InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Entrapment: A 21st Century Adventure ❯ On the Run ( Chapter 8 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.06.2011 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.9K | Visits: 848 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.06.2011 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.9K | Visits: 848 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
On the Run
Sango sighed, tilting her head up towards the sky as she knelt before the grave. She had lost count of the days since the last time she had seen Inuyasha or Kagome, though it was probably close to ten now. If they weren’t sure the hanyou and miko were in trouble before, they were now. It was indescribably frustrating to know there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
When she thought she would go insane if she spent another minute in Kaede’s village, she decided to go visit the graves of her family, friends, and neighbors at the ruins of the taijiya village. Miroku had offered to come along as well. Sango could tell he was going as stir crazy as she was, though you wouldn’t know it from looking at that perpetually composed exterior of his. The two of them had more or less forced Shippou to come along too, since the kit had become decidedly gloomy in Kagome’s absence. An excursion would do all of them some good.
Sango had hoped the journey would distract her from their missing friends for at least a little while, but it was not to be. On the way here, she couldn’t stop brainstorming all the worst case scenarios, her imagination taking fantastic modern things Kagome had told her about and blowing them completely out of proportion to reality. But how could she help it, when she knew virtually nothing of the miko’s world? Her only consolation was that Inuyasha was with her; Sango knew first hand just how capable the hanyou was.
And kind, when he wanted to be. Sango remembered how he and Miroku had dug graves for the entire village, and even cleaned up the wreckage left by the marauding youkai swarm. She recalled how Kagome had gathered flowers to lay on the graves, and taken care of her wounds. And in one of the weakest moments of her life, when the raw emotion of death and betrayal and Kohaku’s slavery had finally caught up with her, Kagome had held her as she wept uncontrollably, reduced to a blubbering child by the cruelty of it all.
In the empty space where a prosperous village once stood, desperate loneliness closed in around Sango. A cold wind blew in from the north, and she shivered. I already lost one family. If I lose Inuyasha and Kagome too…
A cloth-clad hand came to rest on her shoulder, startling her. But she managed a small smile; she was glad Miroku was here. She scooted over and leaned gently into him, accepting his comfort. At times, she still had to remind herself that she wasn’t alone. For now, she would cherish the companions she had, and draw reassurance from her lecherous houshi, as they waited for the day when their lost comrades would return, and their unusual family would be whole again.
Perfect for him, perhaps, but not for Kagome. She couldn’t just knock on someone’s door, explain that she was in trouble, and ask for a ride into the city. That left either walking or hitchhiking. She couldn’t currently see Morioka through the trees, but she knew the general direction in which it laid. She did not, however, know how far away it was, or how long it would take to get there. Could she make it there today, or would she be forced to wait out a cold night in the woods? And what kind of city areas would she have to walk through to get somewhere safe? Industrial zones? Bad neighborhoods? Plus, the longer she stayed out here, the more likely her former captors would find her, especially if they were using the dogs to track her. The safest place for her to be right now was in a crowd; a mall or busy city street would be perfect.
The other option, hitchhiking, seemed like the quickest way to put her in those favorable surroundings. But hitchhiking came with its own set of problems, not the least of which being what would happen if she attempted to solicit a ride from a vehicle driven by one of her former captors. There were also the typical dangers associated with getting in a car with a stranger who could be a robber or even a serial killer. Still, the vast majority of drivers on the road were not criminals. She would take those odds, since her chances of making it to Morioka by foot seemed significantly worse.
Decision made, Kagome stopped and looked down the roadway in both directions. It bordered a forest, with farmland on the other side. She was on the right, among the trees, and facing oncoming traffic in her lane. (1) She was currently in the middle of a straightaway about a quarter mile long, as good a place as any, she guessed. The last car had passed in the other direction perhaps ten minutes ago. She would wait here for awhile, and move on in search of a better spot if that failed. She would make sure to remain close to the forest, in case she needed to make a quick getaway. With her experiences in the feudal era, she was sure she had more practice running through woodland than her pursuers. It would at least give her a chance.
Seating herself on a fallen log, Kagome settled in to wait. She started to hum a tune then stopped, focusing instead on listening for the sound of approaching vehicles. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, but it was only a few minutes before the low thrum of engine and tires reached her ears from the right. She peered around a tree as the car came into view. It was an old, boxy four-door sedan, with visible dents and faded paint. It was perfect; neither Sasaki nor the mercenaries would be caught dead driving something like that. She stepped out of the forest and onto the tiny rural shoulder, waving both arms above her head, not so much a request for a ride as a plea for help. She figured the driver would be more likely to stop that way.
But the car simply moved into the other lane, actually accelerating as it passed her instead of slowing down. Kagome hung her head; perhaps this would be more difficult than she hoped. Such was the trouble with depending on the common decency of her fellow man. Then she heard the squeal of ancient brakes, and spun to see the car pulling over to the side of the road a couple hundred feet away. Grinning, she jogged to meet her potential rescuers.
“I still say this is a bad idea, Haruka,” she heard a male voice speak in a hushed tone as she approached. “What if she’s a serial killer or something?”
“Did you see her?!” a woman retorted. “I’ve never heard of a schoolgirl serial killer, have you?”
“Well no, but—”
“But nothing. What if she’s in trouble?”
“What if picking her up puts our daughter in trouble?”
“Oh, you worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough!”
“Um, excuse me,” Kagome interrupted quietly. At this, the man in the driver’s seat looked up, and the woman across from him spun around to face her. Both were in their thirties, and had the air of a married couple about them. The man wore wire-rimmed classes that made him look older, while the woman exuded a more youthful impression. It was clear she was the more outgoing of the two.
“Well,” she said, appearing somewhat embarrassed that their conversation had been overheard. “What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere, dear?”
“Trying to get back to civilization,” Kagome replied cordially. “Are you heading into Morioka?”
“Sure are. Unfortunately, it’s to visit my mother-in-law,” Haruka declared, causing her husband to shake his head and mutter under his breath. “Would you like a ride into town?”
“I would love a ride,” Kagome breathed, practically wilting in relief. “Thank you so much.”
Haruka shot her a puzzled look, perhaps sensing that this was no normal request. It was then that Kagome noticed both adults staring at the left side of her face, and the still visible bruise that could not fully be concealed by makeup. The reminder of her blemish gave the miko an idea for a believable story. She looked away, covering her cheek with a hand and allowing some of her very real anxiety to show in her expression.
“Yes,” she mumbled absently, “I won’t feel safe until I get away from him.”
She purposely left the statement ambiguous, so her audience would fill in whatever was most plausible to them. Apparently it worked, as both of their faces instantly fell in sympathy.
“Hop in, dear,” Haruka told her. Kagome nodded gratefully and moved to open the rear passenger door. “See! I told you she was in trouble!” the woman whispered to her husband.
“Ah, put a sock in it,” the man replied jokingly.
“I’m Haruka, by the way,” his wife stated as Kagome seated herself, noticing for the first time the young girl, probably of four or five years of age, sleeping soundly opposite her. “This is my husband, Ryouta. And that little hell-raiser back there is Aimi.” (2)
“Pleased to meet you, Haruka-san, Ryouta-san,” Kagome replied, bowing to each of them. “My name is Kagome.”
“Kagome, that’s a nice name,” Haruka observed. “We should name our next daughter Kagome.”
“Kami help me if we have another girl,” her husband remarked dryly.
“Oh right, like you were so well-behaved when you were little. We’ve all hear your mother’s stories.”
“Repeatedly.”
Kagome chuckled, content to sit back and listen to her hosts’ playful banter. They drove back the way she had come, eventually turning onto the main road to the city. Kagome sunk low in her seat and kept a wary eye out for other vehicles, but no one passing them seemed to pay their car any interest whatsoever.
After a few minutes, Aimi began to stir, coming awake with a big yawn. She started a little when she saw the new passenger next to her, and rubbed her eyes as if to clear the illusion from them. Kagome beamed at the adorable child, who smiled and waved before turning to her mother.
“Mama, who’s that?”
“Oh, you’re awake, sweetie. That’s Kagome. We’re giving her a ride to the city.”
“She’s comin’ to grandma’s house with us?”
“No, Kagome has…other things to do.”
“I’m going to meet a friend,” Kagome interjected. “But I didn’t have a phone or a car. Your otou-san and okaa-san are really helping me out.”
“I’m helping too!” Aimi declared, frowning in upset.
“Of course you are,” Kagome soothed. “You three are my heroes.”
That seemed to satisfy the little girl, and she was soon carrying out an animated conversation with her new teenage friend. For the next quarter hour or so, Kagome truly enjoyed herself. With everything she had been through recently, chatting with someone so beautifully innocent was a real pleasure.
Eventually, however, tall buildings replaced trees outside the windows, and Kagome realized it was time to breach the subject of her departure.
“Haruka-san, is there a mall where you could drop me off?”
