Author's Note: Thank you to the new followers: sherlocked25, and NewMoon2016. It is always appreciated. This chapter is a long one, and it's the fight chapter, so yea, big battle and everything. If my action is boring, forgive me. I don't get a lot of practice in writing fight scenes.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Ch. 10
"Are you alright?"
Kagome jumped slightly at the whispered inquiry in her ear. She was, for a lack of a better phrase, nervous as shit, and she would continue to be so until the final announcement was made.
"I'm fine." She lied in a whisper, keeping her eyes trained on the stage.
It was time. It was the announcement for journalist of the year at the awards ceremony and Kagome was silently falling apart. She had complete confidence in her final work, and was overjoyed at the amount of praise it got when she posted it. Interviewing Sesshomaru had been the right move.
"I think you're going to get it." The voice whispered in her ear again.
Kagome took a few seconds to turn her head to her left and force a smile at Hojo.
The past week had been nothing short of frenzy, so when Hojo showed up to pick her up from her apartment, she was surprised. She had completely forgotten that she agreed to him escorting her to the ceremony.
The whole ride to the plaza was filled with one-sided conversation from Hojo, and a few sounds of acknowledgement from Kagome. She wasn't really up for conversation, or the many compliments Hojo gave her. Tonight, her mind was either on one of two things.
The award.
Inuyasha.
She smiled at the latter. Part of the reason this week was hectic was due to her and Inuyasha making up for lost time constantly. No, it wasn't always sex. When he came over, much to her surprise and relief, they made passionate love to one another, and the next morning, and some hours after that. When the two finally decided that getting out of bed was the only way they could succeed in keeping their hands off one another, they went to the living and talked.
Kagome wanted to know everything. She wanted to know what happened the night he was 'killed.' She wanted to know about every mission, every injury, every waking moment Inuyasha had spent away from home she wanted to know about.
And Inuyasha wanted the same. How did she react when she found out he was 'dead?' How was the funeral service? How was college? How was work? How were their friends? Had she been in any relationships over the past three years?
They talked, and talked, and never tired of one another. There would never be a day that Kagome would look at his face and tire of it, nor would she tire of his voice, or his touch, or his overwhelming desire to be with her.
Never.
She cried when he told her how many lonely nights he spent without her, how many days were spent without much progress; how he was scared that she'd never accept him again.
Then, because Kagome was all out of words, they made love again, right in the living room. It was a nice alternative to speaking, and somehow they could still express themselves through action and noises of pleasure alone.
That was her whole week. Yura called her repeatedly, telling her how the polls on their latest article were the highest they'd ever been. Inuyasha had been in the kitchen when she called, and scoffed when Yura practically screamed something about how 'Sesshomaru is amazing and so handsome.' Inuyasha's keen ears couldn't miss it.
He couldn't stay all day. He was practically living between Kagome's apartment and his house. There was still work that had to be done concerning Naraku. When Inuyasha explained who Naraku was and what he wanted, Kagome felt disgusted. How angry and heartbroken could someone be to carry their actions this far?
Yesterday was the last time she saw him. Apparently tonight T-corp was going to make a huge offensive at a secret location they believed Naraku to be hiding. The made love again, slow and hard, taking their time and enjoying every moment of it. Kagome didn't have to say it out loud, and neither did Inuyasha. They both knew. They were both afraid.
Naraku, with the help of others, almost succeeded in killing Inuyasha the first time. One would like to think he would be more thorough the second time.
And Inuyasha promised. He promised in between heated whispers and groans that he would come back, that there was nothing that was going to separate them ever again. He emphasized his point by touching her in every way he knew she loved, and by the end of it, Kagome was left an undone mess, more complete and intact than she had ever been.
But no matter the promises, or the total confidence, there will always be a ball of nerves in the pit of your stomach when something you hold dear is being put at risk.
Kagome fidgeted in her seat for the umpteenth time. The director of entertainment and news in Tokyo was making a speech on the significance of media and news reporting, and Kagome had only been half listening.
Yura was to the right of her, and on the other side of Yura was some young intern she snagged up for the night as a date. Kagome would comment on that later.
Applause broke out across the room, and Kagome joined in. She really needed to get a grip. Now was the deciding moment in her career and she swore the air in the room got hotter.
Kai Lomax, her endearing boss, walked onto the large stage excitedly. His black and purple suit didn't contrast well with the bronze and gold décor of the plaza room, but Kai was never a soul meant to fit in. He cleared his throat and adjusted his square rim glasses before he spoke.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It is with great honor that I stand before you today, here to announce the journalist of the year."
Applause broke out from everyone except two women in the vicinity.
Kagura and Kagome.
The older woman was sitting at another round table a few feet away from Kagome's. There was a quiet looking girl next to her with white hair and a blank expression. There were more people at the table with her, people that Kagura worked closely with in the office, and she was sitting there, a confident smirk on her face, and Kagome wanted to wipe it off.
"As you are all aware, the two women nominating for this award work at none other than Tokyo's Own. Kagura Kaze and Kagome Higurashi."
That was there cue to stand and wave at the sea of people before them. Kagome forced a bright smile, as did Kagura, and both women stood up and waved minutely at the people surrounding them.
When they sat back down, the applause ceased, and Kai spoke again.
"Here I have the envelope containing the name of the journalist of the year." He said, holding up a small, white envelope that contained the answer that could either make or break Kagome.
The sound of paper crinkling echoed in the microphone, and Kagome was thankful when Yura offered a warm hand to squeeze underneath the table as Kai wet his lips before speaking again.
The room was dead silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I announce the journalist of the year. Congratulations, Kagome Higurashi!"
The room erupted into cheers and applause and squealing from Yura and praises form Hojo and cameras flashing and wine glasses being raised and clinked and Kagome was dying.
She did it.
She won.
Kagome Higurashi is journalist of the year.
Her eyes stung with pure happiness, and she stood up slowly and smoothed out her off-the-shoulder royal blue gown before walking down an undefined isle to the closest set of stairs leading to the stage.
Her legs felt weak, like she wasn't really walking, but more so floating. She smiled genuinely at the people standing and clapping for her. For her.
There was a handsome man in a finely pressed tuxedo standing at the stairs, gesturing a hand out for Kagome to grab. She did so, thanking him quickly as she carefully walked up the stairs in her heels.
