InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Aftermath's Destruction ❯ A New Home ( Chapter 5 )

D-Logic Rules!

Ev: Yay! D-Logic!

Catty: Oh...God...

Me: D-Logic rules! MY PIRATE SHIP! ::bursts out laughing while Ev joins in and Catty dies of aggravation::

.

.

.

.

.

.

Disclaimer: Je n'ai pas d'Inuyasha.

.

.

.

Aftermath's Destruction

.

.

.

--- Last Chapter ---

"Just sleep," he commanded as she tucked the quilts around her body and stood up. "I'll be over here," he reminded as he collapsed into the large armchair in the bedroom. He had dragged his comforter with him, and now wrapped it around himself to fend off the December cold.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." She whispered as she laid further back, snuggling into her pillows, hoping to get some rest.

"Goodnight, Kagome." Inuyasha refrained from telling her how scared shitless he'd been when he'd awaken to her screaming.

--- End of Last Chapter ---

.

.

.

Chapter Five: A New Home

.

.

.

"...No...monkeys....Get them off! Get them.... Off..."

Giggle.

"...Ow...stop biting me...evil monkeys...go away!"

Snort.

"Don't...laugh...so very evil..."

Kagome snickered as she poked the sleeping man again. He simply growled before rolling over and curling deeper into the armchair.

"Inuyasha, wake up," she cooed, poking him again.

"Evil, evil monkeys! Don't poke me!"

"Inuyasha Tsume Youkai, get your lazy ass out of bed! And don't you dare call me an evil monkey again," Kagome snapped.

Inu's answer was to burrow deeper into his makeshift bed. Kagome sighed and poked him again...it was sort of fun...

"Stop that," A muffled voice growled. "And don't you dare tell anyone you know my middle name is claw...how do you know that?"

Kagome watched in amusement as one purple eye appeared. It was half lidded and heavy with sleep.

"Sesshoumaru and I have very interesting talks when you aren't around," she quirked an eyebrow in his direction.

"I'm not sure I want to know..."

"Good idea," Kag nodded her head firmly before reaching forward and snatching at a corner of the comforter covering her host's body. In one quick movement, she ripped it off before throwing it over a shoulder and marching from the room.

"What'd you do that for?" Inu yelled at the door.

Her faded voice floated back to him, "To make sure you actually get up! I'll have some tea and some real breakfast made by the time you get out here."

"Ramen is real breakfast! It's a real every meal!"

He grumbled some more as he got up from the chair, shivering at the newly exposed cold air. Racing to his room he threw on some warmer clothes.

"Hey, Kagome? What are you still doing here?" Inu slumped into a kitchen chair while Kagome piled food onto his plate.

"What do you mean? I told you I was going to make breakfast."

"Didn't you say something about going in later after picking up a friend?" he gurgled, stuffing the eggs into his mouth. "By the way...Why are we having eggs?"

"Because they're in the kitchen," Kagome answered automatically. "Damn! You mean I got up early for nothing when I could've slept in?" She looked at the kitchen clock, "I could have slept for another two hours before picking Tsuyu up!"

"You didn't get up for nothing," Inu protested, glaring at her. "You woke me up! And it's a good thing too, since my alarm clock isn't in your room just in case I have to sleep in there."

"I could take that two ways..." she warned, strongly questioning his perverted-ness.

He scowled back at her, "I'm not Miroku."

Kagome cocked her head to the side and looked at him thoughtfully, "No you're not. Miroku has a better backside," with that she turned back to the stove while Inu tried to glare holes in the back of her head.

.

---

.

The room was dark with just a few solitary lights hanging from the ceiling. The dim light fixtures swung back and forth in an ominous way from the high ceiling as the tan walls darkened. Shadows shifted in the corners, leaving many dangerous situations imagined.

Solid, long wooden tables ran the length of the room; clinks and clatters rang out dully, wooden bowls clomped down on the hard surface.