“Sure, it’s a dozen or so blocks from here. Turn left at the next intersection, dear,” she told her husband.
“I know how to get there.”
“Just like you knew how to get to the restaurant on our anniversary?”
“Oh, you had to bring that up again.”
“Forever and ever, dear,” Haruka teased with a smirk. Ryouta heaved a long-suffering sigh, but he could not help but smile as well.
As Ryouta made the turn, Kagome started to contemplate her next steps. Her first priority had been to get to a crowded place where she could blend in. So she would go to the mall, but then what? She had no idea where Inuyasha was, no money, and perhaps most importantly, no way to get money. When the mall closed, she would have to leave. Then what would she do? Wander unfamiliar streets at night, trying to avoid being mugged or worse? The city was truly an inhospitable place without funds to purchase hospitality. She supposed she could ask Ryouta and Haruka for a place to stay, but she didn’t want to impose or put them in any more danger than they already were. She shuddered at the thought of harm coming to precious Aimi because of her.
Kagome breathed deeply, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes. She was no mere mortal girl; she was a miko, and a powerful one at that. Perhaps this task would be hopeless for a normal human, but not for her. She exhaled slowly, tuning out the world around her. Inuyasha…Inuyasha, where are you? Senses stretching, she searched for a hint of her hanyou’s presence. But there was nothing, no glimmer of hope. Biting her lower lip, she concentrated harder, pushing her awareness farther than it had ever extended before. And still, she sensed no trace of Inuyasha’s aura. Kagome swore under her breath, frustration and desperation swirling together as she delved down deep inside herself. Her powers were clearer, more accessible than ever, and she called upon every iota of spiritual energy she possessed. Fuzziness invaded her mind, sapping her strength as she tried to maintain this impossible level of focus. Her consciousness swelled, every moment a test of endurance, until it felt like she was scanning the entire city.
The snap of her concentration breaking was nearly audible, and she drew in a gasping breath as her whole body seized uncontrollably. Then she collapsed in the seat, breathing heavily as she fought back the waves of darkness threatening to pull her into unconsciousness. But even though her mind and body were exhausted, she smiled. For just before her strength gave out, she had sensed Inuyasha. It was barely a flicker of his youki, but it was enough to tell her that he was within the city limits. And which direction he was in.
“Kagome, are you okay?” Haruka asked, turning around to face her. Kagome nodded, gleaning from the older woman’s relatively unworried expression that she had not seen most of that bizarre display. But judging by the slack-jawed, terrified expression on poor Aimi’s face, the little girl had.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Kagome replied, managing a genuine smile. “Turn the car around, please.”
“Huh? I thought you wanted to go to the mall?”
“No…I know where I need to be now.”
Ryouta and Haruka shared a look at their guest’s cryptic response, but the latter just shrugged as he pulled into the right turn lane to make a U-turn. His wife appeared less convinced, but probably didn’t feel comfortable prying into Kagome’s apparently abuse-filled personal life. The schoolgirl was allowed to change her mind once without drawing unnecessary questions. Frowning nonetheless, Haruka spun back around to face forward.
Meanwhile, Kagome leaned over and whispered to the frightened child. “Aimi-chan, can we keep what you saw as our little secret?”
Aimi brightened, the prospect of keeping such an important secret an exciting one. But she was not without reservations.
“But you were glowing pink!” she whispered back. “I thought you were gonna die!”
“Don’t worry,” Kagome replied with a wink. “Those were just my special super powers.”
“Wow…cool!”
Kagome leaned back to her own side of the car before the adults got suspicious, holding her finger to her lips in a gesture for silence. Aimi grinned, making the ‘my lips are zipped’ motion. And that’s why I love kids, Kagome reflected.
After a few minutes of traveling, and recovery on the miko’s part, she again stretched her senses. Inuyasha was definitely closer this time, and she didn’t have to put forth nearly as much effort to detect him. A directional adjustment was needed, however, so she asked Ryouta to make another turn. The next fifteen minutes or so proceeded in this fashion, with Kagome guiding the automobile closer and closer to her lost friend’s location. Finally, she called for a stop; it was time for her to depart. She would walk from here; she dared not bring this innocent family any closer to armed mercenaries who would not hesitate to kill them to cover their own asses. No, Ryouta and Haruka had done enough.
Kagome emerged from the vehicle and took a full view of her surroundings. They appeared to be on the outskirts of the city, in a residential district, the homes two or three stories and close together. It reminded her of Tokyo, specifically the area where Ayumi and Eri lived. That thought made her homesick, but she shook it off. Now was not the time to pine for her old life; she needed to have all of her wits about her for what was to come.
Haruka came around the car wearing a concerned expression and pulled her aside. “Kagome, are you sure you’re okay? You’re welcome to stay with us for a few days.”
“No, I’m fine. A friend of mine works near here; I’ll get in touch with him.”
“Well, alright,” Haruka replied, still not entirely convinced. She grabbed Kagome’s hand and placed a folded piece of paper into it. “That’s our phone number. If you need anything, and I mean anything, promise me you’ll call us.”
“I will,” Kagome pledged, bowing respectfully. “Thank you so much for all your help. I’ll never forget it.”
“D-don’t mention it,” Haruka stuttered, ostensibly embarrassed by the display. “Just remember one thing, Kagome. Never accept abuse. You don’t deserve it.”
Kagome watched the older woman walk back to the car, contemplating those final words, delivered with a solemnity which could only come from personal experience. Haruka had dealt with domestic violence before, whether in her own life or through a close friend or relative. It made Kagome regret lying about the abuse, though she supposed it was only a partial untruth. A man had indeed hit her, just not her boyfriend. But even absent the sympathy resulting from the false story, Ryouta and Haruka would still have been kind to her. For a moment, Kagome felt blessed by the Kami; she could not have solicited aid from a better source.
Ryouta honked the horn, sticking his hand out the window he pulled out. Kagome waved back, smiling as Aimi’s face appeared in the rear window. Her grin fell quickly as she remembered how the little girl had asked if she could visit sometime. ‘Maybe’ had been her answer, though in her heart she knew it was never going to happen. The less she knew about them, the better. It was for this same reason that she could not keep or memorize the phone number Haruka had given her. If things didn’t turn out as she hoped, if she was caught trying to rescue Inuyasha, her captors would surely be interested to know whether she had talked to anyone. They would search her person and probably interrogate her again. As it was now, she would be able to give them first names only. That would hopefully not be enough to identify the kind family which had helped her.
Sighing, Kagome let the paper slip from her grasp, watching as the breeze took it, turning it into just another piece of anonymous trash in the street. She set off down the street in the direction she knew Inuyasha to be, feeling exposed and vulnerable on the sidewalk. But there was nothing for it; she needed to find her hanyou, and this is where he was being held. Her one consolation was that of all the places in and around the city, this was the last place her former captors probably expected her to be. How could they anticipate that she would locate Inuyasha so quickly? Sasaki had been far more interested in the latter’s youkai abilities than her miko power, which to the human eye would seem unimpressive by comparison. She could not dodge a bullet, lift a locomotive, nor leap tall buildings in a single bound. No, her spiritual strength was only effective against youkai, of which there seemed to be few or none in this era. But all of that would work to her advantage. Yoshida and Sasaki were not the first enemies to underestimate her; their predecessors had paid with life or limb. In this case, she would be satisfied with a clean getaway.
After a few minutes of slinking carefully down the street, Kagome came to a sharp bend in the road. It turned to the left and opened up into a sprawling complex of low buildings, cordoned off from the single-family houses by a six foot high chain-link fence. She could sense Inuyasha with little effort now; he was definitely inside one of those warehouse buildings. A gate barred the roadway, probably set to open only by key or electronic signal. As she had neither, her only option was to climb. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she gripped the fence and began to heave herself up. Fortunately, the links were big enough and her feet small enough to allow her to just barely wedge the tip of her shoe in, giving her a much-needed foothold. It was doubtful if she could have done it solely by hand, but with a full-body effort she pulled herself over the top and dropped down on the other side.
Landing in a crouch, she scanned the area. There was little cover out here, so it was probably best if she did not delay. Inuyasha’s aura was very close now; her instincts told her it was emanating from the second building down the line. Moving as quickly as she could while still maintaining some semblance of stealth, she crept across the open expanse. Her fingers touched the metal exterior of the warehouse, drawing a strange comfort from the cool surface. She was so close. But this final aspect of the journey could be the most challenging. The large garage-style door at the front was closed tight, and she could see no other entrance along the side she was currently standing against. There was probably a back door, but maybe finding it would not even be necessary. She was near enough now that Inuyasha would sense a surge of miko energy. Her goal had been to signal to him that she was free, and she could do that without revealing herself to anyone else. But was that really feasible? She knew he was locked in a cage, but how strong a cage she couldn’t say. There were surely armed mercenaries standing guard as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to break out without a distraction.
