A/N: Yes, here is the next chapter, my dear readers. I'm trying to work on my other fics, I swear. Its just easier said then done. Enjoy.
Ripple Effect
Chapter 2: Old Friends
Moving on is simple. It's what you leave behind that makes it difficult.
The sun shined brightly over the city of Tokyo. A light breeze drifted through the channel of tall buildings and clouds were absent in the cerulean sky. People bustled down the sidewalks as the sounds of traffic crowded the streets.
A man stepped out of his red Honda NSX and peered up at the skyscraper towering over him. He shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand as the wind toyed with his silver hair, causing strands to brush gently against his cheeks. His amber eyes traced over the gold lettering on the glass entrance doors before him, and then he allowed his gaze to stray to the surrounding city. His thoughts lingered on the loud noises and large crowds, recalling memories from days long past.
It felt so foreign. After all, it had been seven years since Inuyasha had last stepped foot in this place. Memories of a smiling girl swirled through his mind, accompanied by the voices of childhood. Laughter rang in his ears, and he couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips.
"Sir?" the doorman called, startling the silver-haired man from his reverie.
Inuyasha's brows furrowed in annoyance as he peered at the young man and a scowl replaced his innocent smile. "Keh, grab the bags, would ya?" He watched as the doorman scrambled to do as he was told. He must have been a new employee to be so out of sorts, and his boyish appearance put his age as early as a first-year high school student.
The young business man rolled his eyes. Of all the people to greet him when he returned, this was the best his brother could do? Grabbing one of the duffel bags, he led the way into the Tetsusaiga Corporation.
The floors were made of the finest marble and a sleek metallic desk stood on the opposite side of the large room. A few people in striking business suits milled about the lobby and pictures were diligently spaced along the walls. Black leather couches were stationed around the room, accompanied by metallic coffee tables and plenty of greenery.
"Surprised there's not a damn fountain," Inuyasha grumbled, mentally cursing whoever designed the lobby.
"Good day, Mr. Takahashi," an overly cheerful voice greeted him as he stepped up to the receptionist's desk. "Welcome."
He dropped his bag on the floor with a thud and leaned his arm against the desktop. "Don't call me that," he snapped, sending her a heated glare.
The young woman behind the desk had dark-brown hair, and her agate eyes shined with happiness. Although she seemed perky, Inuyasha could tell her smile was strained, as if she had been there for several hours under the watchful eyes of paperwork.
Her eyes widened with slight surprise at his outburst, but she quickly collected herself. "Of course, Inuyasha," she apologized with a small bow of her head. "My mistake."
Their exchange was interrupted by the doorman's yelp as he waddled up to the counter and unceremoniously fell, bringing Inuyasha's luggage with him.
"Watch it!" the young business man hollered. "There could be breakables in there!"
The receptionist gasped and ran around the desk to assist the poor man. "Oh, Hojo!" She knelt down beside him as he sat up, rubbing his head in the process. "Are you all right?"
He grinned sheepishly as a blush dusted his cheeks. "I'm okay, Rin. Just a bit clumsy is all."
"You should really be more careful." She giggled and stood up, holding out a hand for the young man to take.
Inuyasha glared at the doorman with disgust. Why did everyone have to be so incompetent? Surely Sesshomaru hadn't been the one to hire the idiot. Nothing was short of perfection for him.
He watched as Hojo stood and the smile slipped off his face as he met Inuyasha's intense glare. "My sincerest apologies, Mr. Takahashi," Hojo said, bowing low at the waist. "It won't happen again."
"Whatever, Hobo," Inuyasha replied with a bitter roll of his eyes.
Rin returned to her station behind the desk and pulled out a key-card. She kept a wary eye on Hojo, watching as he collected the baggage once more. "Sorry about that, Inuyasha. Hojo only started a few weeks ago. He may be clumsy, but he's a really nice guy."
"Does it look like I care?" he asked, taking the key from her hand.
A bemused smile touched her lips. "No, of course not. All that aside, please allow my coworker to escort you to your new office." She gestured with her hand to a small, old man, who seemed to wear a permanent scowl.
