DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This author has no financial or non-financial relation nor do they possess any right to "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale" franchise. Full ownership of all characters is the sole intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please see my tumblr kstewdeux for a world map and breakdown of abilities.
Chapter Eight
"I'm just absolutely devastated," a lean young man of average height whined as he rested his chin on his palm and pouted heavily, "They wouldn't even let me have the body even after I was so careful not to cut his pretty face. They just burned him same as the others. Can you believe that?"
An older man with a bald sighed heavily as, for the umpteenth time, his assigned companion bemoaned the fact that the powers that be wouldn't let the insane person have his way with a corpse. Especially considering why, exactly, their 'fearless' leader got his head lobbed off in the first place. Threatening someone in broad daylight and in front of civilians no less? Bankotsu knew better. Everyone knew better. The whole 'no crime in the Capital' schtick was the region's claim to fame. Sure, there were still crimes that got committed and even a few terrorist attacks over the years but the almost instant response from the powers that be still gave the illusion of safety and acted as a deterrent for people who didn't know better. The whole setup was brilliant actually. The state sanctioned criminal organizations were the true enforcers. They were allowed to do basically whatever they wanted so long as they kept their activities away from the public eye. For example, instead of going off to threaten influential parties in public, they should've done it in the shadows. There were plenty of abilities that would've allowed for a quick cleanup. Decay being the best at that particular job. The Brothers should've acted fast and retrieved the arguably useless yet dangerously knowledgeable child before the infamous son of the Champion stepped foot outside Cheapside. After all, from what Renkotsu knew...
That particular bastard was alone in the world. Must be sad to know there was no one left to miss you.
"I'm just saying that, given everything, I deserved that much," the young man continued to pout as he pinned back his long black hair in a feminine butterfly style, "After all, it was my husband that got killed. Don't I get some type of compensation?"
"For the last time, Bankotsu was not your husband" the older man groaned - the pointed purple mark in the middle of his forehead creasing as he cringed.
"He might as well have been," came the dejected response tumbling over two crimson lined lips, "And now I'm all alone in the world. Subject to its censure and derision."
"Please stop."
"Stop? I am distraught. My husband is gone," the young man cried miserably - a single dramatic tear tracing the snake fang tattoo beneath his eye, "He understood me on a spiritual level Renkotsu. I will never find a connection like that again."
Pressing his fingers against his temples, the older man tried to keep his composure and ignore these nonsensical ramblings. Yes, Bankotsu was dead. So sad. Tragic really. But it was for the best. For years now, that cocky bastard had settled for being an assassin for hire rather than actually trying to advance his own team. They could've wrenched control away from the Brothers ages ago but apparently, running a criminal network was 'too much work' and all Bankotsu wanted was to kill some people for pay then bounce.
But now? Now their organization had been granted power the likes of which was beyond their wildest dreams. Now they had been given a seat at the table and by they, Renkotsu meant himself. The rest of their so-called Band of Seven (now six) were morons and shared Bankotsu's lack of true ambition. Murder could still happen if they were in charge. Literally nothing would be preventing their ability to murder others. Only difference would be how much they'd be getting paid.
And yet...
"I'm just saying the least the Capital could do was let me have the body," the young man sighed as he dramatically fell back against the bed and threw his hand over his face.
"They gave you the honor of killing him, Jakotsu. A job I'm sure hundreds of others would've traded their left leg to do," Renkotsu offered - hoping and praying that would be enough to shut the man up, "And we've gotten recognition for it. Some power."
"They just should have given me the body," the young man countered with a forlorn sigh, "What's the point of having power if it doesn't give you what you truly desire?"
"Ah yes. Who can forget the wants of a necrophiliac?" Renkotsu muttered to himself as he glanced down at his watch and groaned. There was still hours before the big meeting where the terms would be discussed. Hours he'd probably spend babysitting this nutcase.
