InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ This Time Imperfect ❯ Hating Her Generation: Car Accidents Abounding ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome awakens yeah. Now skip ahead and review the Final battle. Angst angst, and many many car accidents. Surprised to be dead (AGAIN!) was alternate chapter title.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 12.18.2005 | Pages: 15 | Words: 13.2K | Visits: 695 | Status: Completed

AN: Okay then, it has been nearly a month since my last update… yeah-cue the crickets! But anyways-enjoy. OH IMPORTANT!

Ahem, lines that strike across the entire page denote flashbacks.

Little dashes such as this - denote scene changes. Now enjoy.

For Those Who Don't HAVE to Read Between The Lines

This Time Imperfect

By: Tesmoname

Hating her Generation

Car Accidents Abounding

“Despite what they tell you-

it is always supposed to hurt.”- A quote from Ayami to Kagome, on the eve of her most recent breakup.

The branches tugged restlessly at her clothes, pulling loose thread and exposing reddened, criss-crossed flesh. Leaves crunched under the heel of a hardened sole, making a noise like thunder in the otherwise silence of the forest.

The racket was lost on her, however, because all she could hear was the racing tempo of her heart. All she could feel was pain on all levels of her meager existence. A feeling that was increased as she stumbled over the upturned root of a tree, falling heavily onto her knees.

A muted wail passed her chapped lips, a miracle in itself since she had never been the type of person that would wallow in denial. Never the type to drown in the depths of self pity and pain. But she figured that just this once the gods would allow her to be selfish and to grieve long, and hard till her heart was content.

That was going to be a while.

For Kagome was truly, utterly, completely stricken. Her spirit hung limply behind the sallow flesh and bones that built up her frame, and her eyes were lacking the spark of life that had always been so prominent. Dark raven locks hung flaccidly over a bare and bloody shoulder, continuing down her pale and exposed back to end in a heap on the forest floor.

Kagome's knees where tucked underneath her battered and bruised form, stinging from the various cuts and scrapes that now decorated her pale flesh. But that pain meant that she was alive…. And she had no right to be!

At this moment she should have been dead, her body littering the forest floor of the feudal era. Her eyes should have been shut tight in the throes of the deepest slumber, her breath stopped, her skin cold and still, her blood frozen in her veins. But that was not how it was.

Kagome's eyes were wide and tearful, her breath coming in erratic pants from her stained lips, her skin burning to the touch, and her blood pumping all over the floor. Her very existence was a paradox, for she truly felt that it should be her existence that was snuffed out.

Don't get the wrong idea—Kagome was always the one to look on the brighter side of things, always to find the silver lining of each situation. And she had always been able to explain things in rational, logical, common sense. But at this moment, every piece of her essence was screaming in agony, begging for the realease of her lost sleep.

Only moments ago the barrier that had been surrounding her final resting place had fallen. Some force had destroyed it with enough residual energy remaining to trigger the spell of awakening she had placed on herself.

One problem.

It was meant to be a gradual process, meant to help with the flood of memories that would, without any doubt, rush back at her in an instant. The spell was also meant to slowly rouse her body from stasis, in order for her to be healthy and fit for awakening. The enchantment she had manipulated from an old miko trick used to subdue injured patients, was set to dissolve once she reached a certain time period.

It hadn't worked out that way, obviously. She had awoken painfully aware of two problems that desired her immediate attention.

One: She had overshot her own time by at least half a year, city projects that had just begun construction when she had left for the final battle, were now completed-forever altering the Tokyo skyline.

And two: The demonic sword was still protruding from her chest.

Combined, the two issues had the desired effect-she lost her mind, as well as her grip on the rest of the spell. Strong memories full of emotion were rushing back at her with a torrent of vengeance. Fears both rational and unexplainable shadowed her skittish mind until she couldn't think coherentely.

All she knew was, it wasn't supposed to happen like this.

The barrier would fall, her body and soul would prepare itself for awakening, and then the sword would be pulled from her chest. The last bit depending on the curiosity she knew was inherent to all of man/demonic kind.

But everything was ass-backwards. Kagome had painstakingly placed her frail hands around the double-edged blade, pushing it out of her. Centuries of sleep had worn down her voice, for which she was thankful since she had no desire to be deafened by her own screams of pain.

