InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Killer In Hindsight ❯ We All Fall Down ( Chapter 5 )

Thoughts'
“Speech”
OOO-flashback
XXX-c hange in scene, and sometimes character POV
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It had finally been decided that Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Kouga would go exploring the right side of the beach and Inuyasha, Shippou, Hojo and Hiten would take the left towards the cliffs. While Jinenji hung back to look after the boat. After gathering things they may need, such as bottles of water and some fruit for nourishment they set off in their designated directions.

XXX

Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Kouga had been traveling for all of a half hour before they had to stop to rest. Picking a shady spot under some palm trees the group settled down together and brought out their water bottles. Everyone had noticed quite some time ago that their young chef friend had zoned out into her own little world.

Lost in her thoughts, Kagome silently fumed. Inuyasha had put up quite a fuss when she had said she wanted to go with Sango's group. Truth be told she had been hoping to get some alone time with the girl, for some much needed `girl talk'. `How dare he think he can get away with telling me who I can go with! If he had just asked nicely I would have been more than happy to go with his group. But no he's too high and mighty for being polite. He's just gotta have everything his way.' She thought with a huff.

Staring at Kagome out of the corner of his eye, Kouga watched her frown. Sighing he turned his head back to the cloudless blue sky. He had been a little confused lately, he had indeed backed off on his claims of Kagome, but in the short week that everyone had known her, everyone had come to love the smiley girl, she just radiated peace and love. And he was no exception to her bright personality, he loved the way she looked and smelled but even though just days ago he had claimed her as `his woman' the affection he felt for her was more brotherly and the need to protect her innocence more than anything else.

XXX

Dark curses and grumbling could be heard from the small group that traveled to the left of the beach. `Damn woman, she's just so fucking infuriating.' He knew he wasn't the most eloquent of beings, but it was the truth. He had told her to come with him, he just didn't trust anyone to protect her like he would, and she had defiantly, like the little spitfire she is, stuck her chin out, puffed her chest and told him no. That was just not acceptable. He cursed her existence a few more times before sighing and finally giving up. He wasn't getting anywhere with that line of thought.

Forty-five minutes along the white sandy beaches, and all four boys were shirtless. They had definitely gone a lot farther south than he had originally thought, for it would not be this scorching unless they were near the tropics. They had run out of water no more than ten minutes ago, having drank it or poured it over themselves. It was official they were all going to die; the sweltering heat was too unbearable.

After having made it as far as they could before running into the steep hill that would lead them up to the top of the cliff, they decided it was about time they head back. All were hoping the air conditioning still worked, it would be nice to feel the cool breeze.

XXX

Jinenji had dug out his picture box not too long after everyone had left. Sitting up on the deck with telescope in hand, he watched as slowly the small groups made their way across the beach. Having gotten bored of watching them some time ago, he slumped down in his chair, opened his box and pulled out the picture that he and Kagome had been admiring earlier. Smiling softly he stroked the picture, the golden wedding band on his left hand glinting softly in the sunlight. He couldn't wait to get home and see her again.

Thump. The large man jerked back into the upright position and sat at attention. He cautiously made his way over to the edge of the boat. Peering over the side he saw nothing, and just as he was about bring his head back up the most excruciating pain he had ever felt graced the back of his head and everything went dark.

XXX

Sango and Miroku had bickered the entire way back to the Tetsusaiga. After having been groped several times in a row Sango had gotten fed up and pushed Miroku into the warm waters of the teal blue sea. Miroku kept trying to get Sango to forgive him and Sango promptly ignored him. A never-ending lover's quarrel.

“They could definitely use some help in the couples department. They're in love with each other and they don't even know it. How blind do you have to be?” Kouga asked smirking at Kagome as they followed along behind the fighting couple. `Of course the same thing's going on with Inuyasha and Kagome, maybe not love but definitely some serious sexual tension.' He thought heatedly.

“Maybe they're just too afraid of rejection.” Kagome shrugged and sighed. It was too bad to; they would make the most adorable couple.

Kouga nodded his head and continued to stare at the back of his friend's heads; it wasn't much longer until they made it back, just a second or two ahead of Inuyasha and his group.

