Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the copyright property of Rumiko Takahashi so I do not own Inuyasha. *Sniffles*
Chapter 1: Kagome.
"What is she doing in there? Mr. Naraku is getting impatient..." One of the men standing in the dark hallway muttered to his partner, Takeru. They were both dressed in black, expensive business suits and wore black sunglasses. These were their uniforms, which they to wear at all times, no exceptions and no questions asked.
His partner, who was standing on the other side of the hallway, shrugged his shoulders.
"Yoji, She always does this, you know that. She wants to stall and waist as much time as she can so she'll only have to spend only a little while with Mr. Naraku before he has to go off on business again" he said, smirking a little. He found in amusing thinking of how angry and irritable Naraku would always get if he didn't have enough time with his "pet."
Yoji however didn't seem to find this situation amusing at all, it was frustrating and Takeru was only making things worse.
"I heard that she tried to slit his throat last time with a butter knife she had sharpened in her room. Can you believe that? Luckily a few guards came in just in time and were able to restrain her before she could do anything harmful to herself or to Mr. Naraku."
"It's not surprising. She has been held in this place against her will for about 5 years you know. She despises Mr. Naraku and all who work under him."
There was a long silence after that.
Takeru pulled his sunglasses down his nose and glanced at Yoji, "Go get her, will you?"
Yoji nodded and approached the one door in the dark hallway and opened it. The room inside was brightly colored and furnished. Jewelry, clothing and other items were scattered messily around the floor. They were all gifts from Naraku, which the girl had never cared for or wanted.
The large curtains over the windows in the room were still shut tight, blocking any sunlight from entering the room. Of course, even if the curtains were opened only a few rays of sunshine would shine threw. They had boarded up the windows a long time ago. Naraku wanted Kagome to be closed off from the outside world so no one would know she ever existed and so no one would ever be able to take her away from him.
The only light source in the room was a small scented candle on one of the tables.
Yoji closed the door behind him and scanned the room. He found the girl they had been waiting for sitting in the far left corner of the dark room in front of the large mirror, which was resting against the wall. She was staring at her own reflection, her brown eyes blank with her back to him.
She was dressed in a white, sleeveless silk dress, her dark hair tied back with a red ribbon and to top it all off she wore a black choker around her small neck, which was actually a collar that Naraku had put on her to have her remember at all times that he owned her.
Her skin looked unnaturally pale and she appeared very fragile as if she were pushed or shoved she too roughly she would break.
She wrinkled her nose at her reflection in disgust. She hated the way they dressed her. She hated the way they treated her and ordered her around. But more then anything else she hated Naraku.
"Kagome, you've wasted enough time. Stop messing around. Come on, we have to go!" Yoji shouted, making his way over to the girl. He knew very well that he was going to have to face Naraku's wrath if they brought the girl late again. A cold chill ran down his spine just thinking about it. Naraku was the kind of person you never wanted to anger. Ever.
Yoji had been working for Naraku's organization "Shikon" for more then two years now and he had received more then his share of Naraku's "punishments." After a few failures and disappointments he was ordered by Naraku to help Takeru keep watch over his "pet."
The girl Kagome was worse then being "punished", worse then failing. She was more trouble then she was worth and she was their responsibility. If anything happened to her then they would be possibly killed or worse. Yoji never liked the girl to begin with. She was rude, uncooperative and dangerous.
Yes, that's right dangerous. If they didn't keep a close eye on her she would always try something to escape. Once she had tried to poison their food, then another time she tried to sneak up behind them beat them unconscious using a vase from her room. Yoji had requested many times that Naraku take away all the things in Kagome's room, saying that she could use anything in there against them but Naraku hadn't listened to a word he had said. He insisted that Kagome be let alone and that they must never under any circumstances injure her. She was his prized possession, his plaything.
Kagome hadn't seemed to hear Yoji at all; she just kept staring at herself in the mirror quietly.
After a few moments she turned her head and glared at Yoji with her intense dark eyes. "I won't go to him. You'll have to drag me to him, screaming!"
It seemed that this was the very last thing she should have said, before Kagome knew what had happened; Yoji had grabbed a fist full of her hair and was tugging mercifully at it. She cried out in pain and tumbled towards him, she managed hold herself up with one hand while trying to use the other to get him to let go but he wouldn't.
