InuYasha Fan Fiction / Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Cracking Utopia ❯ Chapter 4

Chapter Four

 

 

Kagome unloaded her car and handed the keys to the young man waiting patiently nearby.

 

“Not one scratch on my car, understand?” She said, one eyebrow raised. The young man nodded his head solemnly, hurrying around to the driver's side. Kagome watched the man drive off; feeling the familiar pang of worry that she always felt when she left her car at headquarters for the duration of her missions. There were few things she cared more for than her car.

 

She turned and walked inside the large high-rise that housed Elite headquarters. As she rode the elevator up to the briefing room, Kagome tried to quell the nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach. It was nothing unusual, getting nervous before heading out on a mission, but that didn't make her any less annoyed at her reaction.

 

As she stepped out of the elevator and headed toward the end of the hall, she nodded her head at the other Elite operatives, not missing the hint of respect and sadness. In their eyes, she was already dead.

 

When she arrived at the briefing room, she was surprised to find that she was the last to arrive. Miroku and Sango were sitting together, talking in hushed tones. Sanzo was standing by the window, gazing out at the city skyline while K was sitting in her usual spot at the head of the table, sifting through some papers. All eyes turned to her as she closed the door behind her.

 

“I see the gang's all here,” Kagome said, letting the bag slide off her shoulder and onto the floor. She took a seat next to K. “So is everything ready?”

 

K gave a short shake of her head. “Not just yet. I'm waiting for Shi -”

 

Before K could finish the sentence, the door burst open.

 

“Sorry I'm late, K! I was trying to put the finishing touches on the weapons and gadgets and then I had to make sure that there were enough for everyone and then -”

 

“Shippou!” K interrupted the young man's tirade, her jaw ticking in annoyance. The flustered young man stood in the middle of the room, his fuzzy red ears twitching in confusion. Kagome had to stifle a laugh, noticing that Miroku and Sango were doing the same. Sanzo shared K's sentiment, an irritated expression on his handsome face.

 

Kagome quickly came to the young fox demon's rescue, pointing to the briefcase he held. “What kind of goodies did you make for us this time?” She asked, excited to see the array of gadgets he'd cooked up. As much as Shippou got teased for his clumsy, youthful exuberance, no one could dispute his technological genius.

 

As if remembering his reason for being there, Shippou excitedly set the briefcase on the table, popping it open. Miroku let out a low whistle, eyeing the briefcase's contents. Sanzo walked closer, impressed with Shippou's work.

 

Shippou smiled proudly. K nodded her head approvingly, obviously as pleased as everyone else. He certainly had outdone himself this time.

 

“So give us some background on these bad boys,” Kagome said.

 

“Well,” Shippou began, taking out one of the biggest of the weapons in the briefcase. “This is what I've nicknamed the Stunner. It has a range of up to two hundred feet and a one hundred percent accuracy rate.” He held the gleaming black weapon gingerly. “This weapon packs enough voltage to immobilize your target for exactly fifteen minutes.”

 

He passed the small gun-like weapon to Kagome, who inspected it closely before passing it on. “Next,” Shippou continued, “is the multi-purpose vest I've created.” He plucked a thin black vest from the case, holding it out in front of him. It looked like an ordinary bullet-proof vest, nothing special standing out.

 

“What's so great about it?” Sanzo spoke up, his tone skeptical. The fox demon grinned secretively. “It may look ordinary, but it's anything but. Not only is it bullet-proof, it also protects against heat.”

 

“You mean it's also fire-proof?” Sango asked in surprise. Shippou nodded triumphantly. “So if a demon tries to fry you with his fire balls or fire breath, you're virtually indestructible!”

 

K glanced at her watch before looking to Shippou. “We really should be getting on with the briefing so…”

 

Shippou took the hint and hurriedly finished his presentation. “The final weapon is really more a nifty gadget that will get you out of a tight spot.” He reached into the briefcase and removed a single leaf. Kagome glanced at the others, seeing the confusion mirrored on their faces.

 

“Umm, Shippou, how is a leaf going to get us out of any kind of situation?” Kagome asked tentatively, not wanting to hurt the younger man's feelings. Shippou waved a hand at her excitedly. “It's more potent that it looks,” he said enthusiastically. Taking a step back, he flung the leaf to the ground and was instantly surrounded by a cloud of smoke. When the thick gray smoke cleared, there stood in front of the small group six Shippous.

