InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Lost the Real Dream ❯ The Scent of Time ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha or Yuu Yuu Hakusho. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Yuu Yuu Hakusho belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.


The days passed easily by, lost in a sea of normality. It didn't hurt as much as she thought it would to realize that she lost one family. While there were massive holes in her heart where Jiichan, Mama and Souta existed, her memories and the love she felt for them still existed. Those things made it easier for her to get through the days. Along with the wonderful support from Shiori and Shuichi, and all the other friends she had made. They didn't ask or push or judge, they simply treated her normally. Also, they didn't mind if she couldn't help her tears sometimes.

Shuichi and his friends were truly god-sends. Really, what had she done to deserve an awesome little brother such as he?

The sound of a loud engine caught her attention, forcing her to look for what could make such a noise. A grinning Yusuke on a motorcycle greeted her eyes. She walked over to him, head tilted in curiosity. Kagome didn't know he had a motorcycle, she didn't even know if he had a license.

"Yo! Just get offa work, Kagome?"

She smiled and nodded, "I did.. What are you doing here?" While he may not know it, he had helped her out the most. Kagome relied on his teasing nature to keep on smiling and pushing through the bad moments.

Not to mention, she relished that she could cause him to act just a little bit unsure of himself. "Ah... Well... Thought you could use a ride home?"

Kagome giggled despite herself, "Too bad for you I'm not heading home, Yusuke-kun."

"Where ya headed then?"

"I'm meeting Shuichi at the shrine I grew up at," she replied softly, her earlier thoughts coming back to her mind. "I need to put Souta to rest alongside Mama and Jiichan.."

Ever since he had met her, he couldn't stand her looking sad. There was something so wrong about a sad expression on her face; she was more suited for laughter and happiness. "You don't look like you're carrying ashes around with you."

She blushed softly at feeling his eyes rake over her form, "Shuichi is holding onto them for me."

"Well then, hop on!"

Her eyes widened, "You really want to take me there? If Shuichi sees..."

He shrugged, "Like I'd let him see me. Now get on."

Kagome bit her bottom lip slightly, still unsure. Shuichi did have a way of knowing whenever she had spent any amount of time with Yusuke, and while she could understand why he didn't like her spending time with him, it didn't stop her from wanting to. And that want made her unable to say "No" whenever he came around. It was why she found herself getting onto his bike behind him and wrapping her arms around him as he started it.

"Yusuke-kun? Do you even have a-..." Her question was lost under the noise of the engine, and was soon forgotten in an adrenaline rush as he sped off.

Yusuke couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at hearing her squeal, and feeling her clutch him tighter as they sped through the streets of Tokyo. While he had offered the ride because he had a feeling she was the type of girl to enjoy the initial adrenaline rush, he did have ulterior motives. Just once he wanted to know what it would feel like to have her holding onto him for dear life, trusting him to not let any harm come to her. That feeling was the one thing he was jealous over Kurama for being able to have. Also he couldn't deny that he loved the feel of her breasts pressed into his back and the feel of her hands around his waist. He was almost fifteen, after all.

He was unprepared for her to linger around as long as she did after they said goodbye. It made him unable to leave, he didn't want to be his normal self and just drive away without seeing her make it up the stairs. Even with Keiko he never cared enough to see she made it anywhere safely, but then he knew she could take care of herself. Kagome was different: she was fragile underneath, and he didn't even know how hard she could hit.

Kagome fidgeted nervously for a moment, battling with what she knew she should do and what she wanted to do. Her impulse won; her lips lightly brushing against his cheek. Blushing greatly, she whispered a weak "Thanks" before turning and running up the shrine steps. Yusuke didn't move from his spot, the shock of feeling her soft lips against his cheek had rendered him immobile. Whatever he had been expecting, it was not that. Kurama was sure to kill him if he ever found out.



Kurama was beyond curious. While he was a kitsune at heart and it didn't take much to get him curious, it was intensified whenever it involved his sister. With how she had been fidgeting, along with the blush that lingered on her face when she arrived, he knew something had happened. He had heard the noise of what sounded like a motorcycle, and Kagome refused to answer any of his questions about how she made it to the Shrine so quickly. It was all adding up to one thing.

She had spent time with Yusuke again.

While he was glad his sister had a crush on someone, he just didn't want it to be on him. Anyone else but one of his friends. It made things complicated. Plus he didn't really think he'd be setting a good example for teamwork if he ever had to kill Yusuke for breaking Kagome's heart.

"Shuichi-kun?"

Kagome's soft voice interrupted his thoughts and brought his attention to her. He was once again reminded of her vulnerable she seemed, standing in the middle of an old life, clutching the ashes of her final link to that life. However that was just how she seemed. She kept on surprising him with her inner strength. Most would simply curl in on themselves after losing as much as she had, but she kept on finding a reason to smile. "Yes, oneesan?"

"Would you like to see a bit more of the shrine while we're here? I know you are probably interested in Goshinboku?"

Kurama nodded his head; she knew him far too well. "It seems someone has been watching me eye the tree of your shrine?"

She smiled sheepishly as she lead him closer to the ancient tree that seemed able to comfort anyone nearby. "Well, I also do remember how obsessed you were with roses and other plants when we were toddlers."

That knowledge shocked him: most couldn't remember anything from before their fourth year. Yet here she was, proving that she remembered. "I didn't know you remembered that..."

"Yes, strange, isn't it?" She whispered, not intending for Kurama to here, though he did. He didn't comment on it, he simply let her enjoy a moment of silence, basking in the aura of the tree.

