InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As the Band Plays ❯ Family Ties ( Chapter 17 )

Sesshoumaru was pouring over all of the paperwork before him in a frenzy. So many conflicting stories lay before him and he hadn't the first clue about which one to believe. Certificates of death, police reports of domestic abuse, marriage certificates, her name on various high handed hit lists. He couldn't make heads or tails out of the mess in front of him, and he was quickly running out of time.

As soon as Kagome had gone missing, the group had split up. Miroku was still in the hospital, and Inu Yasha had forced Sango to stay with him in case Naraku tried anything there while they were all busy with Kagome. Inu Yasha and Kouga had taken off to go check out the surrounding area; no one had even noticed the girl leave the hospital until she was already gone. Ayame and Nazuna left to go check her old house where they had visited her once before asking her to join their band. And Sesshoumaru? Well, he'd been stuck behind a desk with all of the Tsukino resources at his finger tips and he was still coming up blank.

As far as he could tell, her mother had died when she was younger after giving birth to three children, in a horrible accident with a home appliance or something. The details were obnoxiously vague. The father gained custody of the children then and sent them off to boarding school. Not long after that, while the youngest were still only 7, one of the kids died in a gang related act outside of the school grounds. In a panic, the father rushed the remaining two children back into his care. After that things got even sketchier, if possible. The oldest brother took off one night, leaving Kagome with her father, and soon after, she ran off too, with a boy from her old school. Claims of her pregnancy were made public as she announced she planned to elope with the boy. They bought a house, and both were allegedly doing quite well. Then, suddenly, in another gang related incident the boy was killed and Kagome went missing for a while, only to resurface when a local band, Crimson Tears, debuted her on stage. Most of the information in front of him was what he wrestled from the hospital, because for some reason there was no real record of Kagome Higurashi anywhere. His men kept coming up blank, and he couldn't figure it out. He was just grateful for the information from the hospital, and that they'd been so kind to release it to him.

Sesshoumaru ran a hand over his face and sighed, looking down at the papers again. Suddenly, his entire body went icy with shock as he found himself staring at the name on the medical folder. His hand snatched up the phone and within seconds he was screaming something to someone. He hung up the phone and spun around to the computer. A few searches and encrypted emails later he was staring at a family photo of five. A tall, calloused looking man with hard eyes, a beautiful woman with an age worn face that resembled Kagome quite closely, a smiling young boy just approaching puberty was between his mother and father, and on either hip of the woman were two darling little girls with black hair and silver eyes. Twin girls.

Sesshoumaru scrolled down a bit further and the sinking pit of his stomach tightened as his suspicions were confirmed.

Below the picture was a label that read:

The Shikon family outside of their newly inherited shrine. Clockwise from the top left: Shinji Shikon, Souta Shikon, Kagome Shikon, Amaya Shikon, and Kikyou Shikon.

 

Inu Yasha swore loudly and yanked his cell phone out of his pocket. He saw that it was from Sesshoumaru though and hit the talk button immediately. “You need to go to the Shikon shrine and see if that's where she went. And you need to hurry, because I have a bad feeling she's not walking there, as much as being delivered.”

Inu Yasha's knuckles turned white as he gripped the phone in a fury. “What do you mean?”

“Kagome's last name isn't really Higurashi. That's just a name she assumed after a false marriage. She changed it in order to get away from her father, who's all sorts of tied up with the Youkai gang that Naraku inherited from his father.”

The shock that over took Inu Yasha made him stop dead. “Hold on, what? What about a false marriage?”

Sesshoumaru's enraged voice roared, “Stop standing around asking questions you idiot and run! Kagome's in more danger than I'd like to inform you about right now and you don't have time for the explanation!” He hung up the phone at that, and the beep brought Inu Yasha back to reality. He scowled and changed direction, bolting off towards the shrine without even saying anything to the dumbfounded Kouga, left behind in confusion.

 

Ayame hopped down out of the tree beside Nazuna and scowled. “I don't see her in there. It looks like no one has lived in here for years. Are you sure this is the right house?”

Nazuna groaned and twisted her hands in her hair in aggravation. “No, I'm not sure. I have no idea where the hell I'm going. Sango gave me this address and kinda threw me in the water, telling me to sink or swim. You've been here Ayame, don't you know?”

Ayame giggled a bit and shrugged her shoulders. “Nope, not a clue sorry. They always said I had a horrible memory.”

