Author's Note: Whew, been a while, eh? Sorry for the two week delay. I really do try to get out a chapter of each of my stories every weekend, but so far it looks like they're usually bi-weekly instead. Oh well! I do my best.
For those who care, I didn't get into the All-state choir as I'd hoped, but I don't feel to bad about it because only one guy from my school did (out of about 15 of us who auditioned). One of my friends who was in it last year didn't even get in, so I actually feel worse for her. Anyway, my choir director said she was really surprised with the results, so…yeah. Oh well, you win some you lose some!
Glad people liked the last chapter and the whole Miroku/Sango piece. I always worry about these things, y'know? And thank you all so much for reviewing, as always!
EH: Thanks for the reassurance! Yeah, I'm just not gonna worry about the hair thing anymore. Just had to get it out of the way!
Chibi Horsewoman: I had heard something like that about Hitler being part Jewish, but someone else told me it wasn't true so then I was never really sure. But if it is true it's sort of cool, isn't it? Well not cool, but from a psychological perspective…you know what I mean – interesting, I guess.
Fallen-Snow: Of course I don't mind a suggestion! But in answer to your comment, well, for the moment all I can say is that he's not your average everyday hermit… And on the Miroku question…um…yeah, I admit I lost count a bit myself, but it's safe to say he was unconscious for at least a week and probably closer to two. If I find the time to figure it out, I'll let you know more specifically! Finally, I think you asked this in your review of Alter Ego, but here's the answer anyway – I'm planning to start A Noble Mind (the sequel to Fortune's Fool) once I've finished at least one of these fics. It's been on the back burner for a while, but since you're interested enough to inquire about it, I've decided to give it priority. Sound good? The first chapter is partially written and I'm working on brainstorming the plot in my free time.
And in general answer to all others who've asked questions, well, they will all be answered in due course…(don't I sound all-powerful then?)
Still, don't hesitate to ask them anyway! It helps me to know what everyone's curious about, and therefore what to emphasize.
Okay, this is way to long, so I'll be shutting up now…
Missing in ActionChapter 8: A Walk in the Park
Inuyasha
paced restlessly back and forth, becoming increasingly impatient with waiting
outside the tiny little hut. Teiresias had explained to them what had happened
before heading off to collect more of the herbs he required to treat Miroku's
wound, leaving the other two to wait until they were allowed back in.
He drummed his clawed fingers against his crossed arms, finally
giving a short, irritable growl and turning to Kagome, whose ear was pressed
firmly to the side of the cabin. "What the hell is going on in there anyway?"
he snapped at her, and she scowled at him, waving her arms in a 'shushing'
gesture. He merely grumbled again.
"You shouldn't be eavesdropping you know," he grumbled, only
succeeding in causing her to sush him more forcefully. Tossing up his arms in
defeat, he sighed and flicked a gaze at her to see that Kagome's attention was
elsewhere before surreptitiously moving to stand behind her, with his own ear
to the wall. With his superior hearing he would easily have picked up any
conversation from inside, which is why he found himself frowning in confusion
at the silence. He pressed his ear a bit closer, straining to capture the
smallest sound, but still there was nothing.
In fact he was so focused on trying to hear that he didn't notice
Kagome turning around, observing him with one eyebrow arched in amusement.
"Hypocrite," she said playfully, poking him in the ribs, which caused him to
straighten up with a self-conscious cough, trying unsuccessfully to hide his
earlier concentration. "I knew it, Inuyasha. You're just a big old softie,
aren't you?" she teased.
"Feh," he replied in a gruff voice belayed by the slight blush in
his cheeks.
"Yeah, right, 'feh'..." she said with a smirk, going back
to listening at the wall.
But she almost immediately jumped back, because just then the
door opened and Sango appeared, with a light in her eyes that had been absent
for a long time, even before Miroku disappeared. Kagome hadn't been able to
make out most of their conversation, but the tone was clear, and Sango's
expression only supported her suspicions as to what had occurred.
