InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inuyasha AD 4023 ❯ Demons, Jewels and Casters ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Inuyasha; Takahashi-sama does.

 

Chapter One: Demons, Jewels and Casters

 

Cadet Higarashi rolled over to silence the painful screech in her ear. The multifunction bedside station whined in protest as she bashed it into submission, squelching its wake up alarm. Her job done, she quickly snuggled back under the blankets of her doublewide bed, a commodity in the modern world. Then again, her family was the head of the Higarashi Shrine, an ancient part of Earth culture that dated back over twenty five hundred years ago. Not that it mattered to her. She was just an average 41st century girl attending the New Tokyo Institute of Interstellar Studies; of course not many majored in Star Piloting as a profession let alone a mech warrior sub major.

 

Suddenly the comm. link clicked on and her mother's voice reminded her exactly why she had set her annoying alarm. “Kagome Higarashi your breakfast is ready and your bag packed. You had better hurry dear, you don't want to be late for your own graduation do you?” Her mothers voice was a little too sweet.

 

Kagome let out a series of incoherent grumbles and moans before finally muttering the standard `be there in half a light second' line she favored when dealing with her mother back into the comm. link. Throwing the covers off she peeled herself from her bed and groped her feet around until she found her slippers. Sleep was heavy in her eyes as she made her way down the stairs, an outdated form of transportation yes, but the shrine did have to uphold some sort of traditional standards. After all, what would dignitaries and politicians who came to visit have to say if they saw a gravlift occupying their home?

Plopping herself down on her chair she looked at the breakfast before her. She sighed; pancakes, eggs and bacon seemed to make a formation that looked suspiciously like a smiley face. When would her mother learn she was no longer twelve but twenty? She brooded as she idly toyed with her food only managing a few bites before rushing back upstairs to shower and at least brush her hair. One only graduated from an interstellar college once.

 

The New Tokyo Institute of Interstellar Studies wasn't necessarily as prestigious as it was historically famous. New Tokyo was the result of an intergalactic war. It had been leveled to the ground around four hundred years ago; one of the few remaining structures was the college there. Little was known of the war itself, but it was rumored that it was the last time that Youkai were known to inhabit the universe. Of course no one could prove this as all records of the Warring Intergalactic States Era had either been destroyed or put under the highest levels of Federation security. Why this was so could only be left to speculation, but many believed that it was due to the existence of destructive technology that was too dangerous to be allowed to exist as space desperately sought a way to find peace. Not that there really was peace, though treaties did keep wars to a minimum and borders were formed between factions, though traders and merchants could sometimes cross them with special clearance from both factions involved. Still Kagome had always wondered what sort of technology could pose such a threat that it had to be completed wiped out of existence. Gramps had always insisted that it was the fabled Daemon System that mobile suits of that era had utilized, at least according to legend. Then again legend and bullshit were often two words she put together, especially when it had to do with her grandfather. According to him things such as Gravity Drives existed, which had already been proved impossible according to the laws of quantum physics. Gramps though was never put off, and if he didn't go off at length about the Daemon System or Gravity Drives you had better not to mention the legend of the Shikon no Tama. She couldn't possibly fathom the amount of time she was forced to sit and listen to him describe the legend of the Shikon no Tama.

 

Kagome shut off the hot water and dried herself methodically, her day dreaming about the wonderful time she lived and the nonsense of the past in coming to an end, as business became her focus. She quickly donned school uniform along with the ceremonial battle armor they were required to wear at graduation. The battle armor itself was little more than a right shoulder guard that left her back exposed and only covered her chest from just below her breasts up to her collarbone. It was rather striking though, the advanced alloys of her time allowed for strength and flexibility along with very little weight, and the design did make her look rather appealing in an exotic and dangerous sort of way. The rest of her uniform was fairly simple though, a black sailor with a red ribbon that was tucked into matching black enhanced polyweave jumper pants with a similar red trim in the form of a stripe on the outside and inside of each leg. The silver boots that completed the out outfit were just below knee high, but had an attached guard that stuck out about six inches above her knee when she was crouched or seated. Yes she truly did look like a 41st century twenty-year-old cadet-warrior-genius.

