Author's note:
Hello again! I do hope that you haven't forgotten about me ; Ok, a better way to do this…Who's not dead?
-several readers raise their hands, while flies buzz around one of the people who didn't-
O.O Omg….Jaken!
Jaken: -Waddles in- Yes?
-points frantically at dead person- FIX IT!!!
Jaken: O.O What did you do?
I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME!! -kicks Jaken and watches him sail over the rainbow that appeared out of nowhere- JAKEN! GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!!Bob the laptop: Um, Caitlin? You kicked him .;
….CRAP! …. Um, anyway….I'm sorry that it took so long to get out this chapter, but I couldn't think of what to write, then when I finally sorted it out, Bob (my laptop) got a virus and had to be repaired. Very, very sorry! I hope this chapter is satisfactory. Most of it was written at four in the morning -.-;
Disclaimer:
(Insert witty comment about not owning Inuyasha or any of the characters that may appear in this story here)
Demon hunter Kagome (still looking for a title, people…)
Chapter II
( ")
Several hours later, Kagome pulled up in front of her shrine-home and shut off her red Vespa. She took off her helmet and shook out her hair. Humming a tune, she removed the keys and, hopping off the bike, went around to the back and unlocked the medium-sized compartment there. She withdrew several shopping bags with various store logos on them and re-locked it. She had cheered up considerably since that morning, especially after she spent her thirtieth dollar…
Turning towards the steep steps leading up to the shrine grounds, Kagome noticed a black car parked several feet away. She didn't think much of it, however. It was quite normal for strangers to be there. It was a shrine after all. Still humming, Kagome tucked her helmet under her arm and started up the steps.
Kagome reached the top of the steps and surveyed the grounds, ready to greet whoever might be visiting. 'Hum, that's odd…' She thought. 'I don't see anyone here…'
The shrine grounds were made up of the two-story main house (in which Kagome lived), the Temple, and three other smaller buildings, one of them being an old well house. Each building, and the land on which they stood had a small white picket-fence around it. Just inside the grounds stood an ancient tree, taller than the two-story house. It had a small fence to itself, and a white bench sat beside it. Small, paved paths crisscrossed over the land, and several benches were placed in various spots on the grounds.
Kagome made her way to her front door and stepped inside the house, slipping off her shoes as was the custom. As she did so, she noticed that two unfamiliar pairs of shoes sat just inside the door; a pair of black high-heels, and a pair of men's running-shoes. Kagome blinked in confusion. The people who visited the temple rarely, if ever, came inside the house…
"Mom?" Kagome called. "Mom I'm home…Is everything okay?"
"Why, that's her now." Kagome heard her mother say.
"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi called from the living room. "Come in here, please. There are some people here who would like a word with you."
"Really? Uh, okay…" Kagome sat her bags down beside the front door. Casting one last look at the shoes, Kagome made her way to the living room. Before stepping into the room, Kagome peered curiously around the door frame and it became quite clear who the shoes belonged to.
Two people, a man and a woman, sat on the couch, and Kagome's mother sat in an armchair across from them. The two appeared to be in their late-twenties, although, that looked like the only thing they had in common. The woman was dressed in a black-with-white-trim business-suit, and had black hair that was pulled back into a tight bun. She had a general air of authority about her, and had stern brown eyes. While the woman had gone for a more professional look, the man seemed to be the exact opposite. He wore a plain black t-shirt and dark blue jeans. A strange purple cloth was wrapped around his right hand and secured with a ring on his middle finger. His dark brown hair was swept into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He was handsome and his midnight-blue eyes held a friendly twinkle. They both rose as Kagome entered the room.
"Hello. You must be Kagome." The woman said, stepping forward and offering her hand --Kagome shook it. "My name is Sango Takashi, and this is my partner--"
"--Miroku Morita." The man cut in, stepping in front of her, and clasping Kagome's hand between both of his own. "Pleasure to meet you." He said with a smile.
"Um, You too." Kagome said. There was something familiar about that man, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it… "Uh, you…wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes, we do." Sango said slightly annoyed, pushing her partner out of the way. Sango turned to Mrs. Higurashi. "Ma'am, you've been very hospitable, and I thank you for understanding. Now, if we may have a word with your daughter…alone."