Kagome was debating whether to summon her miko aura or try to get a look inside the warehouse when the sound of soft footsteps drew her attention to the rear of the building. There, visible between the adjacent walls of the two neighboring structures, was a well-built man in camouflage pants and a black muscle shirt. He was meandering leisurely back toward the rear of the warehouse, puffing on the last nub of a cigarette. Kagome grimaced at the bad timing, hoping her good luck hadn’t run out for the day. She froze, praying that the mercenary wouldn’t see her. But he was only about a hundred feet away, and apparently caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. Kagome didn’t even wait for him to finish his double-take before bolting.
“What the—hey!”
Well, so much for stealth. Now that the cat was officially out of the bag, Kagome knew it was time to make her presence known while she still could. Pure energy flared around her, a clear signal to anyone with youki. And just to make sure there was absolutely no doubt in Inuyasha’s mind that she was here…
“INUYASHA!!!”
“Put him down!” one of them called, bringing the tranquilizer rifle to his shoulder and taking aim. Inuyasha dove to the ground, rolling out of the path of the projectile. He heard a second dart clang off a bar of the cage and ricochet away—a lucky break. Moving on instinct, he jumped six feet in the air, watching as the dart from the third man whistled underneath him. Now he had a brief window of time before his enemies reloaded their weapons. He immediately set to work.
“Sankon Tetsusou!”
He brought both hands down, using his youki to carve parallel vertical slashes in the metal. But this cage was much stronger than the last one, and he could tell his attack had failed to penetrate all the way through. He leapt up to the opposite wall and launched himself horizontally into the weakened section, attempting to use his shoulder as a battering ram. The metal warped and bent outward, but did not give way. Growling, he attacked again, his strikes less precise and more desperate this time. But again the wall held, even as his shoulder throbbed and the metal creaked and groaned around him.
If nothing else, his display was keeping the three gunmen from coming any closer out of fear of getting caught by his youki. As a result, it was much easier to dodge the next round of shots. One heading straight for his nose he batted out of the air. The other two he could not see but avoided by reacting to the audible puff of the weapons, and another helpful assist from the cage itself. Thinking quickly, Inuyasha decided to employ a seldom-used technique, one which might be perfect for this sort of task. He dug his claws into his shoulder and flung the bloody appendage outward, infusing the liquid with his youki.
“Hijin Ketsusou!”
The crimson blades sliced through air and metal, the latter of which protested cacophonously as it absorbed the lethal energy. Again he charged, using his body as a hammer. And finally, reluctantly, the cage fragmented. A large hole opened up in the side, the edges fanning out like a grotesque flower, as Inuyasha rolled to his feet on the concrete surface outside the cell. He wasted no time in darting toward the nearest man, who stared at him in terror as he tried to shove the next dart into the breech. He would not get a chance to fire a third time. The others probably would, but now that Inuyasha was out in the open, enemies would be much easier to deal with.
If Kagome wasn’t in danger, he might’ve even permitted himself to enjoy this.
“Shit!” she swore as the mercenary came flying into view. Not only was he chasing her, but he was gaining fast! He had apparently swung wide so he could take the corner in stride, as a racecar driver might do. Kagome accelerated, but she was in real trouble now. She gave it less than ten seconds before he caught her. And the next corner seemed so far away.
He was right on her heels when she got there, literally throwing herself to the left. His higher rate of speed meant he overshot and skidded past, but he would remedy that mistake quickly. She would not make it to the end of the next straightaway; their little run-around-in-circles game was nearly over. But as Kagome started running again, hoping only to delay the inevitable a little longer, she spied salvation. The door! The dope had left it open when he went for a smoke! Gritting her teeth and pulling every last ounce of power from her legs, she raced the remaining distance and ducked inside, slamming the door behind her.
“Dammit!” her pursuer cursed as he smashed against the surface, unable to stop in time. Kagome took a moment to catch her breath and started to sigh in relief until she heard the distinctive jingle of keys rattling together.
Groaning, she sprinted down the corridor, having no idea where it led but knowing she couldn’t stay here. She half-expected an enemy to jump out of one of the handful of adjoining rooms, but she reached the far end of the hallway unmolested. Seeing no other option, she pushed open the heavy steel door there and stepped into the unknown.
She froze; before her was a wonderful and terrifying sight—Inuyasha, free of his cage, mixing it up with three mercenaries. Make that two; the closed-fist wallop he applied to the cranium of one meant that man was not getting up any time soon. The others finished loading their weapons and aimed, but Inuyasha was already moving before Kagome could shout a warning. He was poetry in motion, his graceful power no less impressive here than it was in the forests and plains of the feudal era. So enthralled was she, that Kagome forgot about her own peril. That is, until a heavy weight slammed into her from behind, bearing her to the ground. She struggled, but it was futile; in no time her arms had been wrenched behind her and fastened into handcuffs. That done, the man sitting on top of her finally raised his head and took stock of his surroundings.
“Oh, shi—”
*Thump!*
Suddenly the weight was gone, and Kagome rolled over onto her back, only to find herself held tightly in familiar male arms. Overcome with relief, she buried her face in her hanyou’s chest. Ensconced in the voluminous folds of his haori, she felt safe for the first time in almost two weeks. A few rogue tears snuck past her eyelids, but she didn’t care. No one would blame her for crying in this situation.
Eventually, she felt Inuyasha reach down behind her and take hold of the chain connecting her wrists. After a relatively minor exertion of hanyou muscle, the thin links gave way, freeing up her hands which she promptly wrapped around his torso, happy to be able to return his embrace. They stayed like that for a long time, listening to heartbeat and breathing, and reacquainting with smell and touch. It dawned on Kagome then—this was the longest she and Inuyasha had been apart since they met. And he was showing her now that the separation had been just as difficult for him.
Finally, Inuyasha released her, and she reluctantly pulled away. She beamed at him, an expression he returned briefly until he noticed her tears. Perhaps he too was feeling the gravity of the moment, for he brought his hand up and tenderly wiped the moisture from her cheeks. The gesture almost made Kagome cry again, but then his expression darkened further, and his hand drifted to the left side of her face, the backs of his finders barely grazing the abused skin there. Kagome was not surprised when a mixture of anger and guilt colored his eyes, his jaw setting tensely. But she could do something about the latter emotion. Using her small palm, she pressed his hand into her cheek, intertwining her fingers with his own. His gaze softened slightly, but apparently he was going to need more reassurance than that.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, the first words either of them had spoken.
“Don’t be,” she replied gently.
He shook his head. “I knew…I knew that bastard was going to hurt you. And I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop him!”
Kagome’s eyes widened as she felt a wave of sympathy. So Yoshida told Inuyasha he was going to hurt me after my stunt with the phone. And then he made him sit there, wondering what had happened to me. Oh, Inuyasha…
“I’m glad,” she stated, drawing an incredulous look from the hanyou. “You used your head, Inuyasha. You didn’t do anything to put me in danger. The only one who did that was me.”
Inuyasha grimaced, hearing her words but still not comfortable letting himself off the hook. “You never would have been in that position if it weren’t for me,” he declared miserably, referring to the incident at Midtown Tower which had started this whole mess.
“True,” Kagome admitted; she couldn’t really deny that. “But if I’d been more aware of what was going on, I wouldn’t have been kidnapped. And maybe if I’d been stronger-willed, I wouldn’t have told them everything about you. There’s too many ‘what ifs,’ and none of them matter. I’m just glad I have you now. So please stop beating yourself up, okay?”
Inuyasha looked like he wanted to protest, but nodded grudgingly instead. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again,” he swore.
Kagome grinned wryly. “Inuyasha, you can’t protect me from every—”
“Yes I can!”
Kagome gasped at the molten fire in his amber orbs, now no more than six inches from her own. He clasped her hands, his entire demeanor conveying just how serious he was. She decided to let it go; she didn’t want to argue, not when he was being so unbearably sweet.
“Thank you,” she said, leaning in close and planting a quick but lingering kiss on his cheek. His face flamed as a result, pulling a giggle from her throat. That seemed to break the pseudo-romantic tension between them, as Inuyasha finally relaxed. He was forgiven, or rather, Kagome had never held his failure against him in the first place. Damn wench is too kind for her own good. He, on the other hand, would never forgive the man who had blemished her beautiful face, even temporarily. Yoshida had gone too far; the bruises on her neck suggested that he had nearly choked Kagome to death. Inuyasha would not seek him out, but if the opportunity arose, he would make sure the arrogant jackass did not receive the knockout treatment four of his lackeys were enjoying at this very moment. He did not like killing humans, but he would make an exception in this case.
Speaking of the lackeys, Inuyasha wasn’t exactly sure how long they would remain unconscious. He had been keeping a close ear on them, but he and Kagome should probably get out of here as soon as possible just in case. Standing, he offered the miko a hand up, which she gratefully accepted. Inuyasha frowned, noticing the metal circles encasing her wrists; he had broken the chain but had not removed the cuffs. Taking her arm, he bent close to examine the device, not liking what he saw.
