Chapter 18
Kagura woke up to the sound of the telephone ringing again. Sitting up on the couch, she groaned faintly.
There was only one person who could be calling her, and the thought that she would have to follow his orders yet again made her groan aloud as she sat up on the couch. "Ugh…" And I just finished a task for him, too…asshole. So kidnapping the boy wasn't enough, then? Standing, she crossed the room to the shrilly ringing telephone and picked it up. "Yes, sir?"
"I have another task for you, Kagura." The deep voice was dry and emotionless, doubly so for the terrible sound quality, yet she felt almost as if he were standing just behind her— doubtless smirking at her back.
"Oh?"
"You have been keeping up with the news, yes?"
"Of course." It was her link to the outside world, after all—the world he'd pulled her from, and the one she would be returning to with all due speed the moment his grip on her slackened.
"You are aware that Genken Tankyuusha is coming into the city in two days time, then?"
Kagura frowned, leaning against the wall. Tankyuusha… that foreign businessman? But Naraku was continuing, and she had to listen. "You will meet with him then. I will send you instructions on what to do tomorrow."
And then, with a faint clicking noise, the connection cut off. Kagura stared down at the receiver in her hand. In a bad mood today, is he?
:00:00:
Sango leaned forward on Kirara's back, looking straight ahead. Perhaps she was scanning the treetops for hints of her destination… but more than that, she was trying to avoid looking at her escort.
The two flying youkai—harpies?—were exactly the sort of thing she would have been instructed to kill, an eternity ago, back when she'd still had a life. Back when she'd still had a family, and a purpose she believed in. Less than a day ago, she wouldn't even have considered this.
She was too numb at the moment to truly feel the aching shame that seemed to permeate her entire being. Sometime near the beginning of the trip, the thought had crossed her mind, I'm acting as a puppet for some youkai… But there was little she could do besides follow where they pointed her, even when she just knew that this couldn't end well.
But there was no choice in the matter. Kohaku would die if she failed to retrieve the Shikon no Tama, and she would not allow that to happen—even if it meant giving in to Naraku for the moment. I have to get him back. I have to. If I don't… if I don't, that's where it all ends.
She realized somewhat belatedly that one of the two youkai that formed her escort had stopped in midair and was gesturing at the ground with a clawed hand. Looking down, she could see a mass of leafless tree branches, with a number of small roofs nestled amongst them.
Houses. A town. We must be there.
:00:00:
"Mum?" said Kagome softly, peering around the doorway into the living room. Mrs. Higurashi looked over at her.
"Yes, dear?"
"We're all ready to go now. If you think it's time…"
"Oh!" Mrs. Higurashi stood up. "Yes… I think we'd better leave. If Grandpa and Souta wake up they might get worried." She smiled apologetically at Mrs. Akakitsune. "Do you think you're all right now?"
"Oh, yes," said the younger woman. She'd been crying recently, Kagome could tell by the redness around of her eyes, but the smile she offered Mrs. Higurashi in return was genuine. "You should get back to your own family. Don't let me stop you."
Kagome wondered briefly about what they had been talking about while she, Miroku and Inuyasha had been disposing of the Thunder Brothers' clothes. The conversation must have gone fairly well—or at least, both women seemed to be in better spirits.
Granted, 'better' for Mrs. Akakitsune just meant that she no longer seemed to be in shock, but given what had just occurred, more could hardly be expected.
"Remember," said Mrs. Higurashi, looking down at Mrs. Akakitsune as she stood up, "you can call me if you want to talk again. Or if Shippou wants to play—he should meet Souta sometime."
Mrs. Akakitsune nodded and stood as well. "Thank you." She walked with her to the door of the living room, where Kagome was waiting with Miroku and Inuyasha. "Will you be driving?"
"Of course," said Mrs. Higurashi.
"Be careful, then," said Mrs. Akakitsune. "The roads can be dangerous this late… and it's icy."
Miroku laughed. "Well, with my driving skills, we shouldn't have to worry."
Inuyasha snorted. "Keh! With you at the wheel, I'd think we'd have to worry more."
"Anyway," said Mrs. Higurashi, before Miroku could protest, "we'd best be going now. It is very late."
Mrs. Akakitsune smiled. "Of course."
:00:00:
"Look up, human," said one of the youkai. "They're coming."
Listlessly, Sango looked up through the trees which were providing them with sparse cover. The door had opened, and the people who were, presumably, her intended targets, began to leave the house. A forty-something woman, a young man with dark hair… Innocents, all of them. Why…?
"A youkai?" The larger of the pair forming her escort stared intently at the still-open doorway as the silver-haired youth emerged. "We weren't told that—"
"Never mind who's with them," replied the other youkai, in a voice like the crunching of gravel. "The girl has the jewel—we have to get it."
The door to the house was closed.