Inuyasha appeared skeptical. "That old toad's gonna bring up my things?" he inquired bluntly, raising a brow at the small man.
"No, Hojo will be taking care of your luggage. But the 'old toad's' name is Jaken," the receptionist said quietly. "I would watch what you say around him. He can get pretty angry."
"He doesn't scare me," he muttered, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder. "Just tell Hobo to be more careful with the merchandise."
She covered her mouth and giggled. "Consider it done," she replied. "I'll call you for your morning wakeup call tomorrow. You'll be meeting with your brother at nine o'clock."
"Half-brother," he corrected her with a sneer before following after the toad-looking man.
"Have a nice day, Inuyasha!" Rin called, beaming him a smile.
He rolled his eyes and threw her a wave.
While Jaken grumbled incoherently on their way to the elevator, Inuyasha lazily peered around the elegant hallway. The walls sported royal purple and scattered lamps sent a soft glow about the room.
"Your office is on the forty-ninth floor," Jaken mumbled as they reached the elevator's sleek metallic doors. He pressed the button to call the car.
"Forty-ninth floor?" Inuyasha retaliated in a loud voice. "Why the hell am I up so high?"
"Have manners, you ungrateful dog," Jaken snapped back, tightening his hand around a rather large walking stick. "You're lucky Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Sesshomaru are allowing you into the business!"
"Keh, as if I should be thankful," Inuyasha growled as the doors opened and they stepped into the car. "It's not like I want to be here anyways."
"This is a fine company to be a part of," the small man lectured, folding his arms across his chest. "Your father is a renowned business man, who has changed the world of weapons engineering as we know it. If it wasn't for his intellect and fine business skills, you would still be eating Ramen in front of a box-sized television, and the world would be in a barbaric state."
The car continued to rise as a yelp sounded through the compartment. "Shut your trap, will ya?" Inuyasha demanded, holding up a clenched fist in a threatening manner.
Jaken rubbed the sore spot on his head from Inuyasha's punch, before turning around to glare at him. "You should know that I am Sesshomaru's personal assistant. He will not tolerate unruly behavior, even on your behalf! If only your mother had taught you correct mannerism—"
His insult was cut off as Inuyasha wrapped his fist around the hem of Jaken's shirt and slammed him into the wall. "Don't talk about my mother," he growled, his glare intensifying ten-fold. "I don't want to hear another fucking word out of your damn mouth, you got that?"
Jaken's bug eyes widened even further as he wrapped his small hands around Inuyasha's wrist, trying in vain to pull the man off of him.
The elevator bell dinged as they reached their floor and Jaken was prominently dropped to the ground, sputtering to regain breath. "Your father will hear of this!" he threatened as the elevator doors shut between him and Inuyasha.
Breathing an exasperated sigh, the young business man reveled in the silent hallway as he walked toward his room. It was just like his father to associate business with pleasure, creating a make-shift home within the towering skyscraper. Inuyasha was thankful he made secret arraignments on an apartment building not far from work, where he could escape to if his brother became too overwhelming. However, because he had yet to inherit his portion of the company, and his father still held him under watchful eyes, Inuyasha was forced to spend most of his time in his office on the higher floor reserved for important guest.
He blamed his brother for this predicament. Even if Sesshomaru had saved his ass, Inuyasha was sure to suffer for years to come.
Shaking his head to clear the annoying thoughts, he slid the card through the key holder and let himself in.
The room was everything he expected it to be. From the plasma screen television to the king-size sofa, Inuyasha wasn't even fazed. His father and half-brother were all about image, even when it came to their personal working facilities out of view of the public eye. They had to have the best of the best, one thing that Inuyasha was grateful for.
He didn't bother looking throughout his new, spacious office, or waiting for Hojo to bring up the remainder of his luggage. Inuyasha simply threw his duffel bag on his large, wooden desk, grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-refrigerator, and turned to leave. There were more important things to attend to, leaving no time for jet-lag.
