Chapter contains self harm/mutilation, suicide mentions and rape implications.
Two new patrol cars closed in on a hotel, where Gatenmaru had apparently been staying during his time in Hakurei. When he found out the police were looking for him, he had planned to leave that night, but the moment he was spotted, he barricaded himself in his room and was now hanging out the window on the 8th floor of the 10 story building.
The cars circled around the building, parking behind it. Inuyasha and Kagome exited the second car, as Ginta and Hakkaku emerged from the leading car.
"What's the plan, Sir?" Hakkaku asked, glancing at Inuyasha.
"Do we have a negotiator on site?" Kagome asked, glancing between the wolf demons.
"Nushi is on the 8th floor at this moment, but he can't get through the door." Ginta answered.
"Right," Inuyasha commented, "Kags, you like being a distraction-"
Kagome frowned in annoyance, "Excuse me?"
"Keep Gatenmaru distracted. I'll kick him back in through the window."
Inuyasha ran off before his colleague could demand any explanation for his comment. Kagome gave an aggravated groan as she made her way to the stair well.
When she finally made it to the 8th floor, she found the Catfish demon frowning at the door, with three cops and a locksmith by his side. He turned and the second he saw Kagome, his face lit up with relief.
"Inspector Higurashi! The situation is becoming more volatile!"
Nodding, Kagome knocked on the hotel room door. "Mr Gatenmaru Tenjin?"
"I swear if you break that door down, I will throw myself from this building!" Gatenmaru snapped.
"My name is Inspector Kagome Higurashi, I just want to talk to you..." Kagome called, nodding at the locksmith who began to quietly pick the lock to the hotel room. "Tell me what's going on?"
"Hah! As if you don't know!" Gatenmaru bit back.
Frowning, Kagome pressed on. "I'm afraid I don't. Genuinely. What I do know is we only want to speak with you about a transaction..."
"...That's it?" Gatenmaru asked.
"Of course."
There was a moment of hesitation before the moth demon hissed, "You're lying!"
The locksmith nodded, signifying that he had unlocked the door. Kagome cautiously opened it, gesturing to the other officers to stay as she took tentative steps into the room. When she was spotted by the frantic moth demon, his panicked yell stilled her.
"DON'T COME CLOSER!"
Kagome raised her hands in submission, "I won't. You have my word."
Gatenmarus back was bloodied from where his wings used to be, and while his demonic heritage had stemmed the bleeding, he still appeared to be in pain from his self mutilation.
"Listen, I understand that you're scared, but you have nothing to fear. We only want to ask you about a transaction."
"Menomaru called you, didn't he?!" The moth seethed, "I told him I would pay him back! Isn't word of mouth enough between families anymore?!"
Kagome paused for a moment. She decided to roll with it. "Menomaru runs several business, you must understand that he has many financial obligations to keep to?"
"I do! I really do!" Gatenmaru replied, "And I have every intention on paying him back! I just need more time! He didn't have to sick the damn cops on me!"
"Yes, he could have been more patient with you. You have your own financial burdens too."
The moth demon nodded in agreement, "That's why I loaned off of him in the first place!"
"Listen," Kagome coaxed, "This can be talked through, okay? We can bring Menomaru in and discuss a payment plan that you both can agree to..."
She really had no idea how the fuck she was able to keep this guys attention for as long as she had done. She hoped her colleague was preparing to make his move soon.
The moth demon shook his head, "No! I know what's really in store! I'll be locked up for not repaying him!"
"Sir, we don't jail debt holders..."
"How do I know you're not lying?!" Gatenmaru yelled at her. "I'm not going back to prison!"
Suddenly, the half-demon detective came swinging in through the window from a floor above, gripping the frame as his legs slammed into Gatenmaru, and the force threw the moth demon across the room, out of the danger of the window. Inuyasha quickly landed in the room and leaped at the moth, tackling him to the ground before he could try any other attempts to take his own life.
Scrambling to aid him, Kagome called in the other officers, who all rushed in to restrain and cuff the frantic moth.
Soon he was being carried to an awaiting transport van, and the moth demon struggled and yelled the entire time.
Inuyasha was rolling his shoulder joint when his colleague approached him.
"Mr Tenjin was mixed up about the reasons for his arrest," Kagome commented.
"Whaddya mean?"
"He thought we were looking for him because he owed money to Menomaru."