"Kagome," the woman began, her happiness reflected in the timbre
of her voice, "Miroku has to rest for a couple of days and I'd like to stay
with him, but there's no need for you two to be detained. Why don't you head on
back toward the village?"
The ebony-haired woman exchanged smiles with her friend, nodding
in agreement. "I think Inuyasha's a bit restless," she replied, flicking her
gaze to the half-demon and back again before leaning a bit closer and adding
quietly, "but I want to hear every last detail when you get back."
Sango laughed softly, biting her lip and nodding. The two women
embraced briefly and then Kagome turned to the clueless hanyou, taking his arm
to lead him away from the little cabin with a wave to Sango.
"What was that all about?" Inuyasha inquired curiously once they
were out of earshot, moving through the trees at a steady but unhurried pace.
The young woman glanced at him, smiling and shaking her head in
amusement. "I think the two of them have finally come to an understanding."
He frowned at her in a puzzled fashion. "What exactly do you mean
by that?"
"Just that the two of them have been in love with each other for
years and neither one was willing to be the first to admit it," she said, looking
away, into the forest, "in case the other didn't feel the same way."
Inuyasha was silent for a moment before uttering a soft but
simple, "Oh."
After that they both fell silent for a time, conversation giving
way to introspection, the only sounds coming from the rustle of the leaves
beneath their feet and in the branches of the trees, which swayed, gently on
the wind. The sun had begun its nightly descent, reflecting pink off the
clouds, gilding the horizon in flame and casting a fiery, golden light upon the
world. At long last Kagome turned to Inuyasha and asked conversationally, "So
where was it you were headed exactly?"
Inuyasha's brow furrowed in confusion. "Headed?"
"When you first showed up," she elaborated, "When I asked you how
you had gotten hurt you said you were traveling, but you never told me where."
She glanced at him sideways, feeling him tense. "Inuyasha?"
His eyes flicked to her, then back ahead, and he answered, in an
attempt at a casual voice, "I was on my way home. Well no, that's not quite
right; I was trying to get to London -- kind of difficult to do from occupied
France," he added wryly.
"You're telling me," she agreed in the same dry tone. "What was
there in London then?"
He paused, trying to decide how to go about answering. What was
in London? Kikyo, of course -- or at least she had been. Their apartment was
still there, as were some of his friends, and he had hoped to figure out where
she'd gone and go after her. Well, mission accomplished -- now he knew, and he
couldn't care less. And at the moment he was in no mood to explain all this to
anyone, least of all Kagome. Besides, why dwell on things that made absolutely
no difference now? It wasn't as if he'd ever see Kikyo again.
Finally he answered simply, "I had friends there, among other
things. And I thought it would be best if I spent as little time in Nazi
territory as possible."
"Mm. What were you doing here in the first place then?"
He winced inwardly. Fuck, I knew she'd get around to asking
that sooner or later, and I don't want to lie to her, but... He slowed to a
stop, turning her to face him. With a sigh of resignation, the hanyou looked
her straight in the eyes and began. "Kagome, there's something I haven't told-"
But he never got the chance to finish. At that moment, in a
flurry of movement and rough, indistinct shouts from male voices, the pair of
them were attacked from all sides, torn apart form each other. Before he could
even register what was happening Inuyasha found himself slammed hard against a
tree, and he could feel the blood trickling down the back of his head from the
impact. Five tough, thuggish looking men held him in place, restraining his
limbs, the fifth one with his hands firmly grasping the hanyou's collar, his
ruddy, scarred face inches from Inuyasha's own.
Blinking to clear his wavering vision and try to apprehend the
sudden change in the situation, he began to growl low and threatening. Then he
heard Kagome scream, "No! Get the hell away from me you -- mmph!" Her voice was
muffled and her yells became strangled and desperate.