"Certainly…" Mrs. Higurashi rose from her chair, and Kagome cast a questioning look at her. Kagome's mother nodded, assuring her that it would be fine, and Kagome watched her leave the room.
"Now, Kagome, why don't you have a seat?" Sango suggested, gesturing toward the armchair.
"Uh, sure." Kagome sat down and the two closely followed suit.
"Now, before we begin, I want to assure you that all we want to do today is talk, okay?"
"…What is this about?" Kagome asked suspiciously.
"Kagome, you are a very…special girl." Sango said, choosing her words carefully. "You have a power that precious few others possess…We want to learn how to control that power."
"Eh-" Miroku cut in. "-what Miss Takashi means is, we want to help you learn how to control that power."
Kagome's eyes widened. They couldn't possibly know…
"We know what happened at Fukaimori high-school and--"
"You must be mistaken." Kagome interrupted. "N-Nothing happened at school. A gas pipe exploded, t-that's all…"
Sango cast a side-ways glance at her partner.
"No, Kagome, that's not all." Miroku said. "The gas-pipe was a fabrication…"
Kagome suddenly realized why he looked so familiar.
"…I-It was you…wasn't it? You were the policeman…"
Miroku nodded sheepishly, and Kagome shrank back in her chair.
"W-What's going on here?" She asked, briefly wondering if she should call her mother back into the room. "Who are you people?"
"We work for a small branch of the government, and that's all I can tell you until we've talked a bit more." Sango said, taking the lead in what Kagome felt was some kind of interview.
"The government?" Kagome asked. "But…I'm just a high-school student! What could I possibly do for the government?"
"That's exactly what we are here to find out. You meet the basic requirements, but certain formalities must be preformed."
"Requirements? Requirements for what?"
"Demon hunting." Miroku said, earning a death glare from his partner. Kagome was suddenly reminded of her run-in with that odd boy from earlier.
"On another hunt, I see. Who is it this time?
"Don't give me that. Who is it? Me? Kouga? Or maybe it's just some low-level demon…?"
His words replayed in her head. 'Could he be connected with these people?' She wondered.
"Demon…hunting…" Kagome said slowly.
"You weren't supposed to tell her yet…" Sango told Miroku menacingly.
"Well, how was I supposed to know?"
"I told you at least fifteen times on the drive over here that she wasn't to know anything of this until we were sure she could be trusted!"
"I never heard you!"
A low growl started in Sango's throat.
"Um, excuse me?" Kagome asked.
"Yes?"
"You did say 'demon hunting', didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Oh. I see…Mom! Can you come in here please?!"
"No, wait! Let us explain!"
"…Never-mind." Kagome called.
"Thank you. …Ok, let me be frank." Miroku stated. "We are with the Shikon Tenchisouzou Naitei, or S.T.N."
"The four-soul creation investigation…?"
"Correct. Also known as the STN-J."
"What does the 'J' stand for?"
"Japan branch." Sango supplied. "Believe it or not, youkai, or demons, are more than creatures of fantasy. They are very real, and very dangerous. Most look human enough to get by without being found-out, but then there are those low-level demons that live on instinct alone. We do away with most of the low-levels; however, we try to avoid killing the humanoid youkai, as they tend to be intelligent beings such as ourselves and are advanced as far as physical strength goes. Therefore we 'hunt' them and capture them, and from there they are handed over to a higher authority. Currently, we have several youkai on the STN team, for, as I have said, they are superior in strength and endurance and make great hunters." Sango paused. "However, due to un-foreseen circumstances, we have found ourselves…short-handed." She added grimly, and Miroku shifted uncomfortably.
"That's why we're here." Sango continued. "Kagome, we want you to become part of the STN-J. Your miko powers would be a significant addition to the team. In return for your services, we will provide room and board, and finance any health-care situations that may arise; be it you, or a member of your family. In addition, you will be paid a small pension to live off of. Your main duty will be hunting and capturing youkai, and we want to help you learn how to control your gift so you may do so more efficiently. Seeing as you are still young, you will not be required to go on a hunt until you have fully mastered your powers. I'm sure that we can arrange some kind of schooling situation, but I doubt that it will be very frequent. Most of the stuff they teach in school is useless anyway. So, if you will pack your things--"
"Wait just a minute!" Kagome, who had been listening in a kind of dreamy state, shouted. "I never agreed to any of this! You've been talking about it like I have no choice!"
