The Mysterious Stranger

A/N: Hello! As stated this is originally posted under the 30_Breathtakes Community. Each chapter/post is supposed to focus on a selected theme. So, some chapters may be longer than others, some may be short. This is not meant to be detailed smut but a breath taking moment to do with the theme. Some chapters may contain lemons, most will NOT. The point is simply to capture 'the breath-taking moment'. The pairing that each piece will be centered around is Kagome/Akabane. If this pairing offends you please hit the back button now. If you are looking for smut, please try another fic.

Warnings: If need be they will be posted with each chapter.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own or profit from Inuyasha or the characters. This disclaimer will go for all the chapters contained within this story.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own or profit from Get Backers or the characters. This disclaimer will go for all the chapters contained within this story.

Title: The Delivery

Author: Kimisan/Aoshis_toy

Theme: #6 Letter

Summary: A dark stranger brings words from the past.


The truck screeched to a halt before taking a quick left. The occupants were solemn but it was to be expected. The job was simple but the client was paying high for the delivery. Himiko didn’t mind working with Akabane again. The man had his own way of doing things, just as she. This time the cargo was resting inside the man’s coat pocket. She wondered what the big fuss was over such an old letter. It had been in the city’s museum until the client had stolen it. The woman approached them needed someone to deliver it. The female proclaimed that it was a family artifact. Her great grandfather had given it to the city for money.


The woman’s words echoed deep in her mind. “Please, I know I did wrong by taking this. It is past time for the girl to receive it. My ancestor left it with his family upon his end. As he lie upon his death bed, he pleaded that we keep it and deliver it when it was time. That man was greedy and selfish, denying a man his final wish. It might mean punishment for my crime but this must be done. The girl must get what rightfully belongs to her.” From what the girl could see it had never been open. It’s value coming from that fact. The seal was still intact on the original document.


Akabane saw the young girl gazing at his coat. No doubt wondering what was contained within the goods. The job was bound to be boring but the pay was well. The were already to Tokyo, the shrine would be close. What he wouldn’t give for the thrill of a good fight. The sound of a horn blowing made him smile. “Ah, seems I will have some entertainment after all.”


“Ban?” Himiko wasn’t surprised at the outcome but they were late. No doubt the museum would want the letter back before it lost it’s value by being opened. As much as she cared for the man she had a job to do. That letter would reach the girl name Kagome Higurashi. The top of the shrine could be seen in the distance. They were too late, the mission would succeed. She’d forgiven the man for killing her brother but a job was a job. Reaching deep into her stash she pulled out a vile. “Figures, they’d show. What do we do?”


“Keep going Mr. No Brake, stop at the shrine. Please, not into it. No need to kill the recipient.” Akabane placed a hand on the brim of his hat. It had been so long since he’d fought with either of the two. This would give him the opportunity to do so. Ban had bested him without flaw the last time they’d fought in Infinite Castle. To have the man show up all the way out here. The job would be worth the time it’d taken to drive out here. Seems the museum had known exactly who the letter was meant for. Shame they were trying to keep it.


Himiko didn’t want to fight them but would see that the letter was delivered. Akabane no doubt would want to challenge the two men. A man’s dying wish for a girl to hear his words. She didn’t know how the man would know the girl would be alive now or the specifics. Something in the client’s voice made her want to believe. Perhaps, she was a hopeless romantic at heart. Maybe knowing what was within would help her understand, to see the woman’s face. Her reaction to the writing would be proof if it did indeed belong to her. “Fight them if you want. I ask that you hand it over to me. While you keep them distracted I will deliver it to Higurashi.”


“As you wish, Lady Poison.” Akabane handed the goods that were in a sealed clear plastic, keeping it from decaying. As soon as it was broken, the value would be cut in half. Not that it was his concern, his job would be done. “I will ask that you make sure it is placed in the girl’s hands.”


“Of course,” Himiko nodded, trepidation showing on her face. The truck came to a sudden stop, the man finally applying the brakes. She watched the man depart before taking a deep breath. They wouldn’t stop her from getting this done. Ban had granted her brother’s dying wish by killing him. She would grant this man’s dying wish now. Smiling she placed it in the seam of her tight waistline. Waiting for the chance to make her move, she listened.


“Evening,” Akabane stared the two men down as they got out of the small yellow bug. The rig was parked up on the shrine steps. At least the man hadn’t plowed through the building on top. As soon as he gave the signal Lady Poison would find the girl. This was one reason he’d taken this assignment, hopes of them coming. All this way and he’d despaired over it being a simple delivery. His job as a transporter was usually boring unless these two decided to show up. The artifact was stolen, they’d tried to get it back. “Fancy meeting you here, Get Backers.”


