Chapter 7.- Unknown
2017, First deviation
Even a single rat sneaking in had the potential to cause irreversible damage if left alone for long enough; the damage control required to fix things up could amount to a hefty price.
Getting rid of it was crucial.
For someone consumed by paranoia like Mikey, having a competent team dedicated to ensuring their safety was a given. With Kisaki left in charge of dealing with their government connections, Haruchiyo would've been the natural choice when it came to rooting out traitors. The man had always had a talent for handling internal affairs, so dealing with their little rat shouldn't have been too different. But things were far more complicated this time around. This brave little detective was targeting Toman, nothing new there, but they were trying to use her as the final nail in the coffin. It was insulting, demeaning. But most of all, they'd involved her family.
Kagome had known what would happen when she decided to leave the shrine. Her family was loving and understanding, but no matter how hard they tried, they still wanted the Higurashi Kagome that existed before she fell into the Bone Eater's Well. Bitter as it was to admit, the priestess never expected them to accept her once she stopped trying to fit into her old role. After tasting the freedom Mikey gave her, there was no going back. Attempting to go back would've killed her, suffocated her, as she tried to follow a script she'd come to despise. Cutting ties with her human family was an easy sacrifice to make in exchange for living. Even then, they were pack, and she wasn't willing to throw them to the wolves. So, there was no one else who could deal with this mess aside from her. It's not like anyone could hide their true nature from her eyes, and Mikey would let her handle this in whatever way she wished anyway. A part of her couldn't help but wonder if he'd let her destroy everything he'd built or if he'd decide to fully chain her hands. Try to close the gilded cage Kagome had been happily living in for over a decade.
A short laugh left her lips as she kept going through the summarized profiles in her hands.
That'd never happen. Not when Toman was as much her life as it was his. There was nothing she wouldn't do to protect her pack, to keep Mikey safe and by her side. It had always been that way. So, annoying as it was to have to change her schedule, Kagome didn't regret taking over this mess. It did nothing to soothe her irritation at having to spend the morning stuck on her private floor, analyzing the dozens of files related to this case, however. These weren't even half of the pile she needed; Kisaki was still in the middle of putting the building's staff through the first filter she asked him. The result of the net cast around the brazen detective Fukuzawa came fast enough, she supposed, but her family's involvement aside, there should've never been a crack big enough in their security for a traitor to slip in in the first place.
If Kisaki had done his job properly, this wouldn't have become a problem.
Dark azure eyes narrowed as she carelessly discarded a sheet of paper on the messy pile to her right. Oh, she knew exactly why the arrogant man had done such a half-assed job.
Pride oozed from his every pore; he boasted about his official position as Tokyo Manji's second in command constantly. The amount of power he held within the group was considerable, and he certainly had collected his fair share of valuable connections; even though the miko despised him, she'd acknowledge the fact that he was effective. Which was why asking him to personally oversee the staffing of the building could easily be considered a task beneath him. Other clans certainly didn't leave cumbersome chores like this to high-ranking executives. But safety ranked quite high on both Mikey and her priority lists.
Cheap tactics would never work on the sort of people with access to the building, having to look over their shoulders every second of every day got tiring quickly, though. Her lover wouldn't have agreed to take in the personal chefs Sesshoumaru had offered them. You can't exactly fight poison, after all, but letting the Lord of the West take over security was a little too much. So the blond decided to have an executive handle it. Kisaki had been far from her first choice, but Mikey insisted on making as much use of the man as they could. After all, unlike the others, the so-called second in command had to earn his stay. Anyone else from their inner circle would've seen the assignment for what it was, but even then, she didn't expect Kisaki, of all people, to half-ass an assignment given directly by Mikey. Not when everyone knew the man was obsessed with her lover.
Waste not, want not.
