InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Killer In Hindsight ❯ Lost And Found ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.

“Speech”
`Thought'
OOO-Flashback
XXX - Change in scene or POV
<><><><><><><><>< ;><><><><><><><>< ><><><><><><><>

Yawni ng, the captain rolled over to escape the sunlight pouring in through the small window. They had stayed up well into the night contemplating their plan of action, until it had finally been decided that they would again split up into groups and search for their friend. Squinting his amber eyes, he decided it was futile to escape the annoying rays and sat up, stretching, the blanket slid down his chest to settle at his hips.

“Inuyasha?” He heard from the other side of the door, it was Kagome. “Breakfast is ready.” Sniffing at the air he could indeed smell breakfast cooking just down the hall from him. Throwing back his blankets he scratched his stomach as he left the room and headed for the table where the rest of his crew sat awaiting their delicious morning meal.

XXX

Kagome's face flushed slightly when she saw the silver haired man come from his room. She never really had gotten used to the fact that all we wore to breakfast were his boxers. Turning back to her pancakes she cracked her jaw and peeked over at everyone at the table when Inuyasha finally sat down.

Sango's baggy sweats and overly large T-shirt hid the girls' muscular frame, most likely to keep Miroku away, not that it really helped. Sango could be wearing a giant gorilla suit and the lecherous man would still be attracted to her. She sighed, `Oh young love' Kagome thought to herself and hid a giggle behind her hand.

Sliding two more of the flapjacks onto a plate already overflowing with the fluffy goodness, she grabbed a stick of butter and some syrup. Setting everything down she returned to the stove to start on another batch.

She observed the rest of the crew as they dug into her cooking. Miroku in his trademark white sleeping pants with the little kissy lips all over them. Shippou was in his adorable little superman PJ set and grinned over at her when he noticed her looking at him.

Next to him was Kouga, this was one of the few times Kagome got to see him with his hair down. He really was a handsome demon, just not exactly her type. She cringed slightly when he shoved his clawed hand down his pants to scratch at `unmentionables'.

Next to Kouga, was Hiten, who ate his breakfast at a more sedate pace than the others. Hiten was really the only one she hadn't gotten to know that well. He preferred to be alone. The cook had found out through Sango that a few years ago he had lost his brother and had never really been the same since.

And lastly, Hojo. That boy made her a little nervous. He was awfully skittish and compared to the others he was weak. He got way too nervous, way too easily and someday that was going to be his downfall. She was kind of surprised he hadn't fallen overboard already. As Inuyasha so blatantly put it, the guy was a bumbling idiot. Not that she was trying to be mean or anything; he just didn't really seem like he belonged on a fishing boat.

Setting down another heaping plate of yummy pancakes at the demands of a cranky captain, Kagome sighed gently and sat down next to Sango, taking a few for herself before the plate was devoured.

XXX

`Two hours, four minutes, and thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven seconds…We've been at this now' Hiten thought as he cut down another branch in his way. They had left around nine in the morning, mostly just trying to avoid the inevitable. After having been split up into three groups they had finally left the Tetsusaiga in search for their missing crewmember. Personally, he found this a waste of time.

Sighing he glanced back at what consisted of his “group”. There was Sango, she was strong but he preferred to stay away from women, too much drama. And Hojo, Hiten watched as he tripped over another root. They weren't getting anywhere with him tagging along. `Two hours, twenty minutes, and forty, forty one, forty two seconds…God just kill me now'.

XXX

“Wench, would you hurry up already, we haven't got all day!” Inuyasha yelled back at the raven-haired girl who was currently trying to find a way through the mass of roots without hurting herself. The tiny demon on her shoulder glared and stuck his tongue out at the half-demon. Inuyasha glared back.

“Would you two stop it.” She said exasperated. “Inuyasha I am going as fast as I can. I'm trying to avoid injury here. I would appreciate it if you'd stop hassling me and Shippou stop sticking your tongue out at him you're only making him crankier.”

“I am not cranky.” The captain grumped as he glared at the forest floor and turned his back on the duo. A few moments later a scream from behind him caused him to whip back around.