The blonde girl roared again and turned around, kicking the door in her irritation. Much to her surprise, and Ayame's, it swung open freely. Ayame blinked and looked at Nazuna's wide eyed expression.

“Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a more thorough look around the house,” Nazuna said, shrugging as she went inside. Ayame squeaked and hopped onto her heels, trying to avoid all the dust flying around but to no avail.

They made their way down the hall and peeked around the kitchen. No one. A bit further down they saw a bathroom and a computer room, but still yet, unoccupied, and it looked like it had been for quite some time.

“This is pretty creepy…” Ayame quipped, biting her thumbnail and peering over Nazuna's shoulder.

“You're right, let's get out of here. Kagome is obviously elsewhere.” Nazuna spun around and started quickly making her way towards the door. Once they were back in the front room, however, she noticed a shadow she hadn't paid much mind to before. She only saw it now because it had moved, and was now right beside the front door. She froze, causing Ayame to run right into her.

“What..?” Then she saw him and froze as well.

A tall man, with eyes full of hatred and disdain stood by the door and stared down at both of the girls. He smiled, now that they knew of his presence and was afraid. He liked it when women feared him. It reminded them of their place. He closed the door, his eye never leaving their faces. “If you guys are looking for Kagome, she'll be here soon. I'm sure she'll be happy to tell you guys all about me.”

Nazuna narrowed her eyes and stepped firmly in front of Ayame, even though she was terrified herself. She'd always had Inu Yasha or Sesshoumaru to protect her, and right now she had neither. “Who are you?”

The man smiled and walked over to the plastic covered couch and plopped down onto it. “The name's Shinji.”

 

Inu Yasha swore loudly kicking the rotten wooden building's wall. He'd searched the entire shrine's grounds, and still no sign of her. He'd even gone through the creepy ass well house to look for her and all he'd found was old bones and masks and all sorts of things that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Sinking against the tree in exasperation he retrieved his cell phone and dialed Sesshoumaru's number.

“Hello?”

“She's not here.”

“… I was afraid of that.”

“Afraid of what?”

“The girl's aren't answering their phones either. She might in fact be at her old house.”

Inu Yasha leaned forward, his teeth grit down. “And where the hell is that?”

Sesshoumaru sighed on the other end. “It's like a block or so away from the school I'll meet you there. I'll call Kouga back.”

Inu Yasha looked around, just noticing the absence of his friend. “Where the hell is he?”

“He's outside that house now, and he said Nazuna and Ayame both went into that house a bit ago, but they didn't come out, and he could have sworn he heard a man talking.”

“Why the hell hasn't he gone in after them?!”

“Because Naraku hasn't shone up yet, his car is no where to be seen, and the girls, at least for now, are fine outside of being terrified. In short, because I told him not to. If we scare off Naraku, who knows what he'll do to Kagome.”

Inu Yasha understood this and nodded in affirmation, regardless of Sesshoumaru's inability to see the action. “Ok, you're right. As soon as we get Kagome back you're explaining all of this to me though.”

“No time.” He hung up again then, sending Inu Yasha into a fresh batch so curses and anger before he took off running in the direction he'd just come.

 

A car door slammed outside, drawing the attention of the three occupants of the room. A small smile spread across the man's face, a satisfied smile like one you'd find on a lion after gorging itself on some defenseless animal. Nazuna wrapped her hand around Ayame's reassuringly and shot a glance out the window. She gasped when she saw Naraku and Kikyou getting out of the car, Kagome being drug along behind them without putting up much of a fight.

The front door slammed open and Naraku's smirking form made his way through the frame with Kagome slung over his shoulder and Kikyou's wrist wrapped up in his right hand. “Two little Shikon Priestesses, delivered as promised.” Kikyou gave a glare to the man on the couch, but didn't seem much concerned. Naraku slung her hand forward, guiding her towards him and she took the cue to step up to him.

“Hello, father. Long time no see.” Kikyou looked down at the man before her, not even feigning interest. “Your precious long lost daughter has come back to you again. Does that make you happy?”

The man before her sharply lifted his hand and struck her across the face effortlessly. “You keep quiet bitch. I don't give a damn what you do. I sure as hell don't want you back here.” He turned back to a smirking Naraku. “Hand her over.”

Naraku slid the girl from her shoulders and handed her across to the man. Kikyou rushed back to Naraku's side who ignored her as the man smirked down into Kagome's unconscious face.

