InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Guilty Hero ❯ Wheels In Motion ( Chapter 48 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Hello, all!  Back from the holidays, fully recovered.  I hope you all enjoyed your breaks.  I even got some time off work, which was quite delightful.  And, it helped me be able to (finally) finish another installment of GH.  I bet you all thought I had bailed on it, huh? :D  Well, nope.  Ennui and insanity at work just led to other distractions, that's all.  I do apologize for the wait though, especially after ending chapter 46 as I did.  Shame on me.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!  I started receiving a few more reviews months after my last update, and they were great to get me motivated again.  Plus, GH has now broken 900 reviews.  I am quite shocked, but very pleased.  Thank you all for staying with me thus far!

Also, a very special thanks goes out to Karaumea for editing!

Well now, enough blathering. On with the chapter!

Guilty Hero

Chapter 47: Wheels In Motion


Kagura anxiously paced around the cavern's border, snapping her fan open and shut with every pass.  Being unable to leave the underground, she could only wait for her master's return to receive news from the outside.  She knew Naraku had been more than eager to meet his nemesis once again and she was curious as to the outcome.

While she knew Inu-Yasha was hardly the warrior from years past, she still couldn't help but wonder if there was still power in that haggard body of his.  Their meeting outside the Cornerstone Tap all those weeks ago did little to encourage her.  If he had drunk himself so stupid as to be unable to recognize her scent, it was doubtful he would pose much of a threat to Naraku.  However, this time around Kagome played as a factor.

Though she had not been created at the time, Kagura had heard many stories of Naraku's first defeat.  From those stories, she was able to glean some very valuable information.  Inu-Yasha had been struggling during the battle, but once Kikyo had entered the scene, it was as though Inu-Yasha had transformed.  It was only after Kikyo's passing did he unlock the strength to nearly destroy Naraku outright.

Clearly, a woman was the key to Inu-Yasha's power--a woman he truly loved.  And from her surveillance duties, it was obvious that Kagome was now such a woman.  So, due to Kagome's presence at the quarry, Inu-Yasha accompanying her, and Naraku so intent on breaking the half-demon in the cruelest way possible, Kagura held onto the tiniest glimmer of hope.  Perhaps, if Naraku was foolish enough to attack Kagome, Inu-Yasha would be able to...

With a scowl, she shook her head and glared at the cracked stone floor.  It wouldn't do to get her hopes up over nothing.  Naraku would never have left the cavern if he didn't know he was strong enough to fend off the half-demon.

“Hmph.”  She gave a short, mirthless chuckle.  “Maybe he's gone insane with revenge.  I might actually believe that.”

A rough, scraping sound echoing from the entry way immediately silenced her.  She quickly turned around and tried to keep her expression smooth.  Disappointment bit at her.  Naraku had survived yet another encounter with the pup.

Labored breathing was the first thing Kagura noticed upon his return.  When Naraku at last slid into view, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

His movements were slow and sluggish, and pain bogged each step.  His hair hung in scraggly strands around his pale face.  It took a great deal of effort, but he finally reached the swirling orb that spun in the center of the cavern.  He leaned heavily against its opaque surface, and she heard him sigh as he was swallowed up by the energy and disappeared inside.

“My... my lord?” she hesitantly asked, inching closer to the orb.  “What happened?”  It was difficult to keep the eagerness out of her voice.  She was desperate to know what had dealt Naraku such a powerful blow.

“It would appear,” came his soft voice, “that the girl is a far more formidable force than first reckoned.  Kagome Higurashi.”  He trailed off.

Slowly, Kagura's hopes rose again.  Kagome Higurashi had the power to wound Naraku this badly?  She fought hard to keep a smirk off her ruby lips.  This was almost too good to be true.  Certainly, Naraku had not been at full strength when he went out to greet them.  However, Kagura was positive that this Kagome wasn't going to sit idly by as Naraku built himself up again.  The Order would never be so foolish as to not take Naraku as a threat.

Taking a deep breath, Kagura collected her wits and calmed down.  “Will she be a problem in the future, my lord?”

Surprisingly, she was not given an immediate answer.  Naraku remained quiet for a few moments in contemplation.  At last, he replied, “Potentially, yes.  But, there is much that can be done with this girl, Kagura.  She is very much similar to our dear Lady Kikyo--in more ways than one.”

Kagura shuddered.  The undertone of menace in Naraku's voice prompted her to ask her next question.

“What of Inu-Yasha?  Did he survive the encounter?”

“That he did.  Still, I doubt that his mind withstood my attack.”  Sadistic glee laced each word.  “He would have succumbed completely had Miss Higurashi not been there.  I will send someone to check on him soon.  I wish to know the moment he crumbles.  But as of now, he is no longer a threat to me.”

“Does this mean you have finally achieved your revenge?” Kagura asked in surprise.  She was almost disappointed to hear that all Naraku's years of plotting and planning were over in a single night.  It seemed rather anti-climatic.

A cruel laugh echoed around the cavern, raising the hair on Kagura's arms.  “Revenge?  Kagura my dear, I have only begun.  For now, I wait only for his mind to crack.  But his death has yet to come.”  His voice grew flinty, any trace of mirth replaced with steel.  “Only when he has lost all hope, when I have stolen away all that he holds dear, only when he begs for death, will I comply.  Then, my revenge will be complete.”

