~*Disclaimer: After conducting many inquiries and doing a lot of research, I have reached a startling conclusion.
I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!
Heh. Wasn't that a surprise?
"…" - speech
'…' - thoughts
~*~*~ - change in scenery or time.
~*Previously, on Lock Down:
{But Kagome failed to notice this, as she lay in her bed, crying softly.
And outside, the rain continued to fall and thunder rang out through the sky, mirroring the girl's distress.
She had asked for something interesting to happen and it had.
What a horrible day it had been indeed.}
The System
Feb.25.299 NA
New Tokyo, Government Buildings, Sector 118"How could this have happened?" The speaker was an android- one of the Government officials.
After the Fire that had taken place earlier that day, a meeting had been called in the Government buildings of New Tokyo to discuss the fighting spirit of the people. The meeting room itself was a small, circular area with a rectangular table in the middle. It was made out of a black metal that was foreign to earth. The walls were a plain, white colour that seemed to illuminate the area despite the low lighting.
Assembled around the long metal table were several Ambassadors of both the human and demons sectors. This was the only place where the two species were allowed to interact. Being an Ambassador was the only way to actually see the other people they shared the planet with. In total, there were six representatives of the 'free' peoples of Earth. However, in accepting the position of a minister, one gave up their ability to live with their own kind.
In a way, it was ironic, how those who represented the people did not live with them. These people were only allowed five day visits once every six months to the place they had called home. Then, it was back to the Government Buildings for another term in isolation.
The Government Buildings were located almost on the border between the two divisions. It was based in the Demon Division, with a small crack in the invisible barrier that allowed for the human officials to cross. Nobody knew of this entrance point- those who told, or knew, who were not officials, were disposed of.
Immediately.
In the Bureaucracy network, there were also several androids that obviously had more power then themselves. These humanoid robots had to job of regulating everything, and then bringing reports to the 'big boss.' In every city, there were two Divisions, one for the Humans, and one for the Demons, and a Government building for the two Divisions.
Those who worked in those buildings, and became and Government official had been picked, not only for their intelligence, but their opinion of the other race. Since they were to only people who had interaction with the other races, the Government kept them isolated. There couldn't be any risk of cooperation between the people, so the officials were kept separate from everybody else. They had private settlements.
The private settlements were luxurious rooms that covered enough space to accommodate four people. Living as a Government official had its perks, but the only people you talked to were those you saw practically every day.
And apart from the organic workers, there were the androids.
These androids were specially designed for intelligent thought. They were able form their own conclusions from data given. However, these androids still had no independent concept. They followed the orders if the Government. They were, like the other androids, emotionless. These humanoid robots were a step higher than the highest positioned demon or human. Then, at the very top of that chain, there was one, solitary Superior. It was called the Monitor.
Nobody had ever seen a Superior. All of its, for the Superiors have no gender, commands were carried to the people by the messenger robots. All of the dealings of the people were then messaged to the Monitor. The Monitor, true to its title, was the one to observe the people, and to correct any flaws in perfection.
Then, every once in a while, there would be an assembly of all the Monitors to discuss the proceedings of the entire planet. No human or demon had ever witnessed those meetings. They were done in an annual rendezvous point that was unknown to the public. Some thought it to be beyond the Earth's atmosphere. However, there were very few Superiors on Earth compared to the planet's population. In total, there were less than thirty Superiors in the Milky Way galaxy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"How could this have happened?" repeated the android when it received no reply.
This time, a greasy black-haired human spoke up. He had red eyes, an unusual trait in humans, and an aura of evil that seemed to radiate off of him in waves. His face was angular, and his hair was pulled back into a long queue that trailed down his back. This human was actually considered handsome, for he had a destructive beauty that surrounded him.
His demeanor was always polite to those he did not know, or did not trust. However, once one got to know him better, they would discover the serpent lying beneath sugar-coated words. They would know that this man was dangerous and extremely intelligent. That was one of the reasons he had been selected as Chief Ambassador of the humans in New Tokyo. This was Naraku, one of the most mysterious humans to have every lived. Not even the Government knew all of his secrets.