For years, the miko had been waiting for a chance to get rid of him once and for all, biding her time until his usefulness ran out. Since there wasn't even a scratch on her skin, it'd take more than this to justify killing him off, but it wouldn't take much to push him off the edge now that his frustration was bleeding into his actions. Assigning mid-level tasks for him, undermining his authority would slowly but surely bruise his ego enough for him to make an egregious misstep. Hell, if the woman got lucky, Kisaki would actually try to kill her himself. Her mere existence was a sore spot for him because despite his position as Toman's second in command, every single executive knew that Kagome's orders were second to none but Mikey's. Not everyone was aware of the exact nature of her relationship with the Mikazuki clan, yet they were all aware that one word from her might ignite a bloody conflict between the two groups that would cause great losses for them. No one would lift a finger to help him if she so much as wished for it out loud during the next meeting.
Letting out a hum, the woman tossed three more files to the pile to her left. According to the incredibly detailed report on the detective, the young upstart was too honorable to be bribed, too brave to be intimidated, and too determined to be scared off. Targeting his family would only motivate him further; the only real solution here was to do some serious pest control and root out anyone and everyone willing to get involved with this investigation of his.
Pity, it looked like the man had such a happy family.
But examples had to be made.
"Mitsuya, be a dear and pass this out when you have the chance." A lazy motion pointed to the pile on her right.
"Only these?" The man looked up from the sketchbook he'd been focused on for the last two hours. "Are there so few people involved?"
"No point in overreaching so soon when we don't know how many people will react." Sometimes, restraint made a bigger impact.
"Ah, in that case, I'll make sure to have it delivered." Mitsuya nodded, standing up from the coffee table and taking the bunch of papers from the bed. "Do you need any extra information?"
"This should be enough for now…although…do you recognize this person?"
Between her fingers was a document she'd set aside some time ago. Not important enough to place in the pile set for elimination, but something about it bothered her.
"Should I?" His voice was slow as he studied the name and face neatly printed on the piece of paper. "I don't think I've ever heard the name, but I can have someone look into him."
"Hmm…are you done with your sketch?"
"What…" The sudden change of topics threw him off, but he still did as she wished, reaching for his sketchbook to show the new design. "The rough lines are done, but I've yet to decide on a color or pattern. I'm not too sure about the fabric either."
Letting out a low hum, the girl pushed herself on her arms to peek into the offered notebook to look at the rough drawing of what would inevitably become her newest dress. Thanks to Hojo-kun's abrupt attempt to intrude in her life, Mikey decided leaving her alone inside their private rooms or even their floor was no longer a reasonable option. Meaning, the small number of executives her lover trusted with her safety now trailed behind whenever she had to stay behind. So Mitsuya had spent most of his morning sitting at the small coffee table near her bed, sketching away while Kagome went through the batch of profiles. Usually, the young woman wouldn't mind. It was hard to complain about having to share the room with her selective rooster of bodyguards when she'd been the one with the final say about who they were. No one she didn't like could enter their room outside of emergency situations. Having to spend time apart so soon would get tiresome faster than she would've liked. Shaking her head, the young woman did her best to focus back on the task at hand.
"I was thinking…if you haven't decided on a fabric, why not borrow some of this?" She smiled, lifting the hem of her gown a little. "That blue dress from last year, you made it using this, didn't you?"
"Yes, working with it is complicated, but I do think it could work with the design," Mitsuya answered after a heartbeat, eyes focused on the demonic silk of her nightgown.
"Why not go get it?" The woman pushed herself up with a single motion, azure eyes locked on the other man. "We can go after lunch."
"Go to…the Mikazuki estate?"
"Do you want to stay here, then?" Mikey wouldn't be too happy, but as long as she wasn't left alone, she could make an excuse. "Nii-sama can always send someone to take over escort duties. We need to talk about this mess in person, but if you'd rather not go all the way there, you can just take the day off."
Favoritism wasn't something Kagome ever tried to hide or control. Already, her intervention had gotten Mitsuya out of the hell anyone else would've suffered after letting an unauthorized person get into their room. Rat or not, Mikey's forgiveness had drained away so many years ago. Even with the long history the young executive had as a founding Toman member, it wouldn't have been enough to save him from quite a bit of pain. Whenever her safety was involved, blood would flow, no exception. If anyone without her favor ever failed to fulfill their bodyguard duties, a demotion would be the least of their problems, but Toman members were hers as much as they were his. To keep her happy, he'd indulge her and forgive almost all mistakes so long as her blood didn't flow.
