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Chapter 16: Memory Lane

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Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I'm back from the rather stress-filled family holiday and ready to write! So here's the product of this new, most likely short-lived enthusiasm…don't expect too many more chapters this long though…thought I'd reward you all for your undying patience :)…I must say I rewrote this very first part a few times, trying to pinpoint Kagome's feelings on the whole situation, and I think I'm finally happy with the final product…I think…anyway, enjoy and thanks for all those amazingly wonderful uplifting reviews! And whether you review, or whether you're just sitting back and reading, I'm glad to have you guys around …I also wish to add that I never thought dog concussions and human concussions were so similar in symptoms and treatment…but it makes sense now that I think about it…the wonders of research eh?

- - - -

"I'm surprised you remember that."

Kagome merely looked at Sango, trying hard to put the memory version of her and the real one into separate spaces in her mind. But it was still hard not to see that face peering over the tiny bloody bundle in her arms, with the moonlight glowing on the large weapon strapped to her back which was tattooed in its own coating of blood.

"It's hard to forget something like that. You were the first exterminator I'd ever met, and I'd been hearing about your kind for many years. My grandfather used to tell my brother and me all sorts of stories about the youkai slayers when we were younger. He said we should be grateful for the security that you gave to Japan." The vet looked down at the worn wooden table, trying hard to come to grips with the sudden visions swirling in her mind. Images of past and present mixed up into one big jumble. "He always mentioned a man by the name of Hide...Hide…"

"Hidekazu," Sango finished quietly, eyes on the hands that were clasped in front of her. Thin lines traced the contour of her hands, scars of the many battles she had fought. Long ago, her father had told her an assassin's pride lay in his or her scars, but at this moment in time, she felt only resentment for the work. It could very well be costing her one of the few friends she had.

"He was my grandfather, and a proud man. He was the one who killed the last uncivilized demon of Tokyo when he was just sixteen, and founded the school of the Taijiya." In a voice that suddenly seemed devoid of anything, the young woman added, "My family's home."

There was something in the way she said her grandfather's name that caused Kagome to look back up. And there was something more in those clasped hands, and the down turned face that made Kagome wonder if Sango was suffering from a lack of the pride her grandfather had held in high esteem.

As a veterinarian—and a devoted animal-lover—there was something in the merciless killing of all creatures that tugged at her heart and blackened her thoughts. Way back when she had been young, Kagome had been disgusted with the whole idea of demon-slaying, and she had only listened to her grandfather's stories to placate the old man. But after the story was finished and she was tucked into bed, the young girl had wondered how someone could be so cruel.

As she had grown older—and the black and white world had suddenly turned into finer shades of grey—that disdain had faded into a sort of tired understanding. Even before that bleak night all those years ago, Kagome had come to an agreement about the living things in the world: that everyone had to survive in the harsh world, and that humans were slowly but surely coming out on top as the winning species.

But more importantly, she had decided that as people varied so much, so did their faults. Whether it was a short temper or perverted instincts, each individual had something that they weren't proud of, and learning to accept that as apart of a whole person was just another step to accepting someone as who they truly were.

And then there was the people whose faults where not entirely their own, but linked to someone else, or something linked to a past that they couldn't control. Kagome had a feeling that Sango belonged to the latter group, but didn't quite know how to go about finding that out without stepping on some very sensitive toes.

The food and tea was delivered amid the tense silence of the two women, and only when the waitress left did Kagome meet Sango's eyes.

Meeting across the table, the one who saved lives stared at the one who took them away.

And they found that they were both brought back not to the last few days, but back to that moment that had been resurrected in each of their memories.

Later, they would both laugh at the moment, saying how it was a typical Hollywood moment, and all that was missing was the corny music that usually preceded one of those stereotypical flashbacks.

For now though, it was a serious moment as they both remembered just what had brought them to this situation in the first place…

- - - -

"Whoever invented the telephone should be doomed to a life burning in hell."

With a lift of one delicately sculpted eyebrow that no doubt had taken hours to achieve, the receptionist at the front desk regarded the young intern with some surprise. "And why would you say that?"

Kagome Higurashi pointed at the offending instrument in question, her eyes boring into the off-white plastic as though she were trying to burn a hole straight through. "Because then I would be home by now, surrounding by hot water and bubbles and perfume and candles, with a slice of chocolate cake making its way through my digestive system. Not listening to someone complain that their dog smells funny, and that it's probably a sign of their impending death, and that they think a vet should always be on call. Do they not realize that there is a perfectly good emergency clinic just a ten minute drive from here?"

Mrs. Usami gave a delicate shake of her head. "Not everyone is quite as sensible as some. And others fall even further below that level."

"Always the philosopher, aren't you?" Kagome asked, hints of humour dotting her words.

"I try."

With a smile and a sigh, the dark-haired intern stared at the phone for a second more, willing it with all her power to stop ringing.

When no sound came from the harmless device, she turned in triumph to the older woman behind the desk.

