Chapter 2: JP's

And so, they agreed to go to Nitta's house in Ariake, until things blew over. Who knew things would get even more crazy? At another station (didn't things go sour last time they were in one?) they were confronted by this mushroom-thing that floated from the sky. It reminded Kagome of the 'Goomba' from those Mario games Souta used to play.

"That thing's dangerous! Everyone, get out of the way!"

The city's citizens, of course, ignored the mad shoutings of a teenager. Because an unidentified flying object would of course be friendly and would never harm the locals and what does that brat know, anyway? More than them, as it turned out. Many of the disbelievers - Kagome smirked at the term, she sounded like some wrathful cult - died, as a result of them standing around staring at the mushroom's expanding head that was shooting burning projectiles. Really, was the world so peaceful now that humans had no self-preservation instinct at all?

Kagome herded her new friends towards a nearby alley. "It'll probably reload soon; we'd better get away."

The Goomba (she didn't have any better name) had noticed them, and shot something at them that was clearly wreathed in flames. It was like one of those torches athletes carried up to the bonfire at the Olympics, except in arrow form and a lot more deadly. Nitta summoned her ogre in the nick of time. It stood over them, blocking the path of the burning projectile.

Then the Goomba had to explode again, sending out shockwave after disrupting shockwave. The ogre fell to his knees, weakened.

"This is bad..." Hibiki muttered. Understatement much? Kagome thought. Our only demon is on the verge of being defeated and we have no way of beating this thing. I'm too far away from his territory and- where is Daichi?

Speak of the Devil. There he was, driving a truck (how did he get the keys?) straight into the Goomba. Kagome could have sighed at his stupidity. If it could destroy solid concrete, it was unlikely that it would die because an empty truck crashed into it.

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A silhouette of a two-tailed sabrecat appeared on the young Hotsuin's screen. Then, two pillars of blue faded into existence against the backdrop of the truck's eruption. One was a giant tiger. The other, a cream-coloured two-tailed demon cat. While the tiger immediately started clawing at the Goomba at Hibiki's orders, the cat paused at Kagome's side. She shudderingly brushed a hand over her neck. "Ki... rara?" the cat purred, then stretched her neck as if reminding Kagome of the immediate problem. She rested her hand on her fur. "Of course. Kirara, assist Hibiki's demon in destroying that oversized mushroom!"

Kirara lept into action. She flew around it, ripping its purple hide open for a blast of lightning from the tiger. As the Goomba disappeared and Hibiki approached the truck, Kirara ambled up to Kagome for a petting.

"Good job. But, Kirara, how are you here?" She scratched behind the cat's ear. "You promised to protect Sango's line last time I saw you."

"You are her descendent," a voice whispered like silk, "her name was Sango Hotsuin of the Demonslaying Clan, the Protectors of This Nation."

.. .. ..

The young commander of JP's stared intently at the main screen. It was an intriguing find - it wasn't every day someone showed up out of the blue summoning Byakko of all beings to kill Dubhe. And the other energy was familiar too; disturbingly so. He felt that he should remember it somehow, like it was from a person he used to be intimate with. What a strange thought that was. There were only two people to which he was ever considered 'close' with. One passed years ago and the other was missing, long enough to be presumed dead. So how?

"Arrest them," he ordered.

So the group of four were taken into their custody and to the main JP's branch. The unit captain was told to allow only the two interesting teens into the operating centre, but who knew if his commands would be followed? That was the main reason so many of his subordinates died now. "This man is the director of the JP's, Yamato Hotsuin."

Hibiki glanced sharply at Kagome, who had suddenly stopped breathing. He only heard it because he was so close to her. It didn't seem like anything would shock her, but apparently this did. He wasn't sure which part it was that caused it. Her expression said, 'I'll tell you later'. Hibiki was counting on it.

"What do you want?" he asked defensively. He had quickly grown to like the woman-child beside him.

"Hibiki Kuze. There is not one summoner within the Tokyo Branch who is that powerful."

"That power..."

"You don't want it?"

"The power to summon demons..."

"Exists..." Three heads whipped around to the girl standing beside Hibiki. Her head tilted down, she was almost invisible - in fact, if she had not spoken, it was entirely possible that they would not have noticed her. "It has been used since ancient times."

