We of the underworld
"We're one of a kind, you and I. Creatures of the cruel underworld, strong, resourceful, ruthless and clever... we are alike in those aspects. Because that's what we need to survive. And that is why I'm putting you this offer."
"I feel honoured to be considered an equal, Naraku." She raised her eyebrows, making it a challenge.
"Oh but of course. You showed the most promise of any of my employees. That's why I singled you out."
"Only because of that?"
He chuckled. "No, you are right. There were some other, rather personal, reasons as well. But you knew that from the start, didn't you?"
"I had a hunch."
"So aloof!" Naraku laughed, putting two fingers to his forehead in a dramatic gesture. Always the dramatic, Naraku. "Magnificent. Well – about my offer. Would you be willing to share the ownership with me?"
"I dare say I would."
"Well then, this is to our partnership." He raised his glass to her. "And I don't mind telling you that I'm hoping to make it "partnership" in every sense of the word."
She raised her glass, smiling.
"To our partnership."
-
"I don't expect we'll ever understand each other," said Kikyo Higurashi, stepping carefully to the side so as to have Kagome in better view. Inu-yasha started forward, but was stopped by two snake-like creatures, which wrapped themselves around his waist and legs, forcing him to stay where he was.
"Hey, what are you – "
"I don't suppose we will, actually," Kagome responded, long knives ready in her hands.
"I didn't think so, either." Kikyo turned her head and smiled at Inu-yasha. "Don't worry, dear agent. They are only holding you fast for your own good. Kagome Higurashi is a dangerous criminal, and I wouldn't want you to get in the way. You could very well get hurt." And her words recalled to Inu-yasha an enhanced knife, a Saimyoshi gang member almost killed. But he also remembered an attack at the Three-eyed Bull, arrows glowing with power. Was Kikyo the one who had attacked Kagome that night? He didn't understand at all... And he smelled something strange...
"It's admirable how you can say that with a straight face, Kikyo." Kagome took a slow step forward.
"How the puppy barks. Haven't you hid from me all this time? That scared, were you?" Kikyo sneered. "I'm disappointed, sister. I would have expected at least a little fight! Are you that afraid of justice, Kagome?"
Inu-yasha sniffed. There, on his coat, was the scent of Soul Skimmer.
"Don't talk to me about justice," said Kagome quietly.
"Ah, now we're warming up." Kikyo put an arrow to the bow.
"Wha – wait!" shouted Inu-yasha, but his voice was lost in the sudden onslaught of power. The creatures pulled him backwards, away from the sudden, bright light, but he could just make out (if he squinted) the shape of one arrow and one knife as they sped towards each other, met in mid-air and clashed, sending shock waves of priestess power washing over them all. Inu-yasha screwed his eyes shut instinctively, shielding himself as best as he could with his arms. When he opened his eyes again, a few moments later, Kagome and Kikyo were locked in close combat, the former wielding one knife in each hand and the other parrying with a long staff. Both women's weapons were glowing, strengthened by their wielders' power.
Inu-yasha swore, trying to free himself from the two demons' grasp. But they were rendering him quite helpless, drawing on his own power to hold him down, stealing his strength. Did Kikyo really do this to help me? he thought. Or was it so that I wouldn't help Kagome? Which one of these can I really trust? None of them have told me the whole truth... Kikyo was fighting like an expert, ducking and hitting, matching Kagome for speed and skill. And Kagome was a very good fighter. Kikyo was no ordinary lawyer, that much was for sure.
Aargh, I fucking hate sisters! thought Inu-yasha, struggling against Kikyo's demons. Those demons that were commonly known as soul skimmers.
-
"Haven't you run for long enough now, little sister?" Kikyo sidestepped and bent backwards to avoid a slash of Kagome's knife, then thrust forward. Kagome had slashed her bowstring as the first thing she did, and she had unbent her bow to use it as a pole, aiming to break bones. So far Kagome had avoided a direct hit, but the staff had grazed her left arm and her hand was numb, hardly fit for fighting. On the other hand, Kikyo was sporting several cuts, one across her cheek and two or three on her arms. Kagome strained herself and pushed Kikyo away, pausing in her attack to look at her older sister."I had my reasons."
