InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Delayed Dawn ❯ Broken In, Broken Up ( Chapter 12 )

A Delayed Dawn

 

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine and what's hers is hers.

 

Warning: This story is posted in the mature section for good reasons. If ideas such as vulgar language, descriptive violence, and sexual situations such as rape disturb you, then you are warned now.

 

Chapter Twelve Broken In, Broken Up

 

*The Lil' Ramen Shop That Could*

 

Kagome sat at a table, waiting for Sango. She made Miroku sit at another table across the restaurant. She told him that she wanted to be able to talk to Sango without either of them being spied on by a pervert. He found a table where he could sit and watch Kagome, just in case.

 

Sango rushed into the restaurant and sat down. “I am so sorry. I got really busy,” she explained. Sango also kept things from Kagome. Kagome knew that Sango was involved with the war, something about training, but that was all Sango said because that was all Kagome wanted to hear.

 

Kagome shook her head and smiled. “It's okay. I didn't wait long.”

 

Looking around the restaurant, she found Miroku several tables away. He put a stupid grin on his face and waved at Sango. Sango waved back. “You're mean Kagome.”

 

Kagome sighed. “Serves him right. I know that he went through my underwear drawer. I feel so violated. It's not for my safety, but for his own that he sits over there.”

 

Sango laughed. It was true. Miroku's perverted ways got him beaten up far too many times. It would be for his own good to sit over there. However, she wanted to be able to talk to him, to explain to him what was going on, what she heard from Kikyou and to tell him that she told Inuyasha about Kagome figuring him out so easily.

 

Opening the menu, Sango read over the choices. She was glad that they had taken a liking to this restaurant. It was operated under one of the subgroups that were maintained by The War Dogs. So, if anything happened here, they would be a lot better off. Sango had a duty to protect Kagome because she had information. But Sango would also protect Kagome because she was a friend.

 

The waitress came up. Sango ordered first. The waitress turned to Kagome. Kagome opened her menu and pointed to an item. That was how Kagome ordered her food. The waitress stared at the menu for a moment before jotting down Kagome's order, told them it would be about ten minutes and then left.

 

Sango noticed that Kagome was acting slightly odd. Usually, she could talk and talk about nothing, which was a good change from talk about the war. But tonight, she was quiet and slightly jumpy.

 

“Kagome, is there something wrong?” Sango asked.

 

Kagome looked up at Sango. She wasn't sure if she could tell Sango. Why? She didn't know. “Well,” Kagome started. “I, I closed the case on the Sengoku artifacts.” She told Sango.

 

Sango was surprised. She shot a look up at Kagome and then a quick one to Miroku. “When?” It was the safe question to ask.

 

Kagome sighed. She picked up her chopsticks and played with them. “Today. I sent a letter to my boss, and told him that my initial report still stands.”

 

Sango nodded. “So, what are you going to do now? I mean, you worked night and day on that stuff. It must feel weird to just stop.”

 

“Yeah, it is weird. I feel a bit empty. But, it's a good kind of empty,” she said with a smile on her face. Sango new she was forcing the smile, but wasn't going to say anything. “I don't know what my plans are next. With the attacks on the museum, the funds have been funneled for the repairs. I might take some time off.”

 

“You, a vacation? That's not like you,” Sango joked.

 

“I know. But I think it might do me some good. This last couple of weeks have been surreal. I get to work on one of the greatest finds, but, with the war, I can't do the work I want to do. Add the attacks on top of that and I got really stressed. I need to unwind, clear my head, refocus. Who knows, maybe there is some other great find out there waiting for me to unravel its mysteries,” she giggled.

 

“Where are you going to go?” Sango asked.

 

Kagome shrugged. “Don't know. One of the museums in Kyoto has asked that I stop by and to share any thoughts I might have on some of their items, and there are a couple of museums in the north that want something similar. Also, a museum in China is interested in a report I wrote a few years back. And some places in America wouldn't mind a visit either. Who knows, I might visit each and every one of them. It would be fun.”

 

Sango didn't like this. Kagome was once again dodging her questions with long unfocused answers that gave her no information. Sango started to think that it was a trait of scientists. Or just Kagome.

 

“That sounds great Kagome,” Sango forced out. She was worried. If Kagome left Tokyo, her and Miroku wouldn't be able to protect her. But she didn't know if Kagome actually required their protection if she were to leave.

 

“I don't know though. I have my home here. It would be too hard to pack up and leave. I don't think I could do it,” Kagome added.

 

Now Sango was really confused. First, she said it would be fun, and now it's too hard. Sango didn't know what to think. She just sighed. “You're confusing yourself Kagome,” Sango joked.

 

Kagome laughed. “Yeah, I know. I like to think out loud.” Kagome stood up. “Excuse me; I've got to visit the ladies room.”