“I don’t know if I can take these off without hurting you,” he told her.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m sure there are keys on his belt,” she replied, moving over to the prone mercenary and quickly finding said keys. In a few seconds, her wrists were as unfettered as the rest of her. She took a moment to examine her former pursuer; she was no doctor, but he appeared to be merely unconscious. She could safely assume that Inuyasha had knocked the others out too; he was not one to take human life without severe provocation. Kagome sincerely hoped these men were brought to justice for their crimes, but was not prepared to say that any of them deserved to die.
“Come on, Kagome. Let’s get outta here.”
She glanced at him, perceiving something she had missed before. “Inuyasha, you’re wounded!” She was up in an instant, undoing the ties of his haori so she could move his tops aside and investigate the source of the dark stain on the fabric.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I had to use Hijin Ketsusou. It’s just a flesh wound.”
“You could have a gaping hole all the way through you, and you’d still say it was a flesh wound.”
He grumbled about that, but made no further protest. By now he realized that it was a waste of effort to try to dissuade Kagome from checking his injuries, no matter how trivial they were. It didn’t help that he secretly liked the attention.
“Hmmm, doesn’t seem too bad,” she observed.
“Told ya.”
“I still wish I had my first aid kit,” she muttered, ignoring him. “I wonder if they have one around here somewhere.”
“Well we ain’t lookin’ for it. We’re leaving.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kagome replied, understanding where Inuyasha was coming from. She too recognized the wisdom behind leaving this place soon. But she was still more apt to thinking ahead than her hanyou companion, and that was why she hesitated. Because really, what were they going to do now? Obviously, they needed to return to Tokyo. They were currently in Morioka, which she seemed to recall from school was toward the northern end of Honshu, several hundred miles north of the Japanese capital. (3) That was a long journey even for Inuyasha, and this was not the feudal era where human settlements were few and far between and it was relatively easy to move across the land undetected. Even if they tried to stay off the beaten path, they would probably need to interact with human society at some point. The problem with that was the modern world’s driving force—money—and their lack of it. Kagome didn’t know any of her mother’s bank account information, and could think of no other way to acquire funds. That meant their options in terms of what they could do on the journey home were extremely limited. Unless…
She supposed there was one way to get money which was currently lying sprawled out right in front of her. Yoshida’s unconscious lackeys all had wallets, probably with substantial amounts of cash contained therein. But could she really live with herself it she sunk to stealing? Did the circumstances justify the crime?
Hell yes they did! She and Inuyasha were only in this mess because of them, so they could contribute a portion of their ill-gotten wages to help them get out of it. Kneeling down, Kagome flipped the nearest mercenary over onto his stomach and reached into his back pocket. She drew out the wallet and removed the cash, ignoring the credit cards which would be cancelled as soon as their owners realized they were missing anyway. That’s it, Kagome. You are officially a criminal. She shrugged. Eh, I can deal with it.
“What the hell are you doing?” Inuyasha demanded, sounding a little annoyed, probably at the sight of her putting her hands near another man’s ass. Kagome snickered.
“Getting some ‘travel funds,’” she answered, borrowing Miroku’s figure of speech. Inuyasha nodded in understanding and darted off to retrieve the wallets of the other three gunmen. When he returned, Kagome took out the bills and added all of them together. Fortunately, the men had not been afraid of carrying cash; she now held almost 90,000 yen in her hand. (4) Not an enormous amount, but enough to get them to Tokyo if they were judicious with their spending.
“Ready to go?” Inuyasha asked, less insistently this time as he saw the benefits of Kagome’s prudent approach. Come to think of it, there was something he should try to collect before they departed as well. Closing his eyes, he exhaled deeply and focused inward, seeking the innate bond he now shared with his sword. Come on, Tetsusaiga, give me a sign… He felt a pulse, and smirked victoriously. Tetsusaiga was still here; Yoshida had not moved it to another location.
Kagome’s shocked gasp pulled him back to reality. Perhaps seeing his concentration had subconsciously reminded her of her own ability to sense certain items, for in the next moment she turned to him and spoke a phrase both familiar and surprising.
“Inuyasha, I sense jewel shards!”
“What?! Why would there be jewel shards?”
“I don’t know, but they’re definitely here. Come on,” she said, leading Inuyasha into the hallway through which she had run a few minutes ago. She turned into a large, sparsely furnished room that smelled of Yoshida to her companion. The telltale pink glow of the Shikon no Tama was emanating from a storage locker in the far corner. Kagome pointed to it, and Inuyasha wrenched the door off, destroying the unlucky padlock in the process. The small glass bottle containing the shards confirmed what she already suspected; those were their shards of the Shikon no Tama.
“They must have taken them from my room,” she theorized. “I’m glad we got them back. I need them to go to the feudal era.”
“And Tetsusaiga too,” Inuyasha added, reaching inside the wrecked locker and drawing out his prized sword. He took the time to inspect the blade for damage, both in its transformed and rustic states. Satisfied, he resheathed the sword and attached it to his hip. Turning to Kagome, he found her staring pensively off to the side.
“What’s wrong, Kagome?”
She started, then attempted to shake off his concern. “N-nothing, I was just thinking…” But she bit her lower lip, belying her statement. Inuyasha frowned, going over their recent conversation in his mind as he tried to figure out what she was worried about. He continued to ponder as she led him down the hallway toward the rear entrance of the warehouse, finally coming to the correct conclusion just as they exited the building.
“Don’t worry,” he told her, hesitating a moment before putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure your family is fine. Yoshida had no reason to hurt them. One of his goons probably just snuck in and grabbed the shards while your family was asleep.”
Kagome sighed, both amazed and relieved that he knew her so well. His words made sense; it probably wasn’t good business to create unnecessary crime scenes. She prayed that he was right.
“You could call your house on one of those ‘fone’ things,” he suggested.
Kagome smiled at his efforts to comfort her. And she certainly could find a payphone, get change, and call her house. But as tempting as that thought was, it was not as simple as it appeared. Inuyasha could not be seen by humans looking as he did; they might recognize his clothing and hair color from the news. The incredible Midtown Tower story had probably garnered national or even international attention by now. And what if she put her family in additional danger by calling them? Perhaps the phone was already bugged, as the mercenaries had done with Sasaki’s phone. She desperately wanted to inform her mother that she was not dead, but rationality told her to at least think it over before doing anything rash.
Gazing out over the setting sun, Kagome came to a decision. She and Inuyasha needed to find a safe place to stay for the night; that was the most important thing. Everything else, they could deal with in the morning, after she had time to think.
“There are some forested areas outside the city,” she said, pointing in the approximate direction. “Can you take us there?”
Inuyasha studied her dubiously. “You sure you don’t want to call your family?”
“Yeah,” she replied, once again touched by his compassion. “Maybe tomorrow. For now, let’s just go somewhere safe.”
Nodding in comprehension, Inuyasha knelt and allowed her to climb onto his back. As he stood, his hands clutching her thighs and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, he permitted a genuine smile to shape his features. Running with Kagome was one of life’s true pleasures, something so enjoyable and fulfilling simply because it was her. It was a time when he could bask in her trust and affection for him, while her soothing presence allowed him to ignore his own confused feelings.
Kagome snuggled into his back, using his form to shield her from the wind buffeting them as he sped along the rooftops trying to avoid being seen. She understood that he could not afford to slow down, and made no protest. He turned his head briefly to see if she was alright, but her scent radiated only contentment. They had both missed this.
(1) People in Japan drive on the left and have the driver’s side of their cars on the right
(2) I’m no expert on Japanese culture, but I think a traditional Japanese couple would give their family name to a stranger. I purposely had Haruka and Ryouta offer their given names because I didn’t want them to be a typical couple
(3) Honshu is the largest of the four islands that make up most of Japan
(4) 90,000 yen is about $1,100
A/N – You’ll have to excuse the delay; chapters might start coming at a slower rate for awhile. I had fairly detailed plans for the beginning and end of the story, but now we’re entering a sort of ‘gray zone’ where my outline is pretty bare and I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. Plus there are plot issues I need to resolve, and I need to intensify my studying for the bar exam. I don’t expect to have to put this story on hiatus, but lower your temporal expectations a bit. At least I won’t leave you hanging with too bad a cliffhanger, right?
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On the Run
Sango sighed, tilting her head up towards the sky as she knelt before the grave. She had lost count of the days since the last time she had seen Inuyasha or Kagome, though it was probably close to ten now. If they weren’t sure the hanyou and miko were in trouble before, they were now. It was indescribably frustrating to know there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
When she thought she would go insane if she spent another minute in Kaede’s village, she decided to go visit the graves of her family, friends, and neighbors at the ruins of the taijiya village. Miroku had offered to come along as well. Sango could tell he was going as stir crazy as she was, though you wouldn’t know it from looking at that perpetually composed exterior of his. The two of them had more or less forced Shippou to come along too, since the kit had become decidedly gloomy in Kagome’s absence. An excursion would do all of them some good.
