DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!
Empty Threats
By MissKatt
Notes
After receiving another hard blow to the side of the face, Hakudoushi spat a wad of blood on the floor, glaring hard at the three demons in front of him. "I-is that all you have? Pathetic dogs!" He growled, violet eyes narrowed.
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles as he prepared to punch him again. "Oh, yeah? Let's jus' see how yah take this next one!" He snapped, giving the man an upper-cut hook to the jaw.
Hakoudoushi wailed out in pain, feeling several of his teeth get dislodged from their gums. Blood splattered past his lips as he tried to not choke on the loose fangs. Once he cleared them from his mouth, he glared at them. "Why are you doing this?" He asked, voice thick with anger.
Sesshoumaru stepped forward. "The world is not ready for our presence. You know what will happen if Naraku succeeds."
He rolled his eyes. "Who cares if a war breaks out? Who do you think will win? Demons of course! Are you really afraid of some weak humans?"
"It does not matter. There is no need for senseless killing. Soon the time will come where humans will have an open mind and will accept us; soon we can all live in peace." Touga added, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the closed door.
He scoffed before turning a cruel smirk towards Sesshoumaru. "Oh, accepting like your little whore? She is quite the little-" He was abruptly cut off when he was kicked so hard in the face, he was knocked back against the floor, the chair he was tied to going with him.
"Do not speak of her," He growled out, claws flexing. "She has nothing to do with this."
Despite the broken cheek bone jutting out of the flesh on his cheek, he laughed humorlessly. "Is that so? Well, I doubt Naraku will see that way."
He glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
His shoulders shrugged in response. "We will just have to see, won't we? But, if she winds up dead, you should assume why."
He went to lurch at him, but his father and brother held him back. "Restrain yourself, Sesshoumaru." Touga ordered. "Killing him will not help us right now. We need more information from him."
The bandit shrugged them off and moved towards the fallen chair. He put his foot on one of the legs of the chair and applied enough pressure to snap the chair up into its rightful position. "If anything happens to her, I will personally rip out your heart and shove it down your throat. Do you understand?"
Hakudoushi simply laughed in response.
*~~~Empty Threats~~~*
"Kagome! How are yah feelin'?" Sango asked, looking at her friend as she descended the stairs and into the empty saloon.
"Eh, about as sore as an over ran horse," She replied, stiffly sitting down at the table Sango was at. She smiled at one of the other saloon girls as she placed a bowl of plain grits and a plate of grapes in front of her. "Thank yah."
She stared at her friend expectantly. "So…did yah mystery come 'nd see yah?"
Kagome blushed as she took a bite of her grits. Keeping the spoon in her mouth, she stared down at her bland breakfast, her cheeks red. "Mhm..." She hummed.
She squealed in delight, causing a few other saloon girls to look curiously at her. "Oh, Kagome! I know that sly look of yers! What happened?"
"Shh!" She scolded, waiting until the other girls were looking away before going in to what happened with Sesshoumaru. Obviously, she left out a few things. "And then he dun said he would come 'nd visit me again."
"Ahh! I'm so happy fer yah!" She cheered, reaching across the table to grab her hands. "Yah dun finally found love!"
Once again, her cheeks burned hot. "L-love?! No, no, no, Sango! It's way too soon to be sayin' that!" Still, she couldn't help the hammering of her heart.
She smiled knowingly. "I dun know about that, Kagome. I truly do believe in love at first sight."
Kagome rolled her eyes before continuing her breakfast, but couldn't help but think about Sesshoumaru. He had deliciously plagued her dreams last night and consumed her thoughts since she woke up. What had he done to her? Why was she so hooked on him? Somehow, though, she didn't mind. With a little smile, she took the last bite of her grits.
"A'right girls, listen up!" Myouga shouted, clumsily climbing onto his bar top so that he could address them all while speaking. He took a moment to regain his breath, the simple action leaving him a little winded. "Last night we dun did good! Lots of profit!" The girls gave soft claps, knowing better than to remain quiet when the boss praised them. "But, tonight y'all gotta make sure y'all don't slack off! The good Mr. Naraku has decided to go 'nd throw the Sheriff 'nd his pals a party for capturin' the bandits that stole from him."
Kagome blanched. "Um, he's goin' to throw the party here?"
