InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hidden Beneath a Smile ❯ Searching ( Chapter 8 )

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Eight: Searching

Barely ducking the fist aimed for his head, Inuyasha attempted a right hook to his brother's cheek, only to have his fist caught. Glaring at the older youkai, the hanyou growled. "What the hell?" Side stepping a muscular leg that was met to connect with this gut, temporally knocking the wind from him, he yelled. "I'm only ten minutes late!" Then he went for the trump card, it never failed to get him out of a tight situation with his brother. "'Sides, I bet Rin would agree that this treatment of me is a bit harsh."

Backing down only slightly, Sesshoumaru bore cold emotionless eyes into his younger brother's own, smirking faintly when he could smell a light tinge of nervousness enter his brother's stifling scent. "Do not repeat this action little brother, for Rin would not even be able to save you then." He forewarned, turning back to take the seat behind his desk, motioning his brother and friend to fallow his example. All but Inuyasha did so, and he expected no less. "I assume you both wish to now why I summoned you here?"

"Tch, enough with the crap Sesshoumaru and just tell us why the hell we're here!" Inuyasha growled out lowly, pinning his aniki with a dark look as he crossed his arm above his chest, back against the wall, in his standard stance.

Ignoring his brother's outburst, Sesshoumaru focused his attention upon the monk, one clawed hand pushing the recently acquired documents in to his line of sight. "One of our spies managed to come across these, I was hopping that you'd be able to shed some light upon the contains of this document, houshi." He removed the appendage blocking the monk from fully viewing the typed words and said. "It holds some interesting facts as to your father's disappearance… not only that houshi, it also tells of an object your father had taken from them… a betrayal if you will…"

Miroku skimmed over the printed letters, confusion etched into his features as his brows furrowed in deep thought. "He refused to go along with something, but he never said exactly what… and if he did take something, if that is the reason he died… then I haven't the faintest idea of what it could be that he may have possibly taken. He had never said a word about it." The monk leaned back in his chair, lids sliding shut coloring his sight black.

"You are sure of this monk?" Sesshoumaru instantly inquired, if there was even a long shot that he remembered some slight detail, he did not want to miss out upon it. He did not want to lose such a valuable lead due to memory failure or lack of information into the said lead. "And if you can not recall would there have been a soul still alive that you father would have beseeched this information too? Is there a chance that that soul or perhaps you know of a place your father would keep such an item if he had not said word of it existence?"

Immediately his sibling came to mind, but he did not allow them to linger there. Higurashi Hakujou, being in his line of work, did not trust a being that he could not call family… two possible candidates are dead and the other possibilities he did not want to entertain the thought of. Miroku shook his head. "My father trusted no one but those considered family, there is no one alive he would have allowed such knowledge to pass to and I would doubt he'd say anything to myself specifically. There is a chance he may have said something that had a deeper meaning to it…" He mused to himself though the words were spoken for all to hear.

Drumming his clawed fingers upon the surface of his desk, Sesshoumaru said after much thought. "Visit the spider."

"What!" It really wasn't a question as much as it was a way to release the feelings of shock and disgruntlement with his brother's orders. Backing away from the wall, Inuyasha turned to glare at the older youkai, claws tapping against his black clothed arms. "Tch, like that bastards gonna be any help!" He scoffed. He'd already seen the baka spider once this week and didn't have the will or the want to see him again, not to mention the reason for his little visit. The spider was likely to make him squirm, if not tell Miroku out right his reasons for the last stop.

Studying the tenseness of the hanyou's structure, the monk gave his friend a searching look. Something was a miss with his dear half-demon friend, the question would be what did it have to do with Naraku The Spider? "If you truly wish not to go Inuyasha, I can always find my way there without you." Miroku spoke out freely, taking note of the slight look of horror that crossed the hanyou's face. He was not the only one to take note of it, he mused as he saw Sesshoumaru raise a brow at his half brother's antics from the corner of his eye.

Inuyasha jutted his chin out arrogantly as he remarked. "Feh, yeah right, you'd probably get yourself killed before you even reached the doors… weak human." He grumbled under his breath, as he moved to lean against the wall once more.

