InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Prismatic ❯ Affluence - Part 2 ( Chapter 20 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

If ever there had been a time that Kagome felt as if she’d been transplanted into a fairy tale -and there had been many now- this night had rapidly joined the list. Ever the gentleman, Masato had come to fetch her from the house with a smile, a gift for her mother and, with a compliment towards herself, offered his arm to lead her to the car.

Usagi hadn’t been wrong to call him prince charming, Kagome had thought. Not that she would ever admit it to the girl - her friend would never let her hear the end of it.

The ride over had been relatively quiet, filled only with idle chatter mostly spurred by Kagome’s attempts to make conversation with her date. He never refused her questions but, despite his willingness to provide them, some answers were frustratingly vague. She couldn’t be mad at him of course. He was being perfectly polite and she was probably being a tad nosy.

Luckily for the both of them, the drive was a short one. Kagome, entranced by the looming sight of the embassy they were headed for, didn’t even notice that they had parked until she heard the sound of the driver side door shut. As if to prove his unwitting title of prince charming, while she was distracted Masato had circled the car to open her door and offer his arm once more. She took it sheepishly, feeling a bit foolish in being so easily awed when they had yet to set foot out of the parking lot. Masato was good enough to pretend not to notice, only offering her a smile and leading her down the sidewalk to the front gate.

Then they stepped through that threshold and Kagome’s breath caught all over again. Neither the pictures in the magazines, nor even the towering screens reporting the news in the heart of the city did the sight justice.

The embassy, already a beautiful, stately building, had been decorated so elegantly that it might as well have been a palace in its own right. Spotlights had been placed strategically along the perimeter, likely for security yet seamlessly serving as ambiance in the way they illuminated the expanse of the courtyard. Towering proudly above the front door, a flag with the Diamond Kingdom’s royal crest fluttered in the breeze of the impending evening.  It was only just dusk, the sun yet to fully set, and she could only imagine how wondrous a sight it would make beneath the night sky. Above them, fairy lights twinkled to illuminate the cobblestone and an elegant fountain sat as a centerpiece, joyfully reflecting the light that danced above it.

Kagome had to resist the urge to lean down and trail her fingers through the water. A girlish sensation of wonder and excitement surged through her all at once. When she chanced a peak towards the hedges that hid a side gate, there was a glimmer of yet more lights and the sparkle of a fountain that likely boasted a garden just as grand.

As they neared the front door and Masato tucked her hand into his elbow to guide their entrance, Kagome almost felt like a princess herself.

Thankfully, unlike the fairy tales, there was no grand announcement of their names. Had there been, she likely would have melted into the floor - whether in mortification or nerves, she wasn’t sure, but one of the two certainly would have been involved. Masato, contrarily, seemed perfectly at home as he led them into the crowd, politely greeting people as she peered about the ballroom from her place at his side. Then her gaze landed on a familiar face across the room and she faltered.

“Hojo?” The sight of her classmate made her take pause, but it was the girl on his arm that stopped Kagome in her tracks. “With Osaka?”

Masato shifted beside her, turning to see what she was looking at. “Someone you know?”

“He’s in my class,” Kagome answered, distracted, “and Osaka-chan is one of Usagi’s friends.”

She’d known that Osaka Naru would be attending - even if Usagi hadn’t said so, it made sense given her family’s business dealings. One of the city’s renowned jewelers in attendance at a gala centered around the public reveal of a royal artifact was hardly a great leap in logic. But when Usagi had mentioned that Osaka had a date, Kagome never would have imagined it would be Hojo of all people.

“I wonder how that happened,” she mused quietly.

Usagi had clearly said that Osaka’s date had an invite of his own. His family was respectably well off, with a legacy built on medicine that boasted chemists, researchers, and doctors alike. His parents even owned a pharmacy and -given Hojo’s obsession with supplements and remedies for her supposed illnesses- likely had some vested interest of their own in the industry. How that had led him here of all places, stumped her.

“Are they so unsuited to each other?” Masato’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“It’s not that,” she replied, eyes lingering on the pair, “I just wonder how they met.”

“Is it so different from your friendship with Miss Usagi?” he asked.

Kagome supposed he was right. Discounting the demon fighting that had really brought them together, it wasn’t terribly different in the end. They hadn’t met because of the supernatural, after all. The mention of her friend had her glance out at the crowd briefly, realizing she’d yet to actually spot Usagi.