“Did you find anything?” Miroku asked turning his attention from his beloved to his captain and dear friend. Inuyasha just shrugged and pushed some of the sand around with his toes.

“Nothing really, just a lot of coconuts.”

“Well if we run out of food we know we have something on the island to eat.” Hojo said a little too enthusiastically.

“We won't run out of food, because someone probably heard my mayday and they've already got people out there looking for us.” The silver-haired half-demon said as he glared at the happy boy. Shrinking away from the anger in his captain's gaze, Hojo could only nod. Man, that was one half-demon he did not want to mess with.

Kagome glared at Inuyasha, he was hopefully right, but that did not give him a reason to be so hateful towards poor Hojo. The boy didn't know how to defend himself against someone like Inuyasha; he wouldn't even have a fighting chance. Feeling sorry for the poor boy, Kagome glared at the half-demon captain some more for him. To which Inuyasha only glared back at her.

“The heat is starting to get to all of us, I say we get inside, and cool off. Maybe get something in our stomachs, before we think about what to do next.” Miroku offered, glancing between the huffy looking cook and the glowering captain.

“Fine.” They both bit out in unison, turning and stomping up the plank to the boat.

Once they had all gathered on deck did they notice the mess that had been made. Pictures of Jinenji and his wife were splayed out all over the deck, the chair having been upturned and glass to the telescope smashed. Inuyasha sniffed at the air trying to pick up on any new scents. Not getting much more than he had when they first landed on the island he turned to look at Kouga and Hiten, who both shook their heads `no' signaling they hadn't smelt anyone new either.

“What's going on?” Shippou asked, squeezing through the grown ups legs to try and see what had so suddenly caught their attention. The young kit stopped in his tracks and gazed upon the mess, his eyes going wide with disbelief. “Where's Jinenji?”

“Jinenji! Jin! You there?” Inuyasha called out, hoping for some reasonable explanation to the mess, he really didn't need or want anyone of his crewmembers missing on this island. Jinenji knew to stay at his post until he or Miroku got back, so there had to be some explanation to his sudden disappearance. With anger and panic in his mind, the half demon stormed over to the door that went inside and down into their living quarters.

XXX

“Who are you?! What do you want?!” the large man yelled as he struggled against his restraints. The chains of the shackles clinked ominously, and his heart rate increased just a little more. Dark laughter seemed to erupt from all around him, his captor was taking pleasure at the sight of his fright stricken face and he knew it.

“Now, now my good man, patience is a virtue. You'll see in due time, you'll see…” A pair of glowing red eyes watched him as his breathing quickened and he started to struggle against the chains some more. `Maya.' He thought with great sorrow as his own light blue eyes settled on the form of the man before him. He could not make out any of the mans' features except for his glowing red eyes. Just from his aura alone did Jinenji know that this man was a force to be reckoned with and if he ever made it out of here alive, those eyes would haunt him the rest of his days.

XXX

Inuyasha suddenly reappeared through the broken door, a scowl lining his face. “There's no one down there, can't smell anything. Looks like the guy stuck to this spot only.” The captain said as he righted the chair and picked up the small telescope. Glancing at it sadly, he figured now would be a good time as any to get with times and get some binoculars. Even though he liked the old style of peering through the long cylindrical tube, they were just too expensive to have fixed or replaced. When he got back, that would be one of the first things he'd do.

As everyone seemed to have their eyes focused on Inuyasha at the moment, no one noticed as Kagome bent down to retrieve the pictures. After having gathered them all, she frowned slightly. Something was wrong. There was a picture missing.

“Inuyasha…” Kagome trailed off. The captain looked up at Kagome, as did the rest of the crew, all curious as they watched her shuffle through the deck of pictures. “Inuyasha,” she began again “there's a picture missing. The one of Jinenji, and his wife Maya, in front of Tetsusaiga, it's not here.”

“That's probably nothing, the wind might have blown it away or something.” He scoffed at the girl having brought up such a trivial thing.

“Inuyasha, there isn't a breeze. There hasn't been one all afternoon.” Sango pointed out and Shippou gulped, this was just getting way too creepy.