A few tiny square windows dotted the top of the amazingly tall walls, and the only exits were guarded heavily by scowling men. Through the squares of glass, one could just she the beginning of dawn.

Rows of children, of many ages, sat solemnly at the table, dutifully eating their small meals.

The rice balls were stale and hard; the tea was bitter and watery. Even the water had an odd taste. It left a slimy feeling

in the back of their throats and a disgusting taste on their tongues even after sliding down their throats.

From a corner brown eyes darted around, painstakingly looking for someone. Souta moved forward slowly, his first meal in days clutched tightly in a shaking, pale fist. He was weak from his rebellion, his refusal to bend to his kidnappers' will.

He was so tired too. His dreams were haunted by fake glimpses of rescuers before those, too, were taken away. His sister and Inuyasha were always there.

They were the first ones to get shot down.

`They'll come, and my dreams won't come true,' the preteen reminded himself resolutely. `Now...where is he?'

"Souta!" A small voice whispered fiercely. "Souta, over here!"

The black haired boy grinned a little, having found what he was looking for. "Shippou?"

He almost dared not to hope.

"'Course!" the same tiny voice chirped.

Souta turned on his heel and looked at one of the long rows of lonely children. And there was his `nephew'. One of his best friends. The tiny boy was perched on the edge of the bench, his green eyes glowing and small teeth shining in a bright smile.

Souta slipped into a tight space between Shippou and a gangly boy, about his own age, to eat his first meal in three days.

Three days without food!

Whoever said that `three's the charm' was seriously quacked.

Biting a hunk out of his rice, the elder boy reached down and grabbed the younger's hand. "We'll get out of this. I promise," he whispered quietly, eyeing the nearby guards with fear.

Shippou nodded slowly.

He then looked at the incredibly tall walls with the small windows noticeably out of reach. Even if some lucky kid found a way to reach...they'd never fit through.

He looked at the three slim doorways. Two men stood on either side; a handgun tucked into each one's belt.

Then Shippou looked at the rows of boys and girls, all alone and separated from their families. All kept their heads down, eyes devoid of emotion.

Turning back to Souta, the redhead looked up and whispered back, "I know. We will."

`Just not how...'

.

---

.

SMACK

"AH!" A little browned haired girl screamed, falling to the ground in a heap.

A man looked down at her and spat in disgust. "Get up, you filthy brats!" he roared looking up at all the dirty faces glaring fearfully back at him. "Hurry up! It's time to go to work!"

The children, on shaky knees with shaky hands, stood from their tables and silently clambered forward to dump their trays off at a bin in the front of the room. Souta followed Shippou while looking down at his moving feet.

Souta jumped when a pair of booted, and much larger, feet appeared next to his. He stopped moving and his brown eyes moved from the feet, up to long sturdy legs, then to a muscled chest, and finally up to a young face.

"Higurashi, Souta?" The young, handsome man asked. His voice was empathic.

"Y-y-yes, sir?" the boy stumbled over his words, finding it hard to look away from the guy's hard mahogany eyes. Finally Souta tore his own brown ones away to glare at Shippou silently telling the boy to keep moving.

The little boy grudgingly did so, afraid to leave his uncle with the boss.

Souta turned slowly back to the man.

"Come with me," the elder male commanded. He tuned on his heel and stalked from the room, his long brown braid flowing behind him.

Souta did so.

.

---

.

"Kagome?"

"Huh?"

"What's `apathy' mean?" Inuyasha asked, his nose in the newspaper.

"Uh...kind of like stoic."

"Kagome?"

"Huh?" she kept stabbing eggs with her fork before shoving them into her starving mouth.

"What's `stoic' mean?" Inuyasha snorted when a handful of eggs crashed into his paper. "What? I just wanted to know! But if you aren't going to tell me..." his lavender orbs appeared over the top of his paper.

She sighed at his sulking. "Apathy: without emotion."

"Oh."

"Why?" she leaned in across from the table.

"Uh..." he really didn't want to tell her. He really really didn't want to tell her. "No reason," he choked out.