Sango had hoped the journey would distract her from their missing friends for at least a little while, but it was not to be. On the way here, she couldn’t stop brainstorming all the worst case scenarios, her imagination taking fantastic modern things Kagome had told her about and blowing them completely out of proportion to reality. But how could she help it, when she knew virtually nothing of the miko’s world? Her only consolation was that Inuyasha was with her; Sango knew first hand just how capable the hanyou was.
And kind, when he wanted to be. Sango remembered how he and Miroku had dug graves for the entire village, and even cleaned up the wreckage left by the marauding youkai swarm. She recalled how Kagome had gathered flowers to lay on the graves, and taken care of her wounds. And in one of the weakest moments of her life, when the raw emotion of death and betrayal and Kohaku’s slavery had finally caught up with her, Kagome had held her as she wept uncontrollably, reduced to a blubbering child by the cruelty of it all.
In the empty space where a prosperous village once stood, desperate loneliness closed in around Sango. A cold wind blew in from the north, and she shivered. I already lost one family. If I lose Inuyasha and Kagome too…
A cloth-clad hand came to rest on her shoulder, startling her. But she managed a small smile; she was glad Miroku was here. She scooted over and leaned gently into him, accepting his comfort. At times, she still had to remind herself that she wasn’t alone. For now, she would cherish the companions she had, and draw reassurance from her lecherous houshi, as they waited for the day when their lost comrades would return, and their unusual family would be whole again.
* * *
A bird cawed in the distance, causing Kagome to jump in fright before she realized that was all it was. She was so jumpy right now; every little sound made her heart flutter. It had not been very long since her escape, probably about an hour. After proceeding down the main road directly toward the city for a few minutes, she had veered off onto a side street, and was now on her third or fourth such secondary road. If and when Yoshida and his gang decided to look for her, she didn’t want to make it easy for them. She had only seen a handful of cars; apparently, this area was not heavily traveled during this time of day. It was not surprising, considering the fact that she had seen nothing but forest and farmland. Sasaki’s house was probably the only one for miles. Perfect for him, perhaps, but not for Kagome. She couldn’t just knock on someone’s door, explain that she was in trouble, and ask for a ride into the city. That left either walking or hitchhiking. She couldn’t currently see Morioka through the trees, but she knew the general direction in which it laid. She did not, however, know how far away it was, or how long it would take to get there. Could she make it there today, or would she be forced to wait out a cold night in the woods? And what kind of city areas would she have to walk through to get somewhere safe? Industrial zones? Bad neighborhoods? Plus, the longer she stayed out here, the more likely her former captors would find her, especially if they were using the dogs to track her. The safest place for her to be right now was in a crowd; a mall or busy city street would be perfect.
The other option, hitchhiking, seemed like the quickest way to put her in those favorable surroundings. But hitchhiking came with its own set of problems, not the least of which being what would happen if she attempted to solicit a ride from a vehicle driven by one of her former captors. There were also the typical dangers associated with getting in a car with a stranger who could be a robber or even a serial killer. Still, the vast majority of drivers on the road were not criminals. She would take those odds, since her chances of making it to Morioka by foot seemed significantly worse.
Decision made, Kagome stopped and looked down the roadway in both directions. It bordered a forest, with farmland on the other side. She was on the right, among the trees, and facing oncoming traffic in her lane. (1) She was currently in the middle of a straightaway about a quarter mile long, as good a place as any, she guessed. The last car had passed in the other direction perhaps ten minutes ago. She would wait here for awhile, and move on in search of a better spot if that failed. She would make sure to remain close to the forest, in case she needed to make a quick getaway. With her experiences in the feudal era, she was sure she had more practice running through woodland than her pursuers. It would at least give her a chance.
Seating herself on a fallen log, Kagome settled in to wait. She started to hum a tune then stopped, focusing instead on listening for the sound of approaching vehicles. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, but it was only a few minutes before the low thrum of engine and tires reached her ears from the right. She peered around a tree as the car came into view. It was an old, boxy four-door sedan, with visible dents and faded paint. It was perfect; neither Sasaki nor the mercenaries would be caught dead driving something like that. She stepped out of the forest and onto the tiny rural shoulder, waving both arms above her head, not so much a request for a ride as a plea for help. She figured the driver would be more likely to stop that way.
But the car simply moved into the other lane, actually accelerating as it passed her instead of slowing down. Kagome hung her head; perhaps this would be more difficult than she hoped. Such was the trouble with depending on the common decency of her fellow man. Then she heard the squeal of ancient brakes, and spun to see the car pulling over to the side of the road a couple hundred feet away. Grinning, she jogged to meet her potential rescuers.
“I still say this is a bad idea, Haruka,” she heard a male voice speak in a hushed tone as she approached. “What if she’s a serial killer or something?”
“Did you see her?!” a woman retorted. “I’ve never heard of a schoolgirl serial killer, have you?”
“Well no, but—”
“But nothing. What if she’s in trouble?”
“What if picking her up puts our daughter in trouble?”
“Oh, you worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough!”
“Um, excuse me,” Kagome interrupted quietly. At this, the man in the driver’s seat looked up, and the woman across from him spun around to face her. Both were in their thirties, and had the air of a married couple about them. The man wore wire-rimmed classes that made him look older, while the woman exuded a more youthful impression. It was clear she was the more outgoing of the two.
“Well,” she said, appearing somewhat embarrassed that their conversation had been overheard. “What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere, dear?”
“Trying to get back to civilization,” Kagome replied cordially. “Are you heading into Morioka?”
“Sure are. Unfortunately, it’s to visit my mother-in-law,” Haruka declared, causing her husband to shake his head and mutter under his breath. “Would you like a ride into town?”
“I would love a ride,” Kagome breathed, practically wilting in relief. “Thank you so much.”
Haruka shot her a puzzled look, perhaps sensing that this was no normal request. It was then that Kagome noticed both adults staring at the left side of her face, and the still visible bruise that could not fully be concealed by makeup. The reminder of her blemish gave the miko an idea for a believable story. She looked away, covering her cheek with a hand and allowing some of her very real anxiety to show in her expression.
“Yes,” she mumbled absently, “I won’t feel safe until I get away from him.”
She purposely left the statement ambiguous, so her audience would fill in whatever was most plausible to them. Apparently it worked, as both of their faces instantly fell in sympathy.
“Hop in, dear,” Haruka told her. Kagome nodded gratefully and moved to open the rear passenger door. “See! I told you she was in trouble!” the woman whispered to her husband.
“Ah, put a sock in it,” the man replied jokingly.
“I’m Haruka, by the way,” his wife stated as Kagome seated herself, noticing for the first time the young girl, probably of four or five years of age, sleeping soundly opposite her. “This is my husband, Ryouta. And that little hell-raiser back there is Aimi.” (2)
“Pleased to meet you, Haruka-san, Ryouta-san,” Kagome replied, bowing to each of them. “My name is Kagome.”
“Kagome, that’s a nice name,” Haruka observed. “We should name our next daughter Kagome.”
“Kami help me if we have another girl,” her husband remarked dryly.
“Oh right, like you were so well-behaved when you were little. We’ve all hear your mother’s stories.”
“Repeatedly.”
Kagome chuckled, content to sit back and listen to her hosts’ playful banter. They drove back the way she had come, eventually turning onto the main road to the city. Kagome sunk low in her seat and kept a wary eye out for other vehicles, but no one passing them seemed to pay their car any interest whatsoever.
After a few minutes, Aimi began to stir, coming awake with a big yawn. She started a little when she saw the new passenger next to her, and rubbed her eyes as if to clear the illusion from them. Kagome beamed at the adorable child, who smiled and waved before turning to her mother.
“Mama, who’s that?”
“Oh, you’re awake, sweetie. That’s Kagome. We’re giving her a ride to the city.”
“She’s comin’ to grandma’s house with us?”
“No, Kagome has…other things to do.”
“I’m going to meet a friend,” Kagome interjected. “But I didn’t have a phone or a car. Your otou-san and okaa-san are really helping me out.”
“I’m helping too!” Aimi declared, frowning in upset.
“Of course you are,” Kagome soothed. “You three are my heroes.”
That seemed to satisfy the little girl, and she was soon carrying out an animated conversation with her new teenage friend. For the next quarter hour or so, Kagome truly enjoyed herself. With everything she had been through recently, chatting with someone so beautifully innocent was a real pleasure.
Eventually, however, tall buildings replaced trees outside the windows, and Kagome realized it was time to breach the subject of her departure.
“Haruka-san, is there a mall where you could drop me off?”
“Sure, it’s a dozen or so blocks from here. Turn left at the next intersection, dear,” she told her husband.