"Kagome!" he cried, struggling against his restraints. He had to
get to her. His eyes darted frantically about but she was nowhere in sight,
hidden by the trees and the man currently in Inuyasha's face.
"Shut the hell up!" the man ordered, delivering the hanyou a
heavy punch to the gut. It pained him, but not as much as he led these men to
believe, doubling over to the extent that he could. The men attached to his
arms, however, slammed him roughly against the tree again, before he could use
the added leverage to his advantage.
The next second, the silver-haired half-demon found himself
staring down the barrel of a gun -- pointed right between his eyes. Playtime
was over; they had all the cards.
"We want your money -- all of it, now!" the man demanded, adding
with a sinister smirk, "And the wench, well, we'll get our money's worth out of
her, won't we boys?"
That made Inuyasha growl even louder, oblivious now to the deadly
weapon aimed at his skull. "Don't you fucking touch her you sons of bitches!"
he ground out.
The man only held his gaze with cold, mirthless eyes as he rifled
through Inuyasha's pockets, taking anything of value he could find, leaving the
rest -- what did it matter? He'd be dead when they were through anyway. So
would the wench, most likely. The man's smirk grew at the prospect.
A muffled sob could be heard from the ground just beyond where
Inuyasha could see, and the man was distracted for a moment, just long enough
for him to slam a knee into the bandit's groin, knocking him off balance and
causing him to drop the gun in surprise. Quick as a flash the hanyou had
wrestled free of the others and delivered swift unconsciousness to each,
grabbing the discarded weapon so they couldn't use it against him. It was
likely they had more, he knew, but there was no time to think about that -- he
had to find her.
He burst through the trees ahead to where Kagome lay sprawled on
the ground, scratched and bleeding in several places, one man trying to hold
her still and covering her mouth as another wrestled on top of her to tear off
her clothing.
"Inmuaashaa!" she screamed biting the first man's hand, so that
he swore and slapped her hard across the face.
Inuyasha kicked the man in the jaw, sending him reeling backward
into a tree, as he yanked the other, larger man off of the woman, throwing him
to the ground and pointing the gun directly at his heart. "Don't move, you bastard,"
he growled, eyes blazing with fury.
His ear twitched and eyebrows shot up in surprise as Kagome
marched up from behind him, grabbing the concealed gun he kept tucked in the
back of his belt and training it on the man as well, steady as a rock, a stony
look in her eye. All he could do was stare at her. She knows how to use a
gun? And how the hell did she know that was there in the first place?
Meanwhile, the only remaining conscious bandit drew back his
attention, cowering before two very angry figures with guns, hands held up in
submission. "Don't shoot! P-please don't shoot...I...I beg you..."
"Get the fuck out of here," Inuyasha growled, and the now pitiful
man scampered to do so.
Once he was out of sight they lowered their weapons and Inuyasha
turned to gape at Kagome once again. "How did you-"
"Come on, we should get going," she interrupted, "It's getting
darker, and I'd rather not be here when they wake up." Without waiting for an
answer she turned back in the direction of the village, securing the gun in her
own belt and dusting off her torn clothing. He followed after only a moment's
pause.
They made the rest of the journey in silence. Kagome was lost in
thought. She knew Inuyasha had been shocked when she'd pulled his own gun on
that man, and he would probably want her to explain that later. Of course she'd
been taught to shoot when she joined the Resistance, and when she'd spotted the
telltale lump in the back of his shirt during the fight she went with her
instincts. But that would be difficult to explain without explaining a lot of
things that could endanger his very life. There it was again -- that same old
conclusion. Once again he had been in danger because of her without even
realizing it.
Those were no ordinary bandits. He wouldn't have noticed of
course, but each had a tattoo on the back of his left hand in the shape of a
wolf's head -- they were Kouga's men, on the lookout, undercover. Hell, she
wouldn't have known it herself if it weren't for her association with said
wolf-demon. And she also knew from the same source that these men were paid to
conduct such random 'attacks' on potential spies. Her only hope was that none
of them could identify her as Kouga's woman. If they could, it would all be
over for her.