“Guys, can we go inside now.” His little voice quivering as he looked up at all of the taller adults before him.

“I think that's the best idea I've heard all day.” Hiten, who had been quiet up until now, grumbled as he made his way towards the door.

XXX

After everyone settled down with a nice cool glass of rhubarb iced tea they began to talk about the possibilities of what was going on. Shippou having been too scared to stay up and listen had opted for going to bed. And everyone to say the least was just a little bit jealous, they all wanted this whole thing to just be a nightmare, and they'd wake up at any minute now with everyone safe and sound in their beds.

Sango had reluctantly curled up next to Miroku after giving him a stern warning to keep his hands to himself; Kouga took up the rest of the couch after them. Inuyasha, Hojo and Hiten had taken up residence in the folding chairs they kept in the room for extra seating, while Kagome was comfortable to just sit indian style on the floor. The room had been completely silent for a while now, except for the sipping of the tea, no one dared to make a sound.

“So…what are we gonna do?” Kagome finally asked the question that was on all of their minds.

“Is there anything we can do?” Sango looked around the room. Her question making the faces of her friends look more solemn by the second.

After a few more minutes of depressing silence, “We should look for him.” Miroku finally said. The silver-haired half-demon hung his head, rubbing his face with callused hands. At last he looked up, his eyes blood shot and bags that had not been their earlier suddenly appearing beneath the amber orbs.

He couldn't risk putting the rest of his crew in danger by going out and looking, but they would lose Jinenji if they didn't. If they went out to look for him and someone was injured, who would bandage them? But they'd also just be sitting ducks if they stayed. Whoever had taken Jinenji would probably come back. Sometimes he just hated being captain.

“I know what'll make us all feel better!” Kagome suddenly said, brightly grinning, and startling the crew. Getting up from her position on the floor she headed into the kitchen and rummaged around for a few seconds before an excited “aha!” was heard from inside the cold box. Popping back out she set her prize of Dijon mustard and hunk of cheddar cheese on the counter and turned to the oven to preheat the boiler.

“What the hell wench? This is no time to go Betty Crocker on us. One of our friends is missing.” Inuyasha growled out to her when he noticed the things she was pulling out from cupboards.

Slicing her loaf of italian sesame baguette into large diagonal pieces, the younger girl flashed a glare at the captain. “I know that! He was my friend too. I just figure everyone will be able to think better on a full stomach. Besides no one's eaten since yesterday, you guys must be starving. I know I am. And don't call me wench, dog-boy.” Kagome continued to brush the bread with butter and place the slices into the toaster.

Next she placed her large hunk of cheddar cheese on a chopping board and cut it into thin slices. She heard Inuyasha “feh” when she turned back to the toaster to take out the bread. The raven-haired chef spread some country-style dijon mustard onto the toasty slices and twitched slightly at all the eyes she could feel staring into her form.

“You know what…why don't you guys change into something else while I make lunch.” The group nodded and Sango called the bathroom as she grabbed some clothes from her drawer. The rest of the crew all climbed from their seated spaces and proceeded into the sleeping area to change and Inuyasha to his bedroom.

Making sure she didn't glance over at the bunks and see any of the guys naked, Kagome placed some fresh basil on the bread and a few sun-dried tomatoes over the herbs. She layered the cheese on top of the tomatoes, put the bread onto a cookie sheet and slid it under the broiler.

Sango returned from the bathroom in denim shorts and an orange T-shirt, her auburn hair placed high atop her head in a pony tail and her face and hands free from any dirt. She paced the few feet to the kitchen and hopped up on the counter next to Kagome whom was currently sitting in front of the oven watching her bread. Knocking her feet back against the cupboards underneath her Sango watched the girl.

Over the short time that she had been there, the blue-eyed girl had somehow become important to most of the crew. Not just because she fed them, and she fed them very well, they ate like kings most nights. But being in such close quarters with such a bubbly girl, the crew and the cook had formed some kind of weird friendship. They knew certain things about her, past jobs, she had a younger brother and she had spoken shortly of a few friends she had back home. But other than that no one had really bothered to get into too much detail with the girl.

