InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Cosmos Sagas: Prodigal ❯ Chapter 2

The Cosmos Sagas: Prodigal

 

 

Chapter II

 

 

***

Inuyasha stared at the girl as she tossed and turned on the bed. It was lucky he wasn't hurt in the crash, or she probably wouldn't have made it. After she blacked out, he'd grabbed her and their supplies and left the crash site as fast as possible, in case any Kagai came searching for them.

 

They had crash landed in the upper levels of the planet Skii, and he was able to find an old abandoned apartment where he could treat her wounds. She suffered from exhaustion mostly, but she also had a deep cut on her hand that required stitches, as well as other nicks and bruises. He had treated them to the best of his ability, but she fell into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning while she ran away from her dreams.

 

I wonder what she's dreaming about that causes all the moaning and groaning. He stared down at her, concern flashing across his amber eyes for a split second, and then it was gone.

 

“Keh! Stupid wench. We have work to do and you're sleeping!” He moved to shake her, hoping she'd wake, when she let out a particularly loud hiss. Fearing he had hurt her, he gently placed her back down. He brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead as he stared at her.

She was relatively young, maybe early twenties. Her hair was wavy and fell mid way down her back in black sheets. He knew her eyes were a strange cerulean color that lighted up with an inner fire when she was surprised or angry. He didn't know a lot about her-she was a last minute addition to the crew so he hadn't had a chance to go over her records. But he did know she was some kind of smuggler or something who hadn't really been involved in the recent wars that plagued the Federation. He looked down at her face again, which was currently squeezed tightly together in the throes of a dream.

 

“Oi! Wake up!” his only response was a grunt of indignation.

“Keh. I just know I'm gonna love this stupid girl-I haven't even known her a day and already she's got me talking to myself.”

 

***

It was dark. The lights were off except for the glowing letters on the computer screens. In the reflection off one of the screens, one could see the vast emptiness of space, except for the minute points of light that were the stars and planets of other systems.

 

There was a girl. She had long, dark brown hair tied up in a high ponytail, and was dressed in a skintight black outfit trimmed in pink. She moved with the grace and confidence of a trained warrior as she drew a gigantic boomerang from her back and threw it at her enemy. As it left her hand, it began to glow with a soft pink light. It headed toward a Kagai paladin, who attempted to block it with his sword, which also glowed-but his was a sinister, deep red. When the two auras collided, there was a bright flash, and the girl jumped. She picked up her boomerang and proceeded to push the paladin back, until he tripped on the stairs and fell to his knees before her…

 

Kagome sat up with a gasp, and winced when she remembered her injuries. What a weird dream. It looked like it took place on a battle cruiser or something in space, and who was that girl? Feeling eyes on her, Kagome looked over, and noticed Inuyasha Vinstar staring at her intently.

 

“You shouldn't stare. It's rude.” She said curtly.

 

“That's not a nice thing to say to the guy who just saved your life wench.” Inuyasha replied, annoyance dripping into his voice. “When we crashed, you were knocked unconscious, and so I brought you here and fixed your wounds. You've been sleeping for about a day. But now that you're up, we need to get going. We have to find Sango and make sure she's alright.”

 

“Wait, what?? Where are we? Who are you? Who's Sango? What the heck is going on?!?!” Kagome yelled frantically.

 

Inuyasha held up his hands as a sign to stop her rambling. She stopped.

 

“I'm Inuyasha Vinstar. I'm a pilot for the Federation. We were both on a ship carrying Lady Sango, a Synod convoyer. The Kagai attacked the ship because they want Sango because she can manipulate Essence to inspire or demoralize an army-which can turn the tide of a war.” He paused before continuing, to make sure Kagome was following. She nodded her approval, and so, he went on.

 

“We crashed landed her on the planet Skii. It used to be a huge trade center for the Federation, but it's gone to the wayside over the years for planets that are more in the center of the galaxy. It's pretty much a huge city covering the surface of the planet. It has three “layers”. We're on the top level, where the city is still pretty much intact. The middle level is down near the sewer systems and is overrun by gangs and other lowlifes who have no regard for anything living besides themselves. The last level, from what I've heard, is hell on earth. There's no sun, because it can't filter through the city, and the people there are supposedly full of diseases and other problems.”

 

“Oh” was all she could say. She stood up and stretched her sore muscles, and then looked around the apartment for her gear. It was in the corner, under the only window in the apartment. She walked over to the window, and stared down at the sprawling metropolis below.

 

The entire city seemed suspended above the clouds, with buildings made out of some kind pearly white stone that reflected the light of the setting sun, turning the entire city into a giant rainbow. There was a walkway that lined on both sides by the buildings, and it stretched into the horizon. Scurrying along the pathway were humans, but from Kagome's viewpoint, they just looked like dots on a page. Looking back from the window, she picked up her gear and proceeded to strap it on.

 

“So,” Kagome began, “Where do we start looking for Sango?”

