Disclaimer: I do not Inuyasha! All the characters used in this fan fic are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi!
(A/N: Ack! X_x How long has it been?! One, two months since I gave you guys the newest chapter? (^^);;
I'm so, so sorry! Schoolwork has been a pain in the ass lately and I've had absolutely NO time to write, I apologize for the long wait. *bows bows* And if there are typos then please forgive me. *cowers in a dark corner* _)
Chapter 6: A New Keeper
Sesshoumaru-sama?
"What is it, Myoga?" he growled into his cell phone. Sesshoumaru had assumed that after their encounter this afternoon that Myoga wouldn't have had the guts to come to him again and he was right of course. Myoga was too much of a coward to talk to him face-to-face so the bumbling fool had called him on the phone instead. At least that way Myoga wouldn't risk putting himself in psychical danger but then again even he knew that if he angered Sesshoumaru it would only be a matter of time before he was found, killed or worse.
A-about the girl… Myoga stuttered nervously into his office phone, tapping his short pudgy fingers nervously on his desk as he spoke. He may not have been speaking to Sesshoumaru directly but just the sound of the man's voice made the lawyer's blood run cold.
"Have you found anything useful about her?"
Y-yes…ah…well, it seems that the girl is missing
"I know that she's missing, you fool. I want to know where my brother is and where he's holding the bitch." Sesshoumaru snapped firmly into the receiver of the small phone.
A year ago his brother had disappeared, no one, not even he knew where his little brother had gone to and no one Sesshoumaru hired was ever able to track him down, his little brother had been able to cover his tracks well.
Sesshoumaru knew that his bastard of a brother had Naraku's little pet but he didn't know exactly where, which was extremely frustrating. Naraku had always been fierce competition for Sesshoumaru in the past, the other man was just as ruthless as he was when it came to money but sheer ruthlessness wasn't enough to go against a man as powerful as Naraku.
Sesshoumaru had been waiting long for the day when he could somehow get back at Naraku and now it seemed that the day had finally come.
If Sesshoumaru gained possession of the girl he could possibly use her to get revenge against one of his most hated rivals in business, he had heard countless rumors about how attached Naraku was to his pet, the man would probably give almost anything to get her back so he would just have to take advantage of the current situation. This opportunity, though he hated to admit it, was all thanks to his brother's foolish quest for revenge.
Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama, but the girl isn't with Inuyasha anymore…
"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru hissed.
A-as I said before, she is missing. She ran away and she's somewhere in the city
This was good news and bad news. Good, because now the girl had no one to protect her so she would easy to snatch up. Bad, because the city was huge and the chances of finding one specific girl in it were very slim. Sesshoumaru would have a hell of a time finding her, that is, unless he got lucky.
The limousine slowed to a halt at a stoplight and Sesshoumaru lifted his gaze to stare dully out the window, it had started to rain once again and the news had stated that it would be raining for the whole week.
He sighed and was about to turn his eyes away when he suddenly caught sight of something sitting out in the rain on the sidewalk; it looked like the person, more specifically a female dressed in white. The girl had long dark hair and dark brown eyes. Curious, he could have sworn he'd seen her somewhere before…
He reached into his long white jacket and pulled out a small note pad, a picture of Naraku's pet, Kagome, had been clipped to it and scribbled messily around it was the little information he had received from Myoga on the girl. Sesshoumaru glanced at the picture then at the girl out on the sidewalk. Either the girl outside was the girl's twin or that was her sitting right outside.
"Pull the car over, driver" Sesshoumaru ordered and the driver immediately obeyed, pulling over and parking the car on the sidewalk near the girl.
"I believe I have found her." Sesshoumaru said into cell phone then immediately hung up as he got out of the limo.
. . .
Kagome sat alone, in a dimly lit street corner as the merciless rain beat down on top of her. She shivered from the cold and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep her body warm but it seemed no use. She was soaking wet and sitting out in the rain with no place to go. She really didn't know what to do next.
Kagome had done what she had set out to do but she didn't have time to think about what she would do after she left Inuyasha's apartment. She had nowhere else to go, no friends she knew of, she didn't know if her family was still alive either and even if they were she didn't know how she would find them, she couldn't even remember her own last name.
She was all alone. Maybe she should have stayed a little longer at Inuyasha's apartment just to get her act together…no…the longer she stayed with him the longer she would put him in danger. She didn't want that! Kagome whimpered, reaching up and holding her head in her hands, fighting the urge she felt to burst into tears.