They all got along well with the sunny girl, it was hard not to. It was nice to have another girl on the boat and Sango took this opportunity while the boys were busy cleaning up to get to know her better. Clearing her throat to get the girls attention she smiled when Kagome turned her head to look up at her.

“You've been on this boat for a week now and I don't even know your middle name.” The older girl laughed nervously, talking intimately with people had never really been a strong suit for her. Give her a fish and she could gut it with the best of `em, leave her alone in a room with someone and she would crash and burn.

Kagome smiled back at the awkward girl and giggled a little. “Lynn” she said finally.

“Huh?”

“That's my middle name, Lynn.”

“Marie.” Sango blushed a little. She never really did like her middle name.

“What are you guys babbling about in here now?” Inuyasha said as he emerged from his room adorned in a pair of over washed blue jeans and another red T-shirt. He seemed to have an abundance of those.

“Girl stuff.” Kagome leaned back on her hands and Sango looked at her oddly.

“Whatever…I don't want to know.” The captain finally said, glancing back and forth between the two women. Kagome winked up at the older girl, if there was one way to get a man to bugger off it was to tell them you were talking about girl stuff.

“Does this girl stuff include me?” Miroku asked as he popped his head out from between the curtains of his bed. Well, it got most men to back off.

“No.” they said in unison and giggled to each other. Kagome glanced back at the oven. The cheese was just starting to bubble and get all gooey, and just as it began to brown she opened the panel to the oven and took out the pan. The smell alone brought everyone from their bunks where they had settled to wait for the food to be done. Even little Shippou poked his head out to sniff at the air.

The girls shook their heads sadly as the boys gathered around the table, practically drooling in anticipation for their lunch. Placing the bread onto plates Sango and Kagome brought them over. Almost as soon as the plates hit the table the bread was gone.

The two females of the group headed back into the kitchen to eat their food. Munching on it happily they conversed some more. Sango learned that Kagome's favorite color was yellow; she was twenty-one and had traveled to places such as England and Australia to work in some of the restaurants there. Kagome had found out that Sango was twenty-five, her favorite color is pink though she never would have guessed that, and she had a pitbull named Grunt who stayed with her younger brother, Kohaku, while she was gone.

“What do you call this?” Sango asked as she took another bite of the cheesy bread.

“It's my Mustard Grilled-cheese Sandwich.” She said taking another bite of her own piece.

“If it’s supposed to be a sandwich then why doesn't it have a top?” Chestnut eyes gazed curiously at the food in her hand.

“It's supposed to be eaten without a top, it's an open-faced sandwich.” Kagome's own blue eyes sparkling back at her.

“That makes sense…I think.” She said taking another bite.

“Would you two bitches stop yammering over there and get us something else to eat. We're still hungry!” Inuyasha yelled at them as he tapped his sharp claws upon the table.

“Stop calling me names and get some manners and maybe I'll get you something else!” Kagome yelled back just as fierce.

“Fine. I'm sorry. Now get me some goddamn food.” He glared at the cook.

Grumbling she hopped down from the counter and searched for something else to give them. Finding some Pepita's she had made a couple days ago out of utter boredom. The cook grabbed a medium sized bowl and poured the pumpkinseeds into it. Setting it on the table she watched the guys devour that too in a matter of minutes.

“Pigs.” She muttered to herself quietly and heading back into the kitchen to find something for dessert. Hopefully that would hold them over.

“He's just tense. Inuyasha always gets this way when he's under a lot of stress.” Sango said quietly to the distressing girl.

“Yeah, well it's still no reason to be mean. The rest of us are worried too.” The younger girl said, sticking her lower lip out in a pout.

“Yeah but you don't have to make the decision to go out and look and risk injury or stay here and continue to be sitting ducks.”

“I guess you're right.” Kagome sighed a little. “I just wish there was something I could do to help.”

“I think feeding him is doing enough right now.” Sango said giggling a little and winked at the girl. The cook blushed and stuck her head in the refrigerator. Popping back out with a container of butter in her hands. She grabbed a loaf of bread from the breadbox and some sugar from under the counter.