Kagura hung her head.  His malice was overpowering.  “Yes, my lord,” she softly replied.

“Hm.”  The effect of his words hung heavily about the cavern, and it took him a moment to clear his head and return to more rational thoughts.

“Kanna will be sent to watch Miss Higurashi.  Only she, with her absence of aura, will be able to slip past the girl's defenses.  Muso must remain focused on his run as mayor and his control over the Order's headquarters.  Those pathetic fools will undoubtedly plan an attack to reclaim it soon enough.  As for you...”

Quickly, Kagura straightened when his attention turned to her.  She flinched under the power of his gaze, despite the fact that the orb shielded him from view.  “Y-yes, my lord?”

He pondered her before speaking again.  “I want you retrieve Kohaku from the lower recesses.  I must know the progress he has made in his training.  It is likely that he will become quite useful soon enough.”

Once again, disappointment bit at the witch as she bowed her head in acceptance.  She also had to keep anger from lacing her response; she wasn't a lowly messenger to be sent to and fro.  “As you wish, my lord.”

She turned on her heel in preparation to leave, but a word from the demon rooted her in place.

“Kagura.”

Slowly, she faced the orb once more.  “Y-yes?”  There was a modicum of displeasure in his voice that did not escape her notice.

“I am also going to entrust you to keep tabs on Inu-Yasha.  I require a daily report.  Every notch lower he sinks, I wish to know of it immediately.  Do you understand?”

It was clear he was not thrilled with leaving this task up to her, but Kagura was too filled with joy to worry.  The thought of breathing fresh air and feeling the wind around her overpowered her fear of her lord and master.  Fighting back a smile, she quickly replied, “Of course, my lord.  You can rely on me.”

“Hmph.”  The faint silhouette in the orb waved a hand.  “Begone.  You have work to do.”

Startled by the sudden disappearance of both Inu-Yasha and Kagome, Sango and Miroku stared silently out the open door.  It took them a couple moments to recover, but Miroku knew there were more important matters to attend to.  He cleared his throat to gain Sango's attention and carefully shifted in his chair.

“Sango, my dear... While I don't wish to be callous toward Inu-Yasha's current predicament, there is another issue that urgently needs to be addressed.  An issue regarding the safety and well-being of your brother.”

Immediately, Sango tensed up.  She turned to face Miroku and he knew from the look in her eye that Kohaku had been her very first thought after hearing of Naraku's return.  Worry and fear were clouding her lovely brown orbs, and Miroku's heart ached for her.  He was concerned about the boy, certainly, but it was the effect on Sango that worried him most.

“I... I can't help but fear the worst,” she began quietly in a tone that Miroku was far too familiar with.  It was tight and controlled, as though something dreadful would happen if she let her true emotions shine through.  “We haven't been in contact with him a single time since he disappeared into that hellhole.  Kohaku...”  Her voice choked up as she trailed off.  She was forced to cough to regain the power of speech.  “Kohaku is no match for Naraku.  Naraku is far too clever.  I wouldn't be surprised if he knew of our plan the moment Kohaku set foot in there.  My brother has probably been dead for days, and we... we haven't even tried to make contact...”

“Sango.”  Miroku's quiet voice broke in.  She looked up at him, tears pouring down her cheeks while her chin wobbled in a futile attempt to withhold her emotions.  He kept her watery gaze locked in his steady one, offering her a pillar of stability to lean on.

“I doubt Kohaku is dead,” he began, keeping his voice soft and smooth to help calm her.  “Of all the things we know about Naraku, we are certain that he is fond of the theatrics.  If Kohaku was dead, or  wounded, or being controlled, Naraku would have been flaunting that in our faces by now.  Also, you are once again underestimating your brother.  Naraku is clever, yes.  But, so is Kohaku.  Clever enough to keep himself alive, I don't doubt.”

Sango sniffed and roughly swiped at her eyes.  “Do... do you truly think so?”

Miroku gave her a crooked grin.  “That was just deductive reasoning, my dear.  I don't have to 'think' because I already know.”  The grin quickly disappeared as his expression grew stern once more.  “However, while we needn't fear for Kohaku's life, the situation is, needless to say, delicate.  What worries me is why Naraku has allowed Kohaku to remain in the caverns for so long.”

Taking a deep breath, Sango was able to force her brain back into action.  Her brow furrowing, she murmured, “Naraku must want Kohaku for something.  He was never the one to carry around useless baggage.  If it didn't help him grow stronger, he would always toss it aside like a piece of trash.”

“Exactly,” Miroku agreed with a nod.  “I worry that Naraku wishes to use Kohaku in an assignment against us.  And, seeing as Kohaku would never voluntarily betray us...”  He trailed off, looking rather grim.

Resting her head in her hands, Sango breathed slowly, desperately trying to remain in control.  “We need to find a way to contact him,” she said, her voice surprisingly calm.  “I know we gave him all that equipment, but it's no wonder he hasn't used it.  Not with Naraku breathing down his neck.  But if he can't safely call us, how can we safely call him?”

