Sesshoumaru
He should have never provided that silly girl with his phone number. As though he would ever entertain the thought of finding compromise with that woman. She had no blood relation to his daughter, so in his mind had no right to her. Simple as that, and he called out her feeble attempt for what it was, which was probably just a way to get money out of him. It didn't matter if this woman, Kagome Higurashi, was human or not. Everyone seemed to always be out for what he, Sesshoumaru Masaharu had built and earned.
It was so pathetic, but of course, there was a possibility she wasn't aware that she'd come out this wealthy no matter what. Despite repealing her adoption she still cared for Rin for four-years so he'd be required to pay child support. Perhaps if she'd known that he wouldn't get such a ridiculous text from her.
What most would consider ridiculous was that he was going through the legal system to get his child. That bitch Kaguya must've planned this. If Rin had been born here he had the right to just take her. In a demon state if you were strong enough to take something it was yours, but despite her blood she was born in a human state. It was fine though. Learning about human legal procedure was a good education. An education he needed for the world he was trying to build.
Sesshoumaru put his phone back in his pocket as the doors to his building was opened for him. Once inside the glass elevator he scanned his finger print so he could be taken to his luxurious condo on the top floor. Yes, he lived in a demon state, but yet owned the tallest and most modern structure in the land. He smirked looking at the city disappearing beneath his feet. It was fitting as he was above them all and soon all would know their place.
Fangvale, the capital of this territory, was different compared to other demon territories. It had been controlled by his father centuries ago, and while other demons turned coward and feared the human's nuclear weapons his father took advantage of the situation and made a fortune by aligning with the humans in selling them an ore called arcana, a rare mythical substance deep in the Earth that only a demon could access. At first the other demons couldn't understand why his father would pursue money, something demons never valued, but his father showed how useful establishing an economy was when he used the money to buy the human's secrets.
Sesshoumaru continued the legacy by using the money to create a full modern city. He built this place. It was his… and soon the humans would have nothing on demons anymore as they could create their own devastating weapons. The world would belong to his kind again, and he would be the one that ushered in the new order. Sesshoumaru would have his paradise, and luckily he would also have an heiress so he didn't have to worry about settling down with anymore damn opportunistic females that could potentially ruin everything. He had enough problems with his mother he didn't need anymore women in his life.
Despite trying to usher his home into a modern world with an economy it still operated on basic demon rules. The strongest among them was the ruler of the territory, and since his father was dead it meant his mother, Inukimi Masaharu, was their Queen. It could be his if he could best her, but why waste his time? His mother was their ruler, yes, but because of the system demons refused to toss away it meant she always had to be ready for a fight. The day Sesshoumaru obtained the power he wanted it to be absolute with no one questioning it.
The youkai's eyes drifted back to his phone when he finally entered his home. It was from his attorney, who was quite optimistic about the upcoming court date. It seemed like Kagome Higurashi still hadn't acquired a lawyer, which probably meant she wasn't going to and it was unlikely she could make a case for herself in court. This issue would be open and shut. He would have his daughter and that loose end would be tied up so he could move forward.
Sesshoumaru headed towards the kitchen, but stopped when he looked outside to notice an unwanted visitor relaxing on his balcony. It was his mother, dressed in a professional black dress with that look on her face that just said 'I have come to torment you today'.
He held back a growl as he slid the door opened and walked outside, "The only way to get into my home is with my fingerprint. How did you get in here?"
The daiyoukai queen chuckled as she crossed her arms, "How did I thwart your modern very expensive security system? I climbed. It's pretty sad that I have to exert such energy to see my son. You don't even answer my calls anymore. Sometimes I fear my son only thinks of me as his Queen and doesn't respect me as a mother. You force me to cry every night."
"I doubt that," Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes trying to put his phone away as Inukimi snatched it from his hand.
"Yep I knew it… your phone is just fine and gets perfect signal up here. Oh and what is this an official e-mail… oh that silly 'legal stuff' you've been getting yourself involved in."
Sesshoumaru ripped it back from her not in the mood for her games, "I'm sure you already heard the blood test came back. The girl is my daughter."
"You didn't even know the girl existed a few months ago and now you're obsessed with it all," Inukimi sighed, "you should have let it go. So some slut you fucked got pregnant. Big deal. She gave the girl up and gave you a free pass to not care, and yet you feel the need to press it."
"She's of my blood," Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised at all by Inukimi's response, "I will not have a child of my blood wasting her potential in the home of an average human girl. Father made it clear that to continue his legacy the pack must stay together and stay strong. That is all I'll say on the matter. If it is no interest than you can keep your thoughts to yourself mother."
Inukimi, however, liked to press buttons.
"Keeping the pack together and strong? You say that but yet ignore your mother and threaten to murder your brother on a daily basis, but yet this daughter of yours, that you don't know, is what's pre-occupying your time?"
"I haven't killed InuYasha. That is his gift from me."
Their father left them wealth, land, and a promise of a better future, and what did his bastard brother do with all of that? Go off and be reality TV star so he could make the family look bad to get laid. InuYasha would need dealt with soon if he were to move onto the next phase of the plan.
Inukimi looked bored as she played with her hair, "I'd do it, but I heard he is going to be the host on the new season of Love Trials. I like that show and would rather it not be cancelled."
"I don't have time for this," Sesshoumaru was boring of her rather quickly.
