Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Evolution ❯ Dream ( Chapter 7 )

From now on, “OooooO” will be a POV marker and “XevolutionX” will be a change in time marker. Also, “XxxxxX” is a dream sequence. This is so things will be less confusing.

 

Evolution

 

OooooO

 

Kagome was enjoying her time in her world. When she had first arrived back, she had immediately holed herself up in her bedroom and refused to speak to anyone, still thinking about the events she had been forced to forget most probably by a silver fox thief. However, the next day, those thoughts were soon forgotten as she was overcome with woes and worries of school. Kagome had been held back, and as a result, was probably the only nineteen year old student in her twelfth grade class. And even with being held back, Kagome still struggled in her classes. Her previous “friends” had abandoned her once she had been held back, and a part of Kagome longed for the time when she had been among the top students in all her classes. Of course, she could always just drop out of highschool. After all, after ninth grade, the last grade in middle school, students no longer had to go to school. But highschool was expensive, and her mother was paying for her to go, so it would be a waste of money. And she still got something out of it, occasionally.

 

Kagome's head fell into her social studies book. She was studying for an upcoming test, and while history should have been easy because of her trips to the past, youkai were “legends” and no longer existed, and that part of history was never recorded. As a result, things were very different, and Kagome had a hard time, what with confusing the book with the actual events.

 

Kagome frowned. Thoughts on youkai and her time had her wondering whatever happened to youkai. They were such a powerful race, and long lived as well, that they should have survived. In fact, based on Darwin's theories, the humans should have been wiped out. Not only were the youkai stronger, faster, and more advanced, they seemed to be smarter too. They used more parts of their brain than humans did, what with their special powers and animalistic instincts. Kagome was willing bet there were youkai that remembered when humans could barely speak, that were around when the earth consisted of only Pangea, instead of the seven continents. So what happened to them? How could have the humans overcome youkai so much that they didn't even exist in the history books? Granted, humans now had the atomic bomb on their side, as well as automatic guns, but one youkai could take on nearly an entire army of humans. Especially now, when monks and mikos were practically nonexistant, and magic just about gone. Could youkai simply have stopped evolving? No, because even then, youkai were stronger than humans. Even now, humans have yet to evolve past the youkai Kagome knew of in the past. `Wouldn't Naraku love to be alive in this era?' Kagome thought bitterly. It would be so easy for them all to take over. What stopped the youkai from taking over in Sengoku Jidai? What ever defeated them, erased them from existence? It was almost as if a god had decided to drop them all in another dimension and erase the memories of demons ever existing. Kagome sighed. Now definitely wasn't the time to wonder about the nonexistence of youkai. She had homework to do!

 

XevolutionX

 

“ Oh no! I promised Mama I would be home right from school to help out at the shrine!” Kagome said to herself as she ran down the street. School had just gotten out for Kagome, and she felt very pleased with herself. For once, the math tests had been fairly easy! Kagome had high hopes that she was definitely going to pass this year. Kagome really didn't want to repeat the grade again, so she was using what time she was allowed in her world to study as hard as she could and get caught up.

 

Kagome sighed impatiently as she waited for the walk signal to light up. She was definitely taking longer than usual to get back to the shrine. `Man…I hope Mama isn't too angry…' Kagome thought to herself. There was a faint `ding' as the walking person lit up, letting the pedestrians know it was okay to cross the street. Kagome trotted across, eager to get home. However, Kagome paused as a voice called out to her.

 

“ Miss! Miss! You dropped something!” Jogging after her was a boy, no man. A very beautiful man. A man who, with his blood red hair and forest green eyes, reminded her suspiciously of her fox kit back in Sengoku Jidai. In his hands were two of her textbooks. Her math and science books.

 

“ Eh? How did those fall out of my backpack?” As if to answer her query, there was a tearing sound from her backpack, and instantly, all the contents fell out.

 

“ My backpack!” Kagome wailed. All her texts, notebooks, notes, and her calculator lay on the ground. Pulling her backpack from her shoulders, she saw that there was a hole in the bottom of it, and the threading of what remained was very thin. `Well…I did have this backpack for a couple of years, I suppose it was going to tear sometime…still, I wish it could've been a more convienent time.' Kagome thought to herself.