A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she recalled her
earlier resolution -- that once they had found Miroku she would tell Inuyasha
to go. Now that was done, and it was time to keep her promise to herself.
If he left now she might still have a chance of salvaging the situation with
Kouga, even if one of those men did come forward. Perhaps if she got to him
first and headed them off...along with a bit of 'convincing' -- she shuddered
involuntarily at the thought -- she could win back his favor.
But for any of this to work Inuyasha had to disappear from her
life. With him around her thoughts became confused, her objectivity
compromised, and that could cost not only her life, but many others.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha's thoughts were following a different, yet
somewhat similar vein. How the hell did she know about his gun? And why hadn't
she asked about it before now? For that matter, where and why had she learned
to use a gun like that? He knew from experience that it took great practice to
even get used to the idea of pointing such a weapon at another, and he would
never have guessed that Kagome was capable of it.
His mind drifted back to the attack itself. Why hadn't he picked
up the men's scent or heard them approach? Damn he was getting careless if he
couldn't detect a band of dirty, stinking bandits a mile away. He was letting
himself get too comfortable, too complacent. He led this woman into danger,
planning to protect her, and then let his guard down, leaving them wide open to
attack. Shit, she could have been hurt -- or worse.
His eyes flicked briefly to the woman's pensive profile. The sun
had set now, the sky the turquoise-blue of twilight, giving the surrounding
forest a muted, azure hue. They were not far from the village, but Inuyasha was
hardly paying attention as they approached.
I have to tell her, he thought. I have to tell her the
truth; she deserves to know. They're still hunting for me, I know, and after
what happened tonight I realize that I might not be able to protect her if the
soldiers were to come for me. I can't stay here anymore...
Without either of them realizing they were doing so, their hands
found each other in the growing darkness, their fingers linking, intertwining.
It was as if, without words, they knew that this was goodbye. Tonight, he would
walk out of her life forever.
* * *
A pair of dark grey eyes peered at the couple from around the
edge of a building, watching them stroll down Le Rue d'Artagnan. A slight smirk
played across Onigumo's lips as he enjoyed the prospect of siccing the Colonel
on the son of a bitch who'd ruined his 'fun' and threatened to kill him just a
little while previous, in the woods. That goddamn bastard thought he could
scare him off with a gun and get nothing in return. Ha! He knew that the
slightest hint of a stranger in the area was enough to send Kouga off
half-cocked these days. That phantom pilot of his was becoming quite the thorn
in his side, especially with General Naraku watching his every move like a
spider waiting for it's prey. With any luck, Kouga would just shoot the jackass
and claim he was the pilot, whether it was true or not, in order to protect his
reputation. The idea made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside -- well, as warm and
fuzzy as a man without a soul could be.
Head bowed, hands tucked in his pockets, Onigumo made his way
through the dark, cobble-stoned streets in the direction of the villa. Along
the way he began to go over his plan as to how to present his information to
the Colonel.
He thought it best not to mention his little 'encounter' with
Miss Kagome -- yes, of course he had recognized her. The wench was the talk of
the town, Kouga's little mistress. Still, as much as everyone loved to gossip
about her, including Kouga's own officers, it was well understood that the man
who was foolish enough to do so in the Colonel's presence could consider his
life forfeit. He was somewhat hypocritical in his protectiveness toward her,
considering the fact that she was essentially his own personal whore, but that
was an officer's prerogative; no one dared challenge it. He imagined that
actually trying to rape her would have a similarly unpleasant result, should
Kouga be made aware of it -- not that he regretted the attempt in the
slightest.
No, better to save his own hide. All he wanted was to get that
stupid jackass she had been with shot, the one who'd interrupted his fun and
beaten up his friends. Fucking arrogant son of a bitch would get what was
coming to him for challenging Kouga's Wolf Pack.
