[Author note: Hello readers!I was trying to do the National Novel Writing Challenge last fall, and my compilation of horror stories kind of dissolved into writing a fanfiction crossover between my two favorite nostalgia animes, InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho, just to make the 50,000 word goal.I figured I might as well put it on this site, even though I've shamelessly shoved an OC in the middle of everything.I hope you enjoy the read!If you have any questions or constructive criticism about character behavior or plot points, please let me know since I'd love to gain experience and advice as a writer.]

Tomoe woke up in a cold sweat. Just like every morning for the past month. It was the same dream. She'd had the exact same dream every night for a month now. The roar of the ocean waves as they thundered against the cliffs of the hidden cove, the small desolate island with the black cherry tree in the center, the hands suddenly bursting up from the ground to grab at her… it had to mean something. Her grandfather had yet to start making tea, so she knew it was still early. She figured he wouldn't care if she went to school early. There was someone she needed to see.

She waited in the slowly-filling lecture hall of the University for what seemed like an eternity before the tall figure of Kazuma Kuwabara walked into the lecture hall. He was always late, the lump. She watched as he scanned the room to find a decent spot, close enough to the front to show he was paying attention, but far enough away that he wouldn't get called on, or noticed if he fell asleep. He still hadn't noticed her. Tomoe knew how to get his attention, though. All she had to do was flex her demonic energy a tiny bit. No one in the lecture hall could feel it, save for those with incredibly high spirit awareness. Kazuma visibly jumped and looked around until he saw her. Tomoe gave him a glare, then jerked her head toward the seat next to her.

"You don't take this class, Momo." Kazuma said as he slumped in the seat. "Don't talk to me yet, I haven't had my energy drink this morning."

"I had that dream again." She said, ignoring him.

"And she never listens to me. You're as bad as Urameshi sometimes, you know that?" Kazuma cracked open the aluminum can in his hand and took a loud gulp. "Have you talked to Genkai about it?"

"Yeah, she says I need to go find the tree I keep seeing." Tomoe shrugged. "But exams are coming up, I don't have time. And I called Shizuru, thanks for getting me her number by the way, but she couldn't help. wither"

"Maybe the cherry tree is somewhere in Spirit World or Demon World." Kazuma said thoughtfully. "I bet if you ask Botan she can help."

"I'm sure she's busy doing Grim Reaper things." Tomoe said dryly. More sleepy students were filing into the lecture hall, so she lowered her voice accordingly so as not to be overheard. "Besides, now that the Spirit Detective program has been dissolved, she's back to her day job. If it's in Demon World, I'd know by now." She frowned. "I asked Jin and Toya to send some feelers out months ago. It's not there."

"What does Kurama say?" Kazuma crushed the can in his hand and stuffed it in his backpack to recycle later. "He's pretty ancient, you'd think he'd seen something weird like a black cherry tree before. And since he's a plant expert…"

"He's been surprisingly unhelpful." Tomoe growled. "He thinks the cherry tree isn't real, that it's a symbol my subconscious mind is making up. But I know it's real. It has to be. It's been the same in every single dream, never changing. That can't mean it's a 'symbol'." She was about to say more, but the professor stepped into the room to begin the lecture and the lights dimmed. Kazuma dutifully got out his laptop, and Tomoe got out a notebook and a pencil, pretending to take notes on something she had no clue about. She hoped it wasn't a math lecture. Math was definitely not her strong point.

"What is this class again?" She hissed.

"History of the Samurai Warrior." Kazuma said excitedly. "I'm gonna get a minor in history. This stuff is so cool."

"I bet Kurama could help you study since he lived it." Tomoe smirked. The smirk died on her face, however, when the projector finally warmed up and the opening slide changed to show a classical woodcut print of a woman. True, it was in the stylized fashion of traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, but the long black hair and dark gray eyes looked incredibly familiar. She felt Kazuma tense beside her as well, but didn't look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the woman in the centuries-old portrait. It was almost like looking in a mirror, She was too familiar.

"Anyone who follows the history of the Samurai can tell me who this woman is." The professor said. "Tomoe Gozen, born around 1527, died 1557 in the Battle of Uchida Bridge. She was a general under Minamoto Yoshinaka, and renown for both beauty and bravery in battle. Today's lecture will be about Tomoe and the other Onna-Bugeisha, female samurai of history who all achieved renown in their own way…"

"Momo, I gotta ask. Is that you?" Kazuma asked quietly as the presentation continued.

