Seeking Answers
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru arrives to the Yokai Inn where one of the incarnations, Lee was living in. With the help of the hotel owner giving a copy key card to room B7 of the second floor where, Lee had ranted. Once they enter in the whole place was a bit run down, but not much as what they expect to be in this local inn. The two decided to split up as they begin investigating and seek out any clues they can find.
Sesshomaru search in the kitchen area seeing the empty beer bottles, and chinese noodle boxes scatter on the table. While, Inuyasha search in the bathroom. He turns on the light but it starts flicker. Groining in annoyance of how the fact the owner of this place is so cheap of not fixing any much light around here. He goes over to a tub pulling the curtains aside as water was still dripping from the shower head.
Leaning for a closer look he notice something was smeared around the the edges. He wipe it was his finger as he sniffs at it.
"Paint?" he whispered.
Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was was busy making an origami with a shredded piece of paper he found as he bent into a shape of moth.
"Are you going to help me find something here, or you just going to sit on your ass making stupid origami figures?"
Sesshomaru just glance at him with a glare as held out something by his two fingers.
"Found this." he said.
He hands it to him, as the half-demon looks at it. Whatever it was it looks as it's a leg that is severed from some sort a spider. He then place it in a plastic evidence bag.
"Anything else you find?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Nothing but paint smothered in a bathtub." Inuyasha answered. "But there's got to be something else that we can find that would give us our leads to, Naraku, and the other incarnations."
Inuyasha goes inside the master bedroom search inside some drawers. As he rummage through some clothing he finds a stack of photographic pictures which he examine them. So far there's nothing else they can find, but Inuyasha gets the feeling that both the severed spider leg, and these photos may provide the answer for locating, Naraku and the other fugitives.
xxx
(A/N: Just so you know this takes place after, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru investigated, Lee's hotel.)
Not far from where the other side of chinatown, Lee was making his way towards the alleyway where, Naraku was waiting for him.
"Lee...you're late." he said in a deep voice.
"M-My apologies, Naraku..."
"Did you get your precious photos?" he asked.
Lee shook his head. "Someone was there. They already got to them." he said.
"Who? Men?" Naraku asked.
"N-No...demons. One of them is full fledge, and other appears to be a half-breed."
"I see. And are they slayers no doubt?" he asked looking at him sternly by his dark red eyes.
Lee only responded with a nod as without warning, Naraku grabbed him by the throat, and shoved him agains the wall. Despite that he was taller, and bigger then him, Naraku was far stronger then him or any of the other incarnations. His hand has a full hold around the men's neck as he slowly tighten it his grip strangling him.
"You let a bunch of slayers get a hold of them?! I do not tolerate with your failures!"
Lee struggles from his death grip almost as if he's going to either choke him or snap his neck.
"P-Please...I'm sorry, Naraku! I'll get them back!" Lee begged.
Naraku lets him go allow him to catch some air while he start coughing.
"Don't waste your time on them. We have other important business to attend. You well aware of why we are here for?"
"Y-Yes..." Lee nodded as he continues coughing.
"Good. Now let us go. I've manage to "
Lee follows him to the back entrance of a genetic-facility where a man named, Dr. Yang who is in charge of genetically engineer eyes for the artificial demons. Naraku knew if anyone who works for the Arach Corporation would have informations to bypass security and reach to, Onigumo himself. Then he shall have the answers he seek by one of his employees.
Making their way inside to one of the cryogenic labs where the chinese scantiest was working over one of the artificial eye balls. While he is busy examination them through a microscope, unaware to both, Naraku and Lee are behind him. He grab on one of the tubes that connected to his cyro-suit and tug causing, Yang to turn around to face him.
"Wha-? Who are you? What you two doing here?!" Yang demanded angrily. "You not come here! Illegal! Get out!"
Lee walks over to one of the cryogenic tanks contain with eyes as he reach in.
"Hey! Hey! No! Cold! These are my eyes! Freezing!" Yang exclaimed.