"Well, technically, you don't. The STN is a very hush-hush organization. In fact, I probably shouldn't have told you as much as I did. You see, in the eyes of the public, demons are nothing more than legends. Myths. If any word got out of what we at the STN do, it would cause an uproar. I'm sorry, but you really must come with us. No harm will come to you, and you will be treated as part of the team…as long as you come willingly."
"Eh, Sango? I think you're scaring her." Miroku said. "Look, Kagome, we--"
"Kagome? Is everything alright?" Mrs. Higurashi stood in the doorway looking concernedly at her daughter. "I heard you yelling…"
"Mom, these people are nuts! They're saying things about demons and hunting them and…they're just crazy!"
Sango sighed and rubbed her temple.
"How did I know that it wasn't going to be this easy…? Mrs. Higurashi, maybe you can talk to her. Come on Miroku, let's give them some space. " She took her partner by the elbow and led him out of the room.
"Mom?" Kagome looked at her mother. "What does she mean? …Mom?"
"Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "They explained it all to me before you got home. I know that you are still young, and that you have a lot of things to learn, but I think that these people can help you."
"Help me? How?"
"… I've noticed your friends' behavior lately, and you have even commented on it. If that's how your friends act, those at school can't be much better. This STN-J…Miss Takashi and Mr. Morita have told me that one woman on their team has the same power as you do. They claim that they can help you, and I have a good feeling about this. You know how I am about feelings. I won't force you to go. I don't want you to leave me so soon. But if they can help you, in any way, learn to cope with this strange gift, then I think that it's worth it. They say that you can visit anytime you want, and they assured me that you will be taken good care of. The STN seems to be a modern form of the demon exterminators of the feudal era. It's dangerous work, but you've always tended to be drawn to dangerous things. I've always known that you were destined for great things, and I'm sure that this is an opportunity that shouldn't be passed up."
"Mom…" Kagome's eyes watered and she hugged her mother tightly. "I don't know what to do…"
Mrs. Higurashi smiled and rubbed Kagome's back.
"Maybe we could arrange a kind of trial-basis…?" Mrs. Higurashi suggested.
"What a great idea!" Miroku said cheerily, striding around the corner where he had obviously been listening.
"Are you nuts?" Sango hissed at him, following him around the corner. "There is no such thing as a 'trial-basis' in the government--"
"In this case there is!" He said through gritted teeth. "Look," He whispered. "Naraku wants her, and what Naraku wants, he gets. If a trial-basis is what it takes to get her, then that's what she gets."
"Now," He said, his voice back to its normal volume. "I propose that Kagome join the STN for a minimum of one year. After that time, if she wishes, we will consider her contract void. Will that be acceptable?"
Kagome stared at her mother. This was all happening so fast…just that morning she had been playing a friendly game of laser-tag with her friends, and now… now she was being asked to join an international (at least she assumed that it was international, as they had a 'Japan branch') government organization…That hunted demons no-less!
"Mom…what do I do?" She asked helplessly.
"Kagome, this is your decision. I have given my opinion on the matter, but now this is a choice that only you can make. I love you very much, and I believe that you will make the right choice based on what you feel is best for you."
Kagome thought for several minutes, before nodding slowly.
"I agree to work for one year on the STN-J, after which time I will decide whether to stay on or otherwise." She stated, praying that she was making the right choice.
"Wonderful!" Miroku exclaimed, letting out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.
"Welcome to the team, Kagome." Sango smiled and shook Kagome's hand. "You made a good choice."
"I sure hope so…"
( ")
Several days later, Sango placed Kagome's last suitcase in the trunk of her car and closed the trunk.
"Are you ready?" She asked, looking at Kagome.
"Yeah, just…let me say goodbye."
Kagome ran over to her family who was waiting on the sidewalk at the bottom of the shrine steps.
"I'll miss you guys so much!" She hugged her mother, tears streaming down her face.
