InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Bounties ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Unholy Thoughts
Inuyasha and Miroku are introduced. Some background is given on Naraku, Kanna, Kagura. Kagome and Sango talk to each other, revealing a bit of what they've been doing. Rin and Ayame find and hire Sesshomaru, and Kouga takes interest.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.17.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 335 | Status: Completed

Rated For: Language, adult situations
Summary: Kagome possesses the only part of the Shikon no Tama that Naraku does not. The four kingdoms have fallen. Kagome went undercover to make an attempt at recovering the other three quarters. When she is sold to him, all goes according to her plan. Until, that is, a certain hanyou takes a hand when she escapes. Hired by Naraku, but double crossing him with another, unknown master, Inuyasha has a critical decision to make.

All about the Money
Part I: The Bounties
Chapter One
Inuyasha Taiyouki, an orphan for many long years. Miroku Houshi, a monk with a curse. One with a limited lifespan, the other almost immortal. An undying trust that would last for as long as it could. As long as it could.
And how long would their exciting lives continue, with the jobs that they both took on? Risking their necks, lives, reputations-all for six to nine figured sums. The money was barely used, and stored over many banks and identities. It was all senseless, in a way, because while they were on the job, all expenses were paid. Miroku was the only one who actually withdrew cash, and only for his women.
Inuyasha was a skilled assassin, his heightened senses enabling him to both predict and escape out of tight situations. He went after specific targets only, never accepting mass slaughter, or the assignment of killing holy people. Never the best negotiator, he was usually used when there was no other way. Since Inuyasha kept to himself, it was impossible to know what he thought of this treatment.
Miroku had trained in a monastery, until his un priest-like habits got him kicked out. He enjoyed seducing the wealthy women of the world, getting them to where his current `boss' wanted them. He was careful to keep a low profile at all times, as his former lovers were rather violent. The rare times when one had to be silenced was done with grace, and a sincere prayer for their soul. It was often painless, with the slip of a drug into wine or beer. At the worse, a tiny draw of a sharp knife across a slender throat could harm them no more than anything else.
They were a good team, although Inuyasha had only recently found Miroku (recently being five years ago). Both of them were usually hired to recover stolen goods, items, runaways, and they had even been once asked to steal one of the more prominent artifacts of the country. Thus far, the museum still hadn't noticed that it had been replaced with a fake.
So, you could summarize them up as bounty hunters. Better than the average, bumbling sort, but still the cold blooded mercenaries that would do anything for money.
A perfect fighting pair, they could take on anything and anyone. This extended to missions and assignments. However, there was one type that Inuyasha refused to take on.
To chase after females, whether they were human slaves, mikos, or any kind at all.
The reason was buried deep within his two-hundred year past. He didn't like to speak of it, and even Miroku only knew the bare outline. Both of them knew, however, that she had been brought back, and given a new body. For this reason, he wanted to avoid all females, fearing to meet her again.
He had made a vow, on the sacred Shikon no Tama shard his love had left him.
Only his next job would force him to unmake it.

