InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Legacy ❯ Chanced Meeting ( Chapter 3 )

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

The light of the morning sun reflected through the window. A new day has come... the last day Kagome would stay in her sector... only a few minutes from her departure. As she was quickly checking if she has gotten everything, Kagome wasn't looking at all excited.

The door flung open, revealing a rather energetic Sango. “Hiya, roommate!” Kagome let out an audible groan without turning to face Sango. Sango bounded from the door and tackled her friend hard. She had Kagome pinned on her stomach. “You're in a bad mood today. You're not telling me you're having seconds thoughts?”

Kagome's face was flat on her bed and muffled something incoherent, which sounded like an annoyed groan.

“What was that?” Sango leaned over Kagome's head, still straddling her back. She grabbed the younger girl's shoulders and jounced her up and down the mattress. “I can't hear you!” she teased with every syllable matching every bounce she gave Kagome.

“SANGO --” Kagome shot her head up in anger and unwittingly knocked her head against Sango's chin. The two broke away from each other, holding their sore areas.

“Ow, I know you're agitated, but did you have to express it so harshly?” Sango said, rubbing her chin.

“Can you at least not be so energetic at a time like this?” Kagome rebuked, holding her head. “It's too early for your usual antics.”

“Please, the only reason I'm up here is because Kikyo 'insists' I come and get you. It's almost time to go.”

“Well, I'm almost done. Just give me a few more minutes, will ya?” Kagome crawled past her roommate and continued her last minute packing.

“Oh no, you don't,” Sango slammed the suitcase down once Kagome placed the last item inside. She hauled the luggage and grabbed Kagome in a choke-hold. “I don't care if you forget your unmentionables. I'm gonna make sure you're not late even if I have to tie you up and drag you down the stairs and all the way to the station.”

“Then I'll turn you in for child abuse!” Kagome snapped back partially choking from Sango's grip as she tried to make a grab for anything to hold her from Sango, but the bed sheets just keep slipping away as well as some other items she grabs.

“You're not a kid, Kagome!” Sango kept pulling.

“Well, I'm still a minor.”

“Sure you are,” Sango replied sarcastically,” for a 19-year old!” and jerked hard. Kagome went zipping after Sango in the stronger girl's hold. “Now keep up already.” Sango continued dragging a defeated Kagome sighing in frustration.

The two made their way outside to the front where most of the crew are waiting for Kagome. Kagome was a little nervous to see all these people out to see her off. Sango still had her in a hold and finally let go when they reached Midoriko. Their leader stood holding the reigns of a flaming-maned demon horse. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the majestic, midnight-black equid, the only notable traits of the horse was it's flaming mane and tail and some blazes above its hooves.

“Hey, don't worry,” Sango reassured her nearly petrified friend. “These demons are the only ones that are deathly loyal and reliable once tamed.”

Of course, since the conquest of humanity, all known technology were banned from human use. The only means of transportation nowadays are these new breed of demon equids. Supposedly, most are descendants of one of the Demon Lord's most prized horse, Entei. But the hardest part in obtaining modes of transportation these days are finding a way to tame these rather feral beasts. Though wild at heart, these demons can be very trustworthy when tamed.

The black demon turned its red eyes into a stare at Kagome. Its flame-scarlet eyes look as though they can easily burn a hole in Kagome's body. Mustering up a little courage, Kagome slowly reached out a hand and hoped the horse would accept her. She patiently and ever so slowly reaching the demon's muzzle. After a minute, she felt the soft warmth of the demon's muzzle against her palm. The demon accepted her.

“That's a start,” Midoriko commented. “Normally, this one would be very edgy around new faces.”

Kagome has calmed down and begin to stroke the demon from the muzzle up to the forehead. The demon stepped forth and bumped against Kagome's face with its snout.

“Well then, Kagome,” Midoriko handed the reigns to Kagome, “are you ready?” Kagome took the reigns and nodded. Sango assists her in strapping the packed duffel bag behind the saddle. Sango turned to face Kagome and was caught by surprise when her friend nearly tackled her with an embrace. Sango smiled and wrapped her arms around Kagome. The two reluctantly broke from their hug. Kagome turned and was face to face with Kikyo. Kikyo placed a hand on Kagome's shoulders, but suddenly pulled her into a warming embrace. Kagome returned the hug and broke from it after a moment. Kagome mounted the steed.

