Lost Soul Comes Home

By: Ryu Katanna

Beta:

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One

It had been almost five years of blood, sweat, and tears but Kagome's quest for the Shikon Jewel had finally come to an end at last. Naraku had been defeated after a long and difficult battle. The shards of the Shikon No Tama had been joined once more and the completed jewel was now complete as it hung from its place at her neck in seeming innocence and harmlessness. Naraku had been defeated after a long and grueling battle that had ended with losses suffered on both sides.

Kouga, in his desire for vengeance, had gone after Kagura in a blind rage as his beast took over. He had died from his wounds, but he had still managed to fatally wound her in the process. Miroku had been the next to have fallen. Naraku had somehow rapidly accelerated the curse in the monk's hand, and so the wind tunnel had then claimed the life of the last of his line. Sango, seeing her love being swallowed had blindly attempted to rush to his side, and had been pulled along with him into the abyss.

In the end, only she, Inuyasha, Kirara and Sesshomaru had remained. Rin and Shippo had been sent away with Jaken on Ah-Un before the battle, and she thanked every god she could that they had been safe. That they had not had to watch as their friends died. They had managed to dispatch the remaining horde of Naraku's demon army between the four of them. Naraku was finally alone, but that did not make him an easy opponent. In the end, the years of training with her friends and allies had paid off and shown through with their teamwork. Naraku was dead, but that hadn't been the end.

Kagome's touch had purified the jewel and made it whole even as she used her power to cleanse the last of Naraku's remains. Sesshomaru watched on as Kagome had offered the Shikon to Inuyasha. He had done so much that she felt she owed him the chance to have his wish. He had surprised them all when he had turned it away. He'd told them that he had made a promise and would follow Kikyo to hell.

It had broken Kagome's heart to hear his decision. To know that he had planned to die either during or after the battle with Naraku. She had gotten over her romantic love for him long ago, but she had come to see both him and Sesshomaru as her own brothers over time. They had made peace with the older brother three years before, and it was because of him that she was so much stronger now. The others had been content for her to remain the way she was, but he had been the one to insist that she be trained properly.

Kikyo's ashes had been returned to her gravesite two years ago. The part of Kagome's soul that had kept the clay vessel alive had returned to where it belonged within Kagome. She had tried to make Inuyasha see this, but he just shook his head and said that it didn't matter. That he would join her as he had promised. It was with a heavy heart that she had known she would have to respect Inuyasha's decision as they watched him walk away from them for the last time.

She had turned to Sesshomaru with Kirara, and the three of them had left for the village of Edo where Rin, Shippo, Jaken, and Kaede waited to hear the news. Late that night Kagome knew Inuyasha had to be gone; as her heart ached with the sudden sense of loss that filled her. Several days passed as they mourned the deaths of their friends, and finally, Kagome knew that it was time for her to return to her own time.

She now stood near the well for the last time with Kirara, Sesshomaru, Rin, and Shippo. She had said her goodbyes to Kaede, and Jaken was waiting for his Lord and the children at the other end of the clearing. A light drizzle of rain fell from the sky, and Kagome knew that she was the cause. This kind of thing had been happening for a while now.

It was yet something else that was peculiar about her. Sesshomaru had been the first to notice with Miroku not too far behind him. None of them were sure how or why, but Kagome had some kind of connection with the elements. When she felt emotion deeply enough the elements around her reacted with her mood. When no one could explain it, they had just written it off and ignored it. As Miroku had said, it was just one more thing that made Kagome a special person, and the rest of their group had left it at that.

Even now, as Kagome refused to cry with her sadness these last few days, the sky seemed to have chosen to do so for her.

Kagome looked at Shippo and smiled as she picked him up in a hug. Sesshomaru had agreed to look after and train the kit until he was old enough to properly take care of and defend himself, and Kagome had let out a breath of relief. She had been so worried to leave him alone, but with Sesshomaru there she knew she could rest easy. He was a demon of honor, and he would keep his word. She knew Shippo would be in very good hands with the Western Lord.

