InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lemonade, Too ❯ Race Against Crime ( Chapter 15 )

Lemonade, Too

By Fujifunmum

Chapter 15: Race Against Crime

"Kagome, child," Kaede patted her pupil's hand, "you must try to tell us of your vision. You must tell us now, while the memory is fresh."

"Vision? It had to have been a nightmare, Kaede." Kagome's weak voice protested, as she struggled to hide her face against Yash's chest. Yash responded by continuing to gather her close. He wrapped them both in the bedcovers, only permitting one of Kagome's hands to be free for Kaede to hold and stroke as she sat next to their bed.

"Tell us, 'Gome, we only want to keep you safe. Tell us what frightened you so I can make sure it doesn't happen again." Yash murmured these comforting words into Kagome's hair, all the while holding her in his warm embrace.

"It was so dark. There was so much blood. And death. It was strewn with severed pieces of bodies, freshly slaughtered and still slightly warm to the touch." Kagome withdrew her hand from Kaede's and looked at it, turning it over and back again as her eyes glazed and her mind traveled back to that terrible place. "There was a word. I didn't hear it, the place was overpoweringly silent, like a closed off tomb."

"Speak child, what was the word?" Kaede's calm and soothing voice urged her on.

"Kentsuzu." Together Kagome and Kaede looked to Yash for clarification.

He released Kagome just enough to grab his palm pilot from the bedside table. Without hesitation he began working the keys to pull up the word online. When he felt the piercing gaze of the two women, he looked up and was amazed at the looks on their faces. Kagome seemed dazed and wondering while Kaede looked slightly askance.

"What?"

"Um, Yash? What are you doing?" Kagome was mystified.

"You don't know?" Kaede raised an eyebrow in silent rebuke. "I thought you were fluent in Japanese."

"Dammit! I am Baba. Give me a break, I haven't spoken it on a regular basis for ….shit, I don't even know how long."

"You speak Japanese?" Kagome was starting to look a little angry around the edges of her questioning gaze.

"Shit, here it is! It means fixed bayonet. I wouldn't have ever heard such a word. The last time I was in Japan they hadn't been invented. What the hell can it mean?"

Kaede just sighed and patted Kagome's hand as she got up and moved towards the door. "Visions are like that Yash. They aren't clear messages from someone. They are visual clues. In this case, it makes my blood run cold to imagine what that word might mean in this context." She reached the door and turned briefly to add, "I'm going to make some tea, would you like some, Kagome?"

"Please, Kaede. Could you make me some green tea? I'll be right in to help you."

"Don't rush, the water will take a while to boil." Kaede closed the door behind her.

Kagome gave Yash a quick hug, trying valiantly to shake off the horrendous nightmare. Then she headed for the bathroom. "I'm feeling a little better, Yash, but I'd like some tea and some explanations as soon as I come back."

Yash slipped out of bed and into his white under kimono and red hakama. He tucked both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga into his hakama ties and headed for the kitchen. Maybe he could get some more information from Kaede about this vision before Kagome came back.

Kaede had the water on to boil and was gathering the makings for tea for the three of them. She raised an eyebrow at Yash's odd choice of attire as he came into the kitchen.

"Regressing, are we?"

"Shit, baba, I'm not going anywhere without these swords until Toukijin is safely locked away from us and it's easier to carry them in my hakama ties than in my modern clothing." When that didn't seem to satisfy her, he added, "Oh, earlier tonight, after you went to bed, I had a visit from your sister. She says she doesn't have the sword and claims that Naraku doesn't either. When I returned to the house, Tetsusaiga's aura began pulsating. Kagome and I figured out it was somehow calling to Tenseiga. As soon as we put the two together, they stopped."

"Guess that explains the door."

Yash frowned, but just continued as if Kaede had not spoken. "Kagome thinks if the swords react to each other, maybe they can help us find Toukijin."

"Indeed," she paused, collecting her thoughts. "If Tenseiga's aura is sensitive to Toukijin after all the years they spent together with Sesshoumaru, that may be true." She reached across the counter to pat Yash on the cheek. "I'm glad you have Tetsusaiga again. I can feel how important it is to you."

Yash's expression softened until Kaede raised both eyebrows as she looked past and behind him. He quickly turned around, and was rewarded with a sight that made his jaw drop and jarred his memory.

There behind him stood his Kagome, dressed in his fire rat haori. She had put her arms through the slits at the shoulder and bustled the sleeves behind her. The ties cinched the oversize garment at her waist. It fell to just above her knees and she looked delectable. The sight of her made his mouth water, and spoke to other body parts as well. It was only when his eyes traveled back up from her knees to her face that he had a brief unwelcome flash of memory. Her face was beautiful, her skin luminous and she looked delicious, but at twenty-five she was nearly a decade older than the last time he had seen a Kagome dressed like this. For him, this was a waking vision of a sight he hadn't gazed upon for centuries.

