A/N
This is my story for TheLovelyMiko's Weekly Prompt and Quote Challenge. It is slowly and surely coming back to life. HEHE.
Wow, I am shocked out the feedback from last chapter. :D I am glad so many people are loving this story. ^_^
Enjoy and Review? Yes?
~Smo
Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any characters associated with InuYasha.
Chapter 11
"Amazing." The one word summed the entire thing up. Repeatedly, Kagome had tried hard to wrestle information out of the young hanyou, but Rin had not budged. Now, she had no choice. The young girl stared up at Kagome with large, orange eyes. The black hair was pulled over one of her shoulders. Two black dots sat on the center of her cheeks.
"Don't look!" Rin shouted, a blush staining her face. Her fingers began to wrap around the necklace she wore. The piece of jewelry was supposed to keep this side of her concealed, but Kagome had stubbornly ruined it using her own energies. A small flare had disrupted the concealment and exposed Rin's true self.
"Cheetah?" Kagome wondered. If that was the case, Rin had to be foreign. She'd never heard of a cheetah originated in Japan. Rin shook her head, causing Kagome to lean back against the kitchen table and disappear in her thoughts. "Some sort of spotted feline – leopard?"
Rin pouted, giving a small nod that had Kagome grinning victoriously. She snapped her fingers, the concealment went back to work to hide Rin's demon side. "You don't have to hide it in here, Rin. It's safe," Kagome explained softly, giving the child a warm smile.
The young girl scoffed, turning away from Kagome. "Mom said never to show anyone," Rin mumbled under her breath. Kagome's smile softened. She knew how Izayoi was with Inuyasha. She always warned him not to show others his ears. It was an incomplete transformation, just like Rin's spots. The physical characteristic was not something a full demon would have. Full demons usually only showed their eyes and hair, except for Sesshoumaru, who had stripes and the moon to symbolize his noble heritage.
The shrill of the phone interrupted Kagome's thoughts. "It is up to you, Rin," Kagome stated while hurrying over to the shrieking piece of technology. Holding it to her ear, she chirped into the receiver. "Yes?"
"Did you get the invitation?" Koga chanted into the phone. The wolf demon seemed excited and Kagome instantly worried. Koga being this excited usually meant that someone had sent him another hilarious virile video via email.
"What invitation?" Kagome returned. The sound of a door closing triggered Kagome's reflexed. She hurried over to the front entrance of her condo, opening the door just in time for Koga to waltz in with a toothy grin on his face. He handed her a white, square envelope. Kagome blinked at it, handing him the phone and taking the slip of parchment.
Her fingers worked at the sticky crease. She folded it back and stared at the fancy calligraphy. This was the invite to the next event. The European daiyoukai was holding a party just for her. A smile showed on her lips as she traced the lettering of her names in the Western symbols. This was the event Christopher had told her about, had sent that rude little man to her research facility to question her. This was the next step.
"Your last event was geared up to gather humans who had relations with the demon realm. Now, this is all demon. These will have the officials from all over the realm. You are bound to run into Daitaro there. We need to have something concrete to show them, Kagome." Koga's words seemed to float around in her head like helium balloons. They hovered for a moment as she thought them over.
"I know," Kagome answered. "But, we've gathered the cells, right? We've been making several discoveries with Inuyasha's donations."
"What are you talking about?" Rin asked. Kagome tried to ignore the sudden torment she felt. Christopher was right. Rin couldn't go to the party, which meant she would have to find someone to watch the young girl. Uttering a small curse, she turned to meet the brown eyes.
"Koga and I have been researching the half-demon transformation," Kagome explained with a smile. "We made a discovery, and now we have to publicize it," she added, hoping Rin wouldn't inquire further.
"I thought we did it as a self-defense mechanism," Rin muttered with a raised eyebrow. "That's what the latest news was, my mother told me."
"We're working to see what causes the transformation in the body. Is it a neurological reaction or is it in the blood – stuff like that," Kagome muttered as she pinned the invitation to the fridge with a magnet. Her heart was pounding with anticipation. The party was just under a small week away.