They knew she could not take him with her. He would not be able to pass as a human until he was a bit older, and she did not want him to have to live a life in hiding until he mastered his illusions. Kagome also had a human lifespan. She would die before he would be old enough to be an adult, and she didn't want to do that for it would leave him without anyone to care for him again. No, staying with Sesshomaru was what was best for the little kitsune who she cared for as if he were her own son.

That didn't mean she would be going alone though. Kirara had refused to leave her side ever once since Sango's death. She had followed her everywhere as if afraid that Kagome would be the next to disappear if she wasn't protecting her. It was then that Kagome decided to take the nekomata with her. Kirara could pass for a normal cat even with two tails. She could pass the extra tail off as a unique trait she had been born with. It hadn't taken long for Kirara to have a rosary collar infused with Kagome's blood so the well would allow her passage.

"You be good for Sesshomaru, Shippo. Don't make too much mischief for him." Kagome told him as she held him tightly for what she knew would most likely be the last time.

Five years had created a special bond between the two. Through all the hard times the little kit had been there to provide a reason for her to smile. Her bonds with her friends here in the past had run deeper than she would have ever thought was possible. It wasn't really surprising when you had spent as much time together as they had. They had fought, bled, traveled, laughed, and cried together. Now it was all coming to an end.

"I promise. I'll miss you, Kagome!" Shippo sniffled into her shoulder as he wrapped his little arms around her neck.

"I'll miss you too Shippo, so much." She murmured into his hair and gave him one last squeeze before setting him down and turning to Rin.

"You stay out of trouble, Rin. Have fun with Shippo and Jaken, but don't let him take it too far. He is a fox demon, and they're known best for their pranks and tricks. Mind Sesshomaru as well." She said and pulled the young girl into a hug of her own.

"I will! Bye Kagome." Rin cried as tears slid down her cheeks o mix with the rain and Kagome wiped them away with her thumbs before releasing her.

She stepped away and turned to look up at Sesshomaru; who had been watching her with the children silently. The stoic demon lord had shown no expression during their goodbyes, but for the softening in his eyes as he looked back at her. Kagome stepped forward and embraced him. Slowly, his arms came up to return the hold as he allowed for this small act of affection.

They had been allies for three years, and he had become a consistent presence watching over her ever since. It had been him to really start her training, and it had been he who had silently supported her as she let go of any romantic feelings she'd had left for Inuyasha. She felt as both his arms banded around her, and remembered when she had returned his arm to him little more than a year ago. It had marked the day when her training under Miroku and Kaede in healing was completed.

"Take care of yourself, Sesshomaru. It was both an honor and a privilege fighting alongside you these last few years." Kagome said after she'd stepped back and smiled up at him.

"You as well, Miko. Do not become a disappointment to me." He said softly, and a tear fell from her eye to trail down her cheek as she nodded while clasping the hilt of the sword strapped to her waist as she pulled away.

She knew he meant not to disappoint him. He had been the one to train her until she had become skilled with a sword. He meant for her to continue with her training and to not disappoint him by neglecting the skills she had learned. Sesshomaru would never change, but Kagome had gotten to know him well over time. He had become closer to her than even Inuyasha in the end.

"I will." She replied before letting Kirara jump into her arms as she moved away.

She stepped over to the well before sitting on the edge and looking back at the three of them. They had all come to be people who were very precious to her. She would always love and remember them, but now it was time to let them go. They lived in a time and place that was not her own. Kagome had always known this day would come. She knew she didn't belong here as much as she loved them.

"Take good care of Kagome for us, Kirara!" Shippo called out, and Kagome smiled when he was answered with a mew of reassurance.

"Live well, and be safe!" Kagome called as she slid back and allowed the magic to carry her back to the other side for the last time with Kirara held safely to her chest.

123

It had been a terribly long day. First, with the emotional goodbye as she left through the well, and then her arrival home. Her family had been happy to greet her upon her return and had wanted to know everything that had happened even as her mother and grandfather watched her thoughtfully with something in their eyes that she couldn't describe though it had been there a while now. It wasn't until late at night hours later that she finally had the chance to relax.

