Miroku wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his sleeve. This had been hard work, cleaning up the mess. The people who trashed his apartment would pay dearly for all the keepsakes they had damaged. Some of those… were irreplaceable. And very, very dear to him. He held the broken piece of wood in a tight grip, and then loosened it quickly for fear of causing further damage to it.
"Sorry… I couldn't keep you safe," he whispered to it before putting it somewhere safe. He looked around his apartment, which was looking rather clean. He had even taken the decency to put away his stash. He wasn't sure what to expect, so he packed a loaded gun in the back of his pants as an extra precaution.
The doorbell rang.
Makeshift Superheroes
Chapter Six
The Escort
"Why, my dear Sango it is an extreme pleasure to see you. And with two other girls in tow! I must be dreaming. Pinch me – OW. I said pinch, not kick."
"Same thing," Sango scowled as she strode through the door to catch up to the other two girls who had peacefully wandered in without any harassment from the lecherous man. "Why can't you bother them for five seconds? No offense guys," she said to Kagome and Kagura.
"No problem," said Kagura. Kagome just shrugged it off.
"Well, my dear Sango their faces don't turn as pink as yours does," Miroku responded with a grin.
"I do not blush!"
"You do! In fact, you are right now," Miroku earnestly informed her.
"Go die!"
"What time was arranged?" Sesshoumaru intoned from the doorway. Miroku and Sango stopped bickering and turned to look at the tall man. "What time was arranged for them to pass you information and such?"
Kagome and Kagura, who had been examining the little porcelain collection on the shelf, turned to Miroku for the answer as well.
"Uh… you know, that's funny. I'm not actually sure…haha?" Miroku laughed weakly while scratching his head.
"I feel like murdering someone," Kagura snapped. "This is such a waste of time."
"Maybe… whoever we're expecting will come soon?" Kagome asked, turning to them hopefully.
Miroku nodded, smiling. "Yes yes, but until then take a seat and make yourselves comfortable.
"My ass hurts."
"Then you should get up and walk around. Sitting down for such a long period of time will do that," Sesshoumaru informed Kagura.
"Well, maybe I like it when my butt hurts," she snapped back.
"Then don't complain."
Miroku, Sango, and Kagome were careful not to say anything. After the first two hours of waiting and chatting casually with Sango and Kagome, Kagura's mood had suddenly turned sour. After the fourth hour, something seemed to snap inside Kagura and no one felt safe to sit next to her. She was currently laying on the sofa with her body stretched over it. Sesshoumaru was sitting a wooden chair, which he got up from occasionally to stroll around. Kagome and Sango were sitting in the loveseat, and Miroku himself had sat in a wooden chair.
But Kagura, she… was not patient.
Not patient at all.
"When is that motherfucking asshole going to send us anything? I mean, we're all going out of our fucking way to do something for this shithead we don't even know. What the fuck is his problem?! Or her problem! Whatever. If it's a girl I'm going to rip all her hair off. I fucking swear, those high and mighty dickheads. They're going to fucking pay for making me – "
"Your incessant use of profanity is harsh on the ears."
It also seemed that Sesshoumaru was tiring of Kagura's nonstop rant about the person or people who had yet to show up.
And so, the room was very uncomfortable to be in. Miroku felt this to be the longest six hours of his life.
"It's supposed to be harsh on the ears you idiot. It's PROFANITY," Kagura exclaimed. She put an emphasis on the last word, turning her head to glare at Sesshoumaru.
Sesshoumaru chose not to respond and instead turned his head away. Kagura scowled but didn't respond. She did however, sit up and bow her head over a bit, as though she were tired.
"Are you guys hungry?" he asked after that moment of silence.
"I'd love food!" Kagome exclaimed, happy that something not full of profanity was being spoken. "But… shouldn't we stay here?"
"Why don't we order take-out," Sango suggested.
"Brilliant brilliant!" Miroku cheered, getting up. "I'll just go get the – "
The moment Miroku stood up, Sesshoumaru and Kagura did as well. Miroku opened his mouth in wonder, but did not say anything when he saw the faces of the two. Sango and Kagome did likewise, and just watched carefully.
Sesshoumaru's face was still a stony wall, yet something was different. It was as though there was this masked fury within him, and he was very very dangerous. His whole body was stiff, and he seemed five feet taller than he actually was. Kagura's face showed what Sesshoumaru's did not. She was scowling, and every single part of her face screamed anger, vengeance, and all things evil.
"What's… wrong?" Sango whispered quietly.
"Naraku. I smell him," hissed Kagura.
No one moved. Kagura quickly and silently walked towards the front door. Sango did likewise. Sesshoumaru shifted himself so that Kagome and Miroku were behind him.
Miroku noticed that Sango was holding weapons in both of her hands. They were small, shiny, and looked very wicked. Sesshoumaru's nails had lengthened, and although Miroku could not see his face, he would bet that Sesshoumaru's eyes had a tinge of red, if it were not completely red.
Miroku had no idea who Naraku was – but by the sight of the room, it seemed he was someone to fear. And to fight.
A few moments later they heard faint, muffled footsteps nearing them. Not soon after, the footsteps stopped at the door and a knock came on the door. Kagura responded. "Who is it?" Despite her posture, the anger on her face, Kagura's voice was calm, curious. It was normal. Her voice did not reflect the way her hands were gripped so tightly that her knuckles had lost all color.
"Are the five of you in there?" a muffled voice asked. It was a deep, powerful voice. Kagura, for some reason unknown to them, did not respond.