 

“ Is everything all right, miss? You dropped these,” the man held out her books to her. Kagome took them gratefully.

 

“ Thank you so much. I have homework from math tonight; it wouldn't have been good if I didn't have my book with me,” Kagome said, smiling up at the pretty stranger. Gathering her things, Kagome accepted her texts from the man. He was wearing a magenta school uniform, and Kagome knew instantly which school he went to.

 

“ Oh my…” she gasped, “ You go to Meiou High, don't you?” He smiled and nodded.

 

“ Yes, I do. And I suppose you go to Tsuoka High School, am I correct?” he said. Kagome blushed and nodded. Her high school was nothing compared to his. Balancing her pile carefully, Kagome stood.

 

“ Well, thanks for you help. I've got to go home. Maybe we'll run into each other again, hmm?” Kagome tilted her head and smiled. He smiled back. Turning to face the sidewalk, Kagome took no more than three steps when a familiar tingle ran up her spine. Gasping, she whirled around. The pretty man was gone.

 

OooooO

 

“ Flirting with human girls again, Kurama?” Hiei asked as he returned to his side. The small youkai had immediately fled once it appeared he would engage a conversation with a human, but now that threat was over, he had returned to Kurama's side. Kurama smiled down at Hiei.

 

“ I wouldn't call it flirting, Hiei. I was merely returning her books to her,” Hiei snorted at the avatar's response.

 

“ You mean that fox inside your head thought she was pretty and wanted you to talk to her so he could get a good look at her face,” Hiei replied. Kurama frowned.

 

“ No, actually…Youko had been sleeping when I confronted the girl, but when she spoke, he came to attention quite quickly. He never said anything to me, he was just…studying her. Almost as if he had once known her and wanted to make sure it was really her,” Kurama said.

 

“ That's impossible. He hasn't had the chance to consort with any females, and I would've known if she were a youkai,” Hiei said. Kurama shrugged. Hiei scowled. He hated not knowing things. Kurama didn't either, but he had grown used to Youko hiding things from him, though Kurama was sure he knew more about the fox thief than any other living being.

 

“ Hiei! Kurama!” Kurama turned, hearing the familiar gruff voice of Yusuke. With the youth was Kuwabara, his eternal rival.

 

“ Hello Yusuke, Kuwabara,” Kurama said. Yusuke and Kuwabara fell in step beside the two youkai as they finally caught up. After catching his breath, Yusuke turned to grin at Kurama.

 

“ So, who was the chick?”

 

“ I don't know what you're talking about, Yusuke. I was only helping her by giving her books back after they fell on the ground,” Kurama replied. Yusuke rolled his eyes.

 

“ Riiight. Man, when are you going to get a girlfriend. I've been hearing your mother complain about it, you know. Thinks she won't have any grandchildren,” Yusuke said. It took much of Kurama's self control not to whirl around and snap at him.

 

“ I am well aware of what my mother wants, Yusuke. Don't you have a date with Keiko today?” Kurama asked coolly.

 

“ Oh shit! Thanks Kurama! See you guys later!” with a wave, Yusuke disappeared into the crowd.

 

“ When do you think he's gonna figure out he doesn't have a date today?” Hiei inquired.

 

“ Probably not until he gets there,” Kurama answered. Hiei smirked. Kuwabara looked into the crowd where Yusuke had disappeared before sighing.

 

“ Damn. I can't fight Urameshi if he's on a date with Keiko. I'm going to the arcade,” and Kuwabara left the two youkai by themselves once more. Hiei blinked after Kuwabara.

 

“ Didn't he just hear us? The detective doesn't have a date with his girl today,” Hiei said. Kurama shrugged.

 

“ Stupid moron,” he muttered under his breath. Kurama felt his lips curl.

 

“ Now Hiei, you have to learn some time to appreciate our teammates,” Kurama admonished. Hiei glared at the redhead.

 

“ Appreciate? Don't try to fool me Kurama. You sent Yusuke away and you knew that the moron would follow him, ridding ourselves of their presence,” Hiei said. Kurama lifted an eyebrow.

