InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Eternity's Wake ❯ Winner ( Chapter 3 )

Blanket Disclaimer: I do not have any special privileges of owning any part, character, or ideas that belong to Rumiko Takashi. I merely borrow them - without permission, but borrow nonetheless.

 

A/N: I hope all my wonderful reviewers/readers have had a wonderfully long weekend off. (I did—five days off of school!)

Note: Youkai, hanyous, mikos, etc. do exist in this story, but they live in `secret.' No human, besides a selected few—a.k.a. Kagome—know about them.

 

~-Eternity's Wake~-

Chapter 3

~Winner~

 

~*~

 

Kagome did her best not show any signs of fear even though her mind was floundering, trying to make sense of things.

 

`He did say I was weapon, didn't he? Either way, they're both crazy. How can a human be turned into a weapon of. . . he said mass destruction, didn't he? Maybe he didn't say that. . . I don't remember much after the word `weapon.''

 

Inuyasha sighed as he turned his gaze from Jankotsu to Kagome. “Well. . . Kagome, since you're sort of. . . in a rut, are you going to go home?”

 

`Good question. Do I want to go home? . . .I don't think I do. . .'

 

In response to his question, Kagome started to slowly shake her head.

 

“I didn't think so. Do you want to stay here?”

 

`Here? With the—the crazy people? No thanks.' A sudden thought dawned on her, and she looked up at Inuyasha. “Do I want to say here: no; am I going to stay here: yes. Why: at least I'll have a chance to find my memory around here—even if you are crazy.”

 

`C- crazy?' Inuyasha sputtered.

 

`No, duh, she's going to think you're. . . quoted the `famous' way—a wee bit out of it.'

 

`Why?'

 

`. . .Why do you think?'

 

`. . . I'd believe it if someone told me that I had been operated on and genetically altered by youkai science. . .'

 

`Of course you would! You're part youkai, you know about all this. She, however, knows nothing. Do you think it fair in her part?'

 

`. . .'Course I do.'

 

`. . . I'll let you figure this one out yourself.'

 

`Just shut-up.'

 

Inuyasha cocked his head slightly as he gazed at the woman before him. “How about this? If I make a move to suggest I'm crazy, I'll do whatever you want, leave you alone, even.”

 

Kagome gave him an odd look. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

 

Inuyasha sighed, thoroughly exasperated. “I'll tell you eventually.”

 

“Tell me what?” She leaned forward curiously.

 

Inuyasha shook his head. “It's nothing.”

 

She suddenly pinned him with a menacing glare. “If you're not telling me something that could help me, I swear I'll—”

 

“It's nothing like that,” the hanyou cut in, “it's just. . . I don't think you need to know this yet; it's not important, just a bit. . . upsetting.”

 

Jankotsu leaned against the door frame. “Okay, are you done flirting yet?”

 

Inuyasha closed his eyes, smothered a growl, and whirled to face his top-undercover worker. “Are you done living? If so, I'll be more than happy to end your—not to mention my—torture.”

 

“Aw. . . well, if you're done flirting, I'd be more than happy to pick up where you left off.”

 

Kagome cast a curious glance between the two men, oblivious as to what they were bickering about.

 

“Um. . . I am still here. . .”

 

“Jankotsu, would you be so kind as to leave so that I could escort Kagome to a guest room?”

 

“Already gone,” Jankotsu tossed over his shoulder lazily as he sashayed out of the room.

 

“Remind me to send him to his grave,” Inuyasha growled.

 

Kagome frowned, “Okay, I think you made a move to suggest you're crazy. . .”

 

Inuyasha shook his head as he gestured for her to follow him out of the room—which she quite reluctantly did. “I have an idea of how to approach this. . .” Inuyasha softly said as he led his guest to a near elevator.

 

“You do?” Kagome gazed curiously at the opening doors, and when she entered the lifting room, she stared at the buttons, quite puzzled. “There's only four floors. . .”

 

“Yeah—basement, ground level, second level, and the attic.”

 

The girl's eyebrows came together as she thought about the absurdness of using such a ting as an elevator in a house—though big, just a house. “But. . . why an elevator?”

 

“We have stairs, but there's only one staircase on each floor, and it can get annoying going all over Kami's creation just to get from story to story, because as you can see, this is a big house.”

 

“Yeah. . .” Kagome mumbled. “It's huge. Now what's this idea of yours?”

 

“Hmm. . .? Oh, yes. I'll tell you when we get to your room.”

 

“Unfair. . .” Kagome grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest, pouting slightly.

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes unrelentingly. “We're almost there.”

 

Kagome sighed heavily as she stomped after Inuyasha.

 

`She's an excited pup.'

 

`Pup? She's not a pup.'

 

`Then what is she?'

 

`An intangible being.'

 

Inuyasha mentally snorted. `Puh-leeze.'

 

`Whatever, ignore me if you want, but that'll only cause hell for you.'