“I should think that would be obvious.”

Sango looked sharply at him.  “What are you talking about?”

He smiled.  “Who is the only agent working for the Order that has not only gotten in the caverns undetected, but gotten out as well?”

Pausing for just a moment to think, she then scoffed and shook her head.  “You really want to pin our hopes on that coward Myoga?  We had to give him two weeks' furlough to recover when he returned, and he still quakes when we mention the quarry.  When he hears about Naraku's reappearance, we'll have as much success convincing him to sneak back in as we would asking him to destroy Naraku by himself!”

Miroku rolled his eyes.  “Haven't I been the one who has talked Inu-Yasha into doing things he desperately didn't want to do?  Myoga is so much more of a pushover than Inu-Yasha.  I foresee no issue there.  Besides...”

Despite the pain it caused him to move, he reached out and claimed Sango's hand.  Giving it a squeeze, he continued.  “The safety and well-being of your brother is far more important than Myoga's lack of courage.  We have to know.”

Sango sniffed, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks once again.  “Oh, Miroku,” she murmured, gripping his hand in both of hers.  “I don't know what I would do if you weren't here.”

Surprised and delighted, due to the fact that such comments were an extreme rarity coming from her, Miroku gently planted a kiss on her hand.  “I hope you'll never have to find out.”

Koga tapped his finders on the tiled tabletop next to his coffee mug, unable to prevent himself from displaying his irritation.  He had been watching Kagome jump and glare suspiciously around the diner at every noise the moment someone set foot in the place.  She was so busy studying the faces of customers that walked by that the waitress had already taken their order and returned with their drinks before she greeted Koga.

“You know,” he began at last, shifting in the booth, “I was thrilled at the thought of finally taking you out for coffee but I'm not so sure you should drink any.  You're as twitchy as a rabbit already.”

“I don't drink coffee,” she replied shortly, casting one final glance around the building before focusing her stern gaze on Koga.  “Although I appreciate the gesture.”  Her tone betrayed her words as she nodded at her mug.  The words implied kindness while her voice was cold.  Koga frowned, confused by the change in her demeanor.

“I can get you something else, if you want,” he offered with a winning smile, hoping to lighten the mood.  “Now that I have the chance to spend time with you, I'm not gonna waste it over something as trivial as a cuppa joe.”

“Never mind,” she replied, oblivious to his charms.  “We have more important things to discuss.  There have been some very serious developments happening while you've been gone.”

“Damn,” Koga grunted, slouching down in the booth.  “I knew I should have offered to help out that other precinct.  What's been going on here?  I thought we were kind of at a stalemate with that big bad demon down in the quarry.”

“We were,” Kagome replied grimly.  “So, Inu-Yasha and I were sent on a reconnaissance--”

“Inu-Yasha?” Koga interrupted with an incredulous laugh.  “I thought that sick mutt wasn't even fit to climb a flight of stairs!  What was HQ thinking, sending him on any kind of mission?”

Kagome's fists smacked down on the table.  “Inu-Yasha had recovered a great deal of his strength and health at the time and was more than capable of handling a simple reconnaissance mission!”  Her voice was loud enough that Koga started and sat up straighter in the booth.  It was very unlike Kagome to snap so quickly.  Patience was one of her greatest assets.

“U-um... I'm glad to hear it,” he hesitantly replied as Kagome sank back into the booth, her cheeks cherry-red.  Clearly, now was not the time to crack jokes at Inu-Yasha's expense.  “It sounds like he's come a long way from when I last saw him.”

As soon as the words left his lips, he regretted voicing them.  Her reaction was immediate and intense.  While her eyes filled with tears, her brow furrowed in anger and she stared furiously at him.  She clutched her coffee mug so tightly that Koga feared the handle would snap.  Squirming uncomfortably, he decided to stay quiet and let Kagome control the flow of the conversation.

It was a moment before she finally closed her eyes and broke the glare.  Her grip on the mug, as Koga  warily noticed, was still vice-like, and she was having trouble speaking calmly.

“You wouldn't be saying something so foolish if you knew what that idiot was doing-.”  She choked on her words, her voice strangled.  With a liberal swallow of coffee to clear her throat, which was followed by a grimace at the taste, she took a deep breath.  Relaxing from her stiff posture, she released the mug and crossed her arms instead.

“Inu-Yasha is of no concern to the Order right now,” she said.  Her tone was smooth, but her eyes were a steely gray that gave Koga reason to believe that sentence was harder to get out than she let on.  “We have a much bigger problem to deal with at the moment.”

“Which is?” Koga asked carefully, wishing he could inquire more about the situation between her and Inu-Yasha without meeting certain death.

“Well, as I was saying before being interrupted, Inu-- I-I mean, we were sent on a fact-finding mission to the quarry.  We were expecting to meet no one there, save for an imp or two that could be easily dispatched.  However, it was no minor imp that came up to greet us.”

Glancing cautiously around, Kagome leaned in close.  Koga imitated her actions, curious in spite of himself.  Her expression was so grave that he could hardly imagine what she was about to say.

“Naraku has returned.”

There was a moment of utter stillness while the statement sunk in.  But when it did, the effect of those three words was powerful.  Koga's normally tanned face went white, and he slumped back in his seat, feeling short of breath.  