I did the right thing…I did the right thing… She kept telling herself, reaching down and rubbing her arms to try and make the numbness she felt in her limps go away.
Kagome looked up at the dark sky and sighed as large raindrops dripped down onto her face. She would have to think of some sort of plan. Maybe she could find a place to live and somehow make it on her own, but in order to find a place to live she needed money, but where in the world would a person like her find a job? And who in his or her right mind would hire someone like her? She didn't have any experience at all in anything and she hadn't gone to school. Living in the outside world seemed to be so hopeless now; Kagome suddenly, much to her own disgust, found herself thinking that maybe it would have been better if she had just stayed with Naraku…
No…I never want to see that man again! She thought hatefully, resisting the urge to smack herself for thinking such a thing.
Kagome turned her head suddenly when a long black car slowed to a stop on the sidewalk in front of her. She immediately became suspicious and for good reason; she couldn't afford to be caught, not now. Kagome was about to get up and walk away, but to her horror her legs wouldn't move. Why?
The car door opened and out stepped a well-dressed businessman with long flowing white hair and the same strange yet beautiful eye color that Inuyasha had. He opened a black umbrella and held it over his head as he glanced up at the gloomy sky then at the street corner with dull interest, his cold gaze slowly falling where Kagome sat, frozen.
A little smiled crossed his lips as he gracefully walked up to her and stared down at her hungrily as if she was an object that he was interested in purchasing.
Kagome turned her eyes downward quickly, cowering under his gaze, she felt that if she let him look into her eyes he would look into her very soul and find her out. She wanted to run, run far away but her legs still weren't responding. Something inside her screamed not to panic but that wasn't an easy task when you had some strange man staring at you.
Sesshoumaru smiled at the girl before him, he could sense her fear already and he loved it. He bent down; waiting a few moments until Kagome finally looked at him then stared directly into the girl's wide, fearful eyes.
Yes, this was the girl he was looking for. Naraku's pet, Kagome, the girl he had heard so much about and yet had never had the pleasure of meeting in person until now.
"You're soaking wet, Kagome." His voice was gentle and sounded somewhat kind, but Kagome could also sense the cruelness in his tone.
How did he know her name? She had never met him before, the only explanation, which she could see, was that he worked for Naraku, but of course he could be just as Kikyo, a mystery.
Kagome started to panic, struggling once again to get to her feet, but then she suddenly felt two strong hands lay themselves securely on her shoulders. He leaned over and whispered gently into her ear, "You don't have to worry, girl. I am not one of Naraku's henchmen if that's what you're thinking." He said with a chuckle.
Kagome shivered and tried to push him away. "Please…no…" she whimpered, as she tried unsuccessfully to pull his hands off her shoulders. Right now, it didn't matter if he didn't work for Naraku; all she knew was that she had to get away from him. Just being near him made her senses scream to get far away. "Leave me alone…!" she tried to shout, but it came out only as a hoarse whisper. She was doing it again; she was cowering in fear and not standing up for herself. She was weak and she knew it.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." He told her, grabbing her firmly by the wrists. "I'm going to take you with me whether you like it or not."
"No!" Kagome finally managed to push him away from her. "I will not be forced to go with anyone!" She reached up and clutched at the wall behind her as she pulled herself to her feet. She had to get away from this man; she didn't want to be captured again, she didn't want to be controlled and ordered around any longer.
Sesshoumaru frowned as he stood to his feet again, dusting his suit off. "I didn't want to have to do this but it seems that you leave me with no choice." He pulled something out of his jacket and knocked Kagome over the head with it. She cried out and fell limply to the ground.
Sesshoumaru stood over the girl a while, taking his time as he looked her over again. He didn't know exactly what he would do with the girl now, but she would definitely come in handy later on. Sesshoumaru bent down and collected the unconscious girl into his arms then made his way back towards the limousine.
"Driver let's head home."
"Yes sir."
. . .
Miroku sighed as he sat back in his chair and reread the notes he had jolted down in class the afternoon before last. He had countless piles of books and papers scattered all around his room.
He was a college student, studying to become a lawyer and the best damn one there ever was too. Right now he was studying for an exam. He looked up from his notes and smirked as he recalled how Sango had reacted when their professor had told them about the exam. She had almost broke down into tears, the poor thing.
