:AN: Okay, so how long have I been MIA? Nearly four and a half months? Well, in my defense I did put this on hiatus. And now it's off. But be warned, I have just started senior year, so that doesn't help the situation. I will try though. I put a lot of work into that story time-line I made…
Title: Teenage Mutant Inuyasha!
Chapter 5: The Dinner Dilemma
-
--
---
----
-----
------
Kaede found Inuyasha crouched on his favorite pipe staring sourly into space. He was obviously deep in thought because he hadn't even acknowledged her presence, which was uncustomary of him. "Ehem," she said.
He looked up at her and scowled.
Kaede grinned. "You look positively ecstatic, Inuyasha."
"I just agreed to go with the damned girl's house for dinner," he growled.
"The same girl from the day before?" she asked.
"No, the other girl who fell down the manhole," he replied scathingly.
"No need to bite, Inuyasha," she said. "I was only asking because it seems so unlike you to except such an invitation... not that you get many for me to reference from."
"She threatened to spend every spare moment here if I didn't agree," he explained. "I did it to save my sanity."
"Oh," Kaede nodded. It all made sense now. "When are you leaving?"
"In enough time to be there by seven," he shrugged.
Kaede smiled. "Well, if I don't see you before you leave, have a good time. And remember to keep your hat on."
Inuyasha grumbled something incoherent as Kaede returned to the darker confines of the sewers. After having traveled a good quarter of a mile, she looked back over her shoulder. Satisfied that nobody was around, she lifted a detachable panel from the wall that concealed a key pad. She hastily punched in the code. A latch in the floor opened, Kaede slipped silently inside.
"Honestly," she mumbled to herself as she climbed down the short ladder. "What does Inuyasha think I do down here everyday?" It was a legitimate question, seeing as she was getting on in her age, nearly 66, and she worked in the same part of the abandoned sewer everyday. It was odd that Inuyasha didn't question it.
Once inside she flicked on a switch and the room was showered with bright florescent lighting. Multiple screens nearly covered one wall, all surveillance. One was focused in on Inuyasha as he paced about; another watched the empty sewer diligently, waiting for anyone to approach, a few more watched the surface. A couple others were turned off, but one screen was watching Kaede herself. There was a computer as well; it was on a desk at which a comfy chair was positioned. There were few pleasantries in the room, leaving way for the opinion that the most serious business took place here.
A bulletin board on the far wall was littered with newspaper clippings. One, dated many years ago posed the question "Who is Naraku?" in imposing, black letters.
"Sir," a young, yet hard looking man said. "We have found him."
"Good, then-" Naraku was interrupted. He cast the man a deadly look as he spoke.
"If you'll excuse me Sir, before you give your order you should also know that we have spotted an undocumented Miko exiting his hide-out," the man explained. Naraku's harsh glare lifted and was replaced with a sickeningly pleased one. "We also have reason to believe that he will be with this Miko later tonight. A scout followed her home. They have no idea."
"Excellent," Naraku grinned devilishly. "When and where will the two be meeting?"
"We believe that they will be at the Miko's home around 7pm this evening," he replied.
"We will strike tonight then," Naraku decided. "And kill two birds with one stone. You will be rewarded for your efforts, Misou. Of that you can be sure."
"Thank you, Sir," Misou bowed. "You are most generous."
Kaede sat down at her computer and immediately started pulling up files, looking at random cases, knowing the connection but not knowing where it would lead to next. She continued working for hours until one of the black screens lit up with urgency.
"Kaede, he is in danger."
Inuyasha slinked out of the sewer as the sun had set. He hastily made his way to Kagome's home, this time a hat was securely pulled over his ears. Dragging his feet, he slowly made his way to the front door. He rang the bell and waited.
Soon, Ms. Higurashi answered the door, she ushered him in with a smile. "Inuyasha, I'm so glad you could make it," she cried with delight. "I'll just go send for Kagome. Dinner is just about ready, but feel free to make yourself comfortable in the living room."
Inuyasha nodded and went to the specified room. A pre-teen boy was lying on his stomach on the floor, absorbed in the television program.
"Hey," the boy uttered, not moving an inch. "You that Inuyasha guy?"
"Uh, yeah," he replied.