“Well, I guess not,” she mumbled, pursing her lips thoughtfully.

“Was it also not happenstance that led our own paths to cross?” His hand caught hers, the contact finally drawing her attention away from the unlikely couple and back to her own companion.

‘Oh right, I’m on a date.’ Kagome felt her cheeks flush as he lifted her hand to press a gentlemanly kiss to her knuckles. She found herself ever thankful for the gloves that covered her hands, otherwise he would surely feel the heat that suddenly radiated from her skin at the gesture.

“Some meetings,” he continued, “are simply written in the stars.”

He lowered his hand, but did not relinquish his grip on hers. Instead, his other hand settled at the small of her back and he inclined his head towards the center of the room in invitation.

A smile curled his lips. “Indulge me in a dance?”

“Oh, well,” Kagome glanced about the room at the throngs of couples and the way they glided across the floor seamlessly, as if they belonged there. She couldn’t help but realize just how much she, a shrine girl who didn’t know a single step of the waltz that seemed so second nature to this echelon of society, did not. “I don’t really know how…”

“That’s alright,” he assured, leading her ever closer to the dance floor with a confidence in his step and a twinkle in his eye that spoke of amusement. “You can trust my lead.”

For all the fairy tales she’d grown up hearing and the romances that she had so wistfully dreamed of, Kagome had never truly understood the concept of being swept off one’s feet until that moment.

In one seamless motion, he drew her forward, guiding her hands into place and deftly weaving them between the dancing crowd. While the world around them didn’t quite vanish in the way romance novels so often boasted would happen, it suddenly did not seem quite so important. The chatter of the socializing masses faded into the background, muffled beneath the sound of the music and the patter of her heart as it fluttered in her chest.

Her footsteps followed his of their own accord. True to his word, his lead was flawless. Not that she could have truly known that, of course. She wasn’t exactly adept in ballroom dancing, no matter the fantasies she’d once shared with her peers. This was the kind of night that girls her age, burdened only by the mundane concerns of school and family, could only hope to experience through fairy tales and romance novels.

For a fleeting moment, Kagome felt normal again.

She was neither a priestess, nor a soldier. There were no jewels to hunt, nor demons to fight.

She was simply a girl on a date.

All too soon, the song came to an end.

Masato stepped back and bowed to her seamlessly, ever the gentleman. Whether a result of his talent in leading a dance partner or an instinct of her own, Kagome dipped into a curtsy in turn.

“Well, don’t you two make a charming pair,” a familiar voice interrupted.

Masato’s hand drifted to sit atop her shoulder as she turned to see the newcomer.

“Izono-kun,” Kagome greeted with a smile. He looked just as princely as her own date as he strode up, arms linked with the same fair haired man she recognized from the festival.

“I was right,” Izono raked his eyes over her. “The dress certainly does suit you.”

“I told you that you didn’t have to,” Kagome reminded him, heat returning to her cheeks as she recalled the impromptu shopping trip he’d all but forced her on. “I can still pay you back-“

“Nonsense,” he interrupted, releasing his partner’s arm to stride up in front of her despite her own date standing right beside her. Undaunted, he reached forward to catch the ends of her hair between his fingers.

“Besides,” Izono lifted a hand to press the strands to his lips. “I quite enjoy keeping Masato here on his toes.”

Her cheeks flushed at the praise and Kagome hastily glanced between Izono and the almost imposing man he’d entered with. “But…you two are here together, right?”

“Yes, this is my partner,” Izono confirmed, a twinkle in his eye as he glanced towards the taller man, “Kunzi.”

“I didn’t realize you all knew each other.” Kagome looked between them with a tilt of the head.

“Masato’s business interests overlap with my research at times,” Izono explained, humming thoughtfully a moment later. “Though I didn’t expect our interests to overlap in other areas.”

Masato closed his eyes briefly, the closest to annoyed Kagome thought she had ever seen the man, before turning his attention back to Izono. “Has our prospect arrived?”

“Upstairs,” Izono replied, straightening with a sound of annoyance.

“You should go prepare to meet the others while I visit them,” Masato told him, holding Izono’s gaze a moment before turning to take her hand and offer her an apologetic smile. “My apologies. I have business to take care of. I shall try to be quick.”

That was right, Kagome realized, reality washing over her all at once. First and foremost, they were both here on business.

