InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Book of Shikon ❯ What's Missing? ( Chapter 6 )

The Book of Shikon

 

Chapter 6

 

What's Missing?

 

Inuyasha was sitting in a small café just down the street from Sesshomaru's house, finishing his dinner as the sun set. He looked out over the darkening city and sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms. He had no clue how to get in touch with Naraku, it was fairly obvious the man was no longer waiting at his complex in the U.S. And yet if Sesshomaru was himself trying to complete the ritual detailed in the book, then there was no way he would sell it. Inuyasha was at a standstill.

 

“Excuse me sir.” Inuyasha looked up to see the waitress. “We're closing.” She said. Inuyasha nodded and dug Naraku's credit card from his pocket, handing it to her and gathering his book bag up. He walked up to the counter, and the waitress handed him his card back. Inuyasha walked out of the café and started down the street towards his hotel.

 

“Inuyasha.” Inuyasha stopped and turned around just as he was about to cross the street. Sesshomaru walked up to him. “I'm here. What do you know?” The man asked.

 

“What?” Inuyasha replied.

 

“I brought my book like you said.” Sesshomaru explained, pulling it from his coat. “Your wife called and told me to meet you here to discuss the ritual. Why?” Inuyasha shook his head.

 

“You're losing it, I never…” Inuyasha trailed off. “My wife?” He whispered. Realization dawned on him. “It's a trap.”

 

Tires squealed, and the two turned to see a black car lurch out of the side street, roaring onto the curb and drive straight towards them. Inuyasha stared in horror, when he felt a blow, as if someone had just punched him in the stomach. He was thrown back to lie on the other side of the street, groaning and trying to sit up. Sesshomaru tried to get out of the way, but the car sideswiped him and sent him flying forward, the book flying out of his hands in the middle of the street.

 

Inuyasha coughed and groaned, rolling onto his stomach. The car skidded to a halt, the front doors opening. Inuyasha winced as a pair of black heels filled his field of vision. Behind them a familiar white-haired woman stepped from the car and looked around.

 

“Tsubaki, get the book.” Kikyo snapped. Tsubaki nodded and walked over to where Sesshomaru's book lay. She stooped down and picked it up as Sesshomaru struggled to his feet.

 

“Damn…” Inuyasha moaned trying to get to his feet. Kikyo reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a handgun, cocking it and lowering it to Inuyasha's face. The next thing Inuyasha knew, there was an odd `ripple' of air, and Kikyo was sent back to hit the side of the car, crying out on impact. Tsubaki whirled around as Kagome picked up Kikyo's gun, tossing it into the darkness. Tsubaki gasped as Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her away as he grabbed the book in her hands.

 

“We have to go.” Kagome said, pulling Inuyasha to his feet. “This is not our fight.”

 

“Fuck off.” Inuyasha snarled, throwing off the hand on his shoulder and picking up his fallen book bag. Tsubaki struggled out of Sesshomaru's grasp, the book slipping from her grasp in the process. Kikyo put a hand on the hood of her car for balance, pulling herself into the vehicle and slammed the door. She skidded down the street, Tsubaki diving in as she drove past.

 

“What the hell was that?” Inuyasha demanded, walking towards Sesshomaru.

 

“You set me up you bastard.” Sesshomaru snarled. “This book is mine and I won't give it up to you.” Sesshomaru spun around and marched away. Inuyasha shook his head.

 

“What the hell?” He growled.

 

“Seems like Kikyo isn't giving up yet.” Kagome said. Inuyasha glared at her.

 

“What are you doing here?” He snapped.

 

“Saving your life, don't you trust me?”

 

“Not really, no.” Inuyasha replied, pushing past her.

 

“Where are you going, Sesshomaru is the other way.” Kagome called.

 

“I'm going to track down the other loony braud who's been following me!” Inuyasha shot back. Kagome watched him go with a smile before turning to walk away.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

It made no sense. Kikyo's appearance was impossible, how would she know where he was? Inuyasha was sure of only a few things: Kagome knew a lot more than she was telling, Naraku was lying to him, Kikyo was stalking him, and for all he knew the three were all working together in some combination. He knew that, and that the L.C.F. engravings tied it all together. But how?

 

“There must be something I'm missing…” He whispered, rubbing his temples. He was sitting in the bar of his hotel, on his third whisky no less. People killing over a book, it was stupid, no one in history had ever completed the ritual. So would Kikyo and maybe Naraku and Kagome kill over the book? Inuyasha gasped. A sudden realization struck him. He grabbed his book bag and slapped a handful of bills on the bar counter as he rushed out of the hotel to see Sesshomaru.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Inuyasha knocked again, thudding harder. The sun had just started to peak when he had entered a few minutes ago, and Sesshomaru wasn't answering. Inuyasha felt a familiar tingle down his spine, and frowned. He turned the handle and walked in. The apartment looked alright, except it was dead silent. Inuyasha walked to the library and slid open the doors.

 

Sesshomaru lay slumped backwards across his desk, blood pooling from his heart and sliding down the side of the desk. The Shikon-no-Tama lay beside him, its pages ripped apart. Inuyasha walked forward to stare for a moment.

 

“Do I even need to ask if the engravings are gone?” He asked.

 

“You know better.” Kagome replied, closing the library door.

 

“And I suppose if I ask you any questions you won't give me a straight answer.” Inuyasha continued, looking over his shoulder. Kagome smiled.

 

“You learn fast.” She chuckled.

 

“Someone is after the books.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“They killed Sesshomaru

 

“Yes.”

 

“You know who don't you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you don't plan on telling me, do you?”

 

“No.” Kagome shook her head and smiled. “But I do plan on telling you there's a flight to Paris leaving at noon.” Inuyasha nodded and slipped Sesshomaru's tattered book into his book bag.

 

“And will you be coming along on this trip?” He asked, turning around. He eyed the empty library and sighed. “I guess not.”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

It was late afternoon by the time Inuyasha had gathered his belongings and caught a cab to the airport. Naraku and Kikyo still hadn't made further appearances, although he was fairly sure that either or both of them was a few steps behind or ahead of him. He sat in the back of his cab as it drove along the highway. On the seat beside him lay three copies of the Shikon-no-Tama, one in near-perfect condition, one burned and one shredded.

 

“Someone wants these books.” He mused. “Books co-written by the Devil that contain the secret of his power. Four books, each with 16 engravings and each with 4 that differ, signed by Lucifer himself. Someone wants these books, not just one, all of them. Why? No one in history had ever completed the ritual, 5 centuries and not a single person. Why? What were they doing wrong? And why would someone go through the trouble of killing the owners of the copies and then just leave them?”

 

“There's something else here, something I'm missing.” Inuyasha growled. The taxi stopped and the Jamaican driver turned around.

 

“Alright man, the fare is 14 bucks American.” Inuyasha looked out the window.

 

“This isn't the airport.”

 

“I know man, but I can't take ya any further. To be honest, you're kinda creeping me out man.”