The Messenger
Chapter 4
By: Rachynn

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

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Kikyo stood in front of the massive wooden desk that belonged to The Head with a placid expression on her face. It was rare that The Head of The Agency called upon her, let alone any other messenger, yet beside her stood all the other messengers in her department. In her mind, she was whirling with questions, but it was better not to question The Head.

"Many of you may be wondering why I called you here." The Head said, in a deep, thick voice that resonated around the room. There were some murmurs from the older messengers, the ones who had been with The Agency so long they forgot any other life that they may have lived. If this was strange for Kikyo, this was ever stranger for them.

"As I'm sure you have all noticed, times are changing. Nothing is the same as it used to be, and as a result, The Agency has had to change with the times."

This was true. The changes were evident no matter where you went in The Agency's Complex. Cell phones and computers were out for all to see, and everyone moved at the high speed pace that only ever seemed to increase.

"The unfortunate result of some of these changes is the closing down of a few of our departments. We have determined that the Messengers, being one of the smallest departments, and the most over worked, are going to be one of the departments to close down. No offense, but your work isn't essential to The Agency, or that of the human world."

There was a shout of protest from Eiji, one of the youngest messengers. He had always been a bit too brash and outspoken. Other messengers audibly gasped, but most remained silent. Given the nature of their job, Messengers knew to accept fate as it was and make the most of it. Some may be a little more vocal about it, but for the most part they had to accept it, they didn't have a choice.

"Excuse me, sir, but..." that was Karin speaking, a timid woman who rarely spoke. In the course of the one actual conversation Kikyo had had with her, she gathered that Karin was one of the oldest, if not the first, Messenger. "What will happen to us? Where will we go?"

The Head remained silent for a moment. He regarded the dozen messengers before him with calculating eyes. "We have found jobs for most of you in other departments." He gestured to a pile of folders on the right side of his desk. He named of eight of the Messengers and handed each of them a folder. "These are your new departments and job descriptions, we trust that you will find them to your liking and suitable for your skills." His tone allowed for now objections.

The Head was a strict, almost oppressive man, but he managed most of the Agency with a high level of efficiency and success, for most people his word was law. No many had the gall to question his authority.

Kikyo was not among those who received a file. She waited patiently as the re-assigned messengers flipped through their folders and slowly dispersed from the room. She waited patiently as The Head explained to the other three remaining Messengers what they were to do now with their 'life' (They were given the oh-so-desired task of Grower, and were now responsible for taking care of children who had died young. Said children had a tendency to be rather ... needy, and required a lot of attention. It was a task that would last them centuries.) Eventually only Kikyo was standing before The Head.

"What about me sir?" she asked, trying to make her voice clear and strong. She was saddened that the Messengers were being shut down, saddened that she would most likely never see her favorite, comfy chair again. "Am I to be reassigned as well?"

"Kikyo..." he said, folding his hands together on the desk. Something in his voice filled Kikyo with dread. "We tried as hard as we could, but we were unable to find another job that suited both your personality and your interests. After much debate, we came to the decision to release you to the human world."

Kikyo could not stop herself for gasping. "I'm going to be alive again?" she asked. It had been so long since she had been alive, but never once had she desired to return to life. She was quite happy to remain in this limbo of living dead. What was going to happen to her in the human world?

The Head laughed and she shuddered. "Don't be foolish Kikyo! You know that we can't bring people back to life! We are going to have you stay in the human world until a position that is better suited to you opened up. It should only be temporary, don't worry about anything."

"So I'm going to the human world, but I won't be alive?" she asked, greatly confused.

"Yes, you can think of it as a social experiment. We have arranged for a place for you to live and a small sum of human currency to start you off, but other than that you will be on your own. Of course, you will still be dead, and retain whatever powers and abilities that you have at that moment. However, you will have to keep whatever form you chose while you're there, so long as it resembles a human. Citizens of both worlds will be able to see you and interact with you, so you needn't worry about your friends here not being able to contact you."

All Kikyo could do was nod, she had no idea how to respond. "So I'm just going to be there...in the human world...until you can find something for me to do?" she finally said.

It was so unfair. Everyone else got to stay here, in their comfort zone, why did she have to be let go? What was so wrong with her that they couldn't just reassign her?

The Head nodded. He tossed her a folder that she hadn't seen before and she just caught it. A few more words and she was dismissed from the office.

She wandered the halls in a daze for a while. Eventually she tried going back to her apartment, only to find a couple of underling demons moving her stuff out. She didn't stick around long enough to see what happened to her armchair, or what became of her apartment. Kikyo found herself standing before a pair of huge glass doors. They were at least twice as tall as herself, and the physical exit from The Agency Complex.

With a sigh, she shoved the folder into her new 'backpack' and pushed open the door. Might as well start this chapter in her life soon. It might be interesting...