"Yes," Kagome called from the back. "What is it you want?"
"I've been sent to retrieve you. You don't have to take such defensive postures – I'm only one man," the voice chuckled from behind the door.
"Only one youkai, you mean," hissed Kagura. "I know you."
"Kagura stop being so scary. It's not going to work on me. I've known you too long and seen it too many times. Now, make my job easier and open the door so I can take you to where you need to be," the voice responded. The youkai did not sound angry, only bored and tired – as if the whole situation was below him.
"Is it… Naraku?" Kagome whispered.
Sesshoumaru shook his head once, but Kagome got the message. "Should we… go then?" she whispered after a few more moments, since no one else had moved or spoken.
"I think that would be a fine idea," Miroku said. "Don't you want to find out what this is all about?"
"I'd rather not, if it concerns that piece of shit outside," Kagura hissed, the anger dripping from her voice. Miroku made a mental note to never ever anger Kagura again.
"I think… we should, actually," Sango added, her weapons already hidden and returned to the place she kept them.
"It is not as though we will be unable to take down that wolf if he does anything dishonorable," said Sesshoumaru.
Kagura scowled. "Majority rule," she ground out before violently swinging the door open, and punching the man in the doorway.
"Oh fuck you bitch!"
"Likewise."
After a moment, the youkai standing in front of the doorway removed his hand from his face, and scowled at her. He had long black hair tied up in a ponytail, and was wearing a brown T-shirt with jeans. His ears were pointy, and when his mouth opened, you could see his fangs.
"Your appearance kind of disappoints me," Miroku noted. The youkai raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
"I would've figured you would have like, sixteen piercings and perhaps a tattoo or two."
"I apologize for looking normal," the youkai responded sarcastically.
Kagome giggled and the tension lessened.
On the way to wherever they were going, the youkai introduced himself as Kouga. They were being taken in a rather nice limo.
"He's not very… subtle, is he?" Kagome asked. Kouga seemed to take a liking to the girl, as she seemed very honest.
"He? Why would you say he?"
"Because it's Naraku, isn't it?" Kagura snapped.
"Assuming things again are we Kagura?" Kouga replied coolly. Kagura had refused to sit anywhere near the wolf, and so the seating arrangement ended up as Kouga, Kagome, and Sango sitting on one side while Miroku, Sesshoumaru, and Kagura sat on the other.
Miroku thought it was funny how although she seemed to hate Sesshoumaru, she hated Kouga a lot more. It wasn't really funny, but it kind of was.
"What are you thinking about?" Sesshoumaru asked him. Miroku turned to face Sesshoumaru with a goofy grin on his face. The deadpan expression the doctor was wearing did not faze him in the least.
"What? Why do you ask?"
"You are wearing an incredibly disgruntled expression."
"Oh okay, I'll stop that then."
"It's not Naraku who sent me," Kouga spoke, after the two had finished their short conversation.
"Then… who?" Kagome questioned him.
"Kikyou."
"I don't know who that is, do you?" Miroku asked the others.
"No, but whatever. Why do you smell like Naraku you LIAR?"
"You always accuse me of things I didn't do."
"You're lying aren't you?"
The limo riders turned to Kagome. She continued. "You're lying right?"
Kouga smiled at her and shook his head. "No I'm not, it's Kikyou who sent me. She'll explain everything to you. I'm just the escort."
"If you aren't lying, then you're not telling the whole truth then," Kagome nodded as though she understood something the others did not. Kouga opened his mouth to protest, but Kagome shook her head and smiled sadly. "Does it have anything to do with…" Kagome paused, aware that everyone's attention was on her. She blushed. "Don't look at me like that!"
"Do with what? What does this have to do with what?!" Kagura growled. "Finish your god damn sentence!"
Kagome shifted so she faced Kouga more fully. "Does this have anything to do with Mahoudoku?"
Kouga stared at her.
"Does it?" Kagome's eyes searched his face. Her voice was trembling and the youkai within the car could smell her anger as well as her fear.
Kouga opened his mouth and hesitated, as though he did not want to answer.
"Answer her!" Sango had reached over Kagome and held a sharp knife under Kouga's chin. "Answer her," she spoke vehemently.
Kouga stared at Kagome. He said nothing about the dagger pressed to his neck, but he did lean back slightly so he could speak without his throat hitting the blade. "If I tell you, will you tell Kikyou how you know about it?"
"No, I won't."
"I will," Sango gritted her teeth and stared at Kouga. "My brother."
Kouga gave Sango a long, hard stare. He sighed.
"Yes, it has everything to do with the Mahoudoku."
"What is the Mahoudoku?" Miroku asked.
"Kikyou will tell you."
He paused and looked outside, "We're here," Kouga said, pointing out past Sesshoumaru's shoulder. They all looked to where he pointed. It was a normal looking house, complete with a barking dog in the fenced garden.
"That's where your answer is," said Kouga.
AN: lots of cussing in this chapter because i felt the story just wasn't living up to the M rating i put it under. haha.. maybe i should change that. do you guys think i should? tell me if you think i should change the rating please : or if i should keep it. feedback is lovely.
anyway, i LOVED THE REVIEWS. thank you all so much : i'm on a quest to finish all the stories i can before i graduate from high school. wish me luck. hehe... anyway this chapter is a little shorter than usual. but it was either going to be a little shorter or WAY longer. i chose shorter. lazy mee. haha. thanks for reading :