The memory might have sent him into a depression if he hadn't continued his visual journey up his mate's face. When he reached her eyes, he saw the same love he had seen back then. His Kagome looked at him with the same trust and devotion that another Kagome had given him so long ago.

"What is it?" She asked very innocently, as if she didn't know that seeing her in his haori was going to make sure they didn't get more sleep anytime soon.

At least she must be feeling better, Yash thought as he pushed up his chin with an exaggerated hand motion and gave her a very possessive smile. "Nice outfit. I think red is your color, too." He reached out his hand to her and she came over and sat on his lap.

"You look like you're feeling much better, child." Kaede kept her face neutral, but she felt that Kagome had to be very shaken by this vision to be putting on such a brave front for Yash. She was trying to distract him and keep him from worrying too much. From the look on his face, she was succeeding. Unfortunately, Kaede couldn't wait until tomorrow to question Kagome further about her vision. She felt certain that there was a strong connection between this vision and the missing sword.

Kagome nodded and smiled in Kaede's direction. Her eyes pleaded with Kaede to leave that subject for tonight.

Sighing, Kaede pushed two steaming cups of green tea across the counter and joined the couple with a cup in her hand. "Kagome, I must ask you to tell us everything you can remember about this nightmare. I'm sorry to force the issue now, but you may forget some details if we wait until morning. Those details might be very important. I can't help but feel that the sword and the dream, if it was a dream, are connected."

Kagome took a sip of her tea and hesitated just slightly. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and began again. "I felt as if I was waking up and was disconcerted to find myself in a very unfamiliar place. It was extremely dark and felt like a small, closed in space. I could only make out the overwhelming color of red. A dark burnt red that was almost black. My chest felt tight and I could barely breathe. I tried to make out where I was, but I couldn't recognize it.

"I reached out my right hand to get my bearings, but the wall was sticky somehow, as if it was covered with some kind of warm thick substance. I didn't feel anything either to the left or behind me, so I tried to take a step forward. My foot came loose from the floor reluctantly, as if there was something sticky down there, too. I took a step, but then my foot bumped against something and when I reached down to touch it to try to see what it was, my hand touched flesh.

"It was like a compunction, I had to reach down, I had to find out what was there."

Yash interrupted, "You mean a compulsion, don't you, babe?"

Kaede concurred, "Yes, my dear, I'm sure you felt compelled to touch it." Kaede patted Kagome's hand and then poured her some more tea.

"Yes, I did feel compelled to reach down, to touch whatever was there, but it was definitely a compunction. I knew, somehow, that it was my fault this place was drenched in blood. There had to have been a way for me to prevent the violence that had taken place." Kagome visibly shuttered as she sipped some more of her tea. Yash slid both arms around her to comfort her as Kaede spoke again.

"That's why I believe this is a vision, Kagome. It appears to be a portent of the future."

"You mean we can stop this from happening?"

Kaede nodded. "I believe we can, if we are very lucky and work hard to unravel the mystery of the connection between the sword and this vision. Please tell us everything else that happened, as completely as you can."

"I reached down and the flesh was cooling as I touched it. It was an arm, Kaede. My hand started at the elbow, but when I ran my fingers up the bicep, the arm just ended in a pool of clotting blood." Kagome stopped to wipe some fresh tears from the corners of her eyes. Her voice was thready as she continued with her gruesome tale. "It was then I could make out the shapes of other body parts scattered on the floor. They had been severed, and very recently by the look and feel of the place. Then the word 'Kentsuzu' entered my head and I woke up."

"You didn't hear a voice? Was there anyone there you recognized, or any other person who was still alive?"

"No, Kaede. It was just me and a bunch of severed body parts in a room dripping with blood." Kagome dissolved into tears, hiding her face in her hands and leaning into Yash's shoulder for comfort.

"That's it, baba! She's had enough. I won't have her getting hysterical again after the tough day she's already had."

"It will be a tougher day tomorrow if we don't find that sword, Yash. This vision is very unsettling." Kaede rose, gathered up the cups and placed them in the sink. When she turned back, she looked more tired and older than Yash had ever imagined she could look. Her voice betrayed her worry when she spoke. "You're right that we've done all we can do until we get some rest. In the morning I will relate this vision to Miroku. He and I must reflect on its meaning. You and Kagome try to get some more sleep. We must all work hard again tomorrow as time grows short, I fear, to reclaim this sword without tragedy."

As Kaede left the room, she bade both her student and Yash goodnight with a brief and tender touch to the forehead. "Sleep well," she intoned, and was gone.