 

`Shut-up.'

 

Stopping at a dark, glazed door, Inuyasha pulled the entrance open. “I hope you're comfortable while you stay here.”

 

Kagome sharply gasped as she stammered, “I—love the room. . .”

 

Inuyasha shrugged, scuffing his shoe against the carpet shyly as he also looked around.

 

High ceiling, double-sized bed with a comforter patterned with fancy flowers that ran up four lightly colored stripes, light colored curtains with gentle floral imprints that faded in and out as they brushed the bottom hem, and creamy colored walls that had a darker green vine stretched upon the high part of the walls where it joined with the ceiling. . .

 

Inuyasha cleared his throat as he gently asked, “So. . . you like it. . .?”

 

“It's perfect,” Kagome reassured as she clutched his hand and smiled. That was his proof enough, there; she never smiled like that, unless she was really happy. . .

 

Kagome took a delicate step in, like she would shred the ivory carpets if she were to go in any farther. She held her breath and waited. A few seconds ticked by as Inuyasha gazed at her amused, his arms over his chest and his frame leaning against the door.

 

Kagome slowly let out her breath; apparently the rug had passed the test and wouldn't tear apart. She looked around before slowly went over to the bed. She hesitated before leaning over and applying pressure to the mattress.

 

Inuyasha couldn't stop his snort from escaping. “Keh, it's not going to break, wench.”

 

Kagome's head snapped to his direction. “I knew that,” she replied as a light shade of red filtered her cheeks.

 

“Keh. . . sit down.” He waved his hand in the direction of the bed.

 

Kagome looked like she was going to object, but slowly—ever so slowly—sat down complying.

 

“Okay, wench. Here's my idea: I'll ask you some questions, and you'll answer me as best you can.”

 

Kagome eyes brightened with puzzlement. “But I already told you I can't re—”

 

“—Member a thing?” Inuyasha asked, finishing her question. “That may be so. . .but if I ask you some questions, something's bound to resurface.”

 

“U- uh. . .? Oh- okay.”

 

“So you'll do it?”

 

Kagome shrugged in a no-fashion way. “What do I have to lose?”

 

Inuyasha winced. `Your life, maybe?'

 

“Nothing. . . I guess. . . So. . . do you have any siblings?”

 

Kagome scrunched her nose as she gazed up at the ceiling, thinking as hard as she could. “Uh. . . I. . .No—Yes—Uh. . . No, I don't.” Upon seeing the totally disappointed look on his face, she winced. “Was I right. . .? I was wrong, wasn't I?”

 

Inuyasha buried his face in his open palms. `She doesn't remember Souta?'

 

`She already told you she doesn't remember a thing! Get it through your head, baka!'

 

`But. . . but surely she'd remember her own brother? They were butter and bread!' Inuyasha argued.

 

`I'm dealing with a nit-wit!' His youkai growled. `If she told you she doesn't remember, she doesn't remember! She doesn't lie for no reason!'

 

`I'm not saying she lied, but surely she should remember something if she's pushed to remembering. . .'

 

`Don't—'

 

`Would she forget about her friends?'

 

`You really shouldn't interfere—'

 

`It will work, won't it?'

 

His youkai gave a long, suffering, agitated sigh. `Experiment all you want. When you're done testing things out—'

 

`Great, I have a good question or two, now.'

 

`Of course, I'm just your guider, but does that—?'

 

`You say something?'

 

`. . . I rest my case, you don't listen to me any—'

 

“Kagome? Say. . . did you have parents?”

 

The girl-in-question blinked her surprise. “Wha—”

 

“I promise if you answer, we'll know f we have a chance.”

 

“Uh. . . right. Well, I think I. . . that is. . . uh. . .” she crinkled her brow as she thought. “I think I had. . . a mother. . .” she replied slowly, measuring each word.

 

`Maybe she isn't a total lost cause. . .'

 

“Anything else?” Inuyasha gently prodded.

 

“Yes. . . a father?”

 

The small smile fell right off the hanyou's face. `Or maybe not.'

 

Inuyasha shook his head. “You had a mother, she was a widow. One younger brother. And you're grandfather.”

 

“Oh. . . I- I never would've. . . guessed.” A sad expression plastered itself to her face.

 

“Hey, it's okay. You'll remember someday.”

 

She smiled—a broken, sad smile, “I suppose. . . If- if you say so. . .”

 

Inuyasha did his best to reassure her, to make his voice firm, believing. “You will.”

 

But his voice had come out choked; and he had to wonder: would she remember. . .?

 

~*~

 

“Nothing?”

 

“Yes, damn it, nothing.”

 

“Well, that's odd. . .” the monk replied as he put a `V' shaped thumb and forefinger to his chin. “She. . . should remember.”

 

“Should she, Miroku?” Inuyasha asked, a `tell-me the-truth-or-else' look in his eyes.