It had been seven years since he had stepped foot near his childhood home. He wasn't about to waste even a moment before reconciling with his old friends. Besides, there was a certain raven-haired girl he was dying to see again.
x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x
Inuyasha drove to the outskirts of the city. Trees lined the street as skyscrapers faded into small businesses and houses. The wind whipped through his hair as his eyes scanned the scenery, watching as people walked their dogs and children played in their driveways. Familiar places sped past, bringing forth buried memories: The park he used to play hide-and-seek at, the grocery store he was almost banned from because of a mishap as a kid, and the tree he crashed his bike into during the fourth grade. He smiled, already feeling the tempest within him calm as he pressed down on the accelerator, eager to reach his destination.
Turning a final corner, he slowed to a crawl until stopping in front of a large staircase leading up to a shrine. It had changed since he last seen it. The steps were crumbling with disrepair and vines covered the red Torii arch framing the top.
He frowned at the state of the place as he stepped out of his car, glancing over the dying vegetation and broken pieces. Slowly and with great caution, he made his way up the large staircase and into the courtyard beyond. What he saw caused his heart to skip a beat.
Much had changed since he had last set eyes on the Sunset Shrine. The luscious green lawn had become barren and trees withered under the relentless sun. A few dead leaves blew across the pavement as the wind howled softly around him, leaving a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
When Inuyasha turned his gaze to the house, it was in worse shape than the surrounding property. Boards covered up the windows and door, and black burns marred the russet exterior. It appeared as if something dreadful had happened, leaving the old shrine abandoned and decayed.
A lump stuck in his throat as Inuyasha tried to process what it all meant. The home in which Kagome grew up in was in horrible condition, leaving him to believe her life had been in danger. His thoughts flickered to the worst case scenario, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest.
"Can't think like that," he mumbled aloud, listening to the shakiness of his voice. With a determined expression, he swiftly patrolled the grounds, looking for clues or evidence of hope that his best friend was unharmed.
He peered through one of the windows and narrowed his eyes to get a better view of the dark interior. Dust covered the glass, obscuring his view, but there wasn't much to see anyways. There was very little furniture remaining and broken glass littered the charred floor.
After a good twenty minutes, Inuyasha found the rest of the shrine to be in a similar state. The only building that was still intact was the old well-house, strangely unharmed by whatever caused such destruction.
Frustrated, the young business man quickly made his way down the long flight of steps and back into his car, immediately having another destination in mind. Since there was no trace of Kagome, or her new whereabouts, there were only two people he could think of who would give him some answers.
His eyes fervently scanned the numbers on the houses as he entered a quaint neighborhood, reaching into the recesses of his mind for the four digits he needed. He finally pulled alongside a brick house and turned the car off. Unlike the shrine, this property still bloomed with life. A skateboard had been forgotten in the grass and a light shone from the open kitchen window. Slamming the car door shut, he began trudging up the driveway.
"Hurry your ass up, Miroku, or we're going to be late!" a woman called as she walked down the driveway beside a 2002 silver Mirage. A duffel bag was slung over her left shoulder as she fiddled with a ring of keys with her right hand. She was slender and slightly muscular, a figure only a fighter would have. Her brown hair was pulled up into a pony-tail, and Inuyasha could never mistake the chestnut eyes that locked with his.
"Hey," he greeted with a bemused smirk, watching her eyes widen with disbelief. She gaped at him with utter surprise, and her keys fell to the pavement with a soft clink.
"Sango, do you not understand how heavy your gear is?" A man with dark hair pulled back into a short pony-tail rounded the backside of the car. "I don't know why you insist on bringing weights in the … first place"
His voice trailed off as he took in the sight of the silver-haired man, his surprised expression mirroring the woman beside him.
Inuyasha furrowed his brows in annoyance as his two childhood friends simply stared at him. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," he growled, crossing his arms.
Sango shook out of her stupor. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized, the shock never leaving her face. "I'm just—"
"Inuyasha," Miroku murmured with a grin. "What a surprise."
He rolled his eyes. "Some greeting," he scoffed. "Thought you'd be happy to see me."
The brunette blinked. "Inuyasha, you're in Tokyo," she whispered, disbelief flitting through her eyes.
