InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Separation ❯ In Over Her Head ( Chapter 6 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: King Baka 
Kagome gets in WAY over her head...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.20.2008 | Updated On: 10.14.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Kagome gets in WAY over her head...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.20.2008 | Updated On: 10.14.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Fanfiction of the Week: Blue, by baka_mai_28
In Over Her Head
Tuesday had been much better than Monday. Kagome had done well on all her tests, and there had been no talk of dog-related illnesses at school, not after that discussion she’d had with her grandpa. She successfully managed to sneak out past her friends and Hojo this time, though the boy had approached her at lunch. She had seen him coming, however, and dropped a hint about not feeling well to her friends loud enough so he would overhear. He did ask to sit down with them, and they talked for a while, but he never popped the dreaded date question. The whole ordeal left her feeling somewhat guilty for taking advantage of Hojo’s concern like that. He really did care, and he was very considerate, but she just didn’t want that kind of relationship with him. No, the only guy Kagome had eyes for her was just about the only guy who’d never shown any interest. That’s not true; he’s shown some interest…occasionally. I know Inuyasha cares about me, even if it’s not the way I hope.
And that was why she was here, standing once again in front of the Swaying Geisha Magic Shop. Her miko energy flared briefly as she recalled the last time she had been inside. Had it really been a whole day already? Time was moving quickly for her; studying for class and going to school kept her busy and prevented her from spending too much time thinking about Inuyasha. Not that he wasn’t on her mind. Taking a deep breath to clear her head, Kagome pushed open the door and entered the shop. This time Daisuke was standing behind one of the display cases, as if he had sensed her coming. He had his human disguise on, and looked distinctly nervous. Good. He should be nervous.
“Ahh, Kagome, so nice to see you again,” he greeted her warmly, unable to keep his voice from wavering.
“Save it,” she replied firmly, crossing her arms impatiently over her chest.
Daisuke signed in mock dejection. “Well, I suppose I deserve that. Rest assured that I meant no harm. I would never make further advances on a lady after such a…firm rejection.”
Kagome’s glare softened. It wasn’t much of an apology, but it did at least seem to confirm her estimation of his character. Daisuke was a pervert, but apparently a harmless one. Much like someone else she knew.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the youkai cleared his throat. “Anyway, I considered the matter carefully and thought of a way you can pay for my services.”
“I’m listening.”
“Hmm, where to start…I suppose I should first tell you that I am not merely a simple shopkeeper.” When Kagome failed to look surprised, he continued. “I occasionally take on less reputable jobs. All for good purpose, or course. For example, a client of mine recently had his extensive assets taken over by the owner of a certain company located in Tokyo. This company regularly uses fraud and shady business practices. With your help, I wish to infiltrate the company and help my friend reclaim funds equal to the value of his lost assets.”
“So in other words,” Kagome stated incredulously, “you want me to help you steal.”
“That is such an indelicate way of putting it.”
“But it’s the truth. Why me, anyway? I’m not a criminal. I can’t act and I’m a terrible liar.”
“A few reasons. This particular company is run by youkai, a few old aristocratic families of them. They haven’t hired any unrelated youkai in a very long time. And we youkai have ways of identifying our own, even with concealment charms. So that pretty much eliminates any other individual I might think to send. I can’t trust normal humans with this; the potential for discovering something they should not is too high. And, in a pinch, your, er, special skills would be extremely useful.
“Besides,” he added with a grin. “You look so damn innocent that nobody would ever think to suspect you of anything.”
Kagome wasn’t sure if she should take that as a compliment or not. “I’m telling you, I won’t seem innocent because I won’t be. I won’t fool anybody!”
“Oh, I think you’re a better actress than you care to admit,” Daisuke replied knowingly. “From what your grandfather told me, you already spend most of your time on the other side of your time portal, do you not? Yet your modern friends must know nothing of your adventures or your incredible power. So you see, you are already rather proficient at playing the part of a normal schoolgirl. It will not be much of a stretch to pretend to be a young woman just out of college, starting her first full-time job. You can keep that illusion up for a few hours, which is all I ask.”
Kagome frowned. Daisuke was right about her being a decent actress; hell, her whole modern life felt like she was playing a fictional character sometimes. But that didn’t mean she was on board with this.
“This sounds like the kind of thing that people go to prison for,” she retorted. “How can you guarantee that won’t happen to me?”
“I can’t.”
His curt response surprised her. She blinked once, twice. “E-excuse me?”
“I said I can’t,” he repeated seriously. “I can’t guarantee that you won’t go to prison, and I can’t guarantee that you won’t die. What I can guarantee is that no other youkai with the expertise you need will give a miko the time of day. I only agreed to talk to you because I like your grandfather. I am your only hope, Kagome. You need me, and I need you to do this for me. It is more important than you know.”
Kagome’s shoulders slumped with the conviction of his words. She didn’t know if there was another youkai on the planet willing to help her, but it would probably take a very long time to find out. And she didn’t have much time. Her mother had helped convince her that Inuyasha was actively seeking out a way to break the seal in the well, as she was, but how long would he wait? How long would he linger in this world, while the woman he loved waited to take him to the afterlife?
Those thoughts threatened to spill tears, but she bit her lip and blinked them away. Inuyasha did care for her, and would not give up easily, but she did not expect him to spend years trying to reach her. Nor would she want him to. Above all else, she wanted Inuyasha to be happy. Until that day when he made his choice, she had been content to spend what time she could with him, and cherish every moment. That was why she needed to do whatever it took to quickly win her way back to his side. While they still had time together.