"Can we close up now?"

Mrs. Usami glanced at her watch then gave a slow nod. "Don't forget to make sure that the machines are properly shut down, and that the medicine cabinets are locked."

She'd heard the same instructions a hundred times before, but as usual Kagome merely smiled and went off to do the closing up routine. It was best not to argue with the receptionist. After all, she'd been here for the last twenty years; Kagome had been here less than a month.

As the last machine hummed its last breath before falling into sleep, Mrs. Usami called out her farewell. Counting to ten, the young intern timed the woman's predictable steps until the front door came to a close, and all that was left in the office were a few sickly animals and one human.

These were the moments that Kagome enjoyed the most, when she was alone in the clinic, the rooms empty of any sounds except the gentle breathing of sleeping pets and her own footsteps echoing quietly as she moved around. There were no clients waiting impatiently to be served, no wailing children clinging to suffocating kittens, and no piercing rings drifting from the telephone.

It was in one word peaceful, and for an instant the young woman felt like it was her peace.

Shuffling quietly over to the back room, she poked her head in briefly to make sure none of the animals were in need of tending. Dr. Satsumi sent the more critical patients to the overnight emergency clinic and—on the rare occasion—brought one home with him. The ones here were recovering from basic wounds, or were in need of a home, having been plucked off the cold autumn streets.

Satisfied with the gentle snores of the animals, Kagome let the door fall back and returned to the peace of the waiting room and front desk. Mrs. Usami—as efficient as ever—had all necessary papers stacked on the desk, with little notes attached to each one explaining what Kagome needed to record or sign.

Those were stuffed into her bag, as was the small pile of patient files that needed to be fully filled out. The profession of veterinarian required diligence and hard work and, of course, a love for animals. But most of all, it required a steady patience with both the two- and four-legged creatures that roamed the planet.

Kagome could only hope that she would be able to be as patient as her boss was, especially if she ever ran a practice on her own.

Running a hand over the slick top of the desk, she wondered what it would be like to run your own clinic, taking care of everything on your own. Never having to answer to anyone. Being the only doctor that the animals ever had to see.

Vets like that seemed to develop a much more personal relationship with their patients and their owners. She had seen a warmth from these people that was directed at their aging vet, a warmth that had been lacking in the larger Tokyo Animal Hospital she had spent the summer in as a vet technician.

'Yes,' Kagome decided, 'It would be nice to have my own practice. If I ever make it through my final exams.'

Shaking her head, she gathered up her things and—after a bit of searching—dug up the keys to close down the clinic.

With one final glance at the muted tones of the waiting room, Kagome reached for the gleaming steel handle of the door, and opened it, expecting to be met by the usually breezes of autumn that carried with it a chill that seeped to the bones.

Instead, she was met with a figure, shorter than her, and clutching a small bundle in her arms. The lights from the waiting room illuminated the girl, adding shadows to her face that would not be there in normal light.

Taken back, Kagome clutched her bag and regarded the new arrival warily. If it hadn't been for the desperate look on her sad face, the intern would have taken her perhaps for a thief in need of a quick fix.

But it wasn't just the face that stopped any thoughts about maniacs and psychopaths. It was also the small bundle that was held carefully in the girl's arms, the small bundle that Kagome realized was oozing a dark red substance.

It took only a second before she realized what it was. It took another second for Kagome to open her mouth and finally say something.

"I'm sorry, but the clinic is closed for the night. You'll have to go to the emergency one. It's ten minutes down the main road, even if you need to drive slowly."

The girl's eyes widened, their dark hue the same colour as the night sky that rose behind them. "Please…I beg you, please help me. I can't get to the other clinic."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I can't be of any help," Kagome said, gesturing feebly at the empty waiting room. "Everyone's gone home for the night. There's nothing I can do."

The intern made a move forward, and was surprised to find her way blocked by the girl. She had moved closer, close enough for Kagome to see the tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.

Close enough for her to see the strange boomerang shaped thing poking out from behind one shoulder. Whatever it was, it too was laced in the same dark red substance that the bundle was oozing.

Suddenly something seemed wrong. Very wrong. And Kagome hadn't lived with her superstitious grandfather for eighteen years for nothing. He had always said to trust your first feelings. Something she was more than willing to do at the moment.

"You're here, and you must at least work with animals," The girl pleaded, "I…my pet needs help fast, or she might…she might…"

Those tears that had been threatening to fall finally came down in a thin trickle, staining the pale cheeks. "Please…she's the only friend I have…you have to help…"

It was one thing to be faced with a crying girl clutching her pet.

It was another to be faced with that image, and to understand exactly how she felt.

But what to do? Dr. Satsumi was at his son's tennis tournament in the next village over, hence why she had been left to close up on her own. He had also made it clear that he would be staying overnight so he could catch his daughter's game the next morning. The two other vets in the vicinity were no doubt busy in emergency, and besides, it would be too much to call them over. Mrs. Usami…well, she wouldn't be any help if the animal was this badly hurt, since her skills were reserved mainly for office work...