"I'll arrange for transport then. Should I wait for a reply?" Smiling as he shook his head, the man took out his phone.
"A reply?" She asked, confusion lacing her voice. "From who?"
"You're…not planning on texting anyone, are you?"
"Why would I?" Even if, for whatever reason, her direct pack members were busy with something they couldn't order for the door to be open, no one would dare to turn the Shikon miko at the gates. "Oh, but I should probably change clothes. Sesshoumaru would lose it if I got out like this."
Mitsuya sighed in resignation as she jumped off the bed. There was a hint of tension in the man's movements, but he followed her into her walk-in closer anyway. When it came to refusing her request, those she favored always had far more freedom compared to anyone else. Several of them were happy to take advantage of that and would regularly deny her more impulsive whims, even going as far as asking for favors on their own. Mitsuya, however, always tried his best to humor her every desire. His chosen reward rarely went over anything other than small petitions that resulted in her and Mikey spending time with him. It made sense; he'd been one of the first willing to follow them despite how corrupted the path they were walking into was. Mitsuya was one of their most loyal. So he went ahead and started sending messages to arrange the transport for the unannounced visit to one of the oldest and most feared youkai clans in all of Japan despite his own reservation about the rudeness of her actions.
Facing a group like the Mikazuki was more than enough to cause anyone doing what she asked him to do to fear for their life, but the man was one of the few who knew the true nature of the demons dwelling in the estate, he'd seen their power. And yet he trusted her to do as she wanted.
"Say, Mitsuya…do you regret it?" The question left her lips without permission; still, she kept going. "Learning the truth, I mean."
"How could I? when this shows how much trust you and Mikey placed in me? If anything, it's an honor." Just as always, she couldn't hear even a sliver of deceit in his words.
"Even if that means you have to follow me around all the way to their estate?" Kagome turned, blocking the entrance to the closet. "You know they don't exactly like surprises."
"Knowledge always has a price, I'm happy to pay it." He didn't even falter.
Laughing a little, Kagome moved to the side and let the man enter her closet. With a smile on her lips, she watched him move through the dozens of fabrics with expertise, proving he was familiar with the contents of the room, picking up and putting back one hanger after another with the sort of concentration she'd never acquired despite all of Shippo's and Mitsuya best efforts. That's why she was happy to let him dress her up whenever he had the time. Really, there was no one who knew what suited her better than him. Already, she could see him begin to set apart the older pieces she hadn't worn for a good while now, making sure everything would be ready for whenever she decided it was time to clean her closet once more. Sitting in front of her mirror, the woman absentmindedly played with long strands of midnight hair. It was always fun to watch him play around.
Nodding to himself in satisfaction, the young man pulled out a deep navy dress for her, leaving it out before walking up to her and getting to work. Expert hands took command over her comb and went through her collection of hairpins and ribbons. The motions were enough to help her relax and soothed a bit of her irritation. It might be a good idea to go through her guard rooster with Mikey to make sure Mitsuya was stationed with her for the days she'd have no chance to accidentally blow up at whoever was on duty when she had to talk to her family. Her temper wasn't always tied to violence and bloodshed, but she'd rather not take risks.
"Oh, right!" She could see him nodding in the mirror. "What do we have in our schedule for next week?"
"There's a meeting with the head of the Shirokawa group, I believe. Other than that, anything can be re-arranged."
"Can you make sure there's enough time around the middle of the week for me?" There was no reason for him to act as a secretary, but again, he nodded without hesitation. "Kisaki's first filter should be done in a couple of days. Ah, but we need to time it so Mikey can pick me up once I'm done with the interviews."
"Pick you up from the interrogation room?" He asked, never stopping his work with her hair.
