InuYasha Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Fan Fiction ❯ The Gunslingers ❯ The Gathering ( Chapter 1 )

It was bound to happen. How or why, no one knew. All anyone could say was that it had been a long time in coming, though when they had instantly known had become debatable as well. But they had the solution to remedy the impending problem at hand. After all, they were Gods. They had infinite power and they controlled the various time lines and eras that ran simultaneously together. Feudal Japan had strong warriors. So did the Meiji era . . . It became a matter of selecting the right ones to get the job done and even that didn't take too long.

"They're not going to be happy about this, being thrown together when in the middle of a mission," one said.

"It can't be helped," another piped in.

"The missions they are on are of vital importance," a third voice added. "No matter what we do, people will die."

"But their quests will be in vain if we do not do this," the first voice stated firmly. "It must be done."

"Very well. I shall go and retrieve them then."

A blue light slowly enveloped the room and everyone within vanished from the secret meeting room. Everyone but Her. She lounged back in her chair, a sad smile on her face.

"Bad timing, indeed," she murmured, lifting her cup of sake. "I just hope their companions can continue on and be strong without them. But then I don't suspect that their companions will just stand by and let them go it alone, either. This could prove to be interesting. Very interesting indeed."
Slowly, she drained her cup then got to her feet. Things were starting to get interesting once more. Her companions hated it when something upset the balance between Heaven and Earth.

"But then I've always said things are boring when they don't change . . . Time for me to go retrieve their traveling companions. How the sparks will fly."

She closed her eyes then disappeared from her spot. The decision had been made and a part of her couldn't wait to see how the new traveling companions would get along.

* * *

"I tried to the kill the pain . . . but only bled more (so much more) . . . I lay, dying, and I'm pouring . . . crimson regret that beats real . . ."

The subwoofers pounded slightly, causing the floor and the furniture to shake slightly. A blonde-haired head bobbed up and down to the beat as she dressed in black pants and a black bra before rummaging around her tiny, darkened apartment. If anyone knew the truth to the lyrics, it was her. She smiled slightly, the hints of fangs peeking out from under her lips. It wouldn't be too much longer before she found what she'd spent all morning looking for. The damned shirt had to be there somewhere.

`Unless Kouga borrowed it again. The bastard.'

"Danali . . ."

"I'm dying . . . praying . . . bleeding . . . and screaming . . . Am I too lost . . . to be saved? Am I too lost? My God, my Tourniquet. Return to me, Salvation. My God, my Tourniquet. Return to me, Salvation."

A whoosh of air softly escaping her, she raised her head to gaze at the woman before her, her dark hair cascading to her waist and her white dress looking extremely provocative as it split between her breasts then again halfway down both of her thighs. It was enough to make her blood boil . . . if it could have boiled to begin with. Nodding curtly, she went back to her search.

"Merciful Goddess . . ."

"The Gods require your service, Danali."

"Feh, what else is new?" she snorted. "The Gods always need the help of the damned and the heretics. Why should now be any different?"

"Very astute, Danali," the Goddess smirked. "And you know why that is?"

"Because most of the Gods are a bunch of pansies and they don't want to sully their own hands?" Danali retorted. "What is that you want me to do this time? Shall I drink the blood of some child that's out to destroy the Heavens? Or shall I try to assassinate the Jade Emperor and see if I can get a response out of him?"

"Nothing like that exactly," came her chuckle. "However, we will need you to escort a group of three travelers to Sadaiko."

Danali's eyes widened. "Sadaiko? But then that means . . ."

"That the time has come," she finished, nodding. "Retrieve Taika and Shei. You know where to meet me at. When you get there, I shall have a surprise for you."

The Merciful Goddess closed her eyes and slowly began to dissipate, leaving her alone once more. She lowered her gaze, her eyes falling on the article of clothing she'd been searching for in the first place. Another sigh emanated from her.

"A vampire's job is never done."

* * *

"Inuyasha . . ."

The hanyou cringed, his ears flattening against his head. Her tone spoke volumes. She was pissed.

'What did I do this time?' he wondered as he waited for the single word that could bring him down.