"Mentioned nothing about the loan itself?"
Kagome shook her head. "He's going to the hospital for a medical evaluation and treatment for his back."
The hanyou rolled his eyes, then noticed the catfish demon. "Who the fuck is that?"
"Nushi, the P.D's negotiator." Kagome answered.
She frowned when Inuyasha left her side and approached the demon, then she gasped when he clobbered the catfish over the head.
"You fucking suck!" Inuyasha snapped at the bewildered catfish demon, and the hanyou was promptly dragged off by the scruff of his neck by an irate Kagome. Nushi had no idea what had just transpired.
That afternoon, the Inspector duo had returned to Kagomes apartment, having finally been able to get a chance to inspect the manhole that Renkotsu had been hiding in. On their way back, Kagome received a call from the hospital regarding Gatenmaru, who was currently under suicide watch. His wings had began to regrow, so physically he was fine. Kagome decided to suspend the interview until the moth demon was psychologically sound.
Their investigation of the manhole turned up no results, much to their frustrations. It seemed that Renkotsu simply hid down there for whatever length of time, trusting that the would return to that scene. It made the duo wonder if they were being watched.
"Well this day has been fun," Kagome mumbled, "Are you hanging around or heading back to your place?"
The hanyou was shook from his thoughts at the question and he cast her a questioning frown. "What? No? I'm not goin' anywhere."
Now Kagome was frowning, "Are you actually gonna stay here?"
"Yes?" Inuyasha replied, "You're a fuckin' target, do I need to remind you of that? Or do you not want me here?"
She folded her arms, "Don't put words into my mouth, dick head. I don't have a problem with you being here, I'm just confused by the fact that you haven't brought any of your stuff with you."
"Oh."
"I do appreciate the protection, but I doubt my tank tops will fit you."
"Ha ha." Inuyasha grumbled, approaching the window. "Fine, I'll go grab my stuff and be back in half an hour. Leave your phone in reach in case you need to call me."
"First off, you're only gonna be away for half an hour, I'm sure I'll be fine. Secondly – You're exiting the window? Really?"
"Faster than the stairwell." Inuyasha replied, before climbing out and closing the window behind him, then disappearing into the night sky.
Kagome rolled her eyes before she wandered into her room to add their newest collection of evidence to Inuyashas boredom collage.
It took Inuyasha minutes to reach his rented room, and he made a split decision to shower. He smelled like the sewer and it bothered his nose more than he cared to admit.
Stepping out of the bathroom in a towel, he wandered into his room, slipping on boxers and sweatpants, grabbing his phone, then idly exited the room to retrieve his duffel bag and the suitcase that Sesshoumaru had packed (back when he had fractured ribs).
The hanyou froze the moment the periphery of his vision registered another person in the living room, and with lightning quick reflexes, Inuyasha turned his full body towards the intruder, poised to take action.
"Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha growled, staring at the person who had their hair tied up and was wearing... womens clothes?
When the figure turned around, the Chief Inspector grew even more confused.
"Oh my Gods, you're cuter than the pictures showed!" The man gushed. "I'm so so glad Bankotsu let me have you!"
"Who the FUCK are you!?" The hanyou snapped, his growling intensifying.
The feminine man pouted, "You mean to tell me that you and your... colleague... Have spent this long looking for us, and yet you don't know my name? You wound me."
When he took a step closer, Inuyasha bared his teeth and snarled. "Take another step and I'll put you down!"
The reaction his threat drew was not what Inuyasha had expected. It made the half-demon incredibly uneasy.
The man moaned, "Oh yes! I'm going to have so much fun with you!"
Yeah, nah, fuck this.
Inuyasha grabbed the leg of a unit and flung it at the man, who didn't move fast enough to avoid the collision. When the weirdo fell over with a yelp, Inuyasha bolted out of the apartment.
"Think think think!" He growled at himself as he climbed the stairs. "Mukotsu... Suikotsu... Renkotsu... Ginkotsu... Um... Fuck... Who the fuck else is in that gang?!" As he climbed the stairs, listening with a frown as the creepy man pursued him, Inuyasha dug out his phone and hit call.
Kagome exited the kitchen with a coffee in her hand when she noticed a head of black hair sitting on her couch, with their back to her. She stopped in her tracks, frowning.
"Did Inuyasha turn human?... No... This isn't a new moon night, is it?..."