Sango started forwards as they did, pulling out Hiraikotsu and heading straight for the silver-haired youkai, keeping to the trees as long as possible. It was obvious that the small group was not expecting any sort of attack—the girl was laughing, and even her own target seemed at ease. The guilt was becoming harder to suppress. If I can get the jewel without attacking the humans…
Miroku had just pulled open the door to the driver's seat when Sango and her two escorts burst from the forest.
:0:
Kagome hadn't noticed the youki of the two intruders until it was too late—having been distracted by the presence of the Akakitsunes, her only consolation was that Inuyasha and Miroku were as surprised as she was.
"Hand over the Shikon no Tama, girl!" roared a monster that seemed to be a mixture of round, brown-feathered bird and human torso, heading straight towards Kagome.
Mrs. Higurashi screamed, and Inuyasha swore and lunged forwards to stop the creature, only to find himself confronted by a third attacker—what seemed like a human girl, wearing a mask and some sort of skintight leathery material. He ducked a blow from her weapon, a giant boomerang which seemed fully as large as she was, and stared at her in confusion. She smells human…
Kagome dodged her attacker, running sideways and away from the car, while Miroku slammed the door shut and ran to engage, or at least distract, the other bird-monster.
"What are those things!" shrieked Mrs. Higurashi, drawing his attention away from the girl. This was a mistake, as she immediately swung again, forcing him to move back another leap.
Shit… why'd Kagome's mother have to be here now? He thought furiously. If she figures it out… this will get her in so much trouble… "Miroku!" he yelled. "Get to the woods!"
Miroku nodded and lashed out at his opponent once again, enraging it further, and when the dark-haired boy ran for the woods, it followed him.
Now Inuyasha was left in the clearing with Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi, and two of the attackers. "Get inside the house!" he yelled to the woman, glaring at her.
Inuyasha moved as if about to run sideways, and when the masked human tried to intercept him, he knocked her feet out from under her and jumped over her to Kagome, who was still running from her attacker. He grabbed her by the shoulders, ignoring the continued shrieks of Mrs. Higurashi, and took another flying leap. This time he landed in the branches of a tree a good few yards into the woods, leaving himself temporarily with enough visibility to see the door to the house opening as Mrs. Akakitsune opened it for the now-hysterical Mrs. Higurashi.
He'd been right, then—the youkai didn't even waste a second to look at the two older women, instead following Inuyasha and Kagome deeper into the woods.
Inuyasha set Kagome down on the branch and swept his hands swiftly over her body, eliciting a shocked yelp as she slapped his hands away. "What are you doing?"
"Where's the Shikon no Tama?" he asked her hurriedly, looking quickly behind himself. The youkai and the human girl would likely be following quickly, though the trees were slowing them, as he'd also anticipated. "They're after it. If you give it to me, they'll stop chasing you."
She stared at him, causing him to grow impatient. "Where is it? We don't have much time."
"You… you're going to leave?" Her voice sounded much smaller than she'd meant it to. Waitaminit… that's not what I meant to say…
"I have to, idiot! They're after the—"
The branch they were on dipped abruptly as the first flying youkai landed on it, glaring at them with jaundiced eyes and trying to shuffle its way forward. "Hand over the jewel, female!"
The branch, brittle from the cold of winter, made an ominous creaking noise where it met the tree, and Inuyasha grabbed Kagome again and jumped off.
"What if when you have it you just… just… kill me and run away, or something? How do I know you don't have base motives?" she yelled into his ear, over the sound of the wind.
"Because you've fucking well scared me enough times already tonight," he yelled back, suddenly furious. He hit the ground, feet sinking into the snow, and started running deeper into the forest. "I'm not going to keep saving you only to let you die in the end, understand? So shut up!"
A whistling noise from behind alerted Inuyasha to the boomerang-weapon of the human girl, at the same time distracting him from Kagome's startled words. He whirled and knocked the projectile away with one hand, shifting Kagome to his back at the same time. Miroku yelled nearby, and Kagome turned her head to look while Inuyasha squared off with his two approaching opponents.
Miroku had stuffed what looked like a small rectangle of white paper with scribbles on it onto the forehead of the monster he was fighting. A flash of whitish lightning held Kagome's gaze as the monster suddenly screamed in pain. It grew more intense as Miroku put his hands together near his chest, steepling his index fingers. She could see his mouth moving, too… and she realized suddenly that she could feel it, too—like youki, almost.
Sudden vertigo brought her attention back to Inuyasha's battle. The boomerang had spun itself back to its owner, which would likely be a problem soon, but in the meantime the bird-youkai had reached them, and Inuyasha was moving again.
"Let me down," she said.
"No," he said curtly. "You're too slow on your own."
"You can't fight like this!" She let go of him and tried to move away. He bent an arm around her waist, holding her in place.
"Stop moving, dammit!"
"Inuyasha!" She brought a fist down on his shoulder in frustration, even as he dodged the bird-monster's descending talons.