Since he appeared incapable of speech for the time being, Kagome decided to continue.  “He came to us so that we could spread fear into the city, I think.  And so far, it is working.”  She pushed his coffee cup into his limp fist so he could drink.  “I'm sure you understand why we must not let this out yet.  No one in the city knows of his return, save for a select few members of the Order.  We don't want mass hysteria to spread.”

Koga nodded shakily and gulped at his drink.  The heat of the brew and its bitter taste helped return him to his senses.

“I don't understand how he survived,” he murmured, taking a page out of Kagome's book and glancing around suspiciously at the nearby cafe-goers.  If anyone was eavesdropping on their conversation, the resulting situation would be disastrous.  “Are you absolutely certain it's him?”

Kagome nodded firmly.  “Without a doubt.  Unfortunately, the one thing that has changed about him is his power.  He now has approximately nine Shikon shards in his possession and has put them to good use.  He was able to control hundreds of demons with a wave of his hand and he was able to regenerate his body when I shot him.”

“You fought him?” Koga interrupted loudly in shock.  “And you're still alive to talk about it?!”

“Shh!” Kagome hurriedly shushed him, and they both quickly looked around before leaning in close once again.

“I told you, Naraku wanted us to escape,” she whispered, glaring into Koga's worried blue eyes.  “He wanted us to spread the word of his coming.  He wants to break the Order down from the inside through fear.  But, for now, we're keeping it quiet.  We don't want to do anything until we have HQ back in our possession.  That's why I asked to meet with you today.  We're asking our more powerful agents to come aid in the takeover.  If Muso is in Naraku's pocket as we suspect, then he won't give up headquarters without a fight.”

“Of course.”  With his confidence slowly returning as he digested the information, he sat up and asked stoutly, “When and where are we meeting for the takeover?  I'm there.”

Kagome stared at him for a moment, her expression turning sour.  At last she glanced away, focusing her attention on the napkin-holder instead.  “You're so brave,” she mumbled under her breath.  “I wish he could see how much courage you have.”

Koga's brow furrowed.  “What?  What are you talking about?”

Kagome's head quickly snapped back up.  “Nothing,” she said briskly.  “As for the takeover, I don't know when or where we're going to meet.  I'm only trying to let the agents know.  With something as delicate as this, it's best to discuss everything in person.  All we are asking now is that you watch for our signal.  We'll let you know when the time comes.”

“Of course, of course,” Koga answered distractedly.  He now had much to think about.  Naraku's return was something of a shock, certainly.  His first appearance had scarred and nearly crippled the city.  That alone was horror enough to ponder on.

But that was not his primary concern.  No, what was currently foremost in his mind was Kagome.  He was now certain something had gone very wrong between her and Inu-Yasha.  It was only a little over a week ago when the pair was inseparable, it seemed.  Kagome could only attend to her other duties at the Order for a few hours before she hurried back to Inu-Yasha's side, and he was never seen anywhere in public without Kagome's company.

But now, Kagome spoke of tracking down all of the Order's wayward agents in person, which was no quick task.  It was doubtful she had enjoyed much, if any, spare time with Inu-Yasha since Naraku's return.  There was also the foul mood, spouts of anger, and muttered remarks that made it quite clear there was a rift between the pair.  With Kagome's behavior being such the polar opposite of her usual self, Koga feared something disastrous had occurred.

Determined to know what went wrong, he cleared his throat, set his jaw and gravely asked, “Kagome what happened to Inu-Yasha?”

She started at the sudden question, caught unprepared.  Quickly, her expression turned sour, and she gave him the frostiest look she could muster.  “That is none of your affair,” she replied coldly.  “You have more important things to concern yourself with at this point.”

“That's not true,” he snapped back, determined to get a straight answer out of her.  “Inu-Yasha and I have known each other for years.  I may not like the guy, but I've been keeping tabs on him.  He's an opponent, a rival.  I have to respect that.  It also means that I need to know what happened to him.”

At first, Kagome appeared to deflate, surprised to meet such resistance at her words.  She studied him carefully, looking to see if he was merely jesting.  She knew he was more than willing to crack jokes at Inu-Yasha's expense, but his expression proved that he was deadly serious.  At last, she sighed and flopped back in her seat.

“Actually,” she began, a touch of annoyance creeping back into her voice, “I was speaking the truth.  What Inu-Yasha does now is no longer our concern.”

“How so?”

She remained quiet for a moment.  The look in her eyes became distant, and when she spoke, she sounded strangely detached.  “Naraku's reappearance caught him... unprepared, to say the least.  He was rendered immobile during Naraku's little monologue at the quarry, and it was only fear that gave him the drive to make it back to Sango and Miroku's apartment.  After that, he just... shut down.”

Koga stared intently at her, waiting for her to continue.

“No words, no movement, nothing.  It was like he had forgotten where he was.  And then, when we asked him what he was going to do, he said that he was quitting.  And then, he left.”

“Quitting?”  He sounded genuinely confused.