"SIT, BOY!"

He felt the all-too-familiar tug around his neck as the subduing magic kicked in, causing him to eat dirt for the dozenth time that day. Something had the miko from the future in an unusually cranky mood that day, more so than when she went into her heat cycle. And when she was in a mood like that, he ended up bruised for even the slightest comment.

"Dammit," he growled, finally able to lift his head up. "What the hell is your problem, Kagome?"

"I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!" she shrieked. He flattened his ears again. "IT'S YOU WHO HAS THE PROBLEM, INUYASHA! I'M GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING TO CONSTANTLY DEAL WITH YOUR SHIT!"

Inuyasha cringed at her tirade, trying to shrink away from her withering glare. Something wasn't right. He could sense it. Of course, he could've asked what was wrong in a nicer manner but he somehow felt that it wouldn't have made a difference. The girl from the future would have shouted at him anyway. Quickly covering his fear with anger, he shoved himself off the ground and glared back.

"Fine then," he snarled. "If I'm bothering you that badly then I'll just leave!"

Before she could reply back, he took off into the forest. He'd had enough of the subduing spell to last him a lifetime and he didn't particularly care to be "sat" again so soon after having just been "sat."

'I'll just give her some space and time to calm down,' he thought. 'At least until morning.'

He continued to run until he felt he was at a safe enough distance to hear the camp but out of Kagome's "sitting" range. Gingerly, Inuyasha lowered himself the ground. His back groaned in protest but he duly ignored. The pain would pass in a few moments. It always did.

Inuyasha had just begun to relax when he'd heard a twig snapping in the direction he'd come from. Hushed voices scolded each other for making so much noise. He snorted to himself.

'So much for giving her some time to cool,' he groused to himself. 'Dammit, why the hell can't she leave me alone or at least let me breathe for five minutes?!'

He wasn't exactly sure what that had meant. Kagome had used it once but he had figured that it meant she had wanted some time for something. Not to breathe, most definitely. If she didn't breathe, she'd have died a long time ago.

"I can hear you guys coming!" he called out, not really trying to hide his irritation. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara appeared moments later, each one looking as sheepish as the next. With a soft sigh, Kagome approached him, kneeling so that they were at eye level.

"I want to apologize," she murmured. "I just don't know what's gotten into me today. I don't even know what set me off to . . . do that."

Inuyasha sighed. He knew that he'd have to give her some time to cool off. He just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"Is there something you need to do back in your time, Kagome?" he inquired. The only times she sat him quite like that were when she wanted to go home (and he wouldn't let her) or after she'd caught him with Kikyou. And he knew that it had nothing to do with the undead priestess. They'd found her body more than a week ago, the souls she'd been using to sustain herself gone.

"No," she blinked, obviously surprised. "No . . . Everything's been taken care of at home. Why?"

"Because that's one of the only reasons why you 'sit' me like that," he replied, amazed at how patient he sounded. "The other reason being Kikyou."

Her cheeks turned scarlet. Then she shook her head.

"No . . . I don't know why I did that . . . I just . . . I don't know . . . I have a bad feeling about something," she explained lamely. "It feels like you're getting ready to leave me and I don't like it."

It was his turn to frown.

"Leave? Kagome, I'm not going anywhere," he began when a wave of dizziness hit him out of nowhere. He grasped the tree root he had rested next to.

"Are you all right, Inuyasha?" Sango inquired quietly, beating Kagome to it. The young miko meant well but when she got to worrying, her voice got too loud for the hanyou's sensitive hearing. It had been a complaint he had voiced once before and had, as usual, got "sat" for being "insensitive" to her feelings, until Miroku and Sango had stepped in and pointed out how well attuned his hearing was. Inuyasha managed a mute nod.

"Yeah . . ." He closed his eyes. "Just . . . give me a moment." He rested his head against the tree and waited for the moment to pass. His friends had moved next to him, ready to help him up in a moment's notice.

"I'm afraid that won't do you much good," a female voice stated. "At least, not yet . . . Inuyasha."

