Inuyasha Story: My Body is a Cage
Ch. 1 Assignment
-Perhaps no story other than our own country's alarming increase in power-hungry city officials are as worthy of news coverage as the major war of the century between the Alliance and Brotherhood– Prime Minister Higurashi was not present and chose not to comment on the matter.
Police say an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 bodies were found in the northeastern part of the Human territories. Though unidentified, sources say the bodies consist of victims from both sides. Unfortunately, authorities announced that they were unable to reach the area and retrieve bodies because of damage to the roads. Families who know of relatives or friends missing may contact the City Victim Association to post pictures of missing members. Cities that reside closest to the border between humans and demons are urged to evacuate to the Capital.
I have just received information that the pilots who had been in the plane crash weeks ago have been held as hostages in Demon territory. Kagurazaka-san, can you verify this?
'Yes, Horikita-san. Unfortunately the six pilots aboard the helicopter had crash-landed into the Southern part of Demon territory as their copter lost control. We will feed you more details when they come in.'
Thanks.
Back to our story, our news reporters have caught video of Prime Minister Higurashi leaving the Capital with several priests and priestesses to the Northern Lands. Rumors are that he and the leader of the Brotherhood have arranged consecutive meetings next week to negotiate a peace treaty. Hopefully this small act will stabilize our country long enough to find a way to end the violence to both demons and humans. This war, which has stolen so many loved ones, the war which has raged on for as long as seventeen years might finally relieve itself and we might be rid of it.
But there are those who might still defy an offer of peace, as Monk Miatsu, head of Yamaguchi Industries and leader in many Anti-Demon rallies, stated in his last words before passing away yesterday morning.
"Do not be so foolish to believe that your troubles will be gone when the fighting stops. The end of a war does not mean an end to the vast rift between human and demon kind. So many years has this war consumed us that we have fallen prey to the hatred burning deep within our souls. And it is our hatred that I know will keep us from ever attaining peace. But it will also keep us from making a deep mistake.
Loved ones lost and lost again have only confirmed what we believed to be true. There can never be peace between humans and demons. They have taken from us, as we have taken from them, therefore how can we come to trust in an enemy who wants nothing more than to kill those responsible for this war? They do not look for anything logical, like money, love or friendship. Just the chance to kill. A human's pleas, argument, answer, or thought will not be given a second chance in the brain of a mindless beast. We'll see how far we can take this peace before we fail. However, remember that a treaty cannot be bought or negotiated with in the presence of those who we cannot understand. We have nothing to gain through this.
Mr. Higurashi, Trust me. Trust a demon to bare his fangs at you when your trusting back will be turned."
Monk Miatsu had announced weeks earlier that Naraku Hayakawa would be relieving him of a multi-million dollar purifying company, as he would be taking over his place as CEO in Yamaguchi Industries. Plans for how Hayakawa-san will handle the new position in the company, as well as the on-going war have not been made as of yet.
A service for Monk Miatsu will be held at the Higurashi Shrine tomorrow at 1100 hours in the north temple.
This is Emiko Horikita, back to you Kagurazaka-san.-
Kagome turned the television off, pointing the remote lazily over her shoulder as she scooted down into her chair, relaxing and plopping her feet on top of the desk. The sound of static and the leftover flash of light emitting from the small screen was enough to distract her from the call-waiting signal on her office phone. But it was just an excuse not to answer. It wasn't like her to ignore Miroku's calls, and the fact he was probably throwing a fit as he tried to reach her would have given her just enough incentive to pick the phone up, but the light kept blinking incessantly. She wasn't in the mood to talk.
Miatsu had given her last three assignments in the past month that included working with that lecher and honestly, now that the old man was gone, she felt a little less certain about how courteous Miroku's hands might be.
Three messages blinked at her in a faint red light as she swiveled around in her chair, pressing the button to listen to what kind of trouble she might have caused, or been named the scapegoat.