“Milord Naraku, your latest shipment has arrived. They are the ones from Japan, and they look to be pleasurable, although they cannot possibly virgins. They've been through many masters, some of them involving the more brutal of your friends.”
The `lord' in question, a darkly handsome man with waist-length black hair, turned to face his demon servant. She quickly snapped her red and white fan over her face, trying to escape his one eye.
“And how many are there?” Naraku asked, his voice smooth.
“Mi-milord, they originally brought four, but two escaped on their passage over.”
“Kagura, leave.”
The demon left, uncertain of her master's mood. He liked his girls in packs, and every night if possible. It was really bad timing, seeing as he had sent his last five away only hours before.
As she left, a glass tiger slid to the ground in front of his richly carved doors. Kagura hurried, not wanting her master to talk to her any longer. Naraku Onigumo was preoccupied though, and took no notice of the mess.
`This is just wonderful. Finally get the money enough to purchase what I need, to see if everything's true, and two links run away. Bitches, they don't know enough of what I need. The two that are coming just better not escape as well. It'll take even more time, and with the enemies I have, it wouldn't be smart to delay any longer.'
Still harboring a dark mood, he left his richly furnished office, stepping around the splinters without thinking much.
`Damn, and the last ones left already. No fun tonight.'
He ran into his other servant, a pale white albino girl. She bowed her head over her mirror, and griped it tighter. Onigumo laughed a mirthless laugh. This was one female that he would never consider taking to bed.
For one thing, she was much too valuable for her powers. For another, her physique was small, and `doomed', shall we say, to stay underdeveloped.
She looked tentatively up into his smile. He began to walk past, then doubled back.
“Kanna, show me my incoming goods.” The mirror misted and swirled, until finally he could see the faint figures of two sleeping girls. Both had black hair, long and to their waists. One was dressed in traditional miko robes, the other in a simple green, white, and pink kimono. A neko nestled in the crook of the elbow of the one wearing a kimono.
“Perfect…” he hissed, striding past before the image had clearly solidified. Kanna's blank eyes showed a little bewilderment as she lowered her mirror and continued on her glide along the hallway. She seemed not to feel the broken glass in front of his office door as she stepped with bare feet. Her insects did buzz around her hair a bit more frantically.
She stepped into Kagura's room after a matter of only minutes. Kagura's chambers weren't as richly furnished, but the color red was present everywhere, sometimes set off with splashes of white. The wind sorceress spun around when she heard someone step on the board that she had kept creaky just for that reason. Upon seeing who it was, she relaxed.
“Sister, why are you here now? I told you, keep quiet!” Kanna bowed her head, and held up her mirror. The images of the two sleeping girls appeared again.
“What's that supposed to mean? They're just girls, Naraku's type. Long black hair, Japanese, pretty eyes, all that.” Kagura remarked, babbling the ideas that came to mind. That was what you had to do when you were `talking' with Kanna. The silent child usually never contributed.
The white girl shook her head, and presented the reflective surface again.
“The one on the left looks like Kikyo, but he's not going to keep them just `cause they look like her.” Kagura said, puzzled as to what Kanna was trying to say. The mirror's view narrowed in on the miko.
“Same…is that part of the Shikon no Tama around her neck!” the demoness was finally interested, going closer for a better look. Kanna nodded mutely, and added a few characters. Her older sister began to read them aloud, but upon realizing what they said, quickly finished silently.
Looking at her sister questioning, she asked,
“Is she one of the ones that hold the quarters of the sacred jewel shard? The last one? The one Naraku needs?”
A voice, small and innocent answered, “Yes.”

“Sango, wake up. I need some of your hair again.” Hissed the one dressed in miko robes. The girl next to her, whose back was protected by a giant boomerang, slowly sat up to face her companion.
“Already Kagome? We've been sold as sex slaves for millions of times already.” She said, stating the obvious as evident when Kagome rolled her eyes.
“And we're still innocent in spite of it.” Kagome finished what had now become their tradition. Having gone through various masters, it wasn't difficult to slip them something that would prompt them to sell them shortly. Sometimes they stayed longer, if that specific demon could give them supplies for their eventual, complete escape from the slave system.
It wouldn't be too long now, and they waited eagerly for their soon to be last transaction. Naraku Onigumo had come with a lengthy list of things to watch out for. They had charmed the servants into obtaining it for them. Among the many were abuse, overuse, extreme situations, and gladiator type events. They had grimaced, knowing how much work would be in store. Sango had made preparations and concocted new stories, ready to cover up Kagome's fatigue.
Whenever the miko made them substitutes, she would be too drained from the use of magic to cover up for their activities. Ever since the inseparable pair had met each other ten years ago, fighting for survival in the world of slave humans, they had been able to defend themselves with a blend of their skills and strengths.
Not the least of their accomplishments was the masking of their weapons. Kagome had managed to hide her bow and arrows, as well as Sango's Hiraikotsu. She couldn't say how she knew afterwards, but it worked well. Only once had they almost gotten detected, when a party of free mikos had gone through the harem they had been in at that time. A few had stopped to inquire over the unusual amount of white magic in the air. The master had quickly covered up, and sent them away soon after.
It was illegal to own those who could wield magic in any way. There were many reasons for this, but the main point was that if a master chose to use his or her slave to gain an advantage of any kind over others, the magic used would be weak and corrupted, possibly causing more destruction that originally planned.
You might ask now, why hasn't Kagome revealed herself yet? She would automatically be freed, and all of her former masters to be punished at her wishes. Sango would be freed at the same time; all exterminators had a tinge of miko blood. That wouldn't be the reason.
Kagome's reasoning was such: many mikos and priests had been killed in the search for the Shikon no Tama. Even those that were remotely connected to the four protectors had been slaughtered before. Although all four were the most powerful in the world, three had fallen, all to the minions of Naraku Onigumo.
Their new master.
To protect herself, and her piece of the treasure, she had gone into hiding. Well, she had been a slave before she knew of her job, but it had been her choice to stay in the system.
It was all part of a final plan to regain the parts of the Shikon no Tama. Kagome didn't know if she could make the pure-hearted wish that would get rid of the risk. She might even end up splitting it again and hoping that the guardians of the next generation would do a better job.
“I'm too young to be trying to do all this.” She muttered. Sango laid a reassuring arm around her shoulders while reaching for her dagger with the other.
Cutting off about five hairs near the back, she handed them to Kagome.
“Kagome, even if you don't succeed and have to break it, the next group of people will definitely succeed, if you train someone as a successor.” They had grown so attuned to each other that each could predict fairly accurately what the other was thinking.
Her target sighed, and took the sharp weapon from the other. Careful to keep their hairs separated, she dropped each into the clay pots. They were tiny, about the size of a thumb.
Setting the containers aside quickly, they immediately got dressed and answered the insistent pounding at the door.
The harsh captain stood at their door, not bothering to give them any further privacy. He didn't look around their room obviously, but didn't hide that he was appraising their `luggage'.
“One hour left before Naraku picks you up. I'll be glad to get ye women off my ship.” He growled, sticking to the old superstition that women were bad luck on ships. Kagome smiled sweetly and quickly closed the door. Sango cursed softly, expressing her own feelings as well as those of her friend, who was too sophisticated to use that kind of language.
“Guess I should get started. Begin using that wonderful brain of yours, Sango.” Kagome ordered, pulling out her small bag.
“I wish Rin were here. She could help me make these a whole lot faster, and check them over too.” She sighed as she began laying out her materials. Sango added,
“Ayame's imagination was always helpful. But we had to help them escape, you said so yourself. `All part of the greater plan', quoting directly.”