"We have to go to dinner to celebrate!" Koga cheered, unable to contain his full excitement any longer. He wrapped his arms around Kagome, pulling her tightly against him. Happiness filled him that she had made it this far. A small part of him had doubted that even Christopher would be able to pull through. Other demon officials needed to accept Kagome's ideas in order for this party to be organized. This meant that enough of them were curious.
He inhaled, catching her sweet scent. "I'm so proud," he whispered, patting her shoulder. Kagome laughed against his chest, pulling back to grin up at him. For a moment, Koga was lost in the depths of her orbs, but he pushed away instantly. "I'll get ready for dinner."
Kagome nodded, not catching his quick dismissal. "I have to call Christopher anyways," she called out to him before she heard the door click shut. Meanwhile, Rin watched the exchange with curious eyes from the table.
"He likes you," she commented. Kagome flushed, remembering the intimate night she had shared with Koga. Of course, he had liked her. However, she had remembered their talk. Koga was no different than Sesshoumaru. He was demon nobility that couldn't risk having a human mate. Intimacy was the only thing they could share, and Kagome wasn't about to let it happen again.
"I know," Kagome replied as she dialed Christopher's number, still smiling from the recent news.
His secretary picked up. "This is Higurashi Kagome for Mr. Basille."
Music filtered through the phone, signaling that she'd been put on hold. Rin took this as a chance to declare another fact she had noticed. "You love Sesshoumaru though," she argued, "who is with the wind lady?"
Kagome turned to cast her a cautious glance. "I-I used to love him." She was sure that after her last talk with Sesshoumaru her feelings had changed. Now, she was doing this for herself. It was no longer a plot for vengeance, although that would be a nice bonus. She wanted to be recognized for being independent and strong, not the late-night call girl that didn't know any better.
"Yes?" Christopher's deep voice filtered through the phone. It sounded almost like Daitaro. The deep, low voice caused her to shiver for a moment before she cleared her throat.
"I got the invitation," she started, unable to contain another smile that leaked through onto her lips. "I wanted to thank you for it." His laugh was her reward. The throaty chuckle wasn't the only thing she heard. The metal click of a lighter echoed in the background.
"We should be thanking each other," he slurred. Kagome knew he was trying to balance a cigarette between his lips from the speech. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" He wondered. "Is the party at an inconvenient time?"
Kagome teetered on her feet for a moment, chewing on her lip to think of what to say next. "You know that list you were talking about at the restaurant?" She asked quietly, leaning over the kitchen counter.
"I wasn't expecting you to get rid of her," Christopher hummed in disbelief. Kagome felt anger begin to rise, pushing it back down just as quickly as it came. Taking a calming breath, she shook her head to clear her thoughts.
"No, I was wondering if anyone on that list would make a good... nanny," Kagome muttered. "I mean, if they can be a parent, they can be a nanny."
His guffaw of laughter caught her off guard. "I am a babysitting agency," he chortled out into the phone's microphone. Kagome couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her own lips. The demon probably wasn't used to such odd requests. "I will have my secretary fax you the list with some highlights of the people you want to call. Will that suffice?" He asked.
Kagome grinned, turning around to admire the invitation once more. It was then that something caught her eye. She hadn't read most of the envelope being that it was in English. Now, she was feeling her high school vocabulary return to her. A moment later, her geography flashed into her mind. "Yes. How am I going to get to San Diego!" She shouted. From the corner of her eye, she saw Rin startle in her chair.
"Isn't that in a different country?" She hollered from the table. Kagome waved a hand at her, nodding her head in the affirmative. Rin instantly squealed and ran into her room. Kagome didn't have to be psychic to know the girl was probably packing.
"I have already booked you tickets on my flight, Kagome," he soothed her. His tone grew more serious. "I also booked a hotel room for the weekend. I figured a small vacation was in order. Many of the demons that will be attending did the same thing."
