InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hunt for the Sword of Legend ❯ Setting Out and Eating In ( Chapter 1 )

Ahhh, another chapter. I wasn't going to put up another one until Tuesday but I got finished with it tonight so, here it is! I hope you enjoy it. Also, I wanted to ask you again to please review. If only for my sanity, please. I'm so OCD about grammar and spelling. If you see something off that needs to be changed please let me know. I think I spend more time rereading than I actually do writing.

 

 

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha. For that matter, I don't own Jerry Springer either. That could be fun though. If you ever wonder what people will do for a little money and a free trip, watch that show. I'm embaressed for them it's so appalling.

 

 

Chapter 1:

 

 

Setting Out and Eating In

 

 

Inuyasha pulled into Myoga's driveway at 6:00 on the dot. He was always a stickler for promptness. He still hadn't called his brother. He dreaded the call more than the flight that would take way to long, in his opinion. That was saying something.

 

 

Inuyasha parked his Dodge Ram and looked in the rearview mirror. `Looks like Sango made it,' he thought to himself as he watched the teal Toyota pull in behind his truck. He put his shades on his head, retrieved his keys from the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle. Inuyasha looked up to see an older, balding man coming down the stairs of a massive estate.

 

 

Inuyasha and Myoga had been associated with one another for a very long time. He and Inuyasha's father had been friends even before Sesshoumaru was born. Myoga was a short and round man with a bushy mustache that looked like it was growing more from his nose than his lip. His white, unruly hair circled his balding head like a snowy wreath. Inuyasha found himself fighting off a smile at the familiar old man hobbling down the brick stairs.

 

 

“I see you made it on time Mr. Tanaka. And Miss Sango will be joining us I gather.”

 

 

“Yeah, I called her last night. I figured she could be of some help. We don't really know what we're up against. I told her to pack for anything, but I didn't think she would pack everything.”

 

 

Sango was trying to drag her sizeable amount of luggage up the driveway as Inuyasha was making the joke at her expense. Even though she was a female through and through, he knew better than to think that more than one bag was clothes. Sango was the kind of woman that relied on her natural beauty and simple clothing choices to contain her assets. What was in the other five bags were probably weapons, books, a chemistry set and a few other things they might need. Seeing how much she was struggling, and hearing Myoga chuckle, Inuyasha moved to take a few of those bags from her. Taking four of them off her hands and noting that they were really heavy, he walked the last couple of yards to place her bags next to Myoga's in the long, black town car.

 

 

After Sango put the rest of her luggage in the back of the car as well, she stepped back and Inuyasha got a good look at her.

 

 

Inuyasha always thought Sango was beautiful in a very conventional sort of way. She was almost as tall as he was and had a very lean figure. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and her coffee brown eyes were always shining. She had pale, ivory skin and long limbs. Inuyasha wondered why, not for the first time, he had never felt anything more than friendship for the girl. He supposed it was because he felt she was more like the sister he never had than anything else. He also supposed she felt the same about him. As the woman upon whom he had been pondering spoke, he stopped his musing.

 

 

“Sorry I brought so much. I just felt like I needed to be prepared. I would hate to go all the way to Tokyo and realize I left something we might need.”

 

 

“That's okay Sango”, Myoga said with a twinkle in his eye. “I'm glad at least one of us is prepared for anything. I'm also glad Inuyasha called you. We will probably use your expertise in the coming week. No telling what kind of adventure we're in for.”

 

 

Inuyasha was gathering his own things from his truck as he noticed another car coming down the driveway.

 

 

“Hey, old man. Expecting company?”

 

 

“That will be Kikyo. I asked her to meet us here before we left so we could make arrangements for the sword. The museum can't afford to take it right now. The Tetsusaiga deserves a large exhibit and she can offer that. After my museum gets a little more funding, she will give it back to us. We are loaning it more than anything else.”

 

 

Kikyo Sasaki. She was the owner of a private collection much like Sesshoumaru's. Though, unlike Sesshoumaru, Kikyo loaned out her collection to major museums. As far as Inuyasha could tell, her philosophy was much like his own. Art and history belonged to the people. Everyone should be able to view and learn where their world had been.

 

 

Miss Sasaki stepped out of the black limo looking like a super model. She was tall and curvy in all the right places. Her attractive black hair was flowing past her waist and she walked as if she owned the world. Inuyasha and she had gone out on a few dates by suggestion of Myoga. She was wonderful and kind and everything else he looked for in a woman. However, Inuyasha could never shake the feeling that she was hiding something; as if it were all an act. Her eyes were what did it to him, he finally decided one day. The rest of her was warm, but her eyes were cold and unfeeling. Something in his gut churned when she looked at him with those eyes.