"No?" Tomoe whispered. "I… don't think so. It couldn't be. Tomoe Gozen was human, and I'm not." Still, she felt suddenly cold. The next slide showed Tomoe Gozen, armed with a bow and arrow, standing beside a sacred shrine. Inside an alcove in the shrine was an elaborate necklace with a large round pendant.

"Tomoe Gozen was originally brought to Shimeji Castle to guard the Kiku no Tomoe neckace: an artifact presumed to have given the wearer, upon his death, to achieve reincarnation into a more powerful form. I assume Yoshinaka had a sense of humor, sending a woman to guard a necklace with the same name. Upon her first night on guard, he was surprised to find that she was more than capable of the job he had assigned to her."

"That symbol…" Tomoe pointed. "It's the same…"

"The same as your reflector thingy, right?" Kazuma asked. "Wow, that's pretty coincidental."

"Something tells me this isn't a coincidence." Tomoe said in a low voice. "I'm going to the library. Meet me there after class."

"And what if I have something to do?" Kazuma snorted. "I was thinkin' about taking Yukina to the movies."

"I wasn't asking." Tomoe glared at him before grabbing her backpack and leaving the dark lecture hall.

Kazuma Kuwabara prided himself on not being afraid of much. He didn't like heights, he wasn't a fan of creepy crawlies, but he'd deal with them. However, one thing he had reason to fear was an angry woman. His sister, Keiko, Botan and Tomoe had pretty much beaten that into him. So, despite his original wish to take Yukina to the movies, he ended up at the library. Tomoe was waiting for him expectantly with a big stack of books.

"Summer reading?" He sneered as he sank into a seat at her table.

"Nope. Research." Tomoe pushed the first large tome over to him. "I wanna know everything there is to know about Tomoe Gozen. This coincidence is freaking me out, Kazuma. I have to make sure it's just a coincidence."

Kazuma stopped his teasing. Tomoe looked really nervous. That didn't happen much. First the dreams, and now this Tomoe Gozen business… it must really be bothering her. He sighed and opened the book.

"All right. You're lucky I'm a nice guy, Momo."

"You're a prince among men." Tomoe rolled her eyes and went back to her books.

Kazuma wanted to help Tomoe put this myth to rest. It was cramping his social life. People were starting to think they were dating. Tomoe was so not his type. Besides, he would always be loyal to his beloved Yukina. That went without saying.

He was looking through the books with surprising speed, trying to find some kind of clue to wave in his friend's face as a way of saying 'ha, see? You're all worked up for nothin'. You can pay me back by getting me the next Megallica album for my birthday.' He turned another page, and stopped.

This was unexpected.

"Momo?" He turned the book to face her. "I think you oughta see this."

Tomoe looked up at the painting in the book, and her face went white.

It was a painting of Tomoe Gozen, all decked out in armor and prepared for battle. The Kiku no Tomoe necklace was around her neck. But beside her, crouched to spring upon some imaginary prey and gleaming silver like moonlight, was…

"A spirit fox." Tomoe said in a shaky voice.

"Yeah." Kazuma couldn't think of anything else to say. "You don't think that's Kurama, do you?"

"Do you know of any other spirit foxes?" Tomoe read the description of the painting.

"Tomoe and the Kitsune, by Shitomi Kangetsu in 1747. This painting depicts the legend that the legendary Samurai Tomoe Gozen had tamed a fox spirit to fight at her side… Kazuma."

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna kill him, Kazuma."

"Who are we talking about again?"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about, you idiot." Tomoe snapped a picture of the book with her phone. "Kurama's been keeping something from me, and I'm going to find out what." She stood up, and Kazuma winced at the angry energy pulsing around her.

"Keep doing research. I'll call later to ask what you found." She said.

"H-hey, wait a minute, I'm not your slave!" Kazuma stammered. "I've got a math test to study for!"

"I'll buy you that Megallica album you want if you do." Tomoe looked at him evenly. "Please."

"Yeah yeah, I'll do it." Kazuma sighed. She knew his weakness for heavy metal. "Can I stop after like two more books, though? I really want to get some lunch."

"Sure." Tomoe said. "See you later. I'm going fox hunting." She pulled on her coat, shouldered her bag, and left the library, trying not to let on how angry she was. Kurama had been keeping secrets. He would be sorry.