 

Grabbing her bag as she marched out the door to walk the several dozen blocks to the Institute, which was hastened of course by high-speed sidewalks of the era, despite that they were horribly outdated in compared to transmission tubes they were still better than nothing; her mind returned to its wandering. Yes, gramps had always told her stories of magic and demons and technology that were far superior to their own in certain ways; in combat. She couldn't even begin to remember how many times he attempted to explain the significance of the Daemon System and how it could increase the combat effectiveness of a pilot by direct manipulation of brainwaves. It all sounded ridiculous to her, she was particularly amused of his talk of `auras' and their ability to increase the power output of mobile suits. It was downright ludicrous. Though she did admit, there was something strangely romantic about it all. When she was younger she had always doted on imaginary dream boys who were from that era, wild and untamed yet believing in the old notions of chivalry and the like. It was a sobering thought.

 

Kagome Higarashi was twenty years old and was still a virgin. No, scratch that. She was still a never-been-kissed. It constantly irked her, but at the same time it was her own idealism that caused it. She was just waiting for the right guy was all. So far she hadn't met anyone who had really sparked her interest romantically, let alone made her feel as if she might find passionate love in her future. Then again the life of a mech warrior and star pilot were not ones that included such things. Duty was the priority above all else and loneliness was part of the contract. Still, she was also a human girl, a race known to have a particularly strong affiliation with emotions, particularly those associated with mating as most other races called it. Though she supposed that the life of a human girl and a mech warrior and star pilot weren't supposed to blend very well. That was why most in the profession were male, and the few females were more often than not from matriarchal races. Although she was a standout because of her race and prowess it still didn't dull the sting of not having a love in her life though. There was Hojo, but he was less entertaining than her little brother. True, he gave her frequent gifts and treated her to dinner and movies on an almost weekly basis, but he was just uninteresting. He was a health nut who was completely tame with almost no identity of his own, perhaps it was because of this that they had never even hugged or held hands. Besides after today she probably wouldn't see much of him anyway, he was going into galactic medicine as a profession; the farthest thing from a warrior. Still, at least he made her feel physically attractive as he blushed at just about anything she did. Her best friends Yuka and Eri constantly pressed as to why she didn't get involved as she was considered one of the top beauties of the school which numbered over sixty thousand in total. She always kept to the same tack; she was waiting for the one.

 

Kagome's thoughts finally came to a close as she rounded the last corner and saw the mass of students surging towards the primary outdoor auditorium where the long and tedious ceremony would be held. She only hoped it would end sooner than later. She wasn't twenty yet; she was born at 5:32 pm in the late spring season. Besides, she knew that her twentieth birthday party was supposed be a surprise as she had not heard anything of it yet, she smiled at that thought, she loved surprises.

 

*************************************

 

Six hours later Kagome finally found herself bounding up the shrine steps two at a time. The ceremony had lasted far too long. It was almost 5pm, and she sure as hell wasn't going to let the party start any later. Finally reaching the plateau upon which the Higarashi Shrine and residence sat, she noted that all the lights were off in the house. That was a good sign- their family never went out unless it was all together, after all with dad dead and gone for many years it was just the four of them. Her mother, Jurei, her brother, Souta, and her grandfather, Inshuu plus herself were all that made up their family. They did have extended family of course, but none of them were really close to them. She wondered if they would all be there.

 

She found the front door unlocked as she expected it would be, and stumbled her way through the kitchen. Peering into the darkness as she walked into the entryway of the living room she decided to play along with the little charade. “Hello? Helloooo? Souta, Mama, Jii-chan… is anyone home?” Her voice echoed through the house as nothing came to answer her back.

 

Just when she was beginning to wonder whether she was wrong in assuming a surprise party she was- well surprised. Suddenly the lights clicked on as confetti blasted everywhere and fifty people all jumped out from their hiding spots and shouted a celebratory, “SURPRISE!” She did best to look part, which wasn't very difficult. She hadn't expected fifty people.