With a nod, Kagome went on.  “Quitting the Order, for certain.  But, I was worried.  I ran after him.  And...”  Once more, her voice trailed off, and her expression grew stormy.  “I found out that he was quitting it all.  His work at the Order, his work with me, everything.  He let me go as his nurse, and I haven't seen him since.”

Koga gaped at her in shock.  “He... he let you go?”

Kagome fixed him with a sharp glare.  She did not like being reminded.  “Yes.  So as I said, what he does is no longer our concern.”

With his fists opening and closing beside his coffee cup and his teeth grinding in a strange grimace, it was obvious Koga was bothered by this news.  In fact, he appeared so disturbed that Kagome, despite her own foul mood, was prompted to check if he was all right.  However, just as she opened her mouth to speak, Koga pounded his fists on the table with a shout.

“That damn coward!”

Kagome immediately bristled at the remark.  Her reaction was automatic.  “I beg your pardon?!”

Koga focused his ice-blue eyes on her, snarling in rage.  “The most powerful threat to this city presents itself, and all he does is shrivel up and run?  He doesn't even think about protecting you?!”

“I never said that--” she tried to interrupt, but Koga went barreling on.

“And he's dropped out, too?!  He's leaving the people who need him just because he can't deal with one demon?  He's leaving you?  I don't care what his history with Naraku is; Inu-Yasha is a damn coward, and he sure as hell doesn't deserve my respect.”

“He is not a coward,” Kagome snapped hotly in reply, her cheeks flushing.

“Oh, really?”  Koga's voice dripped with contempt.  “He's completely fallen apart.  He crumbled in on himself.  And he doesn't want you around, which means he's probably back on the sauce.  He's weak.”  Koga hissed the last word.  “How is that not cowardice?”

Opening her mouth to shoot back a scathing rebuttal, Kagome soon realized that she had no argument to give.  Koga was right.  Inu-Yasha really had proven himself to be weak and spineless.  There were a hundred reasons Kagome wanted to throw the wolf's way to explain Inu-Yasha's actions, but before the words ever left her mouth, their power died.  She was, she assumed, so used to defending Inu-Yasha during his desperate climb out of his black pit that her automatic reaction was to attack any who insulted him.  But for once, Koga's harsh words rang with truth.  Inu-Yasha was a coward.

Under Koga's furious scowl, Kagome frowned and shrank into the booth with anger growing in her breast--anger directed at Inu-Yasha once again for his actions, and anger at herself for allowing her still-lingering feelings toward him to cloud her judgment.

With the atmosphere around their booth growing so thick and tense with the emotions sparking between the pair, it came as a great relief to Kagome when her phone suddenly rang.  It effectively cleared the air as Koga jumped and broke his glare.  Kagome, seeing who the caller was, quickly put on more business-like airs and answered it in a calm voice that surprised even herself.

“Yes, Sango, what is it?”

Their conversation was very brief.  Snapping her phone shut, she stood and briskly gathered her things.  Still holding onto her business-like demeanor, she sent a sharp glare in Koga's direction that made him wince.  “I am needed at Sango and Miroku's apartment now,” she said shortly, anger still lacing her tone.  “We'll be in touch with you when we get more details about HQ.  Until then, watch your back.”

As she made to leave, Koga swallowed hard.  He settled back in the booth to think on all that he had learned from their short visit, but Kagome stopped next to him on her way to the door.  He glanced curiously up at her.

Staying silent for a few beats with her expression conflicted, she at last murmured, “Inu-Yasha may be a coward now, but... in some ways, he's far braver than you will ever be.”   

He barely had time to wonder if the comment was meant as a jab at his conscience or a consolation for her feelings before she brushed past and left him sitting alone in the cafe.

Upon arrival at the apartment building, Kagome slammed her car door shut and proceeded to stomp inside.  She was still bubbling with anger over her conversation with the wolf.  The whole thing didn't sit right, and she was quite unsettled with how things had gone.

How dare he say those things against Inu-Yasha, she thought bitterly as she jammed her thumb into the elevator button.  If only he knew how hard Inu-Yasha was working to get well before Naraku screwed everything up.

Glaring at her reflection in the steel doors while the elevator shuddered upward, she frowned and adjusted the shoulder strap of her purse.  Really, she shouldn't be thinking about Inu-Yasha at all.  He was no longer a part of her life, and it wouldn't do to dwell on him.  He had made it clear that he wasn't going to bother thinking about her at all, so there was really no reason for her to waste energy on him.

“He's not worth my time anymore,” she mumbled under her breath when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.  “There are more important matters at hand.  And since Inu-Yasha won't deal with them, I'll have to step up in his place.”  

Her temper sparked again at the thought, but at the same time something in her core twinged with regret.  In her heart, she knew that she should never have left his side, especially not when he was at his most vulnerable.  But she was also tired of having her feelings hurt.  Over the course of time she had spent with him, she had dealt with some horrible treatment.  All of it she had been able to chalk up to pent-up emotions and alcohol, but what happened after Naraku's return was inexcusable.  She was tired of being bullied.  She was tired of being beaten down, attacked and pushed away.  She was tired of sacrificing herself so that Inu-Yasha could grow.

Balling her hands into fists and knocking sharply on Sango and Miroku's door, she whispered, “I deserve better than him.”  

