12th November 2021
3:47am
Kagome lay in her bed, unable to fall asleep as her mind replayed everything that had happened in the last 72+ hours, particularly, what Bankotsu had said to her.
With the leader of the Shichininitai in custody, and the remaining two members both dead (and Totosai having chewed Inuyashas ears off for leaving one of the bodies for a member of the public to find) it was now left to forensics to clean up the scenes, and after hours spent on paperwork, Kagome and Inuyasha had retired to the apartment, spent from it all.
Last she saw of her colleague, he was on the sofa-bed, and likely sleeping by now. The wounds he sustained from the fight with Jakotsu had all fully healed. They had recovered the weapon that Jakotsu used, and Kagome couldn't help marvel at the feat of engineering that went into building it. Currently, the telescopic sword was in the P.D evidence lockers. Totosai had taken it and disabled the weapon so that it would not react to the smallest flinch from whoever held it – The last thing the P.D needed was a snake-like weapon flying about slicing everyone because of some subtle movement while it was being transported.
"You have to wonder if it was even consented."
Bankotsu had said that about her colleagues parents. The horrid implications as clear as glass, and it infuriated her.
She didn't know a lot about Inuyashas parents, and he didn't talk much about them either. What he had said, though, had lead her to believe that they had been in love.
So why did a voice in her mind doubt that? Why was she so hung up on what Bankotsu had said. Was there some part of her that was morbidly curious, or was she genuinely concerned about Inuyashas origins. His parents had to have loved him, right?
Kagome didn't realise she had left her bed, left her room, until she found herself looking at the half-demon, lying on his stomach as he slept on the sofa-bed.
There was no way she could ask him without looking like a horrible person. She had to trust that he had parents that not only loved each other, but loved him too.
She turned on her feet, willing herself to go back to bed and try to shove Bankotsus words out of her mind. He was a criminal, a murderer, and his words were slander.
He had been right about Kikyo, though. She had been scared off, and she had died as a result.
That didn't mean he was right about Inuyashas parents!
"Whats wrong?"
Kagome took a sharp inhale from fright, turning around to look at the half demon, who was looking at her through one tired eye.
"N-Nothing, I just wanted to get a drink." She answered.
"You're an awful liar, ya'know?" Inuyasha sighed, stretching his arms out. Relaxing, he tried again, both eyes closed though he was very much awake and listening. "What's wrong, Kagome? You haven't slept at all, I could hear you tossing about in there."
"I'm sorry, did I keep you up?" She frowned.
"Nah, I'm a light sleeper." He explained.
Kagome felt awkward, standing there. Well, I'm gonna-"
"Kagome." He said sternly, golden eyes opening again to look at her. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just thinking a lot, okay? Can we leave it at that?"
"No. We can't." He patted a space on the sofa bed. "Talk to me, otherwise I'll annoy the crap outta you."
"You're already doing that." Kagome grumbled.
"I can get far worse." He threatened.
Deciding not to test that, Kagome sat on the sofa bed, her hands in her lap fidgeting as she tried to decide what she could say.
"Bankotsu just... ran his mouth."
"His confession is bothering you?"
"...Yeah." She said, hoping he would buy it.
"And not the whole ''was it consented'' part?"
Kagomes heart stopped. How did-
"I wasn't that far from the building, and he wasn't exactly whispering." Inuyasha explained, closing his eyes. "I heard him."
"Inuyasha, I-"
"I've heard it all before." He mumbled, "So many times that I just... Can't be fucked getting angry about it." His lips quirked up in a smile, "It's all horse shit anyway, I know what kind of relationship my parents had." He peeked an eye open to look at his colleague, "They were crazy about each other, my parents."
Kagome gave a soft smile, feeling a sense of relief.
"Bankotsu is just another prick who saw a sensitive little wench and decided to tug at her emotions because he knew she would be up all night plagued by the thoughts."
"You're such a bully, you know?" Kagome mumbled, smiling.
"And you're wasting energy thinking too much about shit that a criminal spewed." Inuyasha replied.
He gave a small tug on her arm, and Kagome didn't resist as she lay down on the sofa bed beside him, lying on her side to face him as he threw his blanket over her. His eyes closed again, but the twitch of his ears told her he was still listening.
"I think I got concerned, about the idea that maybe, you were never loved by your parents. That-"
"I was smothered by my parents," Inuyasha smirked, "Mom, especially. Dad wasn't always around, too busy with work, but he did love us. We were just a happy little lovey dovey family."
Kagome giggled at that.
"My parents accepted me, but the rest of the world didn't. Demons and Humans are more open minded now, but years ago, when I was still a runt? Keh. We were lucky if we hit our teen years."