 

 

“Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Suzuki.” She said as she shook their hands firmly. Kikyo eyed Sango and moved to shake her hand as well.

 

 

“I don't believe we've met. I'm Kikyo Sasaki. And you are?”

 

 

“I'm Sango.” Sango replied as she matched Kikyo's granite handshake with one of her own. “Sango Itou. I'm a personal friend of Inuyasha's.”

 

 

“Is that so?” `There were those cold, unfeeling eyes again', Inuyasha thought as he watched Kikyo size up Sango.

 

 

“Well, I know that you three must be going so I'll get right down to business. All I need you to do is sign these papers stating that after the sword is procured, it will be in my possession until such time as The Museum of Natural History and Archeology asks for it back. By signing these papers, you also give me permission to loan the sword out to other museums until such time as your museum can obtain a permanent exhibit.”

 

 

“Do you have a pen?” asked Myoga. He trusted Kikyo and if she said that's what the papers said, then he would sign them and let her be on her way.

 

 

“Here you are.” Kikyo stated as she reached in her very expensive blazer and retrieved a silver pen.

 

 

“Thank you.” Myoga placed the contract on the hood of his town car and carefully signed his name.

 

 

Kikyo grabbed the stack of paperwork for him, handed him a copy and bid them thank you and farewell.

 

 

As the three of them watched Kikyo's limo drive back down the driveway, Sango saw fit to break the silence.

 

 

“Do you trust her that much that you would sign a contract without reading it?”

 

 

Myoga cleared his throat. “I know that you may not understand this, but bear with me. Kikyo is not without the ability to deceive. However, from dealing with her for this long, I know that she is more the type to tell you outright what she is planning rather than leaving people guessing what she's up to. She would never be able to keep a smug look off her face while I was signing if she was up to something. I've seen that look on her face too many times not to be able to recognize it.”

 

 

That settled Sango's mind for the moment. She still didn't like the way the haughty bitch looked at her. It was almost as if she was trying to look through her to her weaknesses. Sango shivered at the thought.

 

 

“Well, let's get this show on the road. That plane won't wait just for us, ya know.”

 

 

As usual, Inuyasha got straight to the point. They all piled into the sleek, dark car. Inuyasha, Sango, and Myoga all let the silence surround them; each one unwilling to break the peace. They were glad to have a moment to themselves. They thought about where they were going and what they would do when they got there. What would be waiting for them in Tokyo? Would it be a simple mission? Of course not. Nothing that had anything to do with that sword was easy. Was it another wild goose chase then? Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had had plenty of them before. Why would this one be any different? Sesshoumaru.

 

 

“Shit!”

 

 

The outburst from Inuyasha startled the rest from the questions and pondering they had entered upon.

 

 

“God, Inuyasha, don't scare me like that.” Sango gasped as she clutched her chest dramatically.

 

 

“I have to call Sessh. I really don't want to call him, but if I don't and he finds out anyway, I'm doomed.”

 

 

“Well, you had better call him them.” Myoga said wisely handing him a cell phone.

 

 

“Gee, thanks.” was Inuyasha's reply.

 

 

Looking suddenly sullen, he stroked the numbered key pad on the petite phone. It rang a few times and soon a silky voice answered.

 

 

“Sesshoumaru Tanaka.”

 

 

“Sessh, how's it going?”

 

 

“It will be going well when you tell me what time you will be here for dinner tonight. Ren has made her mind up about you coming to spend `quality time' with me, much to my distaste.”

 

 

“Come off it Sessh. Must you be such a pompous asshole so early in the morning? Besides, I have good news and great news for you.”

 

 

“And what would that be, little brother.” Inuyasha bristled at his tone. He had half a mind to hang up the phone. But this had to be done.

 

 

“Well, the good news is that you won't have to eat dinner with me.”

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“That's the great news. I have a lead on the Tetsusaiga.”

 

 

“Explain.” Sesshoumaru had a way of never really asking someone to do something. Inuyasha thought, on many occasions, that Sessh would make a great drill sergeant.

 

 

“An old woman that donated a lot of money in the past to the museum kicked the bucket. She collected quite a mass of history herself. The lawyer in charge of her will called Myoga and told him that a clue to the sword's whereabouts was in the document. We're on our way to Tokyo now.”

 

 

“And you decided not to call me sooner?”

 

 

“Yeah, so what.”

 

 

“Did it not occur to that feeble mind of yours that I might have wanted to accompany you on this trip?”