'Dammit, why me? And why am I such a sucker? Miroku was right, I do need to get a backbone.'

With a sigh, Kagome stepped back and gestured for the girl to enter. As she passed by, the intern got a close look at the object that was strapped to her back, and suddenly wondered just who she was helping. The object was in fact not only in the shape of a boomerang—it was in fact a giant boomerang, and it was covered in splatters of blood.

Trying to control her shaking hands, Kagome left her bag on a chair, and quickly locked the front door. The last thing she needed was someone bursting through the door. Dr. Satsuma would not appreciate people using his clinic as a late night drop-in.

"Put your pet on that table over there, in Examination Room One. I'll be with you in a second."

As the girl disappeared into the room, Kagome eyed the black outfit she donned. It was hardly conventional attire, as it appeared to be skintight, with pink dressings to break up the monotony. Obviously this was no regular homemaker whose dog had just got hit by a car.

Taking deep breaths, the intern washed her hands and donned the dreaded latex gloves and smart white lab coat. Tying her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face, she mentally tried to prepare herself for what she was about to do. Sure, there had been plenty of slideshows detailing gruesome accidents, and the outcomes on the animals involved. But as of now, the goriest thing Kagome had dealt with in the examination room was a raccoon that had discovered walking across a highway during rush hour wasn't the most intelligent thing to do.

Judging by the ever increasing stain on the bundle, there was quite a bit of a mess hiding underneath the blanket. And damned if she wasn't nervous.

Not that blood made her go all woozy and lightheaded of course, because if it had, then her career path might have taken a more domestic route. No, it was the exposed bones and the loose bits of fur hanging by threads. It was the smells, and the cries of pain and the stoniness of all animals that made her heart pound and her throat go dry.

Just like it was doing now.

'Breathe deep, Higurashi. Just breathe, and soon this will all be over, happy ending or no.'

- - - -

The first thing she noticed about the clinic was that it was calmly efficient, not quite crossing the line from homey to sterile. The walls were a muted grey, the tiles an off-white. The paintings on the walls were those usually found in medical facilities; quiet sceneries, vases of gently arranged flowers or— in this particular case—the occasional puppy or kitten lounging around in green grass and sunlight.

Despite the emotions threatening to take hold and never let go, Sango noticed all of these things. She also noticed the wary look in the young woman's eyes when she had opened the door and caught sight of the bundle that exterminator had been clutching in her arms.

But her priorities weren't in analyzing the clinic's interior decorating, or its inhabitants. All that mattered at this moment was her friend, the one true friend she had ever had, lying in her arms amid a sea of her own blood.

Trying her damnedest to fight back the tears that were spilling down her face, Sango placed the bundle on the stainless steel table, the sound of cloth meeting metal bringing the reality of the situation even closer to home.

Her friend, her companion, her demon cat…whatever the title, Kirara was hurt badly, and it had been Sango's fault.

Pushing the blankets back slowly to stop from hurting the cat even more, she revealed her friend in the harsh, unforgiving fluorescent light that all medical establishments were known for.

Even if she had placed Kirara's body under the most wonderful, illuminating light there was, the situation would have looked no better.

'That blood, those cuts…they're my fault…all my stupid fault,' the young exterminator thought, trembling fingers curled around the edges of the cloth. If only she hadn't taken that stupid assignment. If only she'd let her brother go, let her father take this one on with his usual team.

If only she hadn't been so stubborn and pig-headed, and so determined to prove her talents to her family, then none of this would have happened. Kirara would have been at home in their apartment, maybe curled up by the fireplace, or sneaking into her supply of bacon treats that Sango religiously supplied.

Thoughts of what might have been seemed to hurt more, and Sango was on the verge of another breakdown when the door opened and the young woman stepped in.

She had donned the formal vet attire, and despite her earlier words about not being a veterinarian, she obviously had to be something related to that field. A simple volunteer couldn't quite command the same presence and compassion in a starched lab coat that this woman could.

Swallowing back the lump in her throat, Sango gestured helplessly to her companion. "Is there any hope for her?"

It only took a glance before Kagome realized that the animal was a cat. It took another one before she registered the second tail.

"You're friend's a demon?" The young intern demanded, unable to keep the shock from her voice.

Slowly, Sango nodded, her hand reaching out to the red-stained head in a protective move that Kagome took close note of. It seemed the young woman was prepared for that particular kind of reaction. "Yes, she is a demon. A fire cat demon, to be precise. I don't care if you have issues with demons, or what your opinions are. Right now my friend is in a lot of pain, and demon or not, she deserves just as much of a chance that you give your animals."

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Kagome would have smiled at the girl's stubbornness. Obviously the weakness in the girl's eyes was not a permanent thing—most likely brought on by the passion and desperation she felt for her friend.