“You take care of yourself, okay?” Sango stood beside the horse's side.

“Same to you,” Kagome smiled. Sango stepped back as Midoriko stepped forth and handed Kagome an envelope.

“Once you've reached the main sector,” Midoriko instructed, “hand this to a man named Miroku. He'll know you are to be expected.” She stepped back. “Be safe, Kagome.”

With that, the demon horse took off. Kagome looked back to see the image of her home and family slipping farther and farther from view.

Central Ankoku is like every other, practically ruined region of the country – only the state of the area was taken up more than 3 levels of considerable damage. Actually, the place looked as if all of the disasters that could ever happen on earth – hurricane, tornado, nuclear bombing... heck, even the Apocalypse – had meld into one hell of a chaos and laid the region to ruins. The whole area was the new definition of ground zero at it's worst appearance. There were no buildings in sight, almost as if a titan-size bulldozer flattened out the land. All that remained of possible civilization are traces of metal or concrete objects scattered about.

“Not exactly what I had in mind for a place for the main sector to be settled in,” Kagome muttered to herself as she stared blankly at the barren wasteland. She paced the black steed into a slow walk to allow her longer speculation at the scenery... well, not exactly picture perfect, that is. She's never been anywhere beyond the prefecture of her home sector, and what she had expected for a particular image of the “grand” capital of the Ankoku had already went down the drain before she even said anything. “You'd think they'd at least have some sign of life about the place.”

Suddenly, the demon steed stopped abruptly and stamped a black, iron-hard hoof to the ground. It let out a wary snort and continued to paw the ground restlessly. Kagome took to mind that something was seriously bothering the horse, but what? Feeling a little nervous of what would come, she reached back near the secured pack strapped to the saddle and felt for a weapon, not wanting to take her sight from her surroundings. She found the handle and gripped hard, waiting for the right moment.

An exploding noise from behind caught her off-guard. She felt the horse demon buck forth, nearly throwing her from the saddle. Keeping one hand on the handle of the hidden weapon and another hand gripping the reigns as well as saddle horn, Kagome whirled around to find a surprising sight. A nearly disfigured and grotesque-looking serpentine demon appeared from the ground. It's body was nude with exposed, leathery flesh. Rows of shark-like teeth lined the demon's mouth – more like a spiral of teeth covering a hole of a mouth. It didn't have any eyes, or any other orifices, save the mouth, for that matter. On the whole, the demon was like a mutated earthworm.

The demon lurched forth at Kagome and steed, but it's movements were rather sloppy yet quick. The black horse easily side-stepped the strike and ran circles round the demon. Kagome still kept her grip on the handle of her weapon as the horse's circling race drew them closer to the confused demon's side. At the instant they were within mere yards of the demon, Kagome pulled out looked like a metallic rod. But a quick swing of her arm revealed a hidden, extending/retractable shaft and a blade adorning the top of the spear.

Holding the spear to out to the side, Kagome snapped the reigns, and the black horse bolted into a much faster pace of its gallop. The blade of the spear sliced right into the worm demon's flesh and opened a huge gash on its side. The creature tossed back and forth in writhing pain as blood gushed forth from the wound on its side. The demon pulled the rest of itself from ground, giving Kagome a full view of its clubbed tail. The stub was the size of an oversize wrecking ball and was heading towards Kagome and the steed. Kagome quickly jumped off the horse's back as the black horse zipped the opposite direction.

The worm demon seemed to recover from its thrashing frenzy once it had its eyes on Kagome. Razor sharp rows of teeth directed itself at its target and strike forth. Kagome stood her ground, waiting for the demon to come within close range of her spear's striking proximity.

Just when the demon seemed to get close enough, a sound of metal against flesh resounded. The demon recoiled, and more blood spilled from its neck. Kagome noticed a quick flash speeding past her. And there it was again, followed by more blood spilling from the demon's mouth. She looked around to find the source of the flash, but that's when a glimmering shine of light caught her attention. She looked up to see a silhouette of a person... and a shining, huge blade raised over the head. The figure plummets down toward the dazed worm demon and brought the blade down like a meteor. A notable slash of metal and flesh was heard. A moment of silence covered the atmosphere.

