Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters recognizable from the show. What I do own is the plot of this story and any OC that pops up. Enjoy reading!
...Where all roads meet...
...Memory...
...
Kagome
"We got in!" Yuki cheerfully patted Inuyasha on the back. "Good boy, Inuyasha!"
"I'm not a frikkin' dog, dammit...", he grunted weakly from beneath the tree he was resting against.
"Finally he's put his head to some good use," I commented sardonically. Yuki gave me a flat look and shook her head.
It had Inuyasha taken so many head-on collisions with the barrier to actually break in. He was going at it like a man, erm, hanyou possessed, despite the electricity- like jolts that sent him reeling back. I was beyond relieved he didn't end up an unconscious lump on the ground.
Not that he needed to know.
"Yeah well don't say I didn't pay you back for wrecking your stupid bike!" Inuyasha's retort sounded so weak, I suspect he was more affected by his efforts to break through the barrier than he let on. Despite that, I gave him a cold stare and turned away defiantly.
"As if that's any compensation."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply but groaned and clutched his head.
"We'll get you some ice as soon as we get back, okay?" Yuki said soothingly, to which he responded with a 'hmm' that sounded ridiculously like the whine of a puppy.
Maybe that was just me...
Looking up, I could see the pearly white surface of the barrier, looking more visible from inside than out. It seemed like I was looking at the inside of the doomed roof of a giant greenhouse. Above it, the sky was an expanse of darkness lit by the full moon. We wove through the cover of the trees, stealing looks at the minute pieces of sky visible through the gaps between them.
"Hear that?" Yukiyo breathed. I listened, my ears picking up a variety of strange noises.
"What is that?" I murmured to her.
"Keh", Inuyasha scoffed, "you're hearing that now?" He looked exhausted. " Talk about crappy human hearing..."
"Hey, you okay?" I turned to him, concern softening my gaze, deciding to overlook the jab on humans for once. His voice lacked its usual cockiness, and though he was trying hard to keep the tiredness out of his voice, it couldn't fool me.
"Chipper", Inuyasha replied laconically, proceeding to rotate his shoulders in a show of nonchalance.
"Whatever", I said acidly, my concern melting away immediately. I peered through the fringe of trees, looking towards the lake, a frown creasing my forehead. Mama always says that this habit of mine's gonna give me premature wrinkles. If so, I'm gonna hold Inuyasha personally responsible. I mean, first he destroys my bike, then he's acting all cool and cocky...Would it kill him to be honest for once?
Kagome, I don't feel so good. Please help me... What's a girl got to do anyway? He's obviously not alright!
I sighed. Why do I even bother? I'm just another 'crappy human' to him.
We were nearing the edge of the clearing. Through the gaps between trees, I could see strange lights flashing in the sky that looked like fireworks.
At first, all I could see were the flashes of light, but then the details became clearer.
There were five people- four of them on strange flying creatures, a woman who was floating in air gilded by a weird blue light, all of them surrounded by many strange creatures that looked like the wild youkai that I had seen only in textbooks.
Were they fighting those creatures? I could only stare in awe.
"Hey Kagome", Yuki came to a halt behind me, peering over my shoulder. "What-?"
Wordless, I pointed to the spectacle unfolding in front of me. We stared at each other silently, Yuki looking as surprised as I felt.
Behind us, Inuyasha collapsed onto the ground.
"Hey!" Yuki and I called out in unison.
"I'm fine!" He said gruffly, springing up from the ground. "Just feelin' a little sick is all."
Ugh! This guy was unbelievable!
"Stop acting so high and mighty okay!" I said, feeling my face flush. "You are obviously NOT alright! You just fainted for God's sake!"
"Quit buggin' me would'cha?! I said-" Inuyasha stopped abruptly. "Damn it!"
"What?"
"Split up and run. Now!" He pushed us urgently.
"Whoa, hold on!" Yuki asked, her steps skidding to a halt. "What's the matter?"
"They're coming. They know we're here."
Yukiyo
I ran through the cover of trees aimlessly, not knowing what from, panting from the effort.