 

 

“That's exactly the reason I didn't call you until now. I don't want that feeble mind of yours thinking that when we find the sword that we'll give it to you. Be mad all you want Sessh, but I'm not letting a piece of history that important be shut behind closed doors. It's bad enough that you have Tenseiga on lock down.”

 

 

“It is not my wish to do so. As much as I loathe the idea of the Tetsusaiga being put on display like some common pottery, I understand your reasoning.”

 

 

`Did Sesshoumaru just agree with me?' Inuyasha thought to himself. He didn't dare ask. He didn't really want to know. `Who cares?'

 

 

“Why would you want to come then?”

 

 

“You haven't told anyone else about this little excursion have you, Inuyasha?”

 

 

“The only people that know about it are me, Myoga, you, Sango and Kikyo.”

 

 

“Why that bitch?” Sesshoumaru's tone was clipped. Inuyasha knew why his older brother didn't trust her. Sesshoumaru felt the same way Inuyasha, himself, felt about her. She was nice and all, but nether of the brothers trusted her as far as they could throw her. As Myoga had already said, “Kikyo is not without the ability to deceive”.

 

 

“Because, the museum doesn't have the money right now to display the sword to it's full potential. Kikyo's just gonna hold it for them until the museum has the funds it needs.”

 

 

“And why not ask me to hold the Tetsusaiga?” Sesshoumaru was starting to get angry now. His own flesh and blood choose that hussy over him! The outrage!

 

 

“Sessh, she's going to loan it out to other museums while she has it. The sword will be safe and the public will get to see it. It would only be under lock and key if you had it, and you know how I feel about that.”

 

 

“Even so, I do not like her having it. I could have donated the money to the museum it that were the case.”

 

 

“I know, but the construction for the exhibit would take months and we would still need somewhere safe to keep it. This way the sword is safe and viewable. Although, if you still want to put up the money, I'm sure that Myoga will be thrilled. Please, try to see this from my point of view.” Inuyasha would plead with his bastard brother if that's what it took. He didn't need him showing up where he was not wanted. Inuyasha's only hope was to convince Sesshoumaru that he had everything taken care of and preplanned. Spending a week or longer with his brother in close quarters did not appeal to Inuyasha.

 

 

“I see.” Inuyasha knew that `I see'. What he really meant was that he would drop it…for now. “You will keep me updated on the search.” This was not a request.

 

 

“Yeah, sure”, Inuyasha grumbled.

 

 

“Keep safe little brother, and watch your back.” With that, Sesshoumaru ended the phone call.

 

 

Inuyasha let out an audible sigh. He handed the cell phone back to Myoga and proceeded to examine the grey carpet that lined the floor. `What does that son of a bitch know that I don't? And what's with all that `watch you back' stuff. Something's going on here.'

 

 

“I'm guessing that went as well as one could have hoped”, Myoga joked. He chuckled to himself.

 

 

“Yeah, well, at least he's not going to follow us to Japan.”

 

 

“That's a relief!” Sango exclaimed. “One pretty boy brat is enough.”

 

 

“Ha ha, very funny.” Sesshoumaru had effectively ruined Inuyasha's rare good mood.

 

 

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Kagome Higarashi was sitting very still at her desk. She looked like she was staring off into space. Kagome had a unique style about her. Instead of pacing while thinking like most of the people in her business did, she chose to sit perfectly still and go into a meditation like state. It worked for her. Right now, she was contemplating a case that she wasn't sure she could win. This situation rarely happened. Kagome Higarashi was no one to be trifled with. Unlike most lawyers who had a specialty, she liked to dabble in a bit of everything. She had even taken a few murder cases in her day. Kagome was a woman who liked to keep herself challenged. This particular case was a custody battle.

 

 

All at once, her trance was broken.

 

 

“Miss Higarashi?” A harsh voice came over the intercom.

 

 

“What is it?” She demanded of her secretary, Yura.

 

 

“Mr. Myoga Suzuki called. He wanted me to let you know that he and two guests will be arriving in Tokyo tomorrow morning. They will make arrangements for a hotel when they get here, and come into the office the next morning.”

 

 

“Did he say who the guests were?”

 

 

“Yes. Their names are Inuyasha Tanaka and Sango Itou. Mr. Suzuki said that they are associates of his, here to help figure out the clue in Kaede Sato's last will and testament.”

 

 

“Alright. Thank you, Yura.”

 

 

Kagome looked at the very expensive clock that sat on her large desk. 4:30. “I guess I could leave early”, she spoke out loud to no one. Kagome was a loner, so she spoke to herself quite often. It seemed to happen more often than she would ever admit. She went home to only her fat feline, Buyo, and her cousin every night. She never talked to anyone at work expect clients and Yura. Kagome liked it that way. If you never got close to anyone, you could never hurt someone or be hurt yourself. It was a sort of defense mechanism. Unlike most people who did things like that unconsciously, she knew that she was doing it and why.

