Chapter 11: Jinenji

Ring. Ring. Ring. Who calls this early? Of course. "It's too early Sessh."

"I have a job for you."

He scoffed, "what? More pickups and deliveries?" He wasn't interested. Not at this hour.

"I have a job for the crimson vigilante." That made him sit up. Sesshomaru never called him by that name before, even when he was doing jobs for him. It was always just the stupid name the human media gave him.

"Yah? What's that?"

"We intercepted intel that one of our hanyou employees will be targeted for murder today by one of our shady competitors. Given that he will be human-sealed and is not powerful in youkai form regardless, even a human threat could kill him. So, police involvement or the crimson vigilante?"

"Not both? Just in case?" he questioned.

"Unwise."

He sighed, "I'll do it."

"I'll send you the details." And he hung up.

Guess I'm missing class today.

x

xx

xx

x

"Welcome to Taisho Pharmaceutical West Branch, how may I help you?" greeted the woman at the front desk.

"I'm Inuyasha Taisho, my brother sent me."

The woman looked confused, "I'm sorry, I haven't -"

"He's with me!" called out a masculine voice from a side door. A burly man with blue eyes and long black hair pulled into a high ponytail appeared wearing a suit and tie. He had a friendly smile, "the big man sent him for a security review."

The woman looked relieved, likely due to not needing to start some kind of argument with an unwanted visitor. Someone always came in wanting to speak with some manager about some idea, especially when they were denied appointments. And although everyone knew an Inuyasha Taisho existed, he wasn't yet involved enough in the company to be commonly recognized. Trying to make him wait to get his identity verified, well, if he was anything like Sesshomaru, would result in someone losing their job. "Ah, thank you Mr. -"

He interrupted, "Koga. How many times do I have to tell you to just call me Koga?"

"Right sir, sorry sir," she stuttered.

Koga just grabbed Inuyasha's arm and started leading him to an elevator, "C'mon Sir." Once inside the elevator Koga swiped his ID badge, entered a pin code, and put his hand on a fingerprint scanner. Youki! He released some youki into the scanner. Ain't this overkill? The elevator started to descend.

Inuyasha took a moment to look at him only to find he was now in his true form. "Hey, how'd you transform so fast? I didn't even see nothin'."

Suddenly the smile vanished and there was only a look of contempt, "Course you didn't see anything mutt! Some of us are too proud of our youkai heritage to hide them behind seals. We use simple illusions to hide our features. At least it's one use for my stupid human wedding ring." His face shifted back to a smile, though this one was smug, "course how could I expect a weak hanyou to be able to do something as simple as sense other youkai?" Like hell he was going to admit it was one of those things he was still getting used to!

"Buzz off wolf!" Even as a near human, in this proximity he could now pick out the wolf stench, "I just wasn't paying attention to whether you were a youkai. It ain't exactly a big shock that it feels like a bunch of youkai are working here. Sesshomaru just told me to go to the front desk and they'd take me to Jinenji."

"Not paying attention," he sneered. "That's a good way to get yourself killed. Not sure if you're arrogant, weak, ignorant, or a plain idiot. Probably all the above! You're yelling at me and you still haven't released your own seal, dumb mutt."

Inuyasha couldn't deny to himself that that was probably a little dumb, not that he'd admit it out loud. He almost wanted to refuse to transform just to smite the wolf but now even he could feel many rapidly approaching demonic energies in what must've been a deep underground section of the company branch made specifically for youkai. Sessh could've mentioned that. So he growled at the wolf and took out his 'kendo' sword and activated it before tying it around his waist just as the elevator beeped and the doors opened.

The wolf just scoffed at him, "great, a smelly mutt. What an insult to canines." Oh, I'm gonna punch him soon. The wolf started walking into the room, or specifically rooms. There has to be dozens of labs down here and maybe a couple hundred youkai! It was the largest gathering of youkai he'd seen apart from the Western Palace. But they walked past them all until they reached what had to be the largest room in the back. The smell was intense! There had to be a thousand plants back there. Although it could've been worse since at least the scent was natural and Inuyasha assumed there was some form of ventilation since the scent wasn't that thick. Inside the room were just a few staff, one of which was an absolutely giant man wearing an equally giant lab coat. He had large blue eyes, and was covered in scars. "Yo, Jinenji, mutt's here for you."