“Aye, so why don’t you hand the letter over. We know it was given directly to you.” Ban pushed the shades further up towards his vibrant blue eyes. His stance was relaxed as he studied the other man. He wasn’t shocked to find Akabane as the transporter. The famous Dr. Jackal had a way of showing up unwanted. There was no way they were getting it off his person without a fight.


“You didn’t say please.” Akabane smiled withdrawing several scalpels. A gasp from the stairs made him pause. A small boy had run within distance, no older than twelve or thirteen at the most. Why did he need these complications? Ginji also noticed the boy and swore. If they began to fight there was a chance he’d get hurt. “Seems we have a problem, should I remove it?”


“SIS!” Souta screamed at the top of his lungs. He’d been at the top sweeping just like Gramps had asked him to. Hearing the vehicle loudly screech to a halt he’d come down to see who had shown up. Seeing two men about to fight scared him. The man had pulled weapons out of the thin air. Terror filled him, believing it was a youkai. Kagome would know what to do.


Himiko climbed out of the cab seeing the young lady running down the steps. All conversation stopped, eyes going on the female. A frown crossed her features hearing Ginji and Ban’s gasps. Just like a man, forgetting his mission seeing a pretty face. Placing a smile on her face, she took in all she saw. The girl had long raven hair hanging freely to her waist. Sky blue eyes after a storm glared at them in defiance. The face was angelic, she was short but was all female. “Higurashi Kagome?”


“Yes, what are you doing here? How dare you park that piece of shit upon the shrine steps. This is a sacred place, you aren’t welcome here. Especially you three, take your fighting elsewhere. I won’t allow you to remain here, disturbing my family.” Kagome scowled at the three men. One had the audacity to have weapons out. Kids were known to come here to play with Souta. They were endangering many by their display. She hadn’t come back from the feudal era to deal with rude people here. They weren’t youkai that much she could sense, just normal humans with power trips. No fear lingered as she accessed their auras. The three males were very strong, the girl weaker. The sound of her mother frantically running down the steps made her pause.


“What’s going on dear? Oh my, are they?” Mrs. Higurashi paused next to her daughter and son. Where they being attacked again? One man had weapons in his hand, this couldn’t be good. Could Kagome defend the shrine against this many?


“No, they aren’t. Just average humans with no manners.” Kagome saw them look at her in shock. Yeah, they were normal to her. They were nothing compared to Naraku or Sesshoumaru. What were they doing here? They knew her name, so it had to do with her personally. “What do you want with me? Speak now, before I lose my patience.”


“A girl after my own heart. I have something for you, a delivery.” Himiko heard Ban swear make a move to head in her direction. Shit, he was going to try and take it. Preparing to fight for it, her hand went for a vile of perfume. The blue eyed man slammed into an invisible wall, causing him to crash into the ground. “What!?”


“Interesting.” Akabane took a step forward, placing a finger on the unseen barrier. It shimmered but didn’t send him back as the retrieval agent. Perhaps because he wasn’t trying to get through. Looking towards the two female, he noticed the girl’s aura had picked up. So she wasn’t an normal female. Ginji being true to his blondeness tried to run past him, only to meet the same fate as his partner. “My my, I’d have thought you’d have more sense. The girl has put a barrier up, we will not cross unless she wishes it. You have failed to retrieve the goods. This time stopped by a mere slip of a girl. Amusing is it not?”


Kagome paid them no attention as the short haired girl pulled out a package. She could sense no threat coming from her. Extending her hand she gripped it. What would bring these people to her doorstep. Obviously the two men were trying to get it back. The letter looked old but preserved. The paper no longer in use, who was it from. A name flared across her mind but she wouldn’t allow herself to believe it, not yet. Using her fingernail she began to strip it of the plastic containing it. As she began pulling it off the guy with glasses called to her. Getting impatient she turned towards him. Panic filled her when she locked eyes with him. Something stirred in those depths. What was he trying to do? Her powers flared as the presence of evil flared in her mind.


Akabane swore when the girl caught Ban’s gaze. She’d soon drop the barrier the evil eye catching her in it’s magic. What he wasn’t expecting was the man to drop to his knees. His voice screamed in pain, hands going to his temples. Smiling he glanced back at the girl, the pink aura flaring around her. The man’s famous technique hadn’t worked on her.


“You jerk, stay out of my head. Try that again and I’ll kick your ass. Did you really think that would work on me? A friend once told me; know your opponent before jumping into battle.” Kagome finished ripping the plastic off, grumbling to herself. The man had tried to use some evil mind trick on her. Idiot, should look at his location before doing something so reckless.