Her blue eyes narrowed at his, still visible just over the news. "Inuyasha..."

He shifted. "Really, Kagome, no reason..."

"Don't lie," she demanded. Then she took on a sugary sweet tone of voice, a similar smile forming. "Come on," she coaxed, "Why did you need to know what apathy meant?"

Inu lowered his eyes.

Damn, she just had to make it hard for him to lie to her. What was she doing to him? He could normally lie without blinking.

"It says here...that there's a new detective...working on the missing children's case," Inu said brokenly.

`Please don't ask anymore.

Please don't ask anymore.

Please don't-'

"So? How's apathy got to do with that?" she sat back in her chair with the smile still in place.

`DAMN IT!' He mentally screamed in frustration. "Well..."

"Inuyasha? Something wrong?" Kag asked gently. Why was he being so...mellow about this? He's normally so arrogant at this time of day...like every time of the day. And night...And every time in-between...

Inuyasha watched her eyebrows scrunch together in concentration. Whatever she was thinking about didn't seem to agree with her. Well...as long as it distracted her.

Suddenly her clouded gaze cleared and she looked back up. "Anyway, what does `without emotion' have to do with a new detective?"

`Why couldn't she have had the attention span of a gnat, like me?' Inu growled inaudibly. He shifted some before silently handing the paper over to her. "First story, top right," he commanded.

Kagome scanned over the small article once. Inu watched her as she went over it a second time and her eyes widened. Closing her eyes loosely, Kagome took a deep breath.

"`Because of Detective Yagi's earlier connection to the elder sister and adoptive mother of the latest two boys to fall prey to the disappearances, he has been taken off the case. Three months before, Higurashi, Kagome was involved with the investigation of her significant other, which was lead by Detective Yagi. The business tycoon known simply as `Naraku' was killed in an unfortunate accident. With Detective Yagi's leave of absence on the `Disappearance Case', a new detective has been brought in. Detective Kori has been selected, even as a new addition to the Japanese Police Force. Although little information was disclosed, several interviews with civilians that have dealt with Kori insist that he holds very little sympathy and looks at every case with apathy. Most of the civilians have wished Higurashi and the other family members of the missing children, good luck with this `cold' gentleman.'"

(A/N: Kori means `ice'.)

Inuyasha listened, even though he'd already read through the piece. Keeping his eyes down, he heard Kagome sigh and a rustle as she set the paper down.

"It says he was new to the force," Kagome struggled to maintain a steady voice. "So if he's new and they assigned him, he'll have to be good."

"Kagome?" Inuyasha cleared his throat and avoided direct eye contact.

"Yes?"

"It's continued on the next page. Bottom left..."

Kagome didn't like the way seemed so subdued. Was it possible to get any worse?

...

`I guess it could,' Kagome thought forlornly.

"`A direct quote from Detective Kori provided us with a sad insight on the new situation. `I don't know why so much time and money was spent on this investigation in the first place. In independent searches I have found reason to

believe that all 112 children will not be returning to their families. Alive or not,' says the detective at a press conference. This newspaper is sorry to report that if his findings sway his decision, Higurashi may never see her little boys again.'"

"Wow..." Kagome breathed. "Why did they have to drag my name into it?"

Inuyasha finally met her eyes from across the table. "The government kept Naraku's death and problems under wraps. So, not only are you the latest victim in this illegal activity, but you're also tied in with that one too."

"Oh..."

"You doing all right there?" She looked pale and so small at the moment.

"Why would they put someone who doesn't believe in the case in charge?" Kagome asked suddenly. "Won't that make it less likely the kids will be found?"

"The police are fucking losers. I don't know why they do anything that they do."

"Inuyasha," Kagome gave him a half glare. "Don't call them that. There are plenty of respectable and honorable people in the government."

Inuyasha snorted, secretly glad that the conversation had been steered away to a safer topic. "Like who? Miroku?"

