Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I am borrowing him for a while..

Author's Note: Sheesh. Talk about being swept of the face of the earth for a while. *grunts* Sorry for not updating sooner, everyone, I've had a few problems to deal with over the last two months, and haven't had time to write. But now that everything's taken care of, I can hopefully pick up where I left off. Hopefully..

And once again, I'm suprised! Beyond shocked, actually--just short of having a heart attack. ^_^ *grins* The positive comments so far are very helpful and I am *very* greatful to the people who have reviewed so far! I didn't think my idea would be so accepted, but by no means am I complaining! Your reviews have encouraged me, and I hope I can return the favor by continuing to write future chapters! Once again, a big thanks to everyone.

Now, you may have read it in the reviews, and you may have not, but for those of you who read XLimpBizkitFrEaKX's review, here is the answer to her question. ^_^ You didn't imagine it. My story was here during the summer, but I forgot about it, and let it sit, unattended. Hence, it's re-appearance. I deleted it from FF.net so I could work on it, developing the story and/or fixing several mistakes in the opening chapter (though I know I still missed a few). So yes, this story was previously posted at FF.net just under a different name, and with way too many spelling errors. But I assure you, this is my first Inu Yasha story, and will be continued as such.

..And yes, for those who asked, this is a hanyou story. ^_^ I know I've mentioned both a human and demon Inuyasha (i.e the photograph, and office scene), but don't worry. You'll find out why soon enough..

Scandalous

Chapter Three

***

"THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!" She screamed furiously throughout the place, causing dust to fall from the rafters of the building.

In that instant, a whole multitude of necks snapped to the right as the entire office, steeled in an unnaturally eerie silence, watched in horrified bewilderment as Kagome took godzilla-like steps down the hall.

Oh, she was beyond mad.

In fact, she was well beyond anything and everything that even slightly consisted of rage..

Truly, Kagome was not in the mood to be trifled with.

...And with good reason.

Just that very morning, she had learned one small, but very unsettling piece of information, concerning Inuyasha that she wished she hadn't learned.

He was a chauvinistic pig..

Now, it could have been due to the fact that Kagome had acquired a certain fondness for the photograph she had received from Naraku. It could have been due to the fact that, maybe, while she had acquired this "fondness", Kagome had also acquired certain expectations as to what she thought this "Inuyasha" would be like...

But whatever the case, upon hearing that the man in the photograph--the man who, Kagome was convinced, just couldn't possibly be anything other than perfect--was sexist on just about every issue concerning women, she just couldn't handle it.

Her first real assignment in years, and it had to be about some slave-driving woman hater.

No wonder she was mad...

Dismissing the strange looks she was receiving from her fellow co-workers, Kagome took off toward's Naraku's office. With her tan workbag slung stiffly over her shoulder, and with the deceptive photograph of Inuyasha crushed tightly in her fist, Kagome approached the office of her superior, reaching for the doorhandle as she did so.

But she caught nothing but air as the door itself swung open of its own accord and revealed a very tall, dark, and stoic individual.

He stood in the doorframe for a brief moment, his cold, amber eyes locking with Kagome's for no more than a split second, before he pushed past her in the hall, his long mane of silvery-white trailing after him.

As he left, Kagome watched him with a neutral expression as he seemed to float away on an air of self-importance. Raising an eyebrow at the rude stranger's back, she caught one last glimpse of his ravishing silver locks before he turned a corner and dissappeared out of sight.

Now, what was that about?

Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, Kagome tightened her grip around the photograph and waltzed through the open office door.

* * * * * * * * *


"Tell me why we're doing this again?" Inuyasha said lazily to a woman holding a clipboard as he sat, reclined, in his big, corporate office chair.

The woman stood in front of his desk, long hair cascading down her back in raven sheets, as she fixed him with a cool, stony glare, her chocolate eyes bearing down into his reproachfully as he said the words.

Honestly, this had to be the twentieth time he'd asked her in the last ten minutes.

"Because you fired half of the staff yesterday, Inuyasha," the woman's tone was cool and calm, like that of a mother striving to keep her patience.

"So?" He fired back carelessly.

"So," the woman stressed,"You can't just run a newspaper company without people to write what will be printed on the pages, Inuyasha. That's why we're scheduling a series of interviews to hire a new set of employees."