"Do we at least get actual seats for the parade? Is that part of our 'package'?" Jakotsu asked with a melancholy sigh as he propped himself up on his elbows looking rather curious, "I mean, you're going to meet with the Regents, right? Isn't their headquarters on the parade route? Me and the others can just watch in the grand stands, huh?"
Setting his jaw, Renkotsu took in the sight of the man with blood red lipstick, bright yellow short shorts and a purple silk shirt. A man who would draw attention in any crowd but especially in a crowd filled with stuffy polished bureaucrats who were dressed to impress the masses watching them on their television screens. Renkotsu's mind then drifted to the other members of their group - each attention dominating eye sores in their own right and all of them completely unstable.
"No."
Inuyasha met Miroku's sympathetic gaze for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the package in his lap. Earlier this morning, before anyone else had even started to stir, Inuyasha had taken out the precious parcel fully intending on opening it during a time he would be undisturbed. There was a small shed in the far corner of the shrine that had nothing in it that he'd already picked as where he'd open it...
But instead, he found himself sitting here on the edge of his assigned twin bed unwilling to move forward with his plan. Which was stupid but for some reason, it felt like opening this package would be the official end of an era.
Because whatever was in this package was probably something stupid. Food that would inevitably go bad or be eaten. Underwear or socks that would get worn down after time and use. These were the last things that his mother has ever bought with him in mind. The last tangible thing that proved she existed. Their home was gone. Her things were gone. They hadn't even let him have her wedding ring. Everything got seized to pay back the debt they owed the government for those years of aid. Over the past few months, he'd entertained hopes and dreams about what might be in here. Pictures hopefully. A letter or something of sentimental value. Every single thing that he could've kept had gotten cleaned out by the government even before he found out he'd been orphaned. All their family photos rotting away in some landfill. Every item of actual value probably seized and sitting in a coffer somewhere.
Anyway, most likely whatever was on this lumpy package was something meaningless and after hoping for so long, Inuyasha realized he'd set himself up for severe disappointment. Months of waiting to open it until a meaningful day which, in hindsight, was a completely arbitrary condition.
A single claw flicked at the tape which was starting to come loose. A claw that had made life so hard that his mother had literally been unable to afford basic healthcare. A claw that was arguably the reason she was gone.
And yet she'd spent the little money she got allotted to buy him some things for school. In all likelihood she'd spent it luxury items that he didn't necessarily need. Not that...that he wasn't grateful but he didn't like imagining her starving or being uncomfortable.
A shuddering sigh escaped him before he cleared his throat and set about his task. Like ripping off a band-aid, he tore open the package with much less care that he could've before blinking down at the very items he'd been hoping to see. Which hurt rather than made him happy.
Apparently, Mother knew the end was near and sent him what she could.
'Time has gotten away from me again. I meant to give these to you before you left for school. I'll have to explain over break. Until then, keep them safe. I've been holding onto them for a long time. Much love.'
Biting his lip, Inuyasha tried to stop his jaw from trembling as he ran his thumb over the small flashcard.
"I'm so sorry. I'll give you some space," Miroku finally mumbled as he quickly yet quietly left the room. Inuyasha barely heard him over the ringing in his ears.
The small tourist trinket which held her ring every night. A soft white shell held together with some red twine and a glued on clasp.
A few instant polaroids of their family from a time he couldn't even remember. A few he didn't even know she'd taken. Him going to school for the first time. A rare visit to the Greek inspired sculpture garden. Him slurping up their cheap instant ramen. A blurred photo of him running down the street. One of her and him when he was probably around five. Both of them smiling so big.
Despite himself, a tear streamed down his cheek as he moved onto the next treasure. A handkerchief. Presumably his fathers. Made of material of unidentified origin. A definite sign it was from the extremely brief wealthy part of his upbringing. The quality of the material was definitely unique and clearly expensive. Weird that Mother had sent this to him but Inuyasha would admit he appreciated it.
The last singular item was the strangest but definitely the most practical. A keychain so scratched up he couldn't read what was on it. The small round bauble that hung on the end changed color between pink and purple depending on how the light hit it. The plastic rectangle was pinky width thick yet still relatively light. Hard as he tried, despite the visible evidence of use, he didn't remember ever seeing it before.