Before she could answer, Kunzi set a hand on her shoulder.

“Come now,” he offered with a smile. “I’m quite certain I can keep the lady entertained while you two attend to business.”

Blinking owlishly, Kagome could only manage a dumbfounded nod as she watched Masato and Izono head for the stairs. Masato had already reached the upper landing when Izono paused midway to glance back at them.

“Kunzi,” he called, turning to look down at them. His eyes roved over the both of them once before a grin curled his lips. “Don’t wear Miss Flower out too much. I want a dance too.”

Kagome sputtered but Kunzi only chuckled beside her.

“He’s quite taken with you,” he inclined his head to look down at her, a glint in his eyes that seemed just as calculative as it was amused.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, barely biting back a grimace as the butterflies in her stomach gave way to a twist of guilt.

“Now then,” Kunzi chastised, drawing her onto the dance floor much more firmly than Masato’s gentle guidance had. “Do you think me such an insecure man that I would take offense?”

Kagome fell into step with a squeak of surprise, her eyes wide as she looked up at this man who towered over her. “B-but aren’t you and Izono-?”

A flick of his hand guided her into a twirl before she could finish the question. Thankfully, her feet figured out what was happening while her head was still processing the motion. The tempo of the music seemed to increase with beat of her heart. This dance, while the same waltz as before, was markedly different to the one she’d shared with Masato.

Where her gentlemanly date had guided her steps, this man commanded them.

“Hm?” Kunzi gave her a look of amusement and another flick of his wrist spun her seamlessly back into his waiting grasp. Her back landed flush against his chest and the deep tenor of his voice reverberated through her as he murmured into her ear. “I don’t believe we claimed to be exclusive.”

Before Kagome could worry whether the pounding of her heart was audible, a scream echoed above them.

“What are you doing?!”

“Princess D!”

She turned with a gasp, just in time to watch in horror as a petite blonde girl leapt from the balcony directly into the ballroom. Kunzi straightened and stretched an arm out in front of her to nudge her back, but Kagome didn’t notice.

All she could see was the darkness that seeped off of the girl.

All she could see was the emptiness of the eyes that stared out at the crowd.

All she could see was a helpless girl being controlled by dark magic.

A pair of men in black suits, likely the security detail for that evening, appeared from the crowd to catch the girl as she bolted for the door.

The princess evaded the first attempt, but they caught her in the midst of the parting crowd. “Get a hold of yourself, Princess!”

The plea jolted Kagome back to reality.

‘Get a hold of yourself, Kagome!’ She straightened and clenched her hands. There were too many people at risk. She couldn’t fail them now.

“Get away from me!” The princess screeched, the sound of her voice distorted as it echoed through the ballroom. Tendrils of magic swirled beneath her feet. “Anyone who dares to try and stop me will be offered as a sacrifice to our great ruler!”

There were screams as the magic spread and the people it touched steadily began to drop. It didn’t take long for panic to take hold. Someone bumped her as they fled towards the door and she suddenly found herself alone, Kunzi swallowed up in the panicking masses.

The cackle of a possessed Princess D echoed through the ballroom.

Kagome broke from the crowd, barely finding her footing as she stumbled right into the path of the possessed princess. She hunched her shoulders and when those empty eyes landed on her, she glared back into the darkness. The princess’ posture faltered, and for the briefest of moments, Kagome saw the flicker of blue beneath the magic, as if its grasp had slipped. It was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

Then, with a pulse of magic, darkness engulfed the ballroom.

Inuyasha had never considered himself a particularly virtuous individual. Any that he might have been saddled with, he could safely blame on Kagome. He might not have been quite as trigger happy or dismissive as he once had been, but of all the virtues he might have had forced on him, patience in particular certainly wasn’t at the top of the list.

He had shown enough of it in following this man’s lead rather than rushing into the city the way he’d wanted to. That, Inuyasha insisted, if only to himself, was only because the man had been right. However annoying that fact might have been, Kagome’s era was far too polluted with potent, unnatural smells to be able to track her as efficiently as they needed. Of course, as soon as they’d approached the building that had been on the television, screaming crowds and all, he nearly made a run for the chaos if Jed hadn’t caught him by the shoulder.

Inuyasha turned to snap at him. “What are you waitin’ for?! We’re wasting time here!”

“And charging the front door will waste even more,” he interjected, “you’ll only alert them that we’re here.”