The Tensusaiga hadn't even left a scratch in its wake.

Every nerve she possessed then shook with the fire of life, shocking and reducing her to a blubbering mass of pale flesh and bones. She had laid there upon the filthy floor as her body once again attempted to deal with the characteristics of life. Blood that for so long, had been ice in her veings, now coursed underneath her humming skin. Air burned a path down her hoarse throat and into her straining lungs, sending liquid fire from her fingers to her toes.

She would have been content to lay there for eternity had she not heard the sounds.

Something was drawing close to her.

Rationally it could have been some random cat, mouse, or dog-but all her fragile mind could think up was `People!' And she was not ready to come in contact with civilization.

She ran.

And as she ran, the once steady trickle of memories began to build up, and up, until her stormy blue eyes were no longer occupied with the underbrush and foliage of the present, but rather, the emotionally straining images of her past.

Subconsciously she knew to head towards the lights of the city, as if her mind was firmly implanted with the know-how of returning home. Almost as if another presence guided her entirely.

Kagome made her way home.

She supposed that when life gave you lemons, then you would just make lemon meringue pie, and if push came to shove-then you could always settle for lemonade… The problem with Kagome was that she hadn't wanted to settle anymore, and though she knew it was selfish-she hadn't always wanted to be plan B. Perhaps that is the reason she was in such a predicament-maybe if she had just stuck with him till the end, through the end, then maybe everything would have turned out different.

Who was it who said, `to sleep that is to say perchance we would dream, or to bare arms against the thousand arrows and slings that the flesh is heir to?' Well, she couldn't remember the saying very well, so it was no use trying to dredge up the name of some long dead poet. And who could possibly blame her lack of knowledge on herself? Kagome certainly had done as well as she could in the 21st century education system as she possibly could, what with have to balance the weight of two worlds on her shoulder and all…

You know, the usual: Having your soul stolen, having irritable hanyous try to kill you, being repeatedly beaten up or kidnapped, traveling back and forth through time, shattering mystical jewels, having to gather said jewel shards-all while fending off evil irritable hanyous trying to kill you… and not exactly in that order.

One could almost say that Kagome Higurashi led a full life.

Up until now.

But once again, her predicament was probably all her fault…

For what if she had stayed with InuYasha? What if she had continued to love him? If she had-then would she still be cursed as she was now?

Somehow, Kagome doubted that it was her ability to degrade herself that would have saved her from her current… problem. She honestly found it hard to believe that continuing to destroy her very essence for InuYasha (all in the name of love mind you) while he refused to acknowledge her would have spared her the humility, the confinement that she was to be subjugated to…

`For the rest of your immortal existence…'

It had all started after the Shikon jewel had been completed, and consequently, after they had defeated the evil half-demon (turned full) Naraku. Of course this victory had everyone in her group in high spirits! And no one had been more festive about the joyous occasion than she…

“Oi! Kagome!” Miroku ran over to her and promptly lifted her into his arms before embracing her tightly, demon guts and all. “You've done it!”

“We've done it Miroku-kun!” Kagome cried from within the folds of his robes, “I am so happy for you-you can have a life now…” There was an unspoken question in her tone of voice, and she pointedly glanced down at his cursed hand.

But the monk merely laughed uproariously, “just look” He cried, and then proceeded to unwrap his hand hastily.

“The kazanna… it is gone!”

The voice of Sango, demon exterminator and fiancée of said monk, drifted over to the pair, and then the woman raced over to enfold them in her tight grip. “This is wonderful!”

All of them were laughing, holding each other tight until the tears came.

And they did come.

“It is finally over.” Kagome murmured into Sango's shoulder before backing away from the couple.

Her cobalt blue eyes fell upon the eight scattered figures that remained on the battlefield.

Briefly she nodded towards Kagura and Kana who nodded in return before lifting into the sky… leaving behind the unconscious figure of Kohaku, who was being guarded by the fierce Kirara.

“I am so glad for you Sango. I hope that you two will-you know, be okay.” She finished off lamely, tucking a rouge strand of hair behind her ear.

The taiyjia merely nodded her head, even as her eyes misted over in determination. “Yes, we will be fine.. thanks to you.”

Kagome blushed modestly before shrugging her shoulders. “We all did it.” She repeated to herself.

