The Kindness of Strangers
Disclaimer: (to the tune of "I know a song that gets on every body's nerves")
I don't own InuYasha and I know I never will.
I don't own InuYasha and I know I never will.
I don't own InuYasha and I know I never will,
So leave me alone lawyers!
Chapter 4-Dawn
InuYasha had found the road with no trouble, Miroku's scent still fresh on it. He couldn't be far ahead, a few more minutes at this speed and there he was, resting on the side of the road, Shippo curled up in his lap. He considered pressing on, but thought that perhaps the monk had some useful information.
"Oi, Monk!"
Miroku started from his nap before smiling at InuYasha. "I'm glad you could come so fast. I trust Sango is fine?"
"She was when I left her," he shot back, not in the mood for pleasantries, but dreading to ask. "Any sign of her?"
The monk shook his head. "The only thing I found was that a lady running a tea house a few miles back saw them pass two days ago. We're still far behind my friend." The voice was grave and dismal and low so as not to disturb the little fox sleeping on his chest. "I fear we may be too late to prevent any damage. The lady said she looked badly bruised and sore and that the men would not allow her anything to eat or drink when they stopped. They mentioned they would be stopping in a village not far ahead. I hoped to make it, but I was tired."
InuYasha nodded, not liking all he heard, but at least as of two days before, Kagome had been alive. "You did good monk. I'll take it from here." He prepared to leave, but the monk's soft voice stopped him.
"InuYasha, what ever happens, keep on your toes."
He snorted. "Course I will monk. I'm not that dumb."
Before the monk could say one more word, InuYasha was gone.
Amari Nobunaga walked the streets of the village anxiously, his white monkey resting on his shoulder oblivious to his master's unease. It was busy spinning a plate on a stick, somehow keeping its balance as Nobunaga walked aimlessly through the streets. What was wrong with Kagome-sama? She hadn't seemed at all like the girl he had met a year before. Where that girl had been warm and vibrant, this one seemed cold and timid, not to mention a little lifeless. And how had she gotten into such a place anyways? None of it made any sense.
He suddenly walked into someone, more like tripped over for the man was on all fours sniffing intently on the ground. The white haired youth looked up, growling at him fiercely before recognizing him.
"InuYasha? You're alive?"
"Could say the same for you Idjit, now move. I need to find her!"
Nobunaga blinked. "Kagome-sama?" The hanyou looked up intently, suddenly catching the scent of Kagome on him. "I saw her just this morning. I could bring you there-"
The youth grabbed the other, golden eyes wide and demanding. "You saw her? How was she? Was she okay? Is she hurt? Where is she?"
Nobunaga hesitated, unsure what to say. "She was tired," he began, "and she had old bruises on her face, a few days old, but otherwise, she looked fine. She acted a little oddly though, asking for information about you, she didn't seem to even know that you were a half demon." InuYasha frowned at that. She still couldn't remember, but at least it seemed there was some recollection of him. "As for where she was…" The man hesitated.
"She was where man!"
"In one of the brothels."
InuYasha felt his insides twist painfully as he released the man. "A…brothel?" Nobunaga nodded. "What was she doing at one of those places?" Not his Kagome, they couldn't have done that to her, not his sweet, innocent Kagome…
Nobunaga looked thoroughly ashamed. "She was the main attraction. Apparently, it has been a long time since they last got a new…woman."
Anger. He felt his demon blood rise up in him, protesting the news, protesting that any man was allowed to touch his mate like that. He wouldn't allow it. Grabbing Tessaiga's hilt, he turned to the man. "Show me."
A loud crash downstairs startled Ame from her nap and she groaned angrily. Was she ever going to get some sleep? She was tired and she was sore and she just wanted to fall asleep and forget about everything outside of her scant memories of her life before this hell. Sometimes, she wondered if she were dead and this was the afterlife, a punishment for some wrong deed in her life, some wrong deed she could not even remember. She hated that.
She pulled the blanket over her again, tighter, trying to bloc out the yelling from downstairs, muffled by the walls and other cries, especially those from the room next door. Whoever was in there had to be quite wealthy; they had been going at it for hours.
She groaned when the yelling came closer, up the stairs, closer to her room. She could make out the words now, and it made it worse. Noise she could block out, a conversation she couldn't.
"I told you to get out! I don't allow your kind in here, demon!" She knew that voice. That was the boy who had been downstairs when they had brought her in.
"This is your last warning! Shut the fuck up or I'll rip your worthless neck out and destroy this whole fucken place! Which room was she in?"
An instant of silence. Apparently the boy wanted to keep his neck. She heard the steps now, loud and heavy on the wood floor. She heard her door slam open and she felt an uncontrollable anger fill her. She sat up, facing the wall away from the door, eyes locked firm as she began to yell.