“Ban? Are you okay?” Ginji went to his friend’s side. What had happened? It was his partner’s triumph card. He could only use it three times a day but never on the same person twice. No one was immune to it, no one. “How?”


“Ginji, did you not realize where you’d followed us to? We are at a shrine, the girl’s home. It is a place for houshi or in some cases a miko. It is called a evil eye for a reason. He tried to use it on a holy person. Her powers are pure, untainted. It merely lashed out at the evil trying to contaminate the girl. That technique is useless against someone of her nature.” Akabane let his eyes linger over the girl’s slim form. She was tiny but beautiful, with a saucy personality. Her language was not of the best nature. Yet to have that type of power, she had to have a pure soul. “Interesting, how would one win against such an opponent.”


“You don’t, I kill you.” Kagome tossed the sealing paper to the ground. So one of them wasn’t a moron. Her finger went under the seal pulling the crude envelope open. The paper was rough as it was withdrawn, meeting the air after centuries. Trembling began as she examined the handwriting, eyes going straight for the name at the bottom, needing to know who’d wrote it. With an audible gasp, it slipped from her hand. “It’s from Inuyasha.”


“Here, let me dear.” Mrs. Higurashi went for the parchment know laying upon the crude cement. It was fragile from age but wouldn’t crumble in her care. Tears entered her own eyes seeing that it was indeed from the hanyou. Her daughter had come home over five years ago with a broken heart. Fate had thrown her back to this time, leaving the man she loved behind. For so long she’d wondered what had happened to her first love. Never ever getting to say goodbye to him. Taking a deep breath she began to read, hoping this would give her daughter the closure she needed to be happy. “My Kagome, I had Miroku instruct me on how to do this. Finally the lech is good for something. So many things I wish to tell you but I don’t know where to begin. I once thought fate was cruel, by taking Kikyou away from me. Now, I know it was indeed kind because it brought you into my life. It wasn’t until I watched you fade that I knew, exactly what loss was. In that moment fate took away the first person to ever believe in me, my best friend, the woman I loved. There is little chance I’ll live to your era, my life as a hanyou will forbid it. In the short time we had you showed me what it was like to believe in someone, to believe in myself. For that I am eternally grateful, for all the patience and love you gave so freely. For helping me become a better person, be it hanyou or human. I feel that I can live the rest of my life happy, knowing I was worthy of your heart. My only regret is knowing I’ll never get to see you smile again. My only hope is that this letter will last to reach you one day. I pray that you get to me read my words; words I was too stubborn to tell you when I had the chance. You found it in yourself to love someone like me, when I didn’t deserve it. I have one request; be happy. You saved me, I want to know that you are alive, safe and happy. Be it with someone else (just not Kouga, I’m sure the wimpy wolf will outlive me), find love again. Remember me, as I will surely think of you everyday until I pass from this world. Inuyasha.”


Himiko felt the tears sting her eyes seeing the girl fall to her knees. The boy ran over to embrace his sister as she began to cry freely. It caused the strings in her own heart to ache, the girl’s pain could felt. “It letter was kept with his family until his death. Then it was passed along to one day be delivered. It was his dying wish that she get it.”


“Thank you, thank you so much.” Mrs. Higurashi thanked the strange looking woman. So long Kagome had waited for closure. Having it would mean she could finally heal. She’d gotten the one thing that her heart had longed for, a goodbye. “This means so much to us.”


“Come on, Ginji.” Ban brushed off his pants unable to watch the girl any longer. The sound of her tears were heart wrenching. This was a job he was breaking from. “We will leave, our job is to get back what was taken. The letter obviously belongs to that girl. Or job is done here.”


Akabane noticed the barrier had dropped and walked over to the crouching girl. Sadness cloaked her, the letter having great impact upon her. So, she did have a weakness, her heart. Smiling he placed a hand upon Himiko’s shoulders. “Our job is done Lady Poison. We will leave now, she’s gotten the package.”


Kagome glanced up at the two staring down at her. They’d been paid to see that she got it. The other two had been trying to get it back. It wasn’t much but she wanted to thank them. It was what she’d been wanting. To know that he’d loved her and missed her as much as she did him. Knowing that he hadn’t forgotten about her up until the day he died, touched her. Getting to her feet, she placed a small smile. This was a great gift, one she wouldn’t forget. “Thank you.”


The girl nodded and began to walk away to climb back into the truck. The tall man smiled down at her before nodding. A soft wind blew, drying some of the tears from her cheeks. As the man turned around, “Thank you, there is nothing more beautiful than the tears shed from a broken heart except the smile that follows.”


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