Kai stood there with a small trophy in hand. It was gold, and the shape of a quill pen.
How many nights had Kagome dreamed of getting the quill?
She took the award from Kai, who practically threw it had her in excitement, and laughed when he pulled her in for a hug instead of a handshake.
"I knew you could do it." Kai said in her ear, and the next second he was gone.
Kagome found herself in front of the podium, and she held the trophy in one hand and adjusted the mic with the other.
The people sat down, and Kagome could still hear Yura squealing.
"If you're wondering where those sounds of a happy pig is coming from, it's coming from my assistant Yura."
The crowd laughed, and Yura stood up and did an elegant princess wave before sitting back down. Kagome cleared her throat.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for this award."
She paused, because she could feel herself choking. There was a camera down in front of the stage, recording her. They were recording her.
"First, I have people to thank. My parents, my grandfather, my little brother, my lovely assistant Yura, my oh so wonderful boss, Kai Lomax, and anyone who just kept me moving, thank you so much."
She knew none of those people, except Yura and Kai, were in the room. But she'd thank them all personally later.
"I have always dreamed about receiving this award. My father, may he rest in peace, always told me to dream big, and my winnings will be bigger. And I always remembered those words, although I didn't quite understand what they meant. I said 'what could be better than the gold quill?'"
The crowd rendered soft laughter, and she continued.
"But now that I'm here, I think I know what he meant. This trophy may be a physical symbol of my achievements, as well as the appreciation, the honor, and the title 'journalist of the year.' But nothing compares to the feeling of immense happiness I'm experiencing right now, and that is the biggest winning of them all. Again, thank you all, and all, thank you."
Most of the crowd stood up and clapped again. Kagome could see Kai sitting at a table in the front, clapping and a young, pretty girl wiping tears and snot off his face; ever the eccentric.
She walked back down carefully, and the sound of squealing was heard, and the feeling of weight on her was felt before it was seen.
"Oh kami, congratulations Kagome!" Yura chirped, squeezing her tight, Hojo not that far behind her.
"I knew it! I knew you could do it."
Kagome felt her eyes sting again as she hugged Yura back. "I knew we could do it."
Yura pulled back with a surprised expression on her dolled up face, but instead of saying anything, she pursed her lips and smiled, squeezing Kagome's shoulders.
"Now's the time for liquor and dancing. You ready?" Yura asked, already dragging Kagome away to a spot on the slightly crowded dance floor. Music had already started playing, and the people wasted no time.
"Come on Hojo." Kagome said, not forgetting the camera man.
Hojo followed the two, smile on his face.
888
The rest of the night was full of lights, laughter, drinking, pictures, praises, and music.
The room was a cacophony of movement and noise. Most people there were from other news or broadcasting stations, and had only attended for the food, drinks, and social opportunities that could possibly benefit their own work one day.
Kagome was a little tipsy, while Yura was already slurring. The night had progressed from early to late, and…well…you know the drill. The closer to midnight it gets…
"Kagome!"
Said woman turned around quickly, raven hair whipping behind her.
It was Kagura calling her.
Kagome gulped. She hadn't seen the woman all night, not since she received the award. Her mind flickered back to the competitive statements exchanged in her office a few weeks ago and she cringed.
"Congratulations." Kagura said, handing Kagome a thin glass of champagne.
She took it and eyed the woman over. Kagura was wearing a classic tight, long black dress. It seemed that whatever the woman wore, her curves were accentuated somehow.
"Thank you, Kagura." Kagome said, taking a sip.
"You know, I'm surprised." Kagura began, drinking out of her glass. "I never would have thought to get a hold of someone as famous and mysterious as the Sesshomaru Taisho. How did you get to him so quickly?"
Kagome's mind raced for a proper answer. "He owed me a favor, is all."
She wasn't sure how that sounded, but it probably sounded bad, because Kagura's eyebrows, thin and neat, rose.
"Oh? A favor, you say? For what?"
Kagome felt hot, and she knew she needed to stop drinking. She couldn't even form a proper response.
She looked over to the dance floor, and saw, surprisingly, Yura and Hojo dancing on each other sloppily.
Everyone in the room was engaged in their own activities, and Kagome suddenly got the fleeting feeling that she shouldn't be there anymore.
She felt sick.
"Excuse me." She said, quickly setting her glass down next to her award, and running to the nearest restroom.
The plaza halls were wide and quiet. The festivities in the plaza were dulling to a murmur the father away Kagome got. Her heels made loud clicks on the marble floor as she desperately tried to make it to the closest toilet.
When she reached the bathroom, she barged right in, using a hand to hold back her hair as she burst into a stall and vomited in the toilet.
It was so unexpected and so very gross. Kagome coughed more up, eyes watering from the effort. She sobbed when she brought a hand up to wipe her mouth; she felt dizzy, hot, and her stomach was burning.
She walked out of the stall and looked in the large glass mirror above the pearly white sinks.
She looked awful. Her eyes were rimmed red, her face pale and sweaty at the same time.
Kagome splashed cold water on her face, as if that was going to help, and when she looked back up, a figure was standing in front of a stall; quiet and observant. She recognized the woman as the one that was sitting next to Kagura during the ceremony; something wasn't right. When did she come in the bathroom?
The next few moments were a blur.
Kagome felt her knees buckle, and she fell to the floor, grasping at her stomach through her gown.
"Please, help." Kagome forced out, looking at the ominous woman just staring at her.
The woman said nothing as she approached Kagome, but the last thing she remembered was seeing her own reflection, and everything went black.
888
"Are you alright?"
Inuyasha snapped his head to his right to peer at the woman next to him.
"I'm fine." He muttered, turning his attention back to the screen in front of him.
Sesshomaru currently had a map projected on the small screen in his work office, and he was assessing coordinates.
It was time.
It was finally time to face Naraku.
Inuyasha had so much pent up anger against the hanyou that he plotted several ways to make him suffer, and even refer to him as a hanyou.
The coordinates Sesshomaru was highlighting was where the old, abandoned factory was; also where the 'haunted' sight was.
Inuyasha was clad in black; hair still cut short, and full of energy.
