Yay! Update! Lol.

Took me a few days to get this chappie out to you'd better appriciate it! .

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and Kale XD My doggie! XP

Chapter 4: Interrogations

I was awoken by Kirara early the next morning. She blinked at me, staring intensely until I finally sat up, fully awake, and then she mewed a greeting. I responded with a small pat on her head and then quickly undressed and showered before changing into some old, faded jeans and a baggy white shirt. I grabbed my favorite long-sleeved black sweater with a gray collar and draped it over my arm.

I passed Kohaku's room as I moved towards the stairs. The door was open a crack. I inched it open a little more and peered inside. Kohaku was sound asleep, with his blanket tangled messily around him. His room was a mess. I made a mental note to tell him to straighten up his room later.

Downstairs I made myself a quick cup of coffee and fed Kirara before heading out to the kennels. When I opened the door leading to the kennels Kirara bounded inside, her tail flicking back and forth through the air. The few dogs we had at the time began barking, but Kirara easily ignored them and mewed happily as she reached one of the kennels much closer to the house. The kennel had a small heating device in it—all the kennels did—with several extra blankets. The animals in there was a litter of three kits, around four to five months old found abandoned near the outskirt of Tokyo. The kits mewled a Kirara approached, and a purr welled in her throat as she greeted the kittens she'd "adopted."

In the supplies room I quickly took a small wheelbarrow and heaved two large bags of cat and dog food into it, as well as two scoops to scoop the food. I wheeled the wheelbarrow along the aisle, pausing in front of each kennel. The first two kennels were specially designed for cats, as were the next several along the aisle. I fed the kittens Kirara had adopted, giving them soft food mixed with some warm milk, since they'd only just begun eating solid food. Two of the kittens were almost identical light brownish tan tabbies, while the third was a shade of darker brown. They scampered around as I dished out their food into the bowls, and I almost lost my balance and fell at one time. Kirara mewed as though laughing.

After that it was a little easier, since those kits were the only one we had right then. The rest of cats were older and little shyer, loners, I guess. A large, full grown tabby tom hissed as I stepped into the kennel cautiously and deposited a scoop of food into the bowl before quickly backing out. Another cat—a long-haired ginger and white tabby—eyed me suspiciously but leaped at the food bowl and meowed appreciatively when I stepped away.

When I was done with the cats I moved on to the dogs. This was a little bit more dangerous, seeing as the dogs were larger than the cats and had long teeth and strong jaws. For the most part they were friendly, but sometimes they could snap unexpectedly. Kirara slipped up beside me and stood at my heels, the fur along her spin and shoulders bristling slightly. She tensed, preparing in case the dog decided to lunge. Things went along fine without a problem. Nearly all of the dogs waited at the far end of their kennel before cautiously approaching the food, waiting a few seconds and then devouring the bowl's contents in swift, loud snaps of their jaws.

The problem came when one of the dogs at the kennel, a young female pup that appeared to be some sort of mix between a German Shepard and some other breed—a Labrador, maybe, or an Akita?—threw herself excitedly at the door, rattling the wire mesh gate. She yipped loudly once and then dropped back onto all fours and skittered away as I slowly opened the gate. The pup's tail was wagging furiously and her tongue lolled eagerly. I shoveled a scoop of food into her bowl and then gently held her back with my hand as I backed out. But she was quick. With a small kick of her hind paws she squeezed though the gap in the gate and slipped past me, tumbling on her large paws down the aisle.

Kirara's ears, tails, and fur shot straight up on end as the dog, which was about twice her size, streaked past. Kirara blinked swiftly and then pelted after her. The puppy ran right for the door leading outside, which I thankfully remembered to close, and pawed at it happily, scratching at the wood with her short toenails.