Ignoring him he reaches in there with the liquid nitrogen ice up his hand but show no effected of pain, nor any expression shown by his face as he pull out one the artificial eyeball and starts sniffing it.
Showing the stun of realization that these two trespassers he's facing are not human beings due to them being unaffected to the cold condition in the room.
"Y-You two...are not human? You...are demon? Artificial, huh?"
Naraku chuckled sinisterly as he look down upon the short man.
"Yes...Now...Questions." he said slowly.
"Me not know what you want. What questions?" Yang asked confused.
Lee grabbed a hold of his suit from behind and rip it open.
"Hey! Hey!" he exclaimed.
After tearing up his suit letting him expose to the cold air slowly start to shiver.
"Now will you answer my questions?" Naraku asked giving him a sinful smile.
"W-W-What is it you want?" Yang shivered in his voice.
"Arach Corporation. Onigumo. Security bypass."
"I don't know...I don't know such stuff. I just do eyes...J-Just eyes, just genetic design. Just eyes. I design your eyes."
"Yang...If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes." Naraku placed both his hands on his shoulder as his grip gently squeezed him. "Now...questions."
"I-I don't know answers what you seek." Yang's voice chattered as his body was freezing up. He hugged himself with his arms as shakes violently.
"Who does then?" Narkau growled.
"B-B-Bastian." Yang murmured.
"Bastian who?" Naraku asked.
"Very cold...Please...give me coat." Yang begged.
"Not an easy man to see..." His tone of voice was now starting to grow impatiently. "Now...Bastian?"
"K-Karl...Karl J. Bastian. He take you there. He take you to, Onigumo. I swear."
Naraku hums with interest as his smile grow more sinister as he looks at him dangerously in his red eyes.
"I see...and where...would we find this...Karl J. Bastian?" He asked slowly.
"Orphanage...T-T-The abandon orphanage...he lives there. You find all find him there."
"Well...then I guess I shall thank you for this information." said Naraku as he give, Lee a swift eyebrow raise as signal to kill him.
Those he grabbed him by top of head, and forcefully shove his face into the tank of nitrogen as the man's face was froze insistently solid. However, Lee wasn't satisfied with it as he slams it against the desk shattering it's head to pieces as, Naraku watched chuckling.
After they leave the facility, Lee asked him what their next step would be in which he replies.
"I need you to meet up with, Azumi and keep a look out for those slayers or any of the law enforcement who are tracking us. We don't want any of them interfering our goals."
"What about, Bastian?" Lee asked.
"No need for concerns on that, Lee. I'll leave it all to, Kagura to find him. In the meantime keep and watchful eye on them especially the two slayers that are hunting us. Understood."
"Yes, Naraku." he nodded.
"...Don't fail me again. Because if you fail for the last time, you'll be answering it to me."
With that, Naraku takes his leave as same goes to, Lee heading the other direction.
'Despite that we're now being hunted down, it still would matter anyway...because we're one step forward to gain our goal for becoming full fledged demons. Everyone is according to plan.'
xxx
It was 9:00 pm as, Inuyasha was returning home after long night of his duties and deserves to have a nice rest for the night. Even he already had a nice meal by the time he ended his shift and head out he would not be prepared for dinner like, Kagome usually do when he comes home. Once he does she would often cook, set up a delicious meal, and welcome him back like a house wife would do. Sadly however he receive a call from, Kagome telling him she was would be working for an extra hour so she would come home a bit late. It didn't matter anyways it's not like he too disappointed over that.
He takes the elevator using the voice command to take floor number 79. While he yawns in exhaustion once the elevator lowers down to it's destination, until a scent hit in his nose follow sound of soft breathing. With quick reflects he draws his gun out point at his target as the elevator door open to let some light in. What reveals was non other then, Kikyo.
"...Inuyasha..." she whisper no phased by the fact he is point a gun as her face.
He lowers his gone not saying a single word to her but just glare at her.
'The hell is she doing here?!'
The half-demon exit out, picking up the pace to avoid her as she follows him to the apartment door.