Snatching up the document, amber eyes moved from the two useless from occupying up more space in his office with a cold icy glare that would have likely frozen hell over. "Get out of my office." He ordered softly, or as soft a steel being bared. The resemblance of sound caused a chill to run down the hanyou's spine as he wordlessly fallowed the monk from his half brother's abode and out into the hall. The night was going to be a long one.

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Squeezing the hand written letter within her fist tightly, hearing the paper crinkle as it was forced into a ball was not near enough satisfying to her raising temper. Already her eyes have searched the sea of faces as they searched out their lockers, gossiping to those that walked beside them, or wandering about aimlessly as they waited for classes to begin. Less then half of these faces were recognizable to her from classes they shared. Did the idiot listen at all to her when she complained about her life of solitude behind the walls of school? Or was it that he was simply foolish enough to believe that she could find two faceless student out of the thousands that attend Hiroshima High? She had their names, but that was next to useless. The fool didn't think it was necessary to have them wait in the office for her, or so they say, considering it was the secretary that allowed for them to fend for themselves in a place the knew nothing of.

So maybe the monk wasn't all to blame, but in the end she would be doing just that.

With a sigh of frustration, Sango decided to retrace her steps and see if she could find the two she was suppose to be helping find their way. She was unsure of what she would do with the girl… the one that may hold the monk's heart in her hands. Not that she truly cared or anything, but Miroku was her savior, and… she was extremely jealous. She had been in love with him for many years, though she doubted he would ever return her feelings she did not think that she would be able to bare the sight of he did. Even if this girl did not love the monk, nor he her, she still did not think a friendship could be forged between them. Once she caught wind of the rumors drifting from the mouths of others about her, he doubted if the girl would even wish to be in her presence for long.

A shout caught her attention causing her to turn unbidden to see what the commotion was all about.

"How dare you!" A male voice shouted in indignant rage. "Do you think that you can just grab my sister like that!? For that fact, any woman at all!" Sango was more then a little stunned when her eyes met the sight of a boy no more then eleven years of age yelling the schools play boy Kouga. Not only was he demon, but worked for Sesshoumaru as she did, but where she was assassin, he was a mole… but that did not mean he could not tear the human boy to shreds if the time called for it. The boy is brave, she observed silently.

Kouga shoved the kid into the older girl behind him, snorting diversely. "I can do whatever I like kid, and there's nothing that a weakling like you can do to stop me." He taunted.

The boy moved back from the girl, whispering something that went unheard by her ears as he checked her over; most likely for any injuries that might have transgressed from being shoved into her roughly. Seeming satisfied he turned back to Kouga, only to have the girl stop him from moving forward. "Souta he's not worth it." The girl told him soothingly, but loud enough that all could hear. Sango's eyes widened briefly; they were the ones she was to be guarding for Miroku.

Her brows drew down as a scowl marked her features, she would have to put a stop to this before Kouga ended up hurting one of them and ultimately causing her to fail in her new assignment. As the wolf moved, muscles bunching up underneath the schools uniform of a white button down shirt and black slacks, Sango acted. "Kouga don't you dare take on more step!" She ordered as she forced her way through the crowed that had built up around them.

Being a demon in disguise he had caught the demand, and stopped shooting a glare in her general direction. "Oh yeah, and who are you to tell me what to do?" He questioned, taking a step back staring her down as if he expected a physical type of attack. From past experiences with the exterminator, Kouga wouldn't put it past her to lash out at him.

She eyed his tense form with a slow rising smirk forming upon her lips, she would keep this information away for latter observation. "Because she's under Miroku's protection." She announced softly, the words were only for his ears as they would do nothing but confuse the students of this school and tip of those that work for the agencies of their existence.

He snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest now that it became apparent a fight was not in his coming at his heels for the moment. "And is there a reason I should care?" His pale blue eyes looked to the two watching curiously behind her, before returning to her own. The majority of the student body had returned to their earlier dealings once they realized a fight was not in their midst, the ones that stay were the gossipers hopping for a good story to share later at lunch or perhaps in between classes.