"Dear no, that'd be so dreary," Kagome said with a laugh. "From the security room, cafeteria, I'm not entirely sure where exactly. I won't take a single step outside the building, of course."
"It'll be done before the weekend's over." He had to be swamped with work, but she knew he'd have it done by tomorrow night at the latest.
"You are such a blessing."
Slender fingers went through ginger strands, finding just a sliver of comfort as the fox purred, content to keep laying his head on her lap as she pet him. It didn't quite get rid of her frustration, but it helped calm down her nerves a little bit.
Visiting the Mikazuki estate was always destined to deliver quite a heavy blow to her already dampened mood. Said foreknowledge hadn't done a thing to make it easier, though, so attuned to her mood as always, Shippo had decided to go back to his childhood antics, only conveniently enjoying being on the receiving end of her affection. As if he hadn't ditched a meeting just to meet her at the gates. Really, as spoiled as he was, it was a miracle Sesshoumaru didn't end up killing him at any point in the last five hundred years or so. Not that Kagome was about to complain. Honestly, she wasn't sure how she would've reacted if, instead of finding a mischievous kitsune, she met a miniature version of the Lord of the West.
"A human is going through my personal fabric stores…" the fox mumbled, arms wrapped around her waist.
"Never thought you'd be the sort to underestimate humans." The woman gave his hair a light pull as a playful reprimand."Here I thought we'd never need to have this talk."
"Come on, have a little faith in me. But can you imagine what Sesshoumaru's face would've been like had we told the ice lord he'd be allowing humans to walk around his honorable home five hundred years ago?" He asked, snickering under his breath.
"That'd be quite something." Especially before he stopped trying to steal Tessaiga. "He would've probably tried to kill me again just for that."
Kagome loved the daiyoukai as he was; by now, the miko had learned to decide his hums, grunts, and occasional grunts, so there was nothing she'd wish change, but she was well aware that once upon a time, he wouldn't have thought twice about slicing her throat open. Still, it looked like Rin-chan did a great job making the inu lord understand that dismissing an entire species just wasn't a smart move. Egotistical as he was, all that meant was that Sesshoumaru was now willing to make some exceptions. Compared to their first meeting, this was some amazing progress, of course.
Even though it'd only been for a year, it'd seem her influence had been strong enough to ensure Shippo grew up as an open-minded youkai. In a way, the miko had been lucky. Because a demon's nature doesn't change easily. When the fox offered to teach Mitsuya to handle demonic fabric had still been surprising. As a kit, he'd been possessive when it came to her affection, constantly picking up fights with Inuyasha in order to have her attention focused on him. Being willing to respect her choice of lovers was one thing; the relationship between mates wasn't something anyone could interfere with after all, but sharing her praise was another matter entirely. Then again, maybe the fact that Mitsuya's passion was fashion design helped his case. While Shippo never bothered to try his hand at designing clothes himself, the fox could be beyond vain, overly concerned with his and everybody else's looks. As one of the highest ranking members in the Crescent Moon clan, the kitsune had the privilege to mix work with pleasure, and he made his time-consuming hobby into a part of his job by scouting for talent for some of their fronts, so he was more than willing to acknowledge skill, no matter where it came from.
Really, she was quite grateful.
"In any case, Mitsuya can have his pick of my fabrics," the kitsune scoffed; the many times they came close to dying really was nothing but something to laugh at. "If your guy ever wants to sell one of his designs, tell him to give me a call."
"Shippo, are you trying to steal one of our people?"
"We can always share."
Letting out a laugh, the young woman pulled a strand of orange hair again. Gods, the fox really lived up to his kitsune nature, happy to chase after pleasure at any and all times. It was one of the things that had served to drive home just how much time had passed for him before she could contact them once more. During their travels in the Sengoku era, the fox kit had become quite attached to her, and she'd come to think of him as an amalgamation between a younger brother and an adoptive son, finding out just how extensive his library of innuendoes had been beyond shocking, but by now, the miko had grown used to it. In hindsight, she shouldn't have been surprised. As a teen, the miko had looked up myths and legends about kitsunes, and one thing that couldn't be missed was how sensual these beings could be.