Instantly, Kagome grew more curious about the identities of those demons. She didn't voice her thoughts though, knowing Christopher would see the connection. A few dog demons came to her mind. She knew that they had been invited though. After all, that was their plan from the start. "Alright, can you fax over that information too then?" Kagome asked.
She heard him grunt, hoping it was a yes. The phone line went dead and she set it back on the counter. "Rin?" She called out. Passing the table, her steps took her into Rin's bedroom. Like she had thought, Rin's backpack was in the center of the bed being stuffed with outfits. "We're not leaving yet," Kagome murmured. "Get ready for dinner. Koga is taking us out."
Rin's eyes turned to stare at her. "You mean I can go?" She asked. "I didn't know if that was like... a date," she teased, popping one of her hips to the side and resting her hand on it. Kagome blinked at the sarcastic girl before rolling her eyes.
"Come on or else you're fending for yourself," Kagome returned when she heard the door open once more. A moment later, Koga called out into the hallway. His being appeared afterwards. His brown button up shirt cupped his broad shoulders nicely, black slacks hung on his hips. A black wool coat warmed his person in the upcoming fall weather. Kagome smiled to him, grabbing her navy cardigan and draping it on her shoulders. She slid her feet into a pair of black heels and called to Rin again.
The girl ran around the corner excitedly. "Koga, we're going to San Diego!" She exclaimed, sticking her tongue out to tease him. Koga blinked at the child, raising an eyebrow at her antics.
"Rin, don't be rude," Kagome reprimanded instantly. "Koga will be there too," she added with a smirk as they three left the condo for the car.
"What?" Rin asked from behind her. "He's going? Won't that be awkward?" Rin challenged from beside Kagome in a whisper. Kagome was beginning to regret inviting her along. Maybe, the hanyou would be better off locked in her room.
"No, Koga and I are friends." Kagome proclaimed, opening the car door for Rin. The girl clambered in and began reaching for the seatbelt.
"I know, but Sesshoumaru will see you with Koga. Don't you want Sesshoumaru?" Rin questioned. Kagome inhaled sharply, accidentally allowing saliva to enter her airway. She coughed, choking for a moment.
The question caught her off guard. Rin was definitely more observant than most kids her age. Kagome smacked herself mentally. Rin was a hanyou and would mature quicker than other kids. Kagome would need to look into this carefully.
"I'm not trying to get Sesshoumaru, Rin," Kagome answered slowly, hoping the hanyou would understand that. Koga eyed her gently, giving her a reassuring smile. The car began to back out of the parking space, turning to the road. "Sesshoumaru and I have a past, Rin. It'd be better if you tried not to think about it."
~Time Floats On~
Kagura waited for the elevator doors to close. A fake smile was plastered on her face as she waved to Sesshoumaru. The doors closed, and his scent began to fade. Quickly, she turned ran to the bathroom and puckered her lips. She turned sideways and slid her hands over her stomach. The sleek, blue dress fit her snugly in all the right places. Her hair was pulled into a bun and held with a pair of chopsticks.
The elevator doors beeped again. The sound of metallic doors spreading made Kagura grin. "Father," she greeted with a smirk as she stepped out of the room. The being in front of her smirked deviously, waving a square envelope in his hand. Kagura's nose scrunched in distaste, "Don't tell me that demons are taking that mortal seriously!"
"Oh, but she is going to be so much fun to play with," Naraku pouted as he sat on the black couch in the middle of Sesshoumaru's den. He crossed his legs and opened the envelope in his lap. "Don't call me father, that status is horribly aging," he added sulkily, adjusting his black blazer around his body. His ebony tresses were pulled into a loose ponytail, a few bangs escaped to frame his red eyes.
"What is she going to go on about now?" Kagura mocked, pouring a glass of red wine and offering it to him. She batted her eyelashes innocently, trying to imitate Kagome's innocence. Clearing her throat, her voice came out higher and softer, "The hanyous are an endangered species, and I, Kagome, would like to take care of them all." She huffed.
