InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Delayed Dawn ❯ Evading the Truth ( Chapter 17 )

A Delayed Dawn

 

Disclaimer: I cannot possess what I did not create.

 

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 Seventeen Evading the Truth

 

Kagome looked over to where the voice traveled from high above her, the same level where the birds' songs floated from. Standing on a thick branch devoid of leaves, they all saw a woman unknown to them. The leaves around her swirled around her petite form like a gentle shield of wind.

 

Her dark eyes were narrowed as she peered at the ragtag group below, but a sparkle shone in them, hinting to some joke that only she knew the punch line to. Her thin, ballerina legs easily slipped into tight fitting blue jeans and her ample sized chest were hardly contained in a forest green colored tank top, her black hair was pinned up behind her head with feathers and ornaments. Around her neck was a tiny gold chain with a fan charm dangling freely. She smiled at them, holding the yellow backpack up for all to see.

 

“That's mine,” Kagome calmly told the woman, sitting up tall on the ground, despite the pain from her legs causing to bite her lower lip to hold back any screams.

 

The woman looked at the bag with an amused look, a small chuckle slipping through the cracks of her stone cold look. “I know,” she stated a bit too matter of fact-like.

 

There was silence among everyone. Sango, Inuyasha, Miroku and Kouga tried to analyze the situation critically. There was only one of her and four of them, but they could all sense that she was full youkai. The problem with attacking a full youkai was that full youkai have specific powers or weapons that they can use at their disposal. It wasn't wise to attack a full youkai head on without a little research, or more backup.

 

“What is your name?” Sango demanded from the woman. A name would be enough to start a search into her and determine her strengths and weaknesses. Even if they were to never run into her again.

 

The woman ignored Sango, not even batting an eye her way. She had nothing to do with Sango. The woman was here for Kagome, and only Kagome. “Higurashi-sensei,” the woman gently addressed Kagome, the sound of her voice not enough to even been considered threatening. “I return your backpack to you.” She then giggled as the back swung in her grip. “I left you a . . . , call it a gift.”

 

Kagome was a bit surprised by the stranger's actions. The woman seemed nice, as if she was just passing through the area and decided to help out, but not get involved. But the gift-thing was confusing. Why would someone she had never met want to leave her a gift? And what kind of gift? “Th. . . Thank you,” Kagome hesitantly replied, remembering her manners in a time like this. “Could I have your name please?” She would try to get the information that Sango had asked for earlier.

 

The woman giggled again. Not a friendly giggle, but a knowing one. “I am Kagura. I will see you again Higurashi-sensei. Hopefully, without those dead weights behind you.” Kagura dropped the yellow bag onto the soft ground, where it made a nice plopping sound, and flew off on one of her feathers. They all watched in awe as she disappeared into the sky.

 

“Oh,” Miroku drawled out disappointedly, smacking the first of his right hand into the palm of his left.

 

Sango looked over at him, curious to what it was he thought of, and by his own actions, forgot. “What is it?”

 

Miroku let out a longing sigh. His violet eyes drifted up to the tree branch the visitor was just at and then traveled the distance she flew off on her feather. “I forgot to ask her if she would be willing to bear my child.”

 

Sango bopped him on the head with her fist. “She's the enemy idiot,” Sango huffed past a dazed Miroku. Kouga and Inuyasha snickered and shook their heads. For as long as they had known the antics between Sango and Miroku, it never got old. “Wait, Kagome, I'll get it for you.” Sango told her injured friend. Kagome quietly nodded as Sango ran over and grabbed the yellow bag from his landing spot and brought it over to Kagome.

 

Kagome was reluctant to open the bag. What kind of gift could it be? Since this Kagura woman knew who she was, perhaps it was a trap, to either capture or kill her. Kagome sighed. Being drafted was hitting her hard, and she knew it was only the beginning. Nervously pulling the bag onto her lap, Kagome unknotted the strings and flipped the top flap back. Untying the second knot, she pulled the scrunched up material open. So far, so good. Reaching in, she pulled out materials that she recognized; water bottles, her snacks, a couple of the shirts she packed and some other clothes including undergarments. Miroku was suddenly interested in Kagome's backpack.

 

Kagome froze solid. Her hand felt something that she knew she didn't put in her bag. This must be her gift. Slowly pulling it out, Kagome found that she was holding onto a hastily wrapped present in brown paper with a pink ribbon wrapped hastily wrapped around it, bow in tact. Higurashi-sensei was written on the top in chicken-scratch kanji. She didn't recognize the handwriting. Not that she expected too anyways.