Still, her restless eyes skimmed over the last four figures of Sesshoumaru-sama and his ward, Rin. He too caught her eyes from across the littered site and held her gaze wearily.

The demon lord of the West had come to settle his own personal score with Naraku, but had in-turn been a vital role in his defeat. And for that she was eternally grateful.

`I coul-we could never have defeated Naraku without him.' Kagome thought to herself before mouthing to him the words, `thank you.' Her eyes broadcasting the same message ten-fold.

The stoic Taiyoukai dipped his head in grudging respect before allowing his own flinty gaze to settle upon the final members of the team.

InuYasha and Kikyo stood side-by-side, yet not touching… just waiting.

“Oh right!” Kagome exclaimed before hurrying up to the pair. “Here InuYasha, the Shikon no Tama.” Her voice carried on across the barren surfaces of Mt. Hakurei, her words eliciting shocked responses from all who heard her.

Even InuYasha looked surprised, but it quickly faded to sorrow. “No Kagome, you know that I am… that I am going to-with Kikyo.” His voice was low and broke several times.

Miroku and Sango both opened their mouths to protest, and Sesshoumaru's scoff could clearly be heard not some seven feet away, but it was Kagome who spoke first.

“Kikyo, InuYasha-why can't you stay?” The young miko girl looked at her first love and best friend beseechingly before turning her gaze to her former incarnate. “I can wish for Kikyo to come back to life…”

“No-

“Kagome-sama your soul!”

The hanyou before her hissed angrily, “stupid girl, we can't do that and you know it.”

“And why not InuYasha?” She murmured back angrily, attempting to keep her voice low. Kagome knew she was fighting a loosing battle, and no-she didn't really want to die, but neither was she so eager to see the man she loved swallowed by the flames of hell.

`The man I loved… loved.'

Surprisingly it had been more painful for InuYasha than it had been for her. She had merely pulled him aside before the last battle and had said her voice full of exhaustion (that of the heart ilk), “InuYasha… let me go.'

And she had to admit to herself that she was making it pretty hard for him to do so if she was offering him a chance at life… still!

“Why not?” Kagome repeated quietly.

Surprisingly, it was Kikyo who spoke, “my time in this realm has long since passed me by, dear Kagome… please do not make me suffer the rebirth of a conscience within my soul… let us go.”

And she did…

It wasn't until afterwards that Kagome thought she should have argued harder, if only on InuYasha's behalf-but to be fair the time traveling school girl's heart was heavy and her sorrows were begging to be set free.

And then they had come back to the village, where she was greeted with the sight of her loving son and dotting mentor/grandmother. Both of which were just as joyous at the news that Naraku was dead, and the Shikon was restored… both of which were just as heartbroken at the news that InuYasha would never come back…

`Never ever…'

Kagome had to go away for a while to cry.

And then Shippou had reminded the group that something had to be done about the Sacred Jewel.

“We can't just leave it in existence for another Onigumo to lust after.” He said to the group when they had settled down in Kaede's hut.

Miroku nodded down towards the kitsune pup, “Shippou is right, a pure and unselfish wish must be made upon the jewel in order to end its grievous cycle.” He leaned forward and peered thoughtfully into the fire, “the wish that Kagome-sama-

“Kagome, Miroku.”

“Ah yes, sorry. The wish that Kagome had wanted to make would have done rather nicely I think.”

Kagome's head shot up and Sango's eyes narrowed. “Do you think that we can make that wish if I alter it to have her memory-

“NO!” the unanimous proclamation sent Kagome back on her rear end, looking more or less scared out of her mind.

Sango glared at the monk before slapping him upside the head. “Now what good did that observation warrant baka?” She asked angrily, frightened at the thought of her long-time friend loosing her soul to the one time dead miko.

“Kagome-sama, I think that Kikyo-sama's time on this earth has passed-and InuYasha-sama will feel his place is by her side…” It was Kohaku who spoke up from his corner of the dimly lit hut, a fraying blanket draped haphazardly over his shoulders. His wide, honey brown eyes bore into her own with a quiet sort of confidence-one that was slowly but surely crumbling under memories.

She was unable to look away from his gaze, and her mouth hung open slightly… “You're right.” Her words shocked everyone present since they thought she would put up more of a fight…

And then came the tears.