Her smile faded at that. The world had rejected him, and yet, he still fought for it. He may be a short tempered, rude and confrontational guy, but he had a pure heart and was genuinely a good person. Kagome found herself smitten.
"I accept you,"
Golden eyes opened and stared at chocolate brown.
Inuyasha smiled, closing his eyes again. "Goodnight, Kagome."
"Goodnight, Inuyasha."
12th November 2021
9:08am
Kagome grimaced at the alarmed cry her mother gave, and despite being over a video call, it was still painfully loud.
"YOUR CAR WAS BLOWN UP?!" Mrs Higurashi looked grief-stricken.
"Mama, I'm fine. Clearly I'm fine, my colleague saved me." She watched as the older woman got off the office chair on her end of the video call, and paced the room. "Mama, please, calm down."
"Is he safe too, your colleague?" Mrs Higurashi asked.
Kagome nodded, "He's really hard to get rid of."
A voice in the background barked, "SHADDUP!"
"Heavens, Kagome..." Her mother frowned, "Maybe you should reconsider this case? I know your heart is in the right place but-"
Kagome stared at the laptop that had suddenly been closed down. "You just hung up on my MOTHER!" She hissed, glaring at the half-demon inspector.
"Don't listen to anyone tryin' to tell you to bail." He simply replied, heading back into the kitchen.
Opening the laptop, Kagome glared at his back as she called her mother again.
Mrs Higurashi's face appeared on the screen, "Oh! Kagome! I think I lost connection there..."
"No, Mama. There was some interference from my side," Kagome explained, leaning back to yell at the kitchen doorway. "And if he's smart he'll not do it again!"
The older woman frowned, "Huh?"
Kagome shook her head, "It's nothing, Mama. Listen, I appreciate the concern, but I can't let something like this scare me off of the case. Besides, we caught the people responsible-"
"AND SHE GAVE ONE A CONCUSSION!" Inuyasha yelled from the kitchen.
"Oh my gods," Kagome seethed. "Keep out of my phone calls!" She looked at her mother as she rolled her eyes.
Though still concerned, Mrs Higurashi smiled, "Promise me you'll be safe?"
Kagome really wanted to, but in her line of work, safety wasn't guaranteed. She went to explain that, only for a head of silver hair and dog ears to cut between her and the video feed of her mother.
"Nothin' will harm her with me here!"
Kagome shoved him away, "Go away you pest! Go stare at the mess you made of my bedroom!"
Mrs Higurashi gasped, blushing, "Goodness! Adventurous are we?"
"Huh? What?" Kagome frowned.
Inuyasha paused for a brief moment before he erupted into laughter, and then it dawned on his colleague.
"Wh-NO! That's not-!" She panicked. In frustration she yanked her shoe off and bounced it off the chief inspectors head, though it did nothing to stop him laughing. Mrs Higurashi was giggling too, much to her humiliation. "He destroyed one of the walls by turning it into a pin board, Mama!" Kagome explained in a whine.
0
"You're not still mad are you?"
She absolutely was. Kagome walked on at a brisk pace, heading to the P.D. Her colleague was effortlessly keeping up, but he was still as annoying as he had been this morning, and at this point she decided on the cold shoulder.
"You really can't blame me for your mom getting the wrong impression about the state of your bedroom." Inuyasha smirked.
When she still didn't respond, he moved to block her.
"You're acting like a child." She grumbled.
"That's rich, coming from someone who's pretending I'm not here." He countered. His replacement phone began to ring (it was an old phone Kagome had lying around, which she gave to him to replace the one Jakotsu destroyed, and he installed his old phones SIM and memory card into it), and he frowned as he fished it from it pocket, checking the caller ID before answering. "Taisho,"
Kagome watched as the playful expression on his face suddenly morphed into a frown.
"W-w-wait, what?" Inuyasha asked.
"Whats wrong?" Kagome pressed, looking alert.
He looked at her. Then he smiled, "The hospital called, they found your funny bone." The growl that she released made him take a few steps back, but his smirk had grown. "I'm kidding! It's Miroku!" He quickly explained, "He wants us at the morgue, he found something."
When Kagome narrowed her eyes suspiciously, he showed her the caller ID, which confirmed it to be a call from Miroku. "I guess we're not going straight to the P.D, then."
"We'll be there in 5," Inuyasha said down the phone, before hanging up. He looked at Kagome, his eyebrow cocking mischievously. "So you can growl... Makes me wonder what other noises you can make."
"Haven't you had enough fun at my expense?"
