InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Against All Odds ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Against All Odds
Author: BrokenSouledPoetess
Summary: Kagome awakens to a voice only she can hear, begging anyone who will listen for help. Can she answer his call?
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Kagome/Youko
Feedback: desired.
Characters: Youko Kurama of YYH and the Inu-tachi.
Author's notes: Not entirely sure of the origin of this story. Mostly just a spur of the moment plot bunny.
Disclaimer: I do not own, or profit from, Inuyasha and Yuu Yuu Hakusho respectively. This disclaimer serves to blanket the entirety of this story.

~*~

The foliage of the forest weighed down heavily upon the young miko's shoulders as she sprinted through the offending greenery. It was late at night and the moon, although full, was hidden from her view by the tall trees, plunging the forest into a nearly suffocating darkness. She shouldn't have been out in such a place so late at night with only her bow and arrows to aid her. She was sure she would receive a tongue lashing once her friends found her…provided she was still in the realm of the living by then.

 

~*~

 

Kagome had been sleeping soundly at the campsite with the rest of the rag-tag group of shard hunters. Sleeping soundly that is, until a pained and violent scream tore through her mind and pierced her soul, forcing her rapidly to wakefulness. Shooting straight up from her sleeping bag, she let her wide-eyed gaze sweep across the expanse of the clearing they were in. Miroku and Sango lay together on the opposite side of the fire, wrapped up in one another's arms while Shippou and Kirara were curled around each other close by. Her eyes then traveled to the boughs of the closest tree, where she had seen Inuyasha take up his perch.

 

A sad frown creased her lips…

 

…their hanyou companion was gone.

 

`Off to see Kikyou, I'm sure. Now, what in all the realms woke me up like that? Someone was screaming…but, if it were real, wouldn't my friends have awoken?'

 

Just as she had resigned herself to hearing voices and going insane, she heard it again. Although softer and more broken, it hadn't lessened in intensity and the sound ricocheted off of her heart, forcing her into action. Standing up from the confines of her bedding, Kagome grabbed a hold of her bow and slung her quiver over her shoulder. Taking one last glance at the occupants of camp, she turned her back on them and broke through the line of trees.

 

~*~

 

She had been running for at least an hour, fighting against the burning in her lungs and the fatigue of her body. Just as she would be close to collapsing from the exertion, that pain-filled voice would tear into her mind once more, spurring her onward. The level of anguish and fear in the voice never diminished, although it had been quite some time since the first scream had woken her up, though the voice itself seemed to become more harsh and broken.

 

The farther she ran, the closer she felt she was getting. As she continued to push her exhausted body, she began to think. `Why am I doing this? The voice doesn't sound familiar, so I am almost certain it isn't someone I know. Why am I out here alone in the dark searching for a distressed voice I can only hear in my head?'

 

Too many questions and not nearly enough answers. Instead of thinking on it more, and most likely getting a headache for her efforts, she shook the thoughts from her mind and pressed on. It didn't matter to her what the reason was. Someone was in pain and in need of help. Somehow, that person, be it youkai, hanyou or ningen, had been able to connect with her. Someone truly needed her and she wasn't about to let them down.

 

As if in testament to her new found determination, another prompting came, this time sounding more like the whimper of a wounded animal than the screams she had been hearing. This could only mean that the one that needed her was desperately close to falling victim to whatever it was experiencing.

 

A surge of energy filled her at the thought. She refused to stand idly by while someone was in such pain. She knew very well that she might be going head long into an early grave, but it mattered not. It had been five years since she first journeyed to the Sengoku Jidai and although Naraku still lived, the jewel had been completed. Making a wish on the jewel became impossible for, upon completion, the Shikon no Tama had returned to the body of its guardian. Following the battle in which they had obtained Naraku's portion of the jewel, the vile hanyou had sent a horde of demons to destroy the well.

 

Kagome was now stuck in the Warring States era permanently.

 

She missed her family and the modern conveniences of her time, but the Feudal Era had long ago become her home. She had let the feelings she had for Inuyasha fall away a year prior knowing that she could never step out of Kikyou's shadow. It had heartbroken the young miko to know that she was stuck in an era that was not her own when the main reason she would have been inclined to stay was no longer there. Still, she was strong of spirit, even though her self-worth had long since been shattered, and she had poured herself into controlling her powers. The work had paid off well, for Kaede had told her that she was now far more powerful than Kikyou had ever been.

 

Once more, a whimper skittered across her mind and broke her from her thoughts. Whoever was calling her was dancing on the precipice of nonexistence. This time, the pitiful sound was accompanied by a tug at her soul that told the young miko she was nearly there. She studied the feeling and extended her senses. Not far ahead, she felt four very strong youkai auras that sent her miko senses into overdrive. Ignoring the feel of such powerful youki, she focused on the fifth aura present. She had surmised from the voice that woke her that she was seeking a male. There was a very weak thread of youki coming from him that tingled across her skin.

 

Such a frail signature could mean only scant few things. Either the one she was looking for was a youkai who had completely drained his power trying to fight back or his power was being subdued somehow. Seeing as how she wasn't sure of what it was she was walking into, aside from the four youkai and several lower leveled ones, she could only pray the latter was the case.

 

She was now farther into the forest than she had ever been on her own. The feeling of increasing youki made her senses prickle and as she hiked up to the crest of the hill and peered over it, she found the reason why. Not far in front of her loomed a rather intimidating, if impressive, castle. The entire valley that it rested in reeked of evil and made Kagome's miko blood burn with the desire to purify. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she gave in to the burning of her blood and let her aura flare.

