InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Heaven ❯ Relationships ( Chapter 4 )

Dark Heaven

 

One of my reviewers, a while back, said my story reminded them of Underworld. Well, when I started this, I'd never watched the film, although it looked fairly cool. I saw it last week, and wow. There are quite a few parallels between Dark Heaven and Underworld. It's eerie…

 

Chapter 4

 

Relationships

 

“That went well.” Naraku silently mused, walking to his office. The meeting had done exactly what he had wanted it to do: nothing at all. It had quelled no fear, answered no questions, cleared up nothing. Which is why, as Councilor Two, he made sure he did all the public speaking now. Only when you man the light switch, can you ensure the people are left in the dark.

 

“Councilor,” Naraku glared at his secretary as she stood from her post. “You…a visitor arrived, during the meeting.” She said. Naraku processed this information, nodded, and entered his office. It was dark, the only light coming from the full window and crescent moon in the night sky. Naraku's lovely black vinyl swivel chair was turned to the window. A hand hung out into the air on the right arm. Every few moments, the being would snap, and a short plume of flame would spark from their fingertips. Naraku smiled. He knew this man.

 

“Kagemusha, long time,” Naraku said, closing the door and locking it, flipping on the lights. The chair swung around to reveal a tall man in a fine black suit with a red undershirt. His eyes were a deep green, although they occasionally flashed red. His hair was red, neatly trimmed and perfectly parted. This man was not just anyone, but was Tenant Kagemusha Kazanobi. Tenant of the House of Taisho, one of the five leaders of Horai. Kagemusha smiled and put his feet up on Naraku's desk.

 

“Naraku, long time indeed,” Kagemusha smiled. Naraku made his way to the side of the room.

 

“Brandy, cigar? Cigarette?” He asked, pouring himself a drink. The ryu-youkai held up an unlit cigarette in his hands and blew out a breath. A quick blast of flame lit the cigarette, and Kagemusha casually puffed, blowing the smoke out through his nose.

 

“I don't drink,” He sniffed. Naraku nodded and sipped his.

 

“So, why did he send you?” Naraku asked, sitting down in one of the two chairs opposite Kagemusha.

 

“He is not pleased with your performance,” Kagemusha explained, tapping his cigarette against his shoe. Naraku noted a small bit of ash that fell onto his desk with distaste. This desk had been hand crafted over a week by the finest craftsmen in Haven. He didn't like it being dirty. “You have done well, helping the goodwill of our two species to fester, but it is not enough. You know what he desires.”

 

“I know Midoriko has it,” Naraku defended. “Recently, she is not well. She is pale, worn. Drained. Surely evidence that it is taking its toll on her.” He swirled his brandy and took a drink.

 

“Perhaps. Or perhaps it is just a bout of the flu, and you are wasting our time on her,” Kagome replied. “He's been waiting fifty years, Naraku. He will not wait much longer. You made a deal with us, Naraku, and you will not back out now.”

 

“I have no intention to back out, Kagemusha. I just need more time,” Naraku said. “Rest assured, I shall make good on my promises to him.” Kagemusha smirked.

 

“We shall see,” He said, standing up. He stared out the window, blowing out another puff of smoke as Naraku joined him. “I remember a great time, Naraku. A time when humans and youkai slaughtered one another in an epic battle to exterminate each other. Those were wonderful days, Naraku.”

 

“They are not yet done, Kagemusha,” Naraku reminded him. “Your master spent fifty years searching for it, and soon, it shall be ours again.” Kagemusha nodded.

 

“You are correct, Naraku. And when we have it, this age of `peace' will reach its end. And when the dust settles, we shall stand tall as the kings of the remnants of society,” Kagemusha chuckled. He smiled and raised his cigarette in the air. “A toast! To the destruction of the Council of Thirteen!” He cheered. Naraku raised his glass of brandy and smiled.

 

“To the downfall of the House of Taisho!” He laughed.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“Greetings, Lady Kikyo,” Kaede said, nodding to her Councilor. Kikyo smiled and nodded back. Kaede had been a secretary for Naomi fifteen years ago. After the liberation of her daughter, she had committed suicide, and flung herself from the top of the Council Towers. Kikyo had great respect for the passed Councilor, and offered Kaede a position as secretary. She had accepted.

 

“Kaede, what information have you found on her?” Kikyo asked, entering her office and turning out the lights. Kaede picked up a folder from her desk and flipped it open.

 

“There are a few sparse reports from just after she escaped,” Kaede read. “Reports of minor theft. Nothing too problematic, a purse or two, a couple scraps of food. Then there's nothing. There's a few months of a winged assailant stealing, and then there's nothing. She vanishes.” Kikyo sighed.

 

“Until a month ago,” She mused aloud. “When the first attack came.” She sat down at her desk and massaged her temples. “She's out there somewhere. We just can't find her.”