Rather than giving her an answer, he had the audacity to wink at her. Blushing furiously, Kagome increased her pace.
0
Miroku looked up from his notes when the Inspectors entered the office, both of them sprinkled in snow.
"Is it snowing?" Miroku asked.
"Nah, this is dandruff," Inuyasha replied dryly.
"It is snowing," Kagome said. "It just started. And we have to walk home in that."
"I take it you haven't got a replacement car then,"
"Insurance is slow on the delivery."
Humming in acknowledgement, Miroku moved from behind his desk, "Well, I'll give you a lift back to the station once you're done here."
"What have you got for us, anyway?" Kagome asked, as she and Inuyasha followed him into the theatre.
He handed them gloves. "When I examined Ginkotsu-"
"The metal guy?" Inuyasha asked.
Miroku nodded, "We learned that he was hollow. That his body was made from demonic pottery, and covered in organic skin that had been carefully grafted to resemble the man when he had been alive." He approached a body on the bench, "I made the assumption that his associates would be hollow, too. I was wrong."
Miroku pulled back the cover to reveal the corpse of Jakotsu. Inuyasha gave a low growl.
"This creep..."
Kagome looked at him, "He's the one you fought, right?"
The chief inspector folded his arms, looking very uncomfortable. "Yup."
The raven-haired inspector was about to ask what was annoying him, when Miroku spoke.
"He isn't hollow."
Both Kagome and Inuyasha frowned.
Miroku peeled back the skin flaps on the dead mans chest, and revealed organs and bones. "There are traces of demonic pottery, but this man, and the other behemoth, Kyōkotsu, are both entirely organic. They have their respiratory systems, digestive systems, reproductive organs..."
"And Ginkotsu was hollow?" Kagome said, "Why? Why make just him hollow?"
"Holy fuck," Inuyasha gasped.
Both humans looked at him.
"Kagome, you gave Renkotsu a concussion!" He reminded, "If he had been hollow, a concussion shouldn't have been possible!"
"That doesn't explain why Ginkotsu is hollow!"
"No, but it means that the rest of them aren't!" Inuyasha said. "The only thing I can think of as to why Ginkotsu was revived hollow, was to make room in his guts for the bomb."
"Shifting organs around can achieve the same results," Miroku said. "It would be uncomfortable, but it could be done."
"Then there's something else..." Kagome stared at the dead mans corpse.
"I can re-examine Ginkotsu but I don't know what I'll be looking for honestly, since there's nothing inside him." Miroku shrugged. "Unless..." He mumbled.
"...Unless?" Kagome pressed.
"Its a long shot, and I doubt I'll be able to confirm it given how long the body has been dead and frozen, but... There is a chance that the cavity had been pre-filled with something, that would have reacted to the bomb once it detonated." Miroku said, as he approached the row of cadaver fridges and opened one. "Again, the chances of finding anything now are very slim. I'll call you whether or not I find anything. While he's defrosting, I'll give you two a lift to the P.D."
0
The snow was beginning to take hold on the world outside, everything being gradually blanketed in white, as thick flakes floated down gently from the sky. The Inspectors exited Miroku's car and climbed the steps to the P.D. The warmth of the reception was gratefully welcomed by Kagome, while her colleague simply shook off the excess snowflakes that had taken rest upon him.
Stepping into her office, Kagome picked up the phone on her desk and made a call to the hospital that was currently housing Gatenmaru.
"We have had to insert an IV and a feeding tube as he has went on a hunger strike, otherwise he is stable and responsive."
"I take it he's no longer on suicide watch, then?"
"While he hasn't made threats on his life, he remains determined to evade arrest. We are watching him closely, but no, he is no longer on suicide watch."
Kagome frowned. Maybe that's why he had now chosen to go on hunger strike, to force his body to weaken, thus keeping him out of reach of the cops. She wasn't one to give up that easily.
"And you can confirm that otherwise he's perfectly fine?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Alright. My partner and I will be checking in at 4pm, to ask him a few questions." Kagome replied. Hanging up the phone, she then moved around the desk as she opened her yellow bag and began rummaging through it. Finding her recorder, she looked at her colleague, who was reclining on the two-seater. "What are the odds of getting Bankotsu to confess again?"
"Probably about thirty percent. Doubt he had intended to get arrested." Inuyasha shrugged. "So he felt cocky enough to admit to shit when he assumed he'd still be on the run."
"Lets see if we can get him to sing again."
0
Inuyashas guess had been frustratingly on point.
Bankotsu was as cocky as ever, but now he was selective about his answers, much to the raven-haired Inspectors dismay.
"I don't know what else to tell you, Officer." The man said, smiling innocently.
