InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Foundations of Neo Genesis ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Not as many reviews on this one as I expected. But, oh well. Let's see questions: Kagome will be in this chapter along with others. As for Kikyou, she's dead and will stay that way. Even if she did come back to walk the Earth as a soulless zombie, Inuyasha will not be around to torment. I think that's all I can say without giving the story away. Enjoy.

Foundations of Neo Genesis

Chapter 2

He still could not believe it. The beauty beyond his window was amazing. The points of brightness against the velvet canvas of black were mesmerizing. Inuyasha leaned against the window in his room, staring out into space. The room was nice, much bigger then his room back on Earth. A large picture window made up one wall with shutters that could be opened or closed with the push of a button. A large bed stood against the other wall along with a bookshelf that he left empty. The bed was covered in a soft, synthetic cotton comforter in a soft blue. It matched the over all silvery, dull metal color of the room.

Opposite the bed was a kitchenette, furnished with all the latest appliances. A CHIL (Capsule Health Innervating Loge) stood to one side filled with food capsules, put there to keep them fresh. The CHIL itself was a 3ft cube with a handle and door on one side. Inside were dozens capsules the size of large pills. They were packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Also in the kitchenette was a CAM (Capsule Activation Machine) that turned the capsules into a meal or drink of choice with the right combination of buttons. A small table and chair stood nearby with a bowl of fake fruit for decoration on top. In one corner, mostly hidden from view was a small cleaning droid.

To the right of the bed was a semicircle indent in the floor lined with two curved couches. The two ends of the couches left just enough room for a short set of steps. A large TV screen rose up from the flat side of the indention, and a small table rose out of the center of it all. The floor of the room was covered in a light blue carpet.

With a sigh, Inuyasha pushed himself away from the window. The truth was, even though it was nice to have all this to himself, he was bored. His life up until now had always had a whirlwind type feel, and all this sitting around just did not suit him. He still had three days until departure, so he still had plenty of time to explore the station.

Inuyasha walked over to the bag Sesshoumaru had left for him. He had not bothered until now to even open it. He did not have much to him name and doubted there would be anything of interest. Inside he found a hand full of currency, enough to keep him happy for a few days, a dagger he had bought sometime ago, and assorted other items of little value. But what surprised him was what he found at the bottom of the bag. An old sword, much like a katana, in a beat up scabbard. The Tetsusaiga, his father's sword and the only thing he owned that he would call priceless. The sword had been given to him when he was very young, though he had never gotten to hold it until he was 15. It was the only heirloom he had from his parents. With a slight smile, Inuyasha tucked the sword back into the bag and pocketed the cash.

Inuyasha exited his suite into the hall. It was like all other halls on the ship, beige and unadorned with doors evenly spaced on each side. It curved ever so slightly with the shape of the ship and ended in a sliding metal door. He walked out into the bright light of the promenade he had first seen yesterday. It was the middle of the day, at least according to the timekeepers, and most of the people on the station were out. The wide corridor was filled with people and demons walking back and forth. Some would disappear into a store or restaurant or bar, while others seemed to just be window-shopping.

Inuyasha took the lift down to the lower floor and took a left. He really did not know where he was going, just started walking. The area reminded him somewhat of the shopping centers back on Earth. He had not been to them very often, but knew how they were laid out. The main difference, however, was the occasional bar or dance hall stuck between stores.

His feet carried him down the corridor as he looked into different places without anything catching his attention. It seemed like an hour before he stopped and leaned against the wall. People and demons passed by without noticing him and he soon found himself watching them. Tall, short, blond, brunette, slim, fat, demon, human; just like Earth. A woman walked by with a screaming kid in her arms, and lion demon walked the other way with a shopping bag in each hand. Inuyasha grimaced. He was still the only half-breed he knew, or had ever heard of for that matter. Inuyasha jumped when a hand came down on his shoulder. He spun around and raised his clawed hand in preparation for an attack.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." The man responded. He was a little taller then Inuyasha, with shoulder length black hair pulled into a low ponytail. The young man was dressed in rodes of black and purple. He held a staff in one hand.