Well, two tails or no, this cat needed her help, and—despite the many rules she was no doubt breaking at this very moment—Kagome decided that she would do whatever she could to ease the animal's suffering. Besides, if she managed to keep this off records and accounts, then perhaps she would not be in as much trouble as she imagined, since Dr. Satsumi was a bigger softie than her.

And, dammit, there was a reason she was in this profession. Coming to the aid of all creatures was a vet's unspoken doctrine, and right now—whether due to exhaustion or simple craziness—Kagome was going to uphold that to the best of her intern's abilities.

Holding up a hand, Kagome hoped that she could keep control of her wavering voice. "Look, whatever problems you've had before with veterinarians, you won't find them here."

"So you are a vet!"

"No, I'm not," Kagome corrected, rubbing her hands in baby powder before donning latex gloves as she had done many times before. Somehow the familiar process helped calm some of her nerves. "I'm studying to be one though. Right now, I'm acting as Dr. Satsumi's intern. Now I need you to hold her still if you can. Keep a gentle but firm grip on her neck, just like that. Good, good."

Facing the cat, Kagome proceeded with a close examination of the wounds, trying to draw on everything that she had read about serious injuries. Gently, she wiped away as much blood as she could in hopes of gaining clearer views of the wounds. The cat barely stirred, apparently suffering from shock, among other things. The gashes in her side were deep, and hardly the usual kind of cuts that Kagome had seen in pictures. Obviously, this wasn't an ordinary accident. She made a quick note in the back of her mind to ask what had happened, kicking herself for not doing it sooner. Oh well, there would be time for that after.

Her back ached when she straightened, but it was a satisfying sort of feeling, for she had a much better idea about the animal's state, and it didn't appear to be quite as bad as she had first thought.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome went to a cupboard to fetch the supplies that would be needed, talking to the young owner as she worked.

"Well, whatever happened to her, she got pretty lucky. No signs of internal bleeding or broken bones. She'll have some deep bruising though, especially in the chest and head area. No major arteries were severed either, so it all comes down to some pretty nasty flesh wounds. As for her head, she'll probably be prone to a few dizzy spells—whatever knocked her up got a good shot at her skull, resulting in what's probably a small concussion. She's also in shock, but that will wear off soon."

Threading the needle, she glanced up at the young woman in the strange black and pink outfit. "First though, I need you to tell me exactly what happened to her, in case I'm missing something." When it appeared that the girl hesitated, Kagome continued, "Any kind of omission could result in some bad mistakes being made here, and it wouldn't necessarily be my own fault."

Later, Kagome would feel a sense of pride of the control she had displayed during those crucial moments, but at that time it took all of her strength to keep her hands from shaking.

Sango took a deep breath, searching for any kind of anger or judgment in the intern's eyes. Upon finding none, the exterminator let the air out of her constricting chest. Her mother had always told her that talking about bad experiences was the foundation of a healing process. Although she doubted she could ever bring herself to talk about her mother now, the story behind Kirara's injuries flowed from her mind to her mouth with surprising ease.

"Her name is Kirara, and she's not only my friend, but my partner as well."

"Partner in what?"

Sango looked down at the bent head, and turned her head away as soon as the needle began to thread its way through torn skin. Even though Kirara was too far gone to feel the pain, it still hurt for her to watch it.

Somehow, speaking about her profession to a wall was easier than speaking directly to the woman herself. What would normally have stayed buried inside came out into the open, with no time to stop it.

"I'm…I'm a demon exterminator, daughter to the head of the Taijiya Corporation. My father found Kirara on one of his jobs. Her family had been killed by a spider demon that he himself had killed. He gave her to me for my tenth birthday, with a big red bow around her neck."

Smiling softly at the happy memory—one of the few she kept fiercely burned in her mind—she continued. "We were on a job, tracking down a bear demon that was reported to have attacked a village further north from here. What we didn't realize was that it was a female bear demon, and she was guarding her cubs from the humans who were developing the forest that they lived in. Bear demons are particularly protective of their young. She…came out of nowhere. I was too stupid and blind to realize that she was following us. Kirara went for her, to protect me…"

Her throat was all choked up, and her eyes had blurred again. Cursing her sudden emotional outburst with disgust, Sango tried to hide her reaction by turning to a poster on the wall, which conveniently depicted two frolicking kittens.

Despite being thoroughly involved in her work, Kagome was conscious enough of human emotions to realize sadness and pain when she heard it.

"Where did the demon hit her?" She asked as gently as she could, fingers and eyes never straying from the needle.

A soft shuffling sound could be heard, and the exterminator's voice could be heard, closer this time to the table. It was a good sign that she wasn't about to break down completely.

