Chapter 15: Frustrated

"SESSHOMARU!" Inuyasha roared as he stomped into my office. I let out a sigh and turned to face him. It was about time, to be honest. I was about to toss him out myself. Don't misunderstand. I did want to protect my brother, but two weeks of Inuyasha either being unconscious, angry or sulking is enough to drive even me up the wall. I motioned for him to sit and reached into one of my desk drawers for a booklet.

'Let's see. Oh, right. I need to get past the Golden Saucer.' I reminded myself as I flipped it open and began to read.

"Damn it! Look at me when I'm angry with you!" Inuyasha snarled as he ripped my Final Fantasy 7 guide out of my hands and threw it across the room.

"What is it now?" I asked, as I glared up at him.

"I want you to let me out of here! There is no way in heaven, hell or earth that this imprisonment is legal."

"And what are you going to do? Run to the cops and complain? Brother, you can't take a step off the porch."

"DAMN IT!" Inuyasha growled as he pulled his fist back to punch me.

"And what would you do," I continued as I caught Inuyasha's fist, stood up and let go of his hand so I could retrieve my guide, "if you could complain to the police? Do you honestly think they would believe an escapee from an insane asylum? Not to mention, you have no shoes. They probably wouldn't let you in the building."

"I don't have any shoes because you won't give me back the pair Kagome gave me!"

"See? It is important to keep you barefoot."

"You make me sound like a housewife."

'Bad images! BAD IMAGES!!' my mind shouted at me and I had to cover my mouth so I wouldn't vomit.

"And what did you mean by 'escapee'from an asylum? I was released."

"You think you're the only guy in this room with connections? Look, as long as I say you're an escapee, you're an escapee. Now, no one will have noticed yet, since no one has bothered to check, but if someone did check your record, guess what he or she would find. Funny how this all works out."

"About as funny as when Miroku stacks the cards in his favor." Inuyasha muttered.

"Well anyway. If you're going to go out, you'll need somethings." I sighed as I stood up. I went to the couch and pushed it out of the way. I kicked the rug out of the way and opened the trap door. There was a small hole just large enough to hold a medium sized box and a pair of shoes.

"Hey! Those are my shoes!" Inuyasha cried and he pulled them out and pulled them on over his socks.

"The box is yours too." I shrugged. "You'll have to get it out though. I can't touch it."

"Why not?" Inuyasha frowned.

"I'm not sure. Maybe father never trusted me. Of course, it could just be some sort of sick joke."

"Uh…"

"Don't worry, I know what's in the box." I reassure him. "It's not deadly… sort of."

"A… a gun?" Inuyasha asked as he opened to box and looked down at the beautiful sliver weapon. "What sort of present is this?"

"It's Tetsusaiga. Father had two guns made; one for each son."

"What's so special about it?" Inuyasha asked, as he looked down the muzzle of Tetsusaiga and, at the same time, pointed it at me.

"Careful where you point that thing!" I snapped, slapping his hand away. "Each bullet has the potential to destroy up to ten demons."

"Any bullet is that powerful. You're just got to line the demons up."

"No. If there were ten demons along the wall of one room, you could kill all ten with one bullet."

"What if I only wanted to kill nine?"

"It's ten or one, Inuyasha." I sighed. "Well, were you going or not? I have a game to win."

"I need someone to turn the barrier off."

"Ask Rin on your way out. She'll know what to do."

"And you don't?"

"I don't care enough to do it. Be careful to ask Rin for what you want quickly. If you're not fast, she'll have you making cookies within a minute."

I waited a minute and then rose so I could watch Inuyasha leave the house and run off down the road. Pulling out my cell phone, I dialed Kagura's number and waited.

"Hello?" A soft girl's voice asked from the other side of the phone line.

"Who is this?" I asked sharper than usual. Kagura never had visitors, so I couldn't be sure this girl's presence was voluntary on Kagura or Kana's behalf.

"Kana, Lord Sesshomaru."

'HOLY SHIT!! AND THE MUTE HAS SPOKEN!'

"Oh." I replied, my voice still cold. "Where is Kagura?"

"Here." Kagura's voice came onto the phone line and I heard a click as Kana hung up her connection.

"Inuyasha has left my house. Use the tracking device I planted in his shoes. Follow him. I want a full report of what he does and whom he speaks to. Don't get involved unless absolutely necessary."

"Anyone else I should protect?"

"No. All situations will be left to up to your judgment. All I want is Inuyasha's life protected."

"Understood."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I finally made it to the institution and let out a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was finally looking at the building from the outside and not just imagining it. It was like one of those really scary twilight zone episodes I used to watch when I was younger. One of my doctors was a real fan and let me watch them when I had exhibited good behavior. I think he had to stop showing the show to me after I saw the one with the guy who had mentally convinced himself that he was in a deserted town, but he was actually in solitary confinement as a prep for going to the moon. I actually convinced myself that my existence in the institute was really just a figment of my imagination and I needed to break out. Fortunately, that phase only lasted two weeks.

"Inuyasha?" a voice asked and I turned around. It was Kagome.

"Hey." I nodded, not wanting to show how happy I really was to see her.

"It is you!" Kagome grinned before running over to me and throwing her arms around my neck. "I missed you!"

"It was only two weeks." I muttered as I gently put my hands around her waist. "I thought I'd visit, since my bastard of a brother let me out of the house."

"That's great! I was just going home, but…...... we could go out. You know, get something to eat? See a movie?"

"Uh. Food. That sounds good." I nodded and Kagome smiled.

"Great. As long at you let me pay." Kagome insisted as she led me to her car. I didn't say anything, but I was glad she offered to pay; I didn't have any money. I let Kagome drive in silence and we didn't speak a word to each other until we had been seated and had had a chance to order.

We were eating at a sushi bar near the business area of the city. I looked around at all the men and women in suits who surrounded up and noticed how out of place I seemed in my jeans, hoodie and sneakers.

"How are things at…...... at the institution?" I asked, suddenly compelled to hear about the others.

"Oh, a bit boring now that you're gone. Miroku was released almost a week after you left and Shippo was returned to police custody yesterday."

"Have you spoken with them?"

"I haven't spoken to Miroku directly, but Sango says he's doing well. I spoke with Shippo over the phone last night and he seems to be having a bit of a relapse problem, but I'm hoping sleeping pills will help. Oops."

"What?"

"I forgot about doctor-patient confidentiality. I'm not supposed to tell anyone but Shippo's legal guardians."

"It's okay. I'll pretend I didn't hear." I shrugged and Kagome smiled.

"How are things going with your brother?"

"I don't know."

"Haven't you spoken with him?"

"Well, yes, but I'm not sure what to think. Apparently, things have gotten worse with the factions and all. Sesshomaru has been working to get some stable laws and treaties to stop the persecution, but…...... you know how stuff like that is. Change takes time."

"And big changes sometimes cause wars."

"Exactly. I don't think Sesshomaru wants to fight a war for me. He…...... he want's me to go back to the institute."

"And what do you want?"

"I'm not sure. I always dreamed about being free, but it's not turning out at all like I expected."

"I…......" Kagome began, but the waitress had appeared with our food. We took our respective dishes and did not speak for the rest of the meal.