Kikyo was at his side, sporting a nice pair of tight black pants and a black turtle neck like Inuyasha's to match; hair down and straight.
Everything was awkward.
Inuyasha still hadn't fully apologized for nearly strangling Kikyo in the hallway, nor had she asked for an apology. Plus, she and Sesshomaru were hardly speaking to each other. Not that they spoke much to begin with, but it was noticeable now.
"We leave at midnight." Sesshomaru said.
Inuyasha nodded, looking at the highlighted areas on the map.
"How many reinforcements are we bringing in?" Kikyo asked.
"Fifty." Sesshomaru answered curtly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Inuyasha interrupted. "We're bringing in reinforcements?"
"That's what I said." Sesshomaru replied, sitting back down in his chair and clicking something on his computer.
Inuyasha pursed his lips to say something on the matter, and then something even more important pressed his mind.
"Wait! 'We.' Who is 'we?'"
"The people standing in this room and the reinforcements." The older Taisho answered. "They have already been briefed on tonight's mission."
Inuyasha's mouth dropped open, and he looked at Kikyo.
"Yes, me too." Kikyo said, fighting the urge to smirk.
"What the hell are you gonna do?" He asked. "Distract any possible enemy in those tight pants?"
Kikyo didn't answer. She only nodded and turned back to Sesshomaru.
"Mr. Taisho, should I go get him now?"
Sesshomaru quickly looked at his watch, and then answered. "Yes, I suppose."
Inuyasha was going to ask her another question, but Kikyo had left the office, leaving him and his brother alone.
"Why are you going?" The younger asked.
"Do I really have to explain?" Sesshomaru asked, continuing to type.
"This technically is between me and Naraku."
"This is between that creature and T-corp." Sesshomaru answered quickly, voice coming out a bit louder than expected.
"Who is Kikyo going to go get?" Inuyasha asked.
But Sesshomaru didn't answer. He sighed, and rubbed his temple.
"I might regret this."
"Regret what?" Inuyasha yelled. "What the hell are you-
He broke off when he heard the office door open back up.
Time stilled, and Inuyasha immediately cursed aloud.
"Oh…shit."
"Surprise motherfucker!"
"Kami, please." Kikyo pleaded to the ceiling.
"Wha- Kouga!" Inuyasha yelled.
"I knew. I figured it out a while ago." Kouga said, slowly walking towards his old friend.
Inuyasha was breathing quickly, and his mind wasn't giving him any proper responses to Kouga's statement. He hadn't seen his best friend in three years; he was honestly expecting Kouga to be madder when this day came.
He opened his arms for a hug, and Kouga smiled impishly.
"You think we're just supposed to hug this out?" He asked.
Oh wait, never mind. He was mad.
"Kouga," Inuyasha stated in a low voice. "I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone! It was all a ploy to fool Naraku-
His speedy explanation was interrupted by a sharp punch to the chest. Inuyasha immediately stumbled back, nearly knocking over a small marble statue in the process.
"I know what happened." Kouga said, flexing his fingers. "I'm still mad about it though."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak again, but Sesshomaru cut him off.
"Before you two kill each other and destroy my office, we have a mission to complete." He said with annoyance in his voice. "We'll meet in the garage base in ten minutes sharp. Prepare yourselves. I have a feeling this one will not be easy."
Kikyo moved aside and opened the office door and Sesshomaru exited, the woman following right behind him.
Inuyasha continued to rub his chest and winced. "That was a good punch."
"Yeah, well, I've had a lot of time to build it up." Kouga answered, stubbornness in his voice.
"You mad, huh?"
"No. I'm perfectly okay with finding out you aren't dead and you lying for three years."
Inuyasha sighed. "I had to lay low. It was an order!"
"Since when the hell do you listen to Sesshomaru?"
"Since things got serious, Kouga!"
That shut the wolf up.
"If you've forgotten, it's me Naraku wants. It's me he almost killed. I had to do what I had to do. I didn't want to risk any of you guys or Kagome being put in danger because of me!"
Inuyasha watched as Kouga's face changed expressions. Sometimes, just sometimes, the idiot was an open book; wearing his emotions for everyone to see. Most of the time, however, Kouga kept on the same, mischievous mask because it was easier to do that than be honest.
Kouga sighed after a few moments of silence. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." Inuyasha stated, stepping closer to the man. "All this shit is just really unfortunate, but tonight we're changing things."
Kouga nodded slowly, and then looked up, mischievous smile on his face. (Inuyasha would never admit it out loud, but he missed that smile. It always meant trouble).
"Are we changing things as much as you changed your hair? Because that's a big fucking change."
888
Kikyo had been in many awkward situations in her life.
Some situations seemed like 'nothing could be worse than this.'
And then life was like 'wait a second…'
As she sat in the passenger seat of the SUV, still as a statue, afraid to even breathe, she mulled over many situations in her life that proved awkward.
There was the time she walked in on her parents.
Or the time she forgot a change of shoes for school. (Her mother had to bring her another pair).
Or the time her little sister caught her making out with her first boyfriend.
All awkward.
And at this moment, this moment, Kikyo could make a strong argument that none of those awkward situations held a candle to this one.
The lights were slowly disappearing the farther they got from the city, and everything outside the vehicle was a blur of darkness, trees, and stars.
Sesshomaru's hands were placed firmly on the wheel, and he was silent. No, that was nothing new, but Kikyo had practically spelled it out for the demon when she let her emotions get the best of her.
"And it will continue to stay that way unless you get off your high horse and talk to me for once!"
It had been a week, and she still couldn't believe she said that. Could she be any more obvious?
She hadn't spoken to Sesshomaru since, except for one reason and one reason only.
She sent him a message stating that she fired Kouga, because he was caught by the surveillance cameras snooping around the storage room, yet Sesshomaru didn't reply.
And for a fleeting moment, Kikyo thought she had been fired.
She had spent that night tossing and turning, a half-empty glass of wine in her blurry peripheral, wondering why this was her life.
She had been skipping out on work, and if she wasn't fired before, then she was positive she was now.
Then Sesshomaru called her last night, sounding calm as always with authority in his voice.
Their conversation had nothing to do with what she confessed to him, but only about work. He explained what was going to happen tonight, and gave thorough instructions concerning Kouga.