"It was so dark, and even with the nighttime goggles I had on, it all happened so fast…I know she was thrown into a tree, and she hit it with her—left side, I think. It took her a minute to get up before the bear used her claws, and then threw her again. What you have to understand is that Kirara can grow when she needs to. She's too young to reach full size, but she can still grow to about the size of a really big dog. Usually she remains in her big form when she's hurt, but this time seemed to be different." Kagome heard a small sigh then felt the presence shift until the young woman's face was across from her over the table. "That's why I brought her to you. She's still too young to master the healing powers that demons have. A few minor scratches aren't such a big deal, but claws…"

"Are pretty deadly," Kagome finished. Her mind reeled with the story she had just heard. A demon exterminator here? In the clinic? She had always thought they were a reclusive group, hiding in the shadows. So many tales had been twisted that their images changed person to person. But the woman before her dismissed all of them as old wives tales.

The young woman wasn't ten feet tall, nor did she have lizard, cat, or red eyes. She didn't seem capable of jumping ten feet, and there were certainly no wings sprouting from her back. Her teeth weren't pointed, sharpened, nor were there any fangs. And as far as she knew, the girl wasn't hiding any fur or scales underneath the clothing.

All Kagome could see was a young woman, garbed in strange clothes, mourning a hurt pet. The boomerang on her back still glistened with blood, and she suspected there would be hardness in the exterminator's eyes after the emotions departed, but other than that she was just a normal person with exceptional skills.

And she was also the descendent of the famed Tajiya family, a tribe that dated back beyond the samurai era.

Her grandfather and brother would never believe this!

As the last stitch was put in its place, Kagome took a moment to admire the clean line she had managed. Then, she stretched out the clenched muscles in her shoulders before facing the girl.

"Well, my diagnosis and your story seem to fit. The reason she shrank was probably due to the concussion I mentioned. Kirara probably lost her concentration with the head injury, just as she will now if she tries it any time soon. Since she hit her head twice, I'd keep an eye out for any abnormal signs of behavior—besides the dizziness—such as throwing up, complete loss of balance, or spasms. I'll give you some papers to help you. Also, no more growing big until the stitches disappear. Since you probably don't want to bring her back in, those stitches will dissolve in a little while. But until then, any big movements she makes could open the wound, and then we'd be back at square one."

Getting a few moist cloths, Kagome began to wipe away the blood on the fur, and was pleasantly surprised to find the fur underneath was creamy and felt wonderfully soft.

As the last remaining red spots were wiped away, Kagome felt a hand reach out and grasp her own. The palm was callused and a little raw, but there was no mistaking what it was trying to convey.

Dark eyes were open, with no barriers holding back the flood of gratefulness that welled up within them.

"Thank you…thank you so much for helping me."

The exterminator's voice cracked, but still she spoke. "Tell me your name."

Resting a hand on the small cat's head, Kagome met the gratefulness with her own respect. Demon exterminator or no, she was human, and she had opened Kagome's eyes to a world that few truly understood.

"Kagome…my name is Kagome Higurashi."

The girl's hand squeezed her own, and then let it go, but her eyes remained on the vet's. "Kagome Higurashi," she repeated. "I owe you a great debt, as an exterminator and as a person. One day I will find a way to repay you for your help, on my word as a Tajiya."

So touched by this vow—and later, too bewildered by everything to even think clearly—Kagome realized later that she never got around to asking the name of the girl herself.

- - - -

"Guess you know my name now."

Sango's quiet comment had Kagome jerked back from the past into a very real present. Staring at the young woman from over her cooling cup of tea, Kagome realized that it wouldn't be so hard to get over the past. After all, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant memory. And knowing this did explain a few things, but there was still one fuzzy piece of the puzzle that she wanted clarified.

"I know a lot more," She remarked carefully, trying hard to keep her voice neutral. "What I want to know now is why Inuyasha hates you so much. And would this have to do with your profession?"

With a slow, precise nod, Sango grabbed another chocolate pastry and gulped it down, hoping the sugar would ease the jumping nerves humming in her body. Bit by bit, she told the story from beginning to end, leaving her new friend with no questions as the real truth came out. Eventually, after another round of tea, Sango finished the tale and rewarded herself with another chocolate cake.

"Well it makes more sense than the version that Miroku gave me," Kagome said, and for the first time in the last few hours, she smiled. A true smile that warmed up her mind and heart, and gave her the clarity to see things in a mature light. When she saw Sango's expression brighten, she knew that things would alright between them. The relief that cut through the tension came in a calming wave, and both women felt as though they had been released of a small burden.

"I still owe you, you know," Sango mentioned after they had finished the cakes and tea. "No, don't you dare refuse me either. When a Taijiya makes a vow on the family name, we stick with it until we feel it has been fully repaid. Kirara wouldn't have survived if you hadn't been there, and I wouldn't have been able to survive many situations without Kirara."

When Kagome still looked hesitant, the exterminator rolled her eyes in mock frustration as she snatched the bill away from the other woman's hands. "Oh no, this one's on me, and don't even think about making this my repayment. Whether you like it or not, there's someone here who's going to find a way of making the past up to you."