Almost a hundred gallon's worth of blood spewed from the demon's neck when its head slid clean off the body with a thud, followed by its flailing body. Its executor stood and swung his blade with quick motion, blood slipping from the blade from the force of the momentum of his swing. Kagome stood in awe of this illustrious warrior.

His hair flowed in the wind like a pure, white stallion's mane. Toned muscles rippled subtlety within his fighter-built body. He looked up and faced Kagome, giving her full view of his face. The formation of his face was a combination of ruggedness and refinement. Defined nose and perfectly toned cheeks donned his practically flawless face. Golden eyes were two suns adorning his alert, focus eyes. Dressed in black, he was the picture of the perfect urban-fantasy warrior. But his most distinguishing trait that was the first to catch Kagome's eyes were two, white, pointed, dog ears crowning his head.

He quickly, yet smoothly, sheathed his blade back into the scabbard strapped to his back. Much to Kagome's amazement, the large blade was able to somehow fit into the average sized sheathe without a problem. She didn't realize she was gaping blankly at the man before her.

“What the hell are you gawking at?” he asked in a husky voice. His rather arrogant tone snapped Kagome back to her senses. She fumbled for the words to say. “And what the hell were you thinking, girl?” He approached the still dumbfounded girl until he was a breath's length in her face. “You looking for a death wish or somethin'?”

“Excuse me?!” Kagome snapped back. Her envisioning of a personality that would have suited his looks went down the drain in no time the moment he opened his mouth.

“I didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to come out in the open without any means of defense,” the white-haired boy pouted, “but it looks like you proved me dead wrong.”

This guy was starting to push it... badly. Granted, Kagome considered herself a tolerant person, but that proves to be a questionable thought at the moment.

“What is your problem?!” Kagome retaliated. “First you saved me, and now you're giving me attitude?!”

“Saved you?” he choked out as if he was going to crack up with laughter. “Don't flatter yourself, girl. That cretin was running amok again, and you just happen to be in the way.”

By now, Kagome was almost red, and it's not because of the sun's heat. Before she could say another word, a hawk flew overhead and fluttered over to the young man. He held out his arm for the hawk to land on. The hawk was uttering small chirps, and it seems that the white-haired man understood it.

“Alright, I get it,” he muttered. The hawk went airborne and was gone in an instant. “Guess our chat got cut short.” He turned and began to walk away but stopped at a moment's notice. “Watch yourself next time, girl.” With a single bound, the young man was almost soaring into the air.

Kagome was left awe-struck and dumbfounded. For one thing, she had never seen anyone leap that far or high, and secondly, she was still furious about his spat against her. Deciding to leave that issue behind, Kagome found the black stallion waiting for her. She mounted and continued her travel to the capital of Central Ankoku.

“So you're the newcomer I was told to expect,” the man at the entrance of the sector's facilities said. Compared to Kagome, he seems to be a few years older. His hair is as black as hers, but it's course and rough and pulled into a little ponytail. His violet eyes complimented his fair complexion. His soft eyes along with his coy smile gives the young man a fairly attractive demeanor to him. “Kagome, was it? Alright then, it'll be a pleasure to be having you with us.” He gave her a welcoming smile as he extended a hand to her.

“Thanks,” Kagome said almost quietly while taking his hand and shaking it.

“Now then,” he continued after he released her hand, “if you'll take your belongings with you, I'll gladly show you to your new quarters.”

With a simple nod, Kagome unstrapped her stuff off the black horse and followed Miroku. Hoofbeats trailed after her after she took only three steps. Each step was followed by a “clop” of hooves. Letting out a sigh, Kagome turned around and faced the fire-maned horse once it stopped right behind her. She softly stroked its muzzle. It's amazing this demon is this attached to her despite having only met her for as long as half of the day.

“We have a place for it close to the main sector,” Miroku said. “You can leave him there once we reach it. We're going to be passing by the main building anyways.”

“Thanks,” Kagome said with a slight hint of relief. It'd be troubling for him to have to stop every time she has to stop following him and persuade the horse to stay.