 

Tugging at the coarse ribbon, the bow came loose easily, and the rest of the ribbon unraveled and slithered to the ground. Kagome pulled on the brown paper and it ripped down the middle. Reaching inside, she pulled out some kind of soft material.

 

Setting the brown paper aside, Kagome lifted the material and found it to be a boy's shirt, a rich dark blue color. Kagome examined the shirt some more, noticing the seams and the material, cotton. Since there were no markings on the front, she turned to look at the back, yet it was plain as well.

 

Crumbling the shirt into a ball and stuffing it into her bag, Kagome grabbed her other items and jammed those back into the bag, covering up her gift. Damnit, she thought. This messed things up. Once the bag was tied up, Kagome could only sit there silently, contemplating her situation. Who was Kagura and what did she know?

 

“Oi, wench. Wake up,” a voice said to her ripping her out of her thoughts.

 

Kagome looked up, dazed and confused. “Uh, what?” she asked, her head tipping to the side slightly.

 

Inuyasha crossed his arms in front of him as he leered at her with what looked like . . . hatred. “I see that you and reality don't get it on much now, do you?” He shook his head. It was time to take her back to the compound. He was done dealing with this jewel shit. It was better to fight than to chase someone who didn't want to be found. But he was ordered to. That was why he was here.

 

Kagome blinked a couple of times. “What?” she asked again. His voice was registering in her mind, but her brain was unable to put the words into its proper order for any meaning to her. Was he not at all interested or even worried about what had just happened?

 

“Keh,” he sighed, throwing his hands in the air before crossing them again. “Let's get going.” Kagome remained on the ground, only to watch as the four members of The War Dogs started trekking back toward New Tokyo. But then they stopped and turned to look at her. “Didn't you hear me wench? I said, let's get going,” he roared at the girl, stalking back towards her.

 

Kagome was taken back. What? What was he doing? They were . . . of course, she was drafted. Friends didn't matter anymore. She was a thing. That is what he had called her. Now that she was injured and without a weapon, she was easy prey for them.

 

“No,” she shot back at him, her glare matching his, just like the morning at the shrine. Kagome hoped that it would be enough to send them away, but she highly doubted it. The pain in her legs attacked her body once again and she winced, her fingers digging into the earth she sat on. She needed to get some medical help soon before any kind of infection decided to get comfortable.

 

Looking around the area she found herself in, she recognized the area as it wasn't far from someplace she had once visited. There weren't any markers or clues that were structural, but it was the trees, the placement of the shrubs. It was all familiar to her.

 

Pushing her self up, she tried to stand straight and tall, but her legs wouldn't let her. Her bloody legs pulsed with sharp pain and her knees quickly buckled underneath her, forcing her onto her hands. But she wasn't about to let that stop her. agome turned away from the group and started to head in the direction she wanted to go, half crawling, half walking, looking completely ridiculous.

 

She couldn't give a damn about them at the moment. Right now, it was going to be about her, only her, and taking care of her injuries, since not one of them even offered any help. Was it because they found out she was a miko? Was it because she was drafted? Questions that she asked even when they didn't matter.

 

“Kagome, where are you going?”Sango called out, carefully following her, but keeping enough distance so that Kagome didn't feel too threatened. She was trying her hardest to understand Kagome at the moment. Being drafted, injured, that strange woman who knew Kagome, it was a lot for someone to take in at once in such a short time.

 

“You shouldn't go out alone, it isn't safe,” Sango took a few more steps forward. “There are youkai and oni out there. Ones that will be after you specifically.” Sango felt that this was a good way to try to convince Kagome to come with them. It wasn't about being drafted, it was about being safe.

 

Miroku took a few steps forward, standing just behind Sango, using her as the boundary line for Kagome's safety zone. Any further and it was risking his own life. “Kagome-sama, I'm sure that after today, you can appreciate Sango-chan's concern for you. I beg of you, please reconsider our request and accompany us. For your protection.” Inuyasha couldn't believe the words that just flew out of Miroku's mouth. The lecher could talk a mouse into a trap if he needed to.

 

“I know,” Kagome muttered loud enough for everyone to hear it, even thought she looked away from them and her eyes only saw dirt. Sango and Miroku both were relieved. Permission had been given to advance safely. ango started to briskly walk toward Kagome, ready to escort her to their compound. However, Kagome rose up onto her two legs, held up her hand and stopped Sango from coming towards her any further. Kagome looked up at Sango, tears pooled in her eyes. “I know,” she said more defiantly.

 

“Kag . . . “Sango started her voice drifting away as the look on Kagome's face told her to stay silent.

