InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Island of Dr. Onigumo ❯ Chapter 7

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: Though no one had commented on it, I feel the need to say this. I know that for the 40th Century, this fanfic doesn’t have much futuristic detail to it, but I’m thinking of the fact how slowly the majority of our technology has developed over the last few centuries and something tells me that in 3000, we’re still not going to be flying around in hover cars or transporting in instant time. The Jetson’s life is still a loooong way off.

“Federal officials were seen transporting a man believed to be the suspect in an attempted murder at Nakumaru-Onigumo Industries last month. The suspect was covered with a sheet and Federal agents have denied all requests to answer questions at this time.”

A female reporter with brown hair and golden highlights sat behind a news desk. Behind her in a small corner screen was a still shot of Inuyasha under a white sheet and surrounded by armed guards. The young woman reporting shuffled her papers before footage from the actual scene showed Inuyasha shackled and covered, led by agents and followed by the senator and his daughter.

The screen cut back to the news anchor who was now giving a short history of Doctor Onigumo Naraku and his research.

Kagome shut off the television and put a CD in her player instead. After arriving at the dock on the main island, they had found the parking lot surrounded by news vans. She had no doubt it was Naraku’s doing. He probably figured to garner support by showing the public what a murderous freak of nature Inuyasha was.

At her father’s request, the guards had thrown a sheet over his head while walking him from the vote to the van, which thankfully had tinted windows, and again when they exited to enter the prison. They had been followed by helicopters and more vans had been waiting at the penitentiary. For his own safety, Inuyasha had been put in solitary confinement. And that had been where she had left him.

-----

“The suspect in an attempted murder -”

“Tokyo Federal Prison received -”

“…Doctor Onigumo Naraku, infamous creator -”

“…a failed assassination -”

Inuyasha growled and jammed the power button on the remote attached to the wall. Everything in his 6x9 cell was bolted down except the covers. Not that there was much to begin with. The solitary confinement at Tokyo Federal Penitentiary was sparse to say the least, housing only a bed along one wall, toiletries against the other, and a TV mounted above the door. At least it had a TV.

Not that there was anything good on.

Agitated and becoming worse by the minute, he flung himself on the cot and drew the covers over his head. It was going to be a long night and an even longer month.

-----

She was totally engrossed in her work and barely heard the phone ringing, deciding when she did to let the machine get it. A half empty glass of wine sat next to the keyboard and classical music drifted from the speakers on either side of her monitor. One might think she was writing the great romance novel of the time, there were candles lit, and not a scientific thesis but that was exactly what she was writing.

And it was getting good.

A light tapping at her door surprised her. It was much too late for visitors and she frowned curiously as she unbolted the lock, even more surprised to see little Rin standing there. She quickly put her finger to her lips to silence the girl and knelt to her level. “What is it, Rin?” She whispered in a voice so low she wasn’t sure if the child could actually hear it or not. “And speak softly.”

It only took the child a moment to understand. Considering who her father was and where she’d grown up, it wasn’t a shock that she’d caught on. She leaned forward, right at Kagome’s ear, and whispered, “Jaken-san asked me to give this to you.” She held out a small box and waited for Kagome to take it before putting her arms around the woman’s neck and kissing her cheek, bowing before she turned to go. “Thank you, Higarashi-san.”

Kagome returned the bow as best she could from her squatting position and then opened the box to find two vials of blood, both marked with specimen names and numbers. The toad had done better than she hoped…

“Doctor Higarashi, this is Iwamura Lee from the federal prison. We have a situation with the hybrid that -”

“Hanyou, Iwamura-san,” Kagome corrected as she picked up the receiver. “The proper term would be hanyou. What sort of situation?”

The man snorted on the other end. “Hanyou, hybrid - either way he’s a stubborn sun of a bitch. He refused to eat dinner and he’s causing problems with our routine checks,” he explained. “He’s been quiet all afternoon, but when we got ready to do bed checks before lights out, he refused to remove the blanket from his bed…or himself. Doctor Higarashi, I wouldn’t bother you but it’s protocol and it’s required. I know he’s just in holding, but he did make an attempt on Doctor Onigumo’s life and we have to make sure he’s not doing anything dangerous in there.”

