InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ Bringing the Past Back to Life ( Chapter 52 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 52: Bringing the Past Back to Life

Sesshoumaru nearly started in surprise as the landscape blurred around them, and then phased back in - and they were standing on the beach... in what would one day be the Western Lands. But...

There was a hell of a lot more land than there was in his time. So what did that mean?

"Kagome?" he questioned.

She turned and looked at him, then blinked. "Hm?"

"Why is there so much more land than there is later? Have the seas really risen that much?"

"Oh! Yeah - sea levels are rising all over the world slowly over time, but as the time gets closer to my own, the faster it gets. If I'm remembering rightly, by my era, almost a million square miles of land on earth has been lost to the oceans."

Both Sugimi and Sesshoumaru stared at her in shocked surprise. "That much?" Sugimi breathed. "What is causing it?"

Kagome frowned. "Well, there's actually many different causes, really, but the largest contributor is the polar ice caps melting. Of course, in this time," she looked around, "the world is just coming out of the last ice age. There will be a lot of rather cataclysmic floods to come that will destroy a lot of people and drown whole civilizations."

"Ice... age?" Sesshoumaru asked, curious.

"Yeah. You might have noticed that even though it's really summer right now, it's cooler than what you're used to. Temperatures all over the world are cooler right now, and spring and summer are shorter, while winter is longer."

"Hm. And this is what is ideal? How can that be? If the growing season is shorter, crops cannot be grown - at least, not enough." He seemed skeptical.

With a sigh, Kagome looked around again, and then walked back up to the head of the beach, towards the rather strange greenery, and motioned them to follow her. The two males cast glances at each other, then did so, an almost deadly curiosity overcoming both of them.

She waited patiently under the canopy for them, then gestured. "Growing crops isn't as necessary at this time. The earth has an abundance of plant life that is suited to the colder climate - and are edible. And many of the animals are larger than they are in our time - meaning the hunters gather more meat with less effort. It's not so bad, Sesshoumaru - just different than what any of us are really use to."

He looked around, then nodded, his eyes once more meeting his sire's. It would take some getting used to, if this was what they were going to be coming back to. That brought up a concern...

"I can understand what you say, Kagome, however... we are not used to this way of life. How, then, do we adapt?"

At that, she nodded, smiling. "Ah, I'm glad you asked that. Here's the thing, Sesshoumaru - I'm not gonna unleash my will in some big ass show of power-" she rolled her eyes, "-and make everything change back to what it is now. That'd be stupid - and I'm not even sure that's really possible. Sosa had to take several several thousand years to mess it all up - and even though I'm not gonna take the slow route like he did, I'm not gonna be in the fast lane, either."

When both males sent her confused looks, she laughed. "Okay, okay. What I mean is, the changes will be gradual. Believe me, everything will have plenty of time to adapt. I'll be bringing this past back to life - slowly." Her expression turned almost pensive, then, as she looked at the beauty all around them. "Humans have for too long messed up everything around them, by always seeking to change things. I think that's what we lost... the ability to exist with our surroundings - instead of against them."

Sugimi just nodded, agreeing with her, but Sesshoumaru said, "Perhaps. But change is a constant, and to survive, a species must be able to adapt and change - or they will die. But somehow, within all of that, there is a balance - and this one thinks that that is truly what you need to find - the balance between too much change, and not enough."

Surprised, Kagome just stared at him for a few moments, obviously turning his words over in her mind. Shaking her head after a few moments, she said, "I'll have to think about that. You just might have hit the nail on the head with that statement."

Sugimi frowned in almost comical confusion. "Nail on the head? Is there somewhere else to hit a nail?"

Kagome started laughing, and Sesshoumaru just stared at him.

This trip may just seem to take a lifetime with Father around.

---wWw---

"Inuyasha."

The hanyou turned to stare at the panther as she moved forward, then turned back to watch the trail ahead. "Yeah?"

"Several of my kin have returned with news of three large hunting parties in this general region. I think it's time to split up, and go hunt some fools," she purred.

He chuckled wickedly for a moment. "I agree with that, but I think we need to split things up a little differently than we were thinkin' before." He turned and yelled, "Oi, Sango! Get over here, woman!"

Touran narrowed her eyes at him, curious as to his meaning, and waited almost impatiently for the slayer to arrive atop her firecat.

"What's the yelling for, Inuyasha? Found some of our opponents?"

"Yeah. But look, I think we should decide on our tactics now, before we part. Not to mention how we split up. I think each group should take along some of the other groups - and here's why." He quickly outlined his plans, and Touran and Sango both nodded, liking what they were hearing.

"So the slayers with each party take care of any monks, because they won't be affected by holy powers, and the demons will take on any Samurai. I suppose that will work." Sango flashed a dangerous smile, and finished with, "Come on, Touran, let's go get everyone situated so we can go kill a few troublemakers, eh?"