Yash rocked Kagome gently, bidding her tears and distress to subside. She was looking more tired now than she had before she'd originally retired for the evening. She desperately needed some peaceful sleep. Yash picked her up and took her back to bed. When Kagome protested that she couldn't go back to sleep just yet as she was unwilling to risk a reoccurrence of that dreadful dream or vision. Yash relented. He took a blanket from their bedroom and carried her out on the deck just off their bedroom.

It was still overcast and completely dark, but the sound of the waves on the beach was a gentle reminder of the continuation of life. It seemed to calm her as she sat on his lap, wrapped in his haori; both of them wrapped in the blanket.

Kagome listened to the waves without comment, too tired and stressed to make any conversation. She allowed Yash's steady heartbeat to become her focus. He rocked her to the rhythm of the waves and his own breathing and she felt warm and safe at last.

After she finally fell asleep, Yash carefully tucked her into bed, refusing to leave her side for a moment. He couldn't fall immediately asleep however. He was still too irritated that it had taken Kaede's pounding on the door to wake him to her distress. His inability to unravel why he hadn't awakened stymied him. Still mystified, he fell asleep near dawn.

True to her word, Kaede awoke early the following morning and brought Miroku up to date on the visitors and visions of the night. By the time Yash left Kagome to sleep in, both the Miko and Monk were on the deck in front of the living room, discussing the possible meanings or ramifications of the Kagome's vision. Yash heard their intent voices, but left them to continue undisturbed while he helped himself to coffee and some breakfast in the kitchen.

When his eyes fell on donuts, he knew Shippou had been there as well. Checking his computer with his second cup of coffee in his hand, he found the email that Shippou had sent him just before dropping by to check in with Kagome. He'd finished the correlation of Yash's DDA (Demons, Dead or Alive) database with all of the state, federal and local databases and was going to run the results against Sango's database of contacts with the Asshole this afternoon. This morning, he was off to get a couple of hours of sleep. His message warned Yash not to try to get in touch with him before noon!

"Keh!" Yash just snorted and closed his laptop. As if that little fox could tell him what to do! Yash kept from fuming only by realizing that Shippou needed some sleep and it was already ten o'clock in the morning. He'd be hearing from the little idiot in two hours anyway. Before then, he had to try to find a way to narrow down the search results. Time was getting short, and they were all pushing themselves to the limit.

The click of the laptop closing caught the attention of Miroku and Kaede. Miroku left Kaede to continue to ponder the meaning of the vision as well as her sister's visit and he joined Yash in another cup of coffee.

"How is she?"

"Still asleep, thank God. Dammit Miroku, we've got to make some progress on this case and it's got to be today. It's already Wednesday and that sword could be anywhere."

"I understand Yash. You know we're all doing everything we can. It's frustrating. Have you had a chance to think about the videotapes we watched yesterday? I really think I caught all of the possible footage that could be of any help."

Yash leapt out of his chair and rushed to the TV, flipping switches, flinging tapes, and generally thrashing through the videos.

Miroku calmly followed him into the room, his hands stuffed deep in the front pockets of his jeans, and stood behind Yash to inquire, "Looking for something, Yash? Perhaps something I could help you with? You know I did watch all of these goddamned tapes and put them all in order for you." When Yash didn't answer, he reached for his staff and smacked Yash on the back of his head.

"What the hell did you do that for? Shit! Just when I thought I had the right tape!"

Miroku ignored Yash's yelling, giving him a well placed elbow in the chest to knock him back on his ass so he could reach past him to begin stacking and ordering the tapes. "If you tell me what you are looking for, Inuyasha, I will be happy to get the right tape for you."

"Kikyo. Last, night she said she tried to steal the sword but it was already gone. You showed me a tape of her, but I can't remember which one it was."

"I'll put it in and we'll watch it again, Yash. Just sit there and try not to break anything."

"When was the Asshole's video with the sword made Miroku? Do we know? Was it before or after the concerts? Could you tell from the tapes?"

"No question. I got all the information from that weirdo Jaken. The video was made first. Your brother intended to send the sword back to his house right afterwards, but decided on a whim to wait until after the concerts in case he wanted to…what? Wave it around on stage? Use it against his fans?"

"Half brother. Don't even bother try to figure out why that Asshole does anything he does. He's a complete idiot and a total Asshole. Nothing he does makes any sense."

"Well he makes a lot of money and has a lot of fans for a complete idiot." Miroku ignored Yash growling behind him and placed the correct tape in the player. He fast-forwarded though miles of footage of people going in and out of what might have been a recording studio, or the back lot of a movie studio, or the moon, as far as Yash could tell. Yash had no patience for the array of extras with pink and blue hair going in and out with irritating frequency.