The words felt so wrong on her tongue.

Before she could get her bearings, the door to the apartment cracked open and a sharp eye peered out at her.  Although quite used to being greeted by Sango in this manner, Kagome was still never prepared for the weapon that accompanied her arrival.  She opened her mouth in an attempt to get Sango to lower the barrel of Hiraikotsu, but another unfamiliar voice interrupted.

“She is no imposter.  Allow her inside.”  The voice was deep and smooth.  There was little volume to it, but it resonated with power and authority.  Kagome was rendered silent by it, and Sango lowered her gun without argument.  Clearly, she trusted whoever it was the voice belonged to.

“I'm sorry about that, but you know we can't be too careful nowadays,” Sango apologized as she opened the door wide enough for Kagome to slip through.

Nodding shortly in acceptance, Kagome glanced around the room in search of the stranger who had spoken.  Her eyes came to rest on Miroku, who smiled pleasantly at her from the armchair he continued to occupy for most of the day.  He was still stiff from his numerous wounds, even though the cuts were almost healed.  Kagome gave him a pained half-smile in return; she simply could not allow a full smile to grace her features.

Moving past him, she suddenly froze when her eyes came to rest on the room's fourth occupant.  Her heart leaped into her throat, and she nearly stumbled back at the sight of honey-gold eyes and long silver hair.

Just as quickly, she regained her composure.  Her mind had tricked her for just a moment into thinking that Inu-Yasha was sitting but a few feet away.  However, it soon became apparent that this was simply not true.  The man in the armchair did indeed have long silver hair, but his locks were thin and smooth.  It was clear he took meticulous care whereas Inu-Yasha barely wasted the time of day on his mane.  And while they both shared the trait of amber eyes, the stranger's were narrow, clear and cold.  Inu-Yasha's were either warm and fiery according to his mood, or hazy and slack after he'd been drinking.  There was a resemblance despite these differences, but only slight.

All of this, in combination with the fact that the stranger was wearing a crisp business suit and carried himself with the air of being in complete control, made it quite obvious that this was not Inu-Yasha.  But although her head grasped the concept, Kagome still could not bite back the rising anger in her breast.  She gripped her purse with unnecessary strength as Sango walked around her and pulled over a chair from the dining area so she could sit.

“I believe some introductions are in order,” Miroku began conversationally as Sango sat down on an ottoman next to him and Kagome perched stiffly on the dining chair.  “Kagome, I would like you to meet Sessho-maru.  He is the head of the Order's Foreign Operations branch.  Sessho-maru, this is Kagome Higurashi, our most spiritually powerful field agent.”  He paused, clearly waiting for the customary handshake that accompanied two people meeting for the first time.  

Sessho-maru did not budge from the armchair.  He stared coldly at Kagome, entwining his fingers and resting them against his chin.  He was clearly sizing her up, and Kagome's anger led her to feel defiant at his behavior.  She lifted her chin in response and crossed her arms in a blatant, silent challenge.  The demon didn't blink but continued to study her.  After what felt like an interminable amount of time, his gaze eased a fraction, and he nodded his head at her.

Blinking in surprise, even though she remained upset, Kagome dipped her head in reluctant acceptance.  Then they both turned their attention back to Sango and Miroku, who appeared more than a little bewildered by the exchange.

“Um...Ahem, well, Sessho-maru is originally from this branch of the Order,” Sango slowly continued as she glanced curiously between the two.  “However, he has proved himself to excel when dealing with our operations around the world, so he requested a transfer out of the country.  He is one of the most powerful agents we have in our employ.”

Sessho-maru fixed Sango with an icy glare, obviously displeased with the description, but Sango was apparently used to such looks from him and remained unaffected.  “That's why we asked him and his assistant to aid us in our battle against Naraku.”

“But will it be enough?” Kagome asked abruptly.

“Mind your tongue.”  Sessho-maru's deep voice rolled over her once more, quiet yet strong.  He did not add anything to his argument, and Kagome realized he did not need to.  It was quite obvious how powerful he was, and he was clearly no fool.  To continue arguing would be petulant and childish, and he was not about to waste his time in such a manner.  She shot a cold glare at him in return, and then focused on Sango.

“Honestly, I don't know,” Sango admitted with a glance at Miroku.  “Naraku's power has increased so much since the last time, and continues to do so even as we speak.  And as it has been a few years since we have seen Sessho-maru battle, we have too little information to go on.”

“Mm.”  Kagome grunted in irritation.  “Is this all you called me here for?  To tell me you've added a new agent to our list and that you don't know enough about Naraku?  Because I really have a number of other things I should be doing now.”

“This is more than just a meet and greet,” Miroku piped up, his tone a bit sharper than usual.  “We are planning for a huge battle against Naraku, Kagome.  And, we need more power than what we have right now.  In our strategy discussions with Kaede, she has informed us that one of the most powerful combinations we can send Naraku's way is pairing up spiritual energy with demonic.”

Kagome stiffened, uncrossing her arms and clutching her purse so tightly that her knuckles turned white.  She knew what was about to come.

“She agreed that it would be most advantageous if you and Sessho-maru were to team up.”

