Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or Man on Fire.

Myoga met his old friend, Mr. Higurashi at the end of the day for lunch. Lucille's was always the best place to go for lunch, dinner, or just any business meeting. Their meal was ordered and Myoga listened to his friend tell him about his daughter's recently fallen bodyguard.

"Koga was a good man," said Mr. H. "He didn't ask for much, and protected Kagome as if she were his sister... or perhaps something more." The man nodded sadly, a disappointed look appearing on his face. "He died protecting her – took six bullets to the chest before he went down. By then, the police had arrived and got Kagome out of there. But Koga went down swinging, according to Kagome. He took out another two of them while he was on the ground, dying."

The older man shook his head. "It's a shame. Good bodyguards are hard to find nowadays. Most of them, you only get what you pay for." Myoga said, raising his glass to his lips and taking a sensual sip. The wine wasn't much of a good year, but he couldn't outright order tequila, no matter how much it appealed to him. He set the glass back down and sent a withering look toward it. He preferred actual alcohol.

Mr. Higurashi smiled a bit. "Koga was more than I could ask for. He worked for six years, and on a highly diluted pay. Izumi was half in love with him, I think." said the man, referring to his wife. "She doted on him all the time. He's going to be hard to replace. I don't know what I'm going to do now. Kagome can't even go out of the mansion anymore or she has an assassination attempt or a kidnapping... I can't pay much for a new bodyguard. They're getting so expensive nowadays."

"I may be able to help you out, my friend." Myoga smirked some, folding his hands and leaning forward a bit.

"Do tell, brother."

Inuyasha sat in the back of the taxi, watching the southern Perecunni scenery pass by. He was in the country for one reason alone, and that reason was personal. He had a few old faces to see, and according to one of those old faces, he was going to meet a new one. His emotionless face was hidden by his black Indiana Jones' style hat, red bandana over silver hair poking out of it in a tidy braid. The golden eyes were glazed over as the man thought, ears beneath the hat twitching. Miroku was up to something... Inuyasha could practically smell it on the air. When Miroku was up to something, it usually wasn't good. However, Inuyasha had a fair feeling about this visit...

"We're here, sir." said the driver. The half demon paid and thanked the man and stood on the street as the car rolled away. A few people bustled past him, avoiding him altogether and tipping their hats down. Apparently demons weren't held in the highest of esteems around this place. He smirked a bit and turned his head, eyes looking for the old face he was supposed to meet here. He raised the piece of paper and checked the address.

"Where is that stupid son of a..." Inuyasha began in a disgruntled tone.

"Well slap my ass, and call me Susie!" cried a familiar voice. Inuyasha smirked and turned to his left, laying eyes on his old college friend for the first time in ten years. Miroku hadnt changed much. He still had a perverted grin on his face, bright purple eyes, and shaggy black hair pulled into a dragon tail at the base of his neck. The dress shirt and pants looked odd on him – he was usually a casual party guy. The flip-flops fit, however. "C'mere and give your ol' college buddy a hug."

The half demon moved over and the men shared a hug before holding each other at arm's length, giving the other an once-over. "Hot damn, I haven't seen you since college, you pervert!" He held out his hand with a mischievous look. Miroku and he shared a 'secret handshake'. "Brothers by bone, not by blood. Brothers by mind, not by heritage!" the two said in unison.

Miroku steered the man toward the restaurant behind them after that, the men sitting down and catching up. Inuyasha was going through his rant on the joys of unemployment, and Miroku was losing his nerve. Finally, he cracked and his face split into a grin. Inuyasha paused in mid-sentence and scowled. "What are you grinning about?" he snapped. His eyes flicked for a second to

"I may be able to help, my brother." he sipped his tea conspiratorially. Inuyasha sighed impatiently. "I received a call from an old friend of mine a few days ago. He asked me if I knew anyone he could trust."

Inuyasha canted his head and looked at the man skeptically. "And you thought of me?"

Miroku smiled and nodded. "Yep. Apparently, a friend of his has a daughter who needs a bodyguard."

The demon was silent a moment. "And you thought of me?" He smiled skeptically and shook his head. "No, Miroku, I got out of that business a long time ago."

