kuwabara said, getting closer.

 

“Okay Kuwabara I want you to watch closely as I continue,” Kagome said before focusing all her attention on the task at hand. The pale green shine started glowing brighter and soon the tree's aura expanded out, encompassing the group and filling them all with a sense of tranquility and wellbeing. The glow became blindingly bright but it caused no pain to their eyes and then, when it seemed the trees aura would swallow them whole, it shot upwards becoming lost within the blue sky and the sunlight. Everyone was silent as Kagome, who was slightly out of breath, stood up and faced them. It was Shizuru who spoke what was on a vast majority of the group's mind.

 

“My little brother has the ability to do something like that?” she said, her voice giving away that she felt a little overwhelmed by the experience.

 

“Yes and much much more,” Kagome responded as she climbed back over the fence. “We should get moving. There is much work to do today and not much time or energy to do it in.”

 

&&Scene Change&&

 

Kuwabara's team made good time in getting to the shrine that Yusuke and Kayko had found the day before but were discouraged by what they found. The shrine was packed with people and the area where the sacred object of Gaia stood was surrounded. With things the way they were it would be impossible to activate it without causing a major scene.

 

“Well this is not going to work,” Botan said, “I say we need some short of diversion. Yes a distraction would do just nicely right now.” As she finished saying this a priest called for everyone attention before beginning a story.

 

“Hey guys I have an idea,” Shizuru spoke getting the groups attention, “These people are concentrating on the idea that there are evil spirits out and about ready to do harm to the living, let's make their fears a reality. Hey you mister dressed in black and all mysterious, you can move fast enough where no one can see you, right?”

 

Hiei took a few moments to give Shizuru a glare that promised a vast amount of pain before saying, “I have no intention of being any part of this distraction.”

 

Kuwabara, seeing his sister was about to use her own personally style of persuasion on Hiei, reached out and put his left hand on her shoulder to shush her a moment before leaning down to Yukina and whispering low enough that she could hear him.

 

“Yukina ask him to cooperate. He will do it if you ask. I know you can persuade him,” he said this with his right hand on her shoulder and his mouth close to her left ear which earned him a glare from Hiei.

 

Yukina leaned back a bit and using the same low whisper Kuwabara did and said, “Me? Why would Hiei listen to me?”

 

“I'll explain later. Please just trust me and do this. I have a feeling it's going to be great,” Kuwabara said with a smirk.

 

Yukina nodded her head before speaking to Hiei, “Please, Hiei, do whatever Shizuru wants. I'm sure it will make this whole thing go faster and we do not have much time to argue.” Hiei's eyebrows did a noticeable twitch before he gave his full attention to Shizuru.

 

“It's not like it's all that hard Hiei,” she said to him, “just go around the shrine scaring people and make them think there's a spirit out on the loose. Once everyone is out of the area we will do what needs to be done and then we can get out of here.”

 

Hiei mumbled something that sounded like a death threat as he departed to do his task. Within moments women started to scream and people started leaving the area. Soon the area was almost empty except for a group of teenage boys that stood right next to their goal. Before anyone could address this problem Shizuru took matters into her own hands.

 

&&Scene Change&&

 

As soon a Kuwabara leaned down to whisper to his sister Hiei understood what Kagome was referring to the night before. Kuwabara knew he was Yukina's brother and would have no misgivings about revealing that fact to Yukina. He wasn't surprised that he had figured it out but he was surprised that Kuwabara hadn't told her yet. The only logical explanation for that would be that Kagome asked him not to until this situation was over. This left very few options for Hiei.

 

He could always kill Kuwabara but that would do more harm than good considering everyone would suspect him and besides that would just make Yukina sad and Yusuke angry. Not that he would do that anyways even if he could get away with it since he respected the human even though he would cut out his tongue before admitting it. So that left him two options: tell Yukina himself or let Kuwabara do it for him. The latter was actually the one that held the most appeal. This is what Hiei allowed himself to dwell on as he fluently weaved through the crowd scaring the women, children, and men as he went. If he had been paying more attention to his task he would never have become the victim of the events that were about to take place.

 

Seeing that the crowd was thinning out, Hiei went towards the forest to find a tree that would have a good enough view to make sure the crowds left and see Kuwabara's progress. He ran swiftly and when he spotted a tree near a small river he jumped and caught his foot on a trap wire causing a net to fall down on him. This normally would not have been any issue except it caused him to land on a lower branch than what he was aiming for that could not support him and the weight of the net. The outcome was inevitable and Hiei found himself landing face first into the water.

 

&&Scene Change&&

 

Shizuru strolled purposefully up to the group of boys before she started yelling, “Hey didn't you hear there's a spirit on the lose get out of here!”

 

The group looked at her broadly before the leader said, “Yeah right as if we are scared of a dumb old spirit.”

 

Shizuru responded to this by going closer to the group until she was face to face with the leader and said, “I said get of here and I suggest you do before I make you get out of here.”

 

Now Kuwabara recognized her tone and felt pity for the boys but it wasn't necessary. This is because the leader of the group must have had an older sister like Shizuru as well since he took one look at her and told his group that they'd better be leaving now. With the boys gone the area was clear to activate the sacred object of Gaia.

 

Kuwabara put his hands on the tree while still standing and soon it started to glow in a similar manner as before except this time the light was a pale blue. The process was not as smooth or quick as when Kagome had done it but the end result was the same. Soon the light was shooting up and once again was lost in the sky. Kuwabara, out of breath, then walked back the group.

