Author's Note: I would just like to mention how awesome my ONE AND ONLY reviewer is...Addanc-TSC and that she ROCKS! XP By the way, sorry 'bout the wait, but I got really busy...homework, tests, ect...and my muse abandoned me (again), but enough whining...ON WITH THE STORY!
Disclaimer: If I owned InuYasha and company, do you honestly think I would be sitting here on my 'pooter'(it's what I call my computer...don't ask -.-;;) writing fanfiction when I could be out spending my money!
"...Hear me my Chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. And from where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever." Chief Joseph of the Nez Perez Nation, in his famous speech of surrender to General Howard of the United States Army.
Walking With TITANS
By Rockrgrl9049
Location: Necromancer Inc. Research Facility (Code Name: MIKO)
Time: 0200 hours
Kagome was tired. It had been months since she had last seen the light of day, had a decent meal...She had held out hope for this long, but no more, this was her fate. The rest of her days were to be spent in this dungeon. White walls with the battered paint, pealing, and gleaming back at her through the enveloping darkness was her only company. Her life was going to be spent here in this illegal research facility; from what she could gather from the guards' chatter was that she was being held in the subterranean levels of Necromancer Incorporated. They were a prominent corporation, overshadowed only by Tashio Industries, but they were infamous for their shady dealings and...unorthodox approaches to business.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, they were coming! The ones who took her to be hooked up tp that horrid machine! Something about purity and ancient magic; the perfect counter balance to the 'those TITANS.' Fear coursed through Kagome's system, she was usually sedated, but she always remembered one thing very acutely, the sheer pain. The footfalls slowed to a stop outside of her cell; her personal prison. Keys jingled and a rusty lock grated open as the door swung inward; limiting the precious little space further. A large and imposing figure blocked her only escape route, not that it mattered much, she had given up. Her once brilliant ocean blue eyes lost their luminescence, and dulled to a slate grey. This did not go unnoticed by the burly guard, in fact he smirked and lumbered toward her perch on the dank flooring. He lifted her as if she were a rag doll; her already slight weight had diminished further with weeks of fasting. Limply, she hung in his grasp, completely resigned to her predetermined fate.
"Well...lookie here! How the mighty have fallen! Where is your spirit now little miko," the guard asked snidely, he really had no reason but to hate Kagome, because in her first weeks here she had 'given him more bruises then the rest combined,' "The boss was wrong 'bout you, it didn't take long to break your spirit at all, we just needed to remind you of your family's untimely end a little more often then we did with the rest!"
At this Kagome's muscles stiffened and she went completely ridged in rage and grief. 'They died, and its all my fault! Grandfather always told me I needed to control and train my powers, but did I listen, NO! Mom, Souta, Grandfather they are all gone because of me! If I had trained they never would have been able to control my powers the way they do now!' The scathing report did nothing for her disposition though, if anything, she only became more reserved and stoic.
At this the goon's smirk widened to a full-fledged, though sickening, grin and he shrugged then hefted Kagome's lax form over his shoulder roughly and exited the cell. Taking a few familiar turns, the pair arrived in the laboratory. Wiring was strung about within the room, linking the multiple computers that circled the ring of platforms that sat innocently in the center of the room. Stepping through the wiring with little grace and much stumbling and cursing, the guard reached the ring of platforms and deposited Kagome on her usual table; the one at the dead center, with the most wiring running through and about it.
Once the other prisoners had arrived and had been arranged (all of them had 'given up' long before Kagome, so this was a relatively quick task), all of the electrodes were attached to the 'patients' and the procedure began...
Location: TITANS Training Arena
Time: 2300 hours
The TITANS were assembled. This was a very rare occurrence, often either the Sun or Moon Squadrons were called upon individually, but almost never simultaneously. That could mean only one thing...a top secret, top security mission straight from Head Quarters.
The two Taiyouki of the squadrons stood side-by-side, both at attention, with their respective teams assembled behind them. After a moment the door at the head of the large conference room slid open with a barely audible 'swish,' then slid home once the figures had stepped through. Before the soldiers stood a very imposing, though aging military officer with a stern gaze. His eyes roamed over the assembled group before he boomed "At ease," and the TITANS fell into their places around the long table, with the Taiyouki of the Sun Squadron at the 'foot' of the table directly across form the aforementioned officer.
With a sigh the man at the head if the array took his seat then began, " You have been called here today under dire circumstances. The company Necromancer Incorporated, has developed a...counter force, their answer to the TITAN program. Namely, Project MIKO. They have 'recruited' one young woman, Hiragashi, Kagome. She has innate miko abilities. Sesshoumaru, enlighten those of us who don't know as to what a miko is," at this he looked to the golden eyed-man at the opposite end of the table.
"Sir, a miko is a maiden with an inherited ability to control the purity of her own soul. But, like the noble youki, miko bloodlines have waned greatly through the years," the man answered in a silky, yet deathly tone.
"Excellent as usual, Sesshoumaru. Now as I was saying, Necromancer Inc, has kidnaped this young woman, and exterminated her entire remaining kin. Our reconnaissance teams have gathered that they are using this young woman to induce miko abilities in formally 'normal' test subjects over a number of weeks. Your mission is to infiltrate the premises and extract the mark, Hiragashi. Any other test subjects are to be recovered as well, but the only definite mark is the 'true' miko, she is not to be compromised. You are to leave at 0100 hours. Understood?"
At the groups' nods, the officer signaled his assistant to distribute the briefing folders, signaling the end of the session.
As Sesshoumaru stood to leave, the officer halted him with a hand on his shoulder, "Come with me Leader," the amber-eyed man nodded an affirmative, fighting the urge to forcibly remove the man's hand, it was nothing personal, it was just that no one touched him.
The older man led Sesshoumaru out of the conference room and into his lavishly decorated office. Sighing again, the officer took his seat behind his massive desk and motioned for the taller man to take a seat himself. The Taiyouki begrudgingly moved to the offered chair and turned his undivided attentions to the person who had led him to this situation.
"Sesshoumaru, I've known you since you were a pup; known your parents since the beginning of this program. And I know you are a trustworthy and honorable person... I need a large favor."
At this Sesshoumaru still merely sat with his emotionless mask still in place, waiting for a full explanation.
"I was also friends with Kagome's father, he was a great soldier, in fact he was one of the best...even died for his country. Of course, Kagome doesn't know that, she thinks her father was killed in a car crash... But...back to the subject; I need you to look after Kagome for me. I promised to keep her safe a long time ago, and I intend to keep that promise. You are the best option to protect her, my only back-up is Kouga, maybe InuYasha, but I would prefer you to them. Naraku will do anything to get her back, she is the key to Project MIKO; Naraku's trump card. What do you say, do an old man a favor?"
'Excellent use of the oh so famous guilt trip...there really is no honorable way to back out of this...he really covered his bases this time. I'll just have to humor him...again...' At this revelation, the Taiyouki looked back into the man's eyes and gave a small nod of accord.
The older man smiled then replied, "Well then, better go and prepare for your mission, Pup!"
AN: REVIEW! Please? Nourishing reviews for a starving writer? does puppy eyes Please?