“What…what would I have to do?” she inquired softly.
Daisuke seemed pleasantly surprised at her acceptance, grudging though it may be. He hurriedly explained the details, as if afraid that she would change her mind. Evidently, she was to smuggle a flash drive into the company and plant some sort of computer virus on their network. And that was it. No walking out the front door with a sack of money, as she had originally feared. It all seemed too simple, and she had the sneaking suspicion that Daisuke was not being entirely honest with her. He didn’t seem to be lying, per se, but he also wasn’t telling her the whole story. But what could she do? Make a fuss or refuse, and never see Inuyasha again?
Begging would do no good, she could tell, even with what limited feminine charms she possessed. Daisuke seemed dead set on this course of action now that he had chosen it. She sighed. Maybe I should have just slept with him. She didn’t really believe that, but it did seem like the easier option now.
Eventually, Daisuke moved on to the details of exactly how to upload the virus, but she had to stop him because it sounded like a foreign language to her. And so, much to her chagrin, she was once again invited back to his office, this time for a much needed computer lesson. She could only hope it would not be as dull as her school classes.
In a strange way, that actually made the whole thing easier to deal with. She was used to facing death; she did it every time she helped Inuyasha and her friends face down a youkai in the feudal era. The fly in the ointment, the one key difference that she tried to ignore but couldn’t, was that today she was alone.
Hence the reason why her nerves were once again completely on edge as she arrived at the magic shop. Planning the heist had been easy, she reflected. She had tied up loose ends, getting her grandfather to call in sick for her and vaguely informing her family that she would be doing Daisuke a favor in return for looking at the well. Fortunately, no one had pressed her. But now that she was actually here, ready to go through with this scheme, it seemed more ridiculous than ever. Just remember, it’s for Inuyasha.
Steeling her courage, she took out the key Daisuke had given her and entered the shop, locking the door behind her. He had said that he would close the shop today, for obvious reasons. But he was nowhere to be found, which threw her for a loss until she saw the handwritten note sitting atop a pile of clothes on the desk. The note directed her to change into the clothes and meet him at a bake shop a few blocks away. Once inside the restroom, she made sure to check for any hidden cameras. Not that she thought Daisuke had the guts to spy on her, but you could never be sure. Finding none, she mentally prepared herself to try on the new clothing, expecting something entirely indecent. To her surprise, the outfit Daisuke had chosen for her was actually a very stylish, relatively conservative business suit. The black cotton skirt was almost knee length, with a slit up to mid-thigh for the sake of movement. The white blouse and black jacket matched perfectly, and she found a pair of gold stud earrings in the pocket. Black heels completed the ensemble. The irony that Daisuke the hentai had chosen an outfit that covered more than her school uniform was not lost on her. She turned to examine herself in the mirror and gasped, not quite believing that the young woman staring back at her was really Higurashi Kagome. Her time in the feudal era had seen her once girlish face mature, just enough so that she could probably pass as a woman in her early twenties if she tried. And she looked good, too. Idly she wondered what Inuyasha would think if he saw her dressed like this, but quickly banished the thought lest she lose her focus.
After adding a little makeup to complete the look, she left the shop and headed for her rendezvous with Daisuke. As she approached, he gazed at her appreciatively and whistled.
“I don’t know much about shopping for women’s clothes, but nobody would know it from looking at you. You look damn good.”
She glared at him but couldn’t help but blush lightly at the compliment. After she claimed the chair across from him, he handed her three things: a nametag, a flash drive, and a tiny black round device with a clip on one side.
“That’s an emergency signal,” he told her. “Clip it to your hair. If you get into trouble, press and hold firmly for about a second. I’d give you an earpiece, but we can’t risk radio transmissions. Security there is very tight, especially through the airwaves so only use it if you’re in real danger. Here’s your nametag; you’re Okajima Takara, the newest employee in Muramai International’s software development sector. Just load the virus like I told you last night and get the hell out of there. Of course, you won’t be able to carry the flash drive in your pocket; they search everyone upon entry.”
Kagome narrowed her eyes. Was she imagining that he was trying to hide a smirk?
“So how am I supposed to get it inside?” she demanded, mentally daring him to say something perverted. Instead, Daisuke simply pointed at her chest, and she got the idea. It wasn’t as bad as she feared, truthfully. Daisuke had the grace not to look too disappointed as she took the flash drive into the bathroom, rather than putting it inside her bra at the table.
A half hour later, she found herself standing in front of the tall Muramai International building, reconsidering this decision for the umpteenth time. This is for Inuyasha. As far as she knew, this was the only way she would ever see him again, and that was a good enough reason to take a deep breath and start walking confidently toward the employee entrance. A muscular but friendly-looking security guard stopped her at the gate. He told her to take off her jacket and went through the pockets. And seeing no other pockets on her skirt or blouse, he didn't see the need to pat her down. Taking a look at her nametag, he smiled at her.
"So you're the new girl from software development?"
Kagome paused for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. Daisuke had told her to 'play the part,' and Okajima Takara was, in his own words, ‘a single woman just out of college, and well-versed in western-style feminism.’ Besides, she didn’t want to make any friends; she would be attempting to rob this place in short order, after all.
“No, I'm not the new girl, but I am the new employee,” she replied tersely. The man was somewhat taken aback, but recovered to address her much more formally.
“My apologies, Okajima-san. Good luck at your new job.”