Kikyo didn't question him whatsoever. She didn't ask why they were bringing reinforcements, nor did she ask why he wanted to hire Kouga again. Everything Sesshomaru did had a purpose to it, and she supposed that was all she needed to believe in.
But this car ride was a test of her will-power. She would never describe herself as an outspoken person, but she wasn't one to be timid when something pressed her mind. When it came to Sesshomaru, however, normality was no longer a factor.
"Will he kill him?" She asked suddenly.
Sesshomaru didn't answer immediately.
"Most likely, if he is given the chance."
"Will you stop him?"
"No. I have no right to."
Kikyo nodded, and continued.
"How is Naraku connected to Inuyasha's mother?"
That triggered a reaction.
Sesshomaru turned his head to look at her quickly before turning back to the two-way road they were traveling.
"Once upon a time, Naraku and Izayoi were engaged. It was arranged, and Izayoi did not want him. I suppose she wanted my father instead. Is the puzzle coming together for you?"
Kikyo nodded, the pieces coming together to create a full picture.
"Naraku killed her?"
"He is the only suspect."
"And Inuyasha wants revenge?"
"Some say retribution is pointless, unnecessary, immature even." Sesshomaru said quickly. Kikyo waited for him to continue.
"Most of the people that say that are those who have not suffered enough by someone else's hands."
Kikyo nodded, no longer needing an explanation. Naraku was Inuyasha's to kill, and Sesshomaru was not going to stop him. He deserved to get revenge.
"Why Kouga?" She asked after a few more moments of silence.
"He shouldn't be fired because I made a mistake."
Kikyo felt her stomach lurch, and she turned her head to the side quickly to stare at the older Taisho.
The words 'I made a mistake' had never come out of Sesshomaru Taisho's mouth, and they probably never would again. Kikyo felt like she was in the presence of some ancient relic that would never see sunlight.
"What about the reinforcements? Have they been informed about the strange substance in the area? Do they know about Inuyasha?"
"Yes. I called for a mass meeting earlier today and explained everything."
Kikyo tilted her heard, wondering why she wasn't invited to this particular meeting.
"We will be there shortly. Check in on the back up."
Kikyo nodded. "Yes sir." She responded curtly before picking up her work phone and pressing a few buttons. In a few moments, they would finally face their chronic enemy.
888
"Wow. Just…wow."
"Yeah, it's been a rough month."
Inuyasha sat in the passenger seat, fully engaged with Kouga's story. He asked him to explain how he found out he was alive, and that introduced a conversation that covered the past three years.
"You know me so well." Inuyasha said with a smirk.
"Shut the hell up." Kouga said, playful smirk on his face indicating he didn't mean it. His hands were carelessly on the wheel as they drove behind Sesshomaru and Kikyo to their destination.
"But you could've been fired for snooping around!" Inuyasha protested. "Why take the risk?"
There were several ways Kouga could respond to that, but he chose the one that would have the biggest effect.
"Technically, I was fired, but now I'm not anymore. I'll explain that later. But I had a feeling, okay. I didn't wanna believe that I sat back and watched you die."
Inuyasha stared at Kouga while Kouga stared at the road. The silence in the vehicle was only a little awkward; sentiment among men was always odd.
"Did you cry?"
"God damnit, Yash!" Kouga yelled, laughing.
Inuyasha laughed too, turning in his seat a bit. "No, really, did you?"
"Hell yea I did. Why wouldn't I? You're my best friend. My best, idiot friend."
"Kagome said she cried too."
Kouga nearly slammed the breaks at that one.
"You…you saw Kagome?"
"Sesshomaru took the stick out of his ass and let me see her. It's a long story how that came about, though, I'll tell you later. But basically I've been at Kagome's every day this week."
Kouga smiled fully. "Oh man, I know she was happy."
"She was shocked, and happy, yes. We've been making up for lost time."
Kouga hooted. "Whoo, I know what that means!"
Both men gave the ceremonious high five for inappropriate content, and Kouga spoke again, this time more serious.
"But look, she's been different without you. I mean, not totally bad, but she became so distant, drowning herself in her work. We don't see much of Sango and Miroku these days either, but that's because they're busy with school."
Inuyasha seemed to contemplate this for a moment before speaking again. "You know, tonight is that awards ceremony. I wonder if she won."
"She probably did." Kouga said. "She interviewed Sesshomaru, apparently. It was all over the news. I wanted to call and wish her good luck, but she'd probably ask about Ayame, if she doesn't already know. Honestly, I just wanted to wait until I sorted this shit out, with you and with work, before I tried to talk to her again."
"I'll talk to her."
Kouga snapped his head to the right. "You're lying."
"No, I will." Inuyasha said, not so sure of himself. "I'll explain everything to Ayame when this is over."
"Speaking of this," Kouga added, "are you scared?"
Inuyasha paused. "Maybe."
"We're gonna kill him." Kouga said quickly. "Naraku, I mean. This shit has got to end tonight."
"I agree." Inuyasha said. "I've had long enough to be pissed about it."
Kouga moved his right hand off the wheel and balled it into a fist. Inuyasha smiled softly and did the same; they met in the middle.
"You've got my back," Kouga started.
"And I've got yours." Inuyasha said.
Kouga didn't notice that Sesshomaru had sped up in front of them, and signals were being called through the radio.
"Alright." Kouga said, pushing down on the gas pedal. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and cleared his throat.
"Let's fucking get it."
888
11:40 pm
Inuyasha inhaled the night air, expecting it to be fresh considering how far away from the city they were, but instead scrunched his face at the burning sensation in his nose. Kouga must have smelled it too, because he responded with just what Inuyasha had been thinking.
"What the hell?" Kouga said, covering his sensitive nose with one hand, the other holding the back of his neck.
"Try not to breathe too deeply." A voice behind them said.
Inuyasha and Kouga turned around, and the former stilled before stuttering.
"Hey..uh, long time no see."
"No need to be shy." Juromaru said. "It hasn't been that long."
Inuyasha smirked, and Kouga nodded in recognition.
"Do you know what's in the air?" Kouga eventually asked.
"Mr. Taisho said it was some kind of acid or gas." Juromaru answered, still staring at Inuyasha. "It's apparently harmful to demons. We don't know about humans. Each SUV has been equipped with masks, but we don't know how effective they will be."