Inuyasha grit his teeth. “And what do you suggest then?”

The man arched a brow and waved a hand towards a door on the side of the building. Irritated, but more out of his element than he would like to admit, Inuyasha followed with a grunt of annoyance. He hadn’t been too sure of this Jed from the start, but Kagome had saved him and Inuyasha knew better than to argue once she’d made up her mind to help people anymore.

At least this Jed seemed more tolerable than some of the other strays she’d found, not that he of all people had any room to say anything about that. While he hadn’t been thrilled about a man living with her so suddenly, he was far too at home in the Higurashi household for any dissent to bring about anything but pointless conflict. Kagome’s mother was just as much a bleeding heart as she was and while she might not have been his mother, Inuyasha couldn’t bear to upset her any more than he could if she had been.

They were the first family to accept him into their home, as he was, since his mother had died.

And even if it was out of gratitude, this Jed took care of the family, so Inuyasha could respect him for that much. The man wasn’t stupid, at least. He had some semblance of experience in battle, given the way he carried himself. That was the only reason Inuyasha even entertained following his lead as Jed led them away from the direction of the crowd and into a room, the inside of which was littered with cots and supplies, that he recognized were probably servants’ quarters.

“People like this,” Jed began, motioning towards a rack of clothing that displayed several designs of strange looking clothing, clearly uniforms of some sort, “don’t notice the help even when there isn’t chaos.”

Understanding dawned on him and Inuyasha shot him a glare. “Oh, hell no am I wearin’-“

“You realize you’re not exactly inconspicuous,” Jed interrupted, gesturing pointedly at his head.

Inuyasha flattened his ears with a growl of annoyance. He glanced out the window and grit his teeth at the sight of the steadily dwindling sunlight. “Fine. Whatever. I’m only doing this for the wench and Pigtail, got it?”

Jed, thankfully, didn’t press the matter.

“Of course,” he replied and tossed a hat over his shoulder. Inuyasha reluctantly caught it.

A few minutes and a set of obnoxiously tight clothing later, Inuyasha found himself reluctantly undercover. The sense of vulnerability that came with this ‘waiter’ getup was worse than the odd fit of the modern clothing. He wasn’t sure how effective it even was with Tessaiga still strapped to his side, a concession he’d refused to make, even with the apron haphazardly concealing it.

Jed hadn’t been wrong though. Despite how out of place they might have been, nobody paid either of them any mind as they slipped into the main building. Of course, the screaming and panic coming from the upper floors likely had something to do with that. Inuyasha rushed to the door, ready to yank it open, but something in him froze as soon as his claws touched the handle. The grasp of something dark seeped into him, clouding his mind not unlike his demon blood.

Jed yanked him away from the door before it could take root.

“Go around the back,” he said, “there was a balcony overlooking the gardens.”

Inuyasha shrugged him off with an annoyed huff, but didn’t hang around to argue. He didn’t take orders -not willingly, at any rate- but both time and options were limited. This was not the night that he wanted to be caught in a fight, much less a drawn out battle where his hands were tied regardless.

Thankfully, the gardens were in the opposite direction to where the crowd that had escaped the dark magic was attempting to flee. Their panic worked in his favor, and no one batted an eye as he shouldered his way through, nor when he simply kicked in the towering side gate blocking his entrance.

It hit the wall with a loud metallic clang, but he wasn’t expecting the startled feminine shriek that followed.

“What the heck?!”

Inuyasha stalked in undeterred and gave the girl a once over. It didn’t look like the gate had hit her, but she oddly didn’t seem as if she’d been fleeing like the rest, nor really surprised by the display of supernatural strength he’d just given. That meant she had to be involved somehow. She seemed perfectly human, the only odd thing about her appearance being her height, really. It matched his own, perhaps even passed it just slightly.

He took a step through the gate, getting just close enough to catch a whiff of her scent. It didn’t have the stink of dark magic or demonic energy, but it was familiar.

“You’re that Mako the wench was talking about,” he muttered.

The girl tensed, drawing up to her full height to scowl at him. “How do you know that?”

“Recognize your scent,” Inuyasha crossed his arms with a huff. “It’s one of the ones Kagome brings through the well sometimes.”

“Scent?” She looked baffled for a moment before her posture relaxed all at once and she snapped her fingers. “Oh! You must be Inuyasha. Ami and Usagi told me about you!”

