Inuyasha | Rhapsody in Eight Movements

[luxken27fics]

Title: Rhapsody in Eight Movements
Author: LuxKen27
Fandom: Inuyasha
Universe: Alternate (modern day Japan)
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Rating: T
Warning(s): Mentions of death, the treatment of mental illnesses
Summary: When a mysterious man washes ashore on Halloween night, it becomes a race against time to uncover his identity – and the circumstances that left him there.

Author’s Note: Further author's notes for this story can be found here.


The hospital administrator stood at the fore of the conference room, glaring imperiously down the slope of his nose at the clutch of people gathered in the small space. The room was packed wall-to-wall with medical personnel, the low din of their shared conversation rankling along his very last nerve.

This is the problem with modern medical care, he mused to himself, sweeping his judgmental stare over each person in turn. There are too many weak links in the chain.

He curled his hand into a fist and slammed it down on the conference table. “Order,” he commandeered haughtily, taking no small amount of pleasure at startling the lot of them.

The room quieted in an instant, thirty sets of eyes coming to rest on him – some curious, some excited, some anxious.

He drew out the silence to the edge of trepidation, feeding off the fear that radiated from his subordinates.

“You’re all aware of the reason for this meeting,” he finally said, holding up the previous day’s issue of Yukan Fuji, the right-leaning rag of a tabloid.

Almost immediately, half of those gathered averted their eyes; the room was utterly silent, save a bit of restless squirming.

His eyes swept the room again as he zeroed in on the two most likely sources of information. “Do you find this amusing, Watanabe?” he intoned, spearing the young paramedic with a pointed look.

The blood drained from Miroku’s face. “No,” he returned forcefully, perhaps a bit louder than he’d intended. “I don’t know who leaked to the press about this, but that was definitely not cool.”

The hospital administrator granted him a cold smile as he walked around the table, coming to an abrupt halt when he towered over the younger man. “I daresay that you’re our most likely suspect,” he mused, “considering that you and your partner-in-crime here are the only two people in this room not employed by the hospital – and thus, not bound by its nondisclosure/confidentiality agreement.”

Miroku’s fellow paramedic glowered in response, shooting to his feet in his friend’s defense. “It wasn’t us,” he growled defiantly. “We weren’t even here with the dead guy came back to life!”

The hospital administrator merely smirked in response, his gaze as cool and calm as his rival’s was heated. This kid was a known hothead, and it was rather enjoyable to provoke him.

Miroku was fast on his friend’s heels, clasping Inuyasha’s shoulders and shoving him back into his seat. “Besides,” he cut in smoothly, “we wouldn’t have wanted to have frightened my dear Sango like that.”

The hospital administrator cast a curious glance to the junior medical examiner sitting across the way, catching her thunderous expression as she glared at the flirtatious medic. “Maybe if you’d done your job, none of this would’ve happened,” she shot back. “Did you even try to resuscitate him in the field?”

“Yes,” Inuyasha grunted indignantly. “We always follow procedure.”

Sango rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her chair. “Could’ve fooled me,” she muttered.

“Enough,” the hospital administrator bit off. Though he found this heated exchange amusing, it was detracting from the point at hand. He turned his attention back to the paramedics. Even if they weren’t the root of this little scandal, they were the most easily disposed of – and narrowing the field of suspects would be helpful enough.

“I have terminated the hospital’s contract with your company,” he informed them, his tone rather bland. “Your services are no longer required. You may leave.”

He took a step back in what he considered to be a generous gesture, clearing the path to the door of the conference room.

The two of them didn’t move, however – they could only stare at him, totally dumbfounded over their dismissal.

He loathed people who did that. Why did they have to be told twice?

“Leave,” he commanded darkly, turning on his heel and advancing back to his position at the head of the table. By the time he faced his captivated audience again, the paramedics were gone, their formerly-occupied chairs vacated, the door to the conference room swinging heavily back into its frame behind them.

He turned his dour expression back to the crowd at large. “If any of you contributed any information to this foul gossip columnist, I expect to find your resignation on my desk,” he informed them as he lowered himself into the chairman’s seat at the head of the table. “Today.”

That set off another round of restless fidgeting and worried murmurs; he was content, for the moment, to let them stew. If they hadn’t already learned of the price to be paid for a breach of this magnitude, then let them all think they could be unemployed within the hour.

It was rather amazing what a bit of incentive could do for cooperation among the plebeians.

“Excuse me?”

A voice rose above the low din of conversation. When he looked up, he realized it was accompanied by a hand. “Excuse me, Takahashi-buchō, but what we will do now?”

The hospital administrator felt his expression soften as he realized who had garnered his attention. Among the ICU nurses sat a slender girl with big brown eyes and chestnut-colored hair, gazing at him intently even as the charge nurse forced her arm back into her lap with a look of admonishment. Rin, he believed her name was – a pretty little thing, a recent hire who, for some reason, stuck out in his mind.

Perhaps this was why – her fearlessness in questioning authority.

He felt inclined to indulge her. “We will use the press to our advantage,” he replied. “The hospital security team has informed the police of our situation, and they have suggested that we provide a picture of the patient to a reputable publication.” He reached for the tabloid at his side, balling it between his hands, and pitched it into a nearby wastebasket. “Perhaps then someone will come forward and identify him.”

His answer might have satisfied the curious little nurse, but it did not sit so well with others in the room.

“I object,” came a voice from his left, the table rocking slightly as one of the doctors shot to her feet. “He isn’t ready for media scrutiny, of any kind.”

The hospital administrator lifted an amused brow as he regarded her, but did not deign to respond to her outburst. Instead, he turned his attention to the older gentleman at her side, who was tugging on her arm and quietly imploring her to retake her seat.

“I suggest you keep your residents in hand, Dr. Mushin,” he warned in an ominous tone.

“Higurashi-san, please,” old Mushin grunted, finally convincing his fellow doctor to sit down. “Takahashi-buchō is right; there is no other way. His DNA hasn’t matched anyone in the national database, and neither have his fingerprints or dental records.”

Dr. Higurashi shook her head. “This isn’t a good idea,” she pressed. “We both know he’s been through something horrific – and what is our oath? ‘First, do no harm’?”

Mushin patted her hand sympathetically. “If he’s not going to tell us who he is, we’re going to have to find out some other way,” he reasoned gently. “He can’t stay here forever – at least, if we find his family, they can arrange for his care.”

“We are not in the business of taking in every stray that crosses our path, Dr. Higurashi,” the hospital administrator broke in. “If you don’t care for our plan to uncover this young man’s identity, then you are free to seek employment elsewhere.”

He watched her closely as he leaned back in his seat. She opened her mouth as if to speak before thinking better of it, snapping her jaw closed, curling her hands into her lap and leveling a defiant stare at him.

He had the distinct feeling this wasn’t the last he’d heard about this from Dr. Kagome Higurashi.