Kouga started muttering something under his breath about 'bull shit gas' and 'Naraku is a bastard.' The poor man was probably suffering already; his wolf instincts entailed a nose that could pick up scents miles away, and whatever was in the air tonight was bothering him.
He walked off to go talk to (harass) another vehicle that was pulling up to the base of the incline. That left Juromaru and Inuyasha alone.
"You know, I was the one that ordered to leave you behind in that building."
Inuyasha snapped his head to the right, glaring at Juromaru. He wasn't mad; he just didn't see the point of discussing it.
"Keh, what the hell's the point of bringing it up now?"
"I wanted to say I'm sorry." Juromaru responded quickly.
Inuyasha had always remembered the deep voiced demon as off-putting and harsh. That was the reason why he was promoted to mission leader. He knew what decisions to make, and when to make them. His brother Kageromaru hardly spoke, but when he did, it was always something ominous.
He really didn't know much about the brothers at all. Just that they were hired shortly after his father died, and Sesshomaru had always saved them for high-risked missions, much like the one they were on now.
Inuyasha sighed and spoke. "Look, don't worry about it, alright. You made the right call."
Before Juromaru could respond, or possibly protest, a voice rang out in the distance.
"Yo!" Kouga yelled. "The gang's all here. Sesshomaru's about to make an announcement."
Inuyasha and Juromaru nodded, and both men followed Kouga's voice.
They were walking up a steep incline. It was the start of what was obviously a mountain, littered in crooked trees and moss. There were several sounds of boots crunching on dead leaves as they moved.
Inuyasha heard the whispers, it was impossible for him not to. Things along the line of 'he really is alive' to 'I've always wondered what he would look like with short hair.'
Inuyasha didn't entertain any of it. Although he did want to whip around and ask a grown man why he ever wondered about what he would look like with short hair. Maybe another time, another day, another situation.
When they reached the top of the incline, Inuyasha's eyes widened. This part of the mountain was a flat area, and he could see the moon high above the warped looking trees.
Sesshomaru was standing a distance off, Kikyo on his left side, something strapped to her back, talking with someone.
Everyone there was clad in black, as it was easy to blend in with the shadows. The last time he had ever been on an offensive with other people was the night his life changed drastically.
The putrid smell in the air was stronger, making it hard to ignore. Wherever they were going, the air would probably get worse along the way.
"Attention." Sesshomaru yelled, loud enough that everyone could hear.
There was immediate silence, and Sesshomaru looked around, scanning the crowd.
"Tonight we are facing a long-term enemy. Naraku Onigumo has dealt his hand several times in opposition of T-corp. I know this may sound unlikely to you, but consider it a high possibility that we will be facing ancients."
There was instant muttering in the crowd, low but loud enough that anyone could hear what someone else was saying.
"Ancients, Mr. Taisho sir?" A random voice rang out in question.
"Yes. I know it is considered unorthodox in today's world, but do not be surprised if we encounter natural akuma."
Inuyasha inhaled sharply. He had only heard stories, in graphic detail as well. Hell, his father was killed by one!
"How big are we talking?" Another voice yelled. A voice everyone could distinguish as Kouga's.
"I don't have the slightest clue." Sesshomaru answered calmly.
More muttering.
"Silence." Sesshomaru said, refocusing everyone's attention. "Whatever we face, we face it head on. My father didn't create an organization of cowards, so whatever we encounter, remember your training, look after each other, and most importantly, use common sense."
There was a collective 'yes sir' or battle chant amongst the crowd. Inuyasha was silent, but his blood was rushing. It was the familiar adrenalin flowing through his veins right before a mission, or in this case, battle.
The crowd started to move forward. There was a higher incline to climb, but that would be the least of their worries.
Inuyasha started moving quickly through the crowd to catch up to his brother and Kikyo. Kouga was somewhere else amongst the group, probably talking with some comrades.
When he made it to the front, he distinguished the 'something' on Kikyo's back as a bow and a sac of arrows; all black. He caught up to them and moved to Kikyo's side.
"You can shoot?" Inuyasha asked.
Kikyo didn't look his way, she only looked forward. "I can."
Inuyasha laughed. "No offense, but I don't think some arrows could take down gross akuma."
There was no response right away, but Inuyasha did notice the simultaneous smirk on both Kikyo's and Sesshomaru's face. Sesshomaru only smirked when he truly found something amusing, which meant that he knew something Inuyasha didn't know.
"Kikyo is no regular assistant." Sesshomaru commented, finalization in his voice.
"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked, feeling out of the loop.
They both continued to wear that stupid smirk and Inuyasha was visibly annoyed.
"Fine. Don't tell me."
"Patience, Inuyasha." Kikyo said, finally looking his way.
Inuyasha recognized something unfamiliar in the woman's gaze, as anything that wasn't boredom or blankness was unfamiliar with her. There was a hint of amusement in her eyes, something Inuyasha recognized as excitement. Somehow he got the feeling he'd be the one learning a lesson that night.
"You'll see." She finished, and turned her gaze forward again.
888
They reached a point.
And at that point, everyone was gagging, strapping on their masks haphazardly in attempts to relive their sensitive noses just a bit.
Inuyasha had been in some pretty freaky situations, especially as of late, but this by far trumped them all.
They had reached the apex, and their surroundings were nothing short of foul.
The sky across the trees were casted with a dark plume, almost like black clouds against the night sky, with purple hues here and there. There was a stench in the air that was more than just the acid or gas, it was easily recognizable somehow, even though none of them, including Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, had smelled it before.
Inuyasha was sure if it was a built-in instinct to recognize his own kind, but he knew it as soon as his brain received it.
Akuma. Demons.
And there were a lot of them.
There was a low rumble, and Inuyasha could hear the sound of weapons being drawn behind him; the familiar sound of sword against metal sliding out of its holder. There were collective growls from the men, all disturbed by what was soon to happen.
Inuyasha's own sword felt hot at his side, like it was begging to be drawn. He had never used this blade, as it was old and rusty. The only reason he had it now was because he remembered his father giving him advice about it.
"It is a very special blade. I know it may not seem like it, but Inuyasha, promise me, that no matter what you do, you keep this blade on you."