"It is quite the noble cause," Naraku teased with his own smile, staring at Kagura. "Rumors have reached me that you were scared by a child, is this true?" He got out around a chuckle. The mere image of Kagura hiding from a small being made him laugh.
"I forgot how quickly gossip got around, Sesshoumaru must have told his mother. That woman cannot keep anything to herself!" Kagome exclaimed angrily, slamming her hand against the kitchen table. Her own wine glass trembled for a moment as she listened to Naraku continue to laugh.
"So, I take it you will be going to that blasted thing?" She asked. Naraku turned to stare at her from the couch, nodding his head. His red eyes held a playful gleam in his eyes. Kagura knew that he was having fun playing around with his new powers.
Naraku's company was the second largest, on equivalent ground with Daitaro's. In fact, most of Daitaro's company used Naraku's products in order to export their goods. "She is definitely making a wonderful show. It would be wise to keep an eye on her, which isn't hard to do. She's got such a nice body," Naraku cooed, licking his lips with his tongue.
Kagura rolled her eyes at his antics. The demon loved to defile things, as was in his demonic nature. "Sesshoumaru received his own invitation but refused to talk to me about it," Kagura grumbled. "He is being more than hostile after she came over for dinner. They had a nice heart to heart talk in his study. Kagome rejected his advances. He confessed to wanting her after all these years. It was quite a romantic confession. The woman left here crying," she explained.
Naraku hummed in thought. The priestess was definitely something to keep a watchful eye on. "I booked a hotel for the weekend at the same hotel as hers. I plan to woo her over dinner one of the nights we are there," Naraku thought aloud. Kagura scoffed, causing him to laugh once more. "Soften up a little. Obviously, Sesshoumaru likes weaker women."
"Weak, pathetic, priestess," Kagura corrected as she refilled the glass. "We need to get rid of her," she hissed out sharply.
Naraku's gaze snapped to hers quickly. The sudden glare caused her heart to skip a beat. A chill ran through her at the warning in his eyes. "You will not do anything," he warned between clenched teeth. He turned his stare back to the envelope and traced her name. He felt himself harden in his pants at the mere thought of the woman. "This one is mine. We will take her down along with the dogs. They will be sent spiraling downwards together."
The mere thought of destroying so many people in one blow made him shiver with joy. Sesshoumaru had gotten his father's weakness for the human race, which would only help Naraku with his plans. For so many centuries he'd been trying to take out the noble dog family. They had been so hard to get rid of, but now the end was in sight. The victory was within reach and Naraku couldn't wait to taste it.
He remembered when the foreigners had first started to come into Japan. Naraku had wanted to stay isolated in order to protect his territory. Unfortunately, Daitaro had allowed them all in after a few decades. Wealth, power, more land was given to the dog in exchange. It only grew over the years while Naraku tried to keep up, lying in wait the entire time. Now that Sesshoumaru needed a mate, Kagura was able to make herself useful. She was a strong demoness that could give him the heirs he would require while also feeding Naraku information that would help him destroy their family.
"I will work on the woman. You invite yourself along, Kagura. I want you to be on Sesshoumaru's arm for the party. That way Kagome won't be tempted to lure him away again," Naraku plotted as he stood. Kagura nodded to him. His red eyes lingered on hers for a while. He let another laugh escape under his breath.
They actually thought she was his daughter. "We will ruin them and climb to the top like it was supposed to be, sister," Naraku groaned, unable to wait for the taste of success. Kagura, the woman with the same blood as his, smirked as well.
"Until then," Kagura toasted, holding her glass in the air. Naraku stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. "Naraku, what about the European daiyoukai?" She called from the kitchen, leaning around the corner to stare at him.
Naraku shrugged his shoulders. "He and Daitaro have their own pasts. They will most likely destroy each other. That is when we'll make our move, Kagura," he answered as the doors closed in front of him.
~Time Floats On~
Kagome hissed as blood seeped slowly from the wound. "Shit," she cursed, cringing when she heard Rin giggle at her outburst. "Paper... cut," she trailed off, sticking the finger in her mouth.
