InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ The Wolf in the Portal ( Chapter 16 )

 

Chapter 16

 

The Wolf in the Portal

 

Kagome looked down at her suit and bit her lip. Maybe she shouldn't wear this outfit if she was going back out on InuYasha's bike. In fact, maybe she should not wear a suit at all.

 

“InuYasha, is it okay if I change?” asked Kagome.

 

The hanyou stuck his head out of the closet and frowned.

 

“Yeah, just make it quick!” he said.

 

Giving him a fast smile, Kagome left at a trot to go back to her room. Today, she would wear jeans and a t-shirt, much better suited for what she surmised might happen. In a minute, she had changed, grabbed her bow, quiver of arrows and her sneakers. When she got to the garage, InuYasha had left the door open for her, and she could hear the rev of the motorcycle starting.

 

“Here,” said InuYasha, handing her the jacket and helmet, as she slipped on her sneakers. “Hurry up, get on!”

 

Soon, Kagome was snuggly pressed up against InuYasha's back, the bow digging into her a little, but the jacket offering some protection. The garage door opened, and they flew out. Miroku and Sango immediately fell behind them in his sports car.

 

As Kagome held tightly to InuYasha, she realized she had no idea where they were going. He turned on to the highway towards Tokyo. There was no way for her to find out where in Tokyo they were going. She was alone with her thoughts, which weren't good. What kind of danger awaited them? A thrill of excitement and fear went through her and she gripped InuYasha tighter around the waist.

 

The hanyou felt Kagome tighten her grip on him. He hoped that his intuition was right to bring her. A stab of guilt went through him at the thought that he might be putting her in danger. No matter - whatever Naraku threw at them, he would protect her. It dawned on him that this same protective feeling had come over him when Sesshomaru had appeared - and Tessaiga transformed. This must be the connection…

 

In Tokyo, they headed for Asakusa. Once they were in this old part of the city, InuYasha led them to the Rokku Entertainment district. The area was not very popular anymore, and consisted mostly of rundown pachinko parlors. InuYasha parked the bike, and helped Kagome off. Pulling up behind them, Miroku and Sango got out of his car with their weapons at the ready.

 

“This way!” said InuYasha, waving them forward as he stalked down the street.

 

The others were hard pressed to keep up with him as he finally stopped before a boarded -up pachinko parlor. As they grouped behind him, InuYasha sniffed and then growled menacingly.

 

“Down here,” he said, and turned the corner of the closed establishment.

 

At a stairwell leading down, InuYasha stopped and then leaped. Kagome, Miroku and Sango took the stairs. When they got to the bottom, InuYasha was pulling boards off the doors, and they had to duck the flying debris.

 

“Would you watch it?” said Miroku, as he deflected a piece of plank. “You are so single-minded. Can you be more careful at least for Kagome's sake?”

 

That made InuYasha pause, and he muttered an apology as he pulled the door open, taking it right off its hinges. They all followed him inside.

 

The basement of the pachinko parlor was dark and musty, only a little light coming in from the boarded-up windows. The dust made everyone, including InuYasha, sneeze.

 

“Take my hand, Kagome,” said InuYasha, reaching out his hand to her, which she gratefully accepted.

 

Sango bumped Kagome from behind.

 

“Sorry,” said Sango. “It's so damned dark in here!”

 

“It's okay,” said Kagome. “Take my hand.”

 

“I guess that leaves me to hold the pervert's hand,” said Sango ruefully.

 

“Hey!” said Miroku. “I resemble that remark!”

 

“No kidding,” said Sango. “Just please take my hand and nothing else, okay?”

 

“Everybody pipe down!” InuYasha hissed. “I smell something foul up ahead.”

 

They hadn't got far when they heard a crash, and one of the windows caved in, letting in a blast of light and something else.

 

“Outta my way!”

 

The figure ran past them so quickly that he was a blur, and burst headlong into a locked room in front of them.

 

“It's a fucking wolf youkai!” InuYasha growled angrily. “Let's move!”

 

Pulling everyone stumbling behind him, InuYasha ran towards the open door.

 

“AHHHH!” they heard a scream as they entered the room, only to be overcome by a pungent, choking miasma.

 

“Fuck!” choked InuYasha, going down. “That fucking wolf youkai set off a booby trap!”

 

InuYasha keeled over and brought Kagome down with him. She hit the floor with a yelp, her hands pulled away from Sango and InuYasha, and she rolled on the floor coming up hard against a warm, still body. The body started to gasp and choke after she hit it.

 

It was the wolf youkai.

 

“I'm sorry,” Kagome said automatically.

 

“I gotta get out of here,” he gasped, grasping her arm. “Portal, gotta find the portal!”

 

“Portal?” said Kagome, coughing. “What portal?”

 

“Leads back to the demon realm,” he said, retching.

 

For some reason, Kagome started looking around, even though she did not know what she was looking for. All she knew was that this person was in distress, and needed help.

Then she saw something; a glimmer of light that pulsed white, red and blue. Kagome gasped.

 

“What is it?” said the wolf youkai. “Do you see it?”

 

“Yes, can't you?” said Kagome.

 

“Kagome, where are you?” said Miroku, and started hacking.

 

“Over here!” she yelled hoarsely.

 

“Tell me, what do you see?” said the wolf youkai faintly.

 

“Lights pulsing,” said Kagome, “white, red, blue.”

 

“That's it!” he said.

 

“Let me help you,” said Kagome.

 

“Thank you,” said the wolf youkai as she helped him off the floor. “What's your name?”

 

“Kagome,” she answered, as he lurched to his feet.

 

“Kagome!” called Sango. “InuYasha is out cold - wait for us there!”

 

“Alright!” Kagome answered.

 

“My name is Kouga,” said the wolf demon. “I am in your debt, Kagome.”

 

“Only doing the right thing,” she answered.

 

“Goodbye, Kagome,” said Kouga as he moved into the portal she guided him to. “I won't forget you and your kindness.”

 

As Kagome watched, he was gone and the portal winked out.