"Mitsuya is the one you'd have to ask about that," Kagome said, knowing full well what the man's answer would be."That said…we might borrow some of your assets for our fronts for a bit."
"Are you having trouble with your stores?" the fox frowned as he sat up.
"Not right now," she smiled, trying to reassure him. "But this little incident has given me just the right chance to do some pest control, and all those leeches that cling to his greasy hide have only one way to go, so eventually, I'll need to outsource a bit."
"Oh, you're finally getting rid of that guy? I'm always free to help." Ginger tails swished back and forth in anticipation.
"Thoughtful as always." Not bothering to hide her amusement, the miko laughed. "Pretty sure a high executive of a different clan meddling in Toman's internal affairs could cause some conflicts."
"Please, as if that guy would complain about us giving you a hand, internal affairs or not."
"Kisaki's been trying to make us dance to his tune for so many years, thinking he managed to fool us. As if we didn't know everything he's done behind our backs." There was so much that had been lost because of his self-interest and ego. "Something like that cannot be forgiven, so I'll be the one to drag him to hell with my own two hands."
"If you change your mind, you know I'll always make time for you."
His smile was innocent, beatific even, as if he wasn't trying to use a potential favor for her as an excuse to either skip meetings or push his paperwork onto somebody else while getting to torture one of her enemies. Still, there was no quelling this nostalgia filling her as this deadly, legendary demon, holding one of the most exalted positions in the Mikazuki clan, was acting in the exact same way he used to back when the fox kit would pull Inuyasha into one of his pranks and climb onto her shoulder, angelic faced in place as he pretended he wasn't trying to avoid responsibility.
"Somehow, I don't think Sesshoumaru-niiisama would be happy to find out one of his best executives is trying to play hooky. Who is going to handle all that confidential information?"
"Oh, but I'd be doing him a favor. Kouga and the others have to learn how to think things through." Shippo scoffed. "Me taking a vacation is the perfect chance for them to learn how to solve problems without biting someone else's limbs off.."
Biting back a laugh, the miko leaned over and pinched his cheek.
Cocky fox could be just as rude as Inuyasha on a bad day, but she couldn't exactly deny the underlying meaning of his words. Kouga, like the many other high-ranking youkais within the clan, was very much in contact with their nature, one that was intrinsically intertwined with bloodlust and violence. So he didn't have the sort of patience necessary for handling delicate political connections or managing and sifting through the massive amount of information that came with his position. Saying it like that was still impolite, though. The kitsune pouted, even as he shamelessly rubbed his cheek on her hand.
"Now then," Shippo continued. "What else is bothering you?"
"You noticed." It was an expected outcome.
"Of course I did." The fox sat on the small table right in front of her. "I've watched over you for most of your life."
With a sigh and a tired smile, the priestess reached into her bag.
In all honesty, this could all turn out to be nothing. There was no evidence that anything was amiss; all the woman had was a vague gut feeling, but the whole thing kept buzzing in the back of her mind. Even if there was nothing to link this, Kagome was sure that something had changed a few days ago. Her connection to time was twisted, in a way, and there was no way she could ever mistake what it felt like to fall through the cracks and see the world around her freeze and shift. And while this change wasn't exactly the same, it was certainly tied to time itself. Of course, chances were that this change wasn't related to Toman, and even if the miko did absolutely nothing, those she loved wouldn't be affected at all. But instincts and gut feelings had kept her and her friends alive as they switched between hunter and hunted while they journeyed all over the lands of Japan over 500 years ago. And the appearance of this man so soon after the shift wasn't something she could ignore.