He tugged again, this time harder then before. "You listen to me, damnit! I don't have time for your little games today. Your going to get up and follow us without any complaints, got it?"
Kagome whimpered a reply and he let go just before Takeru came racing in to see what all the commotion was about. He quickly glanced at Kagome who was lying sprawled out on the floor, sobbing. Then he looked at Yoji. "What happened?"
"She slipped." Was Yoji's short reply as he walked passed Takeru and out of the room.
Takeru approached Kagome and knelt down beside her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Here." Kagome took the handkerchief gratefully and wiped her tears away but did not look at him. Her makeup was smudged and her eyes were red from crying. Takeru knew that Naraku wouldn't like this at all. He would most likely demand an explanation if they brought her like this.
"What happened just now? Did Yoji---"
Kagome quickly cut him off. "I slipped. That's all." She handed him back his handkerchief and stood to her feet. "I'll be out in a minute, I promise. I just have to fix my makeup…"
Takeru said nothing for a moment and started into the girl's dark eyes. Kagome was really grateful to him even though she didn't really show it. She didn't really dislike Takeru either. Though he did work for Naraku he was far kinder then Yoji and he would even come in to her room on certain occasions and talk with her, ask her how she was doing. Kagome had very much appreciated the fact that he was trying to cheer her up when she felt depressed or lonely but no matter how much she tried she never felt whole. She always felt empty, alone and angry. Of course she had wanted to tell him this and once she had even though of asking him to help her escape but even if she had asked him Kagome knew he couldn't do anything to help her even if he wanted to.
He worked for Naraku and would never betray him.
Takeru nodded and stood to his feet, making his way out of the room. "Don't be long, Kagome. You know how Naraku gets when you're late," he warned before closing the door behind him.
. . .
Takeru and Yoji led Kagome from her room down numerous dark hallways and passageways. They were all too familiar to Kagome. She had walked these dimly lit halls many times over the years, she would have been able to find her way on her own but of course she had tried to escape too many times and no one trusted her enough to walk by herself. Not they she blamed them; she wouldn't have trusted her either.
Takeru and Yoji stopped in front of a large door at the end of the hallway and took their places on either side of it. The door slowly creaked opened and a voice ran out and echoed along the walls: "Kagome! Come to me!"
Kagome stood where she was staring helplessly into the darkness, which lied inside the door. She felt like running away, or hiding but she knew that even if she tried there was nowhere for her to run to.
Yoji glared at Kagome from where he stood. "Go on, get in there."
Kagome turned her gaze away from the dark abyss ahead and towards Takeru. He was standing tall and straight, looking away from her.
That's right, he can't help me... Kagome thought. No one can. I'm all alone.
From within the darkness a voice rang out again, echoing along the walls. "Kagome!"
She winced but swallowed her fear and marched into the doorway, entering the large room where Naraku had been waiting patiently for her.
He was seated at the head of the room on a large pillow. This room was no different from all the others. It was dimly lit for Naraku's comfort. He liked the darkness. The room itself was bare and cold.
Kagome slowly approached Naraku and knelt down in front of him on a small pillow. His face was hidden in the shadows so she couldn't tell if he was angry or not.
"Kagome…" A hand extended towards her and it stopped near her cheek. Kagome could feel Naraku's cold fingers lightly touch her skin and caress her cheek with his rough hands.
She couldn't help but tremble, she wanted to scream and tell him not to touch her but he owned her and she knew it. If she lashed out at him he would surely beat her.
Naraku pulled away when she trembled. They sat there in the large empty room in silence once more then Kagome suddenly found herself lying flat on the floor, her whole head was throbbing.
Naraku was standing over her now, she could see his face clearly in the light, he was angry and had slapped her hard across the face but it had felt like he had used his fist instead of his palm.
Kagome groaned and slowly sat up, holding her stinging cheek. "Naraku-sama…"
Naraku just kept glaring at her. "Why did you tremble when I touched you? Does my presence disgust you that much?!" he demanded.
Kagome didn't say anything and sat very still, thinking. What should she say? Should she tell Naraku what she really thought of him and how dirty she felt when he had touched and how much she hated him? She would have thought that with their last encounter he would already know the answer to that question. Maybe he was just testing her to see if she really would surrender herself to him, completely.
Kagome's lips trembled and she spoke softly. "I…."
The doors to the room suddenly swung open, catching both Naraku and Kagome by surprise.