“Inuyasha…a little help here!” Kagome screamed as a wriggling mass of vines wrapped around her and a baboon clad man appeared from within the foliage. Shippou clung to her shirt trying not to fall off.

“Hold on!” he yelled and started hacking at the vines encompassing the girl. Just as he started to make some headway they returned two fold. The man in the baboon skin merely laughed at their struggles.

Growling, Inuyasha turned from Kagome and pounced at the laughing man. Slashing with claws and gnashing teeth, he honed in on the dead jugular. A wooden doll fell at his feet and he kicked it farther into the woods. The vines around Kagome disintegrated, and she sighed in relief.

XXX

“So when are you going to finally admit your feelings to Sango?” Kouga asked the sputtering man beside him.
“What are you talking about, Kouga? Sango and I are friends and that's all.” He said, sighing somewhat depressingly.
“So when are you going to admit your feelings to Sango?” He asked again. Grinning widely. His grin fell; however, when they both heard a loud scream. They turned to look at each other before taking off in the direction of the scream.
XXX
“What was that?” Hojo looked in the direction the sound had come from, although they all knew what it had been.

“Come on, it could be one of the others, we have to go help.” She tugged on Hojo and Hiten helplessly.

“Or it could be a trap.” The demon of their little troop said as he glared in the direction just north and to the right of their position.

“Or it could be someone who needs our help.” Sango said glaring at the man. “If you don't want to come that's fine with me, but Hojo and I are going to go help.” She grabbed the wrist of the stuttering man behind her and headed for the direction of the scream.

“Whatever.” Hiten finally said to himself after a few moments of watching the two human's leave; alone, he shoved his hands into his pockets, and headed in the same direction as his crewmates.

XXX
“What happened?” Sango shouted as she and the rest of Tetsusaiga’s crew come onto the scene, minus Hiten. Kagome appeared shaken up and Inuyasha was glaring at the ground.

“His name is Naraku.” A woman with flaming red hair and sharp green eyes spat as she stepped from the surrounding foliage. The demonesses' once white shirt now brown from many days of unwash, and jeans that appeared to have been cut into shorts sometime ago.

“Who are you?” Kouga’s voice was harsh and he moved to stand in front of the more vulnerable humans.

“I am Ayame.” She replied, nodding her head in his direction.

“Well whoever this Naraku guy is, he attacked my crew and I’m not going to stand for it.” The captain turned to glare at the newcomer. “What do you want?”

“I’m here to help you.” Her feet spread shoulder length apart, she crossed her arms and stood her ground against the intimidating half-demon.

“Like I said, what do you want?” He glared at her defiance and turned from her to check Kagome over.

“Food, shelter and in exchange we’ll provide you with information on Naraku and his hiding spots.”

“We?”

“There are other survivors, our plane crashed here and we’ve been stranded for six months we estimate. We have built a camp only a short distance from here. We heard the scream and I was sent to help.”

“How many?”

“How many…?”

“How many are there?” The half demon’s frustration showed in the growl that escaped clenched teeth.

“Six, including myself.” Ayame wrung her hands in worried anticipation, her courage fleeting in the face of impending rejection.

“No.”

“No what?”

“No we can’t put you up.”

“Inuyasha!” Kagome whispered furiously as she turned to glare the captain. “How can you say that?”

“Like this… no.”

“But they might be able to help us find Jin.” Kouga stepped forward.

“We also don’t have the room, or the food to spare.” Inuyasha glared at his defiant crew mate. “So, the answer is no.”

XXX

Hiten followed the two at a slower pace, in no real hurry to see what the commotion was. He took the time to look at his surroundings. The thick foliage of the forest all around him, tall leafy trees and strange flowers he'd never seen before. He could hear the call of birds from somewhere off in the distance.

The demon was startled when a hand suddenly covered his mouth. Pulling at the offending appendage, he breathed deeply and in doing so inhaled the chemicals in the cloth covering said offending appendage. `Chloroform' he thought to himself as everything went black and he sunk into the bliss of unconsciousness.