Inuyasha watched as the two took off, then he turned and quickly split his group into thirds, sending two parts off to join the other groups, just as a group of slayers, and another of panthers, joined his own group...

And then they all wheeled around and took off after a target, running swiftly and silently as they hunted their prey.

Inuyasha let out a feral grin as his blood began to heat. This is gonna be fun!

---wWw---

Meimei watched the monk known as Ungai with unconcealed fascination.

She couldn't understand how the monks that were following this man could be so stupid as to fall for his explanations of his seeming reversal of age. She snorted. 'This is proof that the kami bless my endeavors, for they are restoring my youth to me to make sure I have the time to complete this great task', my ass, she thought.

Are they all so foolish? She sighed. We really should have taken into account intelligence when we started handing out reiki. This is ridiculous.

It had been several days ago that the first changes in the elderly monk could be seen - instead of just a small fringe of grayed hair, he'd gained quite a bit of new growth almost overnight. That had been startling enough - but then to watch the wrinkles in his skin begin to reverse themselves, smoothing out into young, unlined skin, had been even stranger.

Of course, as a goddess, Amaterasu could do something like that with the drop of a hat - but to watch a mortal, a human man, do so, was definitely odd, and she was well aware that it was Sou'unga's doing. It was just everyone else that was fooled into thinking it was the kami.

In fact, it had given a huge boost to his status, many believing that no one but the kami could do such a thing.

She just had to say something about that when about the hundredth person said the same thing in tones of the utmost awe.

"And more fool you for thinking so. There are many witches and sorcerers that can create spells to do this very thing. This is no miracle by the kami," she huffed in irritation.

Ungai glared at her, even as the overawed, stupid monk bowing to Ungai looked at her, horrified. "Be silent, you foolish old woman! You know nothing!"

At that, her eyes went flat, and she flared her aura. "You would do well not to speak to me in that tone again, fool, or have you forgotten your last lesson in manners? I could squash you like the insignificant insect that you are right this moment if you wish," she said dangerously, her aura snapping and battering at his own, making him pale.

"If it is not the hand of the kami, then what is it? Why am I growing younger?" he asked, anger clear in every word.

"It is the hand of someone, all right - but not who you might think. I've told you - the kami don't sanction this war you are seeking to start." Her eyes flashed, then, and Ungai stepped back, suddenly cowering before the aura of power that this woman carried - old or not. He paled.

"Who are you?" he rasped fearfully.

And the great goddess smirked, and answered, "The mother of your downfall, monk." Then she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving two trembling monks behind.

Fools!

---wWw---

Nyoko sat back against a tree, and idly listened to the talk going on around her, not really thinking about much, just letting her thoughts wander, as Kanna sat near her silently.

She was bored.

Her sweet, naughty little puppy had taken off without her to go get into trouble with a bunch of other people, and without him around to hassle, there wasn't much to do at this point.

Slowly, though, as she pouted, the talk nearest her began to get her attention.

She was sitting near the group of half-demons, and they were discussing their very dangerous role in the upcoming battle. The role of being the first troops to face the monks.

The idea behind that was that being half-demons, if they were hit with purification sutra, they would still survive, they'd only be temporarily purified - and could continue to fight in their human forms against those same monks.

Sound enough idea. But very painful, and none of them were really looking forward to the whole thing.

That got her to thinking. She knew of a way to protect them from the sutra of the monks... but could she do it in enough time? That was the question.

She got up and moved over to the group, and as they turned to look up at her, she sat down next to the leader. "I couldn't help hearing what you were talking about - and I might be able to help." Then a nasty smirk crossed her lips. "And just imagine the looks on those sissy monks faces when they try to purify you - and it doesn't work!"

Brows rose, and other nasty smirks crossed the faces of the group surrounding her. Taka grinned, then asked, "So what do we have to do?"

Grinning wickedly back, she started to speak, and they all leaned in to hear her.

"You guys don't really have to do anything - I need to set the spells - but I am gonna need something personal of each of yours - something that you all will be wearing into the battle. That's what I'll use to anchor the spell."

Taka considered that with a frown. "Will our clothing work?" he asked.

She laughed. "You gonna be wearing the same clothes now, as you will then?"

He scowled. "Okay, okay... does it have to be the same thing for each of us?"

"Nope. It just has to be something personal to each individual, something that will be on your person as we fight - but you should probably choose something that won't be easily removed from you, because if it does get taken, you will lose it's protection."

Another voice popped up, and Nyoko looked over at the speaker. It was one of the females. "Are you going to do the same for the full demons?"

At that, Nyoko sighed, and shook her head. "No. Their youki is too strong - the spell wouldn't hold, because it would be weaker. I'm a sorceress, not a miracle worker, I'm afraid." Then she thought of something. "But maybe, if Kagome gets back before the fight, I'll ask her about it. She would have the power to do such a thing - I bet she's just never thought of it."