Kagome felt a little guilty as she walked away; it was not her habit to be rude to people, particularly nice ones. She consoled herself with the knowledge that one way or another, this would be over soon.
In the next ten minutes she met her supervisor, Nakamura-san, and some of her co-workers in the software development sector. Nakamura was a short, balding man with a prominent bulge around his midsection, but Kagome found him a very capable supervisor nonetheless. He showed her around the office, and took her to meet the department head, Kusanagi-san. Something immediately aroused her suspicions when she entered his office, and when she shook his hand she recognized the feeling. Kusanagi was a youkai. Suspicion flared to life in his eyes as he saw and smelled her reaction, but she hurriedly buried her fear and tried to act normally again. Hopefully he would take it as simple first-day nerves. At the very least, he could not know that she was a miko yet, as she had been very careful to keep her spiritual energy dormant.
After leaving Kusanagi’s office, Kagome was guided to her work station and left alone with instructions to report for some meeting with her design group at 10:00 am. She didn't really care about that, nor did she concern herself with the small stack of work papers on her desk. She really just wanted to get this over with and leave, but she couldn't just reach under her bra and grab the flash drive for fear someone would suddenly round the corner and catch her. That meant a trip to the ladies room, so after starting her computer she rose from her chair. Normally going to the bathroom less that a half hour after reporting for work would be frowned upon, but what did she care? Still, she felt her pulse quicken as she walked, her entire body tensing and her brow beginning to dampen with anxious sweat. She practically ran the final few feet to the bathroom, and raced into the farthest stall without even glancing around to see if the room was empty. As she removed the flash drive she told herself to calm down. This would be easy, a piece of cake. She hoped.
Suddenly the restroom door opened, admitting two new occupants who were chatting amicably amongst themselves. It struck her as odd that two female voices would sound so deep before she realized her mistake. I'm such a baka! I got so scared that I ran into the wrong bathroom! She quickly hopped up onto the toilet seat so neither man would catch a glimpse of her high heeled shoes.
Mentally berating herself the whole time, she listed as the men finished urinating and left after briefly rinsing their hands. She blanched; why did men think it was okay not to use soap? After gathering her courage for a few moments in silence, Kagome hopped down from the toilet seat and scurried out of the men's room...
...right into a hard, male chest. She toppled onto her backside with a muffled 'oomph,' the flash drive flying from her hand and clattering against the wall. She gulped, and timidly moved her eyes up the tall male body before her. A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach when she reached his face.
“Okajima!” Kusanagi exclaimed, “What are you doing here? And what is that?” he snarled in a much more dangerous tone, stooping to pick up the flash drive. As he studied it in his hand, Kagome scrambled for answers, but in her panic could come up with nothing but lame excuses.
“I, um…didn’t see the sign,” she mumbled as she rose shakily to her feet. “And that’s…not mine. I found it in the bathroom.”
He studied her for several long moments, his eyes boring into hers. And was it her imagination of was he subtly sniffing air? Oh, no! Can youkai smell lies? Even if they couldn’t, her dominant emotion at the moment was fear, a scent which did not yield itself to innocence. Kusanagi moved with inhuman speed. In a flash, he grabbed Kagome’s left arm and twisted it behind her, his right hand locked onto her shoulder in a vicelike grip.
“You will come with me,” he growled, his breath hissing against her ear. He turned and began marching her in the opposite direction, away from her department and deeper into the building. Her earlier reflections came back to her, the ones concerning the relative chances of her going to prison or winding up dead if caught. She thought of Inuyasha, the prospect of never seeing him again. Thinking of her hanyou took the edge off her panic and allowed her to think clearly, and she did what she always did when a youkai threatened her place by his side.
Kusanagi screamed in pain and the smell of charred flesh filled the air; then his hands were gone and she was free. Kagome kicked off her heels and sprinted down the unknown hallway as fast as her legs would carry her.
But not fast enough. Alerted by Kusanagi’s shout, security guards stepped into her path, blocking her escape, and she spun around to go back the way she came. She stopped in her tracks as more guards appeared in that direction, a wounded Kusanagi with them. He looked absolutely irate, and he held death in his gaze.
Kagome frantically searched for a way out as enemies closed in from front and back. There! A hallway in front and off to the right. She sped forward, seemingly on a collision course with Kusanagi and his guards, then veered right at the last moment. She felt an outstretched hand graze the back of her skirt, but then there was a brief tussle behind her as several pursuers collided at once. That provided a bit of breathing room, but the gap would close quickly. She had never been the fastest of runners. Then to her horror, more guards rounded the corner at the end of this new hallway and ran towards them. She felt like a mouse caught in a maze full of snakes.
Then fate decided to smile upon her. Two people stepped out of an elevator not ten feet in front of her on the left, and Kagome saw her chance. She pushed past them, knocking one of the luckless employees into a wall, and leapt inside. She bounced off the back wall and managed to spin around and punch a level button in one motion. Then all she could do was hold down the close door button and pray to the Kami it had a fast reaction time.
Her prayers were answered. The pounding of fists against the outer door faded as the elevator rose, and Kagome staggered back to her feet. She was panting like a dog, and her clothes were soaked with sweat, but at least she was still alive. Remembering her instructions, she reached into her hair and activated the emergency signal. It vibrated once to let her know it was working, then was still once more. On the way over, Daisuke had said that he could rescue her in a pinch, but how? He didn’t have an army at his disposal, so she had to find a place where he could conceivably get to. That meant either the roof or a window. She glanced at the control panel, seeing that the button she had pressed was for the top floor. Perfect! I may get out of this yet!