"No shit," he grumbled. "Thanks for stating the obvious."
Miroku heaved Sango's bags into the trunk of her car before turning back to his old friend. "I believe what Sango is trying to say is that we held doubt you would return."
He glared at the pair. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sango quickly wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her nose into his chest to inhale the scent he still carried even after all those years apart. The show of affection coming from the girl unnerved Inuyasha. The only other time she had hugged him had been the day he left for the States.
She pulled away from him after a brief moment and looked up into his eyes with a small smile. "You don't know how happy I am to see you." A blush dusted across Inuyasha's nose as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
Miroku, acutely aware of the pressing time, quickly looked at his watch. "I'd hate to break up this reunion so soon, but Sango, if we don't leave now, you'll be late."
"Oh!" she exclaimed, remembering what they were doing moments earlier. She threw her last bag into the trunk and closed the lid before throwing the keys to Miroku. "I have a Judo tournament today," she explained. "Did you want to come?"
Inuyasha gave a half-shrug. He didn't have anything else to do. "Sure, why not."
"Excellent," Miroku piped up before starting the car. "I'm afraid, though, that you will have to follow us there. There is not enough room in Sango's car to fit a third person thanks to all of her equipment."
"We'll see you there, then?" Sango asked, hope in her eyes.
"Yeah," Inuyasha affirmed as he meandered down the driveway to his car. He turned to call back over his shoulder. "You know, I remember you when you were a kid. It'll be fun to see you kick someone else's ass besides Miroku!"
With this, Miroku pouted and mumbled a few words to Sango, who only turned a bright red, before they quickly climbed in the car. Inuyasha waited patiently until they shifted into gear and followed them to this so-called tournament. He felt excitement run through his veins as he thought of everything the three would talk about.
He was especially eager to gather more information on Kagome's whereabouts.
x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x
Nippon Budokan was a high imposing octagonal structure in the center of Tokyo. The sunlight gleamed off the golden exterior as a red sign overhead determined what entertainment was available that night. People crowded the parking lot as they ventured into the large building, and a low-hum of chatter caused electricity in the air.
Inuyasha followed Miroku and Sango into the grand venue, paying close attention as to not get lost. During childhood he had only heard of the place. His family was much too involved in the business to be concerned with entertainment such as martial arts, leaving Inuyasha feeling a little deprived.
Miroku dragged his friends into a clearing before whirling around to face them. "All right, my dear Sango," he called over the murmur of others. "This is where we part, but I promise it will not be long."
The brunette rolled her eyes. "Give the theatrics a rest, will you Miroku?"
He smiled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Good luck," he said with a wink. "I'll see you in the victory circle."
Sango released a growl of frustration before stomping off to the changing room in order to prepare herself in her Judo Gi.
Miroku led Inuyasha through the mass of people and up the grandstands, before finding two seats near the front. The business man took his seat and allowed his eyes to roam the large room.
"So, what's the deal with all this?" Inuyasha asked, waving his hand over the fighting arena set up in the middle. Four red squares were taped off, one in each corner, depicting the fighting rings for the evening.
Miroku shrugged. "You know that Sango has always loved to fight since she was young."
"Yeah, but I thought she was into kick-boxing," Inuyasha mused, watching as more people filled the stadium. Men in black Judo Gi's were talking in a small group.
"She changed her pace," his dark-haired friend replied with a bemused smile.
A few moments passed in silence as the two watched the activity around them. Confusion flitted through Inuyasha's eyes until he finally turned toward Miroku. "What's the point?"
Miroku blinked at his question. "Do you not know of the rules, Inuyasha?"
He scowled. "I've been on the other side of the world for seven years. What the hell do you think?"
"Temperamental as always," he mused with a grin. "The rules of Judo are simple. Two opponents face off in one of the rings down there." He pointed toward the red boxes Inuyasha had noticed when they first arrived. "The first one to down their opponent and gain a point is the winner."
"That's it?" Inuyasha asked. "Everyone comes to watch two people fight?"