He was so young when his father told him that, and of course he said yes. However, the importance of the blade hadn't revealed itself to him yet, but he kept it on him like father asked.
He snapped back to reality when he heard a shout behind him. It was Kouga.
"Look at the clouds!"
And look they did. There was a mass, moving and unorganized, flowing toward them.
"Kikyo." Sesshomaru said lowly, eyes narrowed, claws ready, energy full.
Kikyo nodded quickly and ran towards the trees to their left.
"Where the hell is she going!?" Inuyasha yelled, flexing his own claws.
"A higher point to shoot from." Sesshomaru replied.
It was out of nowhere, but Inuyasha noticed a two blades on Sesshomaru's hips as well; one bigger than the other. He had never seen Sesshomaru with blades like those.
"Did dad give those to you?" He asked, despite the approaching enemy.
"Just as he gave you yours." Sesshomaru answered.
A voice cried out behind them.
"Get into formation!"
It was Juromaru giving his orders.
The men assembled into a block formation, almost resembling the old Roman way of soldier arrangement. Those on the front lines were obviously more exposed than others, but they were also veterans, agents that had been on the front line plenty of times, no matter the circumstance.
The moving mass was close now, and Inuyasha could hear the high pitched screams, sounding like banshees. He saw swirls of everything, nothing distinguishable from the small distance that was left. It made him nauseous, the limbs, screams, and stench. His claws were flexed and his sword was starting to feel heavy on his thigh.
"Three!"
Juromaru had started the countdown, and everyone crouched.
"Two!"
Sesshomaru said something, but Inuyasha didn't hear him. The blood was rushing in his own ears as he prepared the best he could for the fight.
"One!"
He didn't have time to register what he was doing. All he knew was that there was a sharp set of teeth in front of him, angry and snapping jaws ready to chomp down. His body reacted before his mind could, and his claws sunk into greasy flesh, a harsh scream emanating from the source, and it fell limp at his feet, quickly disintegrating.
There were growls and screams and yells from every direction; Sesshomaru was no longer at his side. The acidic stench was accompanied by the smell of rotting flesh, making it damn near hard to breathe.
Inuyasha could feel swarms of energy around him, knowing that it was his fellow comrades using all their ability to fight this mass off.
He smirked and flexed his claws, relishing in the feeling of making five slash marks into a creature's body.
888
"Why the hell isn't it working?" Kagura growled, anxiety and annoyance combining to make an unfavorable attitude. Kanna wasn't saying much to answer her question at the moment. Matter of fact, she wasn't saying anything at all.
"I don't know." The younger finally answered.
"How can you not know?" Kagura yelled. "It's your damn mirror!"
"She isn't normal." Kanna said evenly.
Kagura wasn't exactly in her right state of mind. They were in the middle of a battle, a freaking battle, and already their first step wasn't going right. Her anger from losing the journalist of the year still hadn't ebbed, and this current predicament was not helping.
"Neither are we." Kagura responded, walking closer to the body lying in the middle of small deck area. "So why isn't she up and beckoning to your every call by now? She's just a ningen!"
"If she were just a ningen, she would be." Kanna answered quietly.
The blank, unconcerned look on the younger's face was honestly starting to piss Kagura off.
"Naraku said we needed to do this." She hissed.
"I cannot."
Kagura grabbed her face in her hands and turned around to pace, cursing under her breath.
Only a few miles away, T-corp agents were fighting against the natural akuma Naraku summoned. She wasn't even sure how he did it, just that he could. And wherever the hanyou was now, he was certainly nowhere near the battle.
Everything was supposed to go according to plan. She slipped the small amount of miasma in Kagome's champagne. The woman had gotten sick and passed out as expected of a ningen, and they brought her body here to the sight.
The Doryodo Ruins.
They had met Naraku here several times, and Kagura felt like she could get to the place with her eyes closed.
"What happens if I cannot control her?" Kanna asked.
"Well, I don't know." Kagura answered in a feigned cheerful voice. "I don't know what Naraku needs Kagome to be under your control for, but whatever it is, it's not going to work."
888
"Kouga, duck!"
The ookami did so, falling to the ground immediately. Inuyasha jumped over him and slashed out at the worm-like akuma that was right behind him. He had just managed to turn around in time enough to see Kouga stumbling with a limp, completely unaware of the threat behind him.
Inuyasha turned back around and went to help Kouga stand.
"Are you hurt?" He asked gruffly.
Kouga winced once he was standing straight. "This air," he choked out. "It's gotten stronger."
Inuyasha immediately looked around to observe the scene. They were winning of course, but there were so many damn akuma. It's like they never stopped coming.
There were other ookami out there who were probably all affected just as Kouga had been.
"Hey," Inuyasha barked. "Stick with me, alright? I don't want you getting hurt."
"But you've gotta go after Naraku." Kouga said, wincing as he was walking. He wasn't sure why his leg felt warm and wet, but he finally stopped and looked down.
"Wait, Yash," He said with a tremble in his voice.
Inuyasha whirled around, "What?" He yelled.
Then he immediately noticed it.
A gash had been made across Kouga's front thigh, and it was bleeding nicely.
Inuyasha immediately went back to Kouga, wrapping his arm around him to steady his weight. How could he not have smelled the blood right away? The scent of literally everything else around him was blocking out what was right in front of him, and if he was having that problem, there were others who could be experiencing the same.
"But Naraku-
"I gotta get you someplace safe first!"
"Yash, there is nowhere safe!" Kouga yelled back, still stumbling along with him. "Don't forget what you came here for."
Inuyasha paused, which was probably unwise to do in battle, and he was getting ready to respond to that, and it was going to be a really good comeback, but then Sesshomaru was next to him in a dash of wind and power.
"Follow me." He said evenly, as if chaos wasn't surrounding them. He darted back forward, nearly disappearing in the blink of an eye, and Inuyasha knew he was supposed to follow.
"Go." Kouga said gently. "We'll hold it down around here. Go kill that bastard."
Inuyasha wanted to protest that he wasn't going to leave Kouga injured, but he knew deep down that the best way of defeating this hoard of demons was finding Naraku.
"Alright. Watch your back!" Inuyasha shouted as he let go and darted forward as quickly as he could towards Sesshomaru. He felt bad about leaving, but Kouga was right, he had a bigger task ahead of him.