When the elevator came to a stop and the door opened, she leapt out and looked around for a stairwell to the roof. It wasn’t right next to the elevator as she hoped, but down a long hallway she spied a sign indicating a stairwell. She took off down the hallway, and heard a bunch of guards emerge from the other elevator when she was about halfway down. But her master plan to make it to the roof and block the door behind her imploded when yet another guard stepped out into the hallway in front of her. Do they have freaking security stations on every floor?! She was contemplating an almost assuredly futile attempt to run around or through the lone guard when she passed two large, wooden double doors on her right. Skidding to a halt, she backtracked and tried the handles. The doors swung open easily and without sound, and Kagome wasted no time darting inside and shutting them behind her. She pushed down the old-style board lock to secure them. There was a long couch on the adjacent wall, which she dragged in front of the doorway for added protection. Only then did she turn around and examine her surroundings. She breathed a sigh of relief; the room was unoccupied. Judging by its splendor, it belonged to someone of great importance within the company. A massive desk of gleaming red wood sat in the center, in front of an impressive set of ceiling-high windows that ran almost from one side of the room to the other. Bookshelves lined both walls, as did a menagerie of sculptures, paintings, and animal mountings. A computer monitor the size of a plasma screen TV sat on the desk, and Kagome could just make out the top of an opulent, well-padded chair behind it.
Pounding on the door caused her to jump, but it quickly became apparent that the guards were not going to be able to force their way in easily. The ruckus ended abruptly when a loud, authoritative voice yelled, “What is the meaning of this?!” Kagome could not make out the response, but the guards did cease their attempts to beat their way in. That was probably the owner of this office; I hope he doesn’t have another way to get in here. She could see no other door, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. Jogging over to the window, Kagome looked out onto the bustling city below her. She scanned the sky, and the roofs of nearby buildings, but could see no sign of any impending rescue operation. Damn him! He promised he would have my back! She furiously pressed the emergency signal again, to no avail.
Looking over her shoulder to make sure she was still alone, Kagome was surprised to note that the computer screen was on, and the screensaver had not been activated yet. Curiosity peaked, she sat down in the chair and began to read the open document. Operation Purity? What’s that? As she read her eyes widened in shock. Oh, Kami. This is horrible! I have to show this to Daisuke! She quickly instructed the document to print and waited anxiously for the printer on her right to spit out the pages. Fortunately it was state of the art like everything else in this office, so the rather large document printed in no time. She grabbed the pages, folded them up, and stuffed them into her jacket pocket. She had just returned to the window to once again check for a rescue operation when she heard the sound of a sliding door behind her. Spinning around, she saw an imposing figure stride though a hidden door in one of the walls, followed closely by Kusanagi. The man stared at her for a moment, then his image seemed to flicker before her eyes and he vanished.
Or not. A mysterious hand grabbed her by the throat and slammed her up against the glass, and she quite suddenly found herself nose to nose with the man, or youkai, she had glimpsed across the room not a moment before. She dazedly reflected that she had seen the likes of such an attack before, though the youkai before her was definitely not Sesshoumaru. No, even through the stars clouding her vision she could see the overwhelming malice in those blood-red eyes. The sheer malevolence reflected in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine all the way to her toes, which by now were barely touching the carpet.
“Girl, what are you doing in my office? Tell me who you work for and what you’re after, and your death will be quick and painless. If you don’t, I promise you will suffer in ways you’ve never imagined; I will be showing mercy when I finally do end your miserable existence. Your choice.”
But far from quelling her, the youkai’s words only drove her to action. Again, this was a situation she was familiar with. Meeting his glare with one of her own, she reached up and grasped the hand holding her neck to the wall.
“I choose life!” she cried as she released an explosion of miko energy. This youkai did not scream in agony as his flesh was burned, but he did release her and stumble backward. His human disguise flickered a couple times before falling away completely, revealing long fangs, crimson facial markings, and unruly jet black hair.
“Insolent bitch!” he bellowed as he threw his good arm forward, sending waves of fire straight toward her.
They were in such close proximity; there was no way Kagome could dodge the searing blast. Raising her hands in reflex, she closed her eyes and waited for the flames to engulf her. And waited. And waited. Cracking one eye open, she was amazed at the sight that greeted her. The flames were being repelled by an invisible force field, one that glimmered pink. It’s a barrier… Once again an untapped reserve of spiritual strength had come to her rescue when she needed it the most. Cool air buffeted her from behind; it appeared that the cacophonous collision of youki and reiki had shattered the window.
“Heh, cute,” her opponent mocked, “but how long can you keep that up?”
It was a good question, Kagome reflected. She could already feel herself tiring, her mind cracking under the strain of sustaining her energy at such a high level for so long. Faced with a fiery death, she came to a decision: if she was going to die, it would be of her own doing. Just before her barrier collapsed she turned and leapt through the shattered window.
She had no breath to scream as she fell.
A/N – My first foray into the whole “modern youkai” scenario. It’s a bit cliché, and more than a little rushed, but at this point I’m not looking to rewrite major sections of plot. Some changes this chapter in an attempt to make Kagome’s mission (and decision to undertake it) more realistic.