Kagome sighed as she swaggered up to pile the dishes in the sink to wash later. "Whatever. I'm going to drive over and pick Tsuyu up. Sango has an early shift at the SHA since she took over for Nazuna as a favor. I'll get some talking in with her first."

"All right. Hell, thanks, wench for getting me up. Although I'm already going to be late." Inuyasha complained.

Kagome rolled her eyes and gave a mock bow. "Sorry Your Majesty for not having your carriage horsed and ready and your turkey breakfast made."

He scowled, "Yeah, about that...you better start getting those loose ends tied up or I'll have to resort to Chinese Water Torture."

THWACK

"WHY'D YOU HIT ME?" He roared.

"FOR BEING A JACKASS!" She threw right back at him.

"YEAH, I got that! But why'd you have to hit me with the DAMN BARSTOOL?"

Kagome gave him a deadpan look then rolled her eyes. "Because refrigerator was too heavy for me to heave at your head!"

"Keh."

"Yeah, you run!" she yelled at his disappearing back as he strode down the hall. "Good idea there! You never know what'll happen if you stick around with me when I'm mad!"

"KEH!"

.

---

.

The brown haired man leaned casually against his sturdy wooden desk. `The Boss' then looked Souta up and down.

So this brat was here...everything was going according to plan. At least as far as he was concerned.

"You've been in lockdown since you got here, correct?" he raised an eyebrow at Souta.

Souta glared defiantly back and was able to repress some of the fearful shivers shaking his body violently. "Yes." At least that time he didn't stutter.

The older male nodded slowly. "So then you don't understand what we do here, do you?"

Souta waited it out as long as he could, but had to finally admit that he didn't. "No," he answered shortly.

"Follow me, then."

Souta scowled and held back the urge to ask what was the point in walking to the guy's office in the first place if they weren't going to stay there.

The young Higurashi kept his face tilted to the floor and watched his shoes scuff the floor as he walked. The halls in the impossibly large warehouse were completely deserted.

As his ears strained to catch any sounds, he noticed something other than the click-clack of his and The Boss' shoes on the tile. An almost inaudible drone was just within hearing. The further towards the East End of the building they got, the louder the buzz became.

`What's that?' Souta asked himself, prying his eyes up to look around himself at the dingy walls. Another sound was heard: voices. It was the voices of some of the other children, but too few to be all of them.

Slowing down enough to get a better look, but not enough to be left behind, Souta tried to see behind some of the doors.

But all thoughts of not being left behind dissipated as he finally got a good enough view.

Ignoring the questioning glare of the elder male, Souta drug his feet forward to one of the tiny windows in a door.

Inside was a large room, a good hundred times the size of the small room he'd been kept captive in. Table after table was set up with children sitting on either side. It was extremely cramped.

Just looking at it made it hard to breathe. Souta started to pant, as the air around him seemed to become warmer and thicker.

Each one of the children, perhaps 50 of the 111, not counting him, we're working. In each pair of grubby hands was a sheet of cloth. Each child was sewing a design or knitting a shape.

The light was dim, the children sweating, and the men with guns barking orders didn't seem to help any.

Working in such close contact with the fabric, and with so little light plus no break, would surely make all of the children blind.

One word crowded into Souta's mind:

Sweatshop.

A shiver ran down Souta's spine as a cool voice hissed menacingly into one of his ears:

"Welcome to your new home, Higurashi."

.

---

.

Kagome clacked her way into the SHA. A `beep' sounded as she punched a button that locked up her car. Well...wasn't her car, it was a sound SUV that she'd stolen from Inuyasha's collection. The pickup was surrounded by snow on all sides and couldn't have been driven out.

Her high heels tapped soundly on the tile and the sound gave her a surging feeling of feminine power. Nothing told the world that a strong businesswoman was on her way like the clicking of sturdy heels on a solid surface.

Shoving her sunglasses to the crown of her head, Kagome gave Sango a weak smile.

Sango, absentmindedly noticing that Kag seemed awfully pale and tired, returned a grin just as watery.