The soldiers guarding the front door waved him in curtly after
checking his ID, and he made his way up the stairs from the marvelous entrance
hall to the Colonel's private office. Just outside the door a secretary in the
grey uniform of a Nazi, with her dark-blonde hair bound tightly at the back of
her head, off her neck, sat at a neatly organized wooden desk, looking up
at him as he approached.
"Name," she demanded in a clipped tone.
"Just tell him I have a bit of interesting news for him. He'll
know who it is," he said roughly, meeting her gaze coolly as she tried to stare
him into submission.
Finally she conceded, eying the man with contempt, but nodding
and rising to go inform the Colonel.
* * *
Kouga looked up from his desk at the sharp rap of her knuckles
against the wood of the door. He glanced over at the General, who simply raised
an eyebrow as if to say, Well you don't expect me to answer, do you?
before looking away in disinterest. Kouga narrowed his eyes, stifling a low
growl of frustration with difficulty, and answered shortly, in a rather
unpleasant voice, "Come."
The door opened to reveal his secretary. "Colonel," she began,
sounding a bit annoyed herself, "there is a man here to see you. He says he has
'interesting news'."
Kouga's eyes flashed with intrigue, his frustration with Naraku
all but forgotten as he stood to come around in front of the desk. "Send him in
immediately," he said sharply. There was only one thing this could be about,
and he was anxious to pursue any trace of that goddamn phantom.
The large, thuggish man in dark clothing sidled into the room, a
smug expression on his face which seemed to say quite clearly, I know
something you don't know...
"What have you got?" Kouga demanded once the door had been
closed and the secretary was out of earshot. Onigumo's dull smirk widened
slightly at the urgency in his boss' voice.
"We came across a stranger in the woods today," he said, milking
the story for all it was worth with the lazy, taunting quality of his speech.
"He fought well, managed to take us all out -- well, all except me of course.
Long silver hair, glowing yellow eyes, dog ears, claws, fangs, the works.
Definitely youkai-"
"Hanyou," interrupted a cold, feminine voice from the shadows.
Kikyo sauntered forward, one eyebrow arched elegantly, arms crossed over her
chest and stylish black heels clicking against the polished wood floor, the
sound echoing in the otherwise silent room. Again her voice, like siren call,
chill as ice, yet velvety and alluring in a way only she could manage,
entranced them to silence. "He is a hanyou, and his name is Inuyasha. I know
him well. In fact," she added with a sardonic smile, "we were once engaged."
Naraku shared in her amusement as their eyes met briefly, as
though enjoying a private joke, before she returned her hard, Lilithian gaze to
Kouga.
"What else do you know about him?" the wolf demon demanded.
"Plenty. But here's the best part: his brother, Sesshomaru, is
one of the highest-ranking generals in the United States Army. If you were to
capture Inuyasha he would be invaluable to you, I'm sure."
Immediately Kouga rounded on Onigumo. "Tell the men to redouble
their efforts. Wake Major Schultz and tell him you're on my orders. We will
capture this goddamn pilot if I have to go out and do it myself. Go!"
"Jawhol," he answered, with only a nod instead of the customary
salute as he exited the room. After all, he wasn't regular army personnel and
technically not bound by the chain of command. But as long as he followed
Kouga's orders he got paid. And every once in awhile, like tonight, he took
real pleasure in doing so.
What else is a man without a soul to do with his time?
* * *
A/N: Okay, the next chapter is half written, but Alter Ego is my next priority for updating. Still, you have no idea how motivating reviews can be, so if you all send me your feedback I just might be able to get this one out in one week instead of two! (hint, hint)
And please, please, please tell me if you're getting bored or if you have criticisms. I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I couldn't take it, considering how much I critique other fics! Ultimately what I'm trying to do is improve my skills as a writer, so everything, good or bad, helps immensely. Thanks everyone!
Till next time!