Flicking one finger at the corner of his eye to remove the tear trapped there, Inuyasha let out a long steadying breath before placing the items neatly on the bed. That was way better than what he imagined. Way better. Devastatingly perfect in fact.
Now he could move on to the bullshit the country called a holiday. Midoriko was celebrated on the first new moon of the new year for some god forsaken and arguably arbitrary reason. Meant to commemorate femininity, a thwarted plan and divine love. Because those things going together made sense. Supposedly the story went that a beautiful priestess came upon an injured solider after the war and nursed him on his death bed. By a cruel twist of fate, the solider died but not from the radiation sickness. Rather a group of insurgents attacked and this solider gave his life pointlessly trying to defend the priestess who'd already died. Spiders were somehow involved. Always a shit ton of spider inspired cheap throws to get at the parade. Because the Capital threw a parade for everything it seemed and everybody liked spiders, right?
There had to be an actual point to the holiday. Inuyasha was sure of it even though he couldn't, for the life of him, tell you what it was. All he knew is that Midoriko meant private exchanges of gifts and the government threw a parade. He'd never really questioned any of it before now. Seemed stupid. Really stupid. Why the hell would a story like that land a holiday? Especially one warranting weeks off school and a day where the entire country shut down. It was stupid. So…
"Inuyasha? We're opening gifts if you want to join us," Kagome's somewhat hesitant voice suddenly called through the door, "There are a few gifts for you."
Setting then resetting his jaw, amber eyes flicked up towards the door as Inuyasha weighed the pros and cons of leaving the sanctity of the guest room. On the one hand, there were gifts. That was nice. On the other hand, there were gifts for him and he had none to give. That was awkward. Staying in here all day, however, would be infinitely more awkward and he was socially aware enough to realize that. Besides, they all knew damn well he had nothing to his name so surely, surely they wouldn't care that he didn't bring gifts.
Surely.
Hopefully.
Letting out a long controlled breath, Inuyasha called back a cringeworthy 'be out in a minute' before letting out the sigh to end all sighs. What was that? 'Be out in a minute'? He wasn't even that polite to his Mother.
"I meant I'll be out when I damn well feel," Inuyasha amended far too late to be normal and from behind the door, he heard a faint snicker which confused him immensely.
"Okay. Just thought I'd let you know," Kagome hummed bemusedly - her voice somewhat muffled by the presence of the door, "Mama made a pumpkin pie. Better come get one before its gone."
Inuyasha scowled for a moment as his traitorous stomach gurgled. That highly recommended pie was one of the selling points...
"She only made one?"
'And finally, in response to the Bienville fires, the Capital has announced changes to building codes and ordinances and have set up a new task force to ensure quick compliance. Hana Nakamura has more on this developing story. Hana?'
'Thank you Tom. Yes, even with Midoriko celebrations in full swing, the Board of Regents held an emergency session last night saying, quote, 'this level of negligence by private business interests cannot go ignored'. Over the next few weeks, there will be inspections of all buildings in the Capital area which will check the electrical systems for similar design flaws. It's being reported that any necessary changes will, of course, be paid for, in full, by the Captial..."
"Weird how the news hasn't reported a bunch of thugs attacking us in broad daylight," Miroku commented absently as he took a long sip of coffee and Sango snorted once.
"Seriously? You know better than that."
"I am aware that the culprits have most likely been apprehended'," Miroku yawned before shaking his head and humming, "But the government isn't like the Taijiya."
"No. I imagine they're worse," Sango snickered before letting out a yawn of her own and stretching her arms above her head, "Bet my life on it that we are the only ones left breathing who remember it happened at all."
Miroku pursed his lips and shook his head.
"No, no. You're being far too cynical. More likely they are trying to keep this quiet and have simply kept it out of the news. Its quite concerning that they were able to openly attack one of the monuments in broad daylight. Wouldn't want to incite a panic," Miroku countered wearily. In response, Sango made a pitying face and gestured towards the 'continued news coverage'.