Kagome sighed wondering why Inuyasha was choosing now to start acting up. They were so close to the end. It was going to be a rough time waiting in that cell, but he’d manage on Naraku’s island. What was the difference?

“I’ll be there as soon as I can. It’ll take at least half an hour though,” she conceded with a defeated sigh.

They hung up and Kagome grabbed her coat and keys.

-----

“Just what is your problem?” She demanded an hour later as she stood in his small cell with her hands on her hips, staring at the lump of covered person on the cot. “You’ve been acting like a jerk for the last few days and now this? I’m trying to finish my report so I can get you in front of the review board. I can’t be coming down here every night to baby-sit you!”

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter. Just leave me alone!” His voice was muffled under the blanket. “All of you just leave me alone. I’m trying to sleep.”

She narrowed her gaze. “No, you’re not. You’re being a jerk. You’re lucky they called me to come deal with you instead of dealing with you themselves. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been pleasant.” She had seen guards with guns and tazers when she’d come down to this ward. They wouldn’t have gone easy on him.

He rolled over, supposedly putting his back to her and she groaned in exasperation, having had enough. Without warning she grabbed the blanket and jerked it down off of him before he could stop her and gasped loudly when she saw black hair before he could recover himself.

“What…how…you…” She stumbled for words before furrowing her brow deeply. “What’s going on?!”

It was his turn to groan in annoyance and sat up, situating the blanket so that it covered his hair completely but not his face. “I’m human,” he grumbled.

“I noticed. How? Why?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know, but it’s been happening one night each month since I was born. Always on the new moon. But don’t you dare put that in your report, wench. I don’t need people knowing when I’m at my weakest.”

She shook her head, agreeing with him. “I wouldn’t dare put what day, but I do need to put the fact in that you do become human. Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“It’s fucking embarrassing, that’s why. It’s uncomfortable and I hate feeling this weak when I’m usually stronger than any human.”

It made sense. Still…he’d been at Naraku’s for a month. How had he managed to not become human while there? Unless…

The answer dawned on her and she rolled her eyes at her own denseness. He had obviously waited, planning his attack on Naraku for directly after the new moon. She put a hand on his arm, smiling softly. “Don’t worry, you’re secret is safe with me and I’ll see what I can work out with the guards. I’ll be right back.” On impulse she leaned forward and kissed his cheek before blushing brightly and awkwardly patting his arm. She beat on the peeking window and waited for the door to open.

Outside, she worked out a deal with the night check guards that as long as they could see his face and hands, their check would be complete. Inuyasha held the blanket over his hair like a shawl until the check was over and then fell onto the cot to wait out the night.

-----

Kagome couldn’t believe she’d kissed him. Of course she’d been wanting to do it for quite some time now, but she hadn’t actually planned on acting on it! Kamis, what did he think? Why?! Why would she do something so utterly embarrassing?

I live to torture myself, she thought unlocking the door to her apartment. He’s my work, for kami sake! He’s a science project! I can’t have a crush on a science project?!

Her answering machine was blinking and she hit play, still mentally scolding herself.

“Higarashi, it’s Houjou Akitoki. I was calling to let you know that I got the results of the blood and DNA/RNA analysis you asked me for. I think you will be pleased with the results. Meet me tomorrow for lunch at Crown Café and I’ll give them to you.”

Well, that sounded promising though she did wish he hadn’t made a lunch date out of it. Despite the fact they had broken up months before graduating college, he still attempted to rekindle their relationship on occasion.

“Kagome-chan! Thank you so much for asking me to sit in with you at that hearing! This is so exciting…what’s the hanyou look like? Is he cute? Does he look like a puppy? I can’t wait! Call me!”

She’d forgotten just how excitable and, sometimes, desperate Arumi could sound. Science project, Arumi-chan.

“Doctor Higarashi? My name is Hino Kaede. Please call me as soon as you get this message. I have urgent information regarding your report that I must share with you.”

Now that sounded interesting.

Curiosity piqued, Kagome reached for her phone and dialed the number Hino Kaede had left at the end of her message…