 

“What the hell?” Sanzo muttered. Miroku and Sango stared dumbfounded while Kagome stared wide-eyed. The six Shippous giggled and waved hello.

 

“See what I mean?” The Shippous asked. Kagome smiled, thoroughly impressed by Shippou's trick. “So the leaf makes us multiply, confusing the enemy as to which one is the real us.”

 

The Shippous nodded. “The false ones will mimic whatever movements you make. But,” he said as another cloud of smoke erupted around him. “The effect only lasts a few minutes.” This time Shippou was alone, his clones evaporating with the smoke.

 

“Good job, Shippou.” Kagome congratulated the young fox demon. He blushed and shuffled his feet. “It was nothing,” he responded shyly. “Along with these weapons, you'll also be issued standard weaponry and technical gear.”

 

“Now that we have that squared away, let's get down to the briefing,” K said. She proceeded to brief them over the fine details of the mission. Once she was finished, she looked to Kagome.

 

“Are you ready?” She asked. Kagome nodded her head firmly. “Alright,” K said as she stood up. She held out her hand. Kagome grasped it, giving it a firm shake. “Remember to keep your communicator on at all times and good luck.” K shook the remaining team members' hands before exiting the room.

 

Kagome turned to the others. “Well, let's get our things and head down to the dispatch area.” She gathered her bags and was about to follow the others when Shippou stopped her.

 

“Hey, Kagome,” he started nervously, twisting his hands. Kagome glanced back at him, her expression questioning. He sighed.

 

“Be careful, ok? I mean, I know you always are but…” His expression was troubled. “There's just something about this mission that bothers me.”

 

Kagome gave him a small smile, trying to reassure him despite her own feelings of misgiving. “Don't worry about me, Shippou. I'll be back.”

 

The young fox demon turned sad eyes on her. Kagome was reminded of the first time she'd met Shippou. He was just a child then, an orphan living on the streets. Kagome had come upon him back when demon and human relations were somewhat civil. She'd had an immediate affinity for the fox demon, taken in by his innocent charm.

 

Ever since that day, Kagome had cared for Shippou as if he were her own little brother, becoming fiercely protective of him. Even when she'd moved to Utopia and was told to ditch the young demon, Kagome had refused. The only way around the cardinal rule had been to include him as a member of Elite. He'd started out as a mail boy, but as time went on, it was clear that he had a knack for technology. Now he was head of the Technologies Department.

 

“Do you promise?” He asked, his voice small and unsure. Kagome had to turn her face away, afraid he'd see the telltale glimmer in her eyes. She didn't want him to take it as a sign that she was saying good-bye for good. No, she simply hated causing him any sadness. He'd already had his fair share and Kagome didn't want to add to it.

 

“I promise,” she whispered, walking out of the room. Once Kagome was inside the elevator heading down to dispatch, she allowed herself a small moment of weakness. A single salty tear trekked down her cheek, splashing to the floor.

 

She was leaving so much behind and for what?

 

“For hope,” she whispered just as the elevator doors slid open.

 

She walked over to where her friends were gathered next to a transport tank, a behemoth among regular vehicles, specifically built for rough terrain. Despite their size, the tanks could reach speeds of up to sixty miles per hour. Each transport tank was equipped with the latest technology, small sleeping cubicles and a holding cell, which was usually used for captured demons.

 

Kagome handed her bags to one of the tank loaders and took a deep breath. “Well, this is it. Anybody having second thoughts?” She looked from one person to the next, none willing to bail out now.

 

“Well, then let's get going. Miroku, you'll drive first shift with Sango on navigation and Sanzo and I will work communication.” Miroku and Sango nodded before climbing up into the tank. Sanzo turned to Kagome, his expression mildly worried.

 

“You alright?” He asked. Kagome shrugged her shoulders. “As alright as I can be given the situation.”

 

He gave a sound of indifference. “That little runt give you a hard time?” Kagome smiled, knowing he was referring to Shippou. Sanzo and Shippou shared a special relationship, one in which Shippou was constantly trying to impress Sanzo and Sanzo, in turn, was always trying to act unimpressed. Despite Sanzo's annoyance with the young fox demon's over eagerness, deep down Kagome knew he liked him, even if he wouldn't admit it.

 

“No, he was just a little sad about the whole thing, which is understandable. He's afraid he'll lose me like he lost his parents.” Kagome said, a hint of sadness in her voice. Sanzo sighed. “Well, as long as I'm with you, nothing bad is going to happen.”

