. : Muichimotsu : .
: . By Akikazu . :
WARNING: CURSING AND VIOLENCE
. : Previously : .
Needless to say Itsuki retook his seat without protest. Keiko's hand stayed clutched on his sleeve and her face soon found a spot near it on his leg.
"Thank you," she sobbed.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Yukina had arrived.
"Yusuke, what are you doing?"
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
"Tell me, have you ever heard of muichimotsu?"
And he left. Still the figure didn't move. For in the room there was not but a chair and a beautiful corpse.
: . Chapter Twenty . :
'Yusuke' growled at the ice maiden and Hiei stiffened noticeably. If not for Yukina's reassuring glance he would have charged the possessed boy.
Hiei settled but remained tense.
"Yusuke?" Yukina's voice held a note of hesitation.
He pounced, sending them both tumbling to the floor. Her breath was forced from her body as them settled and his weight dropped onto her stomach. His face hovered over her, a malevolent grin twisting his lips.
"I do so love it when a helpless girl thinks she can win," Inu Yasha hissed through Yusuke.
"Yusuke, please…"
Hiei once again made as if to move and this time Kurama stopped him.
"Move," he bit out.
"Hiei, trust me. Nothing will happen to Yukina."
The forbidden child backed down reluctantly.
Yukina's wrist were slammed violently down above her face and held their in one hand. Inu Yasha reared Yusuke's body back and brought his hand up ready to behead the pretty ice maiden.
"NO!" The familiar voice tore out of Yusuke's throat.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
"Perfect."
Itsuki glanced up an immediately spotted Sensui's satisfied smirk. The Dark Angel made his way over to him and lean against a wall. Itsuki turned his attention back to the book, waiting for Sensui to explain himself, as he was wont to do at his discretion.
"It's finally been settled. Keiko is now nothing more than an encumbrance just waiting to be disposed of."
Itsuki stared blankly at the book, his stomach felt vaguely queasy as he thought of other time when they had disposed of other 'encumbrances'. It wasn't that he was sensitive to the gruesome deaths he had taken part in, just the thought of how happy Sensui seemed about it. This prelude to a rather violent and torturous death, and for Keiko, whom they had already hurt enough.
"And I know the perfect way to get rid of her," Sensui purred.
He remained focused on the book the closest thing he could to outright ignoring Sensui. And Sensui would hate it. He hated being ignored when he was unraveling a plot whether it was someone else's or his own.
"Are you listening Itsuki?" Sensui's voice was slightly rough, as if Kazuya was fighting to take control.
"You know I am," the Gatekeeper replied tonelessly.
"Good."
Sensui paused and Itsuki knew he was waiting for him to ask about it. However the green haired bishounen knew that this was also a test, checking to see if he had grown attached to Keiko.
'So my visits with her have not gone unnoticed,' he mused.
Itsuki let the book and his hand fall limply into his lap and turned to give Sensui an amused look.
"And what would just happen to be your plan?" He inquired in a bored tone.
In Sensui's eyes Itsuki saw one of Sensui's 'nicer' personalities traipse through before they went blank again.
"I was actually thinking to use her to reestablish our contacts in the Makai," he paused, seemingly for effect, but Itsuki's face remained blank. "How do you feel about taking a dip into the ningen service market?"
He had not expected that. In fact this suggestion was far worse than anything that Itsuki could have imagined. Slavery? How could Sensui think to sell Keiko, a girl whose life he had ruined, into slavery? How did he expect him to follow through with it? But Itsuki knew the answer already. Sensui wanted to reestablish connections in the Makai and this was the quickest way. And Itsuki had never done anything to oppose Sensui. Since the day Sensui had caught him, he had let the human run roughshod all over him.
Still, slavery?
For a long time Itsuki had followed Sensui blindly and it had been fun, they had been at the top of the food chain and nothing could've stood in their way. But times had changed and so had they. Sensui was no longer the idealistic and pure minded boy he had once been. He was just as he termed himself a dark angel.
At one point Itsuki had fancied himself in love with the human. But if he had loved, the one that those tender feeling had rested on was gone and in his place he had left a ruthless man who shielded his true intent behind noble causes.
"Well Itsuki?" Sensui prodded.
"No."
The words were not but a whisper and Sensui frowned, not being able to catch it with his limited human senses.
"Come again?"
"No."
It was stronger this time. Sensui's frown deepened into a scowl and the full effect was directed at Itsuki.
"No?"
"No, I will not join you in this absurd plan."
Sensui's eyes hardened to chips of ice. Never before had Itsuki had this look directed at him. Then his eyes softened completely and took on the tragic look of the kindest of all Sensui's personalities. The female one. The only personality that reminded Itsuki of what Sensui had once been like.
"Itsuki-kun, why won't you stand by me?" Her voice was as gentle as Kazuya's was obnoxious.
"I refuse to go into slave trade."
Those gentle eyes twisted in sadness and faded only to be replaced by the boisterous violence that was an inherent part of Kazuya. His fist shot out and Itsuki found himself flat on his back, a spark of pain radiating from his gut.
"Traitor," he hissed.