"That's bull and you know it, Yash. You're still in your prime – barely in your late twenties. I know you're unhappy in the States. You've got more experience in related fields than most bodyguards, and you don't want more than you get paid for." said Miroku, trying to persuade him to like the idea. Inuyasha was always stubborn, however...

Smirking, Inuyasha shook his head. "Happiness is a state of mind."

Miroku had figured the demon would be difficult. He looked skyward as if requesting for divine intervention. "That's beyond the point," he sighed exasperatedly, "You need the money, he's bound to hire you, and there's no doubt in my mind that you are positively itching for some action." He leant across the table and whispered conspiratorially. "The girl's a target, Yash. It'll be a challenge for you. It's no easy task... on your own... protecting someone who has kidnapping attempts done on her every other day..."

"Alright, alright..." Inuyasha waved a hand, only to shut him up. "I'll do it, but I'll quit if I feel like it."

The monk grinned. "Good. You've got a meeting with Mr. H. in three days." He stood and moved toward the door, presumably to the car after that.

Inuyasha blinked. He narrowed his eyes and picked up his hat, placing it over the bandana on his head and following Miroku with a frown. "Stop running my life, Miroku!" he cried indignantly as he trailed the man to his car.

Inuyasha was in the fairly new Jag, driving Mr. Higurashi, who would possibly be his new boss. Adjusting his hat, he glanced into the rear view mirror as the man surveyed his file. "You have a lot experience, Mr. Tama. Six years in the military, two years in the FBI ground force, three years in the ground force of the narcotics department in NYPD." The man looked up from the papers, an impressed look on his face. "What's the catch?"

The demon raised a brow and smiled lightly. "I'm not very sociable." he said, overlooking the fact of his blood. It was on the papers. It was Mr. H's fault if he didn't see it.

Mr. H. smiled. "I don't think that will be a problem." he said, closing the file and placing it on the seat beside him. "My wife, Izumi, is very... attaching. No doubt, if you have well enough manners toward her when you do see her, she'll like you enough to hire you. I may be the deciding force, but she's got quite a sway on me."

"I would imagine so, Mr. Higurashi." said Inuyasha a bit formally.

Inuyasha was standing in the living room, his hat still upon his head, over his bandana. He had his hands folded behind his back, fists barely touching the end of the braid. He was gazing over the room; eyes bored and once again glazed over in deep thought. An older woman appeared in the room and his head was turned toward her. She looked him up and down before looking to Mr. Higurashi, who was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room. "Koi, this is Mr. Inuyasha J. Tama, Kagome's possible new bodyguard. He's got a lot of experience..."

Mrs. Higurashi walked right over to stand in front of Inuyasha, completely ignoring her husband. She looked him in the eye. "Take off your hat." she directed. Inuyasha raised a brow but did so, glancing over at Mr. Higurashi before he followed her order. The bandana was oddly shaped – and she figured it was hiding something below it. "And the bandana." she said, crossing her arms with an authorative look. Inuyasha frowned, but untied the knot at the base of his neck easily, freeing two triangular dog ears that were positioned at the top of his head. Mrs. Higurashi eyed them before nodding. "Half-demon," she mumbled, looking back down into his indifferent golden eyes. "You can put your affects back on." She turned around to face her husband. "I like him. Hire him." With that, she left the room.

"I see what you mean by 'quite a sway'." Inuyasha said with a light smirk, tying the bandana back in place and putting his hat back onto his heat. "She's a very authorative woman." He folded his hands in their previous position behind his back and Mr. Higurashi smiled, turning toward the stairs and calling his daughter down.

Inuyasha glanced toward the stairs as he heard a body descending them, and did a double-take, turning his full head toward her. The girl wasn't exactly breath-taking, but she was fairly beautiful. She had long black hair that was currently free-falling, a brush in hand. Her gray-blue eyes surveyed him with a bit of interest, while his golden orbs indifferently took in her appearance. His Adam's apple bobbed as he returned his eyes to the window. "Come meet your new body guard, princess." said Mr. Higurashi. The girl further descended the stairs and stood a few feet in front of him. "His name is Mr. Inuyasha J. Tama. I expect you to respect him."

"He's a demon." she said bluntly. "Like Koga was."

"Half," Inuyasha corrected her, looking down at her apathetically.

Mr. Higurashi frowned. "Kagome, don't be rude. Introduce yourself."