From the moment they met, Mikey had placed Toman at her disposal. Whether it was for something as simple as arranging her transportation, acting as bodyguards, or as consequential as getting rid of whatever delusional upstart thought her role as the Boss' beloved was up for grabs. Even if some members of the new guard might hesitate and ask for confirmation, at the end of the day, her wishes would be fulfilled, no matter if their ramifications could affect business. Then again, the miko was usually happy to step back as her lover made whatever decisions he thought best, only offering her advice and insight. She could pick anyone from the group to help her deal with Kisaki, but once the supernatural got involved, the pool of people she could trust became limited to her non-human pack. After all, the best way to deal with inhuman problems was by relying on the demonic support from her clan. So, trying to keep a frown from her face, the miko passed the slip of paper to the kitsune. Emerald eyes sharpened as he looked over the piece of information he prepared for her only a few days ago.
"Tachibana Naoto…" Shippo trailed off as he combed his memory. "I didn't think he was involved with Toman's infiltration. Did I miss something?"
"Not that I can tell; one of his family members ended up as collateral damage in one of our last clashes, but that's too recent, I don't think he's related to that, but…was there anything different when you looked into him?" Her words were careful, not wanting to push him into action just yet.
"Hmm, not that I can think of?" The fox grabbed a stick of dango from the plate he'd prepared for her. "I can always deal with him if you want to."
Average was a good word to describe the young man in the summarized file. He came from an unremarkable family, his scholarly achievements were nothing out of the ordinary, and if not for the fact that he used to be Detective Fukuzawa's partner, his file would've never reached her hands in the first place. Handling collateral wasn't part of her unofficial job. But even if he wasn't involved with the rat, the young man now had a potential motivation to go after them. Recklessly attacking him when she had no proof this guy could become a problem, could be the thing that marked them as targets.
"Just keep an eye on him for me. I think I should probably take some time to have a chat with Bokuseno-sama." The ancient tree demon was resting in a protected area farther away from Tokyo, so a trip there would take more time than she wanted, but if this off feeling continued, there may not be an option.
"I'll have one of my guys on this Tachibana Naoto before the day is over," he said between bites. "You'll probably have to talk to Sesshoumaru about the Bokuseno thing." Jumping off the table, he grinned widely. "Why don't you stay over for the night? Fluffy Ice Lord has been pissy since your last call; your being here will help calm down. Hell, he might finally get out of his damn office."
"We can't just spend the night here when we're still conducting pest control." It wasn't a good look.
"Come on, he's being more of an ass than usual," the fox whined, all dignity forgotten before sniffing the air. "Ah, seems like your mate's here. None of it is his, by the way."
Before the miko could say anything else, the sliding door to her room opened, the chaotic aura of her lover filled her bedroom. He wasn't drenched in it, but there was no mistaking what the crimson stains splattered on his form; Shippo's reassurance managed to break through the wave of worry that almost swept her over even as she could feel him looking for potential injuries, no matter how ridiculous the notion of him possibly being hurt was. She was up and wrapping her arms around his neck. She could feel the blood seeping into her clothes, staining her own skin as she pushed herself closer to him Mikey's arm was quick to pull her to him even more, his fingers tangling in her hair as his right hand guiding her so he could claim her lips. Demanding and forceful, and his need just as intense as her own before he finally pulled away. His hands refused to let go of her even as he turned to look at the kitsune.
"Yo, Nii-chan," Shippo waved. "Guessing things got messy?"
"Everything was dealt with."
"Oh, I can tell," the fox said with a laugh. "Say, why not stay for dinner? Sesshoumaru is gonna want to talk to you sooner rather than later anyway."
"Did they arrange transportation for you?" Mikey asked, turning his gaze to her.
"Nope," Kagome smiled, still in his arms. "Mitsuya is checking out fabrics."
"Doesn't this work better then? We can save everyone the effort of moving around. Plus, you're gonna have to take a bath. We own these streets, but getting caught on CCTV like that, so you'll have to stay a while anyway." Shippo shot one sentence after another.
Looking down at her, Kagome could almost hear his lover's silent question, and the miko gave up with a sigh.
Unless there was some sort of official business that needed to be taken care of, Mikey sent even their drivers away whenever he came to the Mikazuki main estate. While staying overnight wasn't the best tactical decision, having dinner here shouldn't cause too much of a problem.