Then a sudden rap sounded against the door, and the doorknob shook, then twisted to one side as the door was slowly pushed open. "Wait, don't open the door!" I shouted. A split second later a police officer appeared framed in the doorway against the granite gray early morning sky. He wore a confused expression until he saw the puppy gather herself in the beginnings a pounce that would carry her through the doorway. The man bent with reflexes sharpened by years on the force and tough hands grabbed her by the middle, firmly, but gently. She squeaked as she was lifted up, but in surprise rather than pain or fear. For a moment the puppy struggled, but eventually relaxed slightly, but only just. The officer glanced around the kennels, not making any move to close the door, put the pup back down, or come closer. Some of the dogs were growling warningly, and another was barking. The tabby tom hissed and fled into a dark corner of his kennel.

"You have some pretty nice animals here," the officer said at last. "Too bad their previous owners didn't seem to think so."

"Um, yeah…"

The officer stepped into the room at last, but still made no move to put the little dog down. He had dark, tanned skin and long black hair pulled into a ponytail, with dark blue eyes. He stroked the dog's fur and asked, "What's her name?"

"…Kale," I said at last.

"Kale?"

"She used to belong to some American tourists but they dumped her."

The man grimaced. "People like that don't deserve pets."

"I know."

"I Ookami Koga," he introduced himself.

"Sango," I replied.

He was silent for a moment again, stroking Kale's fur and then remarked, "She's sweet. Does she have a home yet?"

"No. Not yet. I only got her recently."

He said something, but a sharp bark from one of the dogs drowned him out. I asked him to repeat himself and he said, "Maybe I could take…later. I love canines, wolves or dogs. Anyway, I'm here about that incident at the Victorian mansion party. The police investigating would like to ask you a few things about the…ah…'accident'."

My eyes narrowed slightly. I opened my mouth to say something, but he interrupted.

"Erm, no one's blaming you, Miss, but we have to question everybody, you see."

"Yes, I understand," I replied curtly.

"We're also questioning—according to them—your friends, Taisho Inuyasha, Ozami Kikyo, Kazewa Kagura, and Taisho Sesshomaru, if it makes you feel better."

"Right. Sure," I replied.

Koga seemed about ready to say something else when Kohaku's voice cut sharply through the air as he demanded, "What is it? I heard the dogs barking." He appeared framed in the doorway, against a much bluer sky than when Koga had gotten here. Her mouth tightened into a thin line when he saw Kale in Koga's arms, and his eyes got kind of cold and suspicious.

"This is Ookami Koga," I explained as Koga greeted Kohaku with a smile and handed him Kale. Kale licked Kohaku's cheek, trying to get his attention, but he ignored her. "He wants to talk to me and the others about the party." Kohaku nodded, knowing instantly that by "the others" I meant Kikyo, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Kagura.

"Uh, hi," Koga said, offering Kohaku his hand. Kohaku remained where he stood, eyes blank. After a moment Koga's hand dropped to his side and he turned back to me.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"It's okay…," he responded. "Anyway, you wouldn't mind coming down to the station for questioning, would you?"

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"I guess I could. Kohaku? You can handle them by yourself, right?"

Kohaku shrugged, then nodded.

"Okay. I'll change and go down to the station, then."

"All right." Again Koga's eyes scanned the room. "The dogs look like they need some exercise," he commented.

"It's too cold for them to be outside right now," Kohaku informed him icily. "And we usually exercise them at noon and just before or around dusk. And we play with them—the cats and dogs—several times a day."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"You're a demon, aren't you?" Kohaku asked suddenly.

His question caught me off guard. "Kohaku!" I hissed warningly.

"It's all right," Koga assured. "And yes, I am a demon. A wolf demon, in fact."

Kohaku narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Instead he slipped past us and returned the now squirming Kale to her kennel and then grabbed the handles of the wheelbarrow and began wheeling it down the aisle. "Go get ready, sis," he mumbled. "I'll handle this."

"Um, thanks Kohaku," I said quickly. Turning to Koga, I said, "I'll be at the station in about an hour, Officer Ookami."

"Okay, and you can call me Officer Koga."