 

“I'm drafted,”Kagome stated without any emotion in her voice. “And I know what it means.” Kagome looked down at the ground. She shut her eyes tight, not wanting to even think about it, but she knew she couldn't run from it. No matter where she went, or what she did, she was marked. A mark that she could never wash away.

 

Looking up, she opened her eyes and noticed that the sun was getting ready to set. She sighed. What a day it had been. She couldn't even recognize her own life anymore. Who was she now? Where was she going? What was she going to do? Why? hese were questions that she once had answered before. And now they were back, and this time, she couldn't even begin to answer them.

 

“Toutosai was drafted,” Kagome spoke, her voice filled with a bit more strength. “He was my teacher. In order to avoid the draft, he burnt himself.” She could hear the gasps coming from those listening to her. Kagome wiped the tears that spilled, there weren't many as she had time to heal from those wounds.

 

Looking over at Sango with red eyes and stained cheeks, she asked a demanding question. “Have you ever seen anyone purposely douse themselves with gasoline, set themselves ablaze and scream as the fire burns the skin off of their bones?” She was now screaming at them, hoping that the change in volume would get it through their heads. “I have. I know full well what it means to be drafted.”

 

Inuyasha was bored. Her little rant didn't mean squat to him. “Keh. Fucking coward.”

 

“Oh yeah? And what would have you done?” she inquired with dulled interest. Inuyasha couldn't answer. In fact, no one could. Kagome sucked back the tears that were ready to fall again. Sango could see the fight Kagome was having with herself. If this Toutosai guy committed suicide, is that what Kagome was trying to do? Now Sango was extremely worried for the emotionally battered girl in front of her. She couldn't let Kagome do something as crazy as that.

 

“Kagome, please, come with us,” she begged the girl, hoping to spare her life from the pain she was suggesting to inflict upon herself.

 

“Don't worry Sango. I'm not going to kill myself.” she told the only other woman with much reassurance in her voice. “I can't. Not yet, not until I . . . “Kagome stopped herself from saying anything more. She covered her mouth and turned away, hiding the tears that she couldn't stop. Not now.

 

She couldn't do this to herself, here, now, and in front of them. Regaining her composure, she looked back at them, each one watching her with eyes wide, well, except that Inuyasha. He was trying to his best to ignore her. “I am going to go my own way.”

 

With that, she turned and limped on in the new direction. Sango watched as Kagome staggered away, she turned to look at her companions, silently asking them what to do. Miroku had morals and would never force anyone, especially a woman, a beautiful woman, to do something that she didn't want to do. Kouga had his own ideas, but was like Inuyasha, he followed orders. He felt bad for Kagome and was willing to let the orders slide for once.

 

Inuyasha on the other hand couldn't take any more of this crap. He hated the jewel and everything that was attached to it. Kikyou. He felt guilty for her and believed that he could make it up to her by being there for her, by giving her his love. Instead, she only wanted the jewel. nd now there was this Kagome girl. She was more trouble than was worth. Fuck Kikyou. Fuck the jewel and fuck this Kagome.

 

“Get your ass thrashed by some damn demon. Rather see you dead than a thorn in my side. Sango, Miroku, Kouga, let's get the hell out of here,” Inuyasha commanded harshly, too many emotions slipping into the mission. He turned and started to stomped away.

 

“Inuyasha!” Sango screamed at him causing him to stop, but not turn, he kept his back to her and the rest of group. “I can't believe you.” Sango walked up to him and spun him around so fast that he had to blink. Her finger woodpeckered onto his chest. “You, of all people, are going to let some girl walk out there alone to get herself killed because she talks back to you? You don't want to deal with her because you can't understand how she feels. Well, you know what Inuyasha,” Sango paused. She didn't know what to say. She then looked up at his dark amber eyes, hers narrowing to challenge his. “Fuck you,” she hissed. “You could go to hell for all I care. I will not let an innocent, no, I will not let my friend die because you have a stick up your ass. You . . . you. . . Sesshoumaru wanna-be.”

 

Her finger turned into a palm and she slammed into Inuyasha hard, causing him to stumble back and she ran after Kagome. Kouga and Miroku both watched as Sango left, the same look on on their faces; wide-eyed, surprised, and smiling.

 

“You know,” Miroku started. “Hearing her say fuck you has a rather beautiful sound to these ears. I do hope she will say such demanding words to me.”

 

Kouga shook his head, though not trying to shake the smirk off of his face. “Sesshoumaru wanna-be. Oh boy. That . . . that sucks,” he laughed, his hands clutching his sides. “It's the funniest thing I've ever heard.”

 

Inuyasha's blood started to boil. No one, no one had a right to talk to him like that. He was nothing like his brother and hearing someone call him that was the worst. Sango had given them no choice. No, Kagome had given them no choice.