A grunt issued from Inuyasha's mouth as he swiveled around in the black leather chair he currently occupied,"Well, you're my secretary, Kikyo! You handle it." He whined, not at all happy with the idea of being saddled up for an hour or so with complete strangers who dared to tell him they were good enough to work in his office.

The wooden clipboard in Kikyo's hand began to groan and crack as she gripped it hard in agitation,"As much as I would love to take care of all your problems, Inuyasha," sarcasm dripped from her words,"there is only who person who can employ the individuals we interview."

Time passed in a slow, silent manner as Kikyo crossed her arms at the wrists, waiting patiently for Inuyasha's response.

"..Who?" Oh, he was a smart one.

"You, Inuyasha!" Kikyo seemed to flush in the face, obviously overwhelmed with her employers sudden stupidity.

Inuyasha's mouth formed an 'o' in response, as his eyes seemed to glaze over at the new bit of information.

"As stated in the contract of this company, the only person who is allowed to interview and hire the applicants of Shikon Weekly is the president." Kikyo stated matter of factly, picking at pieces of microscopic dust that seemed to litter the top of her clipboard.

"..and his secretary." Inuyasha, in turn, said, throwing a large stack of parchment upon the top of his desk.

The contract itself.

"What?" His secretary rushed to his side, pulling out a pair of stylish reading glasses as she did so.

"As stated in the contract of this company," Inuyasha claimed, recalling the very words Kikyo had used earlier,"the only person who is allowed to interview and hire the applicants of Shikon Weekly is the president..and his secretary." He stated, a grin of malevolence plastered upon his face.

Kikyo's eyes narrowed,"Let me see that!" She demanded, stealing away the entire contract and holding it close to her face.

Inuyasha seemed to practically fumble in his chair, the grin of pure evil wiped clear off his face, only to be replaced with a look of absolute horror.

"If, in the event of a series of dismissals, the president is to conduct an interview, all respectable persons are to recollect a staff of employees. Thus, the solitary responsibility of this task is that of the president, and..his secretary?" Kikyo's eyes seemed to cross momentarily as she squinted at the markings on the page.

It appeared that a certain hanyou had taken it upon himself to change the words "and the president alone" to "and the president's secretary". Judging by the sloppy, bright red scrawl, this change had taken place just moments before. The scent of the marker still hung lightly in the air.

But Inuyasha played it cool, acting as if nothing was wrong with the bulk of weighty papers Kikyo held in her hands.

He rocked back and forth in his chair, fiddling with his suspiciously red fingers as he did so, and dared Kikyo to say anything about it.

Which she would.

"You changed the contract, didn't you, Inuyasha." Kikyo shot him a deadpan look.

"Possibly," Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and spoke with a serious tone,"But what are you going to do about it?" Nothing, he hoped.

"Nothing," Kikyo shrugged her shoulders carelessly and Inuyasha visibly relaxed,"that is..if you give me a raise." She finished cleverly, placing the mutilated contract back atop the spoiled president's desk.

Inuyasha's mouth fell open in shock and disbelief.

She was blackmailing him?!

One of his own workers?!

He'd just have to fix that.

"I can fire you, how about that?" Inuyasha replied smartly with a smirky grin.

Kikyo seemed unfazed at this obvious threat to her job,"I guess you could," She paused for a minute, taking off her glasses and placing them back into her pocket,"but then you'd have to do all those boring interviews by yourself, and that fantastic rewrite you did in the contract would be all for nothing."

Inuyasha's teeth grit together,"I'll give you the raise, if you help with the interviews. All interviews, and I don't want to have to do all the talking."

He glared at her,"Ok?"

"Ok." Kikyo grinned in spite of herself.

Who said it wasn't an easy job to manipulate the Shikon Weekly president?

* * * * * * * * *


When she entered his office, Kagome was outraged, livid--completely overtaken by emotional rage. But now, as she sat across from Naraku in the chair that she had sat in one too many times before, Kagome was apalled, shocked,..and unable to breath.

She hadn't been in his office for more than ten minute and already she'd lost her nerve.

But you really couldn't blame the girl. Naraku wasn't exactly someone you could sit down and have tea with..