Miroku shook his head. "No, there is no actual fighting involved. It's more of well-placed kicks and choke-holds that bring victory. One could be given a warning if any real harm is done."
The silver-haired man crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "How long do these things usually last?"
"Depends," his friend replied as his violet eyes searched the crowd of white-clothed men and women as they exited the changing room. A sudden hush fell over the crowd as everyone finished finding their seats. "The last one Sango competed in lasted four hours."
Inuyasha gawked. "Four hours?" He ignored the warning look Miroku shot him as an order to be quiet. "We're going to be here that long?"
"Keep it down, Yash. The tournament is starting."
Amber eyes turned begrudgingly to the large playing field below, folding his arms tighter across his chest. He didn't have time to wait four hours before figuring out what happened to Kagome. He wanted information about her now! Damn it all …
All the fighters dressed in white stood in four rows, facing away from Inuyasha and Miroku's side of the audience. A few guys in black addressed them and rambled on about the rules and proceedings. Inuyasha didn't really pay attention, instead focusing his mind on Kagome. It probably wasn't in his best interest, as every scenario he thought up was worse than the last. He tapped his fingers against his arm impatiently.
"Sango will be fighter number thirty-three," Miroku mumbled beside him. "Which means she won't be up until round nine. That would be her first match."
"We have to wait that long until we get to see her fight?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Four hours my ass! I ain't waitin' that long.
"Afraid so," Miroku replied. "We might as well sit back and enjoy watching the other fighters."
Inuyasha sighed and followed Miroku's example, but it wasn't long until he took a new turn in the conversation.
"So, what have you guys been up to since I left?" he questioned, eyeing his friend.
Miroku had grown into a handsome young man. His violet eyes had darkened a shade and his midnight black hair was pulled back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. His chiseled chin and muscular features could make any girl swoon, but Inuyasha had a sneaking suspicion that Miroku loved the ladies more than they loved him.
"At the moment, everyone is applying for colleges. There is only two more months left before senior year begins, and we'd hate to fall behind." He smiled. "I don't plan on working with Mushin for the rest of my life."
Inuyasha quirked a brow. "Oh yeah, how is the old drunkard?"
"Still old and still a drunk," Miroku replied with a chuckle. "However, he is a good man and has raised me well."
"Except for the lecher part," Inuyasha grumbled.
"I am thankful for all of his teachings," his friend defended the old man with a twinkle in his eye. "They were handed down through the generations beginning from one of my ancestors in the feudal era."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Spare me the history lesson."
"Which reminds me, how was your time in the United States?" The dark-haired man turned in his seat to smile at Inuyasha, eagerness written plainly in his eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said simply, resting his chin on his hand.
Miroku appeared surprised. "Well, then may I ask why you've returned?"
He shrugged. "My father and Sesshomaru are trying to teach me the lessons of 'business etiquette'," he sneered, failing horribly at mimicking Sesshomaru's tone. "So Sesshomaru dragged me here to start teaching me how to run this branch of the company. According to my father, it'll be mine once I'm of age."
His friend whistled. "That's quite a responsibility at such a young age, don't you think?"
"Doesn't matter. I don't plan on taking over the company anyways."
"But if it's your father's will, isn't it in your best interest to follow?" Miroku asked with furrowed brows.
"Keh, as if!" Inuyasha scowled. "I barely know the old man. He's never around."
"What about your mother? Does she approve of the way your father is forcing you into the business?"
Inuyasha's eyes darkened and he withdrew from the conversation. He turned his gaze away from his friend and slumped his shoulders with defeat. "Mom's not around to do anything about it," he mumbled, anguish covering his tone.
Before Miroku could question Inuyasha further on the matter, Sango's name was called as she stepped up to the red box in the lower right hand corner. "There she is!" Miroku exclaimed, pointing her out to his down-hearted friend.
Sango walked out toward her designated fighting arena, her face set in a determined expression, as she eyed her opponent warily. It was a young man a little older than her, with dark-brown hair and emerald green eyes. They bowed respectfully low at the waist and then the referee (who Inuyasha dubbed the men in black) called for the match to begin.