Fanfiction of the Week: Blue, by baka_mai_28
In Over Her Head
Tuesday had been much better than Monday. Kagome had done well on all her tests, and there had been no talk of dog-related illnesses at school, not after that discussion she’d had with her grandpa. She successfully managed to sneak out past her friends and Hojo this time, though the boy had approached her at lunch. She had seen him coming, however, and dropped a hint about not feeling well to her friends loud enough so he would overhear. He did ask to sit down with them, and they talked for a while, but he never popped the dreaded date question. The whole ordeal left her feeling somewhat guilty for taking advantage of Hojo’s concern like that. He really did care, and he was very considerate, but she just didn’t want that kind of relationship with him. No, the only guy Kagome had eyes for her was just about the only guy who’d never shown any interest. That’s not true; he’s shown some interest…occasionally. I know Inuyasha cares about me, even if it’s not the way I hope.
And that was why she was here, standing once again in front of the Swaying Geisha Magic Shop. Her miko energy flared briefly as she recalled the last time she had been inside. Had it really been a whole day already? Time was moving quickly for her; studying for class and going to school kept her busy and prevented her from spending too much time thinking about Inuyasha. Not that he wasn’t on her mind. Taking a deep breath to clear her head, Kagome pushed open the door and entered the shop. This time Daisuke was standing behind one of the display cases, as if he had sensed her coming. He had his human disguise on, and looked distinctly nervous. Good. He should be nervous.
“Ahh, Kagome, so nice to see you again,” he greeted her warmly, unable to keep his voice from wavering.
“Save it,” she replied firmly, crossing her arms impatiently over her chest.
Daisuke signed in mock dejection. “Well, I suppose I deserve that. Rest assured that I meant no harm. I would never make further advances on a lady after such a…firm rejection.”
Kagome’s glare softened. It wasn’t much of an apology, but it did at least seem to confirm her estimation of his character. Daisuke was a pervert, but apparently a harmless one. Much like someone else she knew.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the youkai cleared his throat. “Anyway, I considered the matter carefully and thought of a way you can pay for my services.”
“I’m listening.”
“Hmm, where to start…I suppose I should first tell you that I am not merely a simple shopkeeper.” When Kagome failed to look surprised, he continued. “I occasionally take on less reputable jobs. All for good purpose, or course. For example, a client of mine recently had his extensive assets taken over by the owner of a certain company located in Tokyo. This company regularly uses fraud and shady business practices. With your help, I wish to infiltrate the company and help my friend reclaim funds equal to the value of his lost assets.”
“So in other words,” Kagome stated incredulously, “you want me to help you steal.”
“That is such an indelicate way of putting it.”
“But it’s the truth. Why me, anyway? I’m not a criminal. I can’t act and I’m a terrible liar.”
“A few reasons. This particular company is run by youkai, a few old aristocratic families of them. They haven’t hired any unrelated youkai in a very long time. And we youkai have ways of identifying our own, even with concealment charms. So that pretty much eliminates any other individual I might think to send. I can’t trust normal humans with this; the potential for discovering something they should not is too high. And, in a pinch, your, er, special skills would be extremely useful.
“Besides,” he added with a grin. “You look so damn innocent that nobody would ever think to suspect you of anything.”
Kagome wasn’t sure if she should take that as a compliment or not. “I’m telling you, I won’t seem innocent because I won’t be. I won’t fool anybody!”
“Oh, I think you’re a better actress than you care to admit,” Daisuke replied knowingly. “From what your grandfather told me, you already spend most of your time on the other side of your time portal, do you not? Yet your modern friends must know nothing of your adventures or your incredible power. So you see, you are already rather proficient at playing the part of a normal schoolgirl. It will not be much of a stretch to pretend to be a young woman just out of college, starting her first full-time job. You can keep that illusion up for a few hours, which is all I ask.”
Kagome frowned. Daisuke was right about her being a decent actress; hell, her whole modern life felt like she was playing a fictional character sometimes. But that didn’t mean she was on board with this.
“This sounds like the kind of thing that people go to prison for,” she retorted. “How can you guarantee that won’t happen to me?”
“I can’t.”
His curt response surprised her. She blinked once, twice. “E-excuse me?”
“I said I can’t,” he repeated seriously. “I can’t guarantee that you won’t go to prison, and I can’t guarantee that you won’t die. What I can guarantee is that no other youkai with the expertise you need will give a miko the time of day. I only agreed to talk to you because I like your grandfather. I am your only hope, Kagome. You need me, and I need you to do this for me. It is more important than you know.”
Kagome’s shoulders slumped with the conviction of his words. She didn’t know if there was another youkai on the planet willing to help her, but it would probably take a very long time to find out. And she didn’t have much time. Her mother had helped convince her that Inuyasha was actively seeking out a way to break the seal in the well, as she was, but how long would he wait? How long would he linger in this world, while the woman he loved waited to take him to the afterlife?
Those thoughts threatened to spill tears, but she bit her lip and blinked them away. Inuyasha did care for her, and would not give up easily, but she did not expect him to spend years trying to reach her. Nor would she want him to. Above all else, she wanted Inuyasha to be happy. Until that day when he made his choice, she had been content to spend what time she could with him, and cherish every moment. That was why she needed to do whatever it took to quickly win her way back to his side. While they still had time together.
“What…what would I have to do?” she inquired softly.
Daisuke seemed pleasantly surprised at her acceptance, grudging though it may be. He hurriedly explained the details, as if afraid that she would change her mind. Evidently, she was to smuggle a flash drive into the company and plant some sort of computer virus on their network. And that was it. No walking out the front door with a sack of money, as she had originally feared. It all seemed too simple, and she had the sneaking suspicion that Daisuke was not being entirely honest with her. He didn’t seem to be lying, per se, but he also wasn’t telling her the whole story. But what could she do? Make a fuss or refuse, and never see Inuyasha again?
