Hello, everyone! I'm so glad you're reading this story, as it is currently my favorite (and longest). Please send me a review!
I'd like to thank Kat Morning for the setting of my story, which is based on the alternate universe of her inu fanfic "Blood Ties."
Disclaimer: I do not own Miroku, Sesshomeru, Jakkin, Rin, Kouga, or any other Inuyasha characters. They are owned by their author/creator, Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 8: Report
Jakkin's solemn monologue ended, and he waited for applause, or at least for Rin to say something nice about it. Instead, she draped the damp dish towel over his head and said, "I changed my haircut after I broke up with my last boyfriend. Are you telling me that was true love?
"Completely different! And I never said anything about true love; you just asked if he cared, and I said yes, I suppose he did . . .
There was an impatient knock on the apartment door; Jakkin hurried to open it for his master, who strode in, followed by a petite woman and a man almost as tall as Sesshomaru himself. Ignoring his foster daughter and his minion, the demon lord gestured to the couch where he had slept the night before and sat down in a matching reclining chair. Rin and Jakkin knew he was dealing with business, so they went to their own rooms so as not to disturb the taiyoukai. The small woman seated herself; the man sat down indecently close to her, yawned, stretched, and put his feet up on the coffee table before looking at the woman beside him with a wolfish grin. "Have we met before?" he asked her.
"Very doubtful, Kouga," Sesshomaru interjected, "that is why she has not issued a restraining order against you . . . yet. Get your dirty feet off my table, get your dirty hands off my informant and try to stay as silent as possible.
"You got it, boss," Kouga winked.
The woman primly opened her notebook and continued giving her report; she had started half an hour ago but had been interrupted at least ten times. She was collected and precise, not to mention impossible to perturb. She had no moral qualms about working with demons, and she had her pepper spray in her breast pocket if Kouga decided to get any friendlier. "No specific threat has been determined, but demon activity has been increasing steadily for six weeks. Kills, reports of sightings by civilians as well as council members, and missing persons reports are all at levels three to four times normal levels. Even the civilian newspapers are running stories on murder sprees, cult groups and crime waves. More disturbing, in the past few weeks, several senior members of the Council have disappeared, presumed dead or turned. Senior Yumi Tanin reported missing the day before yesterday, senior Kura Sanada reported missing today; search in progress." Sesshomaru smiled after her last statement, which unnerved the informant so thoroughly she almost fidgeted.
"Summary: increased activity in all sectors, cause unknown. Suspected involvement of a Nosferatu or demon lord. Council efficiency: fifty percent and dropping." The woman Sesshomaru hired to spy on Council for him paused and looked up. "Sesshomeru-dono, Council is overwhelmed. Taken alone, the loss of six--no, now it's eight-- rookies in a month would be crippling, but some mortality there is to be expected. The loss of three Seniors is far worse; Seniors are generally believed to be immortal. The Council hasn't been this worried since . . . since you sent them your letter, my lord.
"Hmm. Dismissed. I'll expect daily reports until demon activity drops to normal.
"Hai.
"Oh, and one more thing. That female Senior reported missing today-- what was her name?-- Sanada. Get me her personal file and her profile as soon as possible.
"Of course, my lord." Her curiosity was burning in her eyes. The woman showed herself out, reluctantly.
"Kouga? Report.
"That just about covers it. Lots of bestial demons coming in from all over Japan. There are more lower vamps in the slums than humans. So the million-dollar question is: what's bringing so many low-classes out at once?
"Ah.
"My lord? Is something troubling you?
"No, no, I was just considering a bit of fortune I came across last night.
"Good or bad fortune?
"That has yet to be decided. I'll show you." Sesshomeru lead the curious wolf-youkai to his bedroom. When Kouga saw his master's secret, he let out a low whistle.
"A human girl, my lord? I . . . I didn't realize your affections went in that direction. How is she, hmm?" Kouga gave him a broad wink, but his joviality was squelched by his master's icy stare.
"Are your eyes as hollow as your head, baka?
Chastened, Kouga looked again. "You've been a bit rough on her, haven't you?" He could smell blood and vomit. He noticed she was wearing a choker with some sort of pin on it. "Her necklace . . . that's the human form of a mate-marking, isn't it?
"For someone who spends so much time chasing human females, you have learned very little about them. Human females are marked with diamond or golden rings and the assumption of her partner's name.
"And human males?
"The loss of bachelor living space and a curfew.
"Harsh. I think I'd rather lose my name. So, what's a necklace symbolize?" Sesshomaru tugged on the choker; it came loose when one of the links holding the clasp snapped. The wolf-youkai caught it and sniffed. When he saw the sigil engraved on the silver pin, he dropped it, took a step back and stared at his master in disbelief. "My lord . . .
"Know what it means?" Sesshomaru examined his claws minutely, but his follower saw the excitement crinkling the corners of his eyes.
"It means death to my kind, and to every other kind of demon. Of all the women in Tokyo, you pick a Council Senior to take home? Are you absolutely insane?" Kouga knew instantly that he had crossed the line, although the only sign his lord made was a slight downturn of the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry, boss, but . . . the Council has been feared for centuries.