 

 

When she was four, her parents and her little brother were in a horrible car crash. She was staying with her grandfather that night. After the police came and told her and her grandfather what had happened, she was horrified. The only other thing she could remember was when she was at the funeral. Everyone kept telling her how lucky she was. How lucky it was that she was staying with her gramps that night. All she could think about when someone said that was `How am I lucky? My parents and brother are gone and I'm left here without them.' Sometimes, when she was younger, she wished that she would have been there in the car with them. Every once in a while, she still felt like that.

 

 

The other reason happened when she was eighteen. After her parents' and brother's death, Kagome and her grandfather had moved to Tokyo from the United States. She was ten at the time. When she was in high school, her gramps basically ordered her to go to college to be a doctor. Finally, the day before she graduated, she told her gramps that she wouldn't go to college to become a doctor like her parents had been. She told him that she would be going to college to become a lawyer. Her grandfather had been the angriest she had ever seen that night. He had almost thrown her out of her own home before he gained his composure. They had never talked about that night since. But when her gramps looked at her sometimes, she could tell that he still felt betrayed.

 

 

For these reasons, Kagome never really wanted to get close to anyone ever again. She never wanted anyone to look at her and see only pain for her actions. She never wanted to care and love someone so much that they could leave her, and make her feel broken and empty. She never dated and she never made friends. This was the only way to protect herself and those around her. The only real friend she had was her cousin, Miroku.

 

 

Miroku was the only one, outside of her therapy sessions, she had ever told her feelings on keeping people away to. The only reason he was close to Kagome was because it had never really been an option. He never gave her a choice. He was always staying at her house when she was little. Miroku was the reason she had pursued her desire to become a lawyer, and why she had confronted her grandfather that night. If she ever tried to push him away, he would call her bluff and sagely give her reasons why she should keep him around. Kagome thought about what to fix for dinner for them as she collected the paper on her desk she had been contemplating, and put them in her small, black briefcase.

 

 

On her way to the elevators, she told Yura she would be leaving for the day. Gods, she hated elevators. They were never large enough for her tastes. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as the elevator started to move.

 

 

“I'm not in an elevator. I'm in a big open field with lots of pretty pink flowers all around me.”

 

 

Kagome continued to say her elevator mantra until she felt the small, metal box come to a halt. She stepped out and dug in her purse until she felt her keys at the bottom. Coming up to the side of her car she pushed the unlock button on the keypad she held in her hand.

 

 

When she got into the car and started the engine, she reached, yet again, into her purse to pull out a small, pink phone. She dialed her home phone number.

 

 

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“RING!!!”

 

 

“RING!!!”

 

 

“I'm coming, I'm coming! Hello?”

 

 

“Hey, housemate. I left work early today, and was wondering if you wanted take out.”

 

 

“That would be fine. Where are you going?”

 

 

“I'm kind of craving Italian. I thought maybe some lasagna. Is that okay?”

 

 

“That sounds perfect. I'll see you at home in a bit.”

 

 

“Okay, bye, Miroku. Oh, and there better not be a girl shacking up with you at my house!”

 

 

“Dear Kagome. Would I do that? You wound me!”

 

 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Bye.”

 

 

“Bye.”

 

 

After Miroku hung up the phone he stared at it for a few moments. “I'm so misunderstood”, he said to the enormous cat lying at his feet. Buyo stretched, as did Miroku. Kagome had teased him about Buyo. She said that if they spent anymore time together, they would become the same person. She was referring to the fact that ever since he had moved in with her, the cat had been his shadow. Whenever Miroku went to the bathroom, Buyo was there. It was the same everywhere in the home he and Kagome shared. They ate together, slept together, watched T.V. together; the list didn't end, it seemed. Ah well, it could be worse, he supposed.

 

 

After about forty-five minutes of watching Jerry Springer (a wonderful American show, if you asked him) with Buyo, he heard Kagome's little, silver car pull into the driveway. He switched the T.V. off, and went to open the door for her.

 

 

Kagome came in with her hands filled up with a big pan of lasagna. Miroku, seeing she was about to drop it, grabbed it from her and set it on the kitchen table. As Kagome went to take care of her nightly ritual, he got plates from the cabinets and forks from the dish drainer. They weren't originally from Japan, so they opted for American contraptions when they could. Both had grown up in America and moved to Japan at a later age for different reasons. Kagome moved because her grandfather felt she needed to be raised in her ancestral country, and Miroku because his parents wanted the best education for their son. It was no secret that Japanese schools were better than their American counterpart. In any case, they were here together. Miroku was very glad that he could be there for his cousin. She had been through a great deal and it seemed that he was the only one she would let into her life. She hardly even talked to their gramps anymore.