Inuyasha couldn’t help his bewilderment. Momentarily distracted from the mission at hand, he turned to look at her with a blink. ‘They talk about me?’

His train of thought was cut short when a familiar shriek sounded from across the courtyard. Inuyasha turned with a jerk, fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sword he’d refused to relinquish, disguise be damned. Mako dropped into position beside him, her hands tucked to her sides with a defensive instinct that mirrored his own.

Another time, he might have wondered a little more about it. This time, however, he was too busy trying to work out just how Usagi had ended up dangling off the outside ledge of a top floor balcony or how that man in the cape thought that simply leaning over to grab at her was helping.

“The hell is Pigtail even doin’ up there?” Inuyasha muttered.

“Usagi-chan?” Makoto leaned over to peer around him and gasped. “They’re falling! We have to-”

Inuyasha was already sprinting towards them. He’d cleared half the courtyard before Makoto even had the chance to finish. With the last slivers of sunlight swiftly vanishing beneath the horizon, he had no time for hesitation. He could already feel the burn of exertion in his legs as he launched himself towards them.

The forms of a screaming Sailor Moon wrapped in the grasp of some man in a cape came careening towards him.

He only needed a few seconds more.

The impact of their combined weight landed heavily in his grasp, yet another sign of his waning strength. He hadn’t been quick enough. He wound an arm wound around Sailor Moon’s waist, tucking her close to shield her with the last vestiges of his remaining power. The strange man who’d been clinging to her was an annoying addition, but it couldn’t be helped.

The hat flew from his head as they went careening towards the garden below. The glimmer of silver hair that trailed through the air above them faded into darkness with the rest of the world as the last rays of sunlight gave way to nightfall.

Pain shocked through him as they landed, seconds too late.

One of the rose bushes that decorated the garden broke their fall, though barely. Inuyasha hissed and Sailor Moon scrambled to right herself, babbling something that sounded like an apology. The man that had fallen with them stood with a sigh as she fussed.

“Looks like this time it was you who saved me,” he said as he set a hand on her shoulder.

Inuyasha didn’t get the chance to be offended. Sailor Moon spun on the man with a glare of her own, smacking his hand away from her as she did.

“What are you talking about?!” She hissed, prodding him in the chest angrily. “It’s Inuyasha you should be thanking!”

Inuyasha gave her a look, not surprised by her temper but what had provoked it. Only Kagome had ever really gotten upset on his behalf before.

“Sailor Moon! Tuxedo Mask!” Sailor Mars’ call interrupted Sailor Moon’s standoff with the masked buffoon as she rushed over to join them, Mercury not far behind. A moment later, Makoto ran up  in a similar green and pink uniform.

“Oh man,” she huffed, still a little out of breath. Inuyasha was about to question what he was supposed to call her when she dipped down to set an arm at his back to help him sit up. He looked at her with a jerk and she smiled awkwardly. “That was one heck of a catch.”

“Oh my,” Sailor Mercury gasped, bypassing the others to kneel in front of him instead, “you’re hurt.”

“I’m fine,” Inuyasha insisted, gritting his teeth when Makoto took him by the arm to help him to his feet. “Where’s the demon?”

As if to answer him, there was a crackle of power behind them and an eerie screech echoed through the air. A mass of darkness that reminded Inuyasha far too much of an all too familiar miasma, burst from the doors of the balcony that they’d just fallen from. It flew towards them, straight for a wide eyed Sailor Moon. The girl screamed and Tuxedo Mask threw an arm in front of her, attempting to shield her with his cape.

Inuyasha didn’t care to see just how effective that might be.

He pushed forward, shoving himself between the little group to greet the dark mass with Tessaiga’s sheath. To her credit, Makoto was quick enough on the uptake to realize his intent and move with him, keeping him upright with a grip on his shoulder and helping him conceal the way he was only putting weight on one foot. Another shriek echoed around them, but the darkness dissipated.

Sailor Moon hesitantly peeked out from the edge of Tuxedo Mask’s cape. “Is-is it gone?”

The laughter that echoed around them was answer enough.

“The only thing you hurt was my shadow,” the voice boasted. A man stepped from the shadows of one of the dormers that lined the rooftop. His posture was confident and his uniform was the same as the Jadeite that they’d faced the last time he’d joined them. Inuyasha flexed his grip around Tessaiga.

“They still got the better of you, Nephrite,” another voice echoed around them, almost chastising in tone.