She hadn't been prepared what with her having to make countless trips to the hospital to take care of her brother whom she had said was ill. She hadn't had any time to study because she was always making sure her brother was all right and taken care of.
Miroku would be sure to help her out though before it came time to take the exam. He looked up from the book he had been reading and turned his head when he heard a knock at his bedroom door. Miroku set his books and papers down on his desk as he got to his feet and headed towards it. He opened the door and one of the young maids poked her head through the doorway.
"Miroku-sama…"
"Yes?"
"Um...there's a boy downstairs that wishes to speak to you." The maid replied, fidgeting where she stood. "He looked suspicious so I tried to turn him away but he insists on meeting with you."
Miroku blinked and stood to his feet. Usually people called before they came to visit, they never dropped in unannounced unless it was urgent business or if it was one of his clueless friends he had known in high school.
He followed the maid downstairs and was very surprised when he reached to front door. Inuyasha was standing outside on the porch with his arms crossed and a very irritated look on his face. It was pouring outside so the other boy was dripping wet, his dark bangs hanging limply over his eyes violet eyes.
"Inu…yasha?" Miroku ran over to his friend, his mouth hanging open. Inuyasha had actually come to visit him? Well, this was certainly unexpected. He had assumed that Inuyasha still hated him and would never in a million years come visit him unless he needed something badly enough but Inuyasha wasn't the kind of guy that asked for help, he always solved his own problems.
"Took you long enough." Inuyasha growled out.
Miroku only chuckled at the irritated tone in his friend's voice then motioned for Inuyasha to follow him inside. "What are you doing here, Inuyasha? Knowing you, you'd never come over to my house without a good reason." Inuyasha frowned at this and didn't reply.
"Um…" The young maid stood beside the two boys, fidgeting again and playing with her skirt with her hands. "M-may I take your coat, s-sir?" she asked Inuyasha in a nervous stutter.
"I'm fine." He replied curtly.
The maid looked a little hurt but a gentle smile from Miroku was enough to make her perk right back up again, she quickly bowed and then went back to finishing her chores.
"What's with the girl?" Inuyasha asked, still standing dripping wet and with his arms crossed. Miroku gave his friend an innocent smile. "Whatever do you mean?"
"…I didn't think it was possible, you're still as perverted as you were in high school, aren't you?"
"I don't think it's perverted to want to have nice healthy young females wandering around the house in nice form fitting French maid outfits rather then old women."
"Idiot…"
Miroku just smiled at Inuyasha, "follow me," he said as he headed up the main staircase and stopped at a long cupboard. He opened it and reached inside, pulling out a towel then tossed it to Inuyasha, who only mumbled a quick 'thank you' under his breath.
"So, care to tell me the real reason you dropped by?" Miroku asked curiously as they entered his room and he closed the door so Inuyasha would feel comfortable talking openly to him. The violent eyed boy didn't say anything until he finished drying his hair. He took a seat on the only thing that wasn't covered by books, Miroku's bed, and chucked the damp towel at his friend, which ended up smacking him right in the face. "Kagome is missing."
Miroku groaned rubbing his nose then looked up at Inuyasha, dumbfounded, but then quickly narrowed his eyes at the other boy. "What? Did you say something insensitive to her? Bah, I knew you were going to sooner or later…"
"What?! I did nothing…errm…well, I might have said something I didn't mean but she didn't seem mad when she left…" Inuyasha mumbled.
"How do you know she's missing? Maybe she just went back to her families place…"
"She didn't. She left for some reason and she didn't tell me why. I need to find her, Miroku."
Miroku glanced at Inuyasha, who looked extremely serious. "Well…how long has she been missing?"
"Four days."
"What? Why didn't you call me sooner or even the police if you're so worried?" Miroku asked in a surprised tone. Honestly, he would have thought that Inuyasha had at least enough sense to ask for help when things concerned someone he obviously cared about but it seemed that he was still too proud to admit that he needed someone else's help. Inuyasha had always been the kind of person that liked to solve his own problems and never get anyone else involved, if necessary.
"I thought I could find her on my own, besides, you know I can't go to the police. If I did that then Naraku---"
Miroku interrupted, "Wait, Naraku? What does he have to do with Kagome going missing?" This wasn't good. Why did everything Inuyasha was involved in have to do with Naraku? Well, whatever connection Naraku had in this he knew that it wasn't good and that Inuyasha was in trouble.
