I looked back over the chapter I posted and was horrified at all the spelling and grammar mistakes made from my typing. If I feel inclined to do so, I will go back and fix it, but in all likelihood, I won't feel so inclined. I will, however, try to be more careful as I type. You see, I am used to typing on my notebook computer and here I am, using a desktop. Typing on a keyboard is not nearly as smooth as typing on a laptop.
Please forgive me for the long, long, long wait. I shall attempt to keep my updates within a week from now on.
Here I go.
Once Upon a Time
Chapter 4
By: Allore NightShadow
Kagome found a folder on the desk of the office she had been designated.
Kagome Higarashi, began the first paper inside the folder.
Within these files you will find your contract and information on out ongoing projects. Please read these files and acquaint yourself with our ongoing projects. You will be required to meet with the manager of each individual project and be ready to oversee said projects.
The next page had a list of the project managers who she would be required to meet with. Kagome's eyes widened when she realized that this list went on for several pages, each floor apparently housing a different 'special project' (or two in some cases) and another manager to meet with. Kagome sighed as she picked up the heavy folder and began sifting through its contents.
The first thing that Kagome brought out was the contract.
Kagome Higarashi… blah, blah, blah… to be in charge of internal projects… blah, blah, blah… to be paid…. Kagome's eyes widened when she looked at what her yearly income would be. That must have been a mistake. She must have mistaken the decimal place for a comma, but no, it seemed to be right. Kagome had never seen that much money.
It went on to tell about full medical coverage and housing provided. Was that something about a company car! There must have been a mistake, Kagome thought. Some horrible mistake. Someone was playing a joke on her. That was it, that had to be it.
Kagome didn't care at the moment. She glanced past the little paragraph at the end that was a confirmation of some sort of privacy and signed the places that asked her to do so.
When she shifted to the files, she was dumbstruck. There were things like youkai and hanyou and humans, everything from marriage to an apparently independently funded policing for youkai infractions.
Kagome pinched the bridge of her nose in order to hold off a migraine.
(o)
"I assume you have no problems."
Kagome looked up to find Taisho-san standing before her desk and looking down on her in the way that those who think they are above the rest of the world look upon everyone else.
Kagome opened her mouth to say something, but closed her mouth before she had a chance to ask. He continued to stare down at her and Kagome opened her mouth again to ask a question, but the words never came out. If it sounded so stupid in her mind, Kagome couldn't imagine how stupid her question would sound aloud.
"You look as if you have something to say." Taisho-san stated.
"Well," Kagome began, then she decided to just blurt it out, "is this some kind of joke? I don't understand this." She took a moment to pull out the contract and open it to the third page. "And this." She pointed to the fourth paragraph.
"That is an out clause standard in all special project contracts. Within twenty-four hours, if you are not able to handle the responsibilities that this job requires, you will be permitted to terminate the contract and return to your previous life."
Taisho paused for a moment before telling her a little more than what he had planned to tell her this day.
"You being offered this position was not random. My company has kept an eye on you since you were very young. While you may have been refused entrance to Tokyo University because of your lack of attendance in secondary school, my company persuaded them to overlook that. You were raised in a way that infused you with the attributes that one would need for this position."
Kagome narrowed her eyes at the prospect of having been watched for most of her life, but wisely said nothing.
"Follow me, Higarashi-san."
"Where are we going?"
"Youkai registration, level fifty-six.
(o)
Sesshoumaru glared across at his brother. The smell of sickness wafted across the air and assaulted Sesshoumaru's sensitive nose. No, not the smell of sickness, the smell of depression. Many human emotions smelled the same.
He refused to look back, refused to show that the disappearance of Kagome had any effect on him at all. There was something about her nature that had touched him though, something that had made him open up to her a bit, something that made him respect her, a feat almost unheard of for a human.
As he walked away, appearing untouched by the happenings around him, he heard a conversation by the monk and slayer.
"Where do you think Kagome went?" The slayer asked the monk.
"You can't really know." He stated, but at the slayer's sharp intake of breath he continued. "The Fates would not be cruel to Kagome who saved even them. The jewel would not purposefully hurt her who was its master. I would assume that she has been sent home."