I grunter in response and he left five minutes later. Another ten minutes later I was changing out of my older, faded jeans and baggy shirt into a black blouse and newer jeans. I ran a brush through my hair and was all set. Outside, I stroked Kirara's forehead and told her, "I think you should stay with Kohaku, today." She meowed loudly, as if in protest, but I added, "In case anything goes wrong. You never know. And besides, I don't think they allow cats at the station." Kirara gave me "the look" and her tails twitched. But in the end she leapt nimbly onto Kohaku's shoulder. "Bye Kohaku, bye Kirara. I'll be back as soon as I can. If I'm not back by noon you don't mind taking the dogs into the run for their exercise, do you?"

"Nah. I can handle them."

"Okay, but not all at once."

"I know, sister, I know. Oh, and by the way, we're running low on wet cat food, and cat and dog treats."

"Then I'll pick some up on the way home," I promised. "I have to go now, though. The station is a half hour away, and Officer Ookami was here only twenty minutes ago."

"Fifteen," Kohaku corrected. "And it's Officer Koga."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Like it really matters."

--

It didn't take me quite as long to reach the station downtown as I originally thought it would. Maybe it was because it was still so early. I recognized Inuyasha's motorcycle and Sesshomaru black car, some type I personally didn't recognize. I wasn't all that into cars. I guessed that Kikyo must have come walking, because Inuyasha almost never uses his motorcycle when Kikyo's with him. Mostly he drives his red Mustang when he's with her—and it made sense, in a way. The orphanage where Kikyo worked was just a short walking distance away, several blocks. And Kagura most likely came with Sesshomaru, since it was too early to open her shop, especially on a Sunday.

I felt a little nervous going up the cement stairs leading to the station, but swallowed and pushed the heavy, thick mahogany door open. A girl with pale skin and deep red hair pulled into to side pigtails looked up sharply as the door swung open, but her eyes were pleasant and her smile friendly. She was wearing a red blouse and black shorts with strips of red along the sides. She also wore a white silk wrap around her shoulders. I came to the desk where she waited hesitantly, and began speaking when another door opening into a hallway opened and Koga appeared. He smiled, kind of, and seemed almost relieved I'd actually shown up.

The redhead's cheeks flushed brightly and she averted her bright eyes. "Sango," Koga welcomed. "You came."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, ah, your friends—Kagura and Inuyasha"—I noticed he grimaced slightly when he said Inuyasha's name—"were—how to put this? 'Hesitant' to come."

I shrugged as I moved towards him, and he stepped aside to allow me to enter the hallway. Before I could, though, another door on the left hand side of the redhead's desk opened and a girl with grayish blue eyes and raven hair raised in a tight bun appeared. She was wearing a stiff dark blue gray suit with a matching dark blue gray skirt. Only the white collar of the shirt she wore beneath the darker suit showed, hidden by the jacket held close by two large yellow buttons.

"Koga, I got those files for you," she said, her eyes darting first to me, then the redhead, to Koga, and then back to me before finally settling on Koga.

"Thanks, Kagome, but just leave them on my desk, okay? I'm kind of busy right now…"

"Oh. Oh of course, Koga. I'm sorry." Her cheeks reddening, this "Kagome" disappeared through the doorway again, allowing the door to slam shit behind her. I snuck a glance at the redhead. Her eyes were hard and her jaw was clenched. She grabbed at the collar of her silk wrap and tugged at it hard.

Koga swallowed and nervously motioned for me to step into the hall, which I did. He himself inched into the hallway and shut the door behind him. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

"Who were those girls?" I asked curiously. "The black haired one and the redhead."

"The raven haired one—Kagome—is my apprentice, of sorts. She only recently joined up with us. The redhead is Ayame. She's been with us longer, but they've recently put her at the desk after a particularly nasty confrontation with some drug dealers. She's lucky to be alive, but I suppose that's because she's a wolf demon like me."

"Oh."