Inuyasha went silent after that.
"Inuyasha, tell me."
"No. I can't get you involved." Inuyasha got to his feet and was about to head out of the room but Miroku also got to his feet and grabbed his friend by the shoulder. "Wait, Inuyasha---!"
Inuyasha knocked his hand away. "No. Just forget I was ever here, okay? I'll deal with this on my own…"
He couldn't risk getting Miroku involved with Naraku. As long as he didn't know anything he was safe, he didn't want to see anything happen to him. Even though Inuyasha would never admit it out loud he did actually still care for Miroku. He knew he didn't show it but he was glad to have such a good friend around to help him through things and work out his problems, any other person he knew would have given up on him, but not Miroku. "It's for your own good."
Miroku wasn't going to give up. He reached out again and grabbed Inuyasha's shoulder. "No, I want to help and I can if you just let me. All you ever do is push me away and shut me out of your life, but I'm not going to back down, not this time!" he shouted.
Inuyasha sighed and turned to Miroku. "God, you're annoying…"
Miroku only grinned at him, "Aw, I know you don't mean it." He chuckled. "So, what do you say?"
"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you…"
The door to the room suddenly opened and in walked Sango, catching both boys off guard. She smiled and stared at them, she had arrived not more then ten minutes ago to study with Miroku and had overheard a little of what was being said. "…Warn Miroku about what?"
. . .
"Inuyasha…" Kagome mumbled softly, reaching over next to where she lay expecting to feel another warm body next to her but instead she felt nothing but an empty space. She slowly opened her eyes and groaned as she laid one of her arms over her head, staring up at the tall, white ceiling above her, a bright blinding light shining down on her. Her head felt like it was splitting and her limps felt like they were on fire, she could barely move and when she did all she managed to do was cause herself more pain. Kagome couldn't really tell what her surroundings looked like because of the bright light shining in her eyes but she knew she was lying on some sort of bed.
"So, you're finally awake." She heard a voice say somewhere near her. She tried to sit up but she found that her body wouldn't respond anymore. "I wouldn't try to move, you were given a drug to subdue you for the time being and I don't expect it to wear off for quiet some time…" Kagome opened her mouth to speak but the voice quickly continued. "You've been asleep for at least four and a half days. Now, I know you're probably wondering where you are but I'm afraid I can't tell you that, just yet anyway."
Kagome felt sick. It appeared that she had yet again been captured and was going to be held against her will, she only hoped that if this were true that whoever had captured her wasn't planning to return her to Naraku, that is if she wasn't already in Naraku's possession.
Kagome gripped the sheets beneath her until her knuckles turned white. She winced then somehow managed to sit upright, breathing in and out heavily she clutched her chest as she looked over to where she had heard the voice and saw standing near her bedside the man she had seen on the street, Sesshoumaru. He stood where he was silently, one of his long graceful fingers tapping his chin as he watched her. "I'm impressed that you actually managed to move, but that little stunt I guarantee will bring you much pain later on." He approached her and brushed a strand of her dark hair out of her eyes then took her chin into his hand. "You're a lovely creature, you know. I think I see why Naraku liked you so much, you've got spirit."
"Naraku…?" Kagome whispered. His very name filled her with dread.
"I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do with you but I won't be returning you to Naraku, not just yet anyway." Sesshoumaru stood up right again just as a door behind him opened up and in walked a tall young man with long dark hair tied up in a ponytail, he was dressed in a dark black business suit. "Sesshoumaru, you're needed."
Sesshoumaru glared back at the boy and frowned. "Right…" he said briskly as he headed out of the room without another word. Kagome had expected the young man who had just come to follow him but instead he approached her bedside and took the seat next to her. "So, you're Kagome, huh?" he tilted his head to the side and grinned at her. "My name is Kouga Ookami."
Kagome turned her gaze away from him. She was in no mood to be taunted. Why couldn't she just be left alone for once? "But I'm sure you don't give a damn, right? After all you've been through…" he continued. She blinked then turned and stared at him a moment, debating whether or not this boy was being sarcastic.
"I heard that you were a prisoner of Naraku's for years. Must have been hell for you." The boy, Kouga, went on. It seemed to Kagome that his Kouga was trying more to have a conversation with himself then with her.
"What are you still doing here…?" she asked him. From the way Kouga was dressed, Kagome assumed that he was some kind of businessman that must have more important things to do then annoy her with petty conversation.