"Perhaps it was only a relapse in the total solidarity system." Even Naraku's voice was sleek, and filled with deceit.
"Or perhaps the Human Division is simply getting restless."
This time, the speaker was a silver-haired demon. He had a slender face with high cheekbones that gave him an almost femanine appearance. Two purplish stripes on each side of his face and a blue crescent moon shaped mark on his forehead clearly defined this man as a demon. Even if the markings weren't enough, the fluffy white tail he carried over his right shoulder certainly did. He was a full-blooded dog demon.
This was Sesshoumaru, son of the previous Chief Ambassador of the Demon Division, the current Chief Ambassador, and half brother to a half demon.
His eyes were a deep amber-gold colour, slitted, just as his father's had been, and how his brother's eyes were. They held such coldness and contempt for the human race that it wasn't surprising that the Government had chosen him as one of the representatives. However, his expression was ever a poker face that betrayed none of his thoughts. Even through his voice, one could not detect a shred of emotion. In that way, this demon was much like the androids.
Given the chance, Sesshoumaru would purge the entire of human blood, and give all reign to demons. However, in the world's current state, it was impossible. He'd have to wait for that to ever happen.
Naraku glanced cooly at the dog demon.
"That, is also a possibility, Sesshoumaru-san."
An android spoke up.
"The fact remains that this is the first rebellion to have happened since the year 250. You had studied your people. You had lived among them. The Monitor wishes to know: Will this happen again?"
There was a slight pause before a short-haired woman spoke up. Her voice was slightly girlish, and had an almost annoying undertone to it. Her grey uniform was tighter than the others', and her eyes were a dark magenta. Her hair was decorated with a red ribbon. She was Yura, a mistress of the hair. She was a demon.
"Well, if the silly humans wish to create trouble, why not just kill them all off?" Yura giggled. "It would be such fun!"
A different android replied to her, "The great Superiors have their own reasons for keeping the humans alive. They must not be harmed."
Yura pouted a little. Sesshoumaru remained expressionless. None of the others made any move.
A silence stretched.
Then, a dark-haired human male shifted.
All eyes turned to him.
He had a long braid that fell down his back. A crossed shaped scar adorned his forehead- it had been a scar from a bad fall when he'd been a child. His eyes were a dark brown. This was Bankotsu, a rather rough man who had all the makings of a leader. The human reclined into the stiff chair.
"Personally, I think the humans are finally fighting back. It's been, what? Almost fifty years?" He closed his eyes and a somewhat cruel smile lit the man's face. "It's about time some actions happened to break into our boring day."
A woman, Kagura, made as if to counter his point, but a quick look at Naraku stilled her.
None of the others noticed.
Kagura was a user of the wind, a demon who could control the currents with just the flick of a fan. She was, undoubtedly, extremely powerful. However, although she often agreed with his notions, she carried an obvious hatred for Naraku. Her reason for that hate was unknown, and personal. He, on the other hand, was always delighted to meet her in a twisted way. They would constantly spend time in each others' company, but their association was anything but intimate.
The relationship between the two was strange indeed.
Clearing her throat, the wind user turned away from the human and faced the rest of the assembled people.
"If there's so much trouble within the Human Division, why not use surveilance equipment on the streets? I have heard that a long time before this one, humans had invented a type of recorder that could take images and chronicle them to be view later. Why not use these devices if it's getting hard to control the people?"
There was a slight noise of agreement from Yura and Bankotsu. Naraku, Sesshoumaru and the remaining human made no comment.
"Kagura-san is right," assented Bankotsu. "This technology is indeed useful, yet it isn't used to promote observation. Imagine how easy it'd be to study the people if we only used these recording devices."
The head android processed the information in its artificial brain before replying.
"Technology invented by humans or demons of this world have been proven to be faulty. The Government will not resort to items below the level that of the Superiors. For this world to be perfect, none of the past's mistakes must be repeated. The Superiors will not permit inventions of this world unless it has been proven to be of the utmost perfection."
A few of the assembled people exchanged looks at this statement.