"Kagome! Answer your damn phone jeez, look, we were supposed to finish up the papers for our last assignment and I will not be the only one to file all the informa-
-message deleted-
"I'm being very patient but I can't handle all the papers by myself! Kagome, be a darling and help your good, ol' friend out. It would be awesome if you would ju-
-message deleted-
"Kagome, Naraku wants to see us in his office now. I think it's about you… and your lazy butt who won't help me out with all the heavy-duty paper work. I swear, where have your manners gone? Out the window? You know paper loads are more work than exorcisms, come on and give me a break! I'll buy you dinner and a massage, the main course being me. Haha. Seriously…. Come down."
-beep, end of messages-
She sighed and jumped out of her cushy chair, heading out the door and to the elevators. Her mind wasn't working today and she had to gather herself before she saw Naraku. He wasn't the type to take her light-headedness at a first-glance. She needed the work, and no doubt it was some sort of demon purification mission to the northeastern lands, like in the newscast she had seen. Countless bodies were tainted with the miasma and stench of demons; no way workers could retrieve the bodies without infecting themselves with poison.
She took one last clean breath before she entered his office, spotting Miroku itching his head casually, casting a rude glare in her direction.
Naraku sat at his massive desk, pawning over his plastic desk toys, only to glance up as Kagome closed the door with a little more force than intended. He grunted then tipped his well-dressed drinking bird toy over, "I've got a mission for the both of you, and it's a level A and requires more than just purification and seals. Can you manage?"
"I suppose, do we get a tip?" Miroku joked, but Kagome only managed to roll her eyes. "Why can't you get any of the other priests or priestesses from corporate to take this job is it's level A? I don't think we're qualified for this kind of work."
Naraku's cold red eyes concentrated on the desk toys as he casually pushed the bird's head all the way into his drink. "They have been called to accompany Prime Minister Higurashi in his attempt to a strike a deal with the Brotherhood. This mission goes along with corporate's plan to create peace with the demons. Peace cannot be attained while the POWs (prisoner's of war) are still kept hostage, Higurashi plans to release one of our own captives for the release of the six pilots." His steel cold gaze concentrated on Kagome's being, he had always been a creepy presence, able to lock eye contact and freeze your body with one glance. Kagome tried to make it difficult to sense that she was uncomfortable.
"You two will be taking care of the hostage."
"What are we dealing with?" Immediately, Miroku left his humorous self for a more business like persona, his flirtatious smile gone, replaced with a thin line. Naraku handed him a sealed envelope, printed on the front in capital letters was CLASSIFIED. Miroku took no time to open and flip through the papers, studying the material like he crammed for an exam.
"A dog demon?"
Kagome smirked, almost to herself, "what makes you think that the demons will trade six humans for one of their own, sounds a little unfair."
"That demon is Sesshomaru's younger half-brother, the Lord Sesshomaru over in Demon territory. I'm sure you're aware that he has been trying to rid himself of any loose attachments. The exchange is simple, all you and Miroku have to do is see to it that he doesn't escape from the sealed barrier."
She pursed her lips, a sour after taste from the words he had just uttered.
"That's not an exchange, it's sending him to his death" Kagome whispered a little bitterly, eyebrows furrowing slightly as if to disagree with the morals and fairness being compromised. Questioning stares were exchanged and Naraku burst out a deep laugh, a laugh that made Kagome ill. "One would think that with your background you would have no problems with this mission Kagome. Were your mother and father not killed off in the attack on the Capital? This is a chance to finally bring the war to an end. To bring a conclusion to this chapter in your life. Besides, the pay is handsome and would be enough to send Souta to a finer school. One where you wouldn't have to worry about if his school has been attacked or infiltrated."
Hardened eyes were enough to explain the situation. Of course that's what she wanted, what she needed. She needed her brother to be safe, her mother and father had already died in the attack and gramps had passed away last season. She couldn't afford to lose her brother. She took one look at Miroku to exchange nods, a silent agreement.
"Of course we'll take it. How long until the exchange date?"
'Perfect.'
She wasn't sure if taking this job was the smartest thing to do and second thoughts had already begun to cloud her mind. "Souta, Nagata-san will be watching over you for the next month or so while I'm away at work. I need you to behave and not cause her any more trouble than the average teenage brat alright?"