"You seem anxious to tell me something, Miss Higurashi?" He said elusively, eyes glued to the item clutched tightly in her fist.

Kagome strived to calm down. Anxious wasn't the word for it. In fact, anxious would be a relatively sugar-coated version of how she felt about this conversation they were having.

"Um..you could say that," She fixed her gaze on all parts of the room--pictures, plants, carpet designs and window blinds--but never on Naraku,"You see, it's about this..Inuyasha person." Kagome bore holes into her lap as she waited for a response.

But for a while nothing came.

Though Kagome couldn't see it, Naraku's eyes seemed to widen with the mention of that name..

But in the fraction of a second they were back to normal. Calm. Cold. Full of mystery and deceit.

"Inuyasha, you say?" Confusion littered his voice,"And who might that be?" He asked..although he already knew..

Kagome's eyes snapped up to meet his as she fixed him with a bewildered gaze.

..What?

"I'm guessing he's the person in this photograph?" She told him realistically, eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

How could he not know who it was? After all, he was the one who had given her the photograph..

Shaking her head to focus her thoughts, and releasing the picture from her death grip, Kagome handed it to him. "See, the name 'Inuyasha' is written in black ink along the thick, white border."

For a moment, the only audible sound was the ticking of the clock.

"So it is." Naraku lamented dryly, after studying the picture for a moment.

Then he did something Kagome would never exspect.

He smiled.

His teeth even showed!

"Looks like you off to a good start, Higurashi." Naraku said earnestly, offering her his first encouraging words.

For a moment, all Kagome could do was blink, and gape at him like a fish out of water.

This had to be a phenomenon of some sort.

Not only did he actually make the effort to look happy about her discovery, but he was praising her too?!

"Your a good writer, Miss Higurashi.."

Kagome allowed herself to smile in return and accept the compliment,"Thank you, sir."

Naraku waved his hand and told her, quite stifly, to think nothing of it.

Tucking a loose strand of raven hair behind her ear, Kagome pressed on with the conversation,"I've also learned a few others bits of information as well."

Naraku was quick to latch onto that last bit without hesitation,"Oh?"

Even though it was just the two of them, Kagome and Naraku both leaned in as if they were whispering in a crowded room,"He seems to be a bit on the sexist side," Employee whispered to employer in a conspiratorial way,"and not only that, but he fired half of his staff yesterday because of it!"

Naraku leaned back and chuckled in his seat.

Oh, this was priceless.

At the rate they were going, he'd have his way in no time.

And after that..

Clearing his throat, Naraku pulled back one of the large, mahogany drawers of his desk and produced a small ordinary, spiral notebook. He dusted the top of it off with his hands and held it out to Kagome.

"Take this," He said, and Kagome did,"and write down everything you learn. Every fact you find, every conversation you hear, everything and anything about Inuyasha will go into that notebook until you feel like you have collected enough information to write the greatest expose of the century."

Goosebumps ran up and down Kagome's arms as she gripped the binder tighter in her hands.

The greatest expose of the century..

"I will, sir." She breathed, the thought of writing something so great still weighing down heavily on her mind.

"Good." Naraku said flatly, and the glittery look to Kagome's eyes were immediantly gone,"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." He informed, spinning around to face the window.

Realizing that the conversation was over, Kagome gathered her belongings and headed for the door, remembering all but one thing..

The photograph.

After waiting several minutes for Kagome to fully leave, Naraku erupted in a fitful rage that no one but himself could see. He swirled back around and grabbed the crumpled Inuyasha photograph with such a vengence that papers, pens, and pencils alike all blew off his desk.

Never again would he make such a stupid and careless mistake..

In the next instant, the picture in his hand ignited, burning violently inside his palm until there was nothing left but ash..

* * * * * * * * *


Author's Chapter Notes: Finally! Though it took me way too long to get this chapter up (mainly because I had some serious family/school issues to deal with), I hope you all enjoyed it. Felt like doing something a little different, rather than starting off with that introductory theme I did in the past. ^_~ Didn't want to seem to predictable, you see, but they will (most likely) be used again in future chapters. Anyway, chapter four should be out shortly. Until then! Please, review and enjoy! ^_^

~Coming soon: Chapter Four

*Aerial