As much as she loved the inu lord as a brother, she was well aware ofhow strict he could get. Finding out a random human detective thought catching someone under the clan's protection would've been sure to hit his pride. Shippo's complaints about his poor mood were likely to be a decent assessment. And he wasn't lying about Sesshoumaru eventually demanding to meet with them both. Mitsuya would be a bit uncomfortable during dinner, but it wouldn't be the first time he spent an afternoon surrounded by youkais.
"Sure, we'll stay."
"Perfect!" The fox didn't waste a second, kissing her cheek without minding she'd yet to step away from her lover. "I'll let your guy know and find a way to drag the old dog's stubborn ass outta his office."
"Language, Shippo-chan."
"Sorry, Kagome-nee." With a happy grin, the kitsune raced out of her room.
"Hold on…" Kagome trailed off as her gaze stared at the newly closed door. "That little rascal! He asked me to stay overnight, knowing I'd refuse. If I felt guilty by the time you got here, it'd be easier to convince me to stay for dinner!"
The sound of her lover's laughter had changed over the years; it was darker now, twisted. Kagome loved it all the same, so she didn't even pretend to pout as she let him guide her to the long sofa she'd been sitting on before he arrived.
"You spoil him too much." Mikey didn't hesitate to sit down and pulled her down with him, setting her into his lap.
With another laugh, Kagome went to wrap her arms around his neck again. She could smell blood clinging to him, sweet and metallic. Carefully, the young woman moved to touch the crimson staining his cheek, the lukewarm liquid a familiar feeling on her own skin. Yes, he was definitely wound up, his bloodlust oh so close to the surface that sent shivers down her spine. With his emotions running as high as they were, it wouldn't take much work for her to get him to stay by her side tomorrow morning. It'd be better for the others if she was the only one receiving his attention. If he got her to stop thinking for a day or so, perhaps she'd be able to get a better idea of what to do with whatever had affected time, too.
"Do we have any damage control we need to worry about?" Kagome asked, happy to rest her head on his chest.
"It'd be hard for Yamaha to try to get revenge when there's no one left." A strong hand found the back of her neck. "Who was it?"
Closing her eyes, the miko forced down a shuddering breath.
Blunt and abrupt as always, her lover didn't waste any time pretending he didn't know exactly why Kagome chose to come all the way here instead of simply making a call or sending a text. A heavy sigh fell from her lips as she nuzzled his neck. She'd done quite a good job thinking about it as little as possible, not that willful ignorance would be helpful to her or Toman. Mikey wouldn't push her. He never did; there was no need to when the priestess was always willing to meet whatever limits he wanted to test. Physical, emotional, it didn't matter. For his sake, facing the uncomfortable situation was something she was more than happy to go through. Slender fingers played with the ends of stained strands of hair.
"From what Shippo can tell…" Kagome faltered, the memory of her earlier conversation with the fox draining what little was left of her good mood. "…probably Souta."
"Met with the detective outside the shrine?"
"There's a cafe he frequents close to his office building," the miko mumbled against his neck. "It would've been the perfect place for our brave little detective to contact him without triggering any suspicions from Shippo's people."
"Surveillance?"
"Will be increased from now on." That wasn't even a question. "We need to wait a few days to make sure how they communicate and the frequency."
Getting involved with Toman and deepening her connection with the Mikazuki clan meant leaving the shrine unprotected would be the same as inviting troubles to their doorstep. Back when the group was nothing but a biker gang, Mikey and the others made constant rounds, and after her non-human clan got in contact with her, once her time traveling was over, the demonic presence around her family had increased substantially. After Kagome moved out, however, only Shippo's people kept an eye on her family. It was a necessity, considering not only was she Toman's leader's sweetheart; but also the Mikazuki's prized Shikon miko, trying to find leverage to use against her was the first move their enemies would use. That's why, even after moving out, Sesshoumaru insisted on keeping them under surveillance; simply reducing their presence back to what it was before she was born wouldn't work.