He huffed at her. "'Course, yah dingbat! Where else would they find themselves good company?"
Ignoring his irritation, she asked the question that she feared the answer to. "I-is Mr. Naraku goin' to attend?"
He blinked his beady eyes at her. "Did I whip what lil' smarts yah had outta that head of yers? 'Course he is! He's the one hostin' it!"
She put her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands, not believing her bad luck. How was she supposed to heed Sesshoumaru's warning when Naraku was going to be in her place of work? Maybe she could avoid him all night? There were other saloon girls that could serve him, right?
"A'right ladies, make sure y'all give the banker attention, as well as the Sheriff! Mr. Naraku is payin' good money to host the party 'nd I don't want them to be ignored, y'hear?!" He snapped, eyes looking over each one of them.
"Yessir!" They all chimed back. They waited for him to climb off the bar and scurry into his office before turning to one another to speak about the upcoming party.
"Should be a good party tonight," Sango commented with a smile and then looked at her distressed friend; the smile instantly fell off her face. "Kagome, what's got yer skirts twisted in a bunch? Is it because the Sheriff is gonna ask yah to marry him again?"
She sighed heavily, raising her face from her hands to look at her friend with solemn blue eyes. "No, he I can handle…" She murmured. "It's the banker I be worried about."
Sango tilted her head in question. "What's wrong with Mr. Naraku?"
She quickly shook her head as she realized her slip up. "Nothin'."
Her friend glared at her. "Don't yah go lyin' to me, Kagome. I know yah better than anyone else!"
Another sigh escaped her lips. "Sorry, Sango," She apologized and then leaned in towards her. "It's just that my mystery ain't too fond of him." Well, that was putting it mildly, but Sango didn't need to know everything Sesshoumaru told her.
Accepting that answer, she nodded and put her elbows on the table to cradle her chin in her hands. "I can get that," She replied. "When Miroku doesn't like someone, I find myself not likin' them either. Must be a love thing."
Kagome blushed at her insinuation. "It's not love, Sango. It be too soon for that."
She simply rolled her eyes in response. "Mhm," She hummed and then stood from the table. "Miroku and I are goin' into town to run errands for the boss. Want me to pick yah up anythin'?"
She shook her head, stiffly rising to her feet with a wince. "I'm fine. I'm goin' to go lie back down. See yah tonight, Sango."
"See yah." She responded with a smile before heading to the saloon doors where Miroku waited for her.
As Kagome walked into her room, she couldn't help but think about Sesshoumaru and Naraku. Fear sank into her when she recalled what Sesshoumaru had said. What would Naraku do to her if he found out she knew about the Moon Bandits and demons? She remembered the strange things Sesshoumaru and Hakudoushi could do and shuddered. Was Naraku also capable of those things? Was there any way he knew that she knew? Had Hakudoushi told him?
She frowned and made her way to her window, looking out to the bustling streets. As her eyes roamed over each person, she realized she was looking for her bandit. She wanted to tell him that his prey was coming to the saloon tonight, but how could she? Myouga would beat her dumb if she left the building.
Being pulled from her thoughts when she saw a quick, repetitive movement, she turned her attention back to the road. She saw Sango waving up at her with a smile, her other arm linked with Miroku's. Unlatching her window, she swung it open and returned the gesture before she froze as an idea hit her. "S-Sango! Wait!" She called, watching her friend stop to look at her curiously. "Stay put for just a sec!"
She quickly went to her vanity and pulled out two scraps of paper from her drawer as well as her ink pen. She quickly scribbled something down on each of them and then returned to the window. She crumbled up the first one and threw it at Sango, stifling a laugh when it nearly hit her in the head. She watched her friend open the paper and held it to Miroku so he could read it to her.
"What does it say? She knows I can't read good." Sango muttered embarrassingly.
Miroku gave her a reassuring smile. "I can always teach yah, my dear," He replied, before looking at her the scribbled words. "She's asking if yah will deliver the next note to Ms. Izayoi."
She blinked. "That be a random request, but if she wants me to," She shrugged and looked back at Kagome to give her nod.
Relieved, Kagome crumbled up the next paper and threw it at Sango again. "Sorry!" She called when the paper ball soared over her friend's head, making her chase after it. "Thank yah! I owe yah!" She called.