"Feh! You didn't frighten me."

"Of course not. Did you wish to come in?" Inuyasha blinked and looked up. He was standing in front of the station's sanctuary. A large silver colored triangle glistened in the light from overhead: the entrance was covered in red silk. The man was standing near entryway, waiting patiently. Inuyasha could not ever remember being very big in religion, but what could it hurt? He nodded and the priest pulled back the curtain to let him pass.

The room was large, circular in shape, and decorated in reds, golds, and blues. The ceiling was high and showed the stars overhead. To his right hung a curtain of gold silk covering a doorway, in front was a curtain of red silk, and to his left was a curtain of blue silk. For a minute he just stood in the middle of the room looking around. Despite the vibrant colors, the room had little decoration. Only a large silver triangle to match the one outside hung high on the wall.

"Was there something specific you wished to pray for?" The priest appeared at his side. Inuyasha looked away not really comfortable with being in the sanctuary or in the presence of the priest. The man next to him probably had never committed a sin in his life: Inuyasha on the other hand could not count all his.

"No…" He muttered.

"That's ok." The priest smiled and rested his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. He either did not notice or did not react to the half-demon's flinch. "If you need anything, my name is Miroku. Though I am only a temporary here. I will be leaving with one of the Neo Genesis groups in a few days.

"Me too…" Inuyasha replied absently as he continued to look anywhere but at the priest.

"Ahh," Miroku did not seem to notice his guest's lack of attention, "Then perhaps a small prayer to each is what you need." He clapped Inuyasha's shoulder once more before turning to go back out into the main corridor. "If you need anything just ask."

Inuyasha watched him leave before turning back to the room. He stuffed his hands in his pockets uneasily. He had only been a little kid when his mother had last taken him to a service. The only thing he could even remember praying for was to not be caught for whatever he had late done wrong. But maybe the priest was right; a small prayer to each of the gods could help relax the fear that had started to grow in the pit of his stomach.

With a sigh, and a quick check to make sure no one was looking, Inuyasha walked over to the gold curtain and walked in. The room was smaller then the one he had just left, but the high ceiling still opened to the stars. The room was completely decorated in gold and black. A large statue stood against the far wall surrounded in kneeling pillows. The statue was made, or at least coated, in gold. It reminded him vaguely of his brother, only with short, clean-cut hair. The man wore a suit and tie and carried a brief case in one hand. On the brief case was the silver triangle. Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. It felt wrong standing at the base of Kratos's, the god of work, statue when he had not worked an honest day in his life.

Carefully, as if that statue might smite him, Inuyasha walked over and knelt down on a pillow. He clapped his hands together before bowing forward and touching his forehead to the floor. He rose to his knees but kept his eyes and palms on the floor. His mind cast about for something to pray for. He did not have a job, no real amount of money to his name. Even if he had those things what good would they do him in a couple of days? He raised his eyes to the statue and felt slightly stupid. There was no way he could fathom praying the Kratos helping him right now. With an annoyed grunt, Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet and walked out.

He did not bother to look around, but turned sharply and pushed past the red curtain. The room was like Kratos's chamber, only decorated in shades of red. The golden statue in this room was of a young woman. She wore a nice housedress and an apron around the waist. In one hand she held she held a feather duster and cradled a baby in the other. She was Caru, Goddess of the home and family. This statue too was surrounded in pillows.

Inuyasha shuffled his feet a bit. Praying to Caru could not help him much either. He was leaving his home and family behind to go to a god-forsaken planet in the middle of nowhere. The half-demon sighed and stiffed his hands into his pockets as he turned away.

He pushed past the crimson curtain again, only just avoiding the priest as he escorted a young woman into Caru's chamber. He took a quick look around to make sure there was no one else around before he darted into the next room.

