Author's Notes:

Well, A new story. It seems I'm giving up on Mors Certa, Vita Incerta. I'm so relieved I finished this chapter of Youkai Mansion. It's been a long time coming. To my fan that wanted Shippo in one of my stories, I hope this will do. I'm tied so I won't say much. Hope y'all enjoy it.


Chapter one, You Got Mail

Eyes peered from the verdant tops of an elderly oaken tree as a white, gold gilded, limousine drove through a pair of rusty iron gates. The dirt track did not seem to mar any stretch of the limo. After traveling about sixty yards, the limo pulled up to the round-a-bout, stopping in front of a decapitated grey stone mansion. The water fountain at the center also shared the same feature as the mansion, blemished and timeworn. A monument of a samurai stood in the center, exhibiting signs of oxidation and crumbling.

The side window of the limo wound down. Sunlight reflected of the window panes of the eerie mansion, and into the limo. Out of the darkness gleamed hair so long, lush, and white that everything else paled in comparison. The gentlemen inside, lavishly dressed in what seemed to be a Japanese kimono, leaned forward and examined the grotesque structure staring at him. "Perfect." The gentlemen exclaimed. His deep voice sauntered, hinting that a plan had been set in motion. The darken windows rolled back up slowly. "Drive." The gentlemen commanded. The limo curved its way around the round-a-bout slowly and sped across the dirt track, exiting through the rusty iron gates.

Watching the limo pass by, a face popped out from the leaves of a great oak tree. As quickly as it peered out, it retreat back in. The leaves rustled as a creature leaped from the tree, landing perfectly balanced to the dirty track. It was a small, human-like creature, however having a furry tail of golden yellow. Its head was also graciously covered with a thick flow of gold fur. Its posture resembled that of a fox. The creature was very small – small enough to be but a child. The furry fox-like creature dazedly stared down the dirt track to where the limo exited. It suddenly snapped out of its daze and turned at the towering mansion. After a moment, it began to scurry frantically towards it.

The mansion, aged that it was, was well built even to this day. Its date of origin was timeless. It would be irrelevant to ask how old it was. All could be said was that it had survived for thousands of years, pass the times when demons roamed the earth, and sorcery and witchcraft existed in every waking moment. The material that the mansion could boast to stand upon was very peculiar. One could say it was marble – solid marble. Whatever marvel of marble it was, it was for certain that the material was mystifying. Its outer appearance could be decayed and in the state of extreme deterioration, and yet its inner composition remained strong and steady, untouched by time, nature and man. Not a block of wood or any inferior compound could be found built into the mansion's structure, except of course for the doors and windows. Whatever, or whoever built it, made sure to only use the rarest and strongest materials.

The young fox-boy entered the large edifice through a small opening at the corner of the grandiose stairways that preceded the large double oaken doors at the entrance. Through his little tunnel, he scurried straight pass miles of cobwebs, through one of many living rooms, and into an area of the maze-like mansion that could only be called the kitchen. All silverware remained intact. A sturdy long table had been set up in the center of the kitchen, literally untouched for millennia.

A light mist began to rise. All hoariness of the room slowly, and gradually faded as the mist rose higher, as if time was being rewound. The room echoed with phantasmic wailing. The mist seemed to have had a cleansing effect – diminishing all that was putrid. The fox-boy sat on his miniature blue trousers and watched anticipatively for the mist to complete its magical task. In a matter of moments, the mist completely filled the room from floor to ceiling, and just as the mist filled the room, a flash of blinding light took over. The fox-boy rubbed his eyes intently, and dared to open only one of his eyes as he snuck a peek of the newly revitalized room. At the table, an old lady sat peeling potatoes.

Getting up with much glee, the fox-boy jumped onto the table and began, "Did you see him? Did you see him! Our new master?!" The boy was filled with excitement and wonder and waited eagerly for the old lady to reply.

"Shippo! Calm down. Eat your lunch first now. Hurry up." The woman answered with a motherly tone. "Look, I've made you rice balls, and some chicken to mix in with. Eat well, so you can grow big and strong. These potatoes will be for later."

Shippo's eyes widened as he saw what was in front of him. His stomach growled, as he licked his tiny lips and canines. Immediately, he grabbed a rice ball and aimlessly sat down munching away. With his mouth running and chewing, he continued his blabber about the man in the white limousine. The old lady just listened quietly and admired the little thing utter words with his head buried deep in the half eaten rice ball.

"That man you saw," the old lady stated, "is very powerful. It's best you kept your distance my little Shippo."

The little fox merely just nodded and resumed his feast.


"You got mail," an electronically synthesized voice ranged. A head peer out from beneath many layers of lavishly furry blankets. The bed and its linen were all in array, as if a hurricane had swept through. A man was buried under the bedding, the blankets and piles of cushion pillows. The stench of alcohol engrossed the room. A heavy sigh was followed by a long, sonorous groan as the man's head collapsed once again into the pile of fabric.