"Because Kouga that means they are under the protection of the Shikaku brother's as well, you know that, don't play stupid with me." Sango chastised harshly, her eyes boring into his own unflinching. "You come near them again in a threatening manner then both of the brothers will do nothing to stop Miroku when he demand retribution." She warned, turning her back to him and facing her charges wide-eyed expressions. She marched forward hooking both of her arms through theirs and leading them away from the wolf youkai. Sango released them of her hold once she assured herself that they would fallow her. "Do not go near him again, I don't think Miroku will be very pleased if you do."

"Why?" The boy at her right queried, curiosity lighting up his brown eyed gaze.

"Because Miroku won't like it." Was her reply as if it were the most reasonable answer in the world, one that should not be questioned. He shot her a searching look, before nodding and turning his line of sight to the ground in front of him. Sango cast a look to her left, oddly enough the girl hadn't spoken one word in her presence. Didn't she even have the slightest bit of curiosity as her brother? How was she to know what to make of the girl if she never spoke to her? Clicking her tongue she decided to offer up her name and see where that got her. "I'm Sango."

Her eyes were watching the girl, but her required answers came from the boy. Of course she already knew their names, and thus was a bit perturbed when Kagome -as the boy told, as she already knew- did not answer. She gave up on the idea of conversation for the mean time as she lead the two to their prospective classes. First she had demanded to see their class schedules, and once again the list -both of them- were narrated from the boy, Souta's lips.

The entire day consisted of carting them around, showing them to classes and explaining the rules of the school; both those of the principle and of the students own making. Those students being the ones consider the 'in crowd. Sango could not understand how Miroku could be with such a melancholy girl. Kagome was utterly depressing to be around, she did not smile, she did not speak and she did not look in her direction, preferring to keep her gaze firmly to the ground. She could just not picture the two of them together, nor could she see Miroku actually having a good time in this girl's presence. Maybe she was being a little to judgmental on their first meeting considering that the girl may just be shy in a new place, that and the fact that it was possible Kagome and her savior are perhaps romantically involved. The thought hurt more then a little.

Clutching the strap of her backpack in brutal hold, Sango could silently rejoice in the fact that school was over and she could return to her shadowed life. The life of the assassin. She would sit at home awaiting her orders of the next life she would lay to rest, she would meld and become one with the dark of night and hunt as her boss bid her to. It was not the ideal profession, but it was better then the alias of Sango, the high school senior; the freak. At least, due to her supposed eccentric nature, that is what her peers seem to think; to whisper in the halls like a strongly guarded secret. It depressed and sickened her, that a human being could act so coldly to another… even if it wasn't as bad as being in the orphanage. She would take the abuse of the students she walked the halls with daily to the abuse the employees of orphanage caused to her.

Banishing the depressing thoughts from her mind as if they were not more then dust upon her weaponry, Sango continued on her way in silence both on the outside as well as in. It was the familiar pressure upon her backside that gave her pause that soon lead to what had become her instinctual reaction to such a violation of her personal space.

Her hand caught in a grip just centimeters from her target was very unexpected, and she felt an unfamiliar feeling well up in her chest just to the point of choking her. It was a mix between dislike for this person and bitterness. She was an assassin, it was her job to catch others unaware and do away with their lives! She herself was not suppose to be caught in such a way; it was dishonoring to her position. The dislike she felt earlier soon gave way to unbearable hatred as her cinnamon gaze found itself in a heated match with her savior's… girl.

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Guilt dominated her mind as she recalled the days advents, her brother having to speak for her as she blatantly refused to answer for herself. That girl Sango, she must have made a terrible impression on the girl seeing how she cast her odd glances heavy with something she could just not quite identify. Kagome was sure that it had to do with the crummy attitude that a been so ingrained upon her that she could not muster enough force of will to lift it.

She had felt oddly empty that morning and it only escalated causing her visage to mirror the strong depression this feeling left within her. It was an emotion that she could not quite master at the moment no matter how hard she tried to convince this un-quelling sensation of its nihility in her life, it was not having it and thus deeper rooted itself into her heart. The whole day she did not smile, nor did she laugh or talk with another living soul besides a few word that were mandatory here and there. She knew that Souta had to be more then a little worried with her behavior, she did not believe her little brother had ever seen her with out at least a slight smile to her face. He had definitely had never seen her with the dead look that she new must have over taken her eyes.