“I just… I thought that maybe if I could just bring him back-bring them both back-then maybe… just maybe I wouldn't feel so bad about letting him go!” Her voice had risen slowly, building into a crescendo of pent up emotion that spilled forth from between her lips and her eyes.

Kagome sobbed brokenly into the fire, “I told him to let me go-I told him that I didn't want to love him anymore!” And then she jumped to her feet and shouted, “and now my lies… now I wont ever SEE HIM AGAIN!”

And just like that she ran out of the door, ripping the mat off of its flimsy hinges. All five of the residents watched her leave, their eyes wide and sorrow-filled.

“She-she just needs time right?” Sango whispered hesitantly.

No one answered.

The young kitsune leapt away from Kirara and exclaimed, “Well I am going to find ka-san before she does something really stupid!”

And then there was three…

“Hey Miroku-sama?”

The young monk glanced over at his soon to be brother-in-law and forced a smile, “What is it Kohaku? And call me Miroku.”

Kohaku swallowed nervously and nodded, he then licked his lips and asked, “what do you think Shippou meant when he said…”

Sango jumped in fiercely, “Kagome wouldn't do anything drastic! She just needs time.”

But the monk looked less assured, “perhaps Sango, she wouldn't do it on purpose.”

The taiyjia woman glared in frustration, “then what are we worried about?!”

Again a silence decended upon the small hut before Miroku cursed, loudly.

“She has the Shikon no Tama.”

Yet even as the remainder of the group surged to their feet, a strangled cry erupted through the forest, “KAGOME!”

She readied the arrow and took immaculate aim, her cobalt blue eyes staring straight down the line created by her finger and the arrow to the red of the bull's eye. Gently, ever so gently, she shifted her position until her stance felt comfortable, and repeated the process over and over as if to burn it forever into her memory.

And then that was it.

She fired.

Pink, then blue swirled chaotically around the once mundane shaft, transforming it into a legendary hamaya-prime weapon of the long extinct Miko's.

Scratch that… believed extinct. For Kagome Higurashi most assuredly was a miko, and one to be reckoned with. Although at one time that may not have been true, over the years of fleeing and fighting against demons for her life, Shikon shards, and the lives of her friends, Kagome had gradually built up her tableau of skills. It had of course, taken time and many painful lessons at the hands of enemies, taijia's, and even taiyoukai's.

She liked to believe that all of that hard, and painful, work had paid off… she liked to believe that it was the patients and the love given training of her friends that had given her the strength-not to defeat Naraku-but to live forever with the burden that came afterwards.

`What a horrible word.' She thought to herself angrily as she began to punch and kick the air around her methodically. After-so few syllables containing such a mess… After defeating Naraku, after piecing together the jewel, after InuYasha kept his promise, after she had been given the jewel. After gaining immortality-gifting her with the ability to watch her son grow and mature, cursing her with separation of her family across time, and condemning her to watch her friends age and fade.

That was why after all was said and done, Kagome was alone and with the weight of two worlds still resting on her shoulder. The Jewel lived on inside of her, as her. All of the wars and the blood spilt in the past rested within her chest, beating and pulsing to the rhythm of her broken heart-for she also carried another dead weight… InuYasha's love.

Of course, Kagome had known all along that the hanyou would go to hell with his dead lover, and she had slowly but surely come to terms with it by thinking that the man she loved, loved her reincarnation even more.

But nothing was ever that simple.

He had loved her. InuYasha had loved Kagome since, well, since forever… he just didn't love her enough.

With this knowledge weighing upon her she had pulled him aside to sever the ties between them… and thus had allowed him to go into hell…

And it was that information that had broken her heart-it had been that information that had nearly damned the Jewel to be forever tainted. Because Kagome had been so distraught, she had nearly wished upon the Jewel for vengeance-only stopping when she saw her reflection in the jewel.

`I had such a horrible face.'

It was true, the face that had stared back at her was too distorted to be her own…

She shuddered at the memory, the starry night sky casting her face in shadow, `It is a new moon out…' she thought to herself, noticing the absence of the glowing orb.

But of course she had already known at what phase the moon was at tonight-call it a sixth sense, or an instinct.

Souta watched his sister as she fired off her arrows into the dawn, she had been training herself ever since she had returned about two weeks ago. She had been found by their mother on the steps to their shrine, broken, bloody, and asleep.

