A/N! To the reviewer who mentioned that he didn't believe Tsuma made money off writing-- he doesn't. He writes stories to ease his own mind, and has never attempted selling one, nor do I think it would be bought.

This Rose of Velvet

Chapter Nine: Fruition

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"Mr. Houshi?" His voice was hesitant, even to his own ears.

His teacher turned around from his seat on the couch to face him, a forgotten cup of tea in his hand. Beside him was a beautiful young woman in a crisp business suit.

Sesshoumaru stared back at them, obviously shocked. His father put a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. Shaking his father's hand off of his shoulder, he stepped down off the stairs elegantly and walked to the sitting area, sitting across from Miroku.

"Hello, Mr. Hazunuma," Miroku nodded, sipping from his tea delicately, obviously having no taste for it at the moment.

"Just Sesshoumaru out of school hours, please. Don't feel obligated to drink the tea."

"And I'll just be Miroku," the teacher nodded, setting down his tea. With his now-free hand he gestured beside him. "And this is the lawyer, Sango Miyuzaki."

"I had not… realized you'd be interested in Kagome's case," Sesshoumaru said carefully, his eyes slightly suspicious. 'What teacher would risk his job in such a manner?'

Miroku caught the suspicious glare in the young man's eyes, as did Sango. They exchanged glances, knowing what Sesshoumaru was thinking. Miroku leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I realize it's against social protocol to think of 'rescuing' a student from household abuse, but I am new to the career and therefore am able to commit a few political errors.

"Kagome needs help, and as a witness I believe I will be strong in the case," he finished blandly.

Sesshoumaru's nerves eased a bit. The man seemed honest enough. And his father had probably had quite a few background checks on the man and found him worth their time, so he must be legit. At least to a point. He nodded once at Miroku, the looked to Sango.

She took up her cue immediately and stood, bowing. "Miroku called me, hoping for my legal assistance in this manner. Of course, it would be to your discretion…?"

"Of course," InuTaisho intercepted smoothly, cutting off Sesshoumaru's response before it could even begin. Ignoring his son's heated look, he continued. "I have contacted some lawyers before meeting you, and none were interested on being on our side. Allies would be acceptable and not uncalled for."

Sesshoumaru realized that Sango Miyazaki had probably had several background checks performed on her as well, and forced himself to relax.

Sango nodded and sat down, her hands in her lap. She possessed a dangerous stillness that even the Inu youkai envied. Her eyes were piercing and strong, and Sesshoumaru felt pleased by her help and her presence. He felt that the intimidation factor would be greatly assisted by Sango.

"Now that the formalities have been properly attended to, let us talk seriously about this matter," Miroku said, and the others nodded in agreement, leaning towards each other in unison to discuss their plans.

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Frustration boiled in her stomach, causing her mental as well as physical unease. She tossed her head around on the pillow to make up for the fact that she couldn't toss her body. Her hair splayed about her like a pool of ink, dropping off the side of the bed. Kagome played with the idea that ink was covering the floor, spreading all over the hospital, black and sickly.

As she imagined it crawling up the walls to hang ominously over the patients, she drifted asleep…

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"She tried calling me?"

The elderly nurse nodded. What was her name? Kaede. "She did. Your number was unlisted, Mr. Hazunuma."

Of course it was. Had it not been, calls would be coming in night and day. Chances were Kagome wouldn't have been able to get through the screening process they had been forced to put up. "Sesshoumaru is trying to keep me from being beaten within an inch of my life" wasn't a reason the secretaries regularly heard, and they would cut the line immediately.

Finding him silent, the nurse bowed and turned to escort him to Kagome's room. It was after hours, and the nurse had only let him in once he had told her who he was. His family was influential enough, and that was usually enough to scare off the people that attempted to hold them back from what they wanted.

On the way over, he thought about the discussion they had had back in the Hazunuma sitting room.

"Don't you think it would be best to call this from a legal standpoint? Take her to court, the whole nine yards?" Sango suggested warily, not too familiar with the illegal side of things.

"Fori's gained a hefty position in the Mob, Sango," Miroku reminded her. "It would be easy for her to turn the jury, the judge, everyone. She has that power."

"The underground couldn't possibly have that much power!" Her voice was raised in shock and indignation. Having spent her life working to be on a legal force, the mere possibility that the Mob could so easily influence it made her feel small and helpless. It was a feeling she wasn't fond of.

Miroku forced his voice gentler, seeing Sango's blooming fear. "It is, Sango. But the Hazunuma family could have just enough counter-power to even out the score enough to make the legal transaction legitimate."

Sesshoumaru glanced at his father uneasily. Did he still have the power?

His father returned his look with one of his own, and a nod.

As Miroku and Sango argued, Sesshoumaru leaned closer to InuTaisho and whispered. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. After the full immersion I suffered today, I am fairly confident. There are many who still support me in the Mob, without Fori's knowledge. Also, she is a cruel and moody leader. Those not in her current favor have come to hate her, and will work with me to overthrow her. Those in her favor are exceptionally powerful themselves, so I shouldn't wonder if I couldn't convince them to turn on her for a chance of their own for the proverbial throne."

"And they will wind up destroying Fori and themselves," Sesshoumaru finished, a small smirk coming to his features. "You know, father, I don't think I would mind terribly being in the Mob. The politics would be enough to fascinate me for the remainder of my life."

At this he got such a stern look from InuTaisho that he almost laughed.

Miroku and Sango had finally settled their differences and were sitting moodily, pushing against the sides of the couch so as to stay away from each other.

'Children,' Sesshoumaru sighed mentally to himself. Then he got both of their attention by snapping his fingers. "Here is the course of action I suggest. Father will once again become part of the Mob -- only to serve our purposes, father," he added when InuTaisho started blustering. "And he will work behind the scenes in forming the Mob against Fori and her underlings. The underlings I will take care of myself."