Sesshomeru regarded his follower thoughtfully. "Were you a young demon, I would regard this as cowardice. What you remember is the Council at the peak of its strength, when every man and woman with miko or monk blood was a Council sorcerer. You remember the families of demon exterminators who traced their roots to the Warring States era. That was a Council to be feared.
"But what is the Council now? A few old hunters, high-school dropouts, yakuza gang members and rookies so young they wet themselves when attacked. The Council is dying, not just in this city but across Japan. And when Council is finished, this country will be ruled by demons once more.
Kouga stared at Sesshomeru, speechless for the first time in his life. His lord had assumed a human identity 150 years ago and lived quietly since then. Among demons he was still feared, but humans never saw him and never heard of him. Seventeen years before, when Sesshomeru had challenged Council, he broke more than one hundred years of complete anonymity. Even now he was only a whisper among those living in his sector, a story to terrify children. Was Sesshomeru simply waiting for the Council to fall before reclaiming his title of "Lord of the Western Lands?" "How far does my lord's ambition stretch?" Kouga wondered.
"You-- you're declaring war on the Council, my lord?
Sesshomeru noted the new deference in Kouga's voice. "The Council is no concern of mine.
"Then why . . .?
"She entered my territory.
Kouga was speechless again, for the second time in his life. "And you let her live? You commanded us--
"I know what I ordered, but circumstances have changed. Seventeen years ago, Council was a threat. If they discovered my . . . pet, the situation would have become complicated." Kouga wasn't fooled by Sesshomeru's dismissive label; Sesshomeru would walk through hell to protect his foster daughter. "Leniency would only have encouraged more fools to challenge me.
"What's different now?
"Council is weaker, and its foes have become the greater threat to my territory. When the Senior entered my territory, she was seriously injured and pursued by vampires. I believe she may know the reason why demon activity is increasing." It was a good reason; it was a far better one than the real reason he had saved her. It had been instinct, an intuitive sense that she had an important role to play.
Kouga smirked. "Plus, she's damned cute." Not that she was beautiful: the scar and crooked nose had added to a face already too quirky to be considered classically beautiful. The eyebrows were dark and thick, and the boy's bob accented a square jaw line. Yet the almond-shaped eyes and full lips softened the face and brought it into balance. "Any new orders, boss, or just keep my ear to the ground?
"Why should you have your head on the ground?
"Forget it. I'll get back to you as soon as I know anything new. Otherwise, call my cell." Kouga grinned at Sesshomeru's scowl; the cellular phone annoyed the Demon Lord to no end. "On the other hand, if the girl's here . . . I'll swing by tomorrow."
I'd like to thank Kat Morning for the setting of my story, which is based on the alternate universe of her inu fanfic "Blood Ties."
Disclaimer: I do not own Miroku, Sesshomeru, Jakkin, Rin, Kouga, or any other Inuyasha characters. They are owned by their author/creator, Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 8: Report
Jakkin's solemn monologue ended, and he waited for applause, or at least for Rin to say something nice about it. Instead, she draped the damp dish towel over his head and said, "I changed my haircut after I broke up with my last boyfriend. Are you telling me that was true love?
"Completely different! And I never said anything about true love; you just asked if he cared, and I said yes, I suppose he did . . .
There was an impatient knock on the apartment door; Jakkin hurried to open it for his master, who strode in, followed by a petite woman and a man almost as tall as Sesshomaru himself. Ignoring his foster daughter and his minion, the demon lord gestured to the couch where he had slept the night before and sat down in a matching reclining chair. Rin and Jakkin knew he was dealing with business, so they went to their own rooms so as not to disturb the taiyoukai. The small woman seated herself; the man sat down indecently close to her, yawned, stretched, and put his feet up on the coffee table before looking at the woman beside him with a wolfish grin. "Have we met before?" he asked her.
"Very doubtful, Kouga," Sesshomaru interjected, "that is why she has not issued a restraining order against you . . . yet. Get your dirty feet off my table, get your dirty hands off my informant and try to stay as silent as possible.
"You got it, boss," Kouga winked.
The woman primly opened her notebook and continued giving her report; she had started half an hour ago but had been interrupted at least ten times. She was collected and precise, not to mention impossible to perturb. She had no moral qualms about working with demons, and she had her pepper spray in her breast pocket if Kouga decided to get any friendlier. "No specific threat has been determined, but demon activity has been increasing steadily for six weeks. Kills, reports of sightings by civilians as well as council members, and missing persons reports are all at levels three to four times normal levels. Even the civilian newspapers are running stories on murder sprees, cult groups and crime waves. More disturbing, in the past few weeks, several senior members of the Council have disappeared, presumed dead or turned. Senior Yumi Tanin reported missing the day before yesterday, senior Kura Sanada reported missing today; search in progress." Sesshomaru smiled after her last statement, which unnerved the informant so thoroughly she almost fidgeted.