 

“ Really?”

 

“ Really,” Hiei continued to stare up at Kurama. Kurama just chuckled.

 

“ You look too deep into things, Hiei,” he said.

 

“ The same could be said about you, Kurama,” Hiei remarked. Kurama just smiled.

 

“ I'm going home, Hiei. I suppose you'll be going to Genkai's?” Kurama asked. Hiei nodded. Without another word, he left in a black blur. Kurama smiled after Hiei.

 

“ You know me too well, Hiei…”

 

XevolutionX

 

Kurama sighed as he placed his backpack on his desk before flopping rather ungracefully on his bed. It had been a long, boring day for the avatar, and Kurama was tired. He also wanted some answers about the girl. He prodded Youko awake in his head.

 

“What?”

 

“ You knew that girl from before, didn't you?”

 

“ And if I did? There really isn't nothing you can do about it,”

 

“ That should be impossible. She wasn't alive when you died. You couldn't have known her,”

 

“ I'm not even sure if that's the girl I knew, kit. She just looked like her. After all, you're right. I did know a girl who resembled the one from today, only five hundred years ago. Amusing little thing, she was,”

 

Kurama shuddered as he heard the cool amusement in Youko's voice. The girl hadn't been his plaything, had she? Youko was famed for toying with his enemies before killing them.

 

“ You leave that girl alone,”

 

“ Worried, Shuichi? Don't bother, I can't even touch her, not with you in control of this body,”

 

Youko's voice was bitter as he spoke of his control. Kurama felt a bit bad for the fox bandit, but didn't reply.

 

“ Who was she?”

 

“ This conversation is over,”

 

“ But-“

 

“ No,”

 

Youko's voice was firm. He would not give the avatar any more answers. Kurama sighed. He had at least tried, and had gotten some answers, though minimal. Kurama stood and stripped down to his boxers before slipping under the covers. It was rare for Kurama to nap during the day, but he was tired, and wanted his mind to be fresh as he tried to piece together the small pieces to the puzzle Youko had just given him. Pulling up the covers, Kurama closed his eyes and slowly slid into darkness.

 

XxxxxX

 

Kurama had been in places like this before, where everything moved and he couldn't affect anything. Where he was nothing more than an invisible bystander. He knew instantly he was viewing some of Youko's memories. Kurama turned to look upon the scene.

 

It was a plain, with tall, soft grass. There was a slight breeze, and Kurama could see three figures. As the dream came into focus, Kurama could see that they were Youko, Kuronue, and the girl…dressed as a priestess. Kurama's heart almost stopped. `A priestess?' Her hair was loose, and her blue eyes dancing with laughter. In her hand she held a medium length bow.

 

“ Youko, Kuronue! You two are so silly! What would Seiryoku say?”

 

“ Ah, but we are not Seiryoku's lovers. As far as I know, she has none,” Kuronue replied. The girl's eyes turned bulbous.

 

“ Seiryoku? No lovers? But, but she's so beautiful!”

 

“ She has none. I think she may actually like women, instead of men,” Youko said. The girl blinked.

 

“ Are all youkai bisexual or something?” Youko's and Kuronue's shoulders shook with mirth at her question.

 

“ You're certainly curious. Do you always ask such crude questions to every youkai you meet?”

 

“ No. Most of the time, they're trying to kill me. It's pretty refreshing, talking to youkai and knowing they don't have an ulterior motive. It makes me feel normal for once,”

 

The dream began to swirl as it moved on to another memory. This time, instead of being in the middle of the day, it was in the middle of the night, and the stars seemed unnaturally bright, but Kurama knew it was because there was no pollution or city lights to dim them. As Kurama studied this new picture, he spotted Youko once more with the girl, though Kuronue was missing from this scene. They were sitting against a great tree, staring up at the stars. The girl was leaning against the fox youkai's shoulder, dressed in a white and blue kimono.

 

“ Tell me more about the youkai clans. Which one were you from?” she said.

