Madman by Rinseternalsoul
Chapter 1 – The Beginnings of a Nightmare
Madman
By Rinseternalsoul
**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and I make no profit from writing fanfiction..
Summary: Continuation. In modern day Japan a new enemy seeks to take over the world. For the madman to accomplish his goal he requires a real-life youkai of power. Sesshomaru will be cloned for the purpose of a great youkai army, and to control a youkai army, they will need the power of a miko with impressive strength. A miko like Higurashi Kagome. Two enemies from the past are thrown together when death is snapping at their heels. Sess/Kag *Lemon Warnings*
A/N: Well, here it is. My new big fic. Hope you all enjoy it!
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Chapter 1 – The Beginnings of a Nightmare
She was terrified. She had no idea why she was here and what these people wanted with her. She looked around the isolated cell. It was a clinical white with polished steel furnishings, which consisted of nothing more than a toilet and a small cot. Even the air in this place smelled of alcohol and unknown medical mixtures. The floor was stark white, cold ceramic tiles and the walls were more of the same. The small door leading to the hallway was heavy polished steel and sported a small window of Plexiglas.
She could hear the sounds of others, like herself, futilely calling for help, but that was not what gave her the creepy feeling. No it was the other sounds. The sounds of beasts, growling and snarling, that echoed through the corridor. Rough guttural sounds that almost sounded... human.
The sound of keys jingling against her door alerted her to the approach of her captors. It was impossible to hide in this shell of a room, but it didn't stop her from making herself as small as possible in the corner. Tears poured down her cheeks as a man, dressed as a doctor, stepped into her room. Behind him were two large men, all looking directly at her.
The doctor made no greetings, he simply nodded toward her and said, "Test subject M245. Take her to the lab and get her ready."
She became frantic when the two men came for her. She begged for them to have mercy on her. She pleaded with them to release her. She cried for her mother. In the end her tears and words were wasted for they had no effect at all on these white clad men. She struggled against the brute strength, but it was a useless attempt at best. She was easily subdued and dragged down the clean white corridor, then further down a short flight of stairs, turning, and then down another hallway.
Swinging double doors were opened and she found herself in a large room full of strange machines and odd bottles. It was a lab of some sort, but her attention was soon drawn and centered on a table with ominous straps equipped to hold arms and legs. Again she poured out pleas for kindness and mercy, but it held no effect, as she was hefted up to the table and strapped down. A large piece of tape was strapped roughly over her mouth, sealing further pleas from their ears.
With wide frightened eyes she watched as the doctor took over. Needles attached to clear tubes were inserted into her soft pale arms. She blinked away the moisture continuously pouring from her eyes and watched with a sense of dread as two thick needle-like spikes were positioned at her temples. In her heart she knew that her end was near. She sent up a prayer for her soul and for the comfort of her family when they discovered her death, and then braced herself for the pain.
The doctor hit a button and the mechanism began to whir. The spikes closed in on her, slowly piercing her skin until she screamed a silent scream of pain and terror. A small flash of light pulsed about her body, swirling faintly around her form and up into the spikes in her temple. The pull felt as if it were ripping her very soul from her body. So horrible was the sensation that she lost the struggle and faded into darkness.
The machine against the wall released a series of sharp beeps before returning to idle once more.
The doctor checked the gauges and cursed angrily. "Not enough! So damn weak! Another failure is not going to go over well." He reached in his coat pocket and withdrew his hand held voice recorder. He pushed record and said, "Subject M245 has resulted in failure to produce the desired energies. Test 405B complete. Subject shall be terminated immediately."
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Kagome rubbed the sleep from her eyes and finally managed to drag herself out of bed. As was her usual routine, she stumbled to her desk and picked up the picture of her friends from feudal Japan. Slowly she traced her fingers over the slick cool glass. By Kami, she missed them all so much. "Good morning, Shippo, Kirara, Sango, Miroku... and Inuyasha."
She sighed deeply and replaced the framed photo back in its original spot. It was hard to believe that three years had passed by already. She missed them all so much and found herself wondering how their lives turned out in her absence. Did Miroku and Sango finally tie the knot? She hoped so. They loved each other so much. She was sure that Shippo grew to be a strong fox youkai like his father. That was his dream. And Inuyasha.... would Inuyasha ever find love again? Would there ever be a special someone who would accept him as a hanyou, and love him like she had? As much as she longed for the job herself, it just wasn't meant to be.
The old familiar pain pulsed through her heart when memories of her last moments in the Sengoku Jidai filtered past her mental barriers. The looks on the faces of her friends when the wells magic engulfed her, unwillingly, and forced her back to her time, plagued her constantly. Inuyasha's voice yelling out her name frantically as he reached for her hand haunted her dreams.
It happened so fast that they were unprepared. They had all discussed the possibility that once the jewel was complete, the well may not work anymore. She had worried herself silly over going home, afraid that she would never be able to see her friends again. She had also worried about the possibility that the well would not allow her to pass through to her own time, making it impossible to see her family again. Nothing, upon nothing, prepared them for the immediate reaction of the wells magic as soon as the jewel was fused into one whole piece.