"Drop the act, sweetheart. I think the tables are turned now. I think you're about to feel what it feels like to have everything taken from you. And I think your precious Inu-yasha has been catching on to you for a long time. Of course, I took the privilege of alerting him to the truth."
"Which truth, I wonder?"
At that precise moment, with the two sisters standing two or three feet apart, Inu-yasha finally managed to free a hand. And slammed his fist down with all his strength, right between one of the soul skimmer's eyes. As it threw its head back, rearing in pain with its mouth open in a soundless scream, Kikyo's eyes flickered towards it for the merest of moments. As if they had rehearsed it, Kagome took advantage of her shift in attention to drop down in a crouch. She swung her leg around in a powerful kick that completely swept Kikyo off her feet. As the older woman landed, hard on her back, Kagome was on top of her in the space of a heartbeat, her knee against Kikyo's ribcage, the tip of her knife pressed lightly to her sister's throat.
With Kikyo's fall her control over the demons wavered, and Inu-yasha could with a few well-placed punches get them out of his way. He gave them an extra kick each for good measure, and ran towards Kagome.
-
..."But why so frosty, my dear?" Naraku raised his eyebrows, looking at her over the rim of his glass. She smiled, ironically, but her heart was beating thump, thump, thump, hammering hard inside her chest.
"I'm not so sure that I can trust you." But she wanted to trust him, she wanted so much to be able to put her head against his shoulder and think of nothing but how much she loved him.
Naraku put his glass down and reached out for her hand. He turned the palm up and kissed it, then looked up at her again. It really wasn't fair, she thought, it really wasn't fair at all. When nothing could faze him, when nothing could make that calm expression disappear in alarm - why could he then undo her with the merest glance? Did he know that he made her completely helpless?
"Dear..." Naraku spoke softly, smiling at her. "Do not think that because Naraku is restrained he is cold. I do love you. We'll always be here for each other. And I'll always protect you... Kikyo."
-
"Your problem has always been that you celebrate your victory too early, and that you underestimate your opponent," said Kagome, as a word of friendly advice.
"Your problem has always been that you can't resist giving a lecture," Kikyo spat back at her. She turned her head slightly (very slightly – having a knife-point against important arteries does wonders for your ability to move carefully), and sneered as she saw Inu-yasha free himself of her soul skimmers and start towards them. "Oh look, it's your Prince Charming, hurrying to save you."
Kagome put her head to one side, regarding her sister seriously. "Why did you do it?"
"You know why I did it. Although you will never, of course, understand. You who have everything, don't you. The depth of that betrayal, the hurt, the pain... that is something you will never fathom." Kikyo glared up at her, and bared her teeth in a mirthless smile. "Oh, and just because I'm a rotten-to-the-core bitch and refuse to go down alone, here's a name for you: Onigumo. Look into it. And now – feel free to clap me in irons."
-
"Hey, Inu-yasha, do you have a pair of handcuffs on you? I seem to have mislaid mine." Kagome turned to Inu-yasha with a bright smile, but managed to keep the point of her knife securely in place. He approached slowly.
"I have, but I'm not certain who I should reserve them for. The lawyer with a false name who gave me job, or the CIA agent who never quite managed to make her story hold?" He spoke carefully, not wanting to startle either woman to any desperate action. Kagome's eyes clouded for a second, but then she smiled.
"Fair enough, I guess. You know what? I'll make it easy for you. By ordering you to give them to me." She put a hand into her pocket and drew out a badge, flipping it open for Inu-yasha to see.
"Kagome Higurashi, Head of the Kikyo Higurashi division, Special Murder Investigations Department, the CIA."
……………………………
Heya! I wish I would be able to draw and could make a doujinshi or summat out of this chapter… I wanted it to have a lot of action, and it's hard to write action, you know… hope I got the picture across anyway. And thanks all of you for your reviews. I am really very glad that most of you were surprised about the last chapter because that was, well, part of the point. (Heh heh.)
Well, I'm in a rush. Bye for now!