Inuyasha growled, "Stop calling me a mutt!"

Koga just rolled his eyes and ignored him, "Let us know if there are any problems, otherwise try not to die." He started walking away, back in the direction the two came.

Inuyasha just watched him, still growling, until a soft voice interrupted him, "Ignore him. It's ok."

"Ok? It is not ok! If I didn't have better things to do today I'd teach that wimpy wolf a lesson." Although truthfully I'd still like a few more weeks of lessons with Sesshomaru before I get in a full blown fight with a youkai. But I bet I could take that wolf, even now.

But Jinenji wasn't concerned, "he isn't that bad. When I was a student and worked in a different lab, one on the ground with less security, Koga had been doing an inspection. During it, someone came in to rob the place. Even if he looks down on hanyou, he did his job and protected everyone, even me." He paused, "that's more than most will."

That didn't sit well with Inuyasha and he contemplated, "For me, I haven't been a hanyou that long and haven't met many youkai. But, I've already had Koga and one other make comments like that. Sesshomaru recommended biding my time and once I prove myself stronger than them, well that's the only way to earn respect amongst youkai."

"Hmm, I don't fight. The lab is good," responded Jinenji.

"Keh! You don't stand up for yourself? You're a big guy!"

Inuyasha expected something of a weak-willed answer, but Jinenji just looked sad, "I fought once, when a flesh-eating youkai tried to eat my mother, but I felt bad after. It was just a mindless youkai trying to feed its young and I killed it. I prefer medicine like my father."

Actually, Inuyasha was a bit impressed. He'd always been one to fight back against bullies, but they were human, and usually the best weapon they had was a knife. But, a flesh-eating youkai? Their body was a weapon, it had to be to eat, and if one was old enough to have young, it had to be pretty big and tough. Sesshomaru had been training him to fight other youkai, and although Sesshomaru would never admit he was impressed, the lack of mockery and true insults told him enough that he lived up to the Inu no Taisho's bloodline. Plus, his father had insisted on him learning several forms of self defense when he was younger and 'human', so it was just adapting to the youkai strength and abilities that was really slowing him down. Jinenji though, if he wasn't a fighter, then he probably didn't have much training, but he rose to the occasion out of need and succeeded. He wasn't a warrior, but he wasn't weak. He smiled, "Ah don't worry about it Jinenji, that's what I'm here for today. Besides, I get it, my girlfriend is studying medicine at the University. She's plenty capable of throwing a punch when riled up, but she prefers patching someone up." She always supported him when he competed in tournaments back when he could compete fairly as a 'human', but he caught the occasional cringe from her when a blow hit hard. "Though, I get Sessh not going through the police, but if Koga is here in charge of security, what am I doing here?"

"I'd prefer to stay in this lab all day, but I need to present some of our crucial findings to the company contracting us. Koga was supposed to send someone with me, but then apparently someone is threatening to kill me? It isn't the first time, but for some reason the higher ups seem extra concerned. All I've been told is that Koga himself is going with me and they were sending someone else." He smiled, "I'm glad it's you."

Leave it to Sessh to not give anyone all the details. Well he did say a shady competitor so maybe they're looking to steal the research? "You said you're presenting your research, we talking samples, blueprints, formulas, that kind of thing?"

Jinenji nodded, "Yes, it's a rapid growth formula that can be used on agricultural crops or other plants without adverse side effects based on sap from a tree youkai, not that they know that. We're bringing a few vials of the formula and a treated aloe vera plant and onion seeds."