Her mother was a good person.
Open-minded, kind, and willing to see past outward appearances, the older woman had been willing to overlook the varied delinquents stopping by the Higurashi shrine to be patched up. But as things changed, it wasn't just bruises and scratches Kagome had to bandage, and she began to stay the night over at Mikey's only to show up the next day with brand new clothes, or occasionally missing crimson stains. Soon enough, wary glances turned into carefully worded warnings that devolved into a one-sided screaming match where she did nothing but lower her gaze while numbly waiting for her mother's desperation to die out. Kagome did her best, but no matter how hard she tried, the miko couldn't play the part of the good, thoughtful daughter. The more she tried to fit the role, the worse her delivery got when it was time to say her lines, the more she stumbled around the stage, destroying it in the process. The brief lapses of freedom she got from her time with her lover were no longer enough to keep her from asphyxiating under the spotlight. When he asked her not to go back to the shrine, it was only natural to stay by his side. Her call to the shrine the morning after was the last straw, but she was still showing up at school, so there was no way to bring the police into it for kidnapping. It was only after the older woman failed to gain Sesshoumaru-niisama's support that the older woman finally gave up on changing her mind.
But Souta was always a stubborn child.
Unaware of how privileged he was, his brother had tried to barge into the old Toman's headquarters, screaming and making a scene. And even after the miko was forced to intervene to fix the mess he caused, the boy went to the Mikazuki clan's buildings, demanding to get her out of Tokyo Manji's grasp. The years had eroded whatever respect Souta had for Mikey, especially once rumors about the biker gang began being linked to criminal activities. Honestly, the only one to blame was Kagome herself. In her effort to fit the role of a protective older sister, she'd sanitized the stories about her travels during the Sengoku era, so it was hard for him to understand why his heroic sister who'd saved villages and defeated monsters and bandits, could love someone who was considered a brutal criminal, ignorant of the fact that those who helped her hunt down evil demons had blood on their hands themselves.
"Are you talking to him?" Mikey's voice was low, close to her ear, while his hand began to comb through her hair.
"I have to…" Still, she refused to look up, soaking in as much comfort as she could. "I don't think he'll get it otherwise."
Usually, someone who went against Toman would never be forgiven with only a chat and additional surveillance. A quick death after trying to separate her from Mikey would've been too light of a punishment, even if the attempt ended in failure. Mercy wasn't something Toman did anymore, but if it was Kagome who pleaded for it, her lover was likely to grant her wish, and yet…Kagome's patience had suffocated a long time ago. As much as she loved her human family, it didn't change the fact that Souta tried to take Mikey away from her. Such a thing couldn't be allowed, even if it was her own younger brother. Because there was nothing and no one in this world that Kagome loved more than Sano Manjiro, and there was nothing she wouldn't do to protect him. She couldn't just let him be and risk him trying to do the same thing again. Stubbornness ran in the family, after all. Going too far would only motivate them to try and bring down the whole organization.
Not that there was anything anyone could do.
"Do you want me to choose?" Right, if she wanted to, he wouldn't mind taking all of her worries away. "Or is more time all you need?"
"…more time." This was her problem; he shouldn't have to deal with it.
"If that's what you want." Strong arms pulled her closer, lips tracing her neck. "Now then, should I help you stop thinking, Me-chan?"
"Please."
A/N: Oh wow…this chapter ended up way longer than I thought it'd be, but…guess that explains why it took more time to edit, still here we are. Hope you guys didn't mind the extra long chapter. Anyway, now things are going to change at every point of the timeline because I'm a strong proponent of the butterfly effect, some changes are gonna be small, some are definitely going to be big, but hopefully it'll be interesting anyway.
Next chapter is finally going to catch up with canon, because if we tried to do this chronologically it'd take a waaay too long to get there. That said, important scenes will still be shown as they become relevant in the story.
As always, thank you guys so much for reading and any and all review/comments/criticism are greatly, greatly appreciated.