Miroku ran up beside them, having reduced one youkai to ash. For some reason, he was smiling. Almost as if he found their argument amusing. "Need help?"
"Of course not," snapped Inuyasha.
Kagome pointed over his shoulder towards the girl, who was closer now, boomerang in hand. "She's going to throw that thing again!"
Miroku looked over, and his eyes widened abruptly. The smile broadened. "I'll take care of it."
Kagome blinked, trying to decipher his expression, while Inuyasha snorted. "Pervert." But there was little time for distraction—the bird was in front of them.
"Give me the jewel, cur!"
Inuyasha jumped again, but the bird had apparently caught on to his strategy—which was, admittedly, a rather bad one to use against a flying opponent. The bird flew up in front of him, scrabbling with its claws, and he barely managed to dodge.
"Put me down!" Kagome said again.
"No!"
Kagome sighed, and Inuyasha thought that perhaps she'd finally given up. Good thing too, dammit… if she starts running around on her own, she'll just end up gored. And she might not have as good luck as last time…
Suddenly she leaned over sideways. "Miroku!"
The dark-haired boy looked up from his fight. "Yes?"
"Catch!"
It took Inuyasha a moment to understand the import of her words. "Idiot!" He grabbed her hand as she pulled the jewel out of her pocket. The bird crowed with delight and he snarled at it, clawing its chest with his free hand. "Sankon tessou! Fuck…"
He ran through the snow, stopping beside Miroku, and let go of Kagome's legs at last. She tumbled off his back, narrowly avoided landing on her face, and shoved the jewel at Miroku.
He almost dropped it while he stared at her, slack-jawed. "Wh-why…"
"You can handle it. You've got some sort of powers, right?"
He gaped at her. "Er…"
"Look out!"
The boomerang dealt him a glancing blow to the shoulder as he ducked to one side. Inuyasha jumped up over his head, attempting to knock the youkai bird out of the air, while the masked girl resettled her boomerang and glared at Miroku.
Or more specifically, at the jewel in his hand.
Which, as he continued to look at her, had begun to acquire a slightly darker tinge of pink.
The masked girl tilted her head back and called out. "Kirara!"
An orange glow suddenly burst from the trees to his left, and Miroku yelped and threw himself sideways into the snow as an immense catlike youkai, flames wreathing its body, jumped out. The masked girl grabbed onto one side of its thick mane and leaped atop it, to sit just behind its shoulderblades.
"Shit," said Inuyasha. I'll have to…"Shit. Dammit! Miroku! Come on!"
He lunged for Kagome, lifting her onto his shoulder, and then ran back towards the Akakitsune's house, hardly sparing a glance to see whether Miroku followed. It took mere seconds to reach the car, despite the trees he had put between it and himself. Mrs. Higurashi was standing near the car with Mrs. Akakitsune, and Inuyasha deposited Kagome in front of them, setting her down as gently as possible despite his rush. Mrs. Higurashi gave a short yelp and grabbed at her daughter, tears streaming down her face.
Miroku emerged from the trees some moments later, the remaining bird-youkai and the masked girl with her firecat hot on his heels.
"What are you—" Mrs. Higurashi began, incensed.
"We're leaving," said Inuyasha.
"Wait, my car!" exclaimed Miroku, suddenly reaching for his pocket.
"Leave it!" said Inuyasha.
"What on earth is—"
"No, my keys," muttered Miroku. He pulled them out of his pocket and threw them towards Mrs. Higurashi. "Take my car!" He yelled as Inuyasha grabbed him by the waist and took off once again.
"You can't just leave now!" screamed Mrs. Higurashi, her hand fisting in her daughter's hair.
Miroku waved the jewel slightly, allowing the light to catch it, and watched with satisfaction as the bird-youkai and the girl on the firecat followed them over the trees.
:00:00:
Wow. I probably made more mistakes in this chapter than I did during any other… plotholes do NOT taste any better late at night than they do early in the morning. And wow am I ever glad I have a beta to catch the more glaring errors (not to say that there may not still be some, since I'm a lazy fool right now).
This chapter does make an excellent starting point for a rousing game of Spot the Cliché, though.
Anyway. I changed Winter's category from romance to Action/Adventure with Romance as the subgenre, because I suppose that having an end goal of 'Inuyasha and Kagome end up together' isn't quite enough to render the entire plot fundamentally romantic.
A question that may arise: 'why on earth didn't Inuyasha notice the intruders?' My lazy answer is that he was distracted by the whole blood-loss, possible-concussion, Kagome-keeps-forgetting-me-in-the-bathroom thing. Mm… lazy….
Oh, and she forgot him in the bathroom because she honestly didn't realize that he'd been afraid for her life. It'll be addressed in-text in at least the next couple of chapters—I'm just stating it here too because I don't know when the next chapter will be. My track record, it is suffering! D:
Uh… sorry about the late. I have no excuse. I'm just a bad person.