Kouga blinked at her, "wow, I'm surprised you even spoke to me." He said then smiled. "To answer your question, the reason I'm still here is because it's my job to look after you for the time being."
"Oh…"
Kouga stood to his feet and laid his hand on Kagome's forehead, checking to make sure that she didn't have a fever, then went on to check her pulse and make certain the drugs they had give her hadn't effected her body too much.
"Are you a doctor?"
"Yes." He replied quickly and then went on with his short examination. When he was finished he stepped back and laid his hands on his hips. "Well, you appear to be fine and the affects of the drugs should wear off in a few hours." He told her. "Do you want anything?"
Kagome didn't say anything and lay back down on the bed, turning on her side, away from Kouga. "No, I'm fine," she said softly. "Just fine…"
. . .
"What?!" Sango exclaimed once Inuyasha had explained the whole story to both her and Miroku, about what he had done only days before, about Kagome and of course about Naraku.
Sango was sitting on Miroku's bed seething with anger while Miroku, who was seated right next to her was trying without much luck to calm her down.
Inuyasha leaned back in the chair he was seated in and stared at the two. "So, now what do we do? I've told you everything you wanted to know, now how will we go about finding Kagome?" he asked, trying not to sound irritated but he couldn't help it. Kagome could be anywhere at this very minute and while they sat here and chatted away she could be in mortal danger; worse Naraku might already have found her. He hadn't known the girl for very long but for some reason he couldn't bare the thought of not being able to see her face again, there was something about her…
"Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Miroku asked abruptly. Inuyasha snapped out of his train of thought and shook his head, "no, I remember her telling me that she doesn't remember much about her past, so even if she had relatives she wouldn't know where to go to find them." He explained.
Sango was still in outrage; after hearing about what Kagome had probably been forced to deal with throughout the years she had been a possession to Naraku. The way he beat and raped her not even caring about what Kagome wanted or how she felt.
Sango wanted more then anything else to help Inuyasha find the girl and help her. Sango hadn't quite gone through the exact same experience as Kagome but she knew what it felt like to be betrayed and violated, her father had beaten and taken advantage of her when he had been living with Sango, her mother and brother, Kohaku. Her father had always been a terrible drinker and when he drunk he was usually in a bad mood, which caused him to take out his frustrations and anger out on his family. Her mother was helpless and hid herself away when she knew he had been drinking, afraid that he would beat her. So, Sango had been left on her own and tried her hardest to protect her brother from her father's drunken rage but he too fell victim to his father's abuse and ended up in the hospital, this had happened not more then a few months ago and Kohaku still hadn't fully recovered enough to return home.
Of course, Sango hadn't told Miroku or anyone else for that matter about what had been happening at home, she didn't want him or anyone else to worry about her, now that her father had moved out of the house she was sure that things would get better over time, or at least she hoped they would. Things had been bad at first but Sango had promised herself that she wouldn't let it get her down; she swore that she would make it in the world and she as well as her family would be happy no matter what. She knew Kagome must want the same thing for herself, probably more so and she wanted to help Kagome achieve happiness.
Sango leapt to her feet with her fists clenched. "Well, I say we get out there now and start searching for her. The more time we waste here the harder it will be to find her." She then turned and stomped out of her room, leaving a wide-eyed Miroku and a confused Inuyasha. "Is she usually like this?" he asked. Inuyasha hadn't really known Sango personally in high school, he only knew that she was a childhood friend of Miroku's and was now, conveniently enough, his girlfriend. She usually seemed like a quiet, collected girl but now…
Miroku was about to reply when Sango poked her head back into the room again, with an irritated look on her face. "What are you guys waiting for?" she demanded. "Lets go!"
Both boys looked at each other a moment then quickly got to their feet, following Sango out of the room and closing the door behind them.
To be continued…or not. =P
(A/N: Oooooh boy, this chapter believe it or not was not very easy to write, I had writers block for a hell of a long time…I just couldn't think of where I wanted to take the story but I've thought about it for a long time and I've come up with some ideas for the chapters to come. Again, I ask for you readers to forgive me for making you wait so long for the next chapter. Hopefully the next one should be done soon. Anyway, Shippo should be making his entrance very soon and I'm planning on putting Hojo in future chapters too. He's an idiot but he's a cute character. (-^^-) Jaaa! )
Next Chapter
An Attempted Rescue.