Startled by Sango's heartfelt words, the young veterinarian decided not to argue, especially when she could see the rock hard stubbornness buried in the woman's eyes. There would be another time for that, and she didn't really want to insult the Taijiya honour either. Warriors seemed to have a very deep-rooted sense of pride.

Instead, she simply shrugged in acceptance, and leaned over to the bags piled at the exterminator's feet. "What have you been up to?"

Sango looked down, and grinned through the blush rising in her cheeks. "Nothing much, just a few magazines and junk food, and some things to keep Kirara busy of course. Oh cripes, wait a minute! I completely forgot! Her cat food!"

Raising an eyebrow, Kagome hefted her share of the bags and followed Sango out the door into a cold street. Shivering, she dug deeper into her jacket, anticipating the warmth that the drive home would bring.

"The lady at the pet store told me to get the cat food at that clinic of yours! Here, you take the keys and the rest of the bags, and I'll meet you at the car. It shouldn't take too long."

Sango moved fast. By the time Kagome had properly sorted out the extra bags and keys into steady hands, the dark head had disappeared from view. Shaking her head in amusement, she started the cold walk back to the car, alone with her thoughts.

One thing was for sure, this morning's adventure had certainly kept her mind off of certain things.

Silver-haired, dog-eared things to be exact.

Annoying, dumb-ass, bloody stupid things…

With an inward groan, the dark-haired woman stormed off to the car, cursing her short term memory all the way there.

- - - -

"Feeling cold yet?"

Gold eyes narrowed, trying their best to glare away the ferocious grin on Miroku's face.

"Hanyou don't get cold," Inuyasha growled, trying his best to flex numbed fingers behind his back. No, he wasn't cold. He'd frozen up a long time ago, thereby banishing any feeling his nerves might have wished to conjure up. It was a wonder he was able to climb off that damned snowmobile, seeing as his jeans were basically glued to the seat.

But he wasn't going to let his friend get the satisfaction of knowing he was right. Heaven help anyone who fed that man's ego.

Instead, he tucked his fingers into the solid pockets of his pants, ignoring the frost that collected on his knuckles, and faced the resort.

What was still in the stages of development would be wondrous once it had all been completed. Although buried under snow, the massive building towered above him, impassive and dominating even in the bleak white world it was built into.

They had parked under the outstretched wooden awning that covered the entrance to the hotel, which was built below gigantic panes of glass arranged into a sort of A-Frame arrangement, like one would see if they ever visited a Swiss town.

Miroku had explained that the resort spread out into two separate wings, splitting up the rooms and various suites that were offered. The pool--contained in a two story room--was at the back, with the tennis courts and gymnasium flanking it on their respective sides.

"So, business partner of mine, what do you think?"

"Not bad for a first-timer, hentai. What's the competition like?"

So it wasn't exactly an indulgent answer, but it was the best compliment he had heard emerging from the hanyou's mouth in a long while.

Grinning, he moved to stand beside Inuyasha, marveling at the progress his little pet project had made. He'd always thought he'd had three solid, dependable weaknesses—food, women, and sports—but this resort was slowly but surely becoming his fourth. There was nothing like seeing a dream being built in front of your own eyes to make a day brighter.

"There's the Snow Crane Winter Resort about an hour away from here, but they operate mainly in the winter, and don't really have anything for the summer except an outdoor pool and two tennis courts. The worst of our competition is a good extra four hour drive from here, but it pretty much rivals what we've got." With a shrug, Miroku turned to his friend and gestured towards the front door. "Still, we're closer to the big cities, and hopefully we can maintain reasonable rates for the first few years."

"You chose a good place," Inuyasha said as he was led through the wood-rimmed glass doors that served as an entrance. "You've got some brains in that head of yours, Houshi, even if you don't care to display them."

"See, that's where you're wrong. I show my brains off all the time, but only few can truly appreciate my genius."

"Does this genius show while you're groping up some woman, or after, when she slaps you silly?"

"Inuyasha, my poor, naive friend. The genius is in the execution of the whole process. One day though, I will teach you all I know." Placing a hand on his heart, he gave a mock bow and just missed dodging the door swinging into his rear end. "But for now, my apprentice, I will show you all the secrets of my humble resort."

Unable to conceal the smile that had appeared on his face, the hanyou side-stepped the piles of lumber that blocked his way, and emerged into a masterpiece. His smile fell away as his jaw dropped.

"Now I know this part isn't finished yet," Miroku explained as he came up behind the silver-haired dog-demon, "But despite all this construction junk, the main lobby's not too shabby is it?"

Shaking his head, Inuyasha strained his eyes as he tried to take in the whole of it.

Whoever had designed the lobby had had elegance in mind. Although the marble floors were rough and unpolished, they already spoke of the glamour that would gleam from this place. Half-built reception desks were arranged in a semi-circle on the outer walls, only broken up by a massive half-finished fireplace directly across from the main doors.