"I wanted to see you." Kikyo said trying to get his attention but somehow he was ignoring her, reaching in to his pocket to get out his key card but drops.
Grumbling furiously as he reach down to retrieve it.
"So I waited." she continue. "The reason I came is that-"
"Save it." Inuyasha interrupts her once her stick the key card in to unlock the door and opens it.
"I can see you're upset. But back at the Jade Dragon I know our reunion didn't go well as it did."
"Well too bad. Because I'm not looking forward to an apology." He slammed the door at her.
"I didn't come to apologize!" Kikyo called out.
The door opens showing half of his face peering over as he gave her a stern glare.
"Then what is it you came here for?" he demanded.
"I wanted to see if you still have the Shikon Jewel." she answered.
"Keh!," he scoffed. "They do you need that piece rock back for? Just to sell it?"
"No. I just thought it be best if I have it back."
Inuyasha let's out a deep sigh out of his mouth as he opens the door all the way.
"Come on in..." he whispered.
Allowing her to enter the apartment while, Inuyasha overs to the couch where the fat cat, Buyo was laying.
"Hey, boy," he stroke his head while flicking his ear which moan in annoyance. "I got you some sardines as I promised. Her ya go boy!" he cooed.
Buyo meowed happy as he begins to chew down with his tail wagging.
Kikyo chuckled a bit watching this moment with the cat.
Inuyasha stood up as he looks back at her with his smile died down.
"So if your here for the Shikon Jewel then wait here. I'll get it." he said as he makes his way to his room while hanging his jacket.
While she waits for him she glances over some portraits display on the drawers seeing photographs. One of them is a picture of family photo of him as a 7-year old along with a girl next him who was the exact same age as him. Behind them is a young woman with a bulged stomach next with a young man who looks like he's in his 30's. The other portrait of him with the same girl who are both in age 15, and dress in junior high school uniforms, and the last one was a photograph of their graduation in high school. Kikyo take the picture frame, and look at it closely.
"That's Kagome if you like to know." Inuyasha said make, Kikyo jump a bit.
"Oh...I'm sorry...I..."
"Forget..." he cuts her off as he walks towards hold a necklace with a pink orb on it.
"Here, he hands it to her. "Here's you jewel." he said anxiously because he doesn't want, Kagome to see her here once she arrive home from work.
"...Inuyasha..." Kikyo whispered. "This, Kagome you've mention...is she...?"
"No...she just a roommate...and a friend." he answered
"I see." she said looking down on the picture. "Was she part of the family that adopted you?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
"You seem to had a great life for all these years." she said giving a slight smile in her face. "I never thought you finally found happiness again."
"Yeah...well almost." he hung his head down with his ears droop down.
"Almost? What do you, Inuyasha?" she asked.
However he scoffed off facing away.
"It's nothing. Just forget it. You got what you want. Now please go."
Kikyo walks pass him heading to the door. But she stops for a moment and said something that made his breath hitch.
"Do you remember...that kiss we had? Do you remember the day we kissed under the cheery tree?" she asked him.
He stood there silently as flashes of memories flashed before his eyes seeing a little girl version of her pucker her lips as she leans over towards him.
Kikyo stood there not daring to look back at him waiting for a answer until he finally broke the silences saying...
"...Kikyo..." he whispered. "We were just kids when we kissed."
He then glance over his shoulder looking at her behind his shoulder.
"But that kiss was just a reminder of the moments we had back in the orphanage. Kikyo the moments that we shared was all just memories to us. I'm sorry...but we can never go back to the way we were.
Kikyo's eyes start to well up from her eyes as the tears starts streaming down to her cheeks.
"I-I understand..."
After saying that she dropped the portrait on the floor and rushed out to the door with a slam which his ears flick by the sensitive sounds from the slamming door. He let's out a deep sigh as he plop down on the couch next to, Buyo finished eating his sardines licking his lips.
"How did it come to this? Am I just a sore loser?"
The chubby feline only replied with a simple meow.
"Yeah...I thought so."
He then shuts his eyes as he dozes off in a deep slumber.