 

Her family and extended family were there of course, along with Yuka and Eri, plus Hojo and a few other classmates that were her casual friends. What surprised her were the twenty additional people that included classmates and teachers alike. After the initial shock passed and she expressed her surprise with some appropriate exclamations the party got off to a running start. Punch and snacks were set up in the kitchen as loud music began to blare and people came to greet her and offer their congratulations. It was kind of awkward that most of her friends were two years older than her, as she had started school a year early and then done so well that she had skipped her sophomore year and graduated in only three years instead of four. Not that they treated her any differently, it was just weird that she was one of probably four or five people at the party that could not legally drink, not like she really cared to. The first two hours passed in a blur of chatting and dancing with the occasional pit stop for punch or a cracker or two. Kagome was having the time of her life, when the music stopped her heart accelerated in glee; it was time for the main event.

 

Though much had changed over the centuries in the human culture, the birthday tradition still manifested itself most strongly in the present opening ceremony. Each present was met with great applause and plasma image rendering cameras sent off little waves of multicolored lights. Finally when it appeared all the presents were done and the party appeared as if it was about to start back up again with more music and dancing, her grandfather suddenly strode forward with a moderate sized box, declaring that her final present was from the Higarashi family line. The music was quickly silenced and everyone returned to their respective places in the living room. Kagome hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about, but as she tore into the present the shape of something cylindrical began to form beneath all of the extra confetti padding. When she finally managed to grasp the cool metal object she raised it out of the box expecting an old teakettle or something. She couldn't have been more wrong.

 

Kagome's hands shook and her eyes dilated as all of the excited chatter abruptly turned into a stunned silence. Kagome's mouth was so dry she thought her very words would crack, but somehow she managed to get them out. “Gramps… the family heirloom you've given me is a Caster gun? YOU GAVE ME A CASTER GUN?!” She practically screamed. It wasn't anger that filled her, but shock and glee. Caster guns were relics dating back hundreds of years ago worth millions of credits as collector items, albeit the fact they didn't even work anymore. There hadn't been a Caster gun that had so much as twitched in recent history. It was said that they had once held great powers capable of standing up to Youkai and even heavy armor, but if they had once wielded such power they were completely useless now for whatever reason. Still it didn't change the fact that what she was holding was near priceless and was apparently a family heirloom.

 

Her grandfather finally answered in the silence that ensued her outburst. “This weapon has been in the family for over fifty generations and is given to the first born daughter of the Higarashi name when she turns sixteen. She is to carry it with her always until the birth of her first daughter, at which time it is preserved until her sixteenth birthday. However in your case, Kagome, we held it off, seeing as you don't seem to be interested in getting married anytime soon. Your career seemed more symbolic to us and so we waited for graduation to award it to you, coincidently this falls on your twentieth birthday as well.” His eyes studied her for a moment before he walked back towards his bedroom and then quickly reappeared with a well-worn antique black holster and gun belt. “From this day forward you shall always carry this weapon at your hip as a declaration of your family lineage as descendents of the great holy priestesses of long ago.” He quickly strapped the belt around her waist and then dug in his pockets to produce three shells- Caster shells.

 

“Ojiisan… I don't know what to say…” Kagome's eyes began to tear up before she threw herself into her grandfather's arms, beyond honored to be bestowed such a gift, whether or not it was tradition.

 

Suddenly he stepped back out of the hug and wiped her tears before taking her hand and forcefully leading her out the front door to the open area of the shrine grounds. He swiftly took the gun from her still unbelieving right hand and loaded a shell into it before giving it back to her and eyeing her with an air of seriousness. “As is tradition you shall now attempt to fire the Caster gun.” He nodded at her and she pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

 

“Umm… that was it right?” The guests had quickly formed a semicircle behind them and Kagome was feeling more than a little self-conscious.

 

Her grandfather appeared to have to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. “Kagome you must concentrate your chakra and visualize it flowing into the weapon. Then when you are truly one with the weapon you are to fire it.” His voice was one of amused reprimand, though she was sure he had never said anything about Caster guns before.

 

Blocking out all thoughts and distractions, Kagome slowly centered her mind. When she found the balance she began to visualize it shifting into the weapon. When she felt she had done her best she let out her breath and fired again. Suddenly a gentle hum could be heard in the air, which quickly turned into a clearly audible thrum and then a violent screech. The silvered barrel of the Caster gun began to rotate beneath is exterior interconnected gold plates, moving faster and faster. The rune engravings and symbols began to light up in brilliant colors of ghostly neon blues, whites, reds, oranges, and yellows. Kagome felt a surge of power and suddenly a loud groan was heard and a piercing flash of light blinded her.