Since she had been awake she had been pushing her body to its limits in an attempt to dull the effects of the memories that were still catching up with her. And as they came she slowly but surely progressed.

“Kagome?” He whispered from the shadows beneath the Goshinboku.

She turned towards him. “Yes Souta?”

“Since you're up,” he began, “why don't we get a head start on our chores?”

One elegant eyebrow kicked up on her forehead, “Chores-Souta?”

Her little brother, who was about as tall as her, narrowed his eyes even as pink tinged his cheeks, “Yeah well, you know, with grandpa being sick and mom working I figured we could help out. Besides,” he stumbled a little as he made his way over to her, “it's been a while since we just, um, hung out.”

Kagome smiled, “Sure thing Souta! Maybe we can go see a movie too.”

His eyes widened, “And then we can come back here and you can train me.”

She was nodding, excited to be spending time with her brother. “Sure thing, I can even-oh hold up!” His words caught up with her. Kagome put her hands on her hips, “Souta!”

But the boy was already racing down the shrine steps. “You said it! Not me!”

“That was a dirty trick Souta! Come back here!” She cried as she raced after him into downtown Tokyo. “Souta! SOUTA!”

Her face was still split with a dazzling smile.

Chaos. Complete and utter chaos reigned supreme within the hazy depths of the Spirit World. And somewhere amongst this chaos sat a weeping child like god, his miniature frame shaking with exhaustion.

There were so many complications! Even tucked away in the corners of a random, abandoned storage closet, the deity could not escape the events of that past few hours. It was these moments that had set in motion the uproar that had reverberated throughout the expanse of all three realms. And Koenma had no idea what to do about it.

As far as he was aware, his father was… `unable' to provide any assistance with the matters at hand. And that tidbit of info is what had sent him scurrying away from the masses that congregated in his tiny office.

That and the fact that he had to compose himself for the meeting.

Koenma was supposed to great and meet, as well as recognize officially the new heir of the Western Lands… a kitsune demon with powers to be reckoned with, he would have to be on good terms with this youkai if he wished to pertain free passage on his lands for the rekai-tachi. Something that would undoubtedly be helpful for Yusuke and crew.

But there were other reasons as to why he wished to speak with this particular demon… to recap just a few: The previous and most powerful lord of the Western lands had just died, there were reports of unauthorized magicks in use around the Makai, he had lost track of his team hours ago.

All in all, the immortal felt undeniably screwed.

And then there was a faint rapping on his chamber door, or rather-the entrance to the broom closet. “Koenma sir?”

The child ruler quickly dried his tears and composed himself. “What is it George? I am very busy!”

The blue office assistant rolled his eyes on the other side, “Doing what? Are you organizing our brooms alphabetically?” The sarcasm did not go unnoticed by the frazzled demi god, who launched himself from the cupboard in retaliation.

“Why you little blue balled-bastard!” His fingers took ona more slender form as they wrapped themselves around George's throat, choking off his air.

“You scrawny, good for nothing demon!” He sputtered as the yellow haired creature fought to intake oxygen.

From behind the duo there came a loud and embarrassed cough, courtesy of Botan herself. “Ah, sir. I am pleased to present to you-

She trailed off and gestured awkwardly to the tall Taiyoukai besides her, “um, Lord Aishippomaru.” A bright crimson stained her cheeks as the gallant kistune winked at her and scolded.

”Now now, everybody calls me Shippo, I would ask no less of you my dear.”

“Lord Shippo then!” Koenma yelled, having dropped the office aid to the floor. “I assume this is just a formality? You've come to be formally recognized as the heir to the Western provinces?”

Shippo nodded, “Partially, yes. However I am aware that such things could be done without my personal appearance needing to be made, I am sure both of us would agree that in such a desperate hour, it would be counter-productive,” he made a disdainful gesture behind him, indicating the uproar taking place in the great halls of the Rekai.

The demi god let loose a long suffering sigh, “Indeed.”

“I came, in fact to inquire about something much more… personal.” His green eyes twinkled.

Feeling a little more than a little like the receiving end of kitsune mischief Koenma swallowed, “And that might be?”

“The Shikon no Tama.”

`Well Shit.'

The kitten purred happily to herself as she pulled the half eaten fish from the dumpster. She was not a very sophisticated animal, but to her this was the crème-de la-crème of roadside eatery.