She felt something was very wrong, so her steps to circle the couch were slow and calculated. Sure enough, the man sitting on the couch in her living room was not the hanyou inspector.
He looked at her with a smile, an air of total confidence surrounded him. His long hair looked to have been recently braided, and he had an unusual marking on his forehead. He was dressed in a clean suit, and he began to re-braid his hair as he started talking.
"So you're Inspector Higurashi." The man commented, "You don't seem like much, so it surprises me that you and your partner have been giving my guys such a hard time. Maybe the dog is doing all the heavy lifting because he's been pussy whipped into doing so?" He shrugged with a smirk.
"Who are you?" Kagome demanded calmly. She refused to take her eyes off the stranger for a second.
"I guess I do owe you that, my mother did teach me manners. My name is Bankotsu Chinen."
Kagome barely hid the sudden jolt her body did when she realised that the leader of the Shichininitai was sitting in her apartment as casually as though he were in a cafe.
"How did you get in here?" And how the hell did Inuyasha NOT pick up the guys scent?!
"I let myself in after the dog left." Bankotsu said, finishing his braid. "I wouldn't count on him coming back any time soon."
The raven haired inspector frowned, "What do you mean by that? What have you done to Taisho?"
"I haven't done anything," The man pouted, looking genuinely hurt. Then he smiled, "That said, my friend may be having some fun with the mutt."
Just then, Kagomes mobile phone rang. She glanced at it sitting on the coffee table, then looked at Bankotsu. He picked up her phone and looked at the caller ID.
"Oh, this will be for you." He handed the phone to her. Kagome hesitated, before slowly taking the phone from the man. The caller ID brought some relief to her, and she answered.
"Taisho, are you okay?"
"I'm fine? Why?"
"No reason," Kagome replied. She honestly wanted to scream at him to come back, but she remained as calm as she could. She had read enough about Bankotsu to know that the man was very dangerous.
"Cool, um, I'm gonna be a little late, so don't freak out, kay?"
Why did it sound like he was running?
"Oh...kay..." Kagome frowned.
Inuyasha then sounded concerned, "You sure you're o-" There was a sudden crash and the hanyou let out a startled yelp.
"Inuyasha?!" Kagome gasped.
The sound of more metal echoed before the call ended abruptly. Staring at the screen, Kagome looked at Bankotsu.
"Sounds like Jakotsu caught up." Bankotsu smiled.
"Do you have any idea how much that fucking phone cost?!" Inuyasha snapped, glaring at the man.
The second his focus changed to concern for Kagome, the feminine man struck. A flexible, extending row of blades had shot out, slashing Inuyashas shoulder and knocking the phone from his claws. It hit the ground before the tip of the blade wrapped around the Chief Inspector and skewered the phone.
Inuyasha was surrounded in sharp blades, so he was unable to create distance between himself and this man who was starting to reek of lust. In his entire career as a cop, he had never been more freaked out. He cringed at the sting of the blades when they cut into his back, the moment he tried to lean away from Jakotsus face.
"You are so fucking hot, I can't wait to lick all that blood off of you." The man cooed, then smiled sadistically, "Then make more cuts so that you bleed some more."
Inuyashas heart was racing, and for all the wrong reasons. He threw his head forward, head-butting Jakotsu, and when he had stumbled back, the blades wrapped around Inuyasha went lax enough for him to escape. Doing so earned him a few new cuts, and he knew by the time this was over, he was gonna look like he'd been through a shredder.
He was running again, climbing the stairs to the top of the building.
"Here puppy puppy puppy!" Jakotsu yelled after him, following behind, smiling down at the drops of blood that the hanyou was leaving behind. Eventually, he'd loose too much blood to run anymore, and then Jakotsu could take him.
Inuyasha barrelled out of the door that lead onto the roof, and ran to the edge. He looked over, down towards the ground below, before looking around to gauge which building he should aim for. His right ear turned and then the rest of his head followed, looking back at the doorway where the creepy man now stood.
"Don't run from me, I only want to love you!" Jakotsu smirked.
"Bullshit! You reek of lust!"
"I can love you in ways your colleague can't," Jakotsu continued, a look of disgust on his face, "I mean, what does a boring woman really have to offer? No one can please a man like another man!"
Inuyasha snarled, "You shut your fucking mouth and don't bring her into this you bastard."