 

Her next coherent thought was that she was on the ground staring up into the concerned faces of the guests and foremost, her mother. She could tell that this was not supposed to happen. “Mama what happened to me?” Kagome did her best to stand up, though her legs were shaky at best.

 

Jurei looked hesitant and she spoke in a calm voice that only made Kagome more worried. “The Caster gun started to make noise and then it rotated and sent off lights. There was a pulse of power in the air then suddenly everything went white. It seemed as if the Caster was going to fire… but I guess it didn't, your shell is still in the gun when Inshuu picked it up.” She bit her lip nervously. “Kagome are you alright?”

 

“Yeah mom I'm fine. I just feel drained is all.” Her voice sounded a little strained and it was not lost on her mother.

 

“Alright everyone, we're not sure what happened but Kagome is really wiped out so I think we're going to have to cut the party short.” Her mother's voice indicated it was a command not a request; no complaints were voiced.

 

As the guests shuffled their way off of the shrine grounds with their mixed looks of fear and amazement Inshuu merely stood rooted to his position staring at her. Finally unable to take it she yelled at him, “What? What's going on Jii-chan? What was that?” Her voice wasn't scared so much as matter of fact, after all a weapon hurt others, not her.

 

Her grandfather appeared to be attempting to form words when his mouth moved up and down. His eyes had a glazed look to them when he cleared his throat and explained the events. “You have the power Kagome. The holy powers of our descendants have been passed down to you… you are the first true priestess of the Higarashi Shrine in over four hundred years.” His look had sobered by now. “Go get some rest Kagome, we'll talk about it in the morning.

 

Kagome merely sighed to herself as she dragged her way back into the living room and began methodically taking her presents upstairs to her room. Why did all this weird stuff suddenly have to happen to her? She was halfway done when she came across the fully interactive multi functional entertainment center she had received for her cat when she suddenly cursed herself.

 

Souta, who was assisting in the present gathering, gave her a questioning look. “What's the matter sis'?”

 

“Buyo,” Kagome said simply.

 

“Buyo?” Souta was clearly not following.

 

Kagome sighed at her own carelessness. “I forgot to lock the door when I left for school and he must have strayed off somewhere. I'll go find him.”

 

Souta nodded and said he would finish taking the rest of the presents up and Kagome offered no protest.

 

********************************

 

Twenty minutes later Kagome had searched almost every nook and cranny of the shrine and still with no success. Just where is that damn cat? Her eyes turned to the old well house. The only place she hadn't looked. Maybe he went in there?

 

The door creaked open as she peered inside into the darkness but she couldn't see anything. Slowly, she walked forward and called out for him; her voice had a tinge of fear in it. “Buyo? Buyo? Where are you, you stupid blob of adorable fur?”

 

Suddenly a noise sounded from behind her and her heart nearly separated from her chest. Aforementioned cat was now standing on the steps she had just walked down to look for him. “Buyo there you are! You scared me half to death. Don't do that again Buyo. Gods, the things I do for you, you dumb cat. And to think that I almost thought- EEP!”

 

Kagome suddenly felt something grab her from behind and pull her backwards. Suddenly she realized she was being pulled into the well. She tried to scream but it was stifled by a clammy hand, in fact several clammy hands.

 

“The jewel! The jewel! Give me the jewel human girl!” A voice screeched in the darkness as she felt herself falling endlessly.

 

“What jewel? What do you want?” Kagome yelled, frantically trying to free herself from the multiple hands now threatening to squeeze the life out of her.

 

“Shikon no Tama! Your powers will be mine!” The voice screamed in fury as one hand began to circle around her throat.

 

No… no I can't die… this is a bad dream no… no… NO! NO! “NOOOOO!” Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs and a surge of power flowed through her burning whatever it was that was attacking her. The hands left and suddenly she was freefalling into nothingness, into the void. Her last thought before she blacked out was it was all a bad dream.