She didn't even have the chance to tell them good-bye.
With a heavy sigh, Kagome pushed the sadness away. She was getting pretty good at ignoring the pain after the last two years. What could have been, will never be and as much as it hurt she had to put it aside and continue her life.
Kagome stepped out of the bathroom after a shower and brushing her teeth. Wrapped in a damp towel she went into her room and pulled out a tan skirt and a white blouse. After graduation she landed a comfortable job as librarian at a library near her home. It was one of the largest in Tokyo and gave her the opportunity to work certain days and hours so that she could also perform her duties at the Higurashi Shrine. She didn't make a fat salary, but it was enough for her, and she liked the job.
After slipping on her brown leather two inch heels, she checked her hair one last time before heading down for a little breakfast. As soon as she rounded the corner she was greeted by the rest of the family and the wonderful smell of omelets. Her mom handed her a plate just as the telephone rang. Kagome didn't bother to get it, as Souta would have ran her over in his haste. She laughed at him when he frowned and said, "It's for you."
Kagome put the receiver to her ear and said, "Kagome here."
"Ohayou Kagome-chan. It's Eri. I was wondering if you wanted to meet me for lunch this afternoon?"
Kagome giggled and said, "Gee Eri, I haven't even eaten my breakfast yet and you're wondering about lunch!" They both laughed and then Eri replied, "Well, I'm going to be in a meeting all morning so I won't be able to call you. I thought I would make plans before I headed to the office." Kagome smiled and said, "I see. Well, in that case, I would love to have lunch with you. WacDonalds sound good today?" Eri sighed. "I was thinking of someplace a little classier. Like Fujo's Cafe?" Kagome agreed and said good-bye. She hung up the phone and turned her full attention back to that fluffy plate of omelets waiting for her at the table.
After enjoying breakfast and helping her mother to gather the dirty dishes Kagome grabbed her purse and headed to the door. In the living room her grandfather was glued to the television. "See here, Kagome. You be extra careful. The police have found another body of a young woman. That's the third one in two weeks!"
Kagome stopped for a moment and looked at the screen where a picture of the dead girl was being posted. She looked so happy and full of life in that picture. Unfortunately the image quickly flashed to a thick forested area of a park, where police and medical personnel were scattered about. A stretcher with a covered body was the focus of the cameraman's attention, and Kagome shivered before turning away.
"Don't worry Gramps. It's not far to the library. I'll be careful." Kagome leaned down and kissed the old man on the cheek before grabbing her coat and stepping out into the brisk morning air. She automatically looked up to check the sky and smiled when the clear blue emptiness greeted her.
At the library Kagome went through her normal routine. She made a pot of coffee and then proceeded to put away the stack of returned books in the overnight bin. After scanning them in she placed them in her cart. Just as she was about to push forward someone entered the library door. It was unusual for anyone to come this early in the morning so she looked up curiously.
"Ohayou Kagome-chan!"
Kagome smiled brightly and said, "Nice to see you Rishou! You sure are up early." The young man stood several inches taller than herself, and kept his hair a little unkempt and long. On his head he had a bandana tied. He came equipped with several piercing's and baggy faded jeans with a long thick chain hanging from the pocket. He wore a loose tee-shirt depicting a fight scene from S-CRY-ed between Kazuma and Ryuho, and a pair of the latest Nike shoes. Rishou walked over and placed a stack of manga books on the counter. He owned an anime store a few blocks down and they always accepted donations from customers to the library. Any old books that did not sell and the donations were brought to the library once a week.
"Tell me about it. Me and my homies were out partying late last night and I've got one hell of a hangover today. That don't mean I get to lay out of work though. Gotta pay the rent, if you know what I mean." Rishou replied. He walked along beside Kagome as she pushed the cart to the first isle of books. They had become good friends over the past year and occasionally went out together. Rishou, unfortunately, knew that he liked Kagome more than she liked him. That, however, was just a tiny obstacle in his book. You can't stop a guy from trying.
"So what are you doing this weekend?" Rishou asked. Kagome shook her head and said, "I haven't got any plans yet. You?" He shook his head and said, "Same. Hey, you wanna let's go catch a movie or go do some dancing?" Kagome looked up from her task and took a moment to consider his question. She liked Rishou. He was fun to be around, but she felt bad about leading him on. She liked him, but it wasn't a boyfriend kind of like. "Listen Rishou, I think you should know..."
He cut her off by putting a finger to her lips. "Come on girl. I know what you're gonna say. That's cool. I just like hanging out with you, and you need to get out more. Just say yes. I guarantee a good time."
Kagome could not say no to that, and besides, she did like to hang out with him. He was a whole lot of fun. "Sure. Pick me up Friday at seven."
Rishou beamed and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, causing her face to blush bright red, but before she could say anything he was jogging out the door. She shook her head and went back to replacing the books on the shelves.