Kagome sighed as she laid back in the bath, letting the hot water soak into her body as she let the tension of the last few days go, and Kirara stood watch over her on the edge of the tub. Absentmindedly she washed the still healing wounds from the battle as her thoughts drifted. More and more, since she had turned sixteen, she had begun feeling like this wasn't where she belonged. The past hadn't felt like home either. It was hard for her to describe, but the feeling of wrongness was a creeping feeling that had begun to take over more as time passed. Nothing had felt truly right in a long time. It hadn't mattered which era she was in.

She had been having vivid dreams that felt all too real over the last three years. Dreams of people and places she felt she should know. People that spoke in a language she knew was foreign and yet she understood it. She didn't fully understand how she could know the language though as she had never heard it before outside of those dreams.

Her power had grown far more than she or any of her friends had expected. What was most puzzling was that she really didn't look to be getting any older these last few years. Kagome still looked sixteen even though she had turned twenty a couple of months ago. Her mother and grandfather both had a sad look in their eyes when she would look at her at times, but she had always thought it was more because of how much time she had spent on the other side of the well. Her friends in the past had asked her more than once if she was sure she was completely human with all her peculiarities.

Soon, the hot water and the stress of the last few weeks had lulled her into a peaceful doze under Kirara's watchful eye.

'What is that?' Kagome's mind was muddled by sleep as she awoke to a pulling and swirling sensation.

Blue eyes widened in shock as the feeling of the tub fell away from under her. Confusion and some fear filled her as the water formed a vortex that she couldn't pull away from. Kagome was pulled under as she lost her grip on the edge of the tub. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped, and she found herself staring up into a clear blue sky instead of the ceiling that should have been there. Sitting up with panting breaths from the adrenaline rush she looked around. She felt her instincts to fight flair to life at the unfamiliar surroundings as she knew she was not in her bathroom at home anymore.

The first thing she noticed was that she was in what looked like a courtyard surrounded by stone walls. The second was that she was sitting in a fountain and that she wasn't alone. Two men and three teenage boys stared back at her with eyes wide with shock. The blonde teen had quickly covered one of the other's eyes, and it was as the air touched and cooled her bare exposed flesh, that she remembered that she was naked.

"Kyaaaaa!" Kagome screamed as she tried to cover herself from their sight by crouching into the water and covering her chest with her arms.

Wherever she was now, apparently Kirara had been pulled along with her as she had shifted almost immediately into her larger form. Her naked body was blocked from the sight of the guys as the demon cat stood in front of her growling protectively. There were shouts of alarm as the two men and the blonde-haired teen drew swords as they moved in front of the two dark-haired teens in a defensive position. Kagome wrapped her arms around Kirara as she allowed her to protect her.

Looking over nekomata's back, Kagome took in the sight of the guys. They were wary of Kirara, and their stances showed they were protective of the two teens they had pushed behind them. She was unarmed and naked; her sword as well as her bow and arrows having been left in her room during her bath. If it came to a fight then Kirara would not be able to cover her at the same time she was fighting to defend her without the risk of serious injury. The best Kagome would be able to do would be to work through her embarrassment and try to disarm one of them for their sword.

Kagome took a second to remember their startled looks just before she had screamed. Kirara was just trying to protect her, but they were also just defending themselves. They had been as surprised to see her there as she had been to be there. They hadn't drawn their swords until Kirara had shifted and snarled in a warning.

"Wait. Please don't attack her! She's only trying to protect me!" Kagome shouted at them as she wrapped her arms more firmly around Kirara's neck, and peeked up over her back.

They looked a bit confused as their attention was drawn back to her though they kept an eye on the large cat in front of her. She couldn't blame them. This whole situation was confusing for her as well. Who were these people, and where were they? What the heck was going on?! Nothing was making any sense to her right now.

"She's speaking Japanese." The teen without glasses said from behind them with a tone of surprise as he tried to see around his protectors.

