Chapter 13

Everything looked the same. Pristine white, ebony black, steel silver; it was giving Kagome a headache of the different variety. The place was huge as well, with maze-like halls on the floor they were on and no direction signs whatsoever. There was nothing visibly marking one hallway from another, so the only sure thing she knew was that they were on the fifth level of the building after leaving the elevator.

"Just how big is this place?" Inuyasha asked their escort, his voice echoing off the walls, "And how do you know where we're going?"

"I'm only allowed in certain areas, so I wouldn't know," Sango replied, "That's how it is with the rest of the staff as well. No one here knows the whole building top to bottom, except, probably, the people higher up in status."

"How long have you been working here?" Kagome asked as they turned another corner. She couldn't help but notice that they haven't passed any other person since getting out of her cell. Biting her lip, she chanced a look over her shoulder, noticing a small dark shadow at least a few feet behind them. The second she saw it, it vanished, making her wonder if it was ever there at all.

"About three years," Sango answered.

"How'd you get into the business?"

She shook her head. "Restricted information. There's not much you can't ask, but that's one thing you're not allowed to know."

Kagome hummed thoughtfully. "Everyone gave us a lot of information. You can't be that confident that nothing will get out."

"Nothing will," Sango replied simply. She stopped in front of a random door and knocked.

A young man answered it, looking like he just woke from a nap with his short dark hair wildly tussled in different directions. His blue eyes had widened slightly when he saw Sango and, if Kagome wasn't imagining it, their escort had tensed at the same time.

He was quick to hug her fondly. "My dearest Sango. It's been far too long, hasn't it," he murmured. Kagome could hear relief in his voice as he rested his cheek on her head. It didn't take much to realize they more than just knew each other, especially when the man's hands slid down to her butt.

Kagome glanced away modestly, shifting her weight uncomfortably. Turning about had her facing Inuyasha, who just stared at the two unblinkingly. A half-second later, she understood why when a sharp slap rang out.

"Idiot," Sango muttered, her cheeks a lovely pink as she backed a step away from him. She motioned to Kagome, "Subject 643? Do your job, Houshi."

"Promise to meet up with me later, sweetie?" he begged and stooped down to his knees. "I beg you." Kagome felt herself smiling at the cuteness of it.

Sango crossed her arms tightly. "If I remember. I'll be free after I return this one to her cell."

Houshi grimaced, "I have a list of patients to go through today." He sighed, bringing a hand up to his head. "I guess I'll meet you at home," he said, crestfallen.

Frowning, Sango nodded and turned away, walking back the way she came.

Kagome turned to the man when she was out of sight. "Is she your girlfriend?" Kagome inquired with a certain shine in her eye.

"Of a year and a half," he stated proudly, smiling at her. "Sorry about that. You're Subject 643, right? Though, I assume you have a name, since you're an outside project."

She nodded, glad someone in this building was willing to use her name. "Kagome Higurashi."

"Well, Kagome, I'm Doctor Houshi, but you can call me Miroku. Please step inside." Miroku stepped aside, bowing with a flourish that made her grin. "I'm the assigned physician for Project Dreamer. We'll be meeting here every morning about this time to check your health and whatnot- oh, you can take a seat on the bed there, Kagome. Inuyasha, are you fine with standing?"

"Don't care," Inuyasha muttered gruffly, standing by the door. He had that hard distrusting look on his face as he looked at Miroku and, from the events this morning, Kagome could know why. "You're the guy on the speaker," he stated.

"Yes, I am," Miroku agreed, taking a seat in a desk chair. "So, we'll start out with what you know, Kagome. I heard that you were faint when you arrived here along with other speculations. Do you happen to know why?"

Kagome slowly shook her head. "No. I was in school and... um... I must have accidentally brought up a monster."

"Is that what caused it?" Miroku asked curiously.

"No. The pain came when Inuyasha... killed it. I think I might have done too much to spawn it-" Even though she didn't remember doing so, "- and it affected me."

The doctor nodded and pulled out a notepad, not fazed when Inuyasha decided to glance over his shoulder. "So your illusions could kill each other. That's pretty interesting. Anything else they can do?"

"I could bash you over the head," Inuyasha muttered in a hostile voice.

"We both know you can't do any damage within these walls," Miroku replied, very easy-going with the threats the half-demon was sending him silently.

"Inuyasha can't do much outside these walls either," Kagome softly confessed. "His sense of touch is extremely limited to things that have been close to me for a while. No one can see or hear him- they can even walk through him without being even a bit affected by his presence."

"Kagome..." Inuyasha growled in a warning. He didn't want her to give out much about him. But they both knew that the people here were going to get the answers out of her one way or another. Kagome didn't want to experience pain yet.

"Hmm," Miroku glanced down at his notepad and looked up. "How long has Inuyasha been with you?"

"At least thirteen years," Kagome answered after some thought.

Whistling impressively, he glanced at Inuyasha. "Can you tell me how he spawned?"

"Why are you asking so many questions about me?" Inuyasha cut in before Kagome could answer. "Aren't you supposed to be giving her a physical or something?"

"You're right, you're right," he conceded. "I was just curious, is all." Standing, Miroku put his notebook aside on the desk. "I suppose I should get the uncomfortable stuff out of the way for you," he told Kagome, "So, if you would lay back?"

Kagome blushed and looked at Inuyasha. "Out."

"What?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Out," Kagome repeated, sliding her hands between her legs to push the dress in between them. "I'm not about to..." she drifted off uncomfortably.

"I think what Kagome's trying to say," Miroku supposed, "is that she doesn't want you observing her exam. I'll only be looking from a medical perspective and you're only going to make her more discomforted than she already is. You can step outside and I'll call you back in when I'm done."

When Inuyasha growled, Kagome lowered her gaze. "Please, Inuyasha..." she murmured with a red-stained face.

"...Keh, whatever," Inuyasha turned away, impatiently waiting for Miroku to belatedly open the door for him. He wasn't about to be treated like a ghost. "Scream if you need me."

When Miroku closed the door, Inuyasha waited a couple minutes to see if he could hear them. They were faint murmurs, but it was good enough for his ears. "Now, then..." he turned in the direction of where they came. "You still out there, runt?"

Sniffing the air, his gaze scanned the area, cautiously walking forward. Each step he took was silent on the tiled floor, like a skilled hunter stalking his prey. Suddenly, he dove to his left, catching a creature hiding in the shadows. He was a faded being, just barely being spawned and on the brink of being between visible and nonexistent. Whatever it was, it was small, fitting into his arms like a baby as it tried to squirm out of his grip.

"Kagome better have some idea to what's she doing," he muttered. The illusion stilled, intrigued at the mention of 'Kagome'. "Listen to me, you little bastard. If you're planning any harm to any one- without my permission- I'll personally get rid of you. We need help."

A/N: Ooh, Could Kagome still spawn things?

Warm-Amber92: You've hit the nail on the head with that one.

xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx: That's a real interesting thing you've got going on there ._. I just picked random numbers, actually xD

Deadman19: I challenge you to a game of Monopoly, good sir. Just know that I am the reigning champion here.

letsxgetxreckless & Joyma Tello: That's what I do B)

InuandKaglove4Life: That's what we're all rooting for!

Silvermist66: Congratulations, you've hit close to a major vein in the story line that I can't exactly switch up *applause*. Keep it hush-hush for now. Hopefully I can keep the individuality rolling.

Sahora: It's your Unbirthday too! (but I can't make Inu confess his love yet, sorry!) x)

alexischic: Noooo. Save the 'sama' thing for someone more worthy! Dx

Next chapter: a new addition?

FxA