He whipped through the trees with speed so fast even he recognized it as 'fast.' He wasn't sure where Sesshomaru went, but he followed the aura of power that was in the distance. It was easily distinguishable as him.
The trees were a blur as he jumped high, soaring across a break in the mountain. His feet hit the ground again with the welcoming thump and kept running.
There was a small ball of nerves in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't figure out what it was. He was worried, yes, but the farther away he got from the battle, the worse the feeling got. His instinct was warning him that something was going to happen, something big.
He felt Sesshomaru's aura close and slowed down to a stop once they reached another clearing. It was a small area, only trees surrounding them. Sesshomaru was standing in the middle, one of his blades covered in dark blood in his hand, waiting for an enemy.
"Why are we here?" Inuyasha asked, irritation clear. They could be down there helping the others, helping Kouga!
"Take a deep breath and sniff." Sesshomaru said calmly, head tilted to the dark sky.
Inuyasha growled. "I don't have time for this! I gotta help-
"Kagome's here."
Inuyasha stopped, and his words died in his mouth just as the saliva had left as well. His breathing became rapid, more rapid than it had when he was recovering from running. He swallowed down nothing and spoke.
"What do you mean she's…here?" He asked lowly.
"I'm not repeating myself." Sesshomaru said.
Inuyasha balled his fists and cursed under his breath. He tried to calm down to the best of his ability, which wasn't much. His heart was still pounding, breath still coming out quickly, and ears ringing.
So he took a deep breath, and sniffed.
And surely enough, Kagome's sweet scent, a scent he could never mistake for anything else in his lifetime, was laced in with the foul smell of akuma and acid.
He wasn't sure what came over him, or why, but he knew that an overwhelming feeling of anger and protectiveness washed over him, and he could feel his control slipping.
"Calm down." Sesshomaru said, still standing where he was. He could sense the slight change in Inuyasha's scent. "We will find her."
"Why is she here!?" Inuyasha yelled at the top of his voice. "Is this apart of another grand plan of yours!?"
"No." Sesshomaru answered, finally turning around. His purple markings were showing, as was the regal Taisho symbol of the crescent moon in the middle of his forehead. "I do not know why she is here, but I can guarantee it is to get your attention."
"She wasn't supposed to get involved!" He yelled again, not backing down.
Sesshomaru walked closer, close enough to where he was standing directly in front of Inuyasha, and leaned down slightly.
"You can't save her if you cannot control yourself, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha wanted to lash out, continue yelling, kick down a tree, but none of that would help save Kagome, if she was there.
He bent forward as Sesshomaru moved back, and put his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and began deep breathing to bring himself back to earth.
"The stench gets stronger the higher you go." Sesshomaru said, inspecting his claws. "I was following it, and here was where I recognized Kagome's scent."
"What do we do?" Inuyasha panted.
"Climb higher." The older answered. "He's here. I can feel a strong, dark aura. Separate from the hoard below."
Inuyasha couldn't smell anything. Before, the stench was stuck in his nose. Now, the stench plus Kagome's scent was stuck in his nose, and he couldn't focus well enough to pick up anything else.
"The air is heavier, and the mountain top is not much farther away. The site where the college student and old woman were killed is up above, and I have a feeling that is where they will be."
Inuyasha took a few more moments to calm down, and once he figured he was as good as he could get, he straightened up.
Sesshomaru didn't show it, but he was, dare he say, mildly impressed with the renewed fire in Inuyasha's eyes.
Inuyasha licked his lips and asked. "What's the plan?"
888
When she woke up, she wished she hadn't.
Her body felt heavy, hence why she couldn't move anything but her fluttering eyelids. The first thing Kagome noticed was that she was laying on something hard, and she was outside.
It was dark, wherever she was. There were no lights anywhere to illuminate the space around her, whatever that space was.
The second thing she noticed was the pain. Her stomach felt terrible, cursed with a burning sensation. This situation she was in wasn't the result of too much drinking. No, something else had happened, hadn't it?
The third thing she noticed was that she couldn't think properly. Her body was focusing too much energy (the small amount that was left) on keeping her conscious. Other cognitive activities would have to wait.
She remembered the ceremony, winning, drinking, dancing, the whole nine. Then Kagura, then she got sick, then the bathroom…
What happened in the bathroom again?
The fourth and final thing she noticed was the air. It was heavy with something foul, something she had never smelled before in her life, so her brain couldn't distinguish it. And despite her mind's poor attempts to conjure up an explanation, one thing she knew was this.
Something was wrong; very wrong.
That being established, her first attempt was to move her limp body. She could wiggle her toes, clench and unclench her legs, but becoming mobile, well, that wasn't going to be easy. She could feel her dress twisted underneath her body, making it more and more uncomfortable to move around.
"You might as well stop trying."
Kagome's second attempt was to move her head to locate the person who just spoke behind her. Her mind, which was gaining its functionality again, was telling her that it recognized the voice. But her heart, and the part of Kagome that just didn't want to believe it, was hoping it wasn't who she thought it was.
Somehow she succeeded at craning her neck to where she could see behind her. Although the person was upside down, and her mind was still a little muddled, she knew Kagura Kaze when she saw her. The skinny figure, shiny finger nails, and bun were enough to identify her.
Now that she got a good look, she moved her head back to the way it was, unless she wanted to break her neck. Her breathing was coming rapidly, anxiety begging to take over her good senses.
Her third attempt was at speaking. Her throat felt hot, and it was dry, so she only managed a small croak. She wanted to yell, scream even. Where was she? Why? What did Kagura want with her?
She heard grass and leaves crunching, and knew Kagura was coming over to her line of vision. Kagome fidgeted, making a fifth notice that her hands were tied tight behind her back.
Kagura was wearing a triumphant smirk, and it succeeded in irritating Kagome further. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, and she had no idea what the hell was going on!
"Are you comfortable, miss journalist of the year?" Kagura cooed.
She was no longer wearing the gown she wore to the ceremony. She was clad in black, boots laced up to her knees, arms crossed over her chest.
Kagome hoped her somber expression was enough to answer Kagura's question.
"I suppose you're wondering why you're here, or what's going on." Kagura said, checking her nails as if she was bored.