 

“Yes, it should've come back a few days after. . . unless. . .”

 

“ `Unless' what?”

 

“They. . . might have taken back-up pre-cautions. . . or she might have been defiant from the beginning.”

 

Inuyasha snorted. “She's a trained miko, Miroku. Do you think she would have gone with strange youkai willingly?”

 

Miroku paused before replying. “. . . What if they. . . weren't `strange youkai'?”

 

“What do you mean. . .? That someone she knows—that I know—tried to hurt her. . .? To torment her?”

 

Miroku winced and shrugged. “Youkai aren't always. . . nice.”

 

Inuyasha growled as he cracked his knuckles, allowing the sharp tips of his claws to gleam beneath the concealment spell. “I'll maim them. . . then I'll kill them.”

 

Miroku winced at the imaginary picture of Inuyasha doing just that. “Calm down. . . you first need to find out what happened, who did it, and how to reverse it. . . and if you can,” he added reluctantly, mentally counting to ten, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't maim him.

 

Inuyasha's eyes flashed red before his concealment spell shocked his youki, shoving his full-youkai form away. “You mean to tell me. . . that there might not be a way to reverse what happened to her?” Inuyasha's voice was low, yet there was a venomous tone to it.

 

Miroku winced. “. . . Yes, that's what I mean to say. . .”

 

Inuyasha snarled. “I'll find them, I'll maim them, I'll neuter them, and then I'll kill them.”

 

Miroku flinched, knowing full-well that Inuyasha might do just that. . . “Poor them. . .” he croaked.

 

The hanyou flashed him a livid, rabid look. “What did you say. . .?”

 

Miroku smiled innocently, purposely ignoring the question. “I need to tell you something else. I really do think that they have a spell on her. . . probably one that buried her memories deep under a thick layer of brain tissue. . .”

 

“But wouldn't she remember everything that happened since then. . .? If they laid the spell on her when they got her?”

 

Miroku smiled grimly. “Who's to say they only use it once?”

 

“I'll find them, I'll maim them, I'll neuter them, give them open-heart surgery, hang them by their toes and rip their claws out. . . then I'll consider killing them. . . but first I'll make them beg for death.”

 

“You're going to give me nightmares. . .”

 

The hanyou lashed out at him, “Monk, if you plan to live until tomorrow, you'll tell me what you know now.”

 

Miroku sighed. “Here's what I know about these type of things from training: It's extremely painful to get the spell. . . if someone inexperienced does it, the brain may need to be tampered with for the spell to work to its fullest. . .”

 

“. . . I'll find them—”

 

“You'll maim them—blah, blah, blah—I know. Listen: if she does have a spell on her, if her brain was played with, do you know what you'll do to her if you force her to remember something? What type of damage her brain will undergo? Human brains can only push so much.”

 

“Damn it! Fuck!”

 

Miroku sighed. “She needs to go at her own pace. . .”

 

Inuyasha growled low, sounding very much like a dog. “I swear I'll make the bastards pay. . .”

 

Miroku rubbed his neck, trying to loosen up to the tenseness that had formed in his muscles. “I know you will. . . but if you want to help her. . . the best thing I can give you is stay out of it.”

 

“ `Stay out of it'?” Inuyasha echoed dubiously.

 

“Or. . . you could. . . trick her. . .”

 

“ `Trick her'?”

 

“Yeah. . . you know. . . help her without her knowing. . . Just. . . gentle reminders of what happened to her before all this. . . Her family, friends. . . and you.”

 

Inuyasha grimaced. “I don't think I'll ever tell her about me.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because. . . I suppose it'd be easier if she just walked away after all this.”

 

Miroku thought about that for a minute. “May. . . be.” `Or. . . maybe not,' he added as an afterthought. In these type of situations. . . it was hard to tell who would be the winner. . . who would come out on top. . .

 

`Like a game. . . only it's a life-or-death situation. . . Hopefully, Kagome comes out the winner. . . Hopefully. . . Too bad we don't have the rules to the game. That merely makes the winning more harder to do. . .

 

~*~

~reviewers~

~Higher Being—Yeah, you basically have it down… Hmmm, they might go after her again…~ ~dangersque—Huh, I didn't even think of that… Yeah, I suppose I did… Cool. There… mightbe equivalents (^_~)~ ~inuyashaloverr~ ~inuyasha cute doggy ears—Sorta… not totally… you'll have to keep reading to find out what she's considered, though~ ~Midnight Moon~ ~Anubis Himura—Thanks, always! ^_^~ ~lilomeinthecorner~ ~Kaz1167~

 

Okay, I'm sorry… I was going to update on Easter. Really, I was… But my keyboard broke… and if my keyboard doesn't work the whole computer goes awry... Review and tell me what you think… If I feel up to it (And if I gets some reviews), I'll put up the next chapter soon… Maybe this weekend.

 

Tootles!

~Sayo