Her eyes went over the papers that sat in the tray of her printer. One had a long list of names and phone numbers. Some of them were highlighted and others weren't. She lifted the paper and stared at the next one. This one held flight information for her ticket, which meant Christopher had not gotten a ticket for Rin. Then again, was it wise to take Rin to San Diego after having her for a few weeks.
Still, leaving her with a nanny wasn't very comforting either. Kagome grumbled as she stared at the clock. It wasn't too late to start making calls. She grabbed the phone and pointed to the first number. While it rang, Rin began to talk.
"So, let me get this straight," the young girl ranted. "Sesshoumaru and you were together in high school. Then, he began to cheat on you with Kagura and suddenly announced her as being his mate. So, he treated you like a toy?" She clarified.
Kagome winced, but nodded. A voice over the phone greeted her. "Yes?"
Clearing her throat, Kagome tried to ignore Rin for the time being. "Hello, this is Higurashi Kagome. I heard that you might be interested in becoming a nanny for a hanyou. I am holding interviews tomorrow."
"Nanny?" The person asked on the other line. "I thought that was an adoption list," the woman whispered, her voice dropping lower as if she were trying to hide their conversation.
"No, I am looking for a nanny position," Kagome corrected. The woman sighed, and Kagome knew it would be a long night of phone calls.
"I apologize, but we were hoping for a daughter. I don't have time to be a nanny for someone else's child," she returned gruffly. Kagome could hear the irritation in the woman's voice.
"But you had time to be a parent?" Kagome returned hotly. "Sorry for wasting your time," she added quickly, clicking the disconnect button and beginning to dial the next number.
"So, you're doing this because you want to be stronger?" Rin pressed on as she opened the door to the freezer and pulled out a tub of vanilla ice cream. She grabbed a bowl off the clean pile of dishes on the counter. "I support you then," she decided, nodding her head to finalize her choice.
Kagome snorted, "I'm glad I got your approval." The line began to ring consistently, going to an answering machine. Kagome hung up and dialed the next one. "Anything else I need to ask you for?" Kagome whispered under her breath, rubbing her temple with a finger.
"Well, my mom always said something that might help you out in this situation," Rin worded carefully, hoping the long words would make Kagome take her seriously. "She would always say 'guys that take girls for granted are dicks'."
Kagome gasped, turning in her chair to stare at the young girl. "Rin!" She shouted. "I don't think you should use that word. At all."
"My mom used it all the time," Rin argued as she began to spoon the ice cream into her mouth. She set the bowl down next to Kagome and stared the the airplane information. "Why don't I have a ticket?"
"I'm working on it," Kagome stated, turning to the problem at hand. "I don't think your mother wanted you to use that word," she pointed out. Rin scoffed, shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes.
"Why do adults get away with things?" She questioned. "It's not fair," she whined.
"Adults already put in their time as children. We earned the right to say those words. You still have to grow up a bit before you can say stuff like that," Kagome lectured. "No more saying bad words around me. Got it?" She challenged, looking at Rin seriously. Rin released a nod, looking down to poke at her ice cream.
Kagome heard another woman pick up the phone. She had almost forgotten what she'd been doing. "Hello?"
"Hi! This is Higurashi Kagome. I am calling to inquire about hiring a nanny for a half-demon child," Kagome explained. "Your name was the next one on the list. Are you still interested in the position?"
"I..." The woman paused. Kagome closed her eyes and began to pray to the kamis. "Sure, is there an interview or something?" She asked.
Kagome threw her fist into the air triumphantly. Rin raised an eyebrow at her, but went back to her ice cream while shaking her head and ranting under her breath about adults. "Yes, I am holding interviews tomorrow at around two o'clock. Is that alright?" Kagome asked with a grin.
After giving the woman her information and meeting area, Kagome went onto the next name on the list. It would be a long night, but as Kagome looked to Rin with a mouth covered in vanilla ice cream, she knew it was worth it.