`Yum' She thought to herself as she lapped up the fishy delight. Her purr of happiness however, quickly morphed into a yowl of anger as a wretched magpie began to drag her find away.

`Wretched, wretched birdie! Taking my precious!' With determination set in her eyes she chased after that nasty, nasty bird. Right into the street.

The mangy kitten pounced onto the carcass right as the blaring of horns sounded in her ears, next accompanied by the squealing of brakes.

She was suddenly hurled and tipped forwards, surrounded by warm, strong arms. The not-so-bright kitten stared up at the man who had just saved her from a rather unseemly death.

“KUWABARA! What the fuck do you think?! Did you not see… why did you?” The kitten watched from under the man called Kuwabara as three more figures ran across the street.

“Yusuke I am fine-

“Kuwabara? Did you not see the car coming down the road, at 65 MILES PER HOUR?” The boy know as Yusuke had rather slicked, black hair with a pair of amber eyes to match.

However, the other man, the one with blood red hair stared down into her eyes directly and blinked several times. “Oh my…”

“YOU DUMBASS! Have you DIED lately? Because I HAVE and it is NOT FUN-

But the emerald eyed boy shook his head in silent laughter before pointing down at her position from beneath her large protector.

`They are all so… tall. And they are all so-

A figure dressed in black entered her immediate vision, and she suddenly found herself starring into hauntingly crimson eyes..

`So very pretty.'

But the smallest of the quartet scowled down at her before looking away.

And even though the other red head had pointed her out as the cause for Kuwabara's miraculous dive into traffic, it did nothing to eliminate his anger.

”Kuwabara…”

“What is it Urameshi?”

“Please, please tell us that you did not, did not just risk your sorry little ASS AS WELL AS OUR-

The black clad demon with gravity defying hair fingered the white bandana that wrapped around his head, “Ours Urameshi? Hn, don't flatter yourself. I doubt Kurama or myself are lacking the brains to save this idiot.” His words were finished with a sneer towards her savior, causing her to glare up at him with venom.

`Why that little pri-

“You had better not be talking about her shrimp!” Kuwabara yelled, still in a kneeling position, his hands resting around her hips. “ `Cuz if you are-

“Please calm down you guys.” The peacemaker of the group was obviously the one they called Kurama, “I am sure that Hiei,” he glared over at the fire apparition, “did not intend to insult your… friend.”

“Well-that still doesn't make it okay!”

Then Yusuke cut back in, throwing his hands up in frustration. “WHO GIVES A FLYING FUCK? It is just A CAT!”

Kuwabara then lowered his face to hers and grinned lopsidedly, “Yeah well,” he lifted her out from under him and stood, “she is a pretty cat.”

“Meow.”

Yusuke looked about ready to blow a fuse before he took in a deep, long suffering sigh and calmed his frazzled nerves. To be honest, the entire team was on edge and had been ever since two weeks ago when they had been sent on that bogus mission.

Koenma had been above and beyond pissed to learn that there was absolutely nothing of value hidden inside the fortress walls. `What do you mean `nothing?'

`Just like it sounds, there was nothing there.'

And there wasn't. Hiei had angrily smashed through several walls in a futile attempt to locate whatever it is they had been searching for.

What they had been sure they would find.

None of them were pleased, sure that Koenma had been sending them on yet another bogus mission. Though Kurama adamantly rejected the idea that there hadn't been something there before.

They had all sensed something in one way or another.

`What do we do now?'

`I don't know, this changes everything… keep your eyes open for anything unusual.'

An extremely vague criteria.

Kagome thought she would remember the coffee for the rest of eternity.

Normally it was a substance that she could not get enough of, and ever since her revival she was seldom seen in the early hours without the caffeinated beverage. It was a necessity, she would say when defending the cappuccino that was nearly always at hand.

She didn't actually like the taste, personal preference tending to be more on the bland side. Coffee was just too sharp to be consumed luxuriously.

She had been starring down into her thermostat, the warm tones of the drink wafting up into her face, calming her senses. The distinguished scents from her cup helped her blur and soften the smells of the city she was living in. And so she was walking the streets with her face nearly impaled in the steaming liquid.