A short walk was all it took for them to reach the main building of the sector. And as Miroku had mentioned before, Kagome noticed a small compound filled with demons like the black steed. She made her way to the stables with the demon horse following her. Perusing down the stables looking for an unoccupied stall, Kagome let herself take in the sights of the compound that housed a variety of interesting specimen of demons that are commonly used for transportation.

A plethora of demon steeds similar to her own snorted and tossed their fiery manes about as she passed them. A couple of huge oxen beasts stood at one corner of the stable gnawing lazily at the hay around them. In the corner not far from them is a set of ox demons, but these were throwing their weight around, giving off a tough demeanor about them. Another group of demons just in front of the horse demons made themselves known with one of them sticking its long neck out and stopped Kagome right in her tracks. She craned her neck up to look into a pair of golden eyes pierced with black slits. A serpentine reptile demon flicked its forked tongue right in her face and startled her outright. Stumbling back, she managed to catch herself in time to see the creature that was so willing to introduce itself.

A nervous chuckle was the only response she can offer the reptilian beast as it continued to eye her with curiosity, which brought more of its kind to see what was suddenly so interesting. Kagome regained her composure and continued leading her steed further into the stables to find a vacant spot. She managed to come across an empty stall and led the stallion into his new quarters. After unloading her bag and removing the harnesses and saddle from the horse, she bid the stallion a quick farewell and exited the stables. Just outside, Miroku was patiently waiting for her and greeted her with a smile when she stepped out of the doorway.

“I take it you found some available stalls for your horse?” he asked wistfully. Kagome responded with a small smile of her own and a light nod. He acknowledges her response and continued, “Very well, then, follow me and I'll show you to your room. You can leave your stuff there, and I'll give you a tour of the sector.”

He led her to the main building, which caught Kagome's awe easily with its immense size. It's obviously much larger than the sector she has grown up in. The inside was more impressive. Many of the residents in the building were moving about either to a specific destination within the structure or simply for a leisurely stroll. Most of them actually stopped to notice the newcomer marveling at the interior. When she would catch their eyes though, she'd attempt to ignore them. Truth be told, Kagome has never really been one to receive this much attention compared to the simple acknowledgments she'd get back in her sector.

They managed to make it through the main lobby and hallway toward the living quarters. After passing several doors and making a couple of turns through hallways, Miroku reached into his pocket and pulled out a small set of keys and unlocked the door he stopped in front of. He stepped back once the door was opened wide and gestured his hand toward the room in a gentlemanly way. “And here you are, Miss.”

Kagome stepped into the room and took in her new surrounding. A quaint and decent room as spacious as her old one. Two beds adorn each side of the room with a simple cabinet for a nightstand settled between them. Near the beds were two dressers that were on either side of the walls, one dresser for one bed. A large window took up the width of the wall facing the door, just above the two beds.

She turned to Miroku with a grateful smile. “It's nice,” she commented.

“I'm sure you'll like the accommodations here,” Miroku nodded. “If you'd rather go ahead and settle in, I'll leave you to it, and you can come find me once you're finished.”

Kagome glanced at her bag slung over her shoulder. Best do the boring stuff now then later while tired. She nodded, “That'd be great.”

Miroku pulled out the letter she gave him earlier. “I need to get this to the main office and tell them you're here, so I'll meet you in the lobby when you're ready,” Miroku said as he pushed himself off from leaning against the doorway. “Just follow the hallway down and it should lead you to the main lobby.” After she nodded again as her response, he closed the door and left to take care of his errand.

Kagome set her bag just near the cabinet nightstand. While unloading her bag of her belongings, she glanced at the two beds. Apparently, she should be expecting a roommate sometime soon. 'Hope she's an agreeable person. Might make my stay here bearable,' Kagome thought as she sorted her clothing.

As if on cue, the door opened and had Kagome putting her attention on unpacking to the side to see who it is. Thinking it to be her roommate, Kagome put on a smile to greet this person and turned around. However her smile slowly fell as she came face to face with the same man she encountered on her way here.

His own molten eyes grew wide and alert when he locked eyes with the same strange girl he unintentionally saved earlier. Pointed triangles of ears stood on end the same time that Kagome's jaws slacked and dropped. Momentary and awkward silence was broken by the same reaction from the two.
“You?!”