 

“ I came from the Kurama clan. We were famed for using plants. But we died out, and I became the last one left. As such, I gave myself the second name of Kurama, so everyone would be reminded from which clan I came. My clan's pride and greatness lives on me. Or at least that's what my mother would say. My father would probably try to kill me for being a thief,”

 

“ That's awful! So you decided to be a thief, so what? Why on earth would your father do something like that?”

 

“ My father, Seiji, was the general for the clan. Apparently, he felt that I should've been the leader of the clan. Well, I am a leader of a clan now, just not the one he would prefer,” Youko answered. The girl gazed up at him with rapt attention.

 

“ So tell me about the other clans,” she prodded.

 

“ Well, there's the Shadow clan. The best warriors of that clan can take over one's mind and force them to do their bidding. They don't like physical fighting much, they prefer to use their mind power. Then there's the Illusion Clan, known for their illusions. The Fire Clan, which has control over fire. There's so many clans, I've never really thought of it before,” Youko said thoughtfully.

 

“ What clan is Kuronue from?”

 

“ I don't know. If I had to take a guess, it would be the Hyaki Clan. I heard they died out recently,” The girl looked saddened.

 

“ Yes, they did. Inuyasha, we were being attacked and he used the Tetsusaiga. The only one left is Shiori, a hanyou who was the daughter of Tsukuyomaru, leader of the Hyaki Clan,” she said. Youko raised a brow.

 

“ Hmm. Kuronue might be interested. What other clans would you like to know about?”

 

“ How about some dog clans?” As Youko spoke about the different youkai clans, the girl slowly drifted off against his shoulder. Youko slowly stopped speaking and looked down at her head, an odd look in his eyes. There was a sound, and Youko looked up to see Kuronue standing on a branch in the tree. Their eyes connected, and they both smirked. It seemed oddly foreboding. The dream swirled again.

 

It was daytime once again, and the girl had her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail and was dressed in priestess apparel once more. A large basket was beside her as she knelt in the dirt, pulling herbs. Youko was crouched next to her, watching intently.

 

“ Do you know which herb does what?” The girl blushed.

 

“ Umm…no, not really,” she ducked her head in embarassment. Youko sighed, a smile on his face.

 

“ What kind of priestess are you?”

 

“ The kind that doesn't kill youkai and doesn't know which herb from the next,” she replied, smiling. Youko chuckled. He gently took the herb from her hand and told her what did. He then proceeded to tell her what each herb in the garden was and what they could be used for under what conditions. However, the girl wasn't paying attention. At least, not to Youko's words. She was staring at his face, apparently fascinated. Then it clicked. The girl was in love with Youko, and if Kurama were to guess, he would say that the fox youkai held affection for the human as well.

 

“ Is there something on my face?” The girl's face turned bright red.

 

“ No!” she squeaked, “ So um, you were saying?” Youko quirked an eyebrow, but continued on. Kurama was sure that Youko knew why she had been staring. The dream swirled once more.

 

They were in front of a shrine, but the scene was all wrong. Instead of the affectionate feeling memories from before, this one was filled with tension and malice. The girl was standing on the path, a long bow held in her hand. It looked as if she had just loosed an arrow at Youko and Kuronue. Kurama noted how her arm was shaking badly. She tried to walk forward, but fell over her feet, bow still clutched in hand. Now that her back was exposed, Kurama could see the blood blossoming across the white haori, permanently staining it. It appeared as if she had a claw wound extending from each shoulder to connect at the middle of her back. She stretched her free hand out to the two youkai, who stared indifferently.

 

“ Youko…Kuronue…what did I do? I'm…sorry…I..love you…both…” her body went limp and her eyes closed. She was dead. The memory faded into darkness.

 

XxxxxX

 

Kurama woke with a start. Sweat dotted his brow. That couldn't have been right. Not unless Youko had played the girl before killing her. There was a roiling sensation in Kurama's stomach. He felt as if he were going to be sick.

 

“ She loved you? And you killed her?”

 

Kurama couldn't keep the anger out of his mental voice. However, the only answer he received was silence.

 

“ Youko!”

 

This time, his answer was Youko's cold laughter ringing in his head.