Souta's baby face pouted and she grinned, she ruffled his hair before turning to pack more clothes and necessities into her suitcase. "Why do ya have to leave now sis'? The Boy's Day Festival is coming soon, I thought you promised to take me the next time we celebrated?" Kagome sighed, realizing another forgotten promise and another apology and pinky swear to come home early and cook his favorite dinner. "I have to do this Souta, for us, so that we can live in a nicer apartment than this dump" she jabbed her thumb at her tacky apartment "and get you to a better school where I don't have to worry about you being attacked by a school of demons." Her smile fell and she was brought to her knees so she could get a good look at her younger brother before she left.
She would be missing another day of fun with her brother, where they could fly fish kites and eat delicious foods together; this was something that should be normal for brothers and sisters. But Kagome couldn't enjoy that luxury with Souta, and it tugged at her heart to not be able to take care of her brother like an actual sister would.
"I'm really sorry Souta, I promise I'll try to come home earlier this time. A special okonomiyaki dinner for you with tonkatsu sauce and french fries when I get back!" Souta's face scrunched together as she gave him a big hug, "fine sis' jeez, just lay off the octopus in the okonomiyaki would ya? And extra bacon!" She grinned and nodded. "Absolutely, now help me with my bags."
Goodbyes had been okay and dealing with the loneliness in the car wasn't too extreme to handle when you had the radio, but Miroku had left her some god-awful instructions to type into the gps as she bordered the northern edges of Human territory.
The directions to this sealed off barrier had been a bit of a hassle to understand, and Miroku's chicken scratch instructions did not help Kagome reach the destination any quicker. 40 minutes into the drive, "turn right at the next intersection." Kagome glanced to her right with frustration… "that's a damn wall you stupid British accent gps. Work you stupid machine!" It might have taken her a few more hours if the aura coming from the house down the road hadn't been so strong to distract her from driving.
"Impressive, I'm gonna assume that Miroku's there already, can't be anything but a demon's aura cooped up in that tiny shack."
After parking down the driveway, she grabbed equipment and her supplies from the trunk of her car. Kagome walked briskly towards the smaller house, watching the silhouette of Miroku talk to some of the officers already at the scene, ready to leave after the sealing was done. Sango was among them and it was easy to recognize her as Miroku groped her backside, earning himself a hard slap in the face.
"Miroku, Sango!"
Sango turned, face beet red with embarrassment. Miroku sheepishly laughed "I was merely congratulating you for your promotion to Captain. You're an impressive woman Sango, no doubt any man would be lucky to have children with you. Which reminds me…"
Kagome laughed, pulling at her friends arm, "come on Sango, the perv can have you after I'm done." Pulling Sango away from Miroku took some effort, but it was well worth it in the end to get some friend time here and there. She stopped a short distance from the house, inspecting the build and how old the structure looked. "So… what's the sitch with the whole house demon sealing thing?"
Sango turned, friend to friend, even in her captain uniform that she donned proudly. "Kagome you know this type, this is a class A mission, building sucks and the spells on him won't last much longer. You got something strong that might keep him under a leash for about a month? The Prime Minister promises that's the extreme length he'll take on writing up a peace treaty to satisfy both sides." She sighed, disgusted to be too close to the house that stunk of demon.
"I've got a couple tricks up my sleeves, your men can leave, no need to stay now, me and Miroku have got it covered." She grinned slyly, "of course, if you and Miroku need a little time off, I think I can manage being by myself." Her friend glowed a brilliant red. "Miroku and I aren't involved in that way Kagome…"
"Course not."
The answer was obvious though, Kagome could see the cover up lies stammering through Sango's flustered lips.
Sparing her friend some embarrassment, Kagome set to work, pulling a collection of rosary beads out from the bag of tools as she crossed her fingers together, chanting hushed tones into the beads as they sprang to life, racing into the sealed house.
It wasn't long before she would have to enter to house to see what kind of demon she was dealing with.