 

Inuyasha closed his eyes in thought before replying, “Well, I've heard rumors that another escape pod crashed into the Lower Levels, so we should get down there to try and investigate. But the only problem is, the Kagai have taken over the planet. They've made a blockade so no ships can get in, and declared the planet in a state of martial law. The only way to get to the Middle Levels, and then the Lower Levels, is by elevators, which are under watch every hour of every day.”

 

Kagome sighed. “Well, then we should get started.” Just as she finished speaking, her stomach rumbled. She blushed. “In a minute I guess.”

 

As Kagome began making her dinner, an awkward silence settled over the two. Not one for awkward silence, Kagome decided to fill the void with small talk.

 

“So, Inuyasha. Since we're going to be working together for awhile, why don't you tell me about yourself.”

 

He had been watching her eat in silent indifference, but at her question, his eyes hardened and his entire countenance changed to defensive.

 

“Look, I know you have questions, and maybe later, I'll answer them, but right now, we have a job to do, so just finish your food and lets get going!” he ground out.

 

Kagome held up her hands in a placating gesture, and said “Okay, okay! Calm down! There's no need to get all defensive, it was just a question.” She slurped up some noodles, and wiped her chin when some broth ran down her face. “Alright, so, no personal questions. What about-oh!” She paused before continuing, as if weighing her options to see if he'd explode then. She nodded, seeming satisfied with whatever conclusions she drew, and asked “Can you tell me what's been going on recently? I've been away, so I don't really know anything about Naraku or the war, or anything.”

 

Inuyasha just gave her a blank stare. She made a loud slurping sound-just to annoy him-before finishing off her noodles. She picked up the trash then threw it away in the garbage before sitting back down.

 

“Well, about six years ago, war started between the Federation and the ookami youkai. The Ookami were trained warriors, who only lived for the glory of winning a battle, and they decided to challenge the Federation by attacking planets on the outskirts of the Federation's jurisdiction.” As he was saying this, his hand began to twitch, and move toward his blaster, which he kept hidden on his right side. He pulled it out of the holster and began cleaning it while he continued.

 

“The Ookami were surprisingly strong, so the Federation wasn't prepared for the assault. They started winning all kinds of desolate planets before the Federation got there act together. That took about a year or two. The Federation then went to the Synod Council and asked for help. But, the Synod being what they are, was taking to long to decide their involvement in the war. The younger generations of Synod became frustrated with the Council and it's lack of action so they decided to take matters into their own hands.” He had finished cleaning his blaster, so he replaced it in the holster, stood up, and started toward the window overlooking the city.

 

“They were lead by two promising Synod-a miko named Kikyou, and a paladin named Naraku. Kikyou was the smarter of the two, and became the leader of the armies fighting against the Ookami. She was amazing at planning strategies and then executing them. Kikyou had an amazing connection to Essence, and was able to make it do things no one had seen before. From healing the worst injuries to stopping bombs from exploding in midair-she seemed invincible. With Kikyou's planning, and Naraku's raw power, the Federation was able to slowly beat the Ookami forces back to the Outskirts.”

 

“Kikyou and Naraku were to return from the Outskirts as heroes who saved the Federation. But when they did come back, it was with a huge fleet, and they attacked the Federation, and no one knows why. They had somehow been turned from the teachings the Synod, and embraced the Kugai.” Inuyasha looked away from the window to Kagome.

 

“How do you not know this stuff? It's all such common knowledge.”

 

“Hey! I've been gone-I didn't really care what happened to the Federation in my absence ok?”

 

Inuyasha just smirked at her, earning a glare from Kagome, before continuing on.

 

“The Federation, crippled from an already expensive and draining war, was now on the brink of collapse. They fought Kikyou's forces, but it was a losing battle. In the midst of all the fighting, the Synod was able to send a strike team to Kikyou's battle cruiser. Sango was one of them-she killed Kikyou. With the position open, Naraku stepped into Kikyou's place, and assumed control of the fleet to decimate the Federation.”

 

After he finished, he walked over to Kagome, and said, “That's enough talk. You see why we need to find Sango?”

 

Kagome nodded and stood up. Strapping on her blaster's holster as she walked to the door, she turned back to Inuyasha and just stared. And stared.

 

“Are you coming or what? You're the one yelling at me to come on and hurry up, but who's lolley gagging now? Do you want to save Sango and get off this rock or what?” She smirked at him with hands on her hips.

 

Inuyasha stepped away from the window, scoffing in annoyance at his new companion. He grabbed anything that might be helpful, stuffed them in his pockets, and sauntered out of the room without a second glance at Kagome.

 

“Moron.” Kagome mumbled under her breath before stepping out the door. Shutting and locking it behind her, she hurried after Inuyasha to the elevator that would take them to the Top Levels of Skii, and their quest to find Lady Sango.

 

***

 

 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha & Co. belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I also don't own anything having to do with Star Wars; I'm just tweaking the names and ideas a bit for the heck of it.