It wasn't Japanese he had spoken, but she found she understood him just fine. Kagome found herself confused once again at this. How was it that she could understand what he had just said? It sounded a lot like the language she had only heard in her dreams. How was that possible? She had searched and searched on the internet, but that language didn't exist. She had thought it to be something her mind had made up.

"It doesn't matter. Do you see that creature?!" The blonde said back in the same language as he didn't take his eyes off Kirara.

"I don't think they're going to attack me, Kirara. You're making them uneasy, and they are only trying to defend the two behind them." Kagome said and tugged lightly on the fire cat to move them both farther away from the group.

Kirara stopped her snarling and allowed Kagome to pull her farther back without protest. She didn't take her eyes off them though as she remained guarded and continued to shield Kagome from them. Slowly, they lowered their swords a bit.

"What is it?" The tall man with short brown hair spoke back in Japanese, and Kagome breathed with some relief that he understood her.

"She. She is a nekomata. She is my friend. Kirara won't hurt anyone unless she thinks I'm in danger." Kagome replied, hoping to reassure the man.

"Oh dear. I fear I've arrived a little too late." A female voice sounded from toward the inside of the building.

Kagome looked over to see what looked like a young girl with long silver-white hair that fell to pool on the floor. She wasn't fooled by the child-like appearance of this girl though. How could she be after spending so much time around demons in feudal japan? Her purple eyes told a much different story as they held a depth of knowledge that betrayed her young appearance. She was far older than she looked. Dressed in an all too familiar outfit; Kagome knew what she was on sight.

'A Priestess… Where the heck am I?' Kagome thought only to have her attention pulled to the second woman who approached her.

She carried fabric in her arms as she walked cautiously toward her. Kirara did not see her as a threat, and so she was allowed to pass by her easily. Kagome gaped a bit when the young woman bowed to her and unfolded the fabric the show her a beautiful white dress with silver threading. She moved to help Kirara block Kagome from the view of the men before speaking softly.

"Great Lady, please let me help you dress. You must be cold." She said and Kagome could only stare in astonishment.

Using the woman and Kirara as cover from the men she was soon dressed in the flowing white garment figuring that accepting it was better than nothing at all. The skirt hugged her hips tightly before it fell in folds to her ankles while the top was completely backless. The white cloth came up in the front to cover her breasts, and connected at the back of her neck. It left the valley of flesh between her breast exposed all the way down to her hips. And only connected by a delicate golden chain just under her bust that tickled against the exposed skin. The woman stepped away quickly after, and Kagome stood straight as the men watched her step out of the water. She felt a little self-conscious about showing so much skin, but the dress was beautiful, and it was far better than being completely exposed.

"Kirara. It's okay." Kagome murmured softly as she stroked the cat's soft fur calmingly; not even noticing that she had been speaking in the strange but oddly familiar language from her dreams.

Seeing that Kagome was dressed, and had relaxed a bit, Kirara nodded before moving to stand beside her. Even though the fire-cat didn't understand what she had just been told, Kirara had been in Kagome's company long enough to know what the tones of her voice and body language meant. Standing tall, Kagome watched as the silver-haired priestess smiled gently at her.

"It's okay guys. I don't think she wants to hurt us." The teen with black hair and eyes said from behind the others as the other with glasses agreed with him even as he hadn't taken his intense gaze off of her.

"The Great Lady is to come to no harm within these walls. Please put away your swords." The priestess said softly, and the older two sheathed their swords, but the blonde remained abstinent.

"How do we know she won't hurt Yuuri? This wench just appears out of nowhere, naked, and then that beast starts snarling! How did she even get here!" He retorted, and Kagome had to lay a hand on Kirara's side to calm her at the act of aggression.

"My name is Kagome! Not wench and I already said that Kirara won't hurt anyone without reason. You are not certainly not helping convince her you are not a threat by waving around your blade." She responded a little angrily, but her voice rang clear and bell-like with an authority that seemed to surprise all but a few in the room coming from the woman who stood tall and straight-backed in front of them.