"Tch, why are you so worried about her? She'll not be a problem for long."
The hanyou paled, "What?"
"Oh, and that other woman... The one that should have died with her family."
"What the fuck have you done?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"I haven't done anything, I've been with you the whole time!" Jakotsu frowned. "Kyōkotsu is dealing with the hospital and our dear leader is entertaining your work colleague."
Inuyasha felt dread in his core, more so for Kagome, as Sango was in a high-security hospital, with extra security that he had personally hired. Kagome was home alone with some psychopath.
Jakotsu smirked, and whipped his sword forward. The blades shot out, aiming at the distracted half-demon. To Jakotsu's surprise, however, Inuyasha dodged them at the last second, and grabbed the blades in his clawed hands. He then yanked on the weapon, the force flinging Jakotsu towards him. When he was within reach, Inuyasha grabbed the man by his shoulders, throwing himself onto his back and using his legs to kick Jakotsu over and off the building. The scream was cut off when there was a smash and the sound of a car alarm sounding.
He rolled onto his knees and looked over the edge, staring down at the mangled corpse of the feminine man who had landed on a car.
Inuyasha lowered his head between his arms, pressing his forehead to the edge as he tried to regain control of his breathing.
As much as he wanted to run back to Kagome and ensure she was safe, the victim of their case was their priority. Pushing himself to his bare feet, and ignoring the sting that the air had on his exposed and bloodied chest, he took off towards the hospital.
Sango was jolted awake when her demon cat, Kirara, suddenly began to hiss aggressively. She leaned up in bed, frowning at the sudden behaviour, when she heard yelling from outside. Getting to her feet, Sango ran to the balcony and peeked out of the window towards the main gates, and she gasped.
Coming through the gates that had been thoroughly mangled by brute strength, was an enormous figure. The security personnel were rushing to stop the beast, but Sango watched in horror as each one that had been caught in massive hands, were immediately eaten. Bullets seemed to do nothing to sway the beast as he advanced towards the hospital, eating everyone that tried to stop him.
A fwoosh behind her and Sango turned to find that Kirara had transformed into her fearsome battle form. She looked at Sango, and the woman knew what needed to be done. As much as she wanted to stay low, and let the police try to intervene, if she allowed this creature to get any closer to the hospital, the other patients here would end up dead. She refused to let that happen, when she felt she could do something to try and stop it.
Sango gave Kirara a firm nod, then opened the door. "Be as fast as you can, Kirara!"
The demon cat shot out of the building and flew off into the night. Sango only had to wait for her to come back, where she would be reunited with not just Kirara, but with Hiraikotsu too.
"Are you not going to offer me a drink?"
Kagome frowned at the audacity. "You broke into my home, and you think its okay to expect hospitality?"
Bankotsu laced his fingers together, "I guess it is a bit much. Then again, I was under the impression that you were the good cop."
"And I was under the impression that you would be smarter than this. If you think your gang members can hold Taisho back, you're going to be very disappointed. So why don't you make things easier and less painful, get on the floor, put your hands behind your back, and I may consider not pressing charges for trespassing."
The man chuckled. "I don't expect Jakotsu to keep the dog entertained for long. I only need your undivided attention for a few minutes."
"What do you want?" Kagome asked, narrowing her glare.
She flinched when the man stood up on his feet, and he smirked at that. "Imagine being dead for 10 years, only to be woken up and thrust back into life. It leaves a sense of vertigo, its quite weird. I was the first to be roused from my eternal rest. An old woman summoned my soul from the other world, said she needed me and my guys for a job."
The female inspector frowned, "Are you making a confession?"
"I guess." Bankotsu shrugged, "Because frankly, I didn't want to wake up when I died. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my life. Taking lives for profit was fun. Have you ever killed anyone? There's a rush that comes with it, and nothing compares. Not drugs, not alcohol, not near death experiences. Not even sex. Anyway, when I was put to death, I accepted it because admittedly, I was tired. Not bored, just exhausted. When one was as skilled a mercenary as I was, you don't have much time to rest."
Kagome kept her eyes firmly on the man as he took slow steps, pacing around the room.
"So naturally, I'm a little bitter about being woken from my sleep by some old hag. But a job was a job, and she had some guy deliver the payment to us. We were hired to kill the Yamazaki family, but one of them survived. That'll change tonight, which is why I'm here with you, and Jakotsu is entertaining your pet dog."