 

Sango nodded and watched as Kagome headed towards the back of the restaurant. Sango hurried over to the table Miroku was at and slid into one of the empty seats.

 

“I didn't think you were that excited to see me my dear Sango,” Miroku joked with a lopsided grin on his face.

 

Sango shook her head. “Not now. Something's up with Kagome.”

 

Miroku went into his serious mode. “What is it?”

 

“Did you know that she ended the research into the Sengoku artifacts?” Miroku shook his head. “And now she can't decided whether to leave or not. What are we suppose to do?” Sango asked.

 

Miroku shrugged. “I don't know,” he sighed, checking to see if Kagome had returned yet. “We're not any closer to the jewel. I'm afraid that if we don't get something soon, Sesshoumaru, your Kikyou or whoever else is interested in it might take a more direct approach.”

 

Both turned their heads to the sound of footsteps approaching. Sango ran over to her seat and sat back down. The waitress walked out and set down a plate of food in front of Sango before heading back toward the kitchen.

 

“Excuse me,” Sango said causing the waitress to stop. “What about my friend?”

 

The waitress looked over at Sango. “She had her food ordered to go.”

 

“TO GO!?” Sango screamed. “I didn't hear her say that.”

 

The waitress shrugged. “Well, she paid and left. Other than that, I don't know, or don't care.” She then went back towards the kitchen.

 

Miroku was by Sango's side as soon as he heard the words to go. They hurried toward the back where the bathrooms were. Empty. They followed the hallway down and discovered that it lead to an exit. Opening the back door, they found themselves in an alley.

 

“We're not even five minutes from her apartment,” Sango said through short breaths.

 

Miroku nodded. “Let's go.” The bolted out the door and ran down the street until reaching the building where Kagome lived. Up three flights of stairs and down the hallway they arrived at her door. Sango kicked it in. It looked normal at first. Sango ran into her bedroom and Miroku looked around in other places of the apartment.

 

“She took some clothes,” Sango said as she reappeared from inside the bedroom.

 

Miroku nodded. “She packed her favorite books and other mementos.” He pointed out to the empty spaces in the normally jammed pack bookshelves.

 

“Do we go after her?” Sango asked, dropping her hands to her side.

 

“How do we follow her?” Miroku inquired. He had no idea where she was even thinking of heading out to.

 

Sango ran over to the phone. “With a little help. Yes, I need to speak with Kouga. It's an emergency.”

 

Miroku walked up to Sango. “Dear Sango, you are so smart.”

 

“Kouga, its Sango. Yeah, long time. Look, I need you to gather a group of demons. Scent demons. Meet me at the Higurashi residence. Yeah, about five minutes east of that ramen shop. And hurry.” Sango pressed her finger on the receiver and then dialed another number. “Kikyou, we have a problem. Higurashi-sensei has escaped; I want to know how you want me to proceed.” Sango nodded as she listened to the instructions. “Of course. I will look.” Sango put the phone down. “You stay here. Have Kouga track down her scent.”

 

“Where are you going?” He asked.

 

“Kikyou wants me to go to the museum. She wants the artifacts,” Sango explained.

 

Miroku grabbed her arm. “You can't do that Sango. And you know that.”

 

Sango shook her arm out of his grip. “I know. But I have to at least pretend. Finding Kagome is more important at the moment. At least for me.”

 

Miroku decided that she was right. He watched as she left, leaving him to wait for Kouga. Miroku sighed. The moment Sesshoumaru heard about this, he was such a dead man. He only hoped that Sango would go along with his last wish before being executed.

 

*New Tokyo Museum*

 

Myouga had given Sango everything she needed to get down into the levels of the museum where Kagome had worked. He was surprised to hear the news of her leaving, though he had the letter from her about the artifacts, which wasn't surprising to him. Sango reached Kagome's office and found it locked. She kicked it in and entered the office.

 

It looked normal, as much as Sango could remember. The entire room was a giant bookshelf, with hundreds of books and journals crammed onto the shelves. There had to be something here. Unless Kagome had been planning this all along. Then everything she left here would be useless because she already got what she needed out of them.

 

She had searched the entire office and found nothing. Just books and history. The computer had been cleaned out; her desk contained just blank paper and sharpened pencils. Nothing was left to indicate any work on the Sengoku artifacts. Sango concluded that Kagome must have spent the last couple of days hiding any evidence of her research.

 

Just then, Myouga entered the office. “Find anything Miss Sango?” He asked as he looked around the room.

 

Sango shook her head. “Nothing. She did a good job of clearing out.”

 

Myouga grunted. “Surface work,” he said.

 

“What?” Sango asked, unfamiliar with the term.