She spread the butter on both pieces of white bread and sprinkled sugar over the butter; she pressed the slices together. After piling a plate high with her butter-and-sugar sandwiches she grabbed two off the top and placed the rest on the table. Soon those were gone and they were back to worrying about what to do.

XXX

It had grown late into the afternoon from what Jinenji could see through the opening of the cave. The hulk of a man cringed slightly as he shifted on his spot opening one of the wounds in his side. He sat in a puddle of his own blood, his body aching. He had found out soon after he had been taken away the name of the man with the glowing red eyes.

OOO

He had been sitting in the cave alone for over an hour now. His stomach growled in hunger. From where he was sitting he could see the mouth of the cave and determined them to be at a very high altitude as he could see out over the tops of the trees and gaze upon the waters of the ocean.

The sound of water dripping to the rocky ground filled his ears and he sighed sadly again. Thoughts of his wife filled his mind; he had to stay alive. For her, for their child. He watched as a figure appeared in the mouth of the damp cave, kicking a pebble to roll across the ground and come to rest beside him.

“Another day, another captive.” The low voice of the figure appeared to be woman and she slowly stepped into the cave to gaze upon him. Looking up at her Jinenji could determine two things one, the woman was most definitely a demon and most likely somehow related to his abductor if the red eyes were anything to go by. And two she definitely did not want to be here. Finally her words clicked in his head, these demons had taken people before they knew what they were doing.

“You really shouldn't have come here.” She said finally, her eyes resting sadly upon the paper in her hand. Dropping it into his lap he could see it was the picture he had been showing Kagome before. He became enraged as he fingered the golden wedding band on his finger.

“Who are you?! What do you want from me?!” He yelled, his words echoing down the cave. The instinct to protect his family, rising to the forefront of his mind.

“I am Kagura.” She said after a few moments of silence. “You really shouldn't have come here.”

“You said that already! Where am I? Please…what do you want from me?” he begged, a lump forming in his throat.

“You are on an island south of the equator, in the middle of nowhere. You have trespassed on the grounds of the devil and he is not happy.” The demoness said as she pulled a fan from the intricate obi of her kimono.

“The devil? What are you talking about demoness?!” He roared.

“Please…Call me Kagura. I don't like to do things formally…after all an executioner should be able to speak freely with her victim. Don't you think dear Jinenji?” Kagura flicked open her fan, scarlet lips quirking up in an evil smile.

“Please! No! I have a family! We're expecting our first child! Don't do this!” The terror in his eyes mounting and the smile on the woman's lips faltered and then widened again.

“That's too bad. But Naraku isn't happy and when Naraku isn't happy then people have to die. Namely…you.”

“No!” Jinenji pulled harder at his shackles but whatever they were made of refused to break.

Stepping back lightly with pity for the man before her in her eyes, Kagura raised her fan and brought it down in a torrent of harsh winds, cutting into his skin. She continued the harsh abuse on the poor man’s body for hours. Screaming from the pain, he soon lost consciousness from the amount of crimson pouring from his body.

Turning sharply on her heal the demoness pulled a feather from her hair as it grew she stepped upon it and took her leave of the cave. He couldn't die yet, that would come later. For now, her orders were too torture emotionally and physically till the man begged for the sweet release that only death would bring.

OOO

An hour later, he had awoken in severe pain. She hadn't killed him, but he knew…she would…eventually.
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End Author's Note:Okay so this is going on 13 pages and I really think I should stop now before I give too much away. I was aiming for maybe 11 chapters to complete the story but plot twisters are running crazy through my mind right now and this is most likely going to go past the 11-chapter mark.
-The middle names of Kagome and Sango actually are the middle names of my two best friends, so I just had to put that in there.
-Recipe's I can send you so far are:
Kitchen-Sink Cookies
Rhubarb Iced Tea
Soda Bread
Hot-buttered maple-baked Oatmeal
Mustard Grilled-Cheese Sandwiches
Pepitas also called Baked PumpkinSeeds with Cumin
Whipped Hot Chocolate
No-Chicken Chicken Soup (great for when you have a cold)
Butter-and-Sugar Sandwiches


Another chapter I’m not too happy with but it’ll do. Thanks for reading and reviews are greatly appreciated.