“I know how to get there.”
“Just like you knew how to get to the restaurant on our anniversary?”
“Oh, you had to bring that up again.”
“Forever and ever, dear,” Haruka teased with a smirk. Ryouta heaved a long-suffering sigh, but he could not help but smile as well.
As Ryouta made the turn, Kagome started to contemplate her next steps. Her first priority had been to get to a crowded place where she could blend in. So she would go to the mall, but then what? She had no idea where Inuyasha was, no money, and perhaps most importantly, no way to get money. When the mall closed, she would have to leave. Then what would she do? Wander unfamiliar streets at night, trying to avoid being mugged or worse? The city was truly an inhospitable place without funds to purchase hospitality. She supposed she could ask Ryouta and Haruka for a place to stay, but she didn’t want to impose or put them in any more danger than they already were. She shuddered at the thought of harm coming to precious Aimi because of her.
Kagome breathed deeply, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes. She was no mere mortal girl; she was a miko, and a powerful one at that. Perhaps this task would be hopeless for a normal human, but not for her. She exhaled slowly, tuning out the world around her. Inuyasha…Inuyasha, where are you? Senses stretching, she searched for a hint of her hanyou’s presence. But there was nothing, no glimmer of hope. Biting her lower lip, she concentrated harder, pushing her awareness farther than it had ever extended before. And still, she sensed no trace of Inuyasha’s aura. Kagome swore under her breath, frustration and desperation swirling together as she delved down deep inside herself. Her powers were clearer, more accessible than ever, and she called upon every iota of spiritual energy she possessed. Fuzziness invaded her mind, sapping her strength as she tried to maintain this impossible level of focus. Her consciousness swelled, every moment a test of endurance, until it felt like she was scanning the entire city.
The snap of her concentration breaking was nearly audible, and she drew in a gasping breath as her whole body seized uncontrollably. Then she collapsed in the seat, breathing heavily as she fought back the waves of darkness threatening to pull her into unconsciousness. But even though her mind and body were exhausted, she smiled. For just before her strength gave out, she had sensed Inuyasha. It was barely a flicker of his youki, but it was enough to tell her that he was within the city limits. And which direction he was in.
“Kagome, are you okay?” Haruka asked, turning around to face her. Kagome nodded, gleaning from the older woman’s relatively unworried expression that she had not seen most of that bizarre display. But judging by the slack-jawed, terrified expression on poor Aimi’s face, the little girl had.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Kagome replied, managing a genuine smile. “Turn the car around, please.”
“Huh? I thought you wanted to go to the mall?”
“No…I know where I need to be now.”
Ryouta and Haruka shared a look at their guest’s cryptic response, but the latter just shrugged as he pulled into the right turn lane to make a U-turn. His wife appeared less convinced, but probably didn’t feel comfortable prying into Kagome’s apparently abuse-filled personal life. The schoolgirl was allowed to change her mind once without drawing unnecessary questions. Frowning nonetheless, Haruka spun back around to face forward.
Meanwhile, Kagome leaned over and whispered to the frightened child. “Aimi-chan, can we keep what you saw as our little secret?”
Aimi brightened, the prospect of keeping such an important secret an exciting one. But she was not without reservations.
“But you were glowing pink!” she whispered back. “I thought you were gonna die!”
“Don’t worry,” Kagome replied with a wink. “Those were just my special super powers.”
“Wow…cool!”
Kagome leaned back to her own side of the car before the adults got suspicious, holding her finger to her lips in a gesture for silence. Aimi grinned, making the ‘my lips are zipped’ motion. And that’s why I love kids, Kagome reflected.
After a few minutes of traveling, and recovery on the miko’s part, she again stretched her senses. Inuyasha was definitely closer this time, and she didn’t have to put forth nearly as much effort to detect him. A directional adjustment was needed, however, so she asked Ryouta to make another turn. The next fifteen minutes or so proceeded in this fashion, with Kagome guiding the automobile closer and closer to her lost friend’s location. Finally, she called for a stop; it was time for her to depart. She would walk from here; she dared not bring this innocent family any closer to armed mercenaries who would not hesitate to kill them to cover their own asses. No, Ryouta and Haruka had done enough.
Kagome emerged from the vehicle and took a full view of her surroundings. They appeared to be on the outskirts of the city, in a residential district, the homes two or three stories and close together. It reminded her of Tokyo, specifically the area where Ayumi and Eri lived. That thought made her homesick, but she shook it off. Now was not the time to pine for her old life; she needed to have all of her wits about her for what was to come.
Haruka came around the car wearing a concerned expression and pulled her aside. “Kagome, are you sure you’re okay? You’re welcome to stay with us for a few days.”
“No, I’m fine. A friend of mine works near here; I’ll get in touch with him.”
“Well, alright,” Haruka replied, still not entirely convinced. She grabbed Kagome’s hand and placed a folded piece of paper into it. “That’s our phone number. If you need anything, and I mean anything, promise me you’ll call us.”
“I will,” Kagome pledged, bowing respectfully. “Thank you so much for all your help. I’ll never forget it.”
“D-don’t mention it,” Haruka stuttered, ostensibly embarrassed by the display. “Just remember one thing, Kagome. Never accept abuse. You don’t deserve it.”
Kagome watched the older woman walk back to the car, contemplating those final words, delivered with a solemnity which could only come from personal experience. Haruka had dealt with domestic violence before, whether in her own life or through a close friend or relative. It made Kagome regret lying about the abuse, though she supposed it was only a partial untruth. A man had indeed hit her, just not her boyfriend. But even absent the sympathy resulting from the false story, Ryouta and Haruka would still have been kind to her. For a moment, Kagome felt blessed by the Kami; she could not have solicited aid from a better source.
Ryouta honked the horn, sticking his hand out the window he pulled out. Kagome waved back, smiling as Aimi’s face appeared in the rear window. Her grin fell quickly as she remembered how the little girl had asked if she could visit sometime. ‘Maybe’ had been her answer, though in her heart she knew it was never going to happen. The less she knew about them, the better. It was for this same reason that she could not keep or memorize the phone number Haruka had given her. If things didn’t turn out as she hoped, if she was caught trying to rescue Inuyasha, her captors would surely be interested to know whether she had talked to anyone. They would search her person and probably interrogate her again. As it was now, she would be able to give them first names only. That would hopefully not be enough to identify the kind family which had helped her.
Sighing, Kagome let the paper slip from her grasp, watching as the breeze took it, turning it into just another piece of anonymous trash in the street. She set off down the street in the direction she knew Inuyasha to be, feeling exposed and vulnerable on the sidewalk. But there was nothing for it; she needed to find her hanyou, and this is where he was being held. Her one consolation was that of all the places in and around the city, this was the last place her former captors probably expected her to be. How could they anticipate that she would locate Inuyasha so quickly? Sasaki had been far more interested in the latter’s youkai abilities than her miko power, which to the human eye would seem unimpressive by comparison. She could not dodge a bullet, lift a locomotive, nor leap tall buildings in a single bound. No, her spiritual strength was only effective against youkai, of which there seemed to be few or none in this era. But all of that would work to her advantage. Yoshida and Sasaki were not the first enemies to underestimate her; their predecessors had paid with life or limb. In this case, she would be satisfied with a clean getaway.
After a few minutes of slinking carefully down the street, Kagome came to a sharp bend in the road. It turned to the left and opened up into a sprawling complex of low buildings, cordoned off from the single-family houses by a six foot high chain-link fence. She could sense Inuyasha with little effort now; he was definitely inside one of those warehouse buildings. A gate barred the roadway, probably set to open only by key or electronic signal. As she had neither, her only option was to climb. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she gripped the fence and began to heave herself up. Fortunately, the links were big enough and her feet small enough to allow her to just barely wedge the tip of her shoe in, giving her a much-needed foothold. It was doubtful if she could have done it solely by hand, but with a full-body effort she pulled herself over the top and dropped down on the other side.
Landing in a crouch, she scanned the area. There was little cover out here, so it was probably best if she did not delay. Inuyasha’s aura was very close now; her instincts told her it was emanating from the second building down the line. Moving as quickly as she could while still maintaining some semblance of stealth, she crept across the open expanse. Her fingers touched the metal exterior of the warehouse, drawing a strange comfort from the cool surface. She was so close. But this final aspect of the journey could be the most challenging. The large garage-style door at the front was closed tight, and she could see no other entrance along the side she was currently standing against. There was probably a back door, but maybe finding it would not even be necessary. She was near enough now that Inuyasha would sense a surge of miko energy. Her goal had been to signal to him that she was free, and she could do that without revealing herself to anyone else. But was that really feasible? She knew he was locked in a cage, but how strong a cage she couldn’t say. There were surely armed mercenaries standing guard as well. Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to break out without a distraction.