The blue curtain fell softly into place behind him as he stepped into the room. This one was decorated much like the other two only in blues and greens. It was smaller then the other rooms, and unlike the other two, the ceiling was solid; no stars could be seen. That was not too surprising, however, for he stood in the chamber of the least of the three Gods, Liron: the Goddess of all beyond the realm of the others.

Before him stood a golden statue much smaller then the previous two. It showed a young girl, maybe only 16 years old. She was dressed in a blouse and pair of pants. A flower was stuck behind her ear and a smile played on her lips. Liron looked much more approachable then her adult counterparts.

Inuyasha looked at his feet for a moment. He had the awkward out-of-place-feeling-again. It felt kind of silly asking a statue for advice. What could it possibly say in return? How could this possibly help?

"Feh! This is stupid!" He snorted, "Why am I even wasting my time?" He turned sharply on his heels and stomped out. He entered the main chamber just in time to hear a loud smack! He turned to see the woman from earlier come storming out of Caru's chamber, her face red and eyes flashing. A moment later the priest appeared from the chamber rubbing the red handprint on his cheek. Inuyasha snorted and walked out.

Back on the promenade he blended into the crowd and moving in the same direction as before. People passed without looking at him and he in turn paid them little mind. His stomach growled and he ducked into a small restaurant. It was dimly lit and a bit hazy, but whether from smoke or to add atmosphere he did not know. He made his way to a booth off to one side and slid into the seat. A waitress came, took his order, and left.

Inuyasha gazed lazily about him. He found the space station very much like Earth. People so caught up in their own lives, bustling about trying to make the most of their time with little regard to those around them. He sighed at the humdrum as his meal arrived, a simple sandwich and a Neptune's Gail. He had barely gotten the first bite into his mouth, when someone called his name.

"Inuyasha!" The half demon choked in surprise. He knew a grand total of two people on the whole station, one of which did not even know his name, and had not been expecting to have some one call out to him. With a few light smacks of his chest he managed to swallow the half-chewed bite before washing is down with his drink. Myouga gave him an apologetic smile as he took the seat across the table.

"Wh- what do you want old man?" Inuyasha coughed irritably.

"I forgot to tell you the other day that you must go through a short training course. Nothing big, just some things you need to know. It should only take an hour or so. I've made all the arrangements. Just be at the station's ZOOS at 1:00 tomorrow."

"And what will I do when I get there? Stare at the holograms till my eyes bleed?" Inuyasha asked without interest.

"Oh no." Myouga continued as if the half demon were hanging on every word. "Some one will meet you there and teach you everything you need to know. And it will be a chance for you to get to know someone in your group."

"Oh goody…" Inuyasha muttered around a bite of sandwich. Myouga smiled at him as if he had gotten the answer he wanted.

"Oh and, just incase no one told you, meals are free for those in Neo Genesis."

"Free meals to death row, how nice."

"It's more a glory and good luck thing." Myouga responded dryly, "And aren't you too young to drink those kinds of drinks?" Inuyasha looked at him for a moment, then downed the blue colored liquid in a single gulp. Myouga pursed his lips in announce but got up to leave without another word.

The next 24 hours passed much faster then Inuyasha would have liked. Every time he looked up hours seemed to slip passed, as if some one kept resetting the timekeepers when he looked away. At 1:00 he stood outside the ZOOS's entrance though it seemed he had just been in the restaurant with Myouga moments before.

A small finger tapped his shoulder and he turned to find himself looking straight into a pair of bright blue eyes. He blinked and took a step back, regaining his personal space. The person standing next to him was not what he had expected. If anything he had at least expected the person to be male. Before his stood a slip of a human female. Long black hair tumbled down her back and large blue eyes smiled up at him. She was dressed in a simple green shirt and black pants, and held a large flat device to her chest.

"Excuse me. Are you Inuyasha?"

"Yeah." He replied a little softer then he meant to.