Not being in such great shape, my legs began to tire almost at once. I cursed myself for lazing away and not exercising. Many thoughts ran a mad scramble through my head- who exactly am I running from? What are Inuyasha and Kagome doing? Are those people really after us? Are they going to hurt us? Is it wiser to just surrender?
I didn't have time to pursue any of these thoughts.
My body went rigid and I fell to the leaf- matted ground on my face, unable to move. The impact knocked the breath out of me but I was relatively unharmed. It felt as if invisible chains had been bound around my body, rending me immobile.
Fear coursed through me as I heard footsteps, slow and even, nearing me.
I shifted my head strenuously and looked at the woman who was standing beside me.
She looked to be in her mid twenties, wearing a white haori and red hakama. Her steely brown eyes were cold as they bore into mine, as if sizing me up.
Wordlessly, she raised her hand and my body moved on its own accord, raising up from the ground and following the strange woman as she walked back to the clearing.
Who are you? What do you want with me? I wanted to ask, but couldn't bring myself to talk, not even open my mouth. My muscles moved under her control, and I had no choice but obey, like I were a mere puppet. It was terrifying, as if I were locked inside my own body, unable to do anything but shift my gaze in fear.
Suddenly, I wanted to resist. Some part of me had no intention of giving up control. I squirmed against the invisible bonds with all the strength I could muster, willing them to loosen, and to my intense surprise, they seemed to be weakening.
"Let me... go!", I struggled to speak.
The woman wheeled around and stared at me, the disbelief in her eyes turning to something akin to anger.
"You are more than meets the eye I see", she said acidly, gesturing with her hand as if tightening an invisible rope.
"Ugh!" The bonds tightened around me, this time stronger than before, as they pulled me to her destination. This time, no matter how much I struggled, the bonds around me didn't seem to budge.
Shortly after, she dragged me to the bank of Mizuki lake. Kagome was standing next to the spandex-clad girl we had followed here, eyes shifting warily. The girl in the black spandex looked at us nervously, absently stroking the fur of the two-tailed cat- like creature (demon, I presumed)on her shoulder as it rubbed its face on her cheek, as if comforting her. A man dressed in purple and black stood next to her, coolly analyzing us with his violet gaze.
Kagome looked at me and smiled in relief. I, on the other hand, could only stare blankly, unable to talk.
"Hi- Hitomiko san", said the girl shooting me a guilty glance, "This girl...you've put a full body-bind on her..." She shifted uneasily before bowing low, her long brown hair falling to one side. "It's my fault, I'm the one that led them here. Please don't punish them for it."
"We'll discuss it later, Sango", the woman, Hitomiko, said with finality. Sango stood straight, her guilty eyes staring uneasily at the ground. Hitomiko stared at me, and I could swear I saw a pale blue light momentarily flash across her brown irises. Suddenly I could move again.I took a deep relieved breath, grateful to have control of my own body again.
"Don't try anything smart", she said coldly.
"Where are Kouga and Ayame?" The man in purple asked.
"They've gone to subdue the demon", said Hitomiko. "They should be back soon."
Beside me, Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha!" Her eyes narrowed. "What have you done with him?"
"Please, be at ease", said the man with the violet eyes kindly, "I assure you that your friend will be unharmed."
"Miroku is right", said Sango. "We are the good guys, you have no need to fear." She tried to smile, but her face still held a nervous expression.
"Lemme go ya flea bitten wolves!" A familiar voice said from inside the cover of trees.
"Shut your cakehole you mangy mutt! Who're you callin' flea-bitten?"
"How dare you ass-!" There was a thump and a thud.
"Kouga!" A girlish voice said. "You're not supposed to hit him!"
"Well he started it- ow!" This was followed by a crash.
Kagome and I exchanged nervous glances.
"Well, they sure make a hell of a racket ",Miroku said lightly with a casual shrug.
Hitomiko sighed in exasperation and went into the cover of the trees from where the voices came.
Some minutes and a lot of applaud-worthy swearing later, Hitomiko, the man named Kouga, the red haired girl, Ayame, entered the clearing, followed by a stiff-looking Inuyasha. I knew from painful experience that Hitomiko had used that full body bind thing on him. I gave Inuyasha a sympathetic glance.