"You honestly think this isn't related?"
Shaking his head, Miroku laughed once.
"I will admit you may have a point," he offered before holding up the palm that would probably wind up killing him, "I just don't have the same luxury as you. I can't afford such dangerous speculation."
It had been an odd start to friendship but Miroku was forever grateful his parents had sent him to a boarding school in Arami when he turned eleven. They had said it was for him to improve his empathic traits but most likely it had been to keep him away from whatever nonsense they'd gotten involved with and to give him plausible deniability. Yes, he would theoretically go home for the holidays but that ultimately only happened once. After he turned twelve and his parents were definitively unalive, he'd stayed at the school full time where he met Sango who was...similarly situated. They weren't friends per se but at the lonely dinner table over the holidays they'd nod to one another. They'd talk on occasion. She'd slapped him more than once for trying to flirt with his thirteen year old humor. Not that he ever tried to influence her much less cast a shimmer but he did flirt. Later, in the final year before the Academy, came Kagome who'd applied to primary in Arami to study healing at the program there. The rest was history.
And now they'd added another arguably questionable member to their little group. It'd be a wonder if Kagome didn't start getting a reputation by affiliating herself with so many individuals with shady backgrounds.
"Are you wanting to go to the parade?" Sango muttered after what her companion assumed was a comfortable silence. Truth be told, however, the poor young woman was semi-desperate to shift the conversation back to something more normal. While true she had been removed from the Taijiya for years now, it still made her uncomfortable when suspicious coincidences occurred. Like a fire in Cheapside the day after an attack relating to crime in Cheapside. There was no doubt in her mind that the incident was related and retaliatory but no rational, ordinary, prudent person would make that connection. What did it say about her that she saw connections between seemingly unrelated events? It made her sound paranoid. Delusional.
Broken.
But how could she be anything other than broken when she was the daughter of a crime family? Thanks to having one secondary ability that had been largely, if not completely, unnoticed she'd learned far more than she ever wanted to know about her parents. Her family. The entire freaking mob. Being a physical type kinetic had gotten her far in life but it was being a technopath that had always given her an edge. From recipes to stat sheets, anything she wanted to know that was of a certain clearance level she could find just by touching something electronic. Kagome often joked that being friends with Sango was like being friends with a encyclopedia but that was giving her far too much credit. Sure, she could find and read records just by touching a piece of technology but that ability was so weak that it didn't even show up when the Capital ran her genome.
Then again...
It would seem a lot of abilities weren't caught per se. Regardless of how strong or even how dangerous they might be. Take Inuyasha for example. How was it that he had an empathic ability so strong it could literally kill him and yet that ability wasn't even notated? How did someone see what happened in that train car and, instead of reporting the danger, made it easier for Inuyasha to walk into the Capital? They didn't even pull him. No questions asked. An unstable empath with a body count has an episode and no one batted an eyelash? How could that be? How did that happen?
Sango knew the answer to that question just like how she knew, in her heart of hearts, that the Capital was behind these fires. A "conspiracy" she fully believed that somewhere someone had taken it upon themselves to...
"I'll go if that is what you wish but I have no desire to fight my way through that crowd again," the boy chuckled before yawning again and glancing at the unopened gifts, "I worry that..."
"He'll be out in a second," a very proud looking Kagome suddenly announced as she sauntered into the room. At the sight of the woman who had been dead to the world less than thirty minutes ago, Sango furrowed her brow before sighing heavily when the child masquerading as her friend changed into his normal form with a loud pop, "He's hungry. Gets him every time."
"You shouldn't pretend to be other people, Shippo," Sango chided in a very disapproving tone, "Especially to trick people in their own home."
"I did it all the time when I was growing up," Shippo chirped dismissively as he made his way towards the kitchen with a happy little grin. Miroku's eye twitched as he scowled. Yet again someone was doing their upmost to sew distrust and it was getting very, very old. Didn't anyone understand how crucial it was that Inuyasha join them? Although, to be fair, Inuyasha was more likely to...