 

 

*The War Dogs Compound*

 

 

Sesshoumaru growled in complete and utter frustration. He didn't know what was going on with this war anymore. This Naraku fellow had seemed just to be some demon punk. A random character that popped up in suddenly in this war. Instead, Naraku changed the entire war with a single declaration. This war was no longer about justice, it was about power. Demon power versus human power. And the jewel, the Shikon no Tama, was Naraku's key to that power.

 

Naraku was a jackass. esshoumaru didn't believe in using some outside source for one's power. This was coming from a tai-youkai of course. Sesshoumaru was pure blood and what came with that was all of the power of his clan. He could trace his lineage to the beginnings of time. That changed with the birth of Inuyasha, the first in his family to be of mixed blood.

 

Even pure blood youkai were interested in the jewel. Sesshoumaru had repeatedly told all that the jewel didn't exist. However, he knew better. The existence of the jewel had never been proven, nor denied. And his father's involvement with the museum, local historians and scientists was enough to convince Sesshoumaru that even his own father feared the power of the jewel. And that was why Sesshoumaru had to bring Kagome Higurashi in.

 

So deep in his thoughts, Sesshoumaru didn't notice that someone had entered his office until the door quietly slid shut. Sniffing the air, he could smell her. The only one who could enter his office without upsetting him. It was that human. Rin. Looking down at his desk, he found what he normally found at this time in the morning, a bowl of miso soup, rice, fish if there was any and a cup of green tea.

 

When Rin had been brought in, Sesshoumaru was unsure of what to do with her. She wasn't a miko and was useless in that capacity, nor did she have any training either. Medical or combat. According to the stories he heard, Rin had been found by the mikos, brought in and healed. The only side affect of her traumatic experience was that she ended up mute. However, Sesshoumaru, for some reason that eluded him, he couldn't just send her to one of the other compounds that was set up as a camp for humans that just needed protection.

 

There was a use for Rin. Jaken was an idiot when it came to his duties, sort of. He could handle certain aspects of the job well, and others eluded him. Rin was old enough to work. So, he made her an assistant to Jaken. Rin took her job seriously. The files were now always organized according to date and author, a filing system that made things much easier for him Rin also took on extra duties, such as tidying up his office when he would leave, and making sure he ate. Not that he had too, but he found that her green tea tasted much better than Jaken's.

 

Rin was obedient, and even if she could talk, he doubted that she would ever defy him. A smile was always plastered on her face as if everything made her happy. What rattled his icy exterior was that she seemed to care for him, and only him. Sure, she made sure that Jaken ate and had some breaks, but she gave extra attention to him. It baffled him. Humans weren't like that. At least, not the ones he knew. And definitely not towards him.

 

The morning's newspaper was folded neatly on the tray Rin had brought into the room. He reached for it and unfolded it. Quickly glancing at the headlines, he noticed that sentences were underlined or highlighted. And in one of the columns, neat and clean kanji notes were written. It wasn't Jaken's hand writing either. Sesshoumaru dropped the newspaper down. Rin?

 

Rin had been with them for over a year now. Had she been that attentive to the war and the happenings around them? Now, she was trying to save him time from reading the entire paper by bringing certain information to his attention. And after reading what she marked for him, Rin knew what she was doing.

 

Sesshoumaru glanced over at the door as it opened as quietly as the person who opened it. Rin stood there. She walked over to the desk and slid an envelope on the desk in an area that wasn't cluttered. Turning, she headed back out. Sesshoumaru watched as she just came in and left. Placing the paper aside, he opened the envelope and read the contents.

 

 

`Sesshoumaru-sama,

 

I have heard that Higurashi Kagome-sensei has been drafted. This is most unfortunate news. I will warn you that I cannot stop her. She will not come to you so willingly. I ask that you assist her in her quest. It is vital to the peace so many of us desperately seek in this time of war. There is a something for you at the museum. If you are interested init, please stop by and pick it up.'

 

 

The letter was not signed, but Sesshoumaru recognized the handwriting as the same on the envelope sent to him that contained Higurashi's report on the Sengoku artifacts. Sesshoumaru set the letter down on his desk. He wasn't going to leave the compound for a letter than didn't seem to be important. However, this wasn't just something he could ignore. When he received the report, the museum was attacked. Picking up the phone, he waited for Jaken to answer before giving his orders. “Send Rin to my office.”

 

Even before he could put down the phone, Rin was standing there, smiling, and waiting. He wanted to smirk, but wasn't going to. “Rin, I need you to run an errand. Go to the New Tokyo Museum and pick up this something for me.” With a grin, she nodded and left with the usual bounce in her step.