Sailor Moon stomped to the front of their little group angrily. “Who are you?!”

“We are the Kings of the Dark Kingdom,” a new man stepped from the shadows of the rooftop, taller than the others and boasting a flourish to his uniform that spoke of a higher rank, “I am Kunzite.”

Beside him, a smaller blond man sauntered out of the shadows to stand at his right. “Zoicite.”

“And Nephrite,” the brunet finished after a beat. Inuyasha thought he saw the man clench a fist, but with human eyes he couldn’t be certain.

Three. There were three of them now.

Inuyasha grit his teeth. One had been bad enough. Even with his power as a half demon, his ability to fight even one of them was limited by the potential for collateral damage. This wasn’t the wilds of feudal Japan. He couldn’t risk using the destructive displays of power that he was free to unleash in the wilderness of his own era.

Of course, he couldn’t call on that power now anyway.

He was human. He was mortal.

His fingers clenched uselessly around Tessaiga’s hilt. ‘Fan-fucking-tastic.’

“Hear me, Sailor Soldiers,” Kunzite continued, “the legendary Crystal you seek, rightfully belongs to our great ruler and we will get it. No matter the cost.”

There was a beat of silence as the man stared down at them, whether in warning or challenge, Inuyasha neither knew nor cared. But he did notice Kunzite’s hesitation, however fleeting.

“The Dark Kingdom will reign over this world,” he declared, “and you will all bow down before our great ruler.”

Sailor Moon bristled and raised her hand, brandishing her wand at the trio. “We won’t let that happen!”

“Go ahead and stop us then,” Kunzite challenged, “if you can.”

As eerily as they had appeared, they were gone. Sailor Moon screeched in frustration. Inuyasha swore.

A lot happened all at once. As darkness swept the ballroom and panic took the masses, Kagome found herself oddly grateful for the chaos. They were too busy scrambling over one another to escape to notice her. Hopefully whatever dark forces were behind this were also too busy to notice.

Unfortunately, she didn’t manage to push through the crowd before the princess made it to the window. Kagome only got a single horrified glimpse as the girl readied to jump before a set of familiar blonde buns blocked her view.

“Usagi?” Kagome gaped, trying once more to push through the crowd to assist her friend. Sailor Moon had grabbed onto the princess to yank her from the ledge and was grappling with her, only to earn another distorted screech of frustration from the possessed girl.

“No, it’s mine!” Princess D shoved Sailor Moon back with a burst of inhuman strength and dark magic not her own. To Kagome’s horror, it sent Sailor Moon tumbling over the edge of the balcony railing. She saw the flutter of Tuxedo Mask’s cape as he rushed after her, but what happened next was lost to her.

As the others rushed to save the fallen soldier, Princess D ran back inside. She was still desperately clutching the box that she had stolen and, too far to do any good anyway, Kagome made the decision to intercept her instead.

The soldiers were there. Tuxedo Mask was there. No matter her dislike for the man, he’d saved Sailor Moon before.

Usagi was strong. She would be fine.

Princess D, on the other hand, needed help.

Kagome rushed after her with only that thought in mind. She caught up to the girl in a study across the hall, just before the princess could throw open the window. Kagome yanked her from the ledge just in time. The box she’d been so desperately attempting to flee with fell to the floor with a clatter.

Wisps of purification danced over her fingertips as Kagome gripped her wrists. The girl bucked and Kagome struggled to ignore the shrieks that came as she pushed the power into her, straining to expel the darkness.

It was over faster than she thought it would be. The darkness burst from the girl and out the window, dissipating into the darkness of the moonless night outside. Princess D slumped in her grasp and Kagome slowly lowered the both of them to the ground. Her fingers trembled as she reached down to check the girl’s pulse. She was unconscious, but alive.

Kagome’s hands shook a little as she checked the girl over. To someone who didn’t know any better, they might think her peacefully sleeping. Her expression was content. Yet, though her eyes were closed, when Kagome’s gaze lingered, for a moment she could only see the dark power that had taken them from her only moments before.

Those eyes had been empty, void of life in a way far more terrifying than death could offer.

She could almost feel its power crawl over her anew. Her fingers trembled. She wondered if Princess D would also be burdened with the memories of actions not her own. Her hands shook now, yet she couldn’t look away from the fallen princess. Her throat felt tight. She wondered if those were the eyes she had looked at Inuyasha and Usagi with.