"We'll miss you too sweetheart." Mrs. Higurashi rubbed her back and smiled.
Kagome released her and stooped slightly to hug her little brother. He was a young boy, about eleven, and had dark hair like his sister's.
"I'll miss you, Souta." Kagome said, wrapping her arms around him.
"I'll miss you too sis!" He cried, squeezing her tightly. "I wish you didn't have to go…"
"I know, but I'll come back and visit as much as I can! I promise."
The boy nodded and let go.
Kagome stood and turned to the last member of her small family. A short old man with a scraggly beard and a balding head stood next to her Mother, hugging a large yellow bag that was almost as big as he was.
"Kagome," He said in his raspy voice, obviously trying not to cry. "I want you to take this with you." He held out the bag and Kagome took it cautiously. Gramps (as he was known by his family) had always possessed a holy power (or so he thought) and there was no telling what he'd do next.
"Eh, what is it?" Kagome asked, nervously opening the bag. She pulled out a handful of rectangular white papers, kanji wards scrawled on them in her Grandpa's handwriting.
"They're demon wards." Gramps said proudly. "I want you to always keep them with you, you hear me? I don't want my only granddaughter getting hurt now."
"Oh Gramps…" Kagome hugged him. "I'll miss you!"
"I'll miss you too Kagome. But you better come visit us! I won't have you forgetting us."
"I could never forget you guys! --AH!"
Something furry brushed against her ankle, and Kagome jumped. Looking down, she saw the family cat, Buyou. She sighed and picked up the fat calico cat.
"How could I have forgotten you, Buyou?"
"And I thought she said she wouldn't forget us…" Gramps whispered behind his hand to Mrs. Higurashi.
"Oh dad…" She rolled her eyes.
Buyou meowed and rubbed his head against his master's shoulder.
"Aw, I'll miss you too buddy." Kagome scratched his ears. "I wish you could come with me… Hey mom? Can he?"
"Eh, I don't know…"
"Sango?" Kagome called down to Sango who was leaning against her car. "Would it be ok if I bring my cat?"
"Eh, I don't know if that's a good idea--"
"Pleeeease?"
"I…aw, why not?" Sango threw her hands up.
"Thank you so much!"
After exchanging another round of goodbyes, and yet another for Buyou, Kagome found herself riding in the front seat of Sango's car, her yellow bag of demon wards, and Buyou in his travel cage in the backseat, speeding towards her new life…as a demon hunter.
( ")
MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I actually finished it!! -does happy dance- Ok, I'm sorry if it seems rushed, but I couldn't really do much until I had her in the STN. Ok, now the real story can get started!!! -bounces around her padded room-
Ok, about the STN thing. Firstly, I want to say that I needed words to fill in the STN (since no one knows what it stands for), and this is the best that I could come up with -.-; I am sure that it is incorrect in word placement, and any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks =.=
Definition:
Tenchisouzou:
Creation
Naitei:
(n) Secret investigation; privet enquiry; reconnaissance; scouting
Also, if you want to know how I keep myself motivated, this is what I put at the bottom of whatever I'm writing so I can look at it and know that at least somebody is there Even if they are just another part of myself…-.-; Alas, I am crazy.
NOTE: -wanders around- Lalalalalala-- Oh. Hello Ok, um, what was I going to tell you…oh! You must write the rest of this chapter! People will lose faith in your dedication to this story if you don't post something soon. And by 'something' I don't mean the first thing that pops into your head! It must be well-thought-out and have a good balance of comedy/action/drama. It will be hard, and take some time, but don't be disheartened. You are a great writer (everyone says so ) and have the talent to finish this sucker! Remember, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!! -waves flag with chibi-fied Caitlin on it- Go Caitlin! I, your inner maniac, shall be right here cheering you on all the way! Now, I must go sit in the corner of my circular room. Later .
Alright, now all that's left for you to do is….REVIEW!!! Please let me know what you thought! It really makes me happy to know that people care enough to tell me their opinions. Remember, it's that little purple button at the bottom of your screen I also accept anonymous reviews (meaning that you don't have to be a member of FF.net to review) so now you have no excuse not to!! I love you guys (in a purely platonic way…)!!!