The smell of sadness now came from the slayer. "So we'll never see her again. We'll all be long since dead in 500 years."
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at that. Kagome was from the future. The group had always been careful of what they spoke about with him around and he knew that they were hiding something, but this?
"I'll still be here." Shippou announced. "I know her house is next to the God Tree, so I'll wait for her."
"Can you really wait that long?" Miroku responded, always the sensible one. "And by that time you will be very different and she will be the same.
Shippou was oddly serious for such a normally happy child. "Do I really have a choice. Kagome is my kaa-san. I've got to wait for her."
The Slayer said something to Shippou that Sesshoumaru, with his demon hearing, was unable to decipher and Shippou nodded. In the next instant he was following Sesshoumaru as he walked away.
"I'm going to stay with you, Sesshy-chan." He grimaced at the nickname. At least it was better than Rin's pet name. Luckily his servants were all too frightened to call him 'Fluffy-sama'. "This way we can wait for Kagome together."
Sesshoumaru didn't say anything to the kit, but he didn't say no either. When the cloud formed under his feet to take him to the Palace of the West, it also formed under Shippou and raised them both to the sky
(o)
When the elevator opened on floor fifty-six, Kagome was amazed. The room was filled to the brim with youkai, all either waiting in a line or sitting in a large but comfortable waiting room. Kagome felt the onrush of youki, but suppressed the feeling so that it wouldn't be so staggering.
As soon as the occupants of the room noticed them there the entire room stood and bowed to Taisho-san. A few mumbled "Taisho-sama" but that was all. He waived them up and the room resumed its previous activity
The room was filled with squalling infants and the room that Taisho-san led her to had its own infant, though this was much, much quieter.
The woman holding the baby stood and bowed. "Taisho-sama" she said. "If this is a bad time, I can come back later." And she started to collect her stuff.
"Not necessary." He said to the woman, then "Continue." To the woman behind the desk.
The woman behind the desk looked to be a neko youkai. Her eyes were that bright green that only felines have with slit pupils and the hair of a calico. She kept one eye on Taisho while she continued whatever it was she had been doing.
"Which family name will the child be going by?"
"Ookami." The woman holding the baby answered. She had red hair with a flower-clip holding her hair back on one side. She was dressed in all white and the baby was wrapped in a bundle of white fur.
"And the child's first name?"
"Shirou."
"He is your fourth child, correct?"
"Yes."
"Pure wolf youkai?"
"Yes."
"And where are you living now?"
"The Western Youkai Settlement. Wolf House. Number fourteen."
The woman behind the desk nodded. "Okay. Shirou Ookami has been entered into out database. I'm going to give you his identification card. He needs to be back in one year to have a picture taken."
Suddenly something next to the desk started to make noise and a card popped out and the calico youkai behind the desk handed it to the woman with the baby.
The woman nodded and stood up, her stuff already gathered, and headed for the door. As she passed by Kagome, the baby reached out and grabbed onto her hair.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Kagome yelled out.
"I am so sorry." The woman said as she carefully extracted Kagome's hair from the baby's grasp.
When the woman looked up at Kagome, she froze. She opened her mouth to say something, but Taisho opened the door and told her with a very pointed look that it was time to leave. She bowed to Taisho before exiting the room. She looked back once before Taisho shut the door.
"Nira, this is Kagome Higarashi. She is now the head of Special Projects and your direct superior. I want you to create a database entry for her and print out a level one security card and level three identification card."
Nira's eyes widened. "Level three?"
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No, no, of course not."
"When you are done here, have Kira take her to the basement."
"Yes sir."
Taisho went to leave but stopped after he had grasped the door handle. "And Higarashi?"
"Yes?" Kagome asked.
"Since you have not lost face in the midst of youkai, you no longer have an out clause. I will not permit you to terminate your contract." And he left the room.
Kagome was struck by his commanding tone.
"I will not permit you to fight. You will remain here and this Sesshoumaru will to go in your stead."
She was surprised by how his tone did not invoke any urge for her to do as she was told.
(o)
Allore NightShadow
Again, sorry for the long wait. Since the wait was so long, I shall refrain from responding to reviews this chapter since the wait made them no longer applicable.