His foot, polished black dress shoes, slammed down on his stomach and Kazuya lean towards him, putting more weight on his victim.
"Has that slut won you to her side? Have you bedded her so many times that you would defy me just so you could keep your place between her legs? I saved your life and now you do this!"
Kazuya ground his heel in Itsuki's stomach and then gave him a practiced kick in the ribs. Then was a sickening crunch as one of Itsuki's bones cracked. The former spirit detective lifted the demon and threw him into the nearest wall.
Itsuki stayed on the ground for a second then got back to his feet. Kazuya glared at him from across the room but he held his ground.
"I won't do it."
His former companion move quickly and the next kick forced him to crash again the same wall. Itsuki spit the blood that filled his mouth. Kazuya towered over him but he refused to back down.
"I won't do it."
The defiant words cost him a black eye and a crushed hand.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Yusuke's left hand clutched his right wrist holding it away from Yukina. Yukina raised her eyes to meet his, the right was a harsh amber while the left was a fierce brown.
"I won't let you hurt her," Yusuke's voice growled.
His left hand fisted and shot up to hit his own eye. The force of the punch sent Yusuke tumbling backwards off Yukina.
"Yukina, move!"
Yukina scrambled off the floor and obeyed, moving back to where the other spectators waited. Yusuke fought with himself, tumbling across the floor.
Suddenly Yusuke shot up to his knees, his back straight as a board. His eyes went blank and a wave of spirit energy rolled throughout the room, flowing in grave waves of blue. Then when the energy was exhausted from Yusuke's store of power, his body toppled forward.
He never hit the ground.
Yukina was cradling his head in her lap, having moved with Hiei-like speed. Yusuke's eyes drowsily opened and looked up at her. He looked so defenseless not at all like the powerful and fearless not-so-human spirit detective she knew. Even when she had treated his wounds he had kept his strength, looking the part of a wounded warrior instead of the defeated hero he appeared to be now.
"Yukina? Good… You're okay," he murmured.
And then he fell asleep, his hair falls softly around him as his spirit energy had somehow de-gelled it.
Knowing that the danger had passed and out of respect for their privacy everyone else, even Hiei, left the room.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
"You, my dear Keiko, have called me no end of problems."
Keiko stirred from her spot in the corner and looked to find Sensui in the doorway. That was strange, Sensui hadn't come from a visit since Itsuki had first comforted her. Keiko was disturbed at the strange gleam she saw in his eyes.
"What do you want?"
He continued as if he hadn't heard her.
"You've even managed to turn Itsuki against me somehow. My most loyal follower!"
She became even more frightened, Sensui had always seemed so calm and in control, but now he looked as if he would star a rampage any second.
"But you'll get what you deserve. You'll be sold of to some youkai in the Makai and Itsuki won't be in any position to save you."
And as soon as his word sunk into her brain, he left.
Keiko leaned back against her corner and, though she felt as if she had none left, tears fell down her cheeks.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Sesshomaru, upon exiting the room in which the ice maiden and spirit detective were located, motioned for Kurama to lead Kagome and follow him. They remained quiet till Kurama had set Kagome down in her bed. Surprisingly it was Sesshomaru who broke the silence.
"I will be returning to the Makai for a couple of weeks. I am leaving my imouto in your care. You will move into the room next to this one so you will be able to protect her twenty-four seven."
The redhead's brow rose in question and surprise.
"I would have thought that you would wish for someone other than me to watch after Kagome."
Sesshomaru's gaze turned slightly patronizing, the look caused Kurama to stiffen.
"The servants and my vassals will be watching you to be sure you do nothing… inappropriate. Though for the task of guarding Kagome you could be the best choice, as you care enough for her that you will put her first."
The kitsune nodded and Sesshomaru ran his hand through Kagome's hair in silent farewell. The dog youkai then took his leave, forming a portal to the Makai in the doorway.
Sesshomaru didn't look back as the portal closed, leaving him in his study. He sighed and raked a hand through his hair in frustration.
Inu Yasha's heir.
With another heavy sigh he strode over to the bookcase closest to his desk and took out a bulky tome. Originally the book had been written as a scroll of Sesshomaru had personally transferred it into the hard covered book as it was far more durable and practical.
The book was his clan's history written in the ancient youkai tongue. The book was bewitched and recorded its own text as well as rearranging things as they came to relevance.
Now if he recalled correctly then Inu Yasha had taken and impregnated a youkai woman shortly after his clay bitch's second death. Sesshomaru sat behind his heavy desk and quickly flipped through the pages of history.
Pathetic. It seems the hanyou had raped a youkai lord's daughter during the time he had been searching for the Shikon shards with Kagome. Eventually Inu Yasha's descendents trailed to Raizen, who was once one of the three Lords of Makai. The title now belonged to the spirit detective that Inu Yasha had possessed it seemed.
So Inu Yasha was attempting to get revenge from beyond the grave by using his descendent as a medium.
Interesting…
May haps another visit to the toddler was in order.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Kurama sat at her bedside, his hand in hers, his thumb stroking continuously over her knuckles.
Something more was going on here that any of them knew, far more.