Inuyasha blinked and suddenly the fight was over with Sango pinning the poor man to the ground as he tapped the mat urgently to give up. The brunette smirked in victory as the two made their way to their separate sides.
"What just happened?" Inuyasha asked dumbfounded.
"Sango just scored a waza-ari," Miroku pointed out. When Inuyasha only looked at him with a blank expression, he elaborated. "It means she received half a point."
"Why? She totally had the guy on the ground!" Inuyasha growled, clenching his hands into fists.
Miroku sighed. "Because, Inuyasha, she did not have a sufficient enough hold on him to gain an entire point. Weren't you listening when they spoke about the rules?"
Inuyasha glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eyes before staying silent, returning his gaze to Sango's match. Miroku only rolled his eyes with a smile.
Sango managed to win the match and advanced to the next round. In between her victory and second match, Miroku explained to Inuyasha the detailed rules of the sport. Although the business man nodded his head and asked questions, he only managed to understand the basic principles.
Before long, the brunette was up to fight again. This time her opponent was a fiery teen her own age with oddly colored red hair. In mere seconds, Sango had won her second match. The pattern continued for some time, until she reached the top ten. Then the opponents became more difficult to handle, and the matches were drawn out for longer periods of time.
Hours later, the victor was given a trophy to honor his win and everyone in the stands stood up to leave.
"That last guy pissed me off!" Inuyasha complained as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans while following Miroku down the steps. "He had to have cheated!"
"Now, now, Inuyasha," Miroku chided with a hint of a smile. "There is no reason to be a sore loser about the ordeal. We must all face loss some point in our lives."
"But Sango kicked everyone else's ass!" he exclaimed, causing his friend to chuckle.
Miroku led him out into the parking lot, where Sango met them minutes later once the crowd began to disperse. She was covered in sweat but had a smile on her face. "Hey, guys," she greeted, taking a sip from her water bottle.
"Congratulations, Sango." Miroku smiled as he took her duffel bag of clothing from her. "You were excellent and in fine fighting stance."
She narrowed her eyes at him warningly, but did not dismiss her playful smile. "Yeah, I'm pretty proud of fifth place. It's two up from last year."
Inuyasha grumbled incoherently as he watched the exchange between his friends. It was almost dark out, as the sun was just disappearing behind the tall skyscrapers surrounding them. People pushed passed them on their way out of the parking lot, eager to return home to celebrate their victories or drown their losses with sake.
They made their way to Sango's car and Miroku put her gear in the back seat. "You ready?" he asked her, opening the passenger door.
"Yeah, but I'd like to go home and change first." The fighter moved to slide into the car when a thought struck her. She turned hesitant eyes to Inuyasha. "Hey, Yash, what are your plans for the evening?"
"Keh," he scoffed. "Nothin'. Sesshomaru doesn't want me to start work until tomorrow."
Sango glanced at him questioningly. "Well, there's a party tonight in Shibuya. Miroku and I were going to head over there in about an hour. Did you want to come?" She waited patiently for his response, but the eagerness in her eyes shined through the approaching darkness.
He shrugged. "I guess. Not much else to do." As long as he was back in his office by tomorrow morning for Rin's wake-up call, there wasn't anything to worry about.
"Here's the address," Miroku said, recovering a piece of paper from the front seat and scribbling a few directions on it before handing it to him. "Just let them know we sent you."
Inuyasha nodded as his friends waved goodbye and sped off in their car, leaving him standing alone in the parking lot.
It wasn't that he didn't enjoy seeing his friends again, for he did, but an unknown feeling twisted in his gut. They were just like he remembered them. Miroku still had his flirtatious ways and Sango was still as strong-willed as ever. At the same time, though, he felt a bit disconnected, as if he was an outsider looking in on another person's life. It didn't feel right, and he cursed his father once again for making them move all those years ago.
Nevertheless, he stuffed the directions to the party in his pocket as he jumped in his car. Even though he didn't have the chance to inquire about Kagome at Sango's tournament, he would be damned if he didn't force it out of them by the end of the night.