"Oh you little shit," Inuyasha's irate voice suddenly rang out as the bedroom door swung open, "I save your sorry ass and...and...was that you last night?!"
Sango's head whipped towards the infuriated and dare she say mortified looking boy stalking across the living room with murder in his eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Shippo squeaked as he glanced towards the two teenage spectators for help, "I just wanted to make sure you came out of that room."
"Was. That. You? By the tree. Last night," Inuyasha hissed as he snatched the boy by the tail and shook his roughly, "Answer me."
"I didn't do anything! Ask Sota! We were playing games!" Shippo began to cry, "I'm just a kid! Don't hurt me!"
"Oh I will ask the other brat and if I find out it was..."
"Pray tell, what happened by the tree Inuyasha?" Miroku suddenly chimed in mischievously earning a faint blush. The boy who spoke cringed subtly as soon as those words left his mouth but otherwise kept up his playful smirk. Here he went being the pot who called the kettle black but alas what was done was...
"None of your damn business," Inuyasha huffed as he carelessly dropped the little shapeshifting animorph on his butt and ran his claws through his hair, "Know what? All of you eat shit and..."
"How about this? Let's everyone take a step back and calm down, hm?" Kagome's tired and weary voice suddenly sighed as she emerged disheveled and in her pajamas, "There is no reason for this much yelling this early."
"It's ten."
Kagome glared at the contrary Sango before clearing her throat and folding her arms across her chest.
"I'm just saying..."
"Can I finish my thought?" Inuyasha interrupted condescendingly as he matched her pose and Kagome narrowed her eyes once in a silent challenge. Inuyasha, unfortunately, took her silence for approval instead of the 'don't you dare' it was.
"Good. Everyone eat shit and die," he huffed before glancing around the kitchen and heading towards the tea cakes which did, in fact, exist. Sighing heavily, Kagome rolled her eyes but was far too tired to start a fight. How Inuyasha was up this early was beyond her. They'd say out there talking then sitting in silence until well past midnight. It'd been nice actually. More than nice. For a brief moment, Inuyasha was comfortable around her. And now...
"That was rude," Kagome huffed and she heard Inuyasha snort as she plopped down on the couch next to a rather pensive looking Sango.
"What happened last..." the girl whispered to her exhausted looking friend.
"And another thing," Inuyasha huffed as he reappeared in the living room with a plate and a mouthful of pie, "Instead of trying to fuck with me, you all should be kissing my ass," he flicked the fork to gesture at them all, "Academy pre-qualified me. Not you! So..."
"I'm sorry, what?!"
At Kagome's outburst, Inuyasha's sloppy chewing slowed as three pairs of wide eyes stared back at him.
"I'm prequalified," Inuyasha repeated before scooping up another bite of admittedly mind blowing pie and popping it into his mouth, "Isn't that why you assholes were willing to overlook the whole..." he absently gestured at his head with the fork in his hand"...thing?"
Miroku's jaw dropped. Sango cringed. Kagome...
Kagome looked pissed.
"How on earth were we supposed to know that?! Why didn't you say something?!"
Not for the first time, Inuyasha looked confused. True, his mind had been...elsewhere most of the semester and sure, he didn't read most...well, okay, any of the school guidelines but...but if no one knew, that...
Would explain a lot actually. At a minimum, it would explain why the clubs blacklisted him instead of overlooking his past. Which is what he'd assumed they'd do. It'd been a very rude shock and the last thing he'd wanted to do was humiliate himself but yeah, all those defensive classes Sango said he should've been taking? The clubs put those on and they wouldn't even let him sign up. Having the whole prequalified thing be hush hush would explain why no one wanted to associate with him. No student knew he was their ticket to an easy success.
All this time he assumed these assholes were just...that they were tolerating him and being...well weird since he was a murderer but, at the same time, he was also a free 'get into first round of selection' card. The benefit outweighed whatever presumed 'danger'. Plus, he was an easy target. Easy to take advantage of since he was a sad desperate person who didn't want to be alone...