Hitomiko turned to look at the hanyou.
"I'll let you free if you promise to behave", said she, much like a school teacher disciplining an errant child.
"The hell you want with us?!" Inuyasha demanded the moment he was let loose. Miroku cleared his throat.
"You my friend, witnessed something you were not supposed to see", he said gravely.
"So?" Inuyasha glared at the man, "You're gonna kill us for that?" Hitomiko let out an amused laugh.
"Rest assured", she said, "we have no intention of murdering a bunch of meddling kids."
"Hey, who are you callin' a kid?!"
"You three are going to have your memories erased", said Hitomiko, regally ignoring the hanyou, "and I won't lie to you; it is not going to be a pleasant experience." There was a moment of stunned silence.
"T-that's absurd!" I couldn't help but voice in disbelief. "Why would you go to such lengths? It's not like anyone's gonna even believe us even if we tell them what we saw!"
"Our identities are supposed to be a secret", the red-head wolf-girl, Ayame, said, "We can't have people running around knowing that."
Kouga crossed his arms against his chest."Especially people who could break through Hitomiko's barrier." Hitomiko shot him a withering glance, but only for a moment, before her eyes returned to their normal coolness. Kouga let out a barely audible sigh of relief as she turned away from him.
"Well, what if I don't want to have my memory erased?" Kagome spoke, her voice shaky.
"It's not optional." Sango shook her head sadly.
"Not optional my butt!" Proclaimed the hanyou. " You'd better let me go or I'll..."
"You'll what?" Said Kouga with a sneer. "You little hanyou punk!"
He pronounced the word 'hanyou' like it left a bad taste in his mouth. Inuyasha opened his mouth to deliver a retort when-
"Stop saying it like that!" Kagome spoke, surprising everyone. She took a deep breath, and jaw set, marched up to stand protectively in front of Inuyasha.
Like how Inuyasha did the other day at Wacd'nald's.
"Hey!" Inuyasha seemed to regain his bearings. "Quit interferi-"
"Shut it", she said in a no- nonsense tone, immediately bringing Inuyasha's jaw to a close.
"Well what the hell is your problem?!" Kouga crossed his arms and glared down at her.
"My problem", Kagome pointed a finger right between his eyebrows, "is you and your big head!"
There was an awkward silence after this proclamation, where Kouga hesitantly bringing his hand to his head, as if assessing if his head was indeed so big.
"Inuyasha is more demon than you'll ever be. So what if he's half- human? It isn't something he should be ashamed of, 'cause that's the very thing that makes him stronger than the rest of you ever will be!"
Inuyasha's eyes were so wide they seemed to be about to pop off their sockets.
"Feh! What a load of crap!" Kouga remarked, "As if a little human girl can teach me anything about strength!"
"Well you-!" Kagome took a step towards him but was stopped short Miroku's ringed staff falling between them.
"Now now", the young monk said amiably," We are merely wasting time here, and Kouga, that is not the way to talk to a young lady."
Kouga looked like he wanted to chomp on Miroku but instead he grimaced and turned away, not before shooting a fleeting glance at Kagome that spoke of grudging admiration.
Why couldn't I have stood up for Inuyasha? He was my friend too and I should have spoken up, but I...
I was scared. I am always scared...
Miroku turned and smiled amiably at us.
"Well then, with no further ado, let's get you to Ungai's."
Sango.
I sighed for the umpteenth time that day as Kilala sprang down my shoulder and transformed into her larger form in a burst of flames.
The two girls gasped in awe, while the hanyou looked mildly annoyed.
"Well", I said, getting on Kilala's back and extending a hand to the girls, "both of you can get on." I smiled as they looked at each other hesitantly.
"Don't worry, she won't bite."
Kilala purred in agreement. One of the girls took my hand and clambered on, followed by the other.
"I, I'm Kagome by the way, and this is Yukiyo."
"What do you mean I should go with you? I ain't goin' anywhere with anyone!"