"Hnnn?" Inuyasha's opened to slits. Strange how he hadn't heard anyone else approach, he thought. "W-who're you?" All he could make out was a tall woman with long dark hair, garbed in a revealing white outfit.

"Who I am is of no concern right this moment," she purred. "Just know that you are needed for an important task. When you wake up, you'll already be there."

His instincts screamed at him to wake up, to fight, but his eyelids closed, sleep claiming him.

* * *

"Where are we?" Goku asked, his eyes taking in the expansive and ornate ceiling overhead. Gargoyles and goblins had been carved into it, the supporting pillars, and the walls. Candles, instead of torches, lit the way, giving the room an ominous feel. Sanzo merely shook his head, walking ahead of his traveling companions.

'I could have come alone,' he thought murderously, 'but no . . . they had to insist on tagging along.'

"This place is creepy, I'll give you that," Goyjo muttered.

"Indeed it is," a strange voice agreed. Instantly they were on the defensive with their weapons drawn, glaring in the direction the voice had come from. Within a few moments, a strange man with long red hair and clad in a magenta-hued kimono and white hakama appeared before them. At his side rested a katana. He held his hands up, a large and cheerful smile on his face. The man seemed harmless enough but, given their new location's appearance, none of them appeared to really want to take any chances.

`At least he's human,' Sanzo thought to himself.

"Who the hell are you?" came Goyjo's growl.

"He is Himura Kenshin, Sha Goyjo. One of your new traveling companions. The rest, Higurashi Kagome, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Miroku, and Inuyasha, are on their way now, courtesy of the Merciful Goddess. Plus we wait for my companions, Taika, and Shei. Once they arrive, we'll be picking up one more then we'll be on our merry little way," a female voice sang out.

"Who said that?" All five men looked around for the source of the voice.

"My name is Danali . . . and you're looking in the wrong direction. I'm up here."

Sanzo felt his eyebrow twitch as he lifted his head to see a woman with golden blonde hair standing directly above them.

"How . . . how is she doing that?"

"Easy," she smirked, spinning around once to land in front of them. "I'm not living."

"Not living?" Hakkai echoed. "If you're not living then how are you standing in front of us?"

"You definitely don't look dead to me," Goyjo agreed, giving her an appreciative smile.

"Because I'm not dead, either," the blonde-haired woman chuckled. "I am undead."

"Undead? What does undead mean?" Goku inquired, scratching his head.

"It means she has forsaken and cursed the Gods," Sanzo stated, rubbing one of his temples. He already felt the makings of a headache. "And in doing so she's not allowed into either Heaven or Hell."

"Why'd you do that?"

"It's a long and sad story, little one," she shook her head. "And not one for telling before a long journey. I was undead and drinking blood long before you were ever created."

"I take it then, Miss Danali, you know where we are going," the red-haired man she had called Himura Kenshin stated.

"That I do," Danali nodded. "That I do."

"And you'll leave in the morning," a female voice stated. Everyone turned to see the Merciful Goddess walking in, another group of travelers behind her -- two females, one carrying a very large boomerang and the other wearing a very scanty outfit; a small child that had perched itself on the indecently clad girl's shoulder; a young man in strange monk's robes, and a large two-tailed cat that carried another person with silver hair and a red outfit. Sanzo felt the youki emanating from the large fire cat behind the Goddess and the small child on the one girl's shoulder. "Danali, I just saw Taika and Shei . . . I take it everything has been take care of."

"Hai," Danali nodded. "We only need for the half-demon to wake then we'll be on our way."

"Get some rest, boys," the Goddess smirked, albeit sadly. "You have a longer journey ahead of you."

"What kind of journey?" Sanzo narrowed his eyes. He, like his three companions, were considered to be heretics by the Gods. However, it hadn't stopped them from sending them on a journey to the West to stop a demon lord's resurrection. Danali was obviously a heretic but the newcomers -- Kenshin and the group behind the Goddess -- didn't look to be heretics of any kind. Though he had to admit, out of all of the females, only Danali and the girl with the large weapon appeared to be clad decently.

"The kind nightmares are made of."