But, as it was apparently turning out, they...well, okay, they did pity him but they'd seen value in him for his skill alone. All that talk about him making them a shoe in wasn't because they knew he was prequalified for candidacy. They thought, with him being part of a team, they could win on merit. All this time they planned on actually trying out in the spring instead of just walking on to the Selection in the summer.
More than that even. Since they didn't know about the perk he brought to the table, them asking him home for the holidays meant these people actually liked him on some level. They still wanted him around even with all his dirty laundry. Sure, the whole point of this misadventure had been to woo him onto their team and they'd pretty much ignored him until he got on the train but...but...
They actually wanted him to be part of their team.
A team made up of best friends...
Which meant they wanted him to be their friend, didn't it? Not just a teammate or someone they could manipulate. They wanted to be his friend. They asked him to come home for the holidays in the hope of winning him over with the power of friendship...
They wanted him to be their friend...
"What the fuck?" Inuyasha breathed in confusion as he took another bite of pie and tried to wrap his mind around what this all meant.
"Does it apply to us?" Miroku suddenly asked in a tight voice, "If you were to join our unit, would we become prequalified?"
This latest question brought Inuyasha's confusion to new heights.
"I think so." Inuyasha admitted distractedly as he swallowed and mindlessly scooped up another bite to stuff in his mouth, "That's why I was gunna go it alone. Didn't want any moochers."
"If you did not want 'moochers', why agree to come here?" Miroku huffed in frustration- throwing aside any pretense that may have existed, "We asked you to join our unit for the spring. For the first round of the selection. We were very clear about our motivations."
Uncomfortable with this line of frankly idiotic questioning, Inuyasha simply continued chewing his bite of pie. To be honest, Inuyasha didn't even really understand why he agreed to go with strangers and what he did know about his own motivations he wasn't going to share with the room. He didn't want to be alone for three weeks by himself living off Doritos. Prequalified he may be but being prequalified didn't give him any financial benefits. He got tuition, room and board guaranteed through all four years so even if he didn't make it past this summer he would still be getting a top notch education but...
"I dunno," Inuyasha finally muttered as he lifted his plate and shrugged, "Free food?"
A tense silence followed the flippant statement.
"Do you still have this letter?" Miroku pressed a little desperately when Inuyasha just stared. In response, Inuyasha frowned.
"Why's it matter to you? I'm not even in your unit yet," Inuyasha snorted dismissively. That last word hung heavy in the air for one moment...two...
And then Miroku let out a heavy sigh, got to his feet and left the room.
"What's his problem?" Inuyasha grumbled as he finished his plate and went back for seconds. Sango cast Kagome a perturbed look before moving to follow the obviously rattled boy while Kagome...
Kagome was very confused and felt rather nauseous. Yeah, she'd invited him home for the holidays because she felt bad for him and wanted to try to win him over. There was definitely a selfish motive there but it wasn't to use him. Inuyasha had been seen as a valuable addition because of his skill set. The try outs were supposed to be grueling. Out of hundreds of students only so many made it through each year. Fewer and fewer until one team remained. Upon graduating, those final winners would continue their training until the next Final Selection when they would compete again.
And all this time, Inuyasha had been prequalified. Really, honestly and truly the only, only reason Inuyasha even agreed to come home with them was because he was lonely and most likely depressed. A state of mind probably not helped at all by...literally everything that had transpired since school let out. Letting out a steadying breath, Kagome glanced over her shoulder at her gift and began chewing on her lip. When Inuyasha reappeared with more pie, he found himself nearly running into the girl who was holding out a rectangular box wrapped in bright purple gift paper.
"Whether or not you join our unit, I think this will help you in the selection process," she mumbled with a genuine soft smile, "I know I haven't made the best impression so far so I maybe spent more than I should've."
To be completely honest, Inuyasha was touched that she'd apparently put some thought into her gift rather than just getting him something like a gift card. It also spoke volumes that she'd gotten this before she even knew what he really brought to the table.