It was Naraku's business partner Kagura. Trailing behind her were Takeru and Yoji, who looked really pissed. Obviously they had tried to stop the woman from entering but Kagura was known for being pushy and very bold. She wasn't afraid of Naraku like everyone else was.
"Naraku" she said to him coolly, completely ignoring Kagome. "We have a situation."
Naraku didn't say anything to her but glared daggers at the two men behind her. "I thought I told you never to disturb me when I'm in this room" he said to Kagura.
"It's an emergency, sir."
Naraku's face remained emotionless. "Very well." He began to leave but turned and patted Kagome on the head, smiling coldly at her. Kagome looked away and he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "We will continue this later, my dear." And then he left.
. . .
Takeru and Yoji both looked very uneasy, as they had escorted Kagome back to her room. Yoji had been mumbling curses under his breath while Takeru remained as silent as always.
Kagome was now alone, again in her large room. Her cheek was still throbbing but the pain wasn't as bad now. She wandered to the mirror in her room and sat in front of it, staring at her pitiful reflection once more.
As more and more time passed Kagome had only felt more miserable and lonely.
If only she could escape this hellhole and finally be free of Naraku then maybe she could go out try and live a normal life. She knew however that this kind of thinking was foolish. She would never be free of Naraku. He would always be there, watching her. He owned her.
Kagome had been brought to Naraku when she was just child.
Her mother had left Kagome's younger brother Sota with a friend and took Kagome for a walk. She told her that they were going to visit a friend.
They had spent a few hours in Naraku's house; her mother had left her and gone to speak privately with Naraku in his office while Kagome was left alone in the living room.
Her mother left soon after but Kagome did not.
Takeru was the one that presented Kagome with her "choker" and he had told her that she was to live with Naraku and be his "special friend." Back then, being the naïve child she was, she hadn't realized that all of this meant. Kagome had asked Takeru frequently when her mother would come back and get her. Takeru would always tell her the same thing, "She won't come for a long time, Kagome. You have to stay here with Naraku. I'm sure you'll see your mother again…someday."
Kagome soon came to realize that she would never be able to see her mother again, or anyone else for that manner. Her mother had sold her to Naraku and Kagome was now his property to do with as he pleased. She didn't really hate her mother…no, she just pitied her, they were poor and she had hardly enough money to feed herself let alone two growing children. Her mother had become so desperate that she was forced to sell her eldest child, if that was really the case.
Kagome wished that she could go to her mother and ask her why she did what she did…but she didn't even know if her mother was still alive. She had forgotten what her mother looked like already and her brother as well. Hell, she couldn't even remember her own last name.
She was a girl without a past and she would never be able to get the chance to be happy.
. . .
Back in Naraku's office, he was looking over something while Kagura stood in front of his desk waiting for him to say something.
"This is what your worried about?"
Kagura stiffened. "What do you mean?! This is serious. Our company's good name will be soiled if that kid goes to the authorities" she shouted angrily. Naraku just looked at her then back down at the small note in front of him.
"The boy has no evidence, only his word and who do you think the authorities will believe if he does try and tell them I killed his father with absolutely no evidence to back up his claim? A delusional, orphaned teenaged boy with a criminal record or a powerful, well respected business man?"
Kagura said nothing for a while. "Still, we have to take this seriously. You know what this boy has done in the past to try and ruin you. He has nothing to lose, you know." She really didn't know why she was telling him this. She knew as well as he did that he was toying with the boy.
Naraku wanted to destroy him as much as the boy wanted to destroy Naraku.
"If you're worried then you can deal with the boy yourself."
Kagura frowned. "Fine, I will." And then she left the room silently. Naraku watched her go with a amused look on his face then looked yet again at the small note on his desk.
Naraku,
I swore on the day that my father was murdered that I would avenge him. I know you were the one who killed him and I'll do anything in my power to ruin your company and your life. I'll rob you of everything you hold dear then I will kill you with my bare hands.
Be on the look out. I might pay you a visit tonight.
-Inuyasha
To be continued…or not. =P
(A/N: Hello everyone! This is the end first chapter of Thief. I don't really know where I'm going to take this story but I do plan on making it an Inuyasha x Kagome fan fiction. Inuyasha will be appearing in the next chapter for sure to pay Naraku a "little visit." Anyway please review and tell me what you think of it so far. If you have any suggestions, they would also be very helpful.)