"Summary: increased activity in all sectors, cause unknown. Suspected involvement of a Nosferatu or demon lord. Council efficiency: fifty percent and dropping." The woman Sesshomaru hired to spy on Council for him paused and looked up. "Sesshomeru-dono, Council is overwhelmed. Taken alone, the loss of six--no, now it's eight-- rookies in a month would be crippling, but some mortality there is to be expected. The loss of three Seniors is far worse; Seniors are generally believed to be immortal. The Council hasn't been this worried since . . . since you sent them your letter, my lord.
"Hmm. Dismissed. I'll expect daily reports until demon activity drops to normal.
"Hai.
"Oh, and one more thing. That female Senior reported missing today-- what was her name?-- Sanada. Get me her personal file and her profile as soon as possible.
"Of course, my lord." Her curiosity was burning in her eyes. The woman showed herself out, reluctantly.
"Kouga? Report.
"That just about covers it. Lots of bestial demons coming in from all over Japan. There are more lower vamps in the slums than humans. So the million-dollar question is: what's bringing so many low-classes out at once?
"Ah.
"My lord? Is something troubling you?
"No, no, I was just considering a bit of fortune I came across last night.
"Good or bad fortune?
"That has yet to be decided. I'll show you." Sesshomeru lead the curious wolf-youkai to his bedroom. When Kouga saw his master's secret, he let out a low whistle.
"A human girl, my lord? I . . . I didn't realize your affections went in that direction. How is she, hmm?" Kouga gave him a broad wink, but his joviality was squelched by his master's icy stare.
"Are your eyes as hollow as your head, baka?
Chastened, Kouga looked again. "You've been a bit rough on her, haven't you?" He could smell blood and vomit. He noticed she was wearing a choker with some sort of pin on it. "Her necklace . . . that's the human form of a mate-marking, isn't it?
"For someone who spends so much time chasing human females, you have learned very little about them. Human females are marked with diamond or golden rings and the assumption of her partner's name.
"And human males?
"The loss of bachelor living space and a curfew.
"Harsh. I think I'd rather lose my name. So, what's a necklace symbolize?" Sesshomaru tugged on the choker; it came loose when one of the links holding the clasp snapped. The wolf-youkai caught it and sniffed. When he saw the sigil engraved on the silver pin, he dropped it, took a step back and stared at his master in disbelief. "My lord . . .
"Know what it means?" Sesshomaru examined his claws minutely, but his follower saw the excitement crinkling the corners of his eyes.
"It means death to my kind, and to every other kind of demon. Of all the women in Tokyo, you pick a Council Senior to take home? Are you absolutely insane?" Kouga knew instantly that he had crossed the line, although the only sign his lord made was a slight downturn of the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry, boss, but . . . the Council has been feared for centuries.
Sesshomeru regarded his follower thoughtfully. "Were you a young demon, I would regard this as cowardice. What you remember is the Council at the peak of its strength, when every man and woman with miko or monk blood was a Council sorcerer. You remember the families of demon exterminators who traced their roots to the Warring States era. That was a Council to be feared.
"But what is the Council now? A few old hunters, high-school dropouts, yakuza gang members and rookies so young they wet themselves when attacked. The Council is dying, not just in this city but across Japan. And when Council is finished, this country will be ruled by demons once more.
Kouga stared at Sesshomeru, speechless for the first time in his life. His lord had assumed a human identity 150 years ago and lived quietly since then. Among demons he was still feared, but humans never saw him and never heard of him. Seventeen years before, when Sesshomeru had challenged Council, he broke more than one hundred years of complete anonymity. Even now he was only a whisper among those living in his sector, a story to terrify children. Was Sesshomeru simply waiting for the Council to fall before reclaiming his title of "Lord of the Western Lands?" "How far does my lord's ambition stretch?" Kouga wondered.
"You-- you're declaring war on the Council, my lord?
Sesshomeru noted the new deference in Kouga's voice. "The Council is no concern of mine.
"Then why . . .?
"She entered my territory.
Kouga was speechless again, for the second time in his life. "And you let her live? You commanded us--
"I know what I ordered, but circumstances have changed. Seventeen years ago, Council was a threat. If they discovered my . . . pet, the situation would have become complicated." Kouga wasn't fooled by Sesshomeru's dismissive label; Sesshomeru would walk through hell to protect his foster daughter. "Leniency would only have encouraged more fools to challenge me.
"What's different now?
"Council is weaker, and its foes have become the greater threat to my territory. When the Senior entered my territory, she was seriously injured and pursued by vampires. I believe she may know the reason why demon activity is increasing." It was a good reason; it was a far better one than the real reason he had saved her. It had been instinct, an intuitive sense that she had an important role to play.
Kouga smirked. "Plus, she's damned cute." Not that she was beautiful: the scar and crooked nose had added to a face already too quirky to be considered classically beautiful. The eyebrows were dark and thick, and the boy's bob accented a square jaw line. Yet the almond-shaped eyes and full lips softened the face and brought it into balance. "Any new orders, boss, or just keep my ear to the ground?
"Why should you have your head on the ground?
"Forget it. I'll get back to you as soon as I know anything new. Otherwise, call my cell." Kouga grinned at Sesshomeru's scowl; the cellular phone annoyed the Demon Lord to no end. "On the other hand, if the girl's here . . . I'll swing by tomorrow."