Begging would do no good, she could tell, even with what limited feminine charms she possessed. Daisuke seemed dead set on this course of action now that he had chosen it. She sighed. Maybe I should have just slept with him. She didn’t really believe that, but it did seem like the easier option now.
Eventually, Daisuke moved on to the details of exactly how to upload the virus, but she had to stop him because it sounded like a foreign language to her. And so, much to her chagrin, she was once again invited back to his office, this time for a much needed computer lesson. She could only hope it would not be as dull as her school classes.
* * *
Kagome squinted, shielding her eyes from the insistent sun which seemed painfully bright this morning. Between her computer crash course, walking home, and restlessly tossing and turning in her bed for a few hours, she had not fallen asleep until very early this morning. Her nervousness over today’s events deprived her of the sleep which might have helped her make it through the day alive. She had complained to Daisuke yesterday of the risk of going to prison, but that seemed less likely upon further reflection. She doubted that the violent nature of even high-ranking youkai had changed all that much in five hundred years, or their enmity for humans of spiritual prowess. If she, a miko, was caught attempting to steal from a company owned by youkai, she doubted that she would live long enough to make it to prison. In a strange way, that actually made the whole thing easier to deal with. She was used to facing death; she did it every time she helped Inuyasha and her friends face down a youkai in the feudal era. The fly in the ointment, the one key difference that she tried to ignore but couldn’t, was that today she was alone.
Hence the reason why her nerves were once again completely on edge as she arrived at the magic shop. Planning the heist had been easy, she reflected. She had tied up loose ends, getting her grandfather to call in sick for her and vaguely informing her family that she would be doing Daisuke a favor in return for looking at the well. Fortunately, no one had pressed her. But now that she was actually here, ready to go through with this scheme, it seemed more ridiculous than ever. Just remember, it’s for Inuyasha.
Steeling her courage, she took out the key Daisuke had given her and entered the shop, locking the door behind her. He had said that he would close the shop today, for obvious reasons. But he was nowhere to be found, which threw her for a loss until she saw the handwritten note sitting atop a pile of clothes on the desk. The note directed her to change into the clothes and meet him at a bake shop a few blocks away. Once inside the restroom, she made sure to check for any hidden cameras. Not that she thought Daisuke had the guts to spy on her, but you could never be sure. Finding none, she mentally prepared herself to try on the new clothing, expecting something entirely indecent. To her surprise, the outfit Daisuke had chosen for her was actually a very stylish, relatively conservative business suit. The black cotton skirt was almost knee length, with a slit up to mid-thigh for the sake of movement. The white blouse and black jacket matched perfectly, and she found a pair of gold stud earrings in the pocket. Black heels completed the ensemble. The irony that Daisuke the hentai had chosen an outfit that covered more than her school uniform was not lost on her. She turned to examine herself in the mirror and gasped, not quite believing that the young woman staring back at her was really Higurashi Kagome. Her time in the feudal era had seen her once girlish face mature, just enough so that she could probably pass as a woman in her early twenties if she tried. And she looked good, too. Idly she wondered what Inuyasha would think if he saw her dressed like this, but quickly banished the thought lest she lose her focus.
After adding a little makeup to complete the look, she left the shop and headed for her rendezvous with Daisuke. As she approached, he gazed at her appreciatively and whistled.
“I don’t know much about shopping for women’s clothes, but nobody would know it from looking at you. You look damn good.”
She glared at him but couldn’t help but blush lightly at the compliment. After she claimed the chair across from him, he handed her three things: a nametag, a flash drive, and a tiny black round device with a clip on one side.
“That’s an emergency signal,” he told her. “Clip it to your hair. If you get into trouble, press and hold firmly for about a second. I’d give you an earpiece, but we can’t risk radio transmissions. Security there is very tight, especially through the airwaves so only use it if you’re in real danger. Here’s your nametag; you’re Okajima Takara, the newest employee in Muramai International’s software development sector. Just load the virus like I told you last night and get the hell out of there. Of course, you won’t be able to carry the flash drive in your pocket; they search everyone upon entry.”
Kagome narrowed her eyes. Was she imagining that he was trying to hide a smirk?
“So how am I supposed to get it inside?” she demanded, mentally daring him to say something perverted. Instead, Daisuke simply pointed at her chest, and she got the idea. It wasn’t as bad as she feared, truthfully. Daisuke had the grace not to look too disappointed as she took the flash drive into the bathroom, rather than putting it inside her bra at the table.
A half hour later, she found herself standing in front of the tall Muramai International building, reconsidering this decision for the umpteenth time. This is for Inuyasha. As far as she knew, this was the only way she would ever see him again, and that was a good enough reason to take a deep breath and start walking confidently toward the employee entrance. A muscular but friendly-looking security guard stopped her at the gate. He told her to take off her jacket and went through the pockets. And seeing no other pockets on her skirt or blouse, he didn't see the need to pat her down. Taking a look at her nametag, he smiled at her.
"So you're the new girl from software development?"
Kagome paused for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. Daisuke had told her to 'play the part,' and Okajima Takara was, in his own words, ‘a single woman just out of college, and well-versed in western-style feminism.’ Besides, she didn’t want to make any friends; she would be attempting to rob this place in short order, after all.