"I didn't get you guys anything," Inuyasha hmphed defensively and while he eyed her wearily, Kagome simply smiled.
"We know. We don't care," Kagome hummed reassuringly as she held the package up and made it shimmy in the air, "Will you open it?"
For a long moment, Inuyasha stared at her while continuing to shovel in the pumpkin pie that tasted like nectar of the gods before he set down the plate on a nearby end table and snatched the package from her hands. A few seconds later and the paper was shredded. The lid tossed aside.
A pair of fingerless leather gloves and a keychain lay atop a few pieces of soft pink tissue paper. It was the keychain that had him pausing. The plastic was thinner and pristine. The bauble a clear pink instead of one tinged with purple. Not at all translucent. A new one. Probably a cheaper one.
"Well I thought when you're in a fight, you might need to touch people with empathic abilities. To throw them or defend yourself," Kagome explained nervously when Inuyasha appeared to short circuit, "But you still need your claws so..."
"What's this keychain?" Inuyasha interrupted distractedly as he placed the box down and held the item in his palm.
"Oh, that? It's a touristy thing the shrine sells," Kagome admitted with a nervous chuckle, "Pink quartz is supposed to represent healing energy. We're a family of healers so...I don't know. Gramps came up with it."
"Healers?" Inuyasha repeated quietly - mind racing as he inspected the details - and Kagome swayed her head side to side to indicate 'yes, no, maybe.'
"Me, my father and my grandmother were," Kagome offered with a strained smile, "Mama and Gramps don't really have any abilities."
Nodding once in understanding, Inuyasha flipped the keychain over a few times before letting out a shuddering sigh and mumbled a soft 'thanks.' The fact that his mother had given him such a well worn version of this meant that what Kagome's mother had said was true. Not that she'd have any reason to lie but...
Maybe that's how Mother was going to let him know. A segue way into the truth about where she was from and what she knew and who she knew. Now the closest he'd ever get was a woman he'd only formally met a few days ago. A kind woman, sure, but otherwise a stranger...
What else had Mother been keeping from him? Why not just tell him the truth? Why keep it a secret? She...she was all he had. The only person he ever loved and felt he could trust and she...she still...
Setting his jaw to keep it from trembling, Inuyasha began to turning the new keychain over and over in his palm faster and faster and...
"I realty am sorry," she added for good measure as she began wringing her hands at the sight of Inuyasha seeming to be angry, "For everything so far. I get weird for a few days after, you know," Kagome paused and made a mind blow gesture with her hands, "Not that it's an excuse but...I don't want you to think that, um, any of it was personal or that I was trying to control you or...or trick you. For any reason but especially not because you were prequalified. We genuinely didn't know and I'm just a very awkward person it turns out so...yeah..."
Realizing he was being odd, Inuyasha stopped his fidgeting and shook himself mentally.
"Its fine," Inuyasha said as he quickly pocketed the keychain and shrugged, "You seem alright. I'm sure you weren't trying to be a bitch."
It amused him to see her eye twitch at the insult.
"You seem alright too," Kagome finally sighed before offering him a warm smile that had butterflies erupting in his stomach, "So...have you opened your mom's gift yet?"
Clearing his throat, Inuyasha's face dropped as he nodded once then shrugged.
"It was just some random stuff," Inuyasha mumbled evasively - the keychain in his pocket suddenly feeling heavier, "Nothing too crazy."
"Were there socks?" Kagome asked playfully - her nervousness fading away when Inuyasha chuckled and shook his head.
"No. No socks."
"Ah, so this is your villain origin story," she teased, "Should never have called socks stupid. Now you've doomed yourself to a life without socks."
"Just because Mother didn't send socks doesn't mean I'll never have socks again," Inuyasha snorted - finding mentioning his Mother didn't hurt for the first time since her death - and shrugging, Kagome held up her hands.
"Just saying."