 

“Surface work,” Myouga repeated. “A term Kagome used. Everything has layers, either physically or figuratively. Most people only do surface work, search the outside, never looking deep inside. Kagome was one who always dove into the layers. So, Miss Sango, while it may look like nothing on the surface, you have to look beyond.”

 

Sango looked around the room. “You mean like a secret door?” She asked.

 

Myouga smiled with a slight nod. “Kagome had a safe in this room. It isn't in the original plans, for security purposes. How else did you think she was able to study priceless artifacts in this room, and that you never saw them?” He chuckled at Sango. Pointing to the bookshelf, “Move that away, and it's behind there.”

 

Sango did as the old man said. She was surprised to see the large door. Myouga appeared and punched in the code. The lock on the door released and the door cracked open. Sango used a lot of her strength to open the door. They both walked inside and looked around.

 

The safe was filled with shelves and drawers, which were filled with old documents, fragments of clay pots and other museum junk. Myouga looked around, and then he just stood there, nodding, as if he understood everything.

 

“What is it Myouga?” Sango asked.

 

“The Sengoku artifacts are missing,” he replied.

 

“What?” Sango belted out. This was not good. Not only was Kagome missing, but the artifacts as well. “What are you going to do about it?” She questioned the old man.

 

“Nothing.” He coolly replied.

 

“What do you mean nothing?” Sango asked.

 

“Nothing, as in, nothing, no action,” he sighed and turned and walked out. “Lock it up when you're done,” he added as he disappeared.

 

“Unbelievable.” Sango sighed. Did he know that she was going to do this? Sango shook her head. She didn't care. Her only goal was Kagome and the artifacts.

 

*Kagome's Apartment*

 

Kouga and the few men he gathered entered the apartment. He saw Miroku going through stacks of papers and books. “You really are a fuckin' pervert, aren't ya?” Kouga asked.

 

Miroku chuckled. “Rather been an out and proud one than one stuck in the closet,” he replied back. “You know the report about Kagome Higurashi. This is her apartment. She was last seen at the ramen restaurant you all eat at. Obtain her scent and send two men to the restaurant to follow her.” Kouga looked back at two of his men and they disappeared in a matter of seconds.

 

“So, she just upped and left, eh?” Kouga asked as he looked around the room. Something about this place was weird. He tried inhaling her scent, but, it was, unlike anything he scented before. “When was the last time she was here?” Kouga asked.

 

“Today, not even an hour ago. Why?” Miroku asked.

 

Kouga sniffed the room out a bit. “It smells like she hasn't been here for days,” he told him. “Her scent is strong, but old.”

 

Miroku dropped the papers he was looking at. “That's not possible. I was here with her.” Kouga arched an eyebrow. “Not like that. She had me sit outside.”

 

Kouga shrugged. “Whatever you say human.”

 

Miroku picked the papers back up. Kouga's two men had already returned. “What the hell are they doing here?” Miroku asked.

 

Kouga looked at his men. “What the hell are you doing here dipshits?”

 

The men looked at each other. “We went to the ramen shop. There was no trace of Higurashi-sensei's scent.”

 

Miroku dropped the papers again and walked over to Kouga's men. “Repeat that,” he growled at them as best as a human could growl.

 

“This Higurashi chick wasn't at the ramen shop today. We couldn't even trace her scent from the ramen shop to this place,” one of the men explained.

 

Kouga and Miroku looked at each other. How was that possible?

 

*Three months later*

 

Inuyasha fluttered his eyes open as the morning sun peeked its way through the heavy curtains. After a noisy yawn and a stretch, he looked over to his side to see a sleeping Kikyou next to him. Her raven heard spread out to mingle with his silver hair. Quietly and carefully, Inuyasha slipped out of the bed. Wearing his shorts still, he stumbled across the room and towards the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, Inuyasha yawned, and then sighed.

 

He spent only five minutes in there. It didn't take him much to get ready for the day. He had inspections this morning. The well-trained female fighters were to be integrated into the Toukens. The Mikos were then to be integrated into their med units as well. He was looking forward to it, and at the same time . . . Inuyasha opened the bathroom door and found Kikyou still sleeping . . . he wasn't sure what was going to happen between them. Inuyasha sighed. He dressed as quickly as he could. He needed to meet with Sango this morning.

 

“ni. . . “ Kikyou mumbled in her sleep. Busted, Inuyasha thought. He glanced behind his shoulder to see Kikyou still sleeping. Slipping through the door, he was out and ready to start the day.

 

Sango was already up, practicing hand to hand combat with some of the females. When she caught a flash of silver, she knew Inuyasha had arrived. She instructed the females to continue as she hurried over to Inuyasha. The nice thing about having Inuyasha around the Miko compound was the she could relay information from Miroku to him and vice versa without anyone thinking anything suspicious.