XXX

Being one-third demon he healed faster than most, some of the wounds that had been inflicted upon him yesterday already starting to scar over. Jinenji tugged weakly on the shackles, most of his strength having left him as dehydration set in. Sad eyes rested on the picture that had previously been dropped in his lap, splattered slightly with his own blood he came to the realization, some time ago, that he would never see his family again.

A light breeze swirled around him signaling Kagura's return. Looking towards the entrance he noticed she was not alone. Beside her sat his crewmate, Hiten, bound and gagged. Kicking him to the hard surface of the cave floor, Hiten grunted and glared at the wind demoness.

“I believe you two know each other.” Kagura breezed easily as she lightly stepped over the prone form of the newest demon to their little group. Looking around Hiten saw not only a few feet from him the man that, not too long ago, he had been searching for. Setting herself down lightly a few feet away from the men, the wind demoness gazed at her nails uninterested.

“What am I going to do with you two?” She asked more to herself, her red eyes resting upon each figure before returning back to her nails.

“Let Hiten go, he hasn't done anything.” Jinenji said in defense of the bound man before him.

“Well neither have you.” She responded easily. Rising from her position she paced over to Hiten, picking him up by the back of his navy blue shirt she sat him across the cave from Jinenji. Kagura ripped the gag from his mouth only to have a flood of expletives spew forth.

“Would you just shut up already! My god, you're giving me a migraine.” Rubbing her temples she closed her eyes in annoyance. “Jinenji would you answer the poor boys questions I have to leave. You may just have another friend joining you soon.” She grinned maliciously and Jinenji paled.

XXX

“Where's Hiten?” Hojo asked suddenly.

“Huh?” Inuyasha responded unintelligently as he also took notice that the shorter demon was no where to be seen.

“I thought he was right behind us.” Sango panicked slightly. They had left Hiten alone, in a place where one of their crewmates was already missing.

“You mean you left him…” Miroku's eyes bounced back and forth between Sango and Hojo.

“I guess so.” Hojo said not really all that concerned for the man. Hiten was a demon, he figured said demon could take care of himself.

“This is where we go our sperate ways Ayame.” Inuyasha said, he swore he was going to have a stroke if one more person went missing.

“But… what we use now for shelter is not adequate. We could help you repair your boat. We’ll do anything.”

“Inuyasha.” Kagome pulled on his arm. “We have to, they know the island. They could help. They’re not asking much.”

The half-demons thoughts ran rampant. “Fine, but I ain’t watching any of your people, I got enough of my own to look after.” ‘Especially with the thought of Hiten possibly being abducted.’

“Fantastic.” Kagome gleamed, clapping her hands. “Why don’t you show us to the others. We’ll walk and you can tell us more about the plane crash.”

“Thank you,” Ayame whispered, her voice cracking slightly. She looked up and over to her left into the jungle of the island. “We were up in the air and we had only been up for an hour maybe two. We had experienced some turbulance, you know, the usual, the next thing we knew the oxygen masks were dropping and our pilot was screaming `mayday'. Everything was on fire and it was so hot. People were being torn from the plane…” Her voice cracked again and tears sprung to her eyes. “We lost almost everyone that day. Those that survived died, or went insane. Some we lost to the island.”

“What do you mean you lost some to the island?” Miroku looked quizzically over to the troubled girl.

She glanced around nervously and a hard glint entered her eyes, “He took them.”

XXX

After walking for about half an hour, the entourage came upon a clearing. The ground was littered with various carcasses of previous meals, the remains of many unfortunate coconuts, and pieces of metal, most likely from the plane, glinted in the waning sunlight.

“So… where is everyone?” Kouga asked.

Walking over to a tree across the clearing, Ayame gathered what looked to be a handmade ladder from a branch of the tree. Waving them over in a gesture to follow her up, she climbed up the ladder herself. Next went Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sango. Shippou, Miroku, Hojo, and Kouga having been ordered to stand guard, stayed on the ground.

Set right in the middle of the tree; hidden among the thick branches was a crude tree house, made from various parts of the plane and hacked up pieces of wood. Pushing on the door under the house, Ayame hoisted herself through the opening followed by the trio from the Tetsusaiga.