"Now Wolfram, Ulrike has said that she's not to be harmed. There must be a reason why she is here." The brown-haired older man tried to pacify the teen.

"Where did she come from?" The tall and broad man with long dark grey hair asked as he looked at the petite priestess.

"She has been summoned here by the will of the Great One. Her companion was unexpected, but as she seems to be her protector, is no less welcome." Ulrike replied softly as she smiled to lighten any remaining tension.

At that, the men looked startled, though the teen wearing glasses didn't. Kagome could only guess that this 'Great One' was someone of vast importance. The question on her mind was what this person wanted with her. Was he after the jewel? Her hand clasped around it protectively at her neck. She couldn't let anyone get to it. It had already been the cause of enough tragedy.

"Why would Shinou bring her here?" The teen without glasses asked in confusion.

"The Great One has brought her here because she is someone very important, King Yuuri. To him. To Shin Makoku. To us all." The priestess said with a knowing smile as she looked back at Kagome when the teen with glasses took a few steps closer.

"He's finally done it, then. This really is her?" His voice was tender in an emotion of what seemed to almost be disbelief and his gaze soft as if lost in a memory as he gazed at her.

"Who is she, Murata?" Yuuri asked him.

"She is someone Shinou cherishes just as much as the Great Demon Kingdom." His, Murata's, answer was vague even as he did not look away from her.

"What do you mean? Why am I here? I do not know this 'Great One' you are speaking of." Kagome denied in confusion as she shifted closer to Kirara feeling unsure of what was happening.

"There is a seal on your memories, my lady. Perhaps it is best we let you remember for yourself. May I?" Ulrike gave her a gentle smile before coming to stand in front of her.

"A seal on my memories? There's no way!" She denied with uncertainty, and with a little alarm.

"Yes. You have begun to remember our language even now. Tell me, my lady. For some time now you have been having dreams, a feeling that you've forgotten something, or that you don't belong; have you not? That is all because the seal on your mind has begun to decay. I can release it, and therefore what has been hidden from you. Will you allow me to do this?" Ulrike asked her, and Kagome frowned in thought.

This priestess, Ulrike, was right. Everything she had just said was right. Had her memories really been sealed? If they had, and Kagome was really starting to believe so, how much of her memory was she missing? As part of her training as a priestess, she had learned that there were many types of sealing techniques. Removing a seal on memories could be a painful process depending on how much had been sealed away within the mind. Steeling herself, she made a decision. She had to remember whatever it was she had lost. If part of her memory was missing then she needed to find out what it was.

Kagome needed answers. She had so many questions. So much had been left unanswered since she was sixteen. She needed to know why.

"Yes, I will accept your assistance, Lady Ulrike. Kirara I need you to stay right here. She's going to help me, but it might hurt so don't attack her." She explained to her friend in Japanese so she wouldn't attack the priestess for causing her pain that was unavoidable.

Kagome felt the cool brush of power as Ulrike's fingers made contact with her forehead. She couldn't hold back the scream of pain and anguish as knowledge, thoughts, and long-forgotten memories were unlocked as the seal crumbled away. It lasted only a minute with Kirara supporting her weight as she fell, but it had seemed far longer to her as she remembered. Everything. She looked back up at Ulrike who just gave her a kind smile before stepping aside. She pointed into the tomb. The tomb that she could remember as it still was being built.

"Brother!" She cried as she darted off inside, and Kirara followed hot on her heels.

123456

This is a story idea I have been playing with on and off for the last couple of years. Here's the first chapter though I don't know how far I will go with it or if it will ever be completed. If not then I figured I would at least post it to give others some inspiration for this crossover. Updates will be very sporadic if I do get more done on it. I can promise there are two more chapters that I just have to edit and flesh out. After that, I don't know if I'll have more to post. I will try to continue this to its conclusion, but I've been hitting a wall for a while now with this one. I just wanted to give you a bit of forewarning on that before anyone starts demanding I update.

~Ryu