Inuyasha considered this, "that sounds tempting for theft." He sighed, "well I guess if Koga is supposed to go with you then my best bet is to follow at a distance. But, ugh, if we're actually going to be a sorta team on this I gotta know what he's planning." He looked somewhat pleadingly at Jinenji.

Jinenji shook his head, "it hasn't been discussed with me. I'm supposed to be in the lobby at 9 and he's supposed to get me there and back."

Inuyasha growled, frustrated, before walking back towards the elevator. Jinenji could vaguely hear a couple mutters from him along the lines of 'stupid, cocky, flea-infested wolf' and 'made me transform' and 'punch im'.

x

xx

xx

x

"Hey dumbass!" He had been forced to transform back so he couldn't follow the scent, but fortunately the lady at the front desk told him where the wolf went.

"Back so soon, mutt? What, too dangerous for ya?" And where he was, was lounging about in a meeting room like he was trying to sleep. He was in a chair with his back to the entrance so Inuyasha just walked in far enough to close the door behind him and stayed there. Maybe if he didn't see the wolf's face he'd get through this chat without punching him.

Inuyasha tried to ignore the taunting to get to the point, "you ever think that giving me a little detail might be useful rather than dropping me off like yesterday's garbage?"

"Hey, I like that analogy."

"Wolf," he growled very rough, his temper about to snap.

"What's there to tell mutt? We have a company car and a driver. I'll be in the car with the hanyou and we'll be on the lookout for suspicious activity, with one other guard up front with the driver. It's 'your company' and that's standard. You couldn't guess?"

"No it ain't obvious! How am I supposed to know if you changed the plans for the death threat, or at the very least give me a map of the damned route so I can follow!"

"Hmm, how's about this instead? Stay in this room all day and I'll handle everything. Like I need a mutt getting in the way."

Inuyasha really couldn't remember enough to give an accurate account of what happened next. He remembered kicking the back of the chair, sending the wolf flying, which was oddly strong for him being in 'human' form. The wolf recovered and he remembered him shouting some curse and approaching him fists raised, but the actual fight was a bit of a blur until he caught his breath and saw Koga lying on his back unconscious, bleeding a bit and struggling to breath. His ribs were definitely broken. Inuyasha was bruised and scratched, but definitely in better shape. The room was a disaster. I don't think this was supposed to happen. He was actually impressed with how thoroughly he won, he just wished he could remember it.

"Uh, Sessh?" he spoke into the phone a little hesitant, and unsure of what to do.

"What?"

"I think I clobbered your head of security. He's probably ok, for a youkai, but he's out like a log," he answered.

There was a pause, "you think?"

"I never released the seal on Tessaiga, but my hair is…greyish? Um, the fight's a blur."

Another pause, "That can happen with hanyou, father's blood is too strong. When your life is threatened or your emotions are at their peak, it can take control."

"What does that mean?"

Another pause. Ok this is creepy, Sesshomaru doesn't mince words, and he's never uncertain. "It means you are now in charge of getting Jinenji to his appointment alive."

"What?! Sessh! I -"

"For hanyou whose blood can not be so easily tamed, they must learn to control their own abilities. I believe you learn best in the moment?"

"But you're talking in the moment that someone could get killed." The silence confirmed that Sesshomaru knew that.

"You wished to be… a hero."

"But! This is Jinenji's life. I don't put people in unnecessary danger!"

"Go to Ginta and Hakkaku, they are Koga's seconds. Have one take Koga's place. Handle the rest." The phone connection ended.

Shit!

x

xx

xx

x

Father's seal on his blood has begun to weaken. It is too soon. The phone in Sesshomaru's hand gained a crack. You were a fool to wait so long father. His hot headed and brash nature has not calmed enough with age as you believed, it is who he is. His youkai only has a few years until it hits full maturity and although his physical training is going well, his youki control is abysmal thanks to his ignorance and inexperience. He can barely summon Sankon Tessou, let alone actually use it or any of his other or Tessaiga's abilities. Alone in his private office, he let a small sigh escape. Do not fail little brother. If you do not learn control fast enough, you have more to lose than you know.