Ten minutes later, the computer uttered, yet again, the same alert, "You got mail."

"Shut the fuck up! I know I got mail. What I don't got is sleep. SLEEP!" The man exploded from his bed.

There was a knock on the door. A woman's voice followed, "Inuyasha? Are you okay?" The door knob jiggled fiercely. The knocks on the door became more frequent and stronger. "Open this door now! I know you're drunk in there." The woman continued.

"Blaaaaaaaaah!" Inuyasha howled back.

The women retired from pounding on the door. She whispered to herself, "They just don't pay me enough, though the coverage is good... Ahh yes, the master key is downstairs." The woman quickly made her way down two flights of stairs. Her physique was small but fit. She made her way quickly down the stairs entering the office space. The house was a three story Venetian town house with a basement and two garages. "Found 'em," she reassured herself. "Here I come Inuyasha. You better be dressed!" She shouted.

"Bitch!" He exclaimed as he literally jumped out of bed, pushing aside the many layers of fabric about. He grabbed a pair of bright red MC Hammer-like pants and slipped them on. The woman's footsteps could be heard as they climbed the stairs. Just as she was about to unlock the door, it opened violently, nearly hitting her.

Her right hand rose swiftly and then furiously slapped Inuyasha across his left cheek. "The door almost squashed me, jerk! And put a shirt on please." She affirmed.

Inuyasha's face was still locked in the posture that the woman had left it in. His eyes were closed. He then suddenly moved his face closer to the woman with his great amber eyes wide open. He whispered to her softly, "Make me." He pulled away from her and smiled, but only for a moment. His face then dropped, giving him the expression of being dazed and well drunk. He then stumbled into the restroom which stood across the hall from his room.

The woman stood there just watching him sternly, feeling disrespected. "It's okay Kagome," she said to herself, "Just a job. Many other jobs worst that this." There was a pause as she pondered some more.

"Kagome!" a voice hollered from the restroom, "Clean the floor after I'm done. I missed..."

Steam rose from her ears, but she tried to calm herself. "It's like if I had children. Just like children. Just like...They," she heaved a heavy sigh, "just don't pay me enough."

"Make sure you get dressed, for civilization's sake." She instructed at the restroom. She was replied with an unholy sounding moan of Inuyasha barfing.

"That too." The bathroom said.

Almost making her way down the stairs feeling disgusted, she heard a synthetic voice saying, "You got mail." Curious as she was, she found her way to it in Inuyasha's bedroom. What a noxious smell, Kagome thought as she entered his room. The computer was left on since who knows when, now covered with bed linen and, worst of all, his underpants. Kagome just hummed to herself and focused on what sparked her interest. Accessing the computer, she noticed an e-mail which was sent only thirty minutes ago. The sender's name was in a text she had never seen. It didn't look like any language she had encountered before. Even more inquisitive now than before, she dared to open the letter. "I do everything for this jerk, so there's nothing private between us I haven't seen," She reasoned.

Dear Master Inuyasha,

It has been several years since the passing away of your father. I'm deeply sorry to remind you again of your sorrows. Although you may have collected all of what inheritance he has left you, there remains but one you still need to claim.

It is imperative that you make it to the address below in order to claim the property before midnight as stated in a piece of his will just recently discovered. If not, I am afraid we will have to seize everything you own currently as a penalty for not "honoring" your father...

Kagome heard the bathroom doors burst open and then a blaring thud on the hard wood floors. She got up from the computer to see what the matter was. It seems that Inuyasha had decided to save time from taking the stairs and just take a shortcut, leaping down from two flights of the spiraling stairs to the ground level.

"Are you okay?" Kagome inquired earnestly.

Jumping back to his feet, Inuyasha responded, "Perfect." Then after straightening himself, he looked up, "So where's my breakfast?"

With disgust Kagome answered, "It's lunch time!" She turned away from him and began cleaning up the grotesque mess in the bathroom.

"Kagome! Kagome! Where are you going? My lunch?" Inuyasha pleaded as he stood there lost.

"Check you're email, something about you losing everything. I get your stinking lunch after I clean up your dog crap." Kagome replied harshly.

"Is that you Kagome? You don't sound like Kagome." Inuyasha quipped. "Hmm, email huh." He though to himself as he sped back up the stairs.

It only took an instant for Inuyasha to realize who the email was from. The weird language the sender's name was written in was a unique dialect only his family knew. Hence, the email could only have been from the only remaining member of his family, his brother Sesshomaru – Lord Sesshomaru as the public knew him. Anger, confusion, and anxiety all befell Inuyasha at that moment. Sesshomaru had never acknowledged his existence before and had always made sure to make his life miserable. It took many court battles for Inuyasha to even muster the little inheritance he currently has. Inuyasha was the bastard product of what Sesshomaru called a vile mistake during a moment of his father's weakness – a son of a bitch. Inuyasha's resentment would have stopped him from reading the rest of the email had it not been for the post script written in his family's dialect. He read the whole message.