 

Kagome glanced at him, surprised. He shrugged before turning to climb in the tank after Miroku and Sango. Kagome shook her head, not even attempting to decipher Sanzo's true meaning.

 

With a sigh, she followed after her teammates, focusing on the treacherous road ahead of them.

 

~*~

 

Inuyasha took a breather, flopping down in the gritty dirt. Sweat poured off him in buckets, his ponytail sticking to his bare back. He took a long swig from the water bottle at his side and peered up at the sun. Most people wouldn't bother stepping outside in ninety-plus heat, but here he was, training in ninety-plus heat in the desert no less.

 

He was used to such conditions, however. He could adapt to whatever environment he was thrown in.

 

Heaving a heavy sigh, Inuyasha climbed to his feet, gripping the handle of the sword sticking out of the sand. He felt an instant rush of power, something that could only be attributed to his father, who'd once been a lord among demons. As Inuyasha went through his usual training routine, he reflected on his present situation.

 

Ever since his fight with Sesshomaru and Naraku, he'd been on the run. Some would call it cowardice; some would call it a smart move. Inuyasha called it what it really was, biding his time. He hadn't been strong enough or nearly cunning enough to defeat Sesshomaru and Naraku and for that, the one he loved above all else had paid for it. Keeping out of sight gave him time to hone his skills, build his strength until he was ready to face them.

 

Inuyasha was so engrossed in his thoughts that he almost didn't sense the other presence that had joined him. Almost.

 

He turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed his surroundings. There were a few bramble bushes here and there and a couple of small sandy hills, but other than that, there were no other possible hiding places. His gaze settled on one hill in particular, knowing without seeing that it was there that he would find the prowler.

 

In the blink of an eye, Inuyasha took off for the hill, taking a flying leap. He landed neatly on the other side of the small sand hill, his expression registering annoyance once he saw who it was. His hand snaked out and grabbed the offending demon, yanking him forward.

 

“Why the hell are you following me?” Inuyasha ground out between gritted teeth, his eyes flashing crimson. The smaller monkey demon gulped, his eyes darting about in panic. Inuyasha sighed.

 

“I asked you a question, you little fucker! Who the hell are you and why are you following me?”

 

“Umm, well, you see,” the monkey demon stammered, a sheepish grin on his face. “I, umm, well, I'm lost and I was hoping you'd give me directions to -”

 

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did the little shit actually think he'd believe such an obvious crock of bull? The heat wearing on his already threadbare patience, Inuyasha tired of the game the boy was playing. Raising Tessaiga, he pulled back; ready to gut the boy where he stood. A blast of blue light exploded by his side and Tessaiga flew from his hands. Inuyasha turned in surprise, the boy slipping from his grip.

 

A tall, lean dark-haired man stood behind him, a pleasant smile on his face. He held up a warning finger.

 

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” he said, his agreeable tone belying the seriousness of his words. Inuyasha glared at him, his claws flexing.

 

“And who the fuck are you?”

 

The man looked past the angry hanyou to the monkey shuffling his feet in the sand. “I take it you blew your cover?” The monkey pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“But Hakkai, he's a dog demon! He has the extra advantage of having a super sense of smell. Like a bloodhound,” the monkey demon muttered the last part to himself. Inuyasha's ears twitched.

 

“What did you say, you little shit?!” Inuyasha bellowed, turning on the startled monkey demon. Before he had a chance to grab the boy, the taller man stepped in, that same infuriating smile on his face.

 

“Now, now. We're all adults here. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to get along peacefully…” The sentence trailed off as Inuyasha executed a quick back flip, landing a few feet away. Before the two startled demons could react, he swept the sword through the sand, sending a brown wave toward the two demons. They scrambled out of the way, covering their eyes as the grainy dirt scratched against their skin. Once the sand had settled, they knew that they'd lost him. Again.

 

Hakkai turned to his partner. “K isn't going to like this, Goku.” The monkey demon shrugged nonchalantly.

 

“Yeah, you're probably right, but in the meantime, can we get something to eat? I'm starving!” Hakkai gave an incredulous shake of his head, amazed by the younger demon's erratic attention span. As always, he relented, choosing to placate the monkey demon rather than face the consequences, which consisted of listening to him whine and complain. As they started to make their way back toward their camp, Hakkai's thoughts turned to the demon they'd been sent to track down. He still wasn't sure if this was the right guy, but there was something about him…

 

Whatever the case turned out to be, Hakkai knew that this time, he would make it virtually impossible for the two to find him.

 

~*~