Kagome slowed a little when she noticed the crumpled daily newspaper stuffed in the wastebasket.

So Sango knew about the knew new detective...

"Mornin' Sango!" Kagome stood in front of the welcoming desk that Sango was sitting at.

"Hey, Kag. Tsuyu is up and ready. She can head out any time. Oh hey, guess what!" Sango's smile took on a stronger value.

Kagome took the bait, "What?"

Sango rolled her eyes, "My Monk in Shining Armor offered me the chance to take a winter break in Bermuda or Aruba."

Thoughts of the three feet of solid snow and shoveling work fell away from Kag's mind. She grew starry eyed as pictures of the ocean, bikini-clad women, bare-chested men, and long stretches of sand replaced it.

"Really?" she breathed, "What did you say?"

Sango looked awestruck at Kagome's lack of disgust in Miroku's offer. "Why I reminded him about you, Inuyasha, and Kohaku then hit him over the head with a chair of course." She shook her head sadly. "And I never actually took the guy as being insensitive..."

Kagome gave a slight giggle, "Well, compared to Inuyasha, Miroku could be a shrink!"

Sango glared mockingly at her best friend, "I hate shrinks!"

Kagome sighed, then grinned. "Hey, I got to get going. I have to catch up with work after I grab Tsuyu-san."

Sango blinked. "Is the workload that bad?"

Kagome shrugged. "According to Yash, Ayame and a few of the guys took over most of my cases. But he probably wasn't thinking of the new ones that I keep in a file on my desk."

"Oh, okay, I'll let you go then." Sango, still seated, grinned at Kagome and waved her off. "If I'm too busy taking the `Is Your Boyfriend Worth It?' quiz when you come back out, I'm wishing you a good day now."

Kagome rolled her eyes and laughed. "Um...Sango-chan? I'm warning you now, if I were you, I wouldn't take your score too seriously. I'd like Miroku to stay around for at least another month."

Sango sighed. "Hmm...can't live with him, can't live without him."

Kagome began to stroll down the corridor and leave Sango to her dilemma when the brunette stopped her again.

"Oh, hey Kagome? When is Sesshoumaru and Rin coming back?"

Kagome paused and turned around with a calculating look. "Today's Tuesday, right? Well then they'll be back...um...Thursday...I think..."

Sango gave her a solemn understanding nod. "Don't you just hate it when you lose track of the days?"

Kagome shrugged. "I always did have a bad memory. Bye Sango! I'll wave when I head back this way!"

"'Kay! Bye, Kag!"

Kagome continued down the hall to Tsuyu's room to pick up the younger girl. Standing in front of the unadorned door, she straightened her black dress pants and toffee colored blouse.

`Hmm...I wonder if she finds it weird that a girl she just met was dragging her to work...' Kagome shrugged it off and giggled.

"Hello, Kagome-san," Tsuyu stepped out, her sapphire knee length skirt swishing around her. Her long black hair was neatly tied back with a baby blue ribbon that matched her own blouse.

"Hey, Tsuyu-san. Are you ready?" at the girl's nod, Kagome led the way back to the welcoming room and gave a wave to the distracted Sango. Reaching the car in the parking lot, she frowned.

"I borrowed this baby from my boss' collection of world wide cars. They're all silver..." she said apologetically while pondering Inu's sense of color. Maybe he was colorblind...?

Brief laugh lines appeared on Tsuyu's youthful face. "I like silver," she admitted as she climbed in the passenger side.

Kagome sighed, "Good. Because knowing Inuyasha, there's a lot of it bound to be around."

"Inuyasha?"

"Sango's and my friend. He also happens to be my boss."

"Oh." Tsuyu looked out the window at the white world. "I love the winter."

Kagome smiled, "Me too, but I like spring better."

"Really? Why?"

Kagome kept her eyes on the road and she replied, "Because my birthday's in the spring. Just before summer."

.

.

.

A/N: I'd add more, but if I started I'd probably not find a reasonable spot to stop.

Ja ne!