The young woman swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you mean by that? What have you done to her?" She was immediately worried for Sango.
"There was three of us remaining, use your head woman." Bankotsu said.
Kagome realised that the third remaining member had been sent after Sango.
"Anyway," Bankotsu continued, "After tonight, our contract will be complete, so I don't owe my employers my loyalty."
"Are you going to provide their names?"
The man smiled, "Ooh you poor stupid creature, I have no intentions of making it that easy for you. I'm here to enjoy watching you squirm with the knowledge that both you and the half-breed are powerless to protect the remaining target of my contract."
Bankotsu cocked an eyebrow when Kagome looked determined, rather than terrified.
"You're not that smart," Kagome said. "Inuyasha is coming for you."
Kirara had returned just in time. The giant man was closing in on the hospital, and the few remaining security members were torn between evacuating the building, and trying to keep him back.
Mounting the giant demon cat, Sango and Kirara took off into the night air, flying around the threat that was the hulking cannibal man.
"Kirara, get me low enough to aim Hiraikotsu at his legs, if we can immobilise him, he'll be easier to defeat!"
The giant man, Kyōkotsu, noticed the demon cat, who turned and fled into the night. He smirked, realising that his target had been driven out of hiding, so he refocused on the few tasty looking mortals and demons still trying to repel him.
What he hadn't expected was Kirara's apparent flee was a misdirect. She had stealthily moved around him, flying low and fast, and when close enough, Sango threw the boomerang.
"HIRAIKOTSU!"
Searing pain sliced through the back of Kyōkotsus right leg, behind his knee. The joint buckled, as the tendons that kept its position were severed and no longer functional. Barely able to keep his balance, the huge man fell over, and Sango caught the boomerang upon its return.
Kyōkotsu sneered angrily as he looked up at the night sky, watching the flames that danced around the demon cats paws as she flew over head.
Gunshots echoed and Kyōkotsus attention was drawn back to the security detail, who seemed to have renewed courage and were now trying harder to fight back.
He barely heard the name again, when more pain exploded at the back of his neck. The edge of the boomerang repeatedly beating off the back of his skull as it travelled from behind his neck and ricochet off the top of his head, once again being caught by its owner as she flew past.
How the hell was he losing to a mortal woman?! He didn't understand it. He was told she was a hospital patient, how the hell was she so strong?!
Sango was allowing her rage and desire for vengeance to fuel her strength. She would not fall to anyone until her father and brother were given the justice they deserved, even if she had to reach out and get it herself.
Meeting the giant man's glare with her own, she threw Hiraikotsu again, and watched as the corner of the weapon sank itself into his skull, directly between his eyes.
When the giant man stopped moving and became limp, only then did Sango and Kirara land. Dismounting the cat, Sango walked up to the head of the massive cannibal, and she ripped Hiraikotsu from his pierced skull.
The remaining security guards were staring at her in revered awe, and then a familiar, and equally surprised voice gained her attention.
"Holy fucking shit," Inuyasha gaped, "Where the hell did you learn to fight like that?!"
Sango stared at him for a moment, blinking in bewilderment. "You... You saw that?"
"I saw the finishing blow!" He replied, marching up to her. "Seriously, who the fuck taught you all that?"
Bashfully, Sango glanced at the ground, "...My father..."
"Shit... I-"
She shook her head, "It's okay." When she looked up at him, she only then realised his own state. "Oh my Gods what happened to you!?" She frowned at the lacerations and blood that covered him.
Rather than answer her, Inuyasha glanced around at the carnage left in Kyōkotsus wake. "Where's Ryokan?"
Ryokan had been the head of the private security team that Inuyasha had hired, but his lack of appearance was concerning.
"That... thing... ate him..." A lizard demon guard mumbled.
Inuyasha looked at the corpse of the Shichininitai member. "...How many died?"
"We're still tallying the numbers, Sir..." The lizard demon replied mournfully.
The half-demon snarled in frustration. If he'd been here sooner...
"Inuyasha... Is Kagome alright?" Sango asked.
He faltered. Shit! SHIT!
Sango jolted when he turned and suddenly took off at an inhuman speed.
Kagome was backed up against the wall, trying to put as much distance between herself and the Shichininitai leader, who was slowly advancing towards her.