The centre of the room was cleared, all except for a large Torii in the centre, with bare flower boxes forming a broken circle around it and a void underneath.

When asked what it was for, Miroku beckoned him closer for a better look. "We're going to have a carp pond here, complete with all sorts of native plants and bamboo surrounding it in a wide circle. The chairs and couches will be arranged within the bamboo, to give visitors the feeling of being in a peaceful garden. Since we're basically building everything into solid rock, there won't be a lot of land for gardens, so we decided to bring the outside in."

Pointing upwards, Miroku urged him to take a look up. When he did, Inuyasha realized that the grandeur of the place was already there...it just hadn't been finished yet. The ceiling itself was enough to instill a sense of awe into any average visitor, with soaring window panes arranged into a glass dome that reflected the cold winter sky.

"I don't think publicity will be too much of a problem," Inuyasha said as he circled the lobby, noting the workmanship that was going into each clerk desk. Miroku had found excellent workers, and an ingenious architect. "Once the wealthy clientele start piling through that door, we'll have no problems trying to book rooms. What's your plan for the Grand Opening?"

"The estimate I got was that everything will be up and running by next November, even those dratted stables that are costing us so much of our time. I was thinking of a formal affair, lots of glitz, glamour and ice sculptures. We're going to send out invitations to our most regular and well-financed customers from the Silver Fan, of course, as well as to some of the other more prominent businessmen and women in the area. Trust me; they'll be so bogged down by champagne and caviar that the prices for the more elegant suites will hardly make them bat a pretty little manicured eyelid. "

Inuyasha was about to question just how expensive these suites were going to be when voices could suddenly be heard. Twitching his ears, he focused on the sounds, and realized that they were not happy voices.

"What's going on? A marital spat?"

Miroku craned his hearing to try and pick up the sounds that Inuyasha so deftly heard, but could only catch a few shouts that ebbed into obviously quiet anger. Still, it was enough to confirm who was making all the noise.

Rolling his eyes, he headed off down one of the main hallways to the sides, gesturing for his business partner to follow. "Brace yourself, comrade. You're about to meet the architect and the contractor. A livelier couple you have never met."

"So it is a marital spat?"

"No, a worker's fight that could lead to some very precious documents being ripped up or tossed at various body parts."

Despite the yelling that grew in octaves in his sensitive ears, Inuyasha could still hear Miroku's little sigh. Apparently this wasn't exactly a rare occasion.

Ducking under a line of yellow tape, the two men emerged into what Miroku hoped would eventually become the grand dining room. Right now it was still a vacant space with four walls and in need of some serious plastering. That was if his two employees could ever agree on the details of it all.

Standing in the middle of the mess was a short, pot-bellied man, whose eyes appeared to bulge every time he threw out another curse word. The woman who was taking the brunt of it appeared cool and collected, despite a few stray strands of hair falling precariously out of a neat bun.

"Inuyasha," Miroku muttered under his breath, "I introduce to you our contractor, Mr. Yoshi Kada, and our architect, Ms. Kikyo Obinata."

"They seem to have a great relationship," Inuyasha muttered back, unable to suppress a cynical grin playing over his lips.

"As harmonious as that of you and dark-haired, female veterinarians," was the dry reply, which earned the young businessman a good, burning glare from his friend.

Since it was still impossible to kill someone using solely your eyes, Inuyasha had to resort to digging claws into the man's shoulder. "You aren't so hot with the ladies yourself. I don't see that assassin jumping into your bed anytime soon."

Miroku had never truly realized how sharp demon dog claws were, but he was certainly getting a good idea. Thankfully, after years of having various objects lobbed at his body he was used to the pain. Smiling, he shrugged out of the hanyou's grip, and sent him a quick wink. "When she jumps into my bed, she won't be getting out. And you won't get a wink of sleep when that happens."

Turning to the arguing pair, he let his voice rise until it cut through the screams and silenced everyone. "GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE! Everything all right over here, my pretties?"

The architect swirled to face him first, a fist raised in the air, another clutching a myriad of papers. "You know damn well that nothing's all right here, Mr. Houshi. Not with this lout destroying my creation."

"Your creation? YOUR creation? Just who's getting the building done, little missy? Tell me that!" The contractor stepped forward, bowing quickly to his boss. "Mr. Houshi, this woman's head has been filled with too many ideas. You should hear the ridiculous things she wants done now."

Obviously Kikyo did not take to being called 'little missy' very well. It took only a second before all the papers in her hand ended up in Mr. Kada's general direction. "You pompous ass, Yoshi! What? Can't you and your little male friends prove your big strong manhood by adding in a mosaic? Hmm? What's that? Oh, that's right, you don't have dicks to begin with!"

As the argument continued once again, Miroku sent a quick glance back to his suspiciously silent friend. It appeared Inuyasha was certainly getting his daily quota of amusement from the scene.

Pointing at the door, Miroku made sure his message was clear with both hand signals and harsh whispers. "Go explore. Let me handle this."