“No, I'm not the new girl, but I am the new employee,” she replied tersely. The man was somewhat taken aback, but recovered to address her much more formally.
“My apologies, Okajima-san. Good luck at your new job.”
Kagome felt a little guilty as she walked away; it was not her habit to be rude to people, particularly nice ones. She consoled herself with the knowledge that one way or another, this would be over soon.
In the next ten minutes she met her supervisor, Nakamura-san, and some of her co-workers in the software development sector. Nakamura was a short, balding man with a prominent bulge around his midsection, but Kagome found him a very capable supervisor nonetheless. He showed her around the office, and took her to meet the department head, Kusanagi-san. Something immediately aroused her suspicions when she entered his office, and when she shook his hand she recognized the feeling. Kusanagi was a youkai. Suspicion flared to life in his eyes as he saw and smelled her reaction, but she hurriedly buried her fear and tried to act normally again. Hopefully he would take it as simple first-day nerves. At the very least, he could not know that she was a miko yet, as she had been very careful to keep her spiritual energy dormant.
After leaving Kusanagi’s office, Kagome was guided to her work station and left alone with instructions to report for some meeting with her design group at 10:00 am. She didn't really care about that, nor did she concern herself with the small stack of work papers on her desk. She really just wanted to get this over with and leave, but she couldn't just reach under her bra and grab the flash drive for fear someone would suddenly round the corner and catch her. That meant a trip to the ladies room, so after starting her computer she rose from her chair. Normally going to the bathroom less that a half hour after reporting for work would be frowned upon, but what did she care? Still, she felt her pulse quicken as she walked, her entire body tensing and her brow beginning to dampen with anxious sweat. She practically ran the final few feet to the bathroom, and raced into the farthest stall without even glancing around to see if the room was empty. As she removed the flash drive she told herself to calm down. This would be easy, a piece of cake. She hoped.
Suddenly the restroom door opened, admitting two new occupants who were chatting amicably amongst themselves. It struck her as odd that two female voices would sound so deep before she realized her mistake. I'm such a baka! I got so scared that I ran into the wrong bathroom! She quickly hopped up onto the toilet seat so neither man would catch a glimpse of her high heeled shoes.
Mentally berating herself the whole time, she listed as the men finished urinating and left after briefly rinsing their hands. She blanched; why did men think it was okay not to use soap? After gathering her courage for a few moments in silence, Kagome hopped down from the toilet seat and scurried out of the men's room...
...right into a hard, male chest. She toppled onto her backside with a muffled 'oomph,' the flash drive flying from her hand and clattering against the wall. She gulped, and timidly moved her eyes up the tall male body before her. A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach when she reached his face.
“Okajima!” Kusanagi exclaimed, “What are you doing here? And what is that?” he snarled in a much more dangerous tone, stooping to pick up the flash drive. As he studied it in his hand, Kagome scrambled for answers, but in her panic could come up with nothing but lame excuses.
“I, um…didn’t see the sign,” she mumbled as she rose shakily to her feet. “And that’s…not mine. I found it in the bathroom.”
He studied her for several long moments, his eyes boring into hers. And was it her imagination of was he subtly sniffing air? Oh, no! Can youkai smell lies? Even if they couldn’t, her dominant emotion at the moment was fear, a scent which did not yield itself to innocence. Kusanagi moved with inhuman speed. In a flash, he grabbed Kagome’s left arm and twisted it behind her, his right hand locked onto her shoulder in a vicelike grip.
“You will come with me,” he growled, his breath hissing against her ear. He turned and began marching her in the opposite direction, away from her department and deeper into the building. Her earlier reflections came back to her, the ones concerning the relative chances of her going to prison or winding up dead if caught. She thought of Inuyasha, the prospect of never seeing him again. Thinking of her hanyou took the edge off her panic and allowed her to think clearly, and she did what she always did when a youkai threatened her place by his side.
Kusanagi screamed in pain and the smell of charred flesh filled the air; then his hands were gone and she was free. Kagome kicked off her heels and sprinted down the unknown hallway as fast as her legs would carry her.
But not fast enough. Alerted by Kusanagi’s shout, security guards stepped into her path, blocking her escape, and she spun around to go back the way she came. She stopped in her tracks as more guards appeared in that direction, a wounded Kusanagi with them. He looked absolutely irate, and he held death in his gaze.
Kagome frantically searched for a way out as enemies closed in from front and back. There! A hallway in front and off to the right. She sped forward, seemingly on a collision course with Kusanagi and his guards, then veered right at the last moment. She felt an outstretched hand graze the back of her skirt, but then there was a brief tussle behind her as several pursuers collided at once. That provided a bit of breathing room, but the gap would close quickly. She had never been the fastest of runners. Then to her horror, more guards rounded the corner at the end of this new hallway and ran towards them. She felt like a mouse caught in a maze full of snakes.
Then fate decided to smile upon her. Two people stepped out of an elevator not ten feet in front of her on the left, and Kagome saw her chance. She pushed past them, knocking one of the luckless employees into a wall, and leapt inside. She bounced off the back wall and managed to spin around and punch a level button in one motion. Then all she could do was hold down the close door button and pray to the Kami it had a fast reaction time.