In the blink of an eye, the boy was on his knees by Inuyasha's seat studying him intently. "Mama says you have weird ears." With that he reached up for Inuyasha's hat.
Inuyasha forced the boy back with one hand and held his hat down with the other. "Let's leave the hat alone, shall we?"
"Oh, come on!" The boy struggled for the hat. "Just one peek?"
"No!" Inuyasha refused.
"Souta, leave him alone," Kagome ordered as she walked into the room. "Sorry Inuyasha." She yanked the boy away from him by the collar of his shirt. "You!" She ordered Souta, "Apologize!"
"Sorry," he muttered, eyes downcast. "It's not fair! Everyone else got to see!"
"Got to see what?" Mr. Higurashi asked as he made his entrance.
"Nothing of importance, Grandfather," Kagome replied icily. "Nothing you'd care about anyway."
Inuyasha picked up on the bad vibes in the room and assumed that Kagome wasn't talking about his ears. He glanced nervously between the two. Kagome was glaring openly and defiantly at her grandfather and the old man only held her eyes for a second before turning away and muttering, "Dinner's ready, why don't we all go eat?"
The elder man shuffled away, having not even acknowledged Inuyasha's presence, not that the boy minded. One less person trying to tear his hat off was always a good thing. Although, he was tempted to ask what the whole bit was about, but that would be something a friend would do, or somebody who cared would at least. And Inuyasha was neither her friend, nor someone who cared. So he reframed from asking and followed everyone into the dinning room. The less connection he had with this family, the better.
Kaede, meanwhile, was frantic. Inuyasha was gone; he'd left before she could get to him. He was in danger and there was nothing she could do! She didn't know where this Kagome girl lived! She raced back to her secret room and called her contact.
"He's gone, I don't know where, but I do know who he's with," she said. "A high school girl, name Kagome. I don't know her last name but if you could pull up all girls in the area with that description I should be able to pull her out."
Seconds later, a few pictures accompanied with the corresponding background information appeared on her monitor. Apparently Kagome wasn't that common of a name these days. It made the search easier. She was easily able to pick out the girl's picture from the rest; Kagome of the Higurashi family.
The Higurashi family.
Things only got more complicated by the minute…
Ms. Higurashi prepared a delicious spread, Inuyasha made sure to help himself to plenty as he was encouraged. The dinner was, for the most part a silent affair aside from the soothing comments of Ms. Higurashi who asked questions about everyone's day. Majority of the responses were one word.
Then Mr. Higurashi spoke. "So you're the Inuyasha boy who brought Kagome home the other night?"
"Yes," Inuyasha replied, keeping with the status quo of one-word answers.
He huffed. "Such manners; invited over out of the goodness our hearts and wearing a hat at the table? Preposterous!"
"Come now," Ms. Higurashi said good-heartedly. "He went through the trouble of escorting Kagome home after dark! You know how the streets can be at night! He could be wearing a chicken suit right now for all I care!"
"Humph, this is just not the way things were done in my day," he commented.
"Yes Grandfather," Kagome said. "We all know how different things are now compared to how they used to be."
"Kagome," her mother scolded.
"No," Mr. Higurashi stood and wiped his mouth. "No, let her. Let her carry on like a child. We never taught you this behavior Kagome, if you want to go and make a spectacle of yourself, who am I to stop you? You said you didn't need me anymore, no need for me to say anything. From this moment on you are on your own!" With that he left the table.
"Please," said Ms. Higurashi, "We have company!" She stood, "Excuse me Inuyasha; I'm very sorry about all of this." She turned and went after her father in-law.
Inuyasha ran his hand down his face and wondered how he'd gotten himself into this.
"Ok," Souta said. "Anybody feel like telling me what's going on?"
Kagome's eyes were slightly glazed. She hadn't moved an inch since her grandfather's outburst. She shook herself from her trance. "We just have a little argument earlier, that's all." She continued to eat calmly.
Something wasn't right; Inuyasha could tell. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the family feud he'd just witnessed. No, whatever it was, it was far, far worse and was approaching fast. He had a hunch it was coming for him and the last thing he wanted to do was pull in this family.
How stupid had he been? He'd completely let his guard down lately! There had been so little action he just acquired a false sense of security and now it was catching up with him. There was going to be a battle tonight. He stood. "Get as far away from here as you can."