Kagome was debating whether to summon her miko aura or try to get a look inside the warehouse when the sound of soft footsteps drew her attention to the rear of the building. There, visible between the adjacent walls of the two neighboring structures, was a well-built man in camouflage pants and a black muscle shirt. He was meandering leisurely back toward the rear of the warehouse, puffing on the last nub of a cigarette. Kagome grimaced at the bad timing, hoping her good luck hadn’t run out for the day. She froze, praying that the mercenary wouldn’t see her. But he was only about a hundred feet away, and apparently caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. Kagome didn’t even wait for him to finish his double-take before bolting.
“What the—hey!”
Well, so much for stealth. Now that the cat was officially out of the bag, Kagome knew it was time to make her presence known while she still could. Pure energy flared around her, a clear signal to anyone with youki. And just to make sure there was absolutely no doubt in Inuyasha’s mind that she was here…
“INUYASHA!!!”
* * *
Inuyasha leapt to his feet at the ear-piercing shriek. He could have imagined the faint exploratory sensations he had been feeling all afternoon, or even the recent rush of familiar miko energy pushing against his aura. But there was no mistaking that voice. Kagome was here, and judging by the edge of panic in her tone, she was in trouble. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. Unfortunately, the three men with guns in the room with him realized it as well. “Put him down!” one of them called, bringing the tranquilizer rifle to his shoulder and taking aim. Inuyasha dove to the ground, rolling out of the path of the projectile. He heard a second dart clang off a bar of the cage and ricochet away—a lucky break. Moving on instinct, he jumped six feet in the air, watching as the dart from the third man whistled underneath him. Now he had a brief window of time before his enemies reloaded their weapons. He immediately set to work.
“Sankon Tetsusou!”
He brought both hands down, using his youki to carve parallel vertical slashes in the metal. But this cage was much stronger than the last one, and he could tell his attack had failed to penetrate all the way through. He leapt up to the opposite wall and launched himself horizontally into the weakened section, attempting to use his shoulder as a battering ram. The metal warped and bent outward, but did not give way. Growling, he attacked again, his strikes less precise and more desperate this time. But again the wall held, even as his shoulder throbbed and the metal creaked and groaned around him.
If nothing else, his display was keeping the three gunmen from coming any closer out of fear of getting caught by his youki. As a result, it was much easier to dodge the next round of shots. One heading straight for his nose he batted out of the air. The other two he could not see but avoided by reacting to the audible puff of the weapons, and another helpful assist from the cage itself. Thinking quickly, Inuyasha decided to employ a seldom-used technique, one which might be perfect for this sort of task. He dug his claws into his shoulder and flung the bloody appendage outward, infusing the liquid with his youki.
“Hijin Ketsusou!”
The crimson blades sliced through air and metal, the latter of which protested cacophonously as it absorbed the lethal energy. Again he charged, using his body as a hammer. And finally, reluctantly, the cage fragmented. A large hole opened up in the side, the edges fanning out like a grotesque flower, as Inuyasha rolled to his feet on the concrete surface outside the cell. He wasted no time in darting toward the nearest man, who stared at him in terror as he tried to shove the next dart into the breech. He would not get a chance to fire a third time. The others probably would, but now that Inuyasha was out in the open, enemies would be much easier to deal with.
If Kagome wasn’t in danger, he might’ve even permitted himself to enjoy this.
* * *
Kagome skidded around the corner of the building, sprinting across the front and then turning down the opposite side. Here she slowed, wanting to make sure her pursuer was really chasing her and not waiting for her to run blindly into an ambush around the next corner. “Shit!” she swore as the mercenary came flying into view. Not only was he chasing her, but he was gaining fast! He had apparently swung wide so he could take the corner in stride, as a racecar driver might do. Kagome accelerated, but she was in real trouble now. She gave it less than ten seconds before he caught her. And the next corner seemed so far away.
He was right on her heels when she got there, literally throwing herself to the left. His higher rate of speed meant he overshot and skidded past, but he would remedy that mistake quickly. She would not make it to the end of the next straightaway; their little run-around-in-circles game was nearly over. But as Kagome started running again, hoping only to delay the inevitable a little longer, she spied salvation. The door! The dope had left it open when he went for a smoke! Gritting her teeth and pulling every last ounce of power from her legs, she raced the remaining distance and ducked inside, slamming the door behind her.
“Dammit!” her pursuer cursed as he smashed against the surface, unable to stop in time. Kagome took a moment to catch her breath and started to sigh in relief until she heard the distinctive jingle of keys rattling together.
Groaning, she sprinted down the corridor, having no idea where it led but knowing she couldn’t stay here. She half-expected an enemy to jump out of one of the handful of adjoining rooms, but she reached the far end of the hallway unmolested. Seeing no other option, she pushed open the heavy steel door there and stepped into the unknown.
She froze; before her was a wonderful and terrifying sight—Inuyasha, free of his cage, mixing it up with three mercenaries. Make that two; the closed-fist wallop he applied to the cranium of one meant that man was not getting up any time soon. The others finished loading their weapons and aimed, but Inuyasha was already moving before Kagome could shout a warning. He was poetry in motion, his graceful power no less impressive here than it was in the forests and plains of the feudal era. So enthralled was she, that Kagome forgot about her own peril. That is, until a heavy weight slammed into her from behind, bearing her to the ground. She struggled, but it was futile; in no time her arms had been wrenched behind her and fastened into handcuffs. That done, the man sitting on top of her finally raised his head and took stock of his surroundings.
“Oh, shi—”
*Thump!*
Suddenly the weight was gone, and Kagome rolled over onto her back, only to find herself held tightly in familiar male arms. Overcome with relief, she buried her face in her hanyou’s chest. Ensconced in the voluminous folds of his haori, she felt safe for the first time in almost two weeks. A few rogue tears snuck past her eyelids, but she didn’t care. No one would blame her for crying in this situation.
Eventually, she felt Inuyasha reach down behind her and take hold of the chain connecting her wrists. After a relatively minor exertion of hanyou muscle, the thin links gave way, freeing up her hands which she promptly wrapped around his torso, happy to be able to return his embrace. They stayed like that for a long time, listening to heartbeat and breathing, and reacquainting with smell and touch. It dawned on Kagome then—this was the longest she and Inuyasha had been apart since they met. And he was showing her now that the separation had been just as difficult for him.
Finally, Inuyasha released her, and she reluctantly pulled away. She beamed at him, an expression he returned briefly until he noticed her tears. Perhaps he too was feeling the gravity of the moment, for he brought his hand up and tenderly wiped the moisture from her cheeks. The gesture almost made Kagome cry again, but then his expression darkened further, and his hand drifted to the left side of her face, the backs of his finders barely grazing the abused skin there. Kagome was not surprised when a mixture of anger and guilt colored his eyes, his jaw setting tensely. But she could do something about the latter emotion. Using her small palm, she pressed his hand into her cheek, intertwining her fingers with his own. His gaze softened slightly, but apparently he was going to need more reassurance than that.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, the first words either of them had spoken.
“Don’t be,” she replied gently.
He shook his head. “I knew…I knew that bastard was going to hurt you. And I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop him!”
Kagome’s eyes widened as she felt a wave of sympathy. So Yoshida told Inuyasha he was going to hurt me after my stunt with the phone. And then he made him sit there, wondering what had happened to me. Oh, Inuyasha…
“I’m glad,” she stated, drawing an incredulous look from the hanyou. “You used your head, Inuyasha. You didn’t do anything to put me in danger. The only one who did that was me.”
Inuyasha grimaced, hearing her words but still not comfortable letting himself off the hook. “You never would have been in that position if it weren’t for me,” he declared miserably, referring to the incident at Midtown Tower which had started this whole mess.
“True,” Kagome admitted; she couldn’t really deny that. “But if I’d been more aware of what was going on, I wouldn’t have been kidnapped. And maybe if I’d been stronger-willed, I wouldn’t have told them everything about you. There’s too many ‘what ifs,’ and none of them matter. I’m just glad I have you now. So please stop beating yourself up, okay?”
Inuyasha looked like he wanted to protest, but nodded grudgingly instead. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again,” he swore.
Kagome grinned wryly. “Inuyasha, you can’t protect me from every—”
“Yes I can!”
Kagome gasped at the molten fire in his amber orbs, now no more than six inches from her own. He clasped her hands, his entire demeanor conveying just how serious he was. She decided to let it go; she didn’t want to argue, not when he was being so unbearably sweet.
“Thank you,” she said, leaning in close and planting a quick but lingering kiss on his cheek. His face flamed as a result, pulling a giggle from her throat. That seemed to break the pseudo-romantic tension between them, as Inuyasha finally relaxed. He was forgiven, or rather, Kagome had never held his failure against him in the first place. Damn wench is too kind for her own good. He, on the other hand, would never forgive the man who had blemished her beautiful face, even temporarily. Yoshida had gone too far; the bruises on her neck suggested that he had nearly choked Kagome to death. Inuyasha would not seek him out, but if the opportunity arose, he would make sure the arrogant jackass did not receive the knockout treatment four of his lackeys were enjoying at this very moment. He did not like killing humans, but he would make an exception in this case.