"I believe this shrine has a legend to it. One that takes place about five-hundred years ago in the Sengoku Jidai," Kurama said out loud though it was mostly to himself.

Kagome continued to stare thoughtfully at the Goshinboku, "Which legend is it?"

"I never paid much attention to it," he answered truthfully. And he never had. In his days as the youko Kurama, he had no interest in the jewel that could grant power. He had been powerful without the jewel as he was already five-hundred years old when it resurfaced. "But I believe it had to deal with a jewel called the Shikon no Tama."

Her free hand came up to grasp the bauble laying innocently against her throat as she tried to remember why that name sounded so familiar. Kurama turned to look at her when he saw a tiny pink flash out of the corner of his eye, but when he looked, all he saw was his sister standing in front of an ancient tree with faded blue eyes that looked as old as Goshinboku. "Do you know the legend, oneesan?"

She softly shook her head, "I don't think I've ever heard it. But at the same time, I think I knew it once..." Stepping closer to the ancient tree that had always comforted her, her hand let go of her bauble to touch a part of the tree that looked more like a scar. It was as if something had prevented bark from growing there for a while.

"It almost makes you wonder what happened there, no?"

Kagome nodded distractedly. She could almost see a young boy dressed in red pinned to that very spot, looking asleep to the world. He had the cutest silver dog ears, too. When she tried to focus more on the image of the dog-eared boy the red of his clothes became the crimson red eyes that haunted most of her dreams. She gasped softly as she could hear the maniacal laughter that always accompanied those eyes, but also the sound of glass cracking. As if something had shattered.

She quickly pulled her hand back as though she had been burned. Those images hurt her mind and heart far too much for her liking as if they were something she wasn't ready to remember. At Kurama's concerned look, she smiled softly. "It does make you wonder what happened... Anyways, I should head in and put him to rest.. I'll only be a moment."



As the sun began its trek closer to twilight, Kurama and Kagome left her shrine and headed towards home. It had taken Kagome a little longer than she planned as she found her grief and nostalgia to be too overwhelming. There was something about her shrine that tried to force her to remember memories she couldn't. People and events she couldn't entirely recall kept flashing in her mind, and she could hear conversations that she couldn't actually hear. And each little thing felt so familiar, it nearly broke her heart that she couldn't remember especially since it seemed most where memories that revolved around her deceased family.

"Oneesan?" He waited until he had her attention before continuing, "I've been meaning to tell you to be careful with Yusuke."

He heard her sigh softly, "I know what I'm doing. If I end up being hurt, then it'll be my fault. He is younger than me, you know... And I don't really have to worry about any other girls after his attention, now do I, Shuichi-kun?"

If it hadn't been for the fact that she managed to turn this line of conversation around on him already, he would have laughed at how kitsune she was acting. However since she did, his eyes narrowed slightly, "I have no idea what you're talking about, oneesan."

"Uh-huh," she said teasingly. "Then I guess it's some other handsome young red-head who's been spending most of his free time with Keiko and having lunch together most days too?"

If he didn't harbor the soul of a thousand-year old kitsune thief, he would have risen to her taunt. Instead he said, "Perhaps it was. I do spend most of my free moments with you."

Kagome smiled secretively, he was trying so hard to deny his growing attachment to Keiko. She really hoped something came of it because she thought they were perfect for each other. They could match wits and would always be learning something new from each other, not to mention neither would allow the other to walk all over them. In her eyes, that was the best kind of relationship to have: one where both were equal.

"Kurama." Their attention was pulled to the fire demon who appeared on the other side of Kurama without them noticing.

Hiei's appearance worried Kurama greatly, he normally went out of his way to avoid being where humans could see him. "What are you doing here, Hiei?"

"Remember the mission I told you about?" Kagome glanced at the two of them curiously. She had no idea as to what they were talking about, but seeing, and feeling, their bodies tense caused her to be wary as well. Kurama nodded slightly in response before Hiei continued. "He approaches."

Kagome looked forward to see a very tall and fit man head towards them. The feeling he gave off caused the hairs at the nape of her neck to stand on end. He was dangerous, and something was telling her he wasn't human either. They stopped before they could come within touching distance of each other.

"I've come to greet you. I think you already know what this is about. You are already in the Urameshi team. Rally the humans. You're too soft with them," he told them bluntly as he turned around to head back the way he came. "You are free to choose the fifth. How many matches?"

"You'll see." Kagome had never heard Shuichi speak so coldly or dangerously before, and it frightened her. For the first time she acknowledged that her own step-brother gave off the feeling of other-worldly danger. And after hearing that tone and feeling the murderous auras they were all giving off, she didn't want to know what they were discussing. Somehow she knew she had already seen enough fighting and bloodshed to last her a lifetime.



And for those of you wondering about the other characters of Inuyasha, most of them have already made an appearance:

Kikyou first appeared in Chapter 2.

Inuyaska (Inuyasha?) and Kaede first appeared in Chapter 4.

Sango and Miroku appeared in Chapter 7.

Shippou and Naraku have yet to make an appearance, but they will... Oh, they will.. I have such awesome scenes planned out for their appearances.

Reviewer Responses:

kokoronagmu: Wow, I never realized how true to their name meanings I was portraying them. Thank you! And I'm glad you think this is an interesting story.

yusukekuramasgirl: I hope this was soon enough! And so true, overprotective brothers are nice to have around, but they can be such a pain (I know all about overprotective brothers, and only one of them is blood-related!). I'm glad you liked what Kurama said to Yusuke, it's something I can see him saying. And thank you for the review!