Something inside Kagome snapped.  She glared at the demon with outright hatred.  Not only did the bastard share enough traits with Inu-Yasha to make her mistake him, but he was now taking Inu-Yasha's place at her side.  She would not tolerate it.

“Of course,” she said briskly, her voice cracking.  “When do we start?”

“You will begin training together tomorrow,” Miroku replied.  He sounded more than a little concerned by her reaction.  “Depending on how well you learn to work together, your first real assignment will possibly be the takeover of headquarters.  But, we shall see about that.  That might be a bit much to ask of you at first.”

“We'll find out soon enough,” was her short reply.  She surged to her feet and slung her purse over her shoulder.  “If that is all, then I must be going.  I will return tomorrow for the training.  Have a good evening.”  And then she turned on her heel and fled the room.

Once out in the hallway, she was only able to go a few feet before emotion finally overwhelmed her.  Leaning heavily against the wall, she hung her head and let out a choked sob.  Everything that had happened today had only increased her longing for Inu-Yasha.  Yes, anger was her primary emotion, but loss was rapidly enveloping her.  

She had tried so hard to carefully tuck away her feelings about him.  She had buried them deep, drowning herself in work to cover them up.  But with her discussion with Koga and the appearance of Inu-Yasha's look-alike, those feelings were dragged back to the surface, as fresh and painful as the day he had spurned her.  Her heart ached as those cruel words Inu-Yasha  had dealt her echoed around her head.  He clearly never knew how much she had, and still continued, to care so fiercely for him.  He could not have been more hurtful to her by pushing her away.

And now that he was being replaced by someone who so cruelly resembled him, it only reinforced how alone she felt without him by her side.  It was suddenly so final—he wasn't going to come back from this.  

She continued to weep, feeling so overwhelmed, but the sound of the apartment door opening quickly caught her attention.  She hurriedly dug a tissue from her purse and rubbed her eyes, praying they weren't too bloodshot or puffy.  She did not feel like dealing with the sympathetic quips and looks that Sango and Miroku would send her way if they saw her in tears.  But, whoever had exited the apartment was remaining quiet, so she put on a stern, business-like expression and turned around.

Her gaze turned frosty as soon as she realized who had joined her.

“What do you want?” she snapped coldly, her eyes drifting over those silvery locks that mocked her in their similarity to Inu-Yasha's.

Sessho-maru stared coolly back, slowly pushing the door shut until it clicked into place.  Silence hung in the air; his presence practically commanded it.

“I assume you will retain better control over yourself while we are working together.”  His tone was even, but his disapproval was clearly understood.

Kagome drew herself up straight and tall.  She was not about to show weakness to this man.  Deep down, she knew it was foolish to take out her frustration and anger on this demon when he, through no fault of his own, reminded her of Inu-Yasha.  But the hurt, which had only just begun to scab over, was now fresh and raw with his presence, and she found she could not hold back.

“I am more than capable of performing our missions together in a professional manner,” she replied, her chin held high.  “There will be no problems.”

He continued to stare.  “What have I done to earn your ire?  I was under the impression we had never met prior to this point.”

Kagome turned away from him, crossing her arms.  At this point, she was jealous of his self-control.  “We haven't met.”

Silence reigned for a minute.  She refused to look at him.  However, he was so quiet that she at last turned her head just enough to verify his presence.

“I have learned from Sango and Miroku that you were Inu-Yasha's caretaker until recently,” he said calmly, apparently unaware of how tender that statement was.

“I was his nurse,” she corrected bitterly.

“Mm.”  He didn't seem to care about the comment.  “And, that his condition was improving.  Is this true?”

“Yes!”  Kagome whipped around and thrust her arms to her sides out of frustration.  “Yes, he was doing beautifully!  He could have gotten past his stupid addictions if he only had the backbone to follow through with it, no matter what!  Does that answer your damn questions?!”

Sessho-maru was relatively unfazed by her outburst.  He watched boredly as tears dribbled down her cherry-red cheeks and her eyes flashed in anger.  Waiting a moment, he finally said, “My brother has always been a fool, Higurashi.  Merely a few minutes in his presence should have told you that.”

Shock at his statement reversed the effect anger had on her body.  Her arms fell slack, and her jaw dropped open in surprise.  “Your... brother?”

A fleeting glimpse of irritation flashed across his face before his features smoothed once more.  “Half brother, to be precise.  I do not claim to share more blood with him than I must.  He is a fool and an embarrassment to the family name.”  His eyes hardened a fraction, sending a chill down Kagome's spine.  “This is not the first time I have been asked to clean up his mess.  I tire of the requests.”

She stared oddly at him, her brow furrowed in anger and confusion.  “Inu-Yasha never mentioned having a bro—er, half-brother.”  She certainly did not like hearing Inu-Yasha's flesh and blood speaking so cruelly of him but she couldn't hold back her surprise at learning he had any family at all.

“He would not have.  His utter hatred of myself grows exponentially.  And, according to his principles, ignorance is the best policy.  He is not fond of me, therefore I do not exist.”

Sessho-maru spoke of this so casually that Kagome couldn't help but wonder what had happened between the two brothers to cause this rift.  But, this was neither the time nor place to ask him about it.  Besides, he was as open and easy to converse with as a brick wall.  She got the impression that he was quite unused to the amount of talking he had already contributed to the meeting.