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Eri grabbed a light coat and headed for the door. After locking her apartment she turned to start the four block trek to work. Her boss liked her there twenty minutes early and he deplored tardiness. She shifted her purse on her shoulder and headed out. Everyone was in a hurry this morning to get to their jobs. She smiled at a few passer-by's and greeted 'ohayou' to several people that she passed regularly everyday. After two blocks she spotted that nice looking man that always gave her a heart-stopping smile. She returned the smile with one of her own and blushed with a giggle. She then shook her head at her own silliness. One day, she hoped that the gentleman would stop and ask her name.
A cool breeze hit her, sending chill-bumps over her skin. She shivered and pulled her coat tightly around her chest and neck. The tall buildings seemed to channel the winds directly toward her this morning, almost as if warning her to turn back to the warmth and comfort of home. Eri checked her watch and picked up her pace. She certainly didn't want to be late.
After turning the corner, not half of a block from her destination, Eri was snatched from her usual morning thoughts by a hand over her mouth and a strong arm around her waist. She tried to scream, but it was no use. She kicked hard against the body at her back. It was obviously male, but she couldn't see who it was. At first she wondered if it was a prank, but it became clear it was serious. She was shocked and disbelieving that something like this could be happening to her. Unfortunately a prank was only wishful thinking.
Eri was terrified as she was dragged deep into the filthy alleyway. Her struggles were futile against the male strength. Her wide frightened eyes darted all around, hoping, praying, that someone would see what was happening and save her! It was dark here and nothing surrounded her except garbage and large industrial dumpsters. There wasn't anyone near and she began to fear for her life. What does this man want with her?! Why is he doing this?
A deep, rough voice, then whispered in her ear, "Girl, make your peace with the Gods because today you die."
Eri barely had time to register the ominous words before a sharp, terrible pain sliced across her throat. She wanted to scream, to cry, to beg for mercy, but nothing would come out, and no one would hear. The man released her, and she fell to her knees. Automatically her hands flew to her burning throat, only to drenched in her own thick, warm blood. In terror she looked up to her attacker, and mouthed the word, "Why?!" The question left her lips just before she fell forward, losing consciousness with the tremendous amount of blood lost.
The man stood by for only a moment, making sure that his hit was complete, then he turned to leave. With one glance over his shoulder he replied to the question asked by the dead girl. "Nothing personal. It's just business." He then slipped the blade back into its sheath and trotted away.
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Kagome sat at the cafe, and finished her seasoned chicken. For the umpteenth time she looked around for her friend. It was really unlike Eri to forget a lunch date. She pulled out her cell phone and checked for a call or message, thinking that she could have somehow missed it, but there was nothing. "Oh well, she probably got tied up at work," she mumbled and slipped the phone back into her purse.
Kagome dug through her purse for some yen, and left a tip before heading back to the library. She had several new books to log into the system when she returned to work.
Later that day, Kagome arrived back home at the shrine. She greeted her family and headed up to her room to change clothes before supper. She quickly slipped out of her skirt and blouse and grabbed a pair of comfy jeans and a sweater. After getting changed she went downstairs to help her mom with the meal.
"Kagome dear, while you were changing I got a phone call from Eri's mother. Have you seen her today?" her mom asked.
Kagome stopped, she had a bad feeling about this and turned to her mother. "Actually, we were supposed to have lunch today, but she never showed."
Her mother frowned and turned back to chopping the bok choy. "That's strange. Her mother said that her work called looking for her. Apparently she never arrived his morning."
Kagome began to feel the threads of concern grip her heart. "But, this morning when she called, she was just leaving for work."
Her mom put down the knife and turned back to her with a worried expression on her face. "Oh dear. That doesn't sound very good at all. Perhaps you should call her mother and tell her what you know. It sounds like this could be more serious than she first thought."
Kagome wasted no time in grabbing the cordless and dialing the number of Eri's mother. In seconds she answered, and Kagome could hear the worried tone of her voice. She proceeded to tell Eri's mom what they discussed earlier that morning and that Eri had missed their lunch. Her mother was near to tears by the time they finished talking, and Kagome felt absolutely horrible for her. With promises to call the police and report her missing, Eri's mother hung up the phone.
She was really worried for Eri now, and could tell that her mother was growing frantic with concern. Apparently her office called looking for her, because she missed an important meeting that morning. Her mother had driven to her apartment, but nothing was out of place there, and there was no clue as to where her daughter was.
Kagome felt the building of panic. This was so unlike Eri. She was the least spontaneous person that she knew. She was totally dedicated to her job and never skipped for any other reason than being seriously sick. She wasn't sick this morning, though, and she made no mention of any other plans or problems. It was just too strange.
With troubled thoughts, Kagome relayed the conversation to her mom. She then apologized for not eating supper. She knew that she couldn't hold anything on her stomach, so she decided to head up to bed. She felt heavy and tired now. Something inside of her rolled in dread, as if her inner self knew that this would not turn out well at all. After a bath and dressing in her nightgown, Kagome climbed into bed. She had to work at the library tomorrow until noon, and then she had to serve here at the shrine until six. It would be a long day, and she could only hope that sometime along the way she would find out that her friend was home and well.