The half demons nodded, and then began to speak amongst themselves as they each decided what they wanted to have their spell anchored to. Nyoko just sat back and waited, hoping that Kagome really would get back in time...

Maybe then, they wouldn't have to have any of their friends and allies in danger.

Wouldn't that just put a spike in Ungai's plans?

---wWw---

"So, then, what is next?" Sesshoumaru asked, turning to look at his intended.

Kagome looked upwards through the canopy, noting the position of the sun. It was early afternoon, and she decided that now would be a good time to look for some of the inhabitants - though she would settle on a cave somewhere near the people of this era, and then make begin to observe them tomorrow.

Wrinkling her nose thoughtfully, she glanced back at the two males, then said, "I think we should find a place to settle down for the night, then hunt something up for dinner. Tomorrow we can take a look at the people, and see what we might see."

Sesshoumaru nodded, despite his concern about the pending battle back in his time. "Where do you wish to make camp for the night?"

She thought about it for a minute, then smiled. "I know just the place. Hang on!"

Again, the terrain around them blurred, and when the movement stopped, they were standing in front of a great cavern that looked faintly familiar to the daiyoukai - to both of them, actually.

With a quirked brow, Sesshoumaru asked, "Did you realize that back in our era, this is the cavern that will become my den? It looks mostly the same, surprisingly enough."

Looking just a bit taken aback, Kagome shook her head. "I didn't really realize that, no, but why would you think it'd look all that different?"

"After all, miko, this is many millenia before our time, is it not?"

"Oh, hai, but things like mountains and caves and topical features of the earth sometime take much, much more than millenia to change. There's no reason it would look all that different. I'm sure you'll find a few differences - like maybe it's larger than in our era, and some of the physical features might be a bit different, but it should be mostly the same."

Sugimi looked faintly fascinated. "And how do you know that this looks pretty much the same in both times, may I ask?"

She waved a casual hand. "Oh, I studied about the geology of our lands, and most of it hasn't changed other than the coastlines, in several hundred thousand years. There's always small changes, of course, like in this time, Fuji is dormant, as are most volcanoes - though that will change as the climate changes and the oceans rise. But anyway... why don't you two hunt, and I'll get a fire going?"

Immediately Sesshoumaru growled. "I will not leave you here unattended, mate," he said warningly.

Kagome sighed deeply, and put her hands on her hips. "Sesshoumaru, have you forgotten again? I'm not exactly gonna get hurt by anything mortal, now am I?"

"And what about immortal, then, miko?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

Sugimi chortled at her answer.

"Then I'll get hurt - but you staying here won't change that, since even you can't fight a god, oh, arrogant one!" she sniffed.

The elder daiyoukai walked up and took his son's arm in hand, then tugged him along behind as he turned to walk from the small clearing around the mouth of the cave.

"She sure has you pegged, Sesshoumaru, oh arrogant one. Come along, let's not piss off your little goddess so soon, my son."

Kagome watched the two leave, then sighed again, and wandered into the dense forest around the entrance to the cavern, gathering as much firewood as she could find.

So, in a little under twelve thousand years, that cave will be my winter home. She smiled... and then something occurred to her, and she blushed deeply. It's also where I bet he'll take me when it's time to claim me... She took the armful of wood back to the cave, and stepped almost hesitantly inside, leaving the wood near the entrance, before going back out for more.

After the next armful, once her fiery cheeks had calmed, she looked around, noting that the cavern was deep - even though it was still daylight, she couldn't see very far back. But as determined as she was to explore, she simply let that annoying glow in her skin flare up brightly, and began to walk further in, extremely curious.

Letting out her aura some, she probed the area for any wildlife that possibly had this cave claimed as home, but found nothing untoward, and smiled a bit. She noted that there appeared to be two other chambers leading off from this one, though they were more shallow. And then she let out a happy squeal as she realized that one of them contained a hot spring.

"Bath time!" she yelled happily, as she moved into the cavern that held the spring, and let her glowing skin light the area. The cave had been created by obvious volcanic activity at some point, as there were plenty of crystalline glints from the walls, making the entire cave shimmer in the light she was giving off.

She sighed, feeling some of her stress disappear with the knowledge that she would soon be able to take a nice, soothing hot bath.

Hmm. Maybe I can get Sesshoumaru to join me... and then she remembered Sugimi, and pouted disappointedly. I get it now... that's why he didn't want his father to come - he wanted to be alone with me.

Suddenly, Kagome felt a little guilty for snapping at him over his father's presence...

Crap... maybe we can convince Sugimi to come back tomorrow? After all, Sesshoumaru did say he wouldn't claim me 'til we were in the Western Lands... and we are in the Western Lands... technically.

She blushed at her suddenly hentai thoughts.

I wonder if I could get him to agree with that idea.

---wWw---

A/N: Naughty, naughty Kagome... LOL! Of course, if I had a guy that looked like that, I'd be thinkin' that way, too.

Enjoy!

Amber