Inukimi's eyes turned dangerous as she got in her son's face and grasped his hand, "Sesshoumaru the goal has not changed has it? I assume you haven't forgotten your role in all of this. I don't want see decades of planning be thrown out the window because of your little fling with Kaguya. You'll fulfill your role in this, or I'll cast you out with nothing."
Sesshoumaru growled pushing her away not caring that she was his mother and Queen, "I have not forgotten. Things will still play out as planned. I just need to tie up this one loose end and it will all come together."
"Good," Inukimi smirked not minding that her son had tried to assault her, "I just wanted to make sure. It's already terrible enough my own son hates me now I have to worry about him throwing away all that I've worked for and making me a laughing stock of demon kind. Children are horrible Sesshoumaru, do you really want one? At first you think it will be as easy as having a cute little pet around that looks like you, but then they learn to talk and start getting all angsty and it's a nightmare really."
"Are you done?" he simply asked wanting this woman out his home so he could at least have one evening of peace.
Inukimi was about to reply, but they heard the annoying sound of a bird. No it wasn't an actual bird. It was that damn Twitter. Sesshoumaru had ushered in and promoted the use of cell phones in Fangvale to improve communication and therefore productivity in their underlings, but what did his kind turn around and do? Stream trashy TV shows, play Candy Crush, and constantly let everyone know what they were doing. His mother was the worst. She had a whole Twitter account dedicated to shaming all the demons that dared to challenge her for her position. InuKimiPwnsU had more followers than her official account that she was suppose to use promote her rule and pass along important information.
"Sesshoumaru what was that thing you told me about?" Inukimi asked looking at her phone, "about how no one was going to know about Rin until she was officially yours?"
"A non-disclosure agreement," Sesshoumaru informed her, "humans use it to enforce secrets. Everyone involved, including that Kagome woman signed it. I don't want Rin exposed to the media or anyone knowing about me and Kaguya. If one side breaks the agreement the other side sues for a large sum of money. It's truly how you shut one up this day in age."
"Well it seems someone in 'your party' blabbed," Inukimi noted showing Sesshoumaru her phone before reading the newest tweet, "InuYasha Masaharu reveals in an interview that his brother is fighting for custody of bastard daughter he had with Kaguya Tatsui."
If it weren't for the link to the article being right in front of his face Sesshoumaru would have accused his mother of trying to rile him up, but it was all there. A full interview with InuYasha telling the world everything that was no one's business but his own. All of this legal work he spent money on and invested so much time in to protect his dirty little secret all went to waste because his fucking worthless brother needed to find another way into the spotlight.
"You bonded with your brother and told him everything?" Kaguya asked, "that doesn't seem like you."
"I haven't spoken to that half-breed trash in twenty years," Sesshoumaru growled, "he must've heard it from someone else."
"Well I doubt that he heard it from this Kagome girl. InuYasha would never step foot in a place like Avalon, so it must've been someone close to you."
Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red, "Mother… it was you wasn't it?"
"I'm not going to say I kept it a secret… after all I never signed any contracts… and if I did I really wouldn't care. I am your Queen after all I'll rip the throat out of anyone that dares trying to waste my time suing me in a human court, but no I didn't directly tell InuYasha."
The leak came from Sesshoumaru's side. His mother wouldn't have known anything about Rin if he hadn't been the one to tell her. This was his fault. His responsibility. Not only would everyone know their future ruler had been entangled in Kaguya's drama, but now his daughter, whom he had yet to meet, would be tainted to by cruel media exposure.
Both Kaguya's life and death filled magazine covers with disturbing scandalous stories, and now an innocent four-year-old would be subjected to that kind of treatment.
He could care less about the Kagome girl, but her being hounded by paparazzi day in and day out would be his fault and she could throw all sorts of lawsuits at him now. Between all the child support he'd have to pay her if he won and his violation of the non-disclosure the open and shut case was now in a state of discord, and if this woman was already going to be digging into his pockets than maybe he might as well reconsider the text the woman sent him.
He tried to do all of this the civilized way where he could feel victorious, but of course his family had to ruin all of it and now there was only one thing to do. Pay this Kagome girl off. It was a sickening thought having to buy his own child, but Avalon was in a human state he couldn't just go there and start threatening and acting like a barbarian giving his kind a bad name. It would put his future plans in jeopardy
Sesshoumaru growled as he pulled out his phone to call one of his assistants. Jaken wouldn't do if he had to travel to a human state, so he would require the help of his one human employee. He quickly informed her of the travel plans and made it clear they would would have to get a large sum of money ready.
"Whatever you're about to do sounds rather expensive," Inukimi mused boredly as she tweeted about how she wasn't surprised at all that her son could only breed with prostitute.
"It will be," Sesshoumaru growled, "but I'm coming back with my child to keep her safe while this mess gets cleaned up."
"You know your father didn't even leave me with a penny and I do alright for myself. Are you sure about this whole money based economy thing? Might makes right is a lot easier you know."
Sesshoumaru snarled not having time to entertain her bullshit anymore. He was leaving his home with one intention. To see this Kagome girl and get exactly what he wanted.
(End Chapter)
AN: Literally the only thing chapter 2 has in common with the original is Sesshoumaru deciding to pay Kagome a visit. Inukimi wasn't in the original. Inukimi is here because… well… I really enjoyed her in Dragonsbane and I miss her.