 

“She must have taken an alias,” Kaede shrugged. “Don't worry about her my Lady, she'll be found.” Kikyo shook her head.

 

“It's not her I'm worried about. Naraku is up to something, he keeps covering up the sightings. I don't know why, but I know he's planning something. I just want to make sure Kagome isn't in danger,” She explained.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“So how did you two meet?” Sango asked, sipping her latte. Inuyasha shrugged.

 

“Youkai peace rally,” He explained. “He got drunk, I bumped into him on the way to the can. He promised not to kick my ass if I bought him a drink.”

 

“As I recall, you were the drunk one,” Miroku muttered.

 

“I don't see how it's important,” Inuyasha replied. Miroku rolled his eyes and looked at the girl to him.

 

“So Kags, what's with you?” He asked. Kagome looked up and swallowed a lump of cheeseburger in her mouth.

 

“Huh?” she asked.

 

“You haven't said a word,” Miroku pointed out. “Not to talkative tonight?” Kagome shrugged.

 

“I guess not,” She said.

“You didn't even say hi to Inuyasha. You haven't made eye contact or anything.”

 

“She did when I came in,” Inuyasha reminded him with a smirk.

 

“Hence why I haven't said anything since then,” Kagome muttered.

 

“So what was happening at the rally Inuyasha?” Sango asked. Inuyasha sighed.

 

“They were discussing the Angel sightings again,” He explained. Kagome suddenly choked on her burger and coughed, swallowing heavily. “There's a bunch of rumors that the Council knows who she is, and is withholding it on order from the House of Taisho. You know, the same old conspiracy bullshit that only losers with tinfoil hats believe.” Sango nodded.

 

“I don't get what the big problem is, she does good, right?” She asked. Kagome shrugged.

 

“People fear the unknown,” She said. “It's human nature to be afraid of something you don't understand.”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“See you tomorrow Sango!” Kagome waved from her doorstep. Sango vanished around the corner, and Kagome unlocked the door to her apartment. She walked inside and sighed, trudging up the stairs. The small three-story building rented out each floor as its own apartment. Kagome had the third floor. She passed by the second floor, and rolled her eyes as she heard a muffled moan. Sounded like her neighbor had been to a bar tonight. She reached the top of the stairs and unlocked her door, walking inside and locking the door behind her.

 

The Cryer paid average wage, enough for kitchen and bathing supplies. There was also a beat-up dresser Kagome had found at a garage sale, a couch and a TV, and a bed. It wasn't much. The paint on the walls was cracked, the TV didn't get many channels- unless Kagome held up a bunch of clothes hangers over her head- and the floorboards creaked. But it was home, nonetheless.

 

Kagome pulled off her jacket and flung it over the couch. She sighed and walked out onto one of the few good things the place had: a balcony, with a great view. She felt a breeze ruffle her hair and smiled. She just stared out into the night and the bright crescent moon in the distance. Absent-mindedly, her thoughts turned to the man Miroku had introduced at the diner…Inuyasha…

 

“Don't be ridiculous,” Kagome scolded herself, shaking her head. Okay, the guy was handsome. And amazing eyes…but last time she checked, dating wasn't an option for her. Sango was nineteen and had graduated school last year. Miroku was eighteen. Inuyasha…Kagome wasn't sure. At seventeen, she should have been in high school, but she wasn't. She didn't dare risk it. And if school was too risky, dating was out of the question.

 

“It's the way it has to be,” Kagome reminded herself, walking back into the apartment. “I have to be alone, it's the only way to be safe.” She reached up and pulled her dark blue T-shirt off, tossing it onto the couch as she entered her bedroom. She slipped her jeans down her hips and let them pool at the floor. Kagome ducked under her bed and pulled out a locked leather trunk. She pulled the key down from her bedside table and unlocked it, opening the lid to reveal a pair of black jeans and a black leather top.

 

“I don't do romance, and I don't do personal life,” She said sadly, remembering Sango's implication that she had no life outside of work. She reached up behind herself and unclipped her bra, tossing it onto the bed. Finally, she clipped off the snaps of the leather straps she wore under her outfit and let them fall behind her. She stretched and groaned as her wings flitted extended behind her. She hated having to wear those restraints all the time, they cramped her wings. But it was the only way to make sure they didn't move and give her away in the daytime.

 

She pulled on the jeans and slipped the top over her head, the front hanging down. The shirt was open in the back to allow her winged room, so the shirt tied up at the neck. She pulled it up and tied the front in place. She mused and pulled out a third article from the trunk, a black scarf of silk. It was bright out, she needed some cover. She wrapped the scarf around her mouth and tucked it under the knot behind her neck. That done, Kagome walked out onto the balcony and looked over the city.

 

“Just a quick patrol,” She promised herself. And with that, Angel jumped over her balcony and swooped into the night sky.