"What?"
"I said get out of here! Something's coming and you have to get everyone out of this house now!" He yelled. "Get going! Do you want to be killed?"
Mr. and Ms. Higurashi returned to the dining room to see to the commotion. Souta beat them to the punch.
"Kagome," he arched an eyebrow. "I think your boyfriend is psychotic."
"No," she stood. "I think we should listen to him." Kagome had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, something was coming. She would rather not stick around to find out what it was. Random house raids weren't unheard of, after all. And Kagome always made a point to trust her gut.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Inuyasha replied. "Now get your family and get the hell away from here!"
"Come on," Kagome urged her family. "Let's listen to him." She pulled them all with her out the door and instructed them all to hide somewhere on the grounds. She watched as Inuyasha prepared to face whatever was coming.
And then, as the tension was building, a figured appeared in the distance. It slowly approached until finally… a woman revealed herself. All this stress and fear over one woman? The hiding family was nearly ready to go out and yell at Inuyasha for causing so much trouble. That is, until the woman started doing something strange, and whatever it was, it seemed to be controlling the wind.
Inuyasha was in trouble. He knew it, they knew it, and she knew it. "So Inuyasha, we finally meet!" She cackled. "You're famous, you know. Everybody talks about you. What an honor I have; to kill the urban legend himself."
"Keh," he spat, crouched in battle stance. "You wish! What are you going to do? Blow me away with your little fan? It's going to take more than a breeze to take me down!"
"Big talk for someone who's been hiding for the last fifty-odd years," she smirked. "You will die Inuyasha, by my hands. Kagura will soon be the famous one." She attacked with a blast of wind. It left a crater where it hit; luckily Inuyasha had managed to dodge it.
He scoffed as he leapt. "Yeah right; sounds like someone has an inferiority complex!"
Kagura scowled. "You will die by my hands," she cried as she unleashed an on slot of attacks, the bulk of which Inuyasha could not dodge.
Diabolical laughter filled his ears as he struggled to get up. He couldn't keep this up, he had practically no way to defend himself save for close combat, but he couldn't get anywhere near her! She just kept blowing him away with that stupid fan of hers.
She approached him and hit him at close range. He flew back and hit the house with a sickening crunch. He was down again.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay down," she sneered. "As much fun as this is, I have other things to do here tonight as well." She looked over at the 'hiding' family. One of the Higurashi's had wandered out with a horror struck look on her face. Her aura was almost over powering. Oh yes, this was the girl.
"Kagome, I presume," she said silkily.
"Leave him alone," she stammered. Seeing Inuyasha thrown around like a rag doll brought tears to her eyes; she just couldn't stand by and watch anymore!
"Who are you to order me around, little girl?" she asked. "Don't look so scared, you at least are wanted alive! You can't say that much for Inuyasha over there."
"Who are you? What do you want with me? Why are you doing this!" Kagome cried.
"I am Kagura, Mistress of the Wind, I don't want anything to do with you. I'm here on orders, darling, orders." She shrugged. "Don't make this anymore difficult than it already is." She approached the girl. "I will use fore if I have to." She reached for the frightened girl.
Suddenly Kagura was tackled to the ground. "Looks like you forgot about me!"
With a wave of her fan, Kagura was up in the air. "Vile half-breed!" She attacked, only this time it was a wide range; she was targeting Kagome as well.
Inuyasha grabbed her and took off. The rest of her family would be safer if they were away anyway. "Are you alright," he asked when he had sufficiently outran Kagura. They were in a small clearing amidst some trees located on the edge of the Higurashi's property.
"I'm fine, what about you?" she asked. "You were thrown into my house! You left a dent! How are you able to keep going!"
"Look," he said. "If I get the chance I'll tell you later, but for right now go behind a tree and hide. Don't you dare think about coming out like you did last time!" He ordered.
The last thing he remembered seeing was Kagura's face.
------
-----
----
---
--
-
:AN: There was chapter 5! Cliffhanger and all!
As for review responses… apparently they are no longer allowed. Retarded yes, but I find myself giving into 'the man'. For now anyway; we'll see how it goes.
Please R&R!
------------------------
---------------
--------
----
--
-
-DRC-