Kagome cocked an eyebrow, "We all know that's a lie."
"All?" Bankotsu looked over at the hanyou in the corner, "I don't remember anyone else other than me and you being in the apartment."
"Oh, he heard you." Kagome said.
He shrugged, "I still don't know what either of you heard."
At times like this, Kagome wished she wore a wire. Only she had heard his confession, and even though Inuyasha heard too, that alone wouldn't be enough for the courts. They needed the man to repeat it on tape.
"I'll tell you what," Bankotsu said. "I'm open to a trade. What I know, in return for Banryū."
"Banryū?" Kagome asked.
"My halberd."
"You want us to hand over the weapon you used to slaughter eighty one people, in exchange for your confession?!" She bit.
"Relax woman, I don't expect to get it back and remain alive. I know I'm being put to death again once this is all over. I only want to be laid to rest with my halberd." Bankotsu said. "Its entirely your choice, but that's my final offer."
"You didn't make any prior offers." Inuyasha growled.
"We'll think about it." Kagome said.
0
"The courts are never gonna sanction that," Kagome hissed, as she paced about her office. "They'll think I'm insane for even giving the whole thing a thought!"
"Doubt breaking the rules is an option?"
She gawked at her colleague, "Going through with it would terminate both of our employment contracts!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "You really think Totosai will let you go just like that?"
"It doesn't matter what I think. It's not something I want to risk."
He grumbled, but otherwise didn't answer. Instead he dug his phone from his pocket and began either texting, or playing a game. She couldn't tell, nor did she care at that moment.
Kagome sat down and buried her head in her hands. "We could run it by Totosai, but even if he's on board, the next hurdle is the courts, and there's no way they'll be open to it." She started considering installing CCTV inside her apartment.
The phone on her desk then rang, and she answered it. "Higurashi,"
"Inspector Higurashi, this is Dr Okano. I'm afraid to inform ye that Gatenmaru Tenjin has passed away."
"What?!" Kagome gasped, startling her colleague. "What on Earth happened?!"
"Ye best visit the hospital as soon as ye can."
0
They arrived at the hospital within minutes, and were quickly met by Dr Kaede Okano, who lead them to the ward as she explained what had happened.
"He killed himself,"
"How?! He was being watched!" Kagome hissed with frustration.
"Gatenmaru had evidently planned for this. He used the IV in his arm to force air into his veins, which caused a heart attack." The elderly doctor explained. "His hunger strike was a rouse."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The moth demon, and what he knew, could have been crucial to the case. And now he was dead. She wondered if he was really trying to evade arrest, or was he trying to evade punishment from another.
It was an infuriating development on the case, regardless.
Dr Okano showed the two inspectors into the room where Gatenmarus body was relocated. His corpse lay covered under a sheet.
"We tried all we could, I'm sorry." She said sadly.
"Make yourself useful and get the CCTV footage from all the cameras in this ward. I'm not leaving without those footages. And I want a copy of the visitor register, and a list of all the staff that have been working this ward today." The Chief Inspector ordered.
"Ye cannae just-"
"Do it, or there's gonna be two fucking bodies in this room." He growled.
Bristling under the threat, the Doctor decided to just give him what he wanted. She left to gather what was requested.
"You didn't have to threaten her," Kagome grumbled, as she stared at the covered body with her arms folded.
Her partner stepped forward and yanked the sheet away, suddenly exposing the dead moth demon.
Spluttering, Kagome glared at him, "What are you doing?!"
"My own investigation." Inuyasha said, studying the demon closely.
She gave the comment some thought. Maybe he had noticed something. It ignited a bit of hope within her. Kagome watched as the hanyou circled around the table, examining the other side of the demon. He was deep in thought, so any questions she had, she kept them to herself for the moment. Inuyasha stepped back from the body, looking beneath the bed at the bag containing Gatenmarus items.
He pulled the bag out and dumped the contents on the bed, on top of the moth demons body.
"Oh my Gods-!" Kagome hissed, "Have you no respect for the dead?!"
"Keh! What's he gonna do? File a complaint?" Inuyasha scoffed. Then he smirked as he held up a set of keys, "How about paying a visit to his home and checking out this 7,350,000 refurbishment he apparently needed?"
"Fine, I'll call Abi and-"
"We're not wastin' time with a damn search warrant."
Kagome frowned, "Do you get off on disregarding protocol?"
Inuyasha casually shrugged, smirking, "Admittedly it'd take more than that but-"
"I'm going to stop you right there." Kagome interrupted, turning and leaving the room.
"In my defence, you asked!" He laughed, following after her.