"And your name?" Yamato asked. Infuriatingly, he had been unable to find out anything about her, not even her name. It was impossible for someone to live without any records at all - birth certificate, school reports - something had to have been left behind. Yet nothing was found, and the group hadn't once mentioned her name while Makoto had been observing (read: spying on) them.

Kagome flinched minutely. She wasn't ready for this yet! "S-Sako-san... C-Can you show me to my room?"

Yamato glared at her. "Your name?"

"Stop freaking her out!" Hibiki snapped. Touching his arm, she shook her head.

"It's alright, Kuze-kun."

"But...!"

"It's fine," saying so, Kagome walked towards the dormitories. "I'll wait in the infirmary for you."

Yamato glared harder. How did this girl know where to go? JP's, especially its headquarters, was a closely guarded secret. "Makoto," he murmured. She knew what he wanted.

"Understood, sir." The officer followed Kagome out.

The young head of JP's turned towards Hibiki to continue his speech. "Here is what our researchers have told us..."

Their voices eventually faded away amid the din of clattering keys.

Makoto rushed to catch up to the escaped teen. This place is a maze, she thought, not for the first time. How does a girl who has just entered JP's Tokyo Branch know where to go? For she was halfway to the first aid area and could just hear the girl's footsteps. It was inconceivable that she could unfailingly, without one wrong turn, arrive at just the place she said she would - yet that was what happened. Makoto made a mental note to increase security. Those goons at the security room should have realized they had an unknown in the building already.

The same wallpaper and flooring that was constant throughout the centre blew past Makoto's mind as she put on a rush of speed and grabbed the girl. Makoto was faintly surprised that she managed to get this far, and seemed like she would be much further ahead if she hadn't just tackled her to the ground. She was extraordinarily fit, like she had exercised daily for years since practically toddler-hood.

"Wait!"

Kagome made a soft noise of pain. She didn't have to tackle her! "What do you want?" she hissed. He knew she didn't like nosy people. Bastard must have done this on purpose.

"Hotsuin-sama wants to talk to you."

"More like interrogate..." she muttered. Oh how intimate she was with their ways. "No thanks. I'll discuss my terms with him later."

"This is non-negotiable."

"Please," Kagome snorted. "None of you could stop me if I really wanted to leave."

The JP's officer frowned. "We have resources that-"

"-Would not be of any use," she interrupted. "Not in the other world. Not to mention my remaining family would go through hell to keep me."

"Who did you say your family was?"

"I didn't. All you need to know is that the chosen one of the great Dog General answers only to the highest of beings, and even then it's only when He chooses to. You are lucky He rarely comes to earth."

Makoto sucked in a nervous breath. The Dog General was legendary. He was said to have been the Western Lord for centuries, then died protecting his human wife and bastard child. He was the most powerful dog demon of his time, and for a hundred or so years after that. Nobody knew whether he passed on or stayed as a ghost. If this girl was in contact with him and in his good graces, then they had better make sure they treated her well.

Meanwhile, Kagome had wriggled out of her hold and met up with Hibiki just outside the infirmary door. Her smile wavered as he pulled her in. "Spill," he commanded.

"Hibiki! What's going on?"

"She reacted weirdly at the JP's commander's name. So spill."

She really should have known that it would come out sooner rather than later. The gods did hate her. But... wasn't this her goal...? To find her family?

"Well?"

Kagome sighed in exasperation. He was just as stubborn as Inuyasha, only better at hiding it. "It's a long story."

"Then we'd better get started."

"Fine," she said, settling down at the foot of the bed. Wondering whether the others would freak at her life's tale, she started her storytelling. "My name is Kagome Hotsuin," she stated in a monotone amid Hibiki's shocked gasp. "I am the younger sister of Yamato Hotsuin, current head of JP's. Our family has been charged with Japan's protection from supernatural forces for hundreds, if not thousands of years."

"Supernatural forces?"

"Demons and such. Forgive me if I seem blaise; travelling with them tends to repress the fear of them."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Hibiki asked. Always the calm one.

"What do you want me to say? He probably thinks I'm dead!"

"What?"

Yes. The truth. Not that ridiculous tale the elders no doubt told him. The real story.

"I was kidnapped twelve years ago from my home, and have been looking for my brother ever since."