A white haired youkai frowned at the cheery human and wolf demonin front of him. They were sitting cross-legged, while he remained standing.
“Aw, come on. You're the best bounty hunter anyone's ever heard of!” The black haired human started again. She picked at her worn orange kimono.
“Human, what makes you think that any amount of money you offer will make me work for one of your race?” he scowled.
“Lord Sesshomaru - even your title tells me how conceited you are.” The redhead scowled back. “And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly human.”
“That makes no difference. Those who associate with humans freely should be condemned.”
“Shut up. Just listen to the rest of what Rin has to say.”
“Miko's are also inferior to youkai, although they are placed above other humans.” Sesshomaru added, ignoring the white wolf demon.
“You shut up.”
“Ayame, calm down, and BOTH of you let me talk.” Rin said, still trying to keep the peace. Seeing that they would ignore her further, she decided to step in between physically. This brought her closer to the white dog demon, who looked unperturbed that a hated human was standing less than two inches from him.
“You haven't let me tell you all of the details yet.” She said calmly.
“Don't waste your breath, wench. I won't take on your assignment.”
“That's okay. Then you can help me with my presentation, so I can change it for future candidates.” Rin added, unruffled.
“So, I was part of the family of the West guardians of the Shikon no Tama. They failed their job, but as the sole survivor, I need to make some things right while I still can. The South and the North have also fallen, but Kagome of the Higurashi clan still holds the East piece. I met her a few years ago, and have agreed to help her recreate the Shikon no Tama. We'll need to find the pieces and shards that have been stolen, still.”
“Only problem is she's still in captivity right now, and since we have no clue where she's going or how to bust her out, we need someone with connections.” Ayame finished.
“There's a greater picture involved, and if you can't help us, you-”
“You'll get obliterated!” cut in Ayame. Even the mild-mannered Rin was beginning to get irritated. Sending a sharp look to her companion after looking around the secluded cliff, she opened her mouth to continue. Sesshomaru, apparently tired of listening to their voices, held up his elegant hand.
“Enough. I see that you will pester me for quite a while if I do not agree. What is the price? And what must I do?”
Rin smiled, having won over her first target.

“Kouga, it seems that your enemy's half-brother has accepted an assignment, for the first time in years!” called Ginta as he ran up the hill to his leader, who was standing nobly at the top.
“Why should this interest me?” he asked coldly.
“It has to do with the Shikon no Tama!”
“Shikon no Tama!” he whirled around, fingering the shard in his right arm. The wolf prince's hair was still tied in its high ponytail, and it now blew out in front of him. Ginta stopped, unsure of his leader's mood since his hair was obstructing his face.
“In that case,” he said, striding down, “Let's start monitoring him, shall we? Sooner or later he'll give us something that Inuyasha won't like, the mutt-face…grr.” He finished with a growl.
“Of course.” Ginta replied to empty air. Down below, a dust cloud was settling in Kouga's wake. He followed, at a much slower pace.

In the Next Chapter: Naraku inspects his new slaves. The Shikon no Tama attracts no attention: not being present. Sesshomaru must confront Kouga, but the bloody battle that follows provides no answers.