“Eyes up, Soldier!”

Kagome straightened with a jerk, her panicked gasps catching in her throat. Her gaze tore away from the princess to stare at the man in the doorway. “J-Jade…”

His eyes bore into her, somehow a mask of calm and ablaze with life all at once. Or perhaps that might have been the adrenaline. His gaze drifted down once, glancing at the princess splayed out in front of her, and her eyes lowered to follow.

“No,” he commanded, startling her to look up at him as he strode towards them. His gaze caught hers and she found herself unable to look away. She found herself caught, even as he crossed the room to dip to one knee at her side. “Focus on me.”

He gripped her shoulder and her hand reached up to grasp at his wrist, his grip oddly steadying. Her breath slowed, the panic waning just enough for her to realize that she’d been hyperventilating.

His fingers tightened around her shoulder. “Are you with me now?”

Kagome nodded shakily. His grip left her shoulder to catch her by the chin and he tilted her head back to make her look him in the eyes once more. His gaze roved over her, searching, before he let out a breath, satisfied.

“I should have prepared you for this,” he murmured, “it’s Nephrite’s favorite trick, after all.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Kagome assured, coming back to herself enough to climb to her feet. He kept a grip on her elbow as he stood alongside her. After a moment, his lips thinned and he looked away, out the window.

“Of course I should,” he said, “I’m the one who entrusted him to take over for me.”

Silence stretched between them for a moment.

Kagome pursed her lips and set her hand on his arm, taking a small step closer as he glanced down to her. Her fingers wrapped around his sleeve as his eyes bore into hers and her mouth felt suddenly very dry.  “Jade-“

“Princess! Princess D!”

Whatever she was about to say fled her mind at the reminder of exactly where they were. Jadeite straightened and was thankfully more prepared to improvise than she was. The door burst open scarcely a second later and a cluster of men in the dark suits of security rushed in.

“Gentlemen,” Jadeite greeted, “your timing is impeccable.”

If Kagome didn’t know better, she might have thought he sounded annoyed. Still, she was content to let him take the lead, trusting that him of all people would have a believable cover story that wouldn’t land her on some list of international criminals. She watched him fall into the role, whatever it was, as he spoke seamlessly with one of the guards, the others hurrying to check on the princess who had begun to stir. It was only in that moment that she realized he was dressed as a waiter and she nearly giggled. Old habits died hard, she supposed, but at least he wore this disguise well. Jadeite gestured back towards them, probably at the princess, she thought.

“-in fact, Miss Higurashi here, is the reason she’s alive.”

Kagome tuned back in with a jerk. ‘Wait, what’s he telling them?!’

The amused quirk of his lips behind the single finger that he’d pressed to them was the last thing Kagome saw of Jadeite before she was suddenly before the royal family. She might have avoided being branded a criminal but that suddenly didn’t seem as terrifying in the face of being fussed over by a room of foreign dignitaries and actual royalty. Kagome’s insistence that she really hadn’t done anything, it was the soldiers they should thank, fell on deaf ears.

Whatever his machinations, she was going to kill him.

Her escape came, ironically, in the form of a much more coherent Princess D who interrupted to offer her own thanks. The princess gathered the fallen box and, in a show of gratitude, offered Kagome a peek that relieved her as much as it frustrated her.

This was no magical jewel.

There was no power to it.

It was simply a beautiful sculpted diamond.

All the chaos had been over nothing. Kagome suddenly wanted to punch whatever demon or general had caused all this drama. Instead, she reeled in her temper, smiled pleasantly, and heaved a breath of relief once she was finally allowed to leave with a promise that they would see to a visit with a proper reward in the future.

That was fine. That was future Kagome’s problem.

Tonight’s Kagome had other things to worry about.

Tonight’s Kagome had friends to check on and a missing date to find.  She ran into Hino, briefly, who informed her with a huff that the others had gone to bring Inuyasha back to her shrine. Hino had lingered to be sure that the evil spirits had truly been eradicated and, given that she had come upon her putting up ofuda, Kagome was inclined to believe her. Masato found her not long after and, not inclined to hang around for Hino to glare at lest another fight break out that evening, Kagome was more than happy to accept the ride home that he offered.

Luckily for Jadeite, by the time she got home, she was too tired to kill him.

 

Killing Jadeite could also be future Kagome’s problem.