Naraku leaned back with a look of amusement playing on his pale face. 'So, they don't like that fact that humans were able to innovate something they hadn't… eh? Conceited bastards.'
'It seems… the Superiors hate to be… degraded… when they are the most powerful species in the universe… eh?' The ever stoic face of Sesshoumaru gave no indications of his thoughts.
Another wave of silence washed over the room.
Another monotone voice filled it, "Will this happen with the Demon Division? Will there be any trouble with the Demon Division?" he looked around the room at the various representatives.
"The demons would not be so foolish as to stir up trouble when they know they cannot win," was the answer of Sesshoumaru, "unlike the senseless humans, demons have a sense of self preservation."
Frowning, Bankotsu countered his statement, "Humans are not foolish, Sesshoumaru-san, they too, have a sense of self preservation, as you say, but they do wish for something more than how they live now." He leaned back, touching the tips of his fingers together, "The demons simply have no desire to live without these…" He drifted off, "…regulations."
Naraku heard the exchange silently while thoughts swarmed through his head.
'They know that the demons do have the power to overthrow their reign, but they have no interest in doing so. The humans cannot accomplish anything, yet they are the ones with a free spirit. Hnn. So that is why they keep them apart…'
An almost undistinguishable sneer flickered over his face. 'Stupid fools…'
In the meantime, an android stored away what had been spoken in its memory bank. The information would later be sent to the Monitor after the meeting was over.
The only person who had not spoken, a female ambassador for the Human Division, sat in the shadows, mouth set in a grim line. Her grey eyes glittered calculatingly as she studied everybody in the room. Long hair fell down her back, tied up with a ribbon, two strands paused on her shoulders before joining the rest.
This woman was certainly beautiful, in a frigid manner. Many men she had lived with had hoped that when she was assigned a counterpart, it would be them. But she hadn't been assigned.
She had disappeared.
The woman remained quiet, no emotion playing across her face at the words spoken at the meeting.
"Is there any other information the people convened would like to offer?"
Silence met the head android's inquiry.
It stood up.
"You may retire to your private settlements. The next meeting will be called to discuss possible changes in the procedure…"
Silent, she had remained for the remainder of the meeting, and once it had been adjourned, she raised silently, exiting one of the many conference rooms, retreating down the hallway. Not once, did she greet the few people who passed her by.
She ignored every one of them.
Her face was as expressionless as that of an android, and her indifferent aura radiated off of her.
Once upon a time, she hadn't been like this.
Once, she had been filled with life and happiness that attracted so many people to her. She had been caring and cheerful.
But that had been a long time ago.
It had all changed with one fateful event.
The human female pushed that train of thought out of her head and turned resolutely around a corner. She refused to think about that incident. She approached her room. Once at the door of her private residence, she raised her personal identification card to the slot.
A slick voice made her stop.
"So, Kikyou, why so quiet during the meeting?" Naraku inquired of the woman.
He had followed her after the meeting.
He had followed her without her knowing.
Damn him.
He was the cause of it all. He was the reason she had lost her liveliness. He was the one she hated to most.
But she knew his one secret.
His one secret that would bring Naraku's slimy head down from its high perch.
And she knew he knew she knew.
But for a personal reason, she would keep it to herself.
For the moment, anyway.
Kikyou spoke without turning around. "I had nothing to say. As I have nothing to say to you. Good night. Naraku-san"
And she slide her card across the lock, entering her room.
Naraku chuckled darkly and turned away.
Kikyou.
The woman who now cared for nothing but her own survival because of him.
The woman who refused to acknowledge her emotions.
Naraku strode to the room only two doors away from hers. He opened it with a slide of a card. With another sinister grin, the man walked into his room.
He would have his fun with her later.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
- [It's chapter 5 and our main couple STILL hasn't met! That's not a good sign, is it? -_-;;
- Finally got this chapter out. For some reason, it was particularly hard to type… no Kag or Inu this time. I sort of… gave up trying to make this one longer. ^_^;; And I'm still not satisfied with it… not to mention it was shorter than usual.
- For now, Secret Garden is a much needed escape from this… more serious (straining) story.]