Sensui and Itsuki's reappearance, Yusuke being dumped and possessed, Yukina getting closer to Yusuke, Hiei actually accepting his sister's choice in men, Kagome's mood swings, Sesshomaru leaving him in charge of his sister.
Something was definitely going on.
But did any of them know what?
The door slid open and Kurama looked over at Hiei, he was carrying Shippo. The fox motioned for him to be set next to Kagome. The forbidden child did so and then moved back to stand near the door.
"You're getting the feeling too aren't you fox."
"Yes, at the moment I'm trying to decide the best plan of action."
"Sensui. The former spirit is usually on top of thing, which is more than I can say about the current one."
"True. I was thinking more along the lines of Koenma. In his position of power he usually knows more than he lets on."
Hiei snorted, expressing the skepticism that Kurama felt. Though this was not a likely course of action, Kurama wasn't one to close his door and burn his bridged.
"I wouldn't trust that child to wash my clothing, much less supply us with useful information."
"Also very true. Very well, we'll attempt your suggestion."
Now they only had to find out where Sensui was hiding. The best place to find that information would be the in the Makai version of the black market. And since Kurama couldn't drag Kagome off to such a place, Hiei would be going.
To that note Hiei took a step towards the door, then paused.
"I expect you to keep my sister safe while I'm gone. And I mean from the detective too," with that he left.
Leaving Kurama in charge of protection of two females; both sisters to powerful youkai and both extremely accident-prone.
He sighed heavily and turned back to the female that had caught his eye so effortlessly. She was stirring now, her pulse rate and heart speeding slightly. Kagome's eye lashes fluttered before rising and Kurama leaned forward so she could see him.
Her eyes were dead.
"Kagome?"
There was only the faintest spark of recognition in the depths.
Kurama turned to Shippo, who had been unconscious since Inu Yasha had thrown him. Because of Kagome's condition, Kurama didn't feel bad about rousing the kit from what had become a peaceful sleep.
"Nh?"
"Shippo wake up."
One sleepy eye opened and two green eyes of different shade met. Shippo must have seen the worry in panic in the older kitsune for he sat up.
"Kurama? What happened?" The kit asked.
"It's Kagome. She's awake, but she's not responding. Shippo you have to get someone, anyone who can help," Kurama ordered.
Shippo took one look at Kagome and nodded. A second later he was scurrying from the room after jumping from the bed.
Kurama took a deep breath to calm his mind. His mind was close to panic and he needed to keep himself under control lest he do something dramatic.
It seemed like years before Shippo burst back into the room another man followed him. The new man quickly knelt at Kagome's side and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Kagome?"
She didn't response.
"Shippo go call Hijikata." The man turned dark eyes to Kurama, "what happened, Kurama-san?"
Kurama waited till Shippo scrambled from the room before replying.
"Inu Yasha possessed Yusuke and confronted her."
"Shit," the man muttered. "Stupid Inu Yasha, always showing up at inconvenient times. Worse sense of timing I have ever seen, and manners, and attitude too."
"I see," Kurama murmured.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Hijikata was halfway through and essay he was grading when the phone rang. He snatched it up grumpily, not in a happy move to be grading paper and being interrupted on top of it all.
"What?" He growled.
"Hijikata! Kagome… Inu Yasha… Kosui said you need to get here NOW!" Shippo shouted.
"I'll be there."
He hung up and left, quickly making his way to his car. He flipped out his cell phone and dialed Souji.
The conversation was brief to the extreme.
Kagome needed them.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
"You, my dear, are a very pretty young man."
He cupped the young man's cheek as he said that. He then turned and paced the length of the room.
"Of course you are nothing compared with my beloved. Then of course my gate doesn't swing your way."
He slapped the young man sending him to the ground, but the young man didn't move.
"Another failure I see. A pity really, I do wish that I could get it right sooner. Every day I fail is means another day I've spent without my beloved."
Crouching down he pulled the young man back to his feet. He then led him over to a door connecting to the lab.
"I'll leave you hear then, with all the other 'dolls', maybe I can figure out a use for you someday."
He sat the young man at the end of a row of many other figure, men and women alike. All of them where impassive and blank, but still as perfect as they had been when he had brought them back.
"I'll get it right one of these days."
And he patted the young man on the head before turning on his heel and leaving.
The heavy door shut and the room was as silent as a tomb.
. : End Chapter : .
: . Author's Note . :
It's been a long time since I've last updated hasn't it but I hope this chapter will help you forgive me, it's just that I've been drowning in homework and this was my first free weekend in a long time.
Hopefully my next update will be on time since I only have three weeks left in this semester.
I'll tell you a big secret since I don't suppose that anyone actually reads these ANs. I was thinking of making Miroku the villain of this story, it would've been a wild twist now wouldn't it. I'm not to sure now though so don't get too comfortable.
After this I was wondering what pairing I should write, there are just so many bishounen out there. Maybe a Hiei/Kag or Fruits Basket crossover. Any suggestions out there?
Ciao
. : Next Time : .
Itsuki's plea
Another day, another mission
Sold
Reaching Kagome
Yusuke and Yukina
Old friends
Dolls