"Absolutely not!" InuTaisho roared, frightening both the humans on the couch.

"Father, you will be busy as it is. I am interested in the Mob for personal reasons, and in Fori's downfall for more personal reasons. I believe I will be beneficial to this. Besides, I want to be in direct control of what happens."

"No, Sesshoumaru." There was no room for give in InuTaisho's tone, causing Sesshoumaru to bristle.

"Father, I will do this whether or not you give it your blessing, so you might as well accept it and cooperate with me."

"We will discuss it later."

They had discussed it later, and Sesshoumaru's stubbornness had won out in the end. Rather that subjecting his son to the Mob's emotional force by himself, he was forced to concede and allow him to become part of the operation.

They had hashed out with Miroku and Sango what they prepared to do with the Mob, and where the teacher and the lawyer themselves came in.

"As we are turning the tides in the underground, I want you to spread the information about Kagome as discreetly as possible. We want public sympathy with us when this goes to trial," Sesshoumaru ordered.  "Sango, I want as few lawyers as possible available to take their case. Can you do that?"

"I can."

"Good. If the best of these circumstances occur, Fori will be forced into hiding due to the Mob's betrayal, and will only resurface to come to trial. We will have tails on her should she decide to 'vanish,' which I've no doubt she will attempt. We will force her to trial."

"But if she doesn't show up, then we would win easily," Sango interjected, frowning.

"I do not want her out there in the world. She seems the type to be petty enough to seek revenge on Kagome in the future."

"Ah, right."

"Miroku, the public sympathy should be enough by then, and I want you to find students or teachers who can testify against her. If word of her loss of power goes around, even the principal would be willing to go against her in court. I will work on witnesses, too, when I have the time."

"What of Kagome's sister?"

This gave Sesshoumaru pause. He hadn't considered her sister. "She cannot be convicted because of her age… and would probably not be. The court may simply decide that she is just easily influenced and blame Fori. But I do not want her out there, either."

"Student Exchange Program," InuTaisho said gruffly.

Sesshoumaru looked at him with some confusion.

"Without Fori to protect her, we can 'urge' her father to 'allow' her to attend a Student Exchange Program to another country. Once she's there, we can have her father drop legal custody of her, switching it to a contact I have in the United States. This contact, Naraku, I have known for a long time, and he is an honest man and a good friend. He has a wife and two children, and a strict household. Kikyo would be forced to drop any habits she's formed here, as well as cease any shenanigans she's planning."

"Naraku would be willing to take her into his home?" Sesshoumaru asked doubtfully, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I've already called him with the information on the situation. He is reluctant to expose her to his children, but willing to help us out. If need be, he will force her legal guardianship onto someone else once this is over."

Sesshoumaru leaned into the back of his chair, smiling to himself. It was all coming together. In a few days, he would debut into the Mob, careful to avoid Fori. He would probably have to take on a simple disguise and a new name, which, in spite of the gravity of the situation, would be fun.

"Here you are, dear," the nurse said, interrupting his thoughts.

He nodded stiffly at her and entered the room quietly, so as not to wake Kagome. She was lying still, but her eyes were flickering madly beneath her eyelids. REM sleep, also known as dreaming.

He sat down beside her bed and touched her cheek softly. If she was indeed in REM, simple touches would not wake her. Her chest rose up and down as she breathed.

"So… you tried to call me," he whispered, contented.

I could stay awake just to hear you sleeping… Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away in dreaming…

Sighing, he put her hand in his and squeezed softly. Laying his head down on her bed, he held her hand close to his cheek, breathing on it softly.

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender… I could stay lost in this moment… forever. For every moment spent with you is a moment I'll treasure…

I don't want to close my eyes, I don't want to fall asleep. 'Cause I'll miss you baby, and I don't want to miss a thing.

Watching her sleep, he felt the first peace he'd felt since he was young, so young he could scarcely remember. It was while nestled in with his mother in bed, her soft hands holding him close.

'Cause even when I dream of you… the sweetest dream would never do. I'd still miss you baby, and I don't wanna miss a thing.

Lying close to you, hearing your heart beating…

'Kagome… I'll save you, I swear.'

 And I wonder what you're dreaming… wondering if it's me you're seeing. Then I kiss your eyes, and thank God we're together. I just want to stay with you, in this moment forever…

Forever and ever.

I don't want to close my eyes… I don't want to fall asleep. 'Cause I'd miss you baby, and I don't want to miss a thing. 'Cause even when I dream of you… the sweetest dream would never do! 'Cause I'd miss you baby, and I don't want to miss a thing…

'Kagome…!' Pulling her hand closer, her kissed her middle knuckle, unaware of the tear slipping down his cheek. Kagome stirred softly, her eyelids fluttering.

What was this sinking feeling? He felt like he was drowning. But in what, he couldn't say. His breath became short as he looked at her, and the desire to pull her close was overwhelming. This couldn't be mere friendship, this overprotective-ness, this urge.

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"Her eyes were soft, like cotton candy… How sweet they were, how lost and sad. The prince stepped forward to receive her tears. The princess gazed at him, and then she realized they were in love, the both of them…

She spoke but a syllable, and they came together in an embrace, forming the whole. It was so perfect the stars wept at the sight. Her long, flowing hair tangled in his hands as he held her close, so close but never close enough.

Far away, a pearl danced in the sky, then fell down upon them, enveloping them both before settling in her womb…"

Excerpt from "A Story," by Tsuma Higurashi.

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A/N: That's it for Chapter Nine! Since I'm cranking these out so fast, I'm going to go reward myself with a cookie. A PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE! falls off her cloud with peanut butter cookie in hand :D:D:D!

Hey Yuya… guess what.