Souta trailed on behind her, glaring at her from behind the multiple groceries he was carrying. Not that he could complain, Kagome was hefting more bags with her one arm while he had the advantage of two. But that didn't mean he liked seeing her waltzing through Tokyo with the glaze of remembrance on her eyes.

“Kagome, wait up.” He called, skirting around a group of boys busy fussing over some mangy cat, hoping to capture her undivided attention.

It didn't work.

She was thinking about how, even surrounded by millions of bustling pedestrians, she was completely alone.

Kagome was crossing the street in a trance-like state when a man brushed past her, knocking her thermos away from her face.

It wasn't quite noon yet. But at the time she had reached this rather busy square, the sun was already on its path to its zenith, and people were bustling to and fro between cars and stop lights. With her senses no longer muffled, the combined sensations of the city took over.

Her pupils shrunk drastically at the sudden rush of lights. Smells and sounds assaulted her, and the toxins in the air made her gasp for one collective moment. Her sense of balance felt askew, which was really, really rare for her. This combined with her lack of sleep thoroughly disoriented her-until a shout erupted from behind her… and a car blared its horn from about three meters away… `Well shit…' She didn't have the ability to scream but…

“Kagome look out!”

She was sure that she would remember the coffee for the rest of eternity. Not that she could feel it.

Though it had been scalding hot, she felt nothing but numbness sink into her, as if her veins had been filled with ice. She did think, though, that it all looked rather stunning.

The world had somehow lost all of its color, sepia and grays flooded her vision, washing her with a sense of surreal-ness. But she could see the dark brown of her coffee, though she could not yet feel it during her descent onto the darkened asphalt.

Once her body landed, another color began to mingle into her peripheral vision.

Red.

It mixed well with the chocolate tones of her coffee, swirling around and around each other in a work of art that made her surprisingly calm.

Calm enough to ask herself, `Did I wait 500 years just to die by a car? A car?'

Needless to say, it was not the way the Miko of legends had planned to go out. Still, she figured in her subdued state that cars might as well be the demons of the modern age. Though if that was the case then she severely hated her generation.

Suddenly, the cotton that had been muffling the sounds of the world around her was removed, exposing her sensitive hearing to the blaring of sirens heading her way. And then, just as suddenly, she could feel again. The blissful numbness was washed away, replaced with scalding agony, and red.

With a broken moan her head lolled over to the side, and her eyes fell upon another's haughty crimson gaze.

More red.

And then the dark figure was gone, his patronizing look with him… It was the last sight she took with her before…

Ending up about ten feet from where she had been previously.

“What the heck?” She cried. Her wide blue eyes attempting to take in everything. Directly below her laid the broken and mangled corpse of… well, of herself. And right besides her was her tearful brother, the groceries scattered around him.

There was the ambulance, the car that hit her, and all of the rubbernecking citizens who shook their heads dolefully.

“What the heck?!” She repeated, fisting her translucent hands in her hair. “I cant be dead!” Kagome cried, floating down to the nearest group of pedestrians.

She approached the three boys in desperation and waved her hands all over, “HEY! Look at me! I cant die like this! Get over their and… and… wake me up!”

The tallest of the three turned blue in the face and wailed terribly.

“What the fuck is wrong with you Kuwabara?” One of the others yelled, his hands fisted in his green pockets as he surveyed the scene with disbelief.

The orange haired one, whom she assumed was Kuwabara replied, “Er, Yusuke, I think that that chicks ghost is right here.”

Kagome gasped in surprised delight. “Yes yes yes! I am right here. Right HERE!”

But the angry boy, Yusuke, didn't act nearly as surprised as her. “Really? Well then,” his dark chestnut eyes swept the area around them as he spoke, “Hey dead girl,” he said with a smirk on his face. “Surprised to be dead?”

The time traveling miko gasped in outrage, “Why you little punk! I would think that answer was obvious!”

The remaining member of their group glared at Yusuke in disapproval, “You show respect for the dead.”

“Psh, whatever. I just wish I could see her face when she hears that, had she walked in the street five seconds sooner, this dumb-ass here would have saved her instead of this cat.”

Kuwabara growled, “Stop being such an ass Yusuke! This poor girl's probably very afraid right now, and look at her brother over there.”

Kagome turned back to the wreckage and felt tears sting her eyes, her brother was yelling with absolution that his sister could not be dead.