"Yes, father." she said, holding her hand out. "I'm Kagome A. Higurashi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tama."

The half demon took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. Manners, manners, manners, manners... he chanted. I need this job. Kagome smiled a bit as he spoke. "Pleasure is mine, Miss Higurashi." He dropped her hand and stood up straight, tipping his hat a bit.

"Please, just Kagome." she said with a grin before turning to her father as he spoke.

"Kagome, show Mr. Tama to his room, please." Kagome nodded eagerly and took the rigid half-demon by his arm, forcibly leading him out to the garage and past their workers.

"That's Jumbo, the head gardener. Hi, Jumbo!" she waved animatedly at the man. Inuyasha only nodded his head. Jumbo was a large man with a jovial appeal. His black hair was graying and thinning, and the wrinkles on his face only added character. His blue eyes still twinkled.

"That's Ayame, the cook." She waved again and turned once more. Ayame had auburn hair that was pulled back into pigtails. Her green eyes were sad and withdrawn, her skin pale. She looked pretty down, but waved to the girl all the same with a small smile.

"That's Rico, the pool guy. He always hits on me, look out for him... Hey Rico." Inuyasha eyed the man. He was young, probably barely out of his teen years with thick brown hair and brown eyes. He grinned at Kagome and looked her up and down hungrily. Kagome rolled her eyes and flounced away. Having finally let go of his arm, Inuyasha held the ability to walk silently behind her.

"And there's the butler named Aaron, he's cool, and then Jenny the maid. I think Aaron and Jenny have a thing for each other, but that's beyond the point." said Kagome, opening a door to another building adjacent to the main house. He followed her up a winding staircase to a small apartment-like room with a bedroom, bathroom, and half-kitchen with a microwave and small refrigerator. "Looks kind of like a dorm, hn?"

"I wouldn't know." said Inuyasha, stepping into his new room. "I never went to college." He moved into the small kitchen area, which had a fold-up table in it as well. On the table was a bird cage, complete with two twin birds inside. He looked from the birds to Kagome and back at the birds. "What are these?"

Kagome smiled some. "They were Koga's. That's Ginta and Hakkaku, Ginta's the one with a bunch of missing feathers, and he always has his feathers ruffled too. Sometimes they'll talk to you." Her tone was rather depressed as she opened the cage and put a hand in, sticking it in front of their feet gently and cooing at them. "C'mon, Ginta." Ginta hopped onto her hand and she pulled him out of the cage, stroking his feathers on his back gently. "Hi, Ginta, how are you?"

"Kagome-chan! Kagome-chan!" the bird squawked. Kagome smiled. Inuyasha watched her with an amused look.

"He knows my name and a few short sentences... Careful, they'll call you a schmuck if he thinks you're being mean to him. Jumbo taught them that one." Kagome chuckled a bit and returned Ginta to his cage. "If you don't want to take care of them, I can have them in my room." she offered with a slight smile.

Inuyasha eyed the two birds and shrugged a bit, taking off his leather jacket and hanging it on a rung. Golden eyes roamed over the room. It was small, painted a fairly dark red. He could definitely work with that color. It mainly had a bed, dresser, bedside table, and three doors. One led to the closet, another to the bathroom, and the other to the staircase downstairs. His suitcase was already on the queen-sized bed. "I'll take care of them." he said uncaringly.

"What a schmuck! What a schmuck!" the birds chirped. Inuyasha growled at them, a frown appearing on his face. Kagome laughed a bit. Inuyasha then decided that he'd rather hear that laugh more than the sad tone he had heard earlier when she spoke of Koga. He remembered a Koga guy in high school vaguely, but couldn't quite put his finger on a face. He shoved it to the back of his mind and set to getting himself moved in.

o.o Don't kill me. This plot bunny's been running rampant through my mind for MONTHS and I just had to do it. I've got a bunch of little side stories too, but I think this will be the only one I'm actually publishing. Baby, Baby is moving along quickly, Feeling This has one more chapter to go if I ever get over my writer's block, and Trucker is practically finished. I'll wait awhile before putting up its sequel. I need a new story. Hope you end up liking this one... It's based off of Man on Fire, with Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. Great movie. Rent it. I will be extending the story, and Inuyasha at the end. Can't tell ya'll that...