"What the hell?" Inuyasha came up to the gate, surprised. "Hey, what's going on here? Aren't you gonna try to stop us!"
"Our Lord has told us to allow your passage," the guard replied, gesturing to the gate that was slowly being opened.
"This is strange," Shippou muttered. "Why would he let Inuyasha inside his castle?"
"Come on, let's go," Inuyasha said decisively. The others nodded and they went up to the front doors, going inside when the soldiers opened the heavy barricades.
"Ah, Inuyasha, so good to see you," Satsujin greeted warmly.
"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha blinked in surprise.
"I'm Satsujin. Please, come on in," he said, leading the group towards the large living room.
"Where's my brother?" Inuyasha asked as he sat down. The others got off Kirara and sat as well, and the cat reverted to her kitten form. Satsujin sat across from them, grinning widely.
"I think you should wait a while before seeing him," Satsujin replied. "For now, let us talk. I hear that you are pursuing a formidable demon who is trying to obtain the Shikon Jewel. How very interesting-tell me, have you found him yet?"
"No, not yet," Inuyasha said, lured into conversation by the subtle bait. "That bastard goes into hiding every time he thinks he's going to lose, and he almost never shows up in person. He's just a coward with a twisted mind, and he has to be stopped," the half-demon growled.
"I understand the concept," Satsujin nodded. "A person who has lost thier mind has no business being among those who still retain their sanity."
"Exactly," Inuyasha agreed with a firm nod.
"I hear that you are actually a half-demon, yet you still defeat many full demons-you must be a formidable opponent to accomplish such feats," Satsujin said with a carefully neutral tone, examining his fingernails as if he couldn't care less.
"I might be a half-demon, but I can still beat anyone I come across," Inuyasha replied.
"You must have inherited more of your father's blood than you mother's," Satsujin mused. "So, I assume that these are your friends?"
"Yeah, they are," Inuyasha replied. "Sango is the-" Inuyasha hesitated and glanced at her. "The ninja," he said quickly. "Miroku is the monk, Kagome-well, she's not really a priestess, but kind of...Shippou is the fox, and Kirara is the cat."
"I suppose that they all know about Sesshoumaru?" Satsujin raised an eyebrow in question.
"Yeah, they know," Inuyasha responded.
"Hey, what do you do around here, anyway?" Shippou asked curiously.
"Oh, me? I take over when Sesshoumaru is gone," Satsujin replied, trying not to grin at his play on words.