 

 

“Alright, time to dig in”, Kagome said as she came back down the hallway dressed in sweats.

 

 

“So, how was work?” Miroku asked right before stuffing his face with a gigantic bite of pasta.

 

 

“It was okay. I have some major clients coming in on Monday morning. It's the one coming in to see the will I told you about; the one with the `clue' in it.” Kagome made a face at the word clue. She felt all this mystery was, to put it bluntly, stupid. She couldn't understand what the big deal was about an old sword.

 

 

“Well, that might be interesting.”

 

 

“Yeah, whatever. So how was your day?”

 

 

“Oh, same as usual I suppose. Although, I got quite the offer today.”

 

 

“What was it exactly?” Kagome knew what kind of propositions you could get in Miroku's line of work. Her tone of voice was motherly, at best.

 

 

“A very attractive young lady asked me to be her private masseur after I gave her the best one she'd ever had.”

 

 

“Is that so?” Kagome said cocking an eyebrow. “Surely, you said no.”

 

 

“Actually, I told her I would think about it.”

 

 

“Miroku! You slimy letch!” Kagome picked up a piece of garlic bread and heaved it at Miroku.

 

 

Miroku dodged the first one, but the second one hit him square in the face. “Hold on a second!” Seeing that Kagome had stopped for the time being, he began to explain.

 

 

“Kagome, I assure you that it was a legitimate offer. I told you weeks ago that I thought about becoming my own boss. If I picked her up as a client and word got around, I could have every week booked in no time.”

 

 

“Well, I suppose you're right. You wouldn't even have to own your own building. You could just buy one of those portable tables and go to each house. Sorry for thinking that your intentions were impure. Although, you have to admit that my reaction was justified.”

 

 

“Yes. I will give you that. I guess I have that coming.” They smiled at each other and continued eating. They played a game most of the time in regards to Miroku's tendencies. Kagome would tease him about it and Miroku would make a show of his `innocence'. Quite a few times though, Kagome had acted as his lawyer in sexual harassment lawsuits. After the one last year, Kagome told Miroku that was the last time she would do it. She got him off without as much as a hand slap every time. But, after the last time, when she could see that Miroku's offences had really bothered the girl, she told him that she couldn't bring herself to defend him anymore unless she knew that he was innocent. Miroku had understood, much to Kagome's delight. She had almost had one of her panic attacks while trying to tell him. She was sure he would get angry with her and never speak to her again. After he told her that it was fine and he never expected her to do as much as she did, the tunnel vision receded and she flew into his arms thanking him for not being upset.

 

 

`Thank the Gods for understanding and wonderful cousins' Kagome thought to herself, as she replayed the scene in her head. She smiled at the vision.

 

 

When the two of them finished eating, Kagome gathered the dirty dishes, washed them and put them away. After the long day, that was supposed to be one of her days off, and the full stomach, Kagome was very tired.

 

 

“Miro, I think I'll turn in early tonight.”

 

 

“Okay. Me and Buyo's gonna watch some Jerry for a while. Goodnight.”

 

 

“Goodnight.” At that, Kagome was off to bed by herself. As long as she had any say in the matter, it would always be like this; just her, Miroku, and Buyo. No sense in changing what worked.

 

 

As she lay in bed and started to drift to sleep, a strange thought hit her. As much as she thought she didn't want to get involved with anyone, she sort of did in a way. Was there someone out there who could dig their way into to her life, and never leave like Miroku? Right before the darkness of slumber hit her, she mumbled…

 

 

…“I hope so.”

 

 

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Thank you to the one viewer out of thirty-nine that decided to review.

 

 

Thank you foxtale3.

 

 

This isn't as long as I would have liked it to be, but I didn't want to add things that had no relevance to the story and this seemed like a good place to leave off for next week.

 

 

Also, I want to explain a few things about how the characters are setup in my story. Kikyo and Kagome will not look like each other in my story. The way I have told the story so far indicates that Kikyo, Myoga, Inuyasha, and Sango are American. You can also assume that they live in the Southeast. Where specifically, you can decide on your own. Kagome, Miroku, Kaede and a few other characters that have not been announced yet, are Japanese. Therefore, Kaede and Kikyo are not related. I just wanted to get that out in the open before I had questions about it.

 

 

Thanks for reading and please review. Let me know if you're enjoying it or not.