School had let out minutes ago and she had been wandering aimlessly lost in her thoughts; she was looking for her brother or at lest hoping that he would catch her drifting by. She would have to apologize to this Sango later for her grotesque behavior towards her throughout the day. If she were to go by the words she managed to pick up earlier that day, when the man she called Kouga copped a feel from her, the girl was a friend of Miroku's. It would not do to be uncivil towards one of her brother's friends, and hopefully the girl was more then just that.

He was in terrible need of one, not only because of an incident that happened years back, but also so that he would no longer have such a pathetic excuse to behave the way the he would at times. Though ever since their talk -one that had thoroughly scared the hell out of him- her aniki never used such practices in front of her again. Then when you tell your older brother that his not so virtuous habits could lead to the selling of her own body because the hands of brother -a man she greatly admired- degraded woman constantly and thus ones virginity could not be entirely to important that one would need to wait until marriage to lose it… he tied those hands down quite literally in the presence of the opposite sex. Remembering the horrified look upon her brother's face that day caused her to laugh outright, and therein scaring a few peers and teachers that passed her by.

"Kagome!"

Pausing in her steps, she slowly turned to peer over her shoulder, her brows drawing up in slight surprise before the first smile that day formed upon her lips. "An-" She paused momentarily as she realized she had almost yelled out big brother, and instead covered her mistake by voicing his name as he came nearer. "Miroku… why are you here?" Kagome queried, and though she tried to force it from interlacing with her words, the curiosity in her voice was very apparent. It made him smile largely, which also cause a slight twitch to her lips as well. It would seem the empties that took a hold of her so firmly was relenting enough so that she would be able to please her brother with smiles and actually enjoy his company without causing worry to his heart like she had to Souta's.

"To see you of course, why else would I be back in school." He responded as if the mere thought of being in the place caused him complete and utter disgust.

Kagome titled he head slightly to the side as she studied him, finally she said. "I though you liked school."

"Not enough to return." His eyes then looked to either side of her before returning. "Where are Souta and Sango, I thought she was…" he trailed as his violet gaze caught sight of something, Kagome narrowed her eyes in confusion as he stumbled forward in an almost-trance like daze. Her brows drew up in shock as she watched his hand come forward and rub Sango's behind as if it were a lover lost.

She really should have let the flat palm smack some sense into her brother for attempting something so foolish, but it was that sisterly instinct that made her react as she had. Her eyes met that of the woman whom showed her around the school, the one she mad a promise to herself to acquaint herself with later. If her brother was going to risk 'tainting' his sister after their conversation all those years ago, then obviously this girl was more then a pretty face to him and thus it was her duty to get to know this girl better. She had to see if this Sango was right for her brother. "I would appreciate it if you did not hit m-Miroku." She had almost said brother once more. "And you!" Her voice took on a stern note as she whirled around to face Miroku. "I thought we've been through this before! Do you really want to corrupt me with your show of voyeurism?" She inquired pointedly.

His eyes widened, and his face twisted into one of horror. "You would truly exact that type of revenge upon me if I do not stop." He swallowed, her face hardened as she nodded sharply. "Fine, but you do realize that time is running short, I need to…" He trailed, his violet irises darkening with a forbiddance that brought an unease to all with in feet of himself.

"I know…" she mumbled softly. "And I told you that we'd find a cure for it, you don't need to find any random woman to do it for you." She reached over and embraced him, from the corner of her left eye she could see the fierce glower Sango was sending her way and decided to mend and heal the animosity that was developing in the girl's heart for her. "Your like a brother to me and Souta, I would hate for you to give up now that your all we have left…"

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The silence permeated the heated conversation that Inuyasha had been privy too. He had time to waste while he waited for the nighttime to roll around and since Sango happened to have been at school, Sesshoumaru sent him on a task being that he was the only one nearby that was free for the day. At this moment Inuyasha's amber orbs focused in on the man on the right as he smoked his cigarette, before flicking the butt off into the distance. The man that he shared the argument with had left not but seconds ago, and the hanyou only waited for the right moment to strike.