"You're an idiot," Inuyasha snickered with a smirk and something adoring sparkled behind sapphire eyes.
"Kind of you to notice."
Retracting a filthy dust covered hand from yet another air vent, a pair of emerald eyes glanced around the clearly abandoned apartment while rubbing the gritty material between her forefingers. The information was secure, she'd said. Well hidden and undetectable, she'd promised. Then the bitch had the audacity to up and die and now…
Letting out a long sigh, Ayame felt immediately guilty and a little sick for insulting someone who had sacrificed so much. Who had gone through so much. Who had wanted answers and solutions in the hopes of saving her son the hardship she'd been forced to bear.
Her body just hadn't been compatible with the "gift" she'd been "given" and unfortunately, that incompatible gene had been passed along to her son. Still, there had been a happy accident that somehow had gone beneath the Regents' notice. A natural mutation born of stress. One that had allowed the passage of information in ever more creative ways.
"Where are you?" the crimson haired young woman murmured quietly as she took a turn about the room, "Where did she stash you?"
"Any luck?" a chirpy voice suddenly piped up as a heart shaped face topper with long translucent hair popped out of a worm hole without any advance notice.
"What the hell Shiori?!" Ayame hissed - her eyes flashing dangerously, "Are you trying to bring attention to us? What if I had screamed?!"
"Then it'd have been lucky that my barrier is still up. Koga says you need to come back," the girl replied innocently as her big violet eyes rolled, "He says that if you haven't found it by now, it's not here. She must've put it somewhere else. We need to go"
"It has to here," Ayame countered as she tipped up a trash can with her toe, "It wasn't in that taxi. It wasn't at the hospital or the morgue."
"I agree with Koga. I don't think Aunt Izzy would hide it here. Seems like it'd be the first place someone would look and she was smarter than that," the disembodied head offered thoughtfully before the portal widened and a short fragile looking teenager sauntered into the living room, "Especially because they took Kit and Suni a few weeks before she died."
"She told Eri that it was 'homemade'," Ayame huffed as she got down on her stomach and palmed the underside of a very cheap armchair, "What else could that mean?"
"We both know that Aunt Izzy wasn't the best at speaking in code," the newcomer hummed sadly, "Seems like something she'd say and not intend it to mean anything."
Pausing in her search, the ginger beauty winced and sighed.
"I mean, that's fair but..."
"She probably gave it to what's his face," Shiori offered softly after a long moment - her slender fingers running along the edge of the ash and dust covered.
"Her kid?" Ayame asked dryly as she sent her comrade an exasperated side eyed glare, "Surely she wouldn't do that. They watch him."
"He's the same same age as us. He isn't a kid," Shiori corrected - her soft wispy voice holding a slight edge, "In any case, she sent him a care package. Koga thought that was weird enough to warrant arranging a pre-screen," the strange wiry young woman countered, "Which could've backfired horribly seeing as what's his name went nannybonkers on the train..."
"I still disagree with how that was handled. I don't care if he can regenerate. He almost died," Ayame sighed, "Hojo should've at least healed him."
"Hojo kept it off record so the precheck would stand. He did his job..." Shiori hummed thoughtfully - her fingertips gently gliding over the yellowing floral wallpaper, "Besides, there was nothing he could do. Artificial genome sequences aren't exactly responsive to treatment."
Ayame couldn't argue with that.
"Anyway, Koga wants us to go back. It's not here."
Now that Ayame could argue against.
"It has to be here. Aunt Izzy would never put her only son in danger like that. He's the whole reason she even..."
"Look. I can only keep up the barrier for so long," Shiori finally interrupted - a faint blush blossoming on her pearly skin, "Koga needs you to come back. Worst case, if its not with, um, Tasha..."
"Inuyasha," Ayame corrected with a soft snort as she finally acknowledged that time was up and got to her feet, "The kid's name is Inuyasha."
"Gesundheit," Shiori responded dismissively before nodding towards the portal, "If it's not with him, we can come back but we've gotta go. Now."
"Okay. Okay. I'm coming."