"And that's Inuyasha", she completed.
"I'm Sango. Nice to meet you."
"You go to our school, you know?"
"Oh, that's why you guys look familiar!" I couldn't help myself, though this was hardly the time for pleasant chitchat.
"Well, um...", the girl named Yukiyo started hesitantly, "Is this memory erasure really necessary, Sango?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so", I replied. "Our superiors are really particular about it. "
"Oh", she said apprehensively. "If you don't mind me asking, are you...some sort of an organisation or something?"
I started. Gotta hand it to her, it was a pretty good guess.
"Let go of me! I ain't-mmph!" the unmistakable sound of Hitomiko using the body bind to restrain the hanyou distracted us. Kouga and Miroku lifted the immobilised boy to the yellow worm-like body of Hachi, Hitomiko and Ayame clambered on behind them after Hitomiko had taken down the barrier.
"Up, Kilala!" I said, not answering her question.
Even if I had replied, she was not going to remember anything about this night anyway.
Miroku
We were all quiet as Hachi rose into the night sky and sped towards Ungai's home. Understandable, since he had a reputation for being insanely scary when he was angry. And we had breached secrecy, the very thing he told us to never do. Hitomiko was looking particularly antsy, since she was the team leader, and the one who would face the brunt of his wrath.
The only person who would have wanted to voice his protests was currently immobilised and was glaring at us hatefully.
"I hope he goes easy on us, this is just the first time", Ayame said from behind.
"I wouldn't be so sure", I said, looking back at them, "you know how particular he is about our being anonymous."
"The old man needs to loosen up!" Kouga said, "I mean, what could possibly happen?" Hitomiko cleared her throat.
"He has every reason to be anxious. If word gets out, we will be the prime targets, being the weakest, youngest, and the most manipulable."
"And don't forget", Ayame's tone was plaintive, "our families are in danger too."
The silence stretched out again, this time thicker and more palpable than before.
At least that is one blessing, I thought. I had no family to worry about, being abandoned as a child in front of the monastery. Although it would be an utter lie if I say that I am happy about being an orphan. I stared ahead, trying to find Kilala, being faster, was only visible as a bright spot in a distance.
Family was everything to Sango; it would kill her if something happened to them...
We flew in silence till we reached Ungai's mansion. Sango and Kilala were waiting for us in the yard with the two fair maidens. We got down from Hachi, lifted the hanyou down, and strode towards them.
Wait a minute! I can't believe I forgot!
"I'm terribly sorry", I said, closing the distance quickly, "the graveness of the situation had made me forget something important I needed to ask you."
I held their soft, small hands in mine, put on my most charming face, and asked them, in my most amiable voice,
"Will the two of you lovely ladies consider bearing my children?"
Sango
There he goes again, I thought, watching the girls draw back their hands in shock. I smirked sadistically as Hitomiko smacked him on the head with his shakujou and chastised him severely.
"It's not like they'll remember anything tomorrow..."the hentai monk protested weakly, rubbing the sore spot on his head. He shot a panicked glance towards me but I averted my gaze defiantly.
"Then why ask them in the first place?!" Ayame enquired.
"I think it's time we go in", Miroku said, effortlessly changing the subject. Shrewd hentai bastard.
As on cue, the mahogany doors opened and Mr Ungai Murasaki stepped out, dressed impeccably as always in a charcoal-grey suit with a fire-orange shirt, not a sign of being abruptly roused from sleep on his face . I was secretly disappointed for not catching him in his jammies for once. I mean, who is dressed like that at 3 am?
"Come in", he said gravely and stepped aside, making way for us. We filed in obediently, following him as he closed the door and led us to his office.
"I expected better from you, Hitomiko", he began, setting himself in the swivelling chair behind the rosewood desk, his steely grey eyes fixed on Hitomiko "You were seen by not one, but three civilians. You have disappointed me severely."
Hitomiko shifted her gaze to the ground. "I apologise for my incompetence, Ungai-sama", she bowed. "I take the blame for everything."
