Disclaimer: All Inuyasha characters/themes belong to their rightful owners (not me). Please do not sue.
Author's Note: Wow, the last chapter had quite the healthy response review-wise. Thank you so much each one of you for your reviews! I'm sorry that it took me forever to post. I had just the most stressful semester that you wouldn't even believe. Anyway, almost finished now…
Chapter 18, Borrowed Chord
A harsh knock came on the door. I started so badly that I nearly leapt off the bed. Inuyasha glanced at me, and then said, "Stay here." He rose and walked out the bedroom door. He closed it behind him. I sat a moment, my hands folded limply in my lap. There was a nasty creepy in my stomach, a tingling under my skin, like a million little bugs scuttling around under the surface. I had to get out. I scrambled across the bed, grabbed the necklace of the incomplete Shikon no Tama, and opened my window. I had one leg out the window onto the fire escape when my world went black.
When I woke up, my head was throbbing, my mouth was filled with a nasty taste, and I couldn't move.
"My, what a lovely little lady, eh, aniki?" probed a small, thin voice.
"Take her to Naraku. I'll deal with the spare," said a cool, soft, masculine voice.
I felt as though I was floating. I knew that there was danger, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was sort of happy- pleased to be so numb and distant. There was no feeling below my mid-drift. Even the throbbing in my head was disappearing into cushiony layers of unconsciousness.
A shadow fell across my face. I looked up to see a rather hideous and squat man looming over me, his big frog mouth hanging open to reveal his remaining teeth. I found him slightly interesting, like an ugly painting. He smiled and began speaking. It was several moments before I could understand even a few of the words he was spewing.
"…pretty…I wonder…Naraku can't object… You'll die…a waste…"
I was getting tired of trying to interpret his babbling. I closed my eyes and tumbled down into darkness.
I started awake, panicked and gasping for air. I was in a lightless space, and I was terribly aware of two strong hands fighting for a hold on my writhing frame.
"Damn it," the wiry voice moaned. "I knew I should have used a stronger narcotic."
Fingers closed around my throat and pushed my head back against the ground. Another course hand tucked itself under my shirt. I bucked, but my body wasn't strong enough to form a proper defense. The bones in my arms and legs were made of lead, and with his fingers crushing my windpipe, my brain was losing the oxygen it needed to fight back.
He grabbed my bra roughly, and tried with over-eager, unpracticed fingers to unclip it. His other hand left my throat, and tugged at my shirt so forcefully that it ripped. Suddenly, I found my voice; I released a shrill, blood-curdling scream.
The next moment, a ribbon of green light cut the air, and the vile creature on top of me was thrown back into the darkness. A sword's sharp whistle sliced through the darkness, warm liquid hit my face, and then the only sound was the heaving of my lungs.
"Get up," ordered a voice. Facetious
"I-I-" I stammered.
"Get up." A strong arm pulled me to my feet. The smell of night and forests, and then we were running. A door opened, and we jumped out into the night.
We were running through an alley. My legs kept failing, but the one pulling me along would not pause even for a moment. We turned a corner, dashed up a flight of uneven concrete steps, turned another corner. We dashed around pools of light, and then I was pushed into a shadowed alcove.
"Here." The door opened, and I was forced inside.
There was a humming, and then the overhead light flickered into existence. I turned to face my savior.
"Sesshoumaru!" I gasped.
The tall, somber youkai frowned as he peered at me through those heavily lidded golden eyes. "Stupid girl. You almost handed the Shikon no Tama over to Naraku."
I fumbled through what remained of my shirt, and located the violet ball dangling around my neck. I noted in dismay that I was spattered in blood. "You killed him," I muttered.
Sesshoumaru cocked one black brow but said nothing.
"What was his name?" I asked.