 

“Ohaiyou Inuyasha.” Sango beamed.

 

Inuyasha grumbled something that Sango took as a morning. They walked away from the crowds of female soldiers to someplace a bit more private.

 

“The girls are ready Inuyasha,” Sango informed him. “Some are scared; being separated from men for so long and suddenly being thrown in with them is a bit daunting and terrifying for them. The other females have set up support networks to help those girls adjust easier. The medical Mikos will have an easier time,” Sango reported.

 

Inuyasha nodded. Things were progressing along nicely. “Anything else to add?”

 

Sango sighed. “I talked to Miroku last night. Sesshoumaru called off the search for Higurashi-sensei a week ago. She has been officially declared as missing. Search for her, the artifacts or this Shikon jewel has also been called off. Miroku says that if Kagome is found in the hands of the enemy that we're. . . “ Sango's voice trailed off. She stopped walking, sucked back her tears and looked up. “Higurashi-sensei is an expendable target.”

 

Inuyasha looked over at Sango. He knew that she considered this Higurashi person a dear friend and that telling him that they had orders to kill her if necessary was painful. He could understand that. “So, they still haven't found the jewel then?” He asked her.

 

Sango shook her head. “Sesshoumaru and Miroku, along with the rest of The Pack believe that the jewel is as Higurashi-sensei concluded. It does not exist.”

 

Inuyasha sighed. “Fine. We'll take the female soldiers to The War Dog compound after lunch. No use wasting time. The mikos will also be expected to go at that time as well,” Inuyasha ordered. Sango bowed and left. Dammit, he thought. He turned and headed back towards the compound.

 

For three months Inuyasha had stayed here. His brother ordered him to, but it didn't take much of an order to keep him here. Officially, he was to help with the integration of the two gangs. However, that wasn't the only reason why he stayed. It hadn't taken him long to take a liking to their leader, to Kikyou. Initially, she was a cold person, but he found her to be strong, and considerate. Something happened between them. Inuyasha couldn't tell her why he was attracted to her; he didn't want to scare her. He didn't want her to hate him.

 

How they ended up sharing the same bed was something that eluded him even though nothing happened physically between them. They both seemed to seek each other's comfort and warmth. And that was where it ended. Inuyasha himself was unsure of pursuing anything more, but Kikyou didn't seem to be pushing it. He was fine with the way things were.

 

Inuyasha found Kikyou in her office after a quick check in the bedroom only showed him an empty bed. “Hey,” he said as he let himself into her office.

 

Kikyou looked up at Inuyasha. “Today's the day,” she said. Inuyasha nodded. “Anything on the jewel?” She asked.

 

Ah yes, the jewel. It was the first thing she talked about in the morning and was usually the last thing she talked about at night. That damn jewel. Inuyasha sat down on the couch. “Nope. They have called off the search for it. A waste of resources,” Inuyasha said. He jumped in his spot at the sound of something smashing. He looked over at Kikyou. She was standing, her bangs covering her eyes, and her fist had pounded a good sized hole in her desk. No doubt she used her miko powers.

 

“A waste?” She asked, her voice low enough for Inuyasha to have to strain. Kikyou shot her eyes at Inuyasha. “A waste!?” She yelled at him. “How dare you? How dare you,” she said to Inuyasha.

 

Inuyasha stood up. “Look, it's not my call,” he pleaded with her. Not in three months had he ever seen her like this. Her face was bunched up with fury. He could feel her aura strengthen, frightening even him.

 

“You, your kind, don't understand,” she stated.

 

“My kind?” Inuyasha asked. “What the hell do you mean by that?” He demanded from her.

 

“Demons, hanyou. Your filthy kind!” She screamed. “All of you.”

 

Inuyasha was really confused. “You're not making sense. You have demons and hanyou here in your fucking compound. Shit Kikyou, I'm a hanyou.”

 

“I know. A waste. That is what you are a waste. A waste of space, a waste of energy and a waste of my time. A half-breed,” she spat at him. “If you can't help me then I will find someone who can.”

 

“What? What the hell are you babbling on about?” He stammered.

 

“Take the girls. I don't care. I never what to see them or you again!” She screamed at him. “Out!” She pointed.

 

Inuyasha knew it was a lost battle. He left, not truly understanding what the hell she was going on about. All he knew was that something happened and she snapped. What did this jewel really mean to her? What did he mean to her? Inuyasha stopped. Did she know?

 

& & & & & & & &

 

Response to Reviews:

 

Maloy - Once a week, Mondays/Tuesdays is when I update. Thanks for your review.

 

rainydays - Kagome and Inuyasha will meet soon and it'll be something. Thanks for your review.

 

Thanks to the readers as well.

 

roshully