“You seem to be very interested in Inu-Yasha's history with me,” she said carefully.  She was still fighting to hold her temper in check.  Just like Inu-Yasha, his half-brother rubbed her the wrong way.  “Have you not been in contact with him at all?”

His displeasure was immediately evident in his voice even though his expression hardly shifted.  “That is none of your affair, Higurashi.”

“If you had kept up with him, you would have known full well of my role in Inu-Yasha's life, and what condition he has been in.  By asking, you're telling me that you have been negligent in your role as the elder sibling.”  The statement was strong, very strong, but Kagome had learned long ago that Inu-Yasha responded best to only the most blunt of comments.  If Sessho-maru really was related to Inu-Yasha, he would at least react to the comment.

He did, to a degree.  His brow furrowed, and his lip twitched slightly as though he desperately wished to bear his fangs at her.  However, whereas Inu-Yasha would have snarled a furious reply back, Sessho-maru retained control.  “As I just said—I do not exist to Inu-Yasha.  It is not as though I can simply pick up a phone.”

“There are other ways,” Kagome snapped back.  “It seems to me you gave up too easily.”

His lip twitched once more.  “You know nothing of this matter,” he whispered, ice lacing each word.

“I believe I know enough,” she countered, matching his cool gaze with a fiery one of her own.  Her fragile control over her temper, which had already snapped more than once this day, was strained to the breaking point once again.  Hatred for the demon in front of her coursed through her veins, and she could not stop it from leaking out.

He lifted his chin so he could stare down at her.  “I believe I understand now, Higurashi.  You loathe the similarities, few they may be, between my brother and I.”  There was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.  “I assure you, we are not the same.”

The sudden spark of fire that flashed in his amber eyes convinced Kagome of his sincerity.

“I am not so weak as to fall prey to drink, nor does my courage fail me in the face of adversity.  You will not be mollycoddling me as you did my pathetic, worthless excuse for a sibling.”

“Shut up.”  Those two words, cold and hard, fell from Kagome's lips.  And Sessho-maru, though he did not show much surprise, abruptly stopped speaking.  He regarded her, unused to anyone in his presence having the courage to speak to him in such a way.

“You have no right to call him such things,” she continued, staring him in the eye without a trace of fear.  “How dare you label Inu-Yasha in that way when you haven't been around to witness all that he has done?  He has fought, Sessho-maru.  He has fought and he has struggled dearly with battles far more difficult than anything you have been through.  I don't know where the hell you have been, but I  have been here to watch Inu-Yasha drag himself out of the dark.  I got to watch him find that one little spark in his life that was worth fighting for.  That reason for living that he had buried so deep in grief that he had lost sight of it.  I had to watch as he suffered through unimaginable pain.  And I was blessed to see him, even for just a brief time, experience happiness for the first time in years.”  Tears were welling in her eyes, but she soldiered on with her tirade.

“He has endured so much in your absence,” she snapped.  “If there is anyone who knows nothing of this matter,” her tone was a blatant mockery of Sessho-maru's earlier comment, “it is you.”

Silence reigned once she finished.  She was glaring haughtily at the demon, daring him to return fire.  But he simply stood, his face impassive.  Waiting for a few moments, she finally huffed in irritation and brushed past him, shoving the strap of her purse more securely on her shoulder.

“I don't care if you have a heart of ice and a face of stone,” she snarled, whipping around to look at him.  He barely tilted his head to glance at her over his shoulder when she spoke.  “When we begin our work together, you will treat me with respect.  Good day!”  She stormed off to the elevators.

Sessho-maru stayed where he was, standing motionlessly.  He slowly shifted his gaze to the floor, and the corners of his mouth turned down into a slight frown.

He remained in this position for well over a minute, deep in thought.  He was roused only when the apartment door creaked open and Miroku stiffly shuffled into the hallway.  

“Are you two quite finished?” he asked drily, a wry grin twisting his lips.  “Sango and I couldn't hear everything, but we could tell that Kagome was rather... incensed.  We didn't think she would react so strongly to your relation to Inu-Yasha.  Will you be able to work together?”

“Hmph.”  Sessho-maru strode back to the doorway.  “The woman is of little consequence to me.  I will tolerate her presence.”

With a laugh, Miroku stepped aside so the demon could enter the apartment.  “Judging from Kagome, it sounds like the problem will be if she can tolerate your presence.”

A cool glare abruptly stopped Miroku's mirth.  “Enough.  There is other work to be done.  Such as the plans you have in place for my assistant.”

“O-of course.  Well, Sango and I wished to assess his abilities before we sent him out.  How soon could he arrive here for a test?”

“Knowing the creature, he has been hiding in one of your closets, listening to all the proceedings.”

“What?!”

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

So, the top dog himself has arrived.  What will happen next?!  Let's hope I can get the next chapter out sooner than the last so y'all can find out. :)  

Thank you for reading!  Please, leave a review and let me know your thoughts.  I always love to read them.

*Incidentally, Sessho-maru's assistant is not Jaken.  I have enough characters to keep track of in this fic without adding in completely useless ones. :D

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