 

Only a few seconds had passed before she saw the fruits of her labor. A charge of twenty or so youkai guards stormed out of the front gates in response, no doubt sent by one of the other four. They stopped collectively to look around, and as the first one spotted her on the apex of the hill, she quickly blanketed her aura. She had drawn a majority of the youkai out to face her and could tell there was no one left in the castle, save for the four powerful auras and the one who was rapidly slipping.

 

Kagome straightened her spine, took another deep breath and reached into her quiver. She had long ago learned the art of swordplay but had held a bow so long, that it was her weapon of choice; especially in situations such as this. Notching the arrow to the string of the bow, she took up a relaxed stance and drew back. Aiming at the front line of guards that were now approaching, she charged the arrow with her power and let it fly.

 

The projectile streaked across the gap between her and the approaching youkai, embedding itself in one unlucky demons chest. It was instantly turned to ash. Kagome notched another arrow and fired once more, this time charging it with even more energy. She watched it fly towards her opponents and a satisfied smile crossed her face as the arrow landed amongst the crowd of demons, easily turning over half of them into similar piles of ash.

 

The group of youkai stood rooted to the spot as if contemplating whether or not the attempt to take the girls life would be worth it. Before their thoughts came to a head, however, Kagome had fired another arrow and dispatched of her would be dispatchers.

 

The heavy feeling of dread and uncertainty lifted from her shoulders and Kagome instantly felt better about her situation. `Now, to get into that castle and help who ever it is.'

 

She made it to the castle within a minute or two, a new burst of speed at the thought of finally freeing the one who was held captive, easily aiding her. Slipping through the front door, Kagome walked softly amongst the main floor. After a few minutes of searching, she came upon a door towards the back of the complex. Gently pulling the door open, she was greeted with the site of a set of stairs and a cold, musky smell that instantly put her on edge.

 

`Must be a dungeon. I am almost afraid of what has been done to him.' Kagome thought as she stepped quietly down the stairs, all too aware of the metallic scent in the air. Finally, she had cleared the last step and was face to face with a corridor, heavy oak doors lining it. Focusing her attention on the feel of youki, Kagome slowly made her way down the hall. She was nearly to the end of the passage when she heard a sharp snap and the low voices and chuckles of the tyrants.

 

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she wiped the sweat from her palms on her skirt and when she closed the remaining space to the door, Kagome was met with a site that made her heart twist and her stomach lurch.

 

Hanging precariously from shackles on the wall was the one she was looking for. His hair and tail were matted with dried blood, dirt and Kami knows what else, making their color indistinguishable, while his furry ears were laying flat against his skull. His wrists appeared to be rubbed raw from the weight of his body pulling on the shackles, causing the hated metal to bite into his flesh. Blood flowed steadily down his back from innumerable gashes and was rapidly forming a puddle beneath his lax form. She quickly surmised that the snap she had heard was from a whip.

 

Her attention was brought to the youkai tormentors when the wicked stretch of leather bit into the flesh of the captive male once more. All four were stripped down to nothing but a loincloth and appeared to be tiger youkai. All had hair of varying shades and she assumed their eyes were different colored as well. They all sported black, tiger-like stripes across the expanses of their naked flesh and followed the lengths of their tails.

 

As one stepped forward towards the prone form against the wall, she was able to get a better picture of what had been done to the unlucky prisoner. The one ambling confidently forwards had removed his loincloth and was now stroking a raging erection. Taking a glance at the other three and seeing them in similar states of arousal, made the bile rise up in Kagome's throat.

 

`This cannot continue.' Was the only thought crossing her mind as she mechanically pulled an arrow from her quiver and notched it deftly to the string. Stepping into the doorway, Kagome took aim at the three still grouped together before speaking in a voice that had a hardness that shocked even her. “Release him. Now.”

 

One tiger, which had dark black hair and sharp green eyes, was quicker to recover than the others. He gave Kagome a looking over before smirking and taking a step towards her, “I think not. While the fox is a most enjoyable plaything, I am sure that your screams would be much more arousing.”

 

Her mouth settled into a grim line as she poured her energy forth into the arrow. “You won't touch me!” She spat, “I told you. Let. Him. Go.”

 

The fire raged in her blood as the youkai laughed at her before waving a dismissing hand in her direction and turning their attention back to their source of entertainment.

 

Big mistake…one they wouldn't live to make again.

 

Before the youkai could react, Kagome had thrown a barrier up around the youkai chained to the wall and let her arrow fly. It seemed to glow a brighter pink then before, as if answering to the emotions that welled in her heart, as it closed the gap and landed amongst the three stunned youkai, instantly purifying them. The fourth was soon to follow his comrades. They may have been strong, but no youkai is immune to purification.

 

Kagome carefully placed her bow across her shoulder before lowering the barrier and stepping forward towards the barley living being. As she approached, she could hear his labored breathing and was sure he had more than a few broken ribs at the least. She had almost reached him when she noticed that his ears had turned towards her, monitoring the sounds of her footsteps.

 

Only a few feet lay between them when her senses kicked in once more. This time, they were drawn to the chains that bound the fox to the wall. The closer she came, the brighter they seemed to glow as if trying to push back her purifying energy. So taken in with this new revelation was she that she wasn't aware of the attention she was now receiving from the fox.

 

It wasn't until his voice broke through her thoughts in a harsh whisper that she realized she was standing nearly next to him and reaching out to touch the bonds that held him. “Who are you?”