"Your confidence in the half demon is, frankly, gross." Bankotsu frowned. "A product of a human and demon fornicating. Who in their right mind would fuck a demon? You have to wander if it was even consented."
Anger flared and Kagome suddenly lunged forward, shoving the undead man back. "Don't you dare imply such a horrible thing! I may not have met his parents but from what I knew of them, they loved each other very much, and they loved their son!"
Bankotsu was surprised at the sudden aggression that he had ignited. "Huh, and I thought the mutt was the snappy one." He smirked. "Did he tell you about his fiancée? About how his demonic heritage scared her so badly she ran straight to her own death?"
Kagome was seething. This asshole was pushing into matters that he, frankly, had no business even knowing about. She ended up shoving him again, hard enough that he stumbled. "You have no right to talk about his past! Who the fuck do you think you are?!"
The man glared at her, "Bitch, if you shove me one more time-"
Kagome did shove him again. "What?! What are you gonna do?! You think I'm scared of you? Do you think I'm afraid of someone who could stoop so low to weaponize past trauma? That would imply their existence was the result of rape?! You're a despicable person, not even worth calling a man! Inuyasha might be a half-demon but he is more man than you could ever be!"
She yelped when the undead man suddenly struck her, the force of his slap throwing her to the ground. Pressing a hand tenderly to her painful cheek, Kagome looked up at him, but she did so with determined fury. It pissed him off, that the bit of fear she had, had vanished.
He raised his hand to deal another blow, and Kagome held his glare. She refused to give him the satisfaction of cowering.
The window to her apartment exploded in around them, and when Kagome was able to look up after hiding from the shower of glass shards and splintered wood, she found Inuyasha pinning Bankotsu to the wall with a clawed hand around his throat. To say he looked enraged was an understatement.
Bankotsu stared at the snarling hanyou, "Huh, did you have fun with Jakotsu?"
Inuyashas only response was to violently punch the man in the gut with such force it winded him, and he hung from the inspectors grip, gasping and writhing in pain.
"Kagome, are you alr-" Inuyasha stopped when he saw the mark on her face. Snarling, he turned and delivered several more violent blows to Bankotsus stomach. He released the grip he had on the mans throat, and Bankotsu fell to the ground, heaving pained breaths.
"What happened to you?!" Kagome gasped, finally finding her voice and expressing her concerns for the injuries he got from Jakotsu.
"Nevermind me!" Inuyasha replied, "Did this bastard hurt you in any other way?!"
"N-No." She replied.
Inuyasha kicked the man onto his back, then jammed his foot onto the mans throat, glaring down at him as he snarled. "Don't expect your allies to come for you. I killed Jakotsu, and Sango finished off that giant cannibalistic bastard that you sent after her."
"Sango?! Is Sango alright?!" Kagome asked.
"She's peachy." He kept his eyes on the human pinned under his foot.
"Taisho..." Kagome began carefully, "We need him alive. He confessed to the murders of the Yamazaki family."
The hanyous ear twitched in acknowledgement, and Bankotsu laughed from his place on the floor.
"You really have been pussy whipped by this woman, huh? That's pretty sad, especially for a demon."
A growl slipped out and Inuyasha yanked the undead man to his feet by his hair. "You've got a fragile fuckin' ego if you've got issues taking orders from a woman, so how about you shut the fuck up you cowardly sack of horse shit?" He turned Bankotsu around, slamming him against the wall and yanking his arms behind his back. Wordlessly he held a hand out to Kagome, who placed a set of cuffs into his awaiting palm as she called for back up.
After having seen Bankotsu loaded into the patrol car and taken back to the station, the Inspector duo promptly made their way back to the private hospital to check in on Sango, and gain a status update on the body count.
Riding on his back, Kagome couldn't help frowning at the lacerations that marred his skin. He still hadn't explained what had transpired, but he was clearly lucky to be alive despite the injuries. Kagomes silent concern became curious fascination when she then realised that the wounds were actively healing, knitting together slow enough that a glance would miss it. By the time they had reached the hospital grounds, most of the smaller wounds had long closed, and the deeper cuts were now angry inflamed lines that would gradually vanish.
As soon as she slipped off his back, Kagome raced into the hospital to check on Sango, while Inuyasha branched off towards where the security guards were gathering what was left of their colleagues.
Barrelling through the door, Kagome stumbled before quickly righting herself, and she found Sango and Miroku sitting on the couch.
