Extra 19: Change the World (15)

A new day had arrived for the group, the time they had decided to start their journey to recover the pearl fragments, a decision that Kagome made on her own, to the surprise of Inuyasha, who was just watching everything unfold.

Izumi raised an eyebrow when he heard this, so he quickly went to the girl and asked her why.

The truth was that Kagome didn't want to gather the shards, but she needed it to return home, so she at least had to find one of the shards, although that also had its cons, because by possessing one of the Shikon Pearl shards, she would still be a target of all those who are trying to find it for their evil plans, so it was better to have as many shards as possible, so fewer enemies would have the increased power that the pearl provided.

"That's why we're going to look for the shards!" - Kagome exclaimed as she looked at the people who could help her the most in this "adventure".

"Why do I have to go?" - Inuyasha asked with a frown, because if he was honest with himself, now that he had found the two Kitsune, there was no point in wishing for the pearl anymore because soon he would have somewhere to fit in, and without having to change who he was.

"Because I need your help, you're one of the people who know the most about the pearl because of the time you spent with Kikyo" - Kagome replied seriously.

"Hmm, you have a point, though being honest, I only have a vague idea of the pearl" - Inuyasha replied as he frowned and started to think - "Come to think of it, Kikyo had the ability to detect the pearl in her range of vision"

"Really?" - Kagome asked in surprise.

"Yes, or at least that's what she said when the pearl was stolen from her a little while after I met her" - Inuyasha replied as he frowned - "Anyway, I think the best we can do, is to trust that her words are true, and you have the same ability."

Kagome was a bit perplexed, though she quickly nodded - "I understand, thank you, Inuyasha"

Inuyasha didn't answer, he just turned around and walked to Izumi, who smiled when she saw him.

Kagome was a little hurt by this, though she quickly let it go because despite finding Inuyasha cute, it wasn't like she was in love with him, or anything like that, but at the same time she was confused. Why did she feel this way when she wasn't interested in the boy?

"Maybe I can ask Kurama-san, he knows more about reincarnations than I do" - Kagome muttered before shaking her head.

* * * * *

"Let's see, it must be this way..." - muttered an elderly woman as she laughed lightly - "This is the place..."

The old woman quickly arrived at the cemetery of Kaede's village and began to dig into a grave, taking what appeared to be a small pot - "If what that man said is true, then with this I'll be able to fulfill my wish."

The woman let out a laugh, though her expression changed when she felt an arrow fly at her side - "!"

"I don't know who you are, nor what you wish for" - Kaede said neutrally as she pointed her bow in the direction of the other older woman - "What I do know, is that you are an enemy for disturbing my sister's resting place..."

"Enemy? No, I am not your enemy" - the older woman said as she laughed madly and pulled out a huge scythe - "I am your end!"

Kaede's expression changed drastically, though she quickly shot an arrow in the direction of the demon woman.

The witch dodged the arrow with utmost ease as she came dangerously close to where the elderly priestess - "If you were younger, perhaps I could have taken you seriously, but you're missing an eye and your muscles are atrophied because of your age, you're no threat to my plans, though that doesn't mean I have to let you go, does it?"

Kaede jumped back a little as she gritted her teeth because she could feel her body going numb from the sudden movement she had made.

"That's why we, the Yokai, consider you trash, prey, animals ready to be killed" - the old woman said as she appeared in front of Kaede and prepared to give her a final blow - "Die!"

Kaede gritted her teeth before she felt the strength in her body fade away. She slowly closed her eye and waited for her final moment, though to her surprise, she heard the sound of metal clashing against something hard, only to feel a strong gust of wind.

The old priestess slowly opened her eyes and saw how the demon witch had been sent flying by a strange barrier around her - "What happened?"

Kaede was confused because she didn't expect things to take a 180° turn so quickly.

"A Demonic Barrier?!" - exclaimed the witch as her pupils constricted - "I have to escape, that barrier is also a signal, and if I don't disappear, I'll possibly die without knowing how!"

The witch quickly turned around and escaped at full speed, after all, she had already gotten what she had come for.

Kaede slowly stood up and pointed her bow in the direction of the witch, but her expression darkened when she saw that she had already escaped. Helplessness gripped her mind as she let out a cry of anguish that she had failed to safeguard her beloved sister's final resting place, and now that this strange witch had her remains, she didn't know what would happen in the future.

"Are you all right, old woman?" - Kurama asked as he appeared beside the old priestess, only to see how she seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

"I'm fine, or at least as well as I can be with my age-worn body" - Kaede replied with a dark expression on her face - "Though emotionally it's another matter..."

Kurama raised an eyebrow before looking around and noticing how they were in a graveyard - "What happened?"

"A Yokai witch appeared in this place and stole my sister's remains, though I'm not sure of the motives" - Kaede replied as she gritted her teeth - "What I can assure you, is that it's not good at all..."

Kurama frowned when he heard this because they were too many coincidences one after another. First, the pearl appeared in the feudal era, second, the world wanted to destroy the pearl and sent the shards all over Japan, and finally, a witch searched for the remains of the only priestess who can find the shards with utmost ease, not counting Kagome who was just learning how to use her spiritual abilities.

"Kurama-san, please find that witch and retrieve my sister's remains before it's too late" - Kaede said in a pleading voice.

"I'll try, though I make no promises" - replied Kurama as he let out a heavy sigh - "That woman's scent disappeared in the forest and I can't sense her presence anywhere."

Kaede's expression worsened when she heard this as she let out a sigh of despair.

"I'm sorry" - Kurama said as he shook his head, because even with his [Sennin Modo] he couldn't find the witch because the world was hiding her from his senses. Such it seemed that this woman was an important part of Kagome and Inuyasha's destiny, and if his hypothesis was correct, then soon he would see someone from the past walking among the living once again.

"No, you don't have to apologize, I was the one who couldn't defend my sister's resting place" - Kaede murmured as remorse gnawed at her insides.

Kurama didn't respond to these words, he just carefully carried the old woman and returned her back to her home to rest, after all, something told him that he would soon find signs of the Yokai witch.

* * * * *

"I saw my life in front of my eyes..." - said Urasue, the Yokai witch who had stolen Kikyo's remains - "That Youki was at least the level of a Daiyokai..."

The witch quickly wiped off her sweat before looking at the vase she had managed to get despite the danger - "Perfect, with this my plans will be closer to completion, now I just need my children to do their job, and soon the grand priestess Kikyo is going to be under my control."

A lunatic laughter echoed through the forest before disappearing as if it was nothing, not noticing how a silhouette was watching everything.

"Interesting, that woman managed to get Kikyo's remains, which means my plan is progressing just as I thought" - Naraku muttered as he smiled under his baboon skin garment - "Although I'm surprised she managed to accomplish her mission so easily..."

Naraku would not lie, he was perplexed with the outcome of his last two plans, after all, that strange Kitsune Daiyokai had not intervened despite being nearby - "Am I overthinking this?"