"Mukotsu." Sesshoumaru said. "President of the sixth sector, biological weapons. You've already killed his vice presidents, Juuroumaru and Kageroumaru." He reached into his suit pocket, and tossed me a tiny crystal of the Shikon no Tama. "As one of the Shichi'nintai, he's been dead for centuries. That shard is what brought him back, and what was keeping him alive. I extracted it. He's returned to his original form: bones and ashes." He narrowed his eyes and looked at the Shikon no Tama against my collarbone. "Count yourself lucky that he was an idiot who couldn't see the real prize dangling before his eyes."
I suddenly became aware of my more or less exposed front, and made an effort to reconnect the broken fabric of my shirt. Sesshoumaru curled his lip.
"If you had lost the Shikon no Tama, I would have killed you, too." Then he turned and walked out, leaving me alone in the room.
I shivered and looked around. With a start, I noted the feminine figure tucked away in the shadows. Sango came forward, her face etched with concern.
"Oh God…" she breathed. She hesitated, and then she opened her arms.
A sob broke forth from my chest. I ran to Sango and buried my face in her shoulder. She held me and whispered soft, comforting words as I cried.
When I had calmed down, Sango pushed my hair out of my face and retrieved a fresh set of clothes from one of the lockers that littered the room. "This place is a safe house for the Resistance," she explained as I changed. "Sesshoumaru called me and told me to meet him here…I had no idea that you…" Her voice trailed off.
"Where's Inuyasha?" I asked. The shirt was warm and soft against my still pounding heart.
"Miroku went to the apartment," Sango said.
"Take me there," I said, selecting a gun and holster from another locker.
"I really think that you should stay here in the safe house-"
"Sango-chan," I interrupted, causing her to jump and look at me with those large, soft brown eyes. "Sango-chan, please."
Sango set her mouth. "Let's go."
(-)(-)(-)
I sit on the bed, wishing to God I didn't destroy that piece of paper, wishing that I could make sure just one more time that it was really Inuyasha's handwriting, that this isn't some sort of ploy.
When will he come? How will it happen? There are two big, unfriendly guards outside of my door with guns. I mean, of course they'd be no match for Inuyasha. But the last time they tried to get in, it ended in tragedy. I'd be a fool to think for one moment that Inuyasha was coming just for me.
"There's no way…" I whisper. There's no way that Inuyasha will pass up a chance like this. If he gets in, he's going for the gold. He's going for Naraku's throat.
The door opens. Fukouka enters, bearing a tray.
"I'm not hungry," I say, curling my lip at him.
"Starving yourself?" he says, setting the dinner tray down next to lunch tray that I didn't touch. "It's not a very noble way to go, I promise."
"It's far nobler than to live working for scum like Naraku."
"Fine, kill yourself," he says, shrugging. "If you die, we'll have no reason to keep your family alive. Your mother and grandfather will die. We'll keep your brother for testing, to see if he develops your family's peculiar ability to purify the Shikon no Tama. If he doesn't, we'll wait till he's of age, breed him a couple times with a hand-picked female, and then destroy him."
I shiver. At any other time, I would lose my stomach, but I know something Fukouka doesn't. Inuyasha is coming. He's alive, and he's coming.
"Or we could force-feed you. I promise there's no dignity in that," he continues.
The door opens again. Sesshoumaru enters, tall and disdainful. "Fukouka," he says with a sneer.
"Sesshoumaru," the man returns. "You've taken a special interest in the girl, haven't you?"
"Girl? No, I'm not here to see you."
Fukouka bristles. "I'm handling the situation. She's my case. Shouldn't you be off chasing the neighborhood cats?"
Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitches, but the disdainful curl of his lip does not falter for an instant. His pointed eyeteeth flash dangerously. "Naraku asked me to come down. He's worried you're not taking proper care of this one." He jerks his head in my direction.
"I have it under control."
"I can see that," Sesshoumaru says, looking over the trays of untouched food.
Fukouka pulls out his gun. Quicksilver, lightning—smooth, swift, and deadly, a fighting draw for the vice president of the forth sector. He takes aim. I pounce.