"The reason they acted like that, was, well, Kagome has a fondness for me, I suppose. And I was only just recently dating Ayame, but…we kind of broke up."

"Why?"

"I broke up with her, actually, but I'm not quite sure why. I guess I'm still not quite ready to date again yet."

"Sorry if I'm prying."

He grunted and then opened the door we'd stopped in front of.

The room was dark and depressing, made of cold gray stone and without a single window. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting little golden light around the dark room, but barely a sliver that managed to make it past the small ring of faint light around the table in the center of the room could cut into the penetrating shadows that engulfed the corners and edges of the room.

"Wow," I muttered. "Depressing."

Koga gestured to an empty chair at the table. Kagura, Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Sesshomaru were already there. An older man with gray hair thinning around the top of his head and large, round eyes was sitting opposite of them. Well, I thought he was sitting. It turns out he was standing, but he was really short.

I took a seat in between Kagura and Kikyo.

Koga waved to us, and said, "See you guys later." Then, more directed at Inuyasha, added, "Bye-bye, Dog-shit."

Inuyasha bared his fangs in a snarl and sneered, "Fuck off, ya scrawny wolf."

"Boys, boys!" the older officer scolded in a sort of squeaky voice. "That's enough. Koga, go and work on that case of yours. Go on. Shoo."

"As you wish, Myoga," Koga growled. As he turned away he added under his breath, "Whatever the hell you say, Flea-face."

Myoga waited until Koga's footsteps faded away, but even still didn't speak until several seconds after the door to the main room slammed shut. At last the man Myoga turned his gaze towards us, eyeing us with small, beady black pupils set in his huge white eyes. Finally he spoke, "Well, I've already asked your friends a few things while we were waiting for you." Obviously this was directed to me. "However, the hanyou doesn't exactly feel like cooperating."

"How does that have anything to do with me?" I asked.

"Tch. If Kikyo can't get me to talk what makes you think she can?" Inuyasha snapped, jerking his thumb in my direction.

Myoga's bug eyes swiveled towards Kikyo, who merely shrugged. "If he doesn't want to talk, I can't do anything about it."

Kagura, who had by now taken out her fan, began snapping it open and close, her expression one of complete boredom as she flicked the fan open, waved it through the air in a sweeping downwards motion and then shutting it, before starting the process all over again. "Can we just get this over with? It's hot and humid in here."

Myoga narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm sorry if this is all a joke to you but—"

"Who said it was a joke?" Kagura demanded snappishly. "All I said was that it's hot and humid in here. Would it kill you guys to put a window in here? Even a little one?"

Myoga sucked in a deep breath. I wondered how long he'd been stuck in here arguing with them. Even five minutes with Inuyasha, Kagura, Kikyo, and Sesshomaru could drive the calmest, sanest person in the world crazy. Well, five minutes with Kagura and Inuyasha. But I guess having to deal with Kikyo and Sesshomaru—who are absolutely and completely expressionless and will stare at you unblinkingly until you think your head's about to explode—can drive someone crazy as well. I kind of felt sorry for the man. Kind of, but not much.

Myoga sighed and turned to me. "According to your friends—the ones who talked—the story is the same thing. Somehow someone managed to strike Houshi Miroku in the side of the head. However, they all also agree that no one was in any way close enough to actually strike him. I'm sure you wouldn't mind telling us your version of the story?"

"Of course not," I replied. "In fact, I'd love to." Kagura, Inuyasha, and Kikyo already knew my version of events—I'd told them myself. Sesshomaru didn't know, but then again he might. Kagura could've told him, or maybe not. I didn't know. Either way, none of them seemed very interested in what I told Myoga. I told him everything…mostly. I cut out the part about Bankotsu and meeting Kagura at the bookstore.

When I finished Myoga stared long and hard, but not at any of us. He seemed distant. At last he said, "Well then. Most of your stories seem similar, except for that little attic expedition. You know you could get into very big trouble for that. The invitation said the party was in the ballroom and the ballroom only."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that, but it wasn't my fault Kirara ran off," I said, rather defensively.