"God dammit, what does it take for a whore to get some sleep around here!"
When she finished, she turned to glare at the three intruders and felt her breath catch when her eyes locked on familiar golden ones, the range of emotions in them startling her, fear, anger, hurt, concern, hope, love. She forced herself to turn away, pulling her kimono closer as if it would take back her last statement, shame filling her. She wanted to disappear, to not be under the powerful gaze of those familiar eyes.
There was a hand suddenly on her shoulder, a clawed hand, a demon's hand, but it was gentle and comforting, warm and caring, not like all of the other hands that had trailed their way along her body. Her eyes moved hesitantly to look at the hand, finding those eyes again almost by mistake. They were softer now, almost pleading for her to let the hand stay. Anyone else, she would have pulled away, but this man, she let him touch her, knowing without knowing how that this was her guardian come to save her.
"I-InuYasha?" she asked, quiet, soft, even she barely heard it, but from the look in his eyes, a kind of relief, she knew he had.
"Don't you worry Kagome, I won't let anything else happen to you."
She was scared. The scent burned into his nose, along with the scent of a number of men, three four, all fairly fresh trying to mask her own scent. The poor girl, his poor Kagome. He had failed before, but now that she was in his sights once more, no more harm could come to her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go, but judging from the way she seemed so nervous with a mere hand, he'd wait. He concentrated instead on assessing the damage done. Her face was a sickly yellow from day or two old bruises, her eyes seemed abnormally large in her somehow thinner face, he could tell she hadn't been eating well the last week, she had lost a few pounds, he could feel it in her shoulder.
The hand not touching her clenched tightly in anger, the need to rip things apart filling him as he looked her over. She was all but quivering with fear and shame. How could those men have done those things to her? It was a sin he'd never be able to forgive, a mistake he'd never forget. He had been stupid, but it would never happen again. Never.
"Kagome?" She turned to him, blue eyes shimmering with fear and hope. "I'll get you out of here. Just put this on." He handed her his haori. The kimono she wore was barely covering the essentials and it was worn almost through in some place. As soon as he got her out of here and into a hot spring, he'd destroy that thing along with the scents that covered it. She took it without question, much to his relief. "Can you walk?" She nodded, almost desperately. He stood and she followed his example, her legs nearly buckling under her weight. She wouldn't make it far, but once outside, she wouldn't have to walk. He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't let go, okay?"
"Okay." It was weak, tired, but determined. She wanted out and he'd help her no matter what.
"Idjit," Nobunaga stood up straight at the nickname, wisely choosing not to comment. "stay behind her. Make sure she stays on her feet."
He nodded and InuYasha turned to the boy. "You'll want to get out of my way or else you'll never be in anyone's way again."
The boy looked ready to piss himself and obediently moved out of his way, fully expecting a beating for letting the prize leave like this, but better to be beat than to die. InuYasha started forward, taking Kagome's other hand as he started a steady pace out of the room and down the hall. His earlier outbursts had drawn more whores from their rooms and they were watching from slightly open doors, mumbling things he didn't bother to pay attention to. It wasn't until he was halfway down the stairs that trouble started.
Someone had gotten guards. They were dressed in cheap armour and held pitiful swords and worse spears, but a man, who was most likely the owner, his scent lingered on Kagome's skin, was telling them to stop him, demanding, offering free services if they did. That only served to anger him worse. He drew Tessaiga, allowing it to transform in front of them. The guards looked ready to faint at the sight of it.
"Out of my way," he growled, the tone ruthless and promising pain. He felt Kagome's hand tighten on his shoulder, fear seeping from her. "Now!"
"You let this demon get away now and we'll be overrun by them! Kill him!"
He turned to the seemingly fearless, and stupid, man, hate welling up in him. "Kagome, turn around. This is going to get dirty." She obeyed, a little reluctantly, and released him as he walked up to the fat man and grabbed his throat before he could even react. "You have to the count of five to tall me why I shouldn't kill you. One, five." InuYasha snapped the man's neck and let the lifeless body fall o the floor. He turned to the guards. "Who's next?"
It was no surprise that they were already scrambling to get out. He let them go as he turned back to Kagome. Nobunaga was practically holding her up as she stood with her back to him. That wouldn't do. He picked her up gently, arms under her legs and shoulders, almost cradling her to him. He turned to the man one more time.
"I owe you, idjit."
The man shook his head. "We're even InuYasha."
He nodded, accepting the terms, before darting out of the place, holding Kagome like a lifeline. Finally, she was out of there and he had her once more. Never again would harm befall her, never again.