He walked along the rafters of the warehouse right above his targets head, and once he was positive to be directly over him, Inuyasha let himself drop. His legs absorbed the shock of the fall, and stood straightening himself only find that he was almost eye to eye with his query. A feral grin filtered across his lips, only for it to widen further as the man stumbled backwards.

"Wh-who a-are you m-man?" His target stumbled over his words in a pathetic high pitched stutter.

That's right, Inuyasha had forgotten to put his human guise in place before confronting this human. Perhaps he would think he had met the devil before coming into his death. "Did you think that we wouldn't find out?" He catechized, deadly soft as his booted feet brought him a step or two closer.

"F-find out w-what?"

Snorting his amusement as his eyes flashed dangerously at the scent of fear that overwhelmed his sense the hanyou said menacingly. "You know what I'm talking about…" he hissed. "In fact you were planning upon doing it again, it's why your here." Inuyasha took one more step as the human, he could hear his heart beat a marathon in his chest, stumbled backwards. "Is a few yen more important then the lives of the children your drugs' stole…?"

Backing up into a metal wall, the human coward. "I-I don't sale d-drugs." He denied fiercely, with a rough shake of his head.

Backhanding him, Inuyasha grabbed the collar of his shirt, lifting him into the a few feet, before slamming him into the metal of the warehouse. The demon in him found satisfaction in the scream the erupted from the weakling of human's throat. "You lie." He stated plainly. "You should know better then to mess with the Shikaku brother's, especially when we say something that is expected to be fallowed." Inuyasha took in a deep breath to calm himself, only to find it heating his blood even more. The smell of his fear was so thick that the demon in him struggled for dominance so that it could not he pleasure of ripping his prey asunder by his bare claws. His eyes flashed once more.

"I-I-"

"Silence!" The hanyou growled lowly as he allowed for the human to fall to the floor with a resounding thud. That too brought satisfaction to the youkai within. "It's time to die, I see it as a fitting punishment for the countless lives you've taken." With that Inuyasha pulled the gun from his side and pulled the trigger, watching as his demon demanded. The bullet entered through the area of the heart, blood soaking the gray shirt of his prey immediately as he fell lifelessly the rest of the way to the ground. Eyes bore listlessly into nothing as blood trailed the corners of his mouth. The hanyou turned from the gruesome scene, already pulling his phone from his jacket pocket and dialing up the number for the clean up crew. "There's body at warehouse five at the Westside of Kyoto, be sure to do a through cleaning. We can't have blood showing up when the cops come to call." He hung up and exited, hurrying on his way to meet Miroku for their trip to see the spider.

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The slight wind created from her two and fro movements upon the swing cooled the tears upon her cheeks to ice. It wasn't as if it were exactly summer any longer, in fact it was nearing December and the days were quick chill. The short sleeved shirt and thin pants adorning her body did nothing to keep the chill out. She thought as more tears fell silently. She knew that her grandfather had been old, but she had not expected him to die so soon, nor for it to be in the middle of the night, before she could even wish him well.

It hurt extravagantly when she realized that she had not seen her grandfather in months…

"Why is such a pretty girl as yourself crying out her all alone?" A male voice inquired. Looking up, she found herself to be staring into cinnamon brown eyes attached to head of long dark hair pulled together at the nape of the mans neck. He looked to be very gentle, if she were to go by his eyes, and he was clothed in a wool trench coat, gloves and thick black pants. She was envious of the warmth he must feel at the moment.

"Who are you?" She blurted out, and immediately felt stupid.

He chuckled a bit, but did not answer her question, and instead pulled the trench coat from his body and held it out for her to either reject or accept. "Take it, your cold." Was his simple reply, and before she could push the coat back from her a refusal at the edge of her lips; the mystery man added. "You don't shiver when your not cold, and besides I have this nice wool sweater to keep me warm. I don't need this." He dropped the coat in her lap causing Rin to blush slightly.

Placing her arms through the sleeves before pulling the side tightly around her frame, she mumbled a shy. "Thank you." Besides Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and Sango she really had no other human contact besides her family and that had left her insecure in the presence of strangers. There was Miroku and Kagura as well, but she couldn't really count them seeing as the monk was not allowed alone with her and the wind sorceress no longer pays her any mind. Her family only consisted of a mother and grandfather, but he's now passed on and her father left when she was around the age of three.