The bullet hits the wall beside Sesshoumaru. I roll across the floor, the gun tucked against my chest. I stop, take aim, and take out the cameras in each corner of the room. I point the barrel at the tiny bridge that holds the sunglasses together over Fukouka's nose. I hesitate.
A swift blow. Blood spatters everywhere, hitting my hands and face. Sesshoumaru wipes his blade and puts it back in its sheath. Fukouka staggers, and falls. I drop my gun.
The door opens and my guards rush in. "What happened here?!" one asks, paling at the carnage.
"The cur attempted to insult me," Sesshoumaru says, kicking Fukouka's lifeless frame away from his smart black shoes.
The two men rush to Fukouka's side. The air whistles, and then their bodies crumble. Sesshoumaru flicks the blood from his blade.
"On your feet," he says to me.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, struggling to get my feet under me.
"You are taking me to Naraku," he says, grabbing my arm roughly.
"What? But I thought that Inuyasha-!" I start.
Sesshoumaru jerks me. I shut up and stare at him. His aura has become razor sharp. "Whether or not that bastard shows up is not my concern. I will have Naraku's head tonight, and you're going to lead me to him. In exchange, I offer you your life."
"If I refuse?" I ask.
He holds out one clawed hand meaningfully. "I could always just kill you now."
"How do you propose I find him?"
"Since I stole those shards, he keeps the Shikon no Tama in his sight at all times. Find the jewel, and you'll find Naraku."
I frown and close my eyes, redirecting my attention inward… There! "This way."
We're off.
(-)(-)(-)
I remember how strange it was; the apartment was untouched. Not a chair was overturned, nor a picture out of place. I paused for only a moment. I ran into the bedroom and headed up the fire escape, followed closely by Sango and her over-sized boomerang. I could feel the steel rods trembling under my fingers. The syncopated percussion of metal against metal accompanied our climb. I threw my leg over the edge and stumbled onto the roof.
"Inuyasha!" I gasped before I could help myself.
He turned, found me at the edge of the roof. "Kagome," he breathed. The relief in his voice made me tremble.
A kick in the face sent him sprawling. I darted forward. I was vaguely aware of Miroku trying to stop me. But then two arms encircled my torso and plucked me from the ground as though I were a feather. I flew through the air, and was set down on the ledge of the building—on the opposite side from where I had started. I turned to my captor.
The violet cross on his forehead was the defining feature of his handsome face. His black hair was tied back in a long braid. It struck me that couldn't possibly be much older than me. He wore a crooked smile that was wholly disarming, but danger lurked in his steel eyes.
Most impressive of all was the gigantic halberd that he rested against his shoulder. I knew immediately who this must be: Bankotsu, the president of the first sector.
"You must be Kagome-sama," he said, taking my hand and placing a firm kiss on it. "Was it you who killed my brother?" His steely eyes flashed.
"Mu-Mukotsu?" I stuttered. "No. I didn't kill him."
"I smell his blood on your hand," he said, smacking my hand away.
"Get away from her!"
Inuyasha had regained his feet. He was standing on the other side of the roof, his father's dinky sword held out in front of him. I looked from the halberd to Inuyasha's beloved sword and felt my stomach drop to my feet. I'm gonna die, I thought.
I act quickly. I punched Bankotsu in the side with my left fist, and rammed the heel of my right hand into his nose. He teetered, and I prepared to jump off the ledge onto the roof. But he had other ideas.
He grabbed me roughly around the neck, and put me back on the ledge. Blood oozed from his nose into his mouth, and I took a small amount of satisfaction in the realization that I had broken his nose.
Miroku and Sango started forward, but Bankotsu raised one eyebrow and tightened his hold on my neck. A small noise of discomfort leaked out of my forcefully narrowed esophagus. My friends froze mid-step.
"Let her go, Bankotsu," Inuyasha said. "This fight is between the two of us."