"No, it was my fault!" I hurriedly interjected. Hitomiko gave me a side-wise glare. "It was because of my carelessness that they were led here! I take the blame for everything." I gazed squarely at him, waiting for the inevitable tongue-lashing. Through the periphery of my vision, I could see Miroku shake his head.
Ungai spared me a long, cool glance.
"What is done, is done, I suppose", he said after a long pause. "I trust you all to be more careful the next time. You know what is at stake here." This said, he turned away.
I blinked. That was it?
I seriously thought he was going to disembowel me. Not that I am complaining or anything, but this was like a slap in the wrist.
His gaze shifted to the trio of teenagers we had brought here, analyzing them with his cool, scrutinizing eyes. His gaze fell on Inuyasha, who was glaring at him with all the hatred in the world. Ungai looked at Hitomiko pointedly and she nodded, gazing towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha's limbs loosened and his entire posture relaxed. He glared evilly at Hitomiko.
"If you do that again, I swear I'm gonna use my claws on you!"
"Try anything here son", Ungai said coolly, "and you won't be using your claws for anything, ever." This was followed by a spike in his aura that made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up.
Inuyasha growled and muttered a curse-word under his breath that everyone heard. Ungai ignored him regally.
"I believe you have been informed regarding the repercussions", he said, looking pointedly at the teenagers.
"You'll erase our memories", breathed Yukiyo.
"Yes, and if you wouldn't mind, I would like to make this fast." Ungai stared at Yukiyo. " Miss Takihara, kindly take a seat."
Yukiyo gasped, looking apprehensively at Mr. Ungai, perhaps wondering how he knew her name. It was obvious she was frightened. I watched her clench and unclench her hands, trying to steady her breathing as she slowly walked over to the chair next to him.
"Hey wait", Inuyasha spoke, perhaps seeing his friend so frightened, "I'll go first."
"I- It's alright", Yukiyo managed a smile that looked like a grimace. The poor girl tried to put up a brave face, but unfortunately it couldn't fool any of us.
"This is for your own good", Ungai said, as if trying to reassure her as she lowered herself to the chair, looking like she wanted to bolt. She winced as he touched her temple, closing his eyes. "It will only take a moment. I won't lie to you, it is going to be unpleasant."
Her hands trembled in her lap as she closed her eyes. I tried to shut down the part of my mind severely chastising me for putting her through this predicament.
This is protocol, I told myself firmly; it was something that needed to be adhered to. What's done is done and now the team has to clean up the mess I created.
As we watched, Ungai's eyelids were illuminated by a white light, seeming to be coming from inside his eyes. A frown marred his forehead. Yukiyo winced, as if she was in pain.
"U-Ungai san...?", Hitomiko said, worry in her voice. I stared at her in confusion. Was something wrong?
Yukiyo was clearly distressed, her breaths shallow and rapid. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the armrest of the chair, her face scrunched up in pain. She was clenching her teeth now, moaning.
"Stop..." she pleaded, "Stop!"
"Hey! What are you doing to her?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Stay still, my friend", Miroku said soothingly, "Ungai-san knows what he's doing. No harm will come to her." Inuyasha seemed hesitant at first, but then relented, watching them with wary eyes. My gaze met Miroku's and I could see that he was not as assured as he seemed to be.
What the hell was going on?
"Yuki", Kagome breathed, tears in her eyes as she looked at me, "She's in pain; please, can't you stop this?"
"I am sorry Kagome", I hardened my voice, turning away from her. Something was wrong about all this.
"Ugh!" Yukiyo screamed, her body convulsing. Her eyes glowed in white as she opened them, her entire body still, staring sightless at the ceiling.
"What the hell-!" Inuyasha was about to bolt to her, barely held back by Miroku with his Shakujou, now looking plainly worried. Despite not being a spiritual power user, I could feel Ungai's aura swelling up to fill the whole room.
"Ungai Sama!" Hitomiko snapped in a tone she had never taken with Ungai, "That's enough! If you go any further, you'll break her soul!"
I couldn't suppress a gasp as I turned to look at Hitomiko.
What?!
Well, another cliffie I suppose.
Terribly sorry for being a sloppy updater. One word- internship.
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