“Come on, firefly. Wake up, Daddy's here,” the man said softly, an evident sneer in his voice.

Kagome's body stiffened and a shiver went through her limbs. She regained consciousness slowly, her eyes straining against the faint light, her face still tilted to the side where her head lolled over her shoulder. She blinked in confusion at Nazuna and Ayame who had been watching all of this in utter shock, and then looked up to see who her captor was. When her eyes fell on the face of her father, they widened in terror and she immediately regained energy. She screamed and immediately started to try to squirm away.

The man just chuckled, soon echoed by Naraku's own sadistic snickering. He was becoming quite aroused by the levels of fear in the room. Kikyou glowered at the girl in her father's arms, and tightened hers around Naraku. The man repositioned his hands for a better grip on the girl, circling his arm around her head, so her chin was in the crook of her arm and her back was against his chest. He locked his other hand over her head and smiled. “It's been quite a while since we saw each other last, hasn't it? When was the last time? Oh yea.” He tightened his arms around her head. “It was when I killed that stupid little boy who tried to hide you from me. Did you really think I would believe those lies you fed to the school? Hmm?”

Kagome choked and gasped clawing at his arms. She saw Kikyou then and Naraku, and suddenly realization dawned on her. She shot a glare from hell at Kikyou and turned to gasp a warning to the others. “Nazuna… Ayame, get out of here now!”

Ayame grabbed Nazuna as the girl started to head towards the struggling girl to assist her. The man suddenly released Kagome, letting her fall to the floor. He drew out a gun and smiled charmingly in their direction. “These girls bothering you? Interrupting your family reunion? Its ok honey, I'll take care of them for you.” He chuckled and cocked his gun.

In that moment, many things happened at once. Kagome leapt off of the floor despite her injuries, and jumped between her friends and her father. Her father pulled the trigger and the roar of the gun shook the foundation of the house. The door burst in for a third time that day and in rushed Inu Yasha, Sesshoumaru, and Kouga just in time to see Kagome crumple to the floor.

Sesshoumaru growled and immediately attacked the trio on his right. He grabbed the gun from Kagome's father and wrested it from his grip just to turn it on Naraku. He pulled the trigger once, twice, three times catching him in the chest. He then turned and gripped Kagome's father by the throat, lifting him high into the air before slamming him into the ground.

Kouga had run to Ayame and Nazuna to check them over and Inu Yasha had sped immediately to Kagome's side. He rolled her over and froze when he found her barely conscious and breathing, blood trickling from her mouth and flowing like a fountain from beneath her hand on her abdomen. He found himself at a loss for anything to do then, other than kill. He got up, his sights set on Naraku, whom Kikyou was trying to get out of the door while Sesshoumaru focused on Shinji. He ran straight for them, scooping up the gun from where Sesshoumaru had dropped it. He aimed carefully in their direction, his eyes dark with hatred and despair. However, when he shot the gun, neither Kikyou or Naraku fell to the ground in pain. A huge popping noise was heard as he blew the tires on the car one by one from where he stood.

He smiled slightly, an evil smile that didn't belong on his face as he advanced on Naraku. He knocked Kikyou out of his way and grabbed Naraku by the shoulders and methodically began kneeing him in the stomach until the boy gagged on his own blood and vomit. Naraku looked up at him in a panic, not completely understanding what was going on. Inu Yasha grinned again, nothing but mirth showing in his dark eyes, as he lifted his hands to his head, giving it a sharp twist. As the vertebrae broke in his neck and he began choking on his own blood, Kikyou screamed, “No!” She picked up the gun off of the porch and whipped around to face Inu Yasha, but before she could pull the trigger, her head was spinning from the blow that was just delivered to her. Kagome, propped against the door frame was heaving with the effort it took her to hold her self up and support the lamp in her arms she had just struck Kikyou with. Inu Yasha looked at her in shock.

Before he could say anything though, Kagome croaked only audible enough that Sesshoumaru could just hear her over his rage. “Stop, Sesshoumaru, please.” The elder brother froze and looked over his shoulder, but did stop, nevertheless retaining his grip on the man. Kagome was staring down at Kikyou who was still out of sorts on her porch. “I never would have though you would have done this.” She looked at Kikyou with her eyes full of sorrow and heart break. Kikyou lifted her eyes to Kagome's and then lowered them again. Kagome punched the door frame, enraged, blood dripping from her fist. “I thought you were dead!” she screamed.