Her prayers were answered. The pounding of fists against the outer door faded as the elevator rose, and Kagome staggered back to her feet. She was panting like a dog, and her clothes were soaked with sweat, but at least she was still alive. Remembering her instructions, she reached into her hair and activated the emergency signal. It vibrated once to let her know it was working, then was still once more. On the way over, Daisuke had said that he could rescue her in a pinch, but how? He didn’t have an army at his disposal, so she had to find a place where he could conceivably get to. That meant either the roof or a window. She glanced at the control panel, seeing that the button she had pressed was for the top floor. Perfect! I may get out of this yet!
When the elevator came to a stop and the door opened, she leapt out and looked around for a stairwell to the roof. It wasn’t right next to the elevator as she hoped, but down a long hallway she spied a sign indicating a stairwell. She took off down the hallway, and heard a bunch of guards emerge from the other elevator when she was about halfway down. But her master plan to make it to the roof and block the door behind her imploded when yet another guard stepped out into the hallway in front of her. Do they have freaking security stations on every floor?! She was contemplating an almost assuredly futile attempt to run around or through the lone guard when she passed two large, wooden double doors on her right. Skidding to a halt, she backtracked and tried the handles. The doors swung open easily and without sound, and Kagome wasted no time darting inside and shutting them behind her. She pushed down the old-style board lock to secure them. There was a long couch on the adjacent wall, which she dragged in front of the doorway for added protection. Only then did she turn around and examine her surroundings. She breathed a sigh of relief; the room was unoccupied. Judging by its splendor, it belonged to someone of great importance within the company. A massive desk of gleaming red wood sat in the center, in front of an impressive set of ceiling-high windows that ran almost from one side of the room to the other. Bookshelves lined both walls, as did a menagerie of sculptures, paintings, and animal mountings. A computer monitor the size of a plasma screen TV sat on the desk, and Kagome could just make out the top of an opulent, well-padded chair behind it.
Pounding on the door caused her to jump, but it quickly became apparent that the guards were not going to be able to force their way in easily. The ruckus ended abruptly when a loud, authoritative voice yelled, “What is the meaning of this?!” Kagome could not make out the response, but the guards did cease their attempts to beat their way in. That was probably the owner of this office; I hope he doesn’t have another way to get in here. She could see no other door, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. Jogging over to the window, Kagome looked out onto the bustling city below her. She scanned the sky, and the roofs of nearby buildings, but could see no sign of any impending rescue operation. Damn him! He promised he would have my back! She furiously pressed the emergency signal again, to no avail.
Looking over her shoulder to make sure she was still alone, Kagome was surprised to note that the computer screen was on, and the screensaver had not been activated yet. Curiosity peaked, she sat down in the chair and began to read the open document. Operation Purity? What’s that? As she read her eyes widened in shock. Oh, Kami. This is horrible! I have to show this to Daisuke! She quickly instructed the document to print and waited anxiously for the printer on her right to spit out the pages. Fortunately it was state of the art like everything else in this office, so the rather large document printed in no time. She grabbed the pages, folded them up, and stuffed them into her jacket pocket. She had just returned to the window to once again check for a rescue operation when she heard the sound of a sliding door behind her. Spinning around, she saw an imposing figure stride though a hidden door in one of the walls, followed closely by Kusanagi. The man stared at her for a moment, then his image seemed to flicker before her eyes and he vanished.
Or not. A mysterious hand grabbed her by the throat and slammed her up against the glass, and she quite suddenly found herself nose to nose with the man, or youkai, she had glimpsed across the room not a moment before. She dazedly reflected that she had seen the likes of such an attack before, though the youkai before her was definitely not Sesshoumaru. No, even through the stars clouding her vision she could see the overwhelming malice in those blood-red eyes. The sheer malevolence reflected in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine all the way to her toes, which by now were barely touching the carpet.
“Girl, what are you doing in my office? Tell me who you work for and what you’re after, and your death will be quick and painless. If you don’t, I promise you will suffer in ways you’ve never imagined; I will be showing mercy when I finally do end your miserable existence. Your choice.”
But far from quelling her, the youkai’s words only drove her to action. Again, this was a situation she was familiar with. Meeting his glare with one of her own, she reached up and grasped the hand holding her neck to the wall.
“I choose life!” she cried as she released an explosion of miko energy. This youkai did not scream in agony as his flesh was burned, but he did release her and stumble backward. His human disguise flickered a couple times before falling away completely, revealing long fangs, crimson facial markings, and unruly jet black hair.
“Insolent bitch!” he bellowed as he threw his good arm forward, sending waves of fire straight toward her.
They were in such close proximity; there was no way Kagome could dodge the searing blast. Raising her hands in reflex, she closed her eyes and waited for the flames to engulf her. And waited. And waited. Cracking one eye open, she was amazed at the sight that greeted her. The flames were being repelled by an invisible force field, one that glimmered pink. It’s a barrier… Once again an untapped reserve of spiritual strength had come to her rescue when she needed it the most. Cool air buffeted her from behind; it appeared that the cacophonous collision of youki and reiki had shattered the window.
“Heh, cute,” her opponent mocked, “but how long can you keep that up?”
It was a good question, Kagome reflected. She could already feel herself tiring, her mind cracking under the strain of sustaining her energy at such a high level for so long. Faced with a fiery death, she came to a decision: if she was going to die, it would be of her own doing. Just before her barrier collapsed she turned and leapt through the shattered window.
She had no breath to scream as she fell.
A/N – My first foray into the whole “modern youkai” scenario. It’s a bit cliché, and more than a little rushed, but at this point I’m not looking to rewrite major sections of plot. Some changes this chapter in an attempt to make Kagome’s mission (and decision to undertake it) more realistic.