Kagome had just finished cleaning the restroom when she saw the side view of Inuyasha at the stairway. He looked serious. "Is there a matter Inuyasha?" Kagome inquired.

He took a while to reply. Solemnly Inuyasha gave his instructions, "We're going out. Help me pack some clothes for an overnight stay. You pack to. We'll be traveling east, inland. My father's old mansion..."

Kagome dropped what she was doing and listened. She knew when he was serious, and the direness of his tone. He was no longer joking or drunk. Something bothered him in that email. She would find out eventually she thought, and followed her employer's request.

Inuyasha went downstairs quite mindfully and yet at the same time deep in thought. He found his leather reclining chair and sat in it for awhile. Inuyasha was the son of a very respectable and wealth man. His father's works weren't entirely clear and known, but people looked up to him, but most feared him. Inuyasha hadn't been in his father's household since the day his mother died. He was only six at the time. Now twenty years later, he will have to enter the house that he wanted to forget, the house where he saw his mother draw her last breath. He impressed upon himself that the house had killed her. A strange ghastly force dwelled the mansion, and he was too weak to protect her from it.

"Child's imagination," he convinced himself as he grew older.

However, the house still haunted him ever since. When his father died ten years after his mother, Inuyasha gained a small part of the inheritance. His older half-brother, who seemed to be more in tuned with their father's affairs, had taken the rest. Even though Inuyasha only received a small portion of the inheritance, it was a small portion of what was an international co-operate giant. He drowned and spoiled himself with the riches for the following years and up to the present. Thus, his drinking, which came naturally after the many parties he attended. Friends came and went, as his temper and manners deteriorated.

Half an hour elapsed, and Inuyasha found his way back to reality. He saw Kagome. She was wearing a black pleated cotton skirt and a jean jacket over her white blouse. He saw her at the stairs, struggling with the luggage she had packed for both of them, but he preferred to sit and be amused by her effort. She had just recently been hired to take care of Inuyasha's affairs in general. She was his ninth or tenth personal helpers so far, and only four months into the job. She seemed to be handling him with more patients that the rest. He didn't show it, but he was growing fond of her. Her kindness, her patience, and most of all her resolve touched him.

"It must be the money I'm paying her." Inuyasha thought. "Three grand a month, health, dental, and vision coverage, plus room and board in this lovely town house, she's really working her money's worth. To help or not to help? She's really struggling."

"Hey Kagome?" Inuyasha called as he approached her. "Do you need help?"

Kagome looked at him with glee. "Yes, that would be very helpful Inuyasha. Thank you for being so... such a JERK!"

Inuyasha grinned confidently as he took the lightest bag Kagome was carrying, her purse. "There, much lighter?" Inuyasha jested as he walked to the door that leads to the garage.

There, he climbed into his supercharged Pontiac GTP, the cheapest of his four other cars – the car he usually takes when he's not flaunting or joking around. It was a black beauty nonetheless. Well kept and waxed that his lush white locks shone in the reflection off the car. Kagome came stumbling into the garage and with effort placed the luggage into the trunk.

"Hurry up and get in the car wench!" Inuyasha commanded. "And where's my lunch!"

Kagome slapped his head with the brown paper bag she carried his sandwich in, and dropped it on his lap as she climbed into the car. "Jerk," she muttered.

He looked at her and smiled boyishly. She saw him smiling at the corner of her eye. She was still irritated by him, but she just couldn't resist but turn and look at his expression and smiled back. She was mesmerized by his charm. The way his eyes were bright amber and sparkling when he smiled like that. At that moment, she forgot everything that he put her through. It was almost two minutes that he stared at her, still holding that boyish look. She blushed and turned away, watching her fingers as she played with them.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked politely.

She slowly turned with eyes closes, only to reopen them as she faced Inuyasha. "Yes."

"This sandwich." he stated, "IS SO SMALL!! What the hell am I paying you here for?!" his harsh tone returning. "And it's not even turkey! What the hell? The slice of ham is so small too! And so little tomatoes! Listen I want everything large. L. A. R. G. E. Understand?"

"Well I had to carry all those bags and you wanted me to get into the car as quickly as possible and you expect me to fix you lunch!" Kagome argued and pouted. "Well I've done all that I can with my human hands. Take your sandwich or leave it!"

Feeling stupid for believing that that moment would last, she glared at him and sat firmly with hands cross and facing the garage exit, not paying any mind to him. Inuyasha still kept on ranting about how much he was paying her.

Kagome's determined silence was awesome. Seeing her like that, Inuyasha merely grinned and let out a gruff. His concentration changed to the ignition and started up his car. He opened his garage exit and with a powerful rev, the car sped out of the driveway. His destination, Youkai Mansion – the name he gave it when his mother died.


T.W.O.:

Well hope I kept y'all interested. Next chapter will have Miroku and Sango, and maybe some ghastly made up characters. Stay tuned.