She sighed heavily. "I also suppose I could indulge you. It's not like you'll be around much longer to find out."
Kagome felt her heart drop, and she went cold and still, no longer trying to fidget or fight.
"I think it's story time, huh?" Kagura said, starting to walk in a circle around whatever Kagome was lying on.
And story time it was.
"I'll just speed through this part. A long time ago, Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, was arranged to be married to a man named Naraku Onigumo."
Kagome knew this. Inuyasha had explained this to her quietly after another night of love making, tracing invisible symbols into her back as he did so. Naraku was the one that tried to kill him, the one that held a long term grudge, and the one they needed to kill.
"Izayoi didn't want to marry him, and she ended up meeting and mating the elder Taisho. Long story short, Naraku was jealous, and wanted Inu no Taisho and Izayoi to hurt as much as he did."
Kagura took a long pause.
"Then came Izayoi's death. It was announced that she had fallen ill, but that's not the truth. She was poisoned. Her and father Taisho were at a gala in Osaka, and her drink was poisoned with a substance Naraku came up with himself. A little something called miasma. He had someone he could trust to do it for him, and it worked. A few short days later, Izayoi was dead."
"The next objective on Naraku's list was to kill Inu no Taisho. This obviously was an impossible goal, since he was a true taiyoukai. However, fortune fell on Naraku's side with Inu no Taisho was killed."
"Then there's Inuyasha." Kagura said, laughing slightly as she did so. "And I suppose this is where you also come in, Kagome."
Kagome felt her eyes widen.
"You see, even though Taisho and Izayoi were both dead, Naraku wasn't done. No, he was even angrier when he discovered that Izayoi had actually lay down with that demon and had a child; a son to be specific. And he wanted him dead."
Kagome started to fidget again. Kagura was still circling her like prey.
"And years went by. He came up with a plan to do it, because even though Inuyasha is a hanyou, he certainly is powerful, as long as the Taisho blood runs though his veins. Inuyasha grew up, became an agent at T-corp at the young age of thirteen, and became well trained in combat. But not well enough."
"I think you know this part of the story the best." Kagura added. "Naraku hired people, specifically for taking down Inuyasha. It was all a plan, all one giant plan to kill him, and he would have succeeded too, if Inuyasha hadn't have protected himself."
"And you and all his little friends were told he was killed. When in actuality, Sesshomaru wanted to keep his survival a secret to use Inuyasha to work undercover. And that went on for three years."
"And here we are tonight. There are several T-corp agents down below fighting against natural akuma; a whole hoard of them. I figure that Inuyasha will somehow figure out you're here and come for you, which is exactly what Naraku wants. As soon as he gets up here, I'll fight and distract him, and you get to watch as Naraku kills him. This time for good."
Kagome's eyes widened in horror, and whatever functions her body was gaining back allowed her to speak.
"You won't win." She croaked out, coughing immediately.
Kagura laughed quietly. "Won't we?" She said softly, crouching down to a squat right in front of Kagome. "There's no way we can lose."
She laughed, and Kagome wondered why she could never see the devil in this woman before. And then this whole business with Naraku! How could someone be so hateful? How much pain did the jealousy and rejection provide him that he'd spend his days plotting revenge? Beneath the initial anger Kagome was feeling towards the demon, a small pang of sadness was in her core as well. She couldn't imagine-living like that. Living only to watch others die.
Finally, Inuyasha. If he was on his way to save her, then he'd be approaching his death. But didn't Kagura say there were agents down below, fighting akuma? Surely someone could back him up.
Yash, please be okay.
888
Failure, in this case, was not an option.
It was a possibility, a probability, but not one that needed to occur.
Sesshomaru sliced away with his bare claws at a lowly akuma while on his way down the mountain.
This entire situation was nothing short of annoying and tiresome. Even he, who had spent years under grueling training fit for a leader, was growing wary of the repetitive actions of slaying demons.
And with all the knowledge he had, there were obviously things he still did not know.
Like how one could summon a whole hoard of akuma?
Information as such wasn't locked away in their library in the mansion, nor was it inscribed in any code or law. No, information like that remained in the minds of those who either practiced it, or witnessed it, and they were all most likely dead.
His father had been killed by an ancient, natural akuma. He remembered when he first received the news. It was in the middle of a stormy night, and it had been Totosai to come running with the information. Sesshomaru was disbelieving, as nothing of the sort had been seen or heard of before.
But it happened.
And it was sure to happen again, unless they defeated the hanyou.
And that left Inuyasha. His half-brother seemed to find renewed anger in the discovery that Kagome was somewhere near, and it wouldn't take a scientist to figure out that it was definitely a trap.
The plan he had come up with was simple, yet not. There were so many things that could go wrong, considering Inuyasha tended to forget instruction in the heat of the moment.
Sesshomaru focused his gaze and his senses, stilling running down the mountain, determined to reach the other agents. He silently hoped that there were no casualties on the field.
A thin, pink line whizzed by a few feet away from him, and he growled. He came to a halt and closed his eyes.
"It would be wise to be careful, Kikyo."
Said woman appeared from the shadows, tiredness visible on her face.
Sesshomaru eyes her over one good time, making sure there were no injuries, before speaking.
"Are you prepared, priestess?"
Kikyo scoffed immediately. "I'd prefer you not call me that."
"That is not what I asked you." Sesshomaru responded.
"I am." She answered calmly.
Her tired features betrayed her, however. Sesshomaru noticed the clip she used to clip her hair into a ponytail was halfway down, loosening her hair.
"I'm going to warn the men. Get a head start." Sesshomaru said, nodding in Kikyo's direction.
And with that, he was gone.
Kikyo turned around and began the painful jog up the mountain. She had been moving nonstop, either moving higher, or shooting, and she was low on arrows as well.
She knew this would be dangerous when Sesshomaru suggested it, but it made sense.
She just hoped that this plan would be good in practice as well as in theory.
Author's Note: I'm sorry. I appreciate you all waiting so long. Blame school, really. And life. It's only been 7 weeks in and I've already developed senior-itis. No, screw that, it's senior cancer…stage III.
No, but seriously, thank you. I hope this chapter didn't bomb.
So, what's the grand plan, huh? Those Taisho's always have something up their sleeves.
Review Please!