“No no, you don't understand! She just came back! She JUST came back and she was going to hang out with me today!” Souta cried as he fought to get closer to her body. “She isn't dead. Kagome! Come on Kagome knock it off!” He stepped on one of the oranges from his brown paper sack as he wrestled with the ambulance team. “NO! Don't put that on her, don't you dare put her in that bag!” He screamed.

“Kagome! Please, please Kagome! Come back, you just came back!” Souta sobbed, his arms and legs going limp under him. “You just came back.”

Kuwabara set down the cat and walked over to the boy. “Hey,” he whispered, his eyes radiating sorrow, “It's gonna be okay kid.”

Yusuke scowled, “This is really shitty, and creepy. Reminds me of the first time I died.”

Kagome whirled around from her levitated position and stared unbelievingly at the punk. “What?” She questioned, although it was obvious to her that no one would answer.

The other boy nodded in agreement, “Yes, it is rather eerie. You came back to life though, after your car accident-though you were lucky. If you hadn't had spiritual powers then I doubt Koenma would have bothered.”

“Meh. You're probably right. Oh shit, look, there goes the ambulance. Let's go help Kuwabara with that kid.

She was about to follow them when she felt a shooting pain coursing throughout her entire soul. “What the hell is happening to me!” She shouted out.

“Well, you and I have the same questions then.” The cheery voice that answered her cry belonged to a strange blue haired girl, sitting atop an old rusted oar. Her large pink eyes glared at her, “Because whatever it is, it's causing you to fade.”

Kagome gasped, “Wha-

And then all she could see was black.

For real.

She felt pain all up and down her spine, and her eyes were soar from the pin prick of light that traveled through the seems of the bag she was in. With a shrill cry Kagome began tearing her way out of the morgue bag, her mind reeling with the sensations of once again, returning to life.

“Let me out, let me out, let me out!!!” She screamed in unison with the squealing brakes and muffled curses of surprise as the ambulance shuddered to a halt.

“Hey, I'm really sorry but we have to get you to your folks.” Yusuke said, trying to get some sense into the shell shocked youth.

“My parents.” Souta replied, his voice dull and monotonous.

Yusuke sighed, “Yeah, your parents. Do you know how to get a hold of them?”

The boy didn't even blink, but continued to stare at the blood spattered area on the cement, “Kagome had the cell phone.”

Kuwabara laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, “Maybe we should take him to a hospital, he doesn't look so good.”

Kurama nodded in agreement and knelt before the kid, “I think he is just in shock.”

There was a long pause before the boy replied, “Wouldn't you be?”

The trio stared at him for a moment, each privately playing out a scenario where one of their loved ones was lost. Yusuke cursed, “Well we have to drop him off somewhere!” He turned and glared at the boy who was still unresponsive to his surroundings.

“This is just not my day.” He snarled to no one in particular.

“Not your day?” An overly cheerful voice replied.

The spirit detectives turned as Botan made her way to the scene of the accident. “Yusuke! You didn't just die, or,” she hastily added, “just watch a relative die. Or sorta die. Well, whatever it is you call it.”

Kurama raised on elegant eyebrow, “What?”

Yusuke was also confused, “Sorta died? Botan, I'm not in the mood for your puzzles and shit okay?”

The ferry girl `humphed' and crossed her arms over her chest. “Really, as if what I have to say isn't important!”

“THEN get to it!”

She waved her hand a little up the street. “Just look for yourselves,” she said a little smugly as they all turned to do so.

What they saw shocked them, the ambulance was stopped in the middle of the street, the back doors flung wide open to reveal the EMTs wrestling with what had previously been a dead girl.

“LET ME GO!” She screamed, trying to pry her way out of the black bag that was pooled around her waist. “I'm not dead! I'm not dead!”

The boy looked up and broke into a smile.

Yusuke just shook his head.

`Well shit.'

AN: There was a reoccurring theme to this chapter. It took me forever to write and in the end it didn't turn out the way I had thought it would at all. I feel a little disappointed in it, not sure why. But this chapter was FULL of events and such, maybe things moved a little too fast? Sorry, I just can't stand writing filler chapters. I cant do it either. `Well shit' was the theme. And the kitten was inspired by Golemn from LoTR.

So send me some feedback.

Hope you like.

Tesmoname