Inuyasha seemed hesitant at first, wanting to see how this scenario would develop. But he had no patience for smoothing ruffled feathers, and there were plenty of other things he could occupy himself with until his guide would be able to show him the rest of the place.

With a quick wave, Inuyasha backed out of the door, careful not to alert the contractor and architect to his presence as he disappeared out the door.

Breathing a quick sigh of relief, he ambled down the hallway, looking around at the prospect in the place. He refused, absolutely refused to think about the strange fact that the architect looked like a certain female that had picking away at his sanity. He also banished the comments that Miroku had made from his already unstable brain.

Stupid snowmobile ride did nothing, he thought grimly, even the freezing cold can't stop her from getting into my head.

His stride picked up its pace as he headed further down the hallway in an effort to clear his head, past the lobby, and into the other wing, which looked pretty much identical to its counterpart, minus the arrangement of construction equipment. Here, there were men measuring and darting in and out of half-finished doorways, and working on the various rooms spread along the length of the corridor. Most didn't even notice him; the ones that did merely nodded and returned to their work.

Inuyasha was surprised by this behavior. Surely they would react to a stranger—a hanyou stranger no less—with a bit more…well, enthusiasm.

Then again, his face wasn't exactly an unknown one in the business world, and his father had employed so many different construction companies that, by now, any casual worker would know of Inutaisho and his sons.

A cool breeze suddenly greeted him as he neared the end, digging icy claws into his thawing skin.

The source was from an open door at the very end of the passage, and it was enough to make Inuyasha want to turn back into the warm confines of the resort. But something stopped him before he was fully turned.

There was a…a scent on the wind. Something eerily alien to his nose, and yet he knew that it was something that he should recognize.

Furrowing his brow, he sniffed harder, edging towards the door. But the scent was diluted by the many other beings and smells in the building, enough so that he had his head out the door in an effort to see if it was stronger outside.

With the gods of winter laughing overhead, Inuyasha tentatively eased into the frigid outdoors, grimacing at the sudden gust of wind that put to rest any hopes of maintaining some kind of warmth.

Despite the changing breezes, the strange scent was easy to follow. The owner of it must have passed by within the last few hours, if it could be that strong. Thankfully, a dog-demon's sense of smell rivaled their mortal, four-legged friends, and what could have been lost to a golden retriever was easily hunted by the hanyou.

He passed a few more workers, and wound around a clump of trees as it began to grow even more distinct. Breaking into a run, Inuyasha followed the trail, trying in vain to place what it came from. A feeling of dread swamped him as he neared the source, and for an instant, he regretted running off so suddenly.

But there was no stopping now. Whatever it was, it was definitely not going to evade the great Inuyasha!

Seeing as that particular hanyou's streak of bad luck had slowly been increasing ever since he had ended up on his friend's doorstep, asking for help with a wounded arm, it would seem only natural that he would have a turn of good luck at some point in the near future. Yet the person who held his fate in their hands seemed neither willing to give him this or must have simply enjoyed watching him suffer.

For as the scent grew almost overpowering and the pace quickened to blinding speed—and Inuyasha was sure of the thing's capture—he ran smack dab into a craggy rock face. Stars erupted in his vision, and shots of pain tingled up from his nose into his suddenly aching head as words that would make Miroku cringe poured out of his mouth.

Growling in frustration, he blinked furiously, hands feeling around desperately for an opening in the solid surface. When his hands turned up nothing, he used his fuzzy vision to try and see the hole or crevice that had to be there. There could be no possible way that the thing he had been tracking had disappeared into mid air, nor could be even remotely possible that it had passed through the rock.

So where the hell did it go?

He could have spent hours trying to find out where it had went, but time was something he wasn't willing to dedicate to this particular venture. Whatever had left that smell was gone, and it obviously did not want to be followed. Besides, he wasn't about to freeze his ass off out here looking for something that he wasn't too sure was worth the loss of all feeling in his limbs.

With a crack of his knuckles, Inuyasha started the walk home, the wind cutting through the fibers of his sweater and attacking his prone body. His nose was currently throbbing too, as if he needed any more problems to help him on his way back.

Despite the numerous issues his mind and body were having, one thing still remained clear in his mind. The thing he had tracked wasn't something good. Its smell was familiar, true, but he somehow knew that the familiarity had come from a bad experience.

Whatever the creature or thing was, it wasn't going to spell out good news for any of the people who resided here, and Inuyasha made a firm, mental note to memorize that particular scent.

He had a funny feeling that it would be showing itself again sometime soon. Very soon.

- - - -

Chapter 17 will be coming up with some of that fluff people keep demanding…

By the way, just to tell you, a Torii in Japan is: "a stone or wooden gateway that marks the boundary of the sacred precincts", according to the following website-- http:www.tshs.ccs.k12.nc.us/Tchwebs/swilliams/japan/Japan%20Facts/religions.htm

(It has a picture too!)