Inside the house they found five more people in much the same condition as Ayame. Two men, two more women and a small girl. The farthest on the left had been introduced as Bankoutsu, his long black hair in a braid down his back; he wore no shirt and jeans in much the same condition as Ayame's.

Next was Jakoutsu, his brown hair in a braid much like Bankoutsus, he wore linen pants rolled up to his knees and a white tank top that had no doubt seen better days. Next to Jakoutsu was Ayumi, in a bloodied sports bra and shorts, her curly hair high up in a ponytail.

Then there was Eri, her shirt had long ago been torn to come up just above her belly button and sleeves torn off, her pants in the same condition as Ayame's and Bankoutsu's. And then, Kirara a small cat demon, the girl had to be no more than Shippou's age. Her blonde hair done in messy pigtails and her overalls were worn through at the knees.

“You guys never heard of a shower before?” Inuyasha asked, hiding his nose under his shirt to keep away the smell of the five obviously unbathed occupants. They all shot glares at him and he flinched.

“There's a fresh spring not too far from here, where we get our water but we can't bath in it. We have to drink it for heavens sake.” Eri said rolling her eyes.

“Be nice Eri. They’ve offered to take us in.” Ayame scolded.

“On that beaten old thing you call a boat? ” Eri snorted.

“That beaten old thing is going to be your new home until we figure a way off this island.” Ayame growled at the girl and Eri showed her neck in a sign of submission.

“Speaking of that beaten old boat…you guys wouldn’t happen to have been the ones who anchored us to shore, would you?”

“No, it wasn’t us. This is one of the tallest trees in the jungle, I spotted you while on look out.” Bankoutsu explained.

Everyone jumped, startled, when Jakoutsu suddenly lunged for half-demon. Kagome blinked a couple times and stopped combing her fingers through the little cat demon’s hair to watch as Jakoutsu attacked Inuyasha's ears. “Oh my.” She said, trying hard not to giggle.

Bankoutsu rose from his spot to pull the salivating man from the captain's ears. “Dammit, Jak, he's not a chew toy.” He huffed as he tugged harder at the other man.

“But they're so cute!” Jakoutsu squealed and fought to keep hold of the doggy-eared captain. Kagome couldn't help it; she burst into giggles, earning a glare from Inuyasha and weird looks from everyone else in the room. The man was obviously very gay.

“What's so funny wench?” The half-demons' eyes burned like fire and she promptly clamped her mouth shut.

“Nothing.” She said quickly. Ayame and Sango who had been watching the transaction quickly rose from their spots and tried to help Bankoutsu with the removal of the flamboyant man.

“Stop it Jak, you're going to scare him away.” Letting go with a small pout Jakoutsu sulked back to his spot against the far wall, staring longingly at the ears atop Inuyasha's head.

XXX

“What do you think they're doing up there?” Miroku asked when he saw the tree shake some more. They had heard yelling but couldn't make out what was being said and Kouga wasn't willing to share what he had heard. Although, it probably had been something he could use against Inuyasha later if the wide grin on his face was anything to go by.

Shipou had dozed off some time ago. The events from earlier in the day had tuckered him out and he had wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. The rest of the group had no arguments as none of them really felt like entertaining him.

They could hear someone grumbling and they all looked over just in time to see Inuyasha jump down from the tree, rubbing his ears. Next came Ayame and the rest of the group followed suit down the ladder.

After everyone had been introduced and Shippou had been woken up they headed back for the boat. The humans had to rely on the demon's sight now for it had grown very dark and a slight chill settled over them. An hour later they all arrived back at the boat. Happy to get in out of the cold and the rain that had just started to come down.
<><><><><><><><>& lt;><><><><><><><><>< >

End Author’s Note: So Jakoutsu provides a little comic relief. Some parts of this chapter I like. Other’s not so much. The fight scene, if you could even call it that, is not exactly up to par. Fight scenes have never really been a strong suit for me. I hope you guys liked it and sorry for the wait. This story is starting to get a little out of control, there’s so many characters to keep track of now.