"Oh good, I was afraid you might not show up." She smiled broadly at him. "Come on let's go, I have lots to tell you!" She grabbed his hand and began to pull him along with her. Inuyasha snapped back to reality and yanked his hand away from her.

"Don't touch me!" The girl spun around and looked at him with wide eyes. "Don't ever touch me!"

"I… I'm sorry, I… didn't mean… "

"Just Don't!" The girl took a step back, before turning sharply on the balls of her feet and walking into the ZOOS entrance. Satisfied his point had been made, Inuyasha followed. The girl had lost that bounce in her step as she led him into the room. The room was small and plain. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of the same gray metal. A man sat in a small booth near a large door. He looked board and was watching some game show on a small screen. The girl walked up to him and gave him a small card. He looked at it with a grunt, then pushed a button. The large door next to him opened with a hiss, letting then pass and shutting behind them.

The ZOOS was like many others he had been in. The air was perfumed with synthetic scents to smell of grass, water, and animals, or at least what people thought they would smell like. The huge area was lit by a bright light overhead to simulate the 20th century sun. Under his feet was a pelt of grass that felt like it was made of soft plastic-alloy. A hidden fan pushed air about, simulating a light breeze.

Inuyasha breathed deeply. He knew it was fake, a bunch of cheap tricks to fool the senses, but he really did not care. Something about these places always made him feel more alive, more real. He had spent many hours in places just like this in his younger years; not to learn, but to escape. Here he did not have to worry about school, work, money, or the death of his parents. The thick walls blocked out the incessant drown of the city and filled his ears with synthesized bird song. A soft smile tugged at his lips as a large cat like creature walked passed. It paused in its stroll and a screen appeared over its head.

American Panther: Extinction year: 2145. Feline, predator. Food included large mammals and fish. Habitat ranged over all of North America at its peak. Length: 1.5, Weight: 103 kilograms. Other Names: Cougar. The screen vanished and the cat moved on passed them as if nothing had taken place.

"So now what wench?" Inuyasha snorted. The girl looked at him sharply, her blue eyes flashing angrily.

"My name isn't wench!"

"Well, you haven't told me your name yet smart ass." She flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"Kagome."

"That's nice." She looked up with a smile, expecting he had had complimented her name. She found his expression instead to be one of boredom. "So what now wench?" She growled softly at him. "What?"

"Let's just go!" She snapped back. Inuyasha shrugged and followed as she marched off. Kagome fumed all the way to a small clearing in the holographic trees, where she sat down in the grass and gestured for him to do the same. Inuyasha huffed and sat with his arms crossed over his chest.

"So why am I wasting my time here?"

"Think of it as survival training." She replied dryly. Inuyasha gave a bark of laugher.

"YOU are going to teach ME about survival. That's a laugh. I bet you never went to bed hungry in your life."

"Humph." Kagome snorted, "I heard about you. You're just some punk off the streets who had good connections. Well, I'll have you know I've been preparing for this mission for the last four years and if you hope to survive, you had better listen to me."

"Feh!" He replied. Kagome rolled her eyes and put the device she was carrying down in front of her. Inuyasha glanced at it, to find it was that largest PID he had ever seen in his life. Most personal PIDs could easily fit in a jacket pocket and not be noticed, weighing a few ounces at most. But this one was a foot square and had to weigh close to two pounds. "What's that matter, couldn't they afford new equipment?"

"For you information smart ass, this is the most advanced PID (Portable Information Device) to date. And if you are referring to the size, it has to be big enough to collect all the data we learn on the planet. Besides it has a lot of special features for detecting poisons and other things to help us. Now pay attention." She turned back to her PID and began tapping away at the touch screen.

A moment later several of the ZOOS's digital animals emerged around them. But instead of walking or flying as they normally would, the animals floated in. Inuyasha watched as they arranged themselves into a line about a foot off the ground and a bright red line connected them.