 

 

*About an Hour Later*

 

 

Sesshoumaru went back to work, sipping on his tea and nibbling at the food Rin had left for him. Even though he didn't require daily meals, eating everyday gave him the energy renewal he realized that he was now dependent on. He wanted to damn her for making him need her, but he just couldn't.

 

`It hurts.'

 

His head snapped up from the file he was reading. According to his senses, he was alone, and the only being within the vicinity was Jaken. So where did the voice come from?

 

`Sesshoumaru-sama. . . `

 

This time, the voice spoke his name. A familiar voice.

 

`You can help.'

 

He growled at his inability to sniff out the voice. But this voice was different, and again, familiar The first was female, the second was male.

 

Go to her, the male voice commanded him. Sesshoumaru stood up. He decided to indulge the voices. Not really sure who she was, or where she was at, he left.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama?” The toad demon asked, scrabbling from the chair he sat at behind the desk, finding himself in a losing battle with the contraption.

 

Sesshoumaru looked down at his pathetic excuse of an assistant. “I'm out of my office,” was all that he said.

 

“Uh, Sesshoumaru-sama, perhaps someone to accompany you? What about your appointments?” The toad rambled on, still engorged in war with the chair, but Sesshoumaru had already disappeared, leaving the toad alone with nothing to say other than that Sesshoumaru had left his office.

 

Sesshoumaru had no reason to leave the compound. Everything he needed was provided for him, whether it is information, or now, food. Now, he had a reason, even it he didn't know what it was yet. Within him, an invisible force directed him, whispering the directions to his subconscious.

 

Sesshoumaru found himself standing in front of the New Tokyo Museum.

 

Rin.

 

Entering the museum, he followed the cloaked map in his mind. He walked through the displays, time traveling through the different time periods, finding that he was going further and further backwards on the timeline until he found himself standing in the Ancient Greek section. He wasn't sure why the New Tokyo Museum even had such a display. It wasn't a part of their history.

 

He found he surrounded by marble statues with missing limbs and scantily clad dressings, and clay pots with fading pictures. Whatever it was that brought him here meant for him to stop in this room. There was something here for him to find. `You can help'. The words echoed in his head. How does a demon help someone? How did he help?

 

And then he had his answer.

 

Now, he was outside, and his heightened senses caught it. The scent was highly recognizable; the smell of newly spilt blood heavily coated the air among that which spilt the blood. In a rage of fury, Sesshoumaru flew toward the source of the smell. It was a small gang of demons. That was the stank that wanted to make him gag. And then the unmistaken scent of Rin, her sweat, her tears, her fear and her blood.

 

When he finally found her, the demons had already dispersed from their deceased prey. Her body was contorted on the dirty ground. The clothes that she wore daily as provided to her by the compound were shredded and she was now dressed as scantily as the statues inside the museum.

 

Blood pooled around her limbs, soaking her hair, smeared across her face, and stained her clothing. Her eyes, lifeless dull brown and open looking towards the direction where someone who could help her would have come from; it was where he was standing now. That first voice had to have been hers, calling for him to help her, and he didn't make it in time.

 

His youki started to vibrate in such a way that he thought he might lose control of his unrestrained power. Looking down at the object in his hand, he could feel a connection between it and his youki. Glancing over at the young girl, he could see hell's servants binding the girl in chains, to take her to the afterworld. The tiny, monster servants of hell then looked up at Sesshoumaru and cringed in fear. Sesshoumaru was surprised. He had never seen them before, and these things could now see him, scared knowing that they were in his field of vision.

 

With three quick swipes, the servants had vaporized back to the place that they came. Sesshoumaru studied the object in his hand. He knew what it was. Tensaiga, the heavenly sword, and one of Higurashi's Sengoku artifacts. It had called to him, telling him where he could find and what to do with it. But was its power real?

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” a weak voice uttered almost inaudibly. Sesshoumaru looked down and found Rin carefully sitting up, looking up him, eyes wide and that silly smile on her face once again. The state of her appearance was of no concern to her. Standing up and brushing some of the dirt off of her torn and soiled clothing, she stood there, waiting.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't have to say anything. Sliding the sword into his obi, he started to head back to the compound. Rin followed, even though she was weak from the ordeal. He was surprised by her loyalty and her sudden ability to speak. Even in death, he knew she would be right there next to him. No human or demon showed such loyalty. Letter my ass, he thought. Someone knew that the sword belonged to him, just as Inuyasha ended up with Tessaiga. If it wasn't Higurashi, then who? He just hoped that whoever it was didn't set up the attack on Rin, for he would never forgive them for such a devious and cowardly act.