Speaking of the lackeys, Inuyasha wasn’t exactly sure how long they would remain unconscious. He had been keeping a close ear on them, but he and Kagome should probably get out of here as soon as possible just in case. Standing, he offered the miko a hand up, which she gratefully accepted. Inuyasha frowned, noticing the metal circles encasing her wrists; he had broken the chain but had not removed the cuffs. Taking her arm, he bent close to examine the device, not liking what he saw.
“I don’t know if I can take these off without hurting you,” he told her.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m sure there are keys on his belt,” she replied, moving over to the prone mercenary and quickly finding said keys. In a few seconds, her wrists were as unfettered as the rest of her. She took a moment to examine her former pursuer; she was no doctor, but he appeared to be merely unconscious. She could safely assume that Inuyasha had knocked the others out too; he was not one to take human life without severe provocation. Kagome sincerely hoped these men were brought to justice for their crimes, but was not prepared to say that any of them deserved to die.
“Come on, Kagome. Let’s get outta here.”
She glanced at him, perceiving something she had missed before. “Inuyasha, you’re wounded!” She was up in an instant, undoing the ties of his haori so she could move his tops aside and investigate the source of the dark stain on the fabric.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I had to use Hijin Ketsusou. It’s just a flesh wound.”
“You could have a gaping hole all the way through you, and you’d still say it was a flesh wound.”
He grumbled about that, but made no further protest. By now he realized that it was a waste of effort to try to dissuade Kagome from checking his injuries, no matter how trivial they were. It didn’t help that he secretly liked the attention.
“Hmmm, doesn’t seem too bad,” she observed.
“Told ya.”
“I still wish I had my first aid kit,” she muttered, ignoring him. “I wonder if they have one around here somewhere.”
“Well we ain’t lookin’ for it. We’re leaving.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kagome replied, understanding where Inuyasha was coming from. She too recognized the wisdom behind leaving this place soon. But she was still more apt to thinking ahead than her hanyou companion, and that was why she hesitated. Because really, what were they going to do now? Obviously, they needed to return to Tokyo. They were currently in Morioka, which she seemed to recall from school was toward the northern end of Honshu, several hundred miles north of the Japanese capital. (3) That was a long journey even for Inuyasha, and this was not the feudal era where human settlements were few and far between and it was relatively easy to move across the land undetected. Even if they tried to stay off the beaten path, they would probably need to interact with human society at some point. The problem with that was the modern world’s driving force—money—and their lack of it. Kagome didn’t know any of her mother’s bank account information, and could think of no other way to acquire funds. That meant their options in terms of what they could do on the journey home were extremely limited. Unless…
She supposed there was one way to get money which was currently lying sprawled out right in front of her. Yoshida’s unconscious lackeys all had wallets, probably with substantial amounts of cash contained therein. But could she really live with herself it she sunk to stealing? Did the circumstances justify the crime?
Hell yes they did! She and Inuyasha were only in this mess because of them, so they could contribute a portion of their ill-gotten wages to help them get out of it. Kneeling down, Kagome flipped the nearest mercenary over onto his stomach and reached into his back pocket. She drew out the wallet and removed the cash, ignoring the credit cards which would be cancelled as soon as their owners realized they were missing anyway. That’s it, Kagome. You are officially a criminal. She shrugged. Eh, I can deal with it.
“What the hell are you doing?” Inuyasha demanded, sounding a little annoyed, probably at the sight of her putting her hands near another man’s ass. Kagome snickered.
“Getting some ‘travel funds,’” she answered, borrowing Miroku’s figure of speech. Inuyasha nodded in understanding and darted off to retrieve the wallets of the other three gunmen. When he returned, Kagome took out the bills and added all of them together. Fortunately, the men had not been afraid of carrying cash; she now held almost 90,000 yen in her hand. (4) Not an enormous amount, but enough to get them to Tokyo if they were judicious with their spending.
“Ready to go?” Inuyasha asked, less insistently this time as he saw the benefits of Kagome’s prudent approach. Come to think of it, there was something he should try to collect before they departed as well. Closing his eyes, he exhaled deeply and focused inward, seeking the innate bond he now shared with his sword. Come on, Tetsusaiga, give me a sign… He felt a pulse, and smirked victoriously. Tetsusaiga was still here; Yoshida had not moved it to another location.
Kagome’s shocked gasp pulled him back to reality. Perhaps seeing his concentration had subconsciously reminded her of her own ability to sense certain items, for in the next moment she turned to him and spoke a phrase both familiar and surprising.
“Inuyasha, I sense jewel shards!”
“What?! Why would there be jewel shards?”
“I don’t know, but they’re definitely here. Come on,” she said, leading Inuyasha into the hallway through which she had run a few minutes ago. She turned into a large, sparsely furnished room that smelled of Yoshida to her companion. The telltale pink glow of the Shikon no Tama was emanating from a storage locker in the far corner. Kagome pointed to it, and Inuyasha wrenched the door off, destroying the unlucky padlock in the process. The small glass bottle containing the shards confirmed what she already suspected; those were their shards of the Shikon no Tama.
“They must have taken them from my room,” she theorized. “I’m glad we got them back. I need them to go to the feudal era.”
“And Tetsusaiga too,” Inuyasha added, reaching inside the wrecked locker and drawing out his prized sword. He took the time to inspect the blade for damage, both in its transformed and rustic states. Satisfied, he resheathed the sword and attached it to his hip. Turning to Kagome, he found her staring pensively off to the side.
“What’s wrong, Kagome?”
She started, then attempted to shake off his concern. “N-nothing, I was just thinking…” But she bit her lower lip, belying her statement. Inuyasha frowned, going over their recent conversation in his mind as he tried to figure out what she was worried about. He continued to ponder as she led him down the hallway toward the rear entrance of the warehouse, finally coming to the correct conclusion just as they exited the building.
“Don’t worry,” he told her, hesitating a moment before putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure your family is fine. Yoshida had no reason to hurt them. One of his goons probably just snuck in and grabbed the shards while your family was asleep.”
Kagome sighed, both amazed and relieved that he knew her so well. His words made sense; it probably wasn’t good business to create unnecessary crime scenes. She prayed that he was right.
“You could call your house on one of those ‘fone’ things,” he suggested.
Kagome smiled at his efforts to comfort her. And she certainly could find a payphone, get change, and call her house. But as tempting as that thought was, it was not as simple as it appeared. Inuyasha could not be seen by humans looking as he did; they might recognize his clothing and hair color from the news. The incredible Midtown Tower story had probably garnered national or even international attention by now. And what if she put her family in additional danger by calling them? Perhaps the phone was already bugged, as the mercenaries had done with Sasaki’s phone. She desperately wanted to inform her mother that she was not dead, but rationality told her to at least think it over before doing anything rash.
Gazing out over the setting sun, Kagome came to a decision. She and Inuyasha needed to find a safe place to stay for the night; that was the most important thing. Everything else, they could deal with in the morning, after she had time to think.
“There are some forested areas outside the city,” she said, pointing in the approximate direction. “Can you take us there?”
Inuyasha studied her dubiously. “You sure you don’t want to call your family?”
“Yeah,” she replied, once again touched by his compassion. “Maybe tomorrow. For now, let’s just go somewhere safe.”
Nodding in comprehension, Inuyasha knelt and allowed her to climb onto his back. As he stood, his hands clutching her thighs and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, he permitted a genuine smile to shape his features. Running with Kagome was one of life’s true pleasures, something so enjoyable and fulfilling simply because it was her. It was a time when he could bask in her trust and affection for him, while her soothing presence allowed him to ignore his own confused feelings.
Kagome snuggled into his back, using his form to shield her from the wind buffeting them as he sped along the rooftops trying to avoid being seen. She understood that he could not afford to slow down, and made no protest. He turned his head briefly to see if she was alright, but her scent radiated only contentment. They had both missed this.
(1) People in Japan drive on the left and have the driver’s side of their cars on the right
(2) I’m no expert on Japanese culture, but I think a traditional Japanese couple would give their family name to a stranger. I purposely had Haruka and Ryouta offer their given names because I didn’t want them to be a typical couple
(3) Honshu is the largest of the four islands that make up most of Japan
(4) 90,000 yen is about $1,100
A/N – You’ll have to excuse the delay; chapters might start coming at a slower rate for awhile. I had fairly detailed plans for the beginning and end of the story, but now we’re entering a sort of ‘gray zone’ where my outline is pretty bare and I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. Plus there are plot issues I need to resolve, and I need to intensify my studying for the bar exam. I don’t expect to have to put this story on hiatus, but lower your temporal expectations a bit. At least I won’t leave you hanging with too bad a cliffhanger, right?
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