"This is called a food chain." Kagome began as she stood up. She walked over to the left end of the 'chain' and pointed to a small black creature that could sit on the end of a finger. Its backward jointed legs stuck up over its body at an odd angle. "This is a cricket." Kagome began, "It is an insect and at the bottom of this food chain." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as she stepped to the next animal. This one was a fish swimming in mid-air. It blue in color with dark green stripes. It was fat and about as long as his forearm. "This is a fish, specifically a Perch. In this chain it eats the cricket."

"Do you really think I don't know this crap?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Kagome sighed in exasperation.

"I have no idea what you know. I'm just telling you what I had to tell everyone else."

"And how do I know you aren't just making all this up?" Kagome frowned at him and he smirked back.

"You're trying to annoy me aren't you?" It was more a statement then a question. "For your information I have degrees in biology, ecology, and zoology. I most certainly don't need you to tell what I know or don't know."

"But isn't it all just theory?" Inuyasha smirked. Kagome glared at him. "I mean the International Library of Earth History burn to the ground in the late 25th century."

"Some of the records were salvaged."

"Sure, and then mixed up. I'm leaving." He got up and turned his back on her.

"You can't leave!"

"Who's going to stop me? You?"

"But… but…"

"Look little girl, I don't want to be here and neither do you. Let's do us both a favor and just pretend we had this little 'training session'. It'll save us both that much more time." He ignored her protests and walked off into the forest.

Kagome crossed her arms and huffed. What a jerk! Who did he think he was? She was trying to help him and all he did was insult her. Well if he wanted to get himself eaten, it was no skin off her teeth. She returned to her PID and dismissed the animals back into the ZOOS. With a sigh she gathered her things and headed for the exit.

She passed out of the clearing and into the trees before she stopped. Maybe it was not entirely his fault: she had not been all that kind to him either. He started it of course, but maybe he was not used to having people treat him as anything she would call kind. A small smile touched her lips. He was in the same group as she, which meant she had the rest of their lives to prove him wrong.

With renewed spirit, Kagome hurried off. She darted out of the ZOOS entrance, ignoring the man in the booth. The main promenade was bustling as always, but the Kagome passed through the crowd with practiced ease. She had originally found the stations population suffocating, with all the people so close together, held in by the high walls. It reminded her far too much of the over crowded boarding school she had grown up in.

Kagome ducked into a small restaurant tucked neatly between a salon and a dance hall. The room was dimly lit with soft music playing through hidden speakers overhead. Only a few people were seated in the booths, with most of the patron crowded around the bar nursing various drinks. The girl quickly scanned the room before spotting her quarry in a small booth in the back.

Kagome slid into the seat across from a girl with dark brown hair held in a neat high ponytail and chocolate eyes. She wore a perfectly pressed military uniform in deep blue. A number of gold, silver, and bronze colored metals decorated her chest. Carefully applied red eye shadow was her only make-up. Kagome smiled at the other woman.

"Hey Sango."

"Hey Kagome, I thought you had to orient some kid who booked at the last minute."

"He bailed." Kagome shrugged and roll her eyes.

"And you let him?" Kagome did not miss the disapproving tone in her voice.

"It's not like he gave me a choice. Kind of just walked out on me."

"You should have at least tried, you know how important this is." Sango took a sip of amber colored drink.

"I know Sango and I did try, but I can't force him. Besides didn't you walk out on my lecture at the big meeting?" Kagome let a sly smile cross her face. Sango turned her nose in the air indignantly.

"I had military business to attend to."

"Sango, you haven't worked with the military in over a year. You didn't want to sit through that lecture any more then anyone else."

"Well, biology is a dead science anyway." The military girl protested. "If you wanted people to listen to you, then you should have been an engineer of some sort."

"Gee, thanks." Kagome replied dryly. "So what do you want to do tonight?"

"We should sleep, tomorrow is going to be very full day." Sango replied sagely.

"Yeah, and our last day among civilization. Come on, loosen up." Sango rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Ok Kagome, I guess a little fun will be ok." She downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. "But first I need to change. Can't have fun dressed like this now can I?"