"What is this, a camera covering the ladies room?"

"Quiet! I'm trying to spot the footage you want, Yash. You want another patience pill from my staff?"

"OK, OK, I'm being patient. For me, anyway."

The footage slowed as Miroku reached the section of the tape he was looking for and began to scan more slowly. "Ahhh. Here she is. The cutest little dead tart this side of the well, eh Yash?"

Yash gave Miroku a withering look and snatched the remote control for the videotape out of his hand. "If Kagome was awake, you'd be in deep trouble and my former friend, Miroku."

Miroku held up both hands in supplication and ducked just in case Yash decided to punctuate his ire with a swipe at him. "Sorry. I won't say anything to Sango or Kagome, but you really need to tell her something about your past, you know. She is your wife now."

"This is definitely it, Miroku. See? Here she is leaving only a few moments after she entered. The look on her face definitely shows her anger at not finding the sword. I know that look very well. It's the one she shows me all the time now." After they watched an irate, but very fashionably dressed Kikyo leave the area, Yash added, "When was this taken?"

He backed up the tape, and they proceeded to watch Kikyo enter the video shoot area again. She was wearing a short black vinyl dress with her usual thigh high boots. She was easily recognizable even under the pink wig she was wearing. Her trendy messenger bag was anything but a cheap rip-off and looked to be packed. She had clearly come ready to bust Toukijin out of whatever safe place Jaken and the Asshole had put it in.

"The tape is time stamped, Yash. The number in the corner tells you exactly what time it is, military time. It reads 1300 hours, so she was there at one o'clock in the afternoon."

"The video was made before the concerts, right?"

"Right."

"Can you identify the date?"

"Yes, by the number on the videotape case. Each one was labeled and dated by the company providing security for the recording company."

"OK, do it. I've got to call Shippou with the information right away!" Yash was up and out to his laptop immediately. It was 11:30 a.m. by now, so he decided he might as well wait until Shippou called - he didn't know where he was anyway.

Just then, he heard footsteps on the stairs and took a quick sniff.

"The little shit was here all the time and you didn't tell me! What the hell kind of best friend are you anyway?" He was up, leaped and instantly had Shippou by the throat, dragging him into the living room."

"It seems you didn't need me to help you find Shippou after all, Yash."

"Put me down you big jerk!" Shippou croaked out with Yash's clawed fingers wrapped around his throat. "I nearly kill myself helping you and this is the thanks I get. You're the kind of demon that gives us a bad name, Asshole."

Yash summarily dropped Shippou on his ass in front of the TV. He grabbed the remote and rewound the tape once more. "Here's the proof, Officer Shippou. The bitch told me she tried to steal the sword and it was already gone. This is her beating a path out of there without the sword. The monk says the tape is timed at 1300 hours whatever the fuck that is, and he's going to give you the date. If you run your results on my DDA against Sango's list for ONLY the people who were contacts BEFORE the bitch went there, we just might have a fucking chance of finding the Asshole's sword."

"In other words, we can narrow Sango's list down everyone who had a chance to steal the damned thing before the date and time of Kikyo's appearance on this tape?"

Yash nodded, very pleased that they were finally making some progress. "Can you sort the data by date to easily exclude everyone else?"

"I can if Sango put that capability into the database."

"I'll go ask her," Miroku headed for the door, only to be stopped by a rather large, forceful and insistent clawed hand grabbing the back of his shirt.

"No fucking way, Monk. Call her. You're not leaving until Toukijin is found." Yash tossed Miroku his cell phone with his other hand, still not releasing the Monk's collar, but Miroku shook his head and took out his own cell.

"Right. Like she'd answer if you called." He flipped open his phone and said, "Boomerang Butterfly."

"Keh!" Yash released the Monk and rolled his eyes at the affectionate voice activation for Sango's number.

After a few hushed sentences on his end of the conversation, Miroku returned his attention to Yash and Shippou. "She definitely put that capability in Shippou," he quickly covered the receiver with his hand, "Sango has a few, um, derogatory comments about our, um parentage and gene pool to be asking such a thing." He listened a bit more, then shook his head and gave the cell to Shippou. "She wants to give you instructions. Specific instructions. She'll probably include notes to self about breathing and making sure your heart is beating. Here, you talk to her. I'll soothe her ruffled feathers later."

"Don't you mean her 'ruffled wings'?" Yash snickered, glad to have the focus on Miroku and Sango for a change.

Just then the screen to the front deck slid open and Kaede came back in the living room. She didn't know what the demon, half-demon and monk had to smile about, but she wasn't about to question those shit-eating grins. She just made her way around them and went into the kitchen to fix a quick lunch for herself and Kagome. It was time for the two Miko's to resume their training.

April 12, 2004