 

“Well done,” Koenma said as he smiled at Kuwabara and the others looked on with approval.

 

“We need to get moving. Where is Hiei?” Genkai asked. Shortly after she asked a basically dry Hiei appeared and they left to head to the next shrine.

 

&&Scene Change&&

 

The journey to the shrine Kurama and Shizuru had found was uneventful. Once there Kuwabara went right to work causing a yellow light to shoot into the sky. Afterwards the group could see Kuwabara was tiring but he did not say anything about his fatigue as they went deeper into the forest towards the border of demon world.

 

The group walked in silence except for Sota who was taking the time to explain to the humans of the group the different plants and animals they were seeing in demon world. They walked until early evening when Sota told them to stop.

 

“We are almost to the border of Shippo's territory. He is a fox demon who is a master of illusion who is also using a sacred object of Gaia to protect his borders. Meaning if you get separated from me you won't be finding your way in,” he said before continuing. After walking a bit more, Sota stopped again and scanned the trees before adjusting their course.

 

“Oh it seems as if Shippo's coming to greet us,” Sota said as he stopped once again and turned to the right of the group.

 

The group looked in the direction that Sota was and soon they saw a magnificent creature. In many ways it reminded them of Youko. He has long flowing hair but instead of silver it was red with bright turquoise eyes instead of gold. He wore lose fitting cloths the same color as his eyes and his face was softer than the harsh looking Youko, but still seemed as serious.

 

“Hey, Ship! What brings you out here?” Sota said as he waved his hand in greeting.

 

“Didn't feel like waiting,” Shippo said with a smile, “besides I have been watching this group along with you and Kagome so I thought it would only be proper to come out and introduce myself before showing them my lands.” After saying this to Sota he turned to address the rest of the group.

 

“I am Shippo one of three self-appointed overseers of the living world, both the human and demon realms,” as he introduced himself he bowed gracefully low to the ground. As he straightened out he continued, “You are to be the first outside of our group to walk upon our lands. Take this as the honor it is.”

 

With this said almost all seriousness about Shippo melted away, “Okay with that out of the way let's go! I want to see Kuwabara activate the sacred object Gaia so I can find out how many of our group are now Kami's! The quicker we do that the quicker Koenma will become king and he will make things right with Kagome and then she'll be completely happy,” Shippo then walked up and grabbed Kuwabara by the arm and started dragging him through the forest while the rest tried to keep up.

 

In a relatively short time the trees thinned out some and the land flattened out exposing a village. When the group laid eyes on it they where shocked. The village consisted of houses built in trees, mud huts, wooden houses, and what appeared to be farms but it was not the village layout that surprised them, it was the occupants. There were fox demons, wolf demons, humans, and different combinations of all three seen throughout the village. To the side there were children playing and they watched as a human child tripped and scraped her knee and a woman wolf demon kneeling down to comfort the child.

 

“No wonder my father utterly hates you guys,” Koenma said as he took in the sights before him.

 

Shippo laughed before responding, “We definitely defy what most humans and demons are taught to believe about the relationship between humans and demons. All three of our territories have a mixed population. Although you can say that mine is more dominated by fox demons, Koga's wolves, and Sesshomaru's by humans.”

 

“Sesshomaru is a dog demon, right?” Kuwabara asked. After getting a nod from Shippo he continued, “Then why are there no others with dog demon blood or even at least a mix? Also why are his lands dominated by humans?”

 

“Well Sesshomaru has never taken a mate and by the time Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's half brother, had children he was already human so Sesshomaru is the only dog demon in our clan. The reason his lands are dominated by humans is because, as I'm sure Kagome has told you, Sesshomaru took in an orphan girl by the name of Rin who he later considered a daughter making all her descendents his,” Shippo explained.

 

Shippo then lead the way to the side of the village to where the sacred object of Gaia stood. A man that looked to be around 30 dressed in monk type cloths stood there waiting for them. When they got near enough Shippo introduced him.

 

“This is Makoto the keeper of my territory's barrier. Most of the humans' ancestors who started our clan either had spiritual powers or were demon slayers so the ones you meet within our lands are not your typical humans. Makoto's family line is one line of a few that has stayed true to their human and more spiritually aware origins in order to be able to maintain the barriers that protect our borders. This is by his choice, of course. There are many that decided to go into the human realm permanently and live normal lives.”

 

“Makoto,” Shippo said, turning his attention to the man, “have you found out any information on how summoning the counsel of the kami's will affect our barriers?”

 

“No sir, since no one has seen it done we have no way of knowing, but even if the barrier should fail I do not think there will be any hindrance in summoning it once again,” Makoto explained, “I have put the village on alert in case of an attack.”

 

Shippo nodded his approval before motioning with his head to Kuwabara to get started. Kuwabara walked up to a tree that was already surrounded by a black peaceful aura. He put his hands on it and had to put more concentration and energy into it then he had to before because the sacred object of Gaia's life force was focused already on the barrier. Soon the black light shot up but the aura around the tree remained.

 

“The barrier seems to have remained intact,” Makoto said.

 

“Did I do something wrong? I thought it was suppose to call a counsel or something,” Kuwabara said confused.

 

“Don't worry I think you just activated your third one before Kagome. It shouldn't be too much longer,” Shippo reassured. A few minutes passed and everyone remained silent as they stared at the tree. Then the tree started pulsating, green, blue, yellow, red, black and then finally white. After the white light pulsed it stilled then shot out surrounding them in blinding light. Then there was numbness.