Noticing the bruise on her face, Miroku shot to his feet in alarm. "Gods! Kagome, what-"
"Sango! Gods, are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Kagome rushed up to Sango, taking the womans hands in her own.
"I'm fine," Sango reassured, "The guy didn't get anywhere near the hospital."
"Inuyasha said you killed him..." Kagome mumbled.
Sango nodded, "Kirara flew back home and brought me my Hiraikotsu."
"Sango, you should have stayed hidden..." The Inspector frowned with worry, "It could have all went very wrong..."
"I couldn't let him near the hospital..." She explained, "He was eating the security!"
"W-What?!"
Miroku chipped in, "Were it not for Sango, there would be way more fatalities..."
Kagome frowned, "It was our job to protect you..."
Sango smiled, "I saw Inuyasha earlier, he looked pretty roughed up. I get the feeling you were preoccupied too?"
She nodded, "The leader of the Shichininitai showed up in my apartment..."
Both Sango and Miroku's faces fell in alarm.
"The whole thing was set up. He wanted to distract me, and he sent another after Inuyasha, so that the third remaining member at large could come after you. I'm sorry that we were not more vigilant..."
Sango reached out and pulled her into a hug, "You have nothing to apologise for. I'm well enough to hold my own, and I had Kirara and Hiraikotsu with me. The over-sized bastard didn't have a chance." When she pulled back from the hug, she looked past Kagome and frowned, "Where's Inuyasha?"
"He went to get a status update from the security." Kagome explained.
"Where is the Shichininitai leader?" Miroku asked.
"Inuyasha arrived back in time to apprehend him."
Miroku stared at the mark on her face, "Kagome... Who did that?"
"Bankotsu made a few awful implications that I don't care to repeat... and I shoved him. And I guess he didn't like that." She shrugged. "I'm fine, I can take a hit."
"That's not the point." Miroku frowned, "How did Inuyasha react?"
"Pretty sure he was going to out right kill the guy. I managed to talk him out of it, because Bankotsu confessed." Kagome explained.
"Confessed?" Sango asked.
Nodding, Kagome continued. "He and his gang were hired, and while he hasn't given us any names, he freely admitted to the murders."
"Oh!" Sango suddenly mumbled, turning and going to a closet. She reached in and withdrew a folder, then handed it to Kagome.
"Whats this?"
"Inuyasha wanted the records of the demons slain by my family, right? This is it. I only ask that it be returned when you're finished with it." Sango replied.
Staring at the folder, Kagome hesitated. "I...I'm not sure we'll need that anymore. I mean, Bankotsu confessed."
"He also said he was hired," Miroku reminded, "Maybe his employer was a demon?"
A valid point. Kagome accepted the folder and smiled at Sango. "Thank you, I'll personally see it returned to you safely when we've had a look at it."
The door behind them opened and Inuyasha entered the room, still covered in dried blood but not as torn up as he had been an hour ago.
"Whats the damage?" Kagome asked him.
"32 security members dead, 12 of them being staff of the hospital and the rest, including head of security Ryokan, were from the private sector I hired." Inuyasha grumbled, scratching the back of his right ear. "Ryokan was an old friend of my father. They fought in many demon wars together."
"I'm sorry," Sango said.
"What're you apologisin' for? You didn't eat him." Inuyasha replied. "Hell, you should've stayed low, ya crazy wench!"
Sango frowned at the sudden scolding, and she quickly became defensive. "Hey, wait a minute! You saw me kill the guy!"
"Yeah, and as impressive as that was, you could have damn well ended up dead."
"Says the guy who arrived to the scene looking like he picked a fight with a pair of scissors and lost."
"Oi-"
"Guys, stop it." Miroku scolded. "We all know and understand where the other is coming from, what matters is you all survived."
The hanyou folded his arms and pouted. Then after a moment he spoke. "For what its worth Sango, you really ought to consider joining the P.D. We could do with someone who actually knows how to fight."
Sango gave a small smirk.
Inuyasha suddenly blanched, "Oh shit."
"What?" Miroku asked.
The chief inspected gave his colleague a startled look, "I left Jakotsus body on top of a fucking car..."
At that moment, Kagomes phone began to ring, and she checked the caller ID. She handed the phone to him. "I think you should take this."
He glanced at the phone, and sighed in defeat. "Shit."
The caller ID read: Chief Totosai.