Inu Yasha stared on, utterly confused. His eyes focused on the blood dripping non stop from her palm. His eyes went to her stomach, but there was no puncture in her clothing, just the stain. The bullet must have hit her hand, and she must've bitten her lip when her dad was strangling her. He relaxed a little, but not by much, still very curious as to what the hell was going on.

Kagome was staring at the floor now. “I'm done running, Dad. I cannot allow you to hurt anyone else because of me, anymore.” She turned her eyes back to Kikyou, now full of tears. “You betrayed us all. It was you, wasn't it? The one who gave Souta to them.” Kikyou flinched at the name but said nothing. Kagome grit her teeth and grabbed Kikyou's chin and forced her to look at her. “They pulled him out of the river in pieces. Six! Six pieces exactly!” she spat at her in disgust. She let go of her face and let the girl look away. “He did everything he could to protect you, but it wasn't enough. Nothing was ever enough for you.”

Silence over took the house then as Kagome just glared down at her sister. Not even her father made a noise as he watched the two, enraptured in it all. Kagome shook with rage as she stood there in silence. Inu Yasha, unable to take the silence anymore stepped forward.

“Kag-“

“He left me there to die!” Kikyou snapped, tears running down her cheeks finally. Kagome spun on her and back handed her across the face.

She stared at her in fury. “He almost died trying to save you! He jumped straight into that throng and then didn't leave until they carried your body off. Your dead body, he thought. Don't you dare slander Souta's name.” Kagome crouched narrowing her eyes further still. “But he did die, trying to save you, didn't he? That's why he left without saying anything to me. It's the only reason why he would have. But instead of saving you, he was condemned by you!” Kagome stared at her in anger. She felt all of the disgust and spite broiling in her bones. She spit at Kikyou's feet.

“You are not my sister.” She stood slowly and looked down at her. “My sister died the night she went to go make a pact with some thugs to find my mother's killer.” She turned and faced her father. “Maybe she would have survived if she'd waited around to find out that he was our father.”

Her father crooked a little half smile at her then. “Aw, honey, when you put it like tha-“ he choked as Sesshoumaru forced his arm against his windpipe. Kagome's eyes narrowed feeling the hatred spinning inside of her. Suddenly a hand came to rest on her arm, and she looked up into the soft golden eyes of Inu Yasha.

“Kagome…” he mumbled. Kagome studied his face for a second, and felt her body relax considerably. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment to ponder her next decision.

“At first, I thought, just kill them and end it. These two are like Dracula, they just keep coming back.” She opened her eyes and looked between the two of them. “But killing at this point would be an act of mercy to release you from your insanities. I'm having you both hospitalized. In fucking Sweden or something. Where I'll never have to see you again.”

“Neither of you are a part of my family any longer, and you haven't been for a while. These are my last words to you both; may you rot in the prison of your own minds where the guilt of your actions will hold you captive for eternity. Goodbye.” With that, she dialed the number for the police and she turned and stormed outside, leaving the rest of them in stunned silence. Inu Yasha motioned for Kouga to come and restrain Kikyou who was again reaching for the gun. He shook his head at her.

“It's empty you moron.” He pointed to the clip at the bottom of the stairs. “You're pretty pathetic. Even more than I initially thought.” He shrugged and started walking towards Kagome.

“Inu Yasha, give it up you just want her because she reminds you of me,” Kikyou snickered in desperation for the last word.

Inu Yasha froze and looked at her. “She reminds me of no one but an angel. I wake up in the morning, and even if she's yelling at me, all I hear is her sweet voice and I know that I don't ever have to worry about any type of betrayal. She's too obnoxious to keep a secret.” He shrugged and rolled his shoulders. “And she's right. You're not her sister. Siblings could never be more different. She's much more beautiful than you could ever be.”

And as Inu Yasha walked towards Kagome, and the sirens quickly approached them, Kikyou knew her time was over, and Kagome's had begun.

 

 

A/N: One last chapter for this story folks. I'm gonna start wrapping all of these up sorry for the hiatus. You know how college goes. Anyway, if you're looking for something else to entertain yourself with, a friend of mine and I are collaborating on a Manga. You should totally check us out and support us once we get up and running. The site is still a work in progress, but if you check regularly, it will be frequently updated with all sorts of animated goodness. Bai now.

Priestess.