"Yes. I suppose, under the circumstances, we can allow this to pass, but I'd have to discus it along with my partner, who is helping me with this investigation."

"Just wondering," Inuyasha asked suddenly, "but what investigation?"

"Mr. Taisho, simply because you cannot take this situation seriously enough does not mean we will ignore it. We are intending on catching the culprit." His eyes swiveled back to me. "I also recommend getting a good lawyer, Miss Taijiya. It appears Mr. Houshi's companion, Ashita Koharu, is attempting to convince him to press charges."

"Wait. Charges? For what?" Kagura demanded.

"We were all there," Inuyasha cut in. "Sango wasn't holding anything close to a weapon."

"And if you don't believe us," Kikyo added, "there are other witnesses."

"In fact," Sesshomaru continued, "it should be Sango to press charges against Houshi. He did assault Kirara," he pointed out.

"Ah, yes, well…" Myoga seemed a little flustered. He cleared his throat nosily and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his broad forehead. "I am merely warning you of what actions Ashita might take. I am not accusing you of anything."

"Okay, so now we've gone over all this shit. Can we go now?" Inuyasha demanded rudely.

Myoga glared at him, eyes filled with disgust, but held his tongue. The door slammed open just then and Koga reappeared in the doorway. Myoga cast Koga an irritated sideways glance from the corner of his eye. "What is it, Ookami?" he asked impatiently.

"It's that Ashita girl on the phone, Myoga."

"Again?"

"Yes. She wants to know if we found anything out about the 'assault'," Koga explained.

"Well, what did you tell her?"

"I tried to tell her we were interviewing all the 'suspects' she suggested, but wouldn't let me talk."

"What did she say?"

"She kept on yapping about how that Taijiya girl had something to do with it. I tried reminding her she had no evidence but again, she wouldn't listen. Ayame has her on hold. I told her I'd get you to talk to her."

Myoga's look of annoyance and exasperation changed to one of horror. "What? Why did you tell her that?! I could barely keep from yelling while interviewing her last night at the site of the accident. And to make it worse I have to interview her again this afternoon!" Koga shrugged, but didn't appear very apologetic. Myoga sighed and dismissed Koga with a hand gesture. To us, Myoga muttered, "You can all go. If I have anymore questions I'll call you up or send another officer to see you. Now get out of here." As he waited for us to file out of the room and into the hall he added, "And pray for my poor soul."

Keh heh. I finally added Koga and Myoga. Lol. He doesn't like Koharu xD

I'm really getting into this story, as you can see. BanxSan is my absolute fave pairing. Whoot! X3 You should totally go onto YouTube and look up "Bankotsu and Sango Dirty little secret." The song is by All American Rejects and the video is by LtRizaHawkeye. Here's the link: /watch?vRd9-xMKo88 God I love that song and video

Heh heh. btw, for those who are wondering, Bankotsu is probably coming in again in the next chapter. I'm kinda stretching it out since I have a tendancy of rushing and making these supr-long chapters that, if I work them out like the way I have been for this fic, can be three seperat chapters. I want this to be a long fic with more chapters than twelve like my last fic T-T

But I enjoyed writing both fics so it doesn't matter. And I still enjoy writing this one. I hope you still enjoy reading it. And I am extra happy cuz today I met my new neighbors (who aren't moved in yet but are first renovating their house before moving in) and they are really nice. They have a daughter my age and she's really nice and is into Anime (Naruto, actually, but I'm not complaining) and she also enjoys drawing Naruto fanart. She's pretty good. Some more years of practice and she could probably go pro if she wanted to. Not the point though. I'm happy cuz a lot of people tend to make fun of people who like anime here where I live ;-;

And usually I have to make friends and get them into anime so...yeah. Ah well. Enough ranting. Hit the review button and GO!