"She killed Mukotsu," Bankotsu said imperiously. "I ought to kill her now." He tightened his hold again. My world curled up around the edges like a piece of paper held over a flame. "But I'll give you a choice." He released me, and shifted his grip to my shirtfront. He picked me up and held my body over the edge. Wind swirled under my feet. I was paralyzed with fear.
"Don't be an idiot, Bankotsu!" Miroku trumpeted. "Naraku wants her alive. Don't think for a minute that he'll spare you if she dies."
Bankotsu wasn't listening. His eyes were fixed on Inuyasha. "I hear that sword of yours belonged to your father. I hear that Sesshoumaru almost got himself killed trying to steal it back from you in the days when Kikyo was still alive. I also hear that since Kikyo died, it hasn't transformed. Is that true, Inuyasha? Is that why it looks different from the last time we fought? You're sword's become just as pathetic as you."
"Shut your face or I'll cut it off," Inuyasha spat.
Bankotsu lifted me higher. I could tell that he was getting tired—his arm was shaking a little. I grabbed onto the fabric of his shirt. He turned to me, and ripped the Shikon no Tama from around my neck. "So, here's my proposition: if you go after her, I get away with the Shikon no Tama. If you stay and try to take the Shikon no Tama back from me, she'll probably be little more than a pancake by the time you find her."
My blood turned to ice, and even though Bankotsu had released my neck, I couldn't get any air.
"Ready?"
"You bastard!" Inuyasha roared.
"One…" I braced myself for impact. "Two…" He released me.
"Oops, must've slipped."
I fell. It was a sort of out of body experience. I was falling, and watching myself fall at the same time. I heard Inuyasha bark something about a scar. The air above me exploded with yellow light. Bankotsu yelled. Something shattered. I hoped that I would die before I hit the concrete. I closed my eyes and concentrated on trying to die.
I stopped falling. Just stopped. There was no crushing. There was no gushy sound of my organs collapsing like in the movies. No veil of red fell over my eyes like when you get a Game Over. I assumed that this meant I had died. I opened my eyes, and Inuyasha was there.
"Am I dead?" I asked.
Inuyasha shook his head. He was holding me so gingerly. I closed my eyes. I wasn't really sure where I was, or what had happened, but I was alive, and Inuyasha was alive, and I could hear our hearts slowing in unison, and I was happy.
(-)(-)(-)
"So, tell me again: what happened to Bankotsu?" I asked. I was sitting on the couch, propped up by pillows. Sango was bandaging my head, my neck, and a few cuts and bruises that I had sustained during battle. Watching her ministrations, I wished for Inuyasha's inherited ability to heal himself.
"After Bankotsu dropped you, Inuyasha's sword transformed. He used the Kaze no Kisu…" Miroku explained, sighing in exasperation.
"Which is?"
"Tessaiga's ultimate-"
"Who's ultimate?"
"Tessaiga. That's the name of Inuyasha's sword"
"Right. Ok," I said, rolling my eyes. "Tessaiga."
"Kaze no Kisu is Tessaiga's ultimate attack. Well, kind of. Every time Inuyasha battles, he seems to find a new ultimate attack," Miroku said. He was sitting across from me on the coffee table, sipping a cup of coffee. Sango finished her work and sat next to him.
"Kaze no Kisu cut Banryu."
"Who's a dragon?" I asked, mystified.
"Banryu is the name of Bankotsu's halberd." Miroku and Sango said in unison.
"I fell like I just fell into a manga," I moaned. "So Bankotsu freaked out when Banryu was cut. He ran. And he took the Shikon no Tama with him, which leaves us back where we started."
Sango smiled at Miroku.
"What?" I asked.
"Well," Sango said, her smile intensifying. She was still looking at Miroku.
"My years on the streets have a way of coming in handy," Miroku explained as he reached into his pants pocket. He dropped a warm object into my open hand.
The Shikon no Tama was still ours.