"I'll be rememberin' that!" She called back with a smile and waved at her friend again before continuing on her way with her love to run their errands.
Smiling, she closed the window, but left it unlatched just in case her mystery came to see her. With a relieved sigh, she flopped down on her stomach on the bed and closed her eyes.
"I hope I dun did the right thing…" She whispered to herself.
*~~~Empty Threats~~~*
BANG BANG BANG
Instantly, all three Taisho men were on alert as they sat at the table for an early dinner. Amber eyes glanced at each other, silent questions being asked and answered with just a single look.
Izayoi, not noticing their stiff backs, stood from her chair and made her way over to the door of their house. As she reached to open the door, she found her hand held in her husbands. "To-" She silenced herself when he put a finger to his lips. She watched as Sesshoumaru joined them at the door, his disguise, as well as the others', back in place. For a while, they stayed in silence until more knocks sounded on their door.
Touga looked at his wife and, in a breath of a whisper, said, "Ask who it is."
She blinked, but dared not defy her husband. "A-ah, who is it?"
"Ms. Izayoi? It be Miroku Houshi. Are you a'right?" Came a strange man's voice from behind the door.
She looked at her husband and shrugged; she didn't know him. "What do yah want me to say?" She whispered to Touga.
"Ask him why he is here." He replied quietly.
"I'm fine," She called back. "Is there somethin' I can help yah with?"
"Yea, I'm with Miss. Sango Taijya, she has somethin' to deliver to yah." He responded.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed carefully. Wasn't Sango the saloon girl who had helped him get to Kagome? He looked at his step-mother. "Ask if it is from Kagome."
Both she and his father looked surprised, but she did as he said. "Is it from Miss. Kagome?"
"Yea!" Came the familiar girl's voice. "She dun asked me to deliver this to Ms. Izayoi, but if her mystery be in there, it must be for him."
Sesshoumaru shooed them away from the door and opened it to see the couple on their porch. He saw Sango blink in confusion, but ignored it. "What is it?"
"I knew that be yer voice!" She exclaimed with a smile. "But, why are yah at Ms. Izayoi's house?" She asked, tilting her head.
He glared at her. "Do not worry about it. What did she want to give me?"
A little miffed at his rude attitude, she reached into her small coin purse and pulled out a crumbled ball. "This be it," She stated, handing it to him. "If that's all, then we'll be leavin'." She stated as she turned from him and began walking off the porch.
He watched as Miroku dipped his head in farewell before turning to follow his girl. "I trust that as her friend, I need not remind you to not tell anyone of our location, correct?" He asked and then glared when she simply lifted her hand in a wave, not bothering to turn back and look at him. Why did she remind him so much of Kagome just then?
"What is it?" Touga asked when Sesshoumaru closed the door and walked back into the house. He eyeballed the paper in his hand and grinned. "Oh, a love note, perhaps?"
Sesshoumaru glared at him before turning to the ball. He slowly and carefully unwrapped the small piece of paper, taking care not to tear it. Once it was untangled, he looked at the three words written across the paper.
HD coming tonight
He furrowed his brows at the words and looked off to the side as he tried to make sense of what she was trying to say. At his father's quizzical look, he handed it to him and sat down to think over what she was saying.
"'HD coming tonight'," His father read and then looked up from the paper. "What does that mean?"
"Hakudoushi?" Inuyasha asked.
"How could that be when we still have him tied up in the cellar?" Touga shot back, frowning at his son's stupidity. He jumped slightly when his son stood abruptly from his chair, the furniture falling back against the floor with a loud snap. "Sesshoumaru?"
"Half-demon." He stated, hands balling into fists.
"Yeah?" The youngest bandit asked, looking at his brother uncertainly. What did he do this time to gain his brother's anger?
"Not you, mutt. HD, it means half-demon." He clarified, looking at his father with a serious glare. "Naraku will be at the Saloon tonight."
Touga nodded as it clicked into place. He glanced back down at the note with a small smile. "Clever girl," He praised and then looked at his eldest once again when he heard him growl. "Why are you so upset, Sesshoumaru? This is our chance to grab him."
"It is what Hakudoushi said," He growled again. "Naraku is aware that she knows about us."
A serious look passed over his face. "Then we should hurry."
A/N: Sorry for the late update (: I didn't abandon this story, I promise!