He smiled softly, watching her a moment before moving around to sit in the swing besides her own. "So why were you crying early?" He queried once more turning to face her as he kept her eyes focused upon the hands tightly clasped in her lap. "It might help you to talk about it." He encouraged softly.

Nodding her agreement, she sat silent a moment. "I… my grandfather, he… passed away last night and… I haven't seen him for months." Were her faintly spoken words, words that he had to strain to hear. "I didn't even get to say goodbye." She told him, her voice laden with misery.

"What was the last memory you and he shared?" She looked at him from the corner of her eye and took note that he sat cross-legged upon the swing, hands clutching at the chains while he swayed slightly with the wind. His dark brown gaze upon her as; waiting. "Well? It might help…" He trailed off, his tone told her that he was only trying to be helpful.

She brought her eyes from her lap to the cloud filled sky. The sun was setting over the horizon, causing the clouds to be warm colored, the fading light outlining them in a bright glow. It almost matched the one in her last moments with her grandfather, only then the sun was rising, switching from darkness to day. Her mother and grandfather moved to Hawaii when all of this begun, with her refusing to fallow them. She would not leave her brothers in every way but blood when they needed her most. Sesshoumaru had been kind enough to set them up with a house along the beach.

There was porch that faced the ocean in which her mother bought a porch-swing to decorate it, it was where she and her grandfather had sat, watching the sun slowly rise over the ocean. The sea water had reflected the warm colors of the slowly brightening day and the moon vanished from the sky along with stars of night. She had given him her present then being that she had to leave in an hour, it had been his seventy- fifth birthday and her 'brother's' had shipped her off to Hawaii to celebrate such an event with him. Her gift to him had been a ship in a bottle, to which he told her was the greatest gift he had ever received. She had chosen as she had when a memory struck her, a room filled with boats in bottles of all sizes and makings. It was the room he had stored his collection in, a collection in which he had began at the tender age of ten.

The hour had passed and she had to leave, their separation ended with a tender embrace, and a softly spoken I love you. There had also been words of another visit spoken between them in the months to come, preferably in the winter around thanksgivings day. It would never come now….

Still, the memory the that morning brought a soft smile to her lips. After a moment longer she replied to his earlier question. "We were out by the ocean watching the sun rise… It was his birthday and I had gotten him a boat in a bottle, he told me it was best gift he had ever received." Her soft voice cut through the silence. "Before I had to leave he hugged him telling me that he loved and I responded in kind. We talked for a while longer… and then I left." The memory, it left her oddly at peace and gave her a feeling of calm. Though her grandfather's death still pained her immensely, she felt as if though a weight was lifted from her shoulders.

The stranger beside her smile, laughing softly as he turned to gaze at the sunset. "That sounds like a wonderful memory." His voice a soft baritone. "Don't you feel better now?" He inquired, sending her a sideways look that held a bit of concern.

How could a stranger have concern for some one that he didn't even know? She shook her head of the thoughts, and nodded her head to his question, her gaze still on the purples and oranges of the sunset. "Yes."

"Good." He stood from the swing and took a few steps not facing her. "Then I'm glad." He took another step, never once turning towards her. "I need to go now, you can keep the coat." He told her, his footfalls sounding softly as he got slowly farther from her and before she could open her mouth in protest he said. "If you feel guilty about it, then bring it back here tomorrow or even the next day, it doesn't matter, but you'll be cold on the way home without it and I won't be." He then continued on his way.

Rin watched as he disappeared from sight. I forgot to get his name… She lamented sadly.

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A/N: Sorry that it took so long for this update ^_^ it was really frustrating cause at first I couldn't think of how to begin this chapter and then I deleted it by accident twice. I hope that it came out well enough despite this tragedy…. Please read and review! Thank you!

Thank you so very much to all my reviewers out there! I'd likely be living behind a bank one or fry's grocery store if it weren't for you guys! Err… wait a second… I'm not getting paid for this! Okay… well… then this story wouldn't be as far as it is without your lovely complements and suggestions… there that's better ^_^