I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy.
The coordinates provided on the ransom letter lead InuYasha and Sesshoumaru on the outskirts of the city. It didn't look well populated except for what lurked in the forestry. As they treaded further and further, with Sesshoumaru as the guide, InuYasha pondered on the last time he saw Kikyo and how distressed she actually appeared. He wished he had pushed further about the mess she had gotten herself into. Was she working with the terrorist group that had put the city on edge? He contemplated getting his recruits involved from his base but Sesshomaru insisted that getting a larger party involved might put Kagome in more eminent danger than she already may be.
"That has to be it." Shesshomaru pointed in the distance at what appeared to be a very old shrine that was once inhabited by many. "Its no Bowser's castle, but it'll do."
"God, you are on a role with the dumbass comments tonight, aren't you?" InuYasha rolled his eyes. Sesshomaru did what he did best and ignored his younger brother. His so-called 'dumbass' comments was a tactic he decided to use in order to keep InuYasha grounded with reality. He wanted to keep the mood light so that InuYasha's inner demon didn't take over. Sesshoumaru was used to being the one that had to remain calm when in reality he didn't know who they were dealing with and if Kagome was still even alive at this point or what she may have gone through.
Together they climbed the steps of the shrine, skipping four of five steps each time as they were so close to each other. Near the entrance of the shrine sat waiting a mysterious figure with a white fur cloak that resembled an albino ape. Standing beside them was a man with a sinister smile. His hair was unruly, reaching just beneath where his elbows rested. It was a beautiful pastel purple that almost seemed fluorescent under the moonlight.
"Ah, it seems you've received the letter. Greetings to you both." The man began, stepping forward slightly. InuYasha and Sesshomaru both kept quiet and remained concentrated on their greeter. "Hakudoshi, at your service. Naraku welcomes you to his domain."
"Where is she!" InuYasha barked, his demonic voice trying to seep through his baring fangs.
"Oh, you mean the Kikyo lookalike that's been telling us for the past hour that her names Kagome? She's being well taken care of." Hakudoshi reassured with a sarcastic lopsided grin. "You know, for a second I thought our mercenary had royally fucked up this entire ordeal bringing us the wrong damn girl. But then it turns out," Hakudoshi snapped his fingers, beginning to pace in the opposite direction. "She has a lovely direct connection to one of the Taisho brothers!" Hakudoshi started to laugh sadistically. "It was almost too perfect the way the key fit!"
"What are you going on about? Who's in the monkey suit? What exactly is your beef with us?" Whether it was just the long drive home he had, InuYasha could not tell whether or not he was being punk'd. Sesshomaru dragged his hand down his face in frustration. He had only read about youkais like this in the fables his father used to read to them. Perhaps they would've been fine having the police trail behind them the way this was panning out.
"Let's cut to the chase." Sesshomaru cut in before Hakudoshi could linger on his introduction. "how much are we talking? I can cut you a check right now."
"It's not a mere check that will suffice for Naraku." Hakudoshi scoffed. Sesshoumaru threw his hands up in defeat. "Naraku wants your corporation."
InuYasha and Sesshomaru both turned towards each other with puzzled look on their faces. They couldn't just write over their father's company to this stranger. There were lawyers for that, wasn't there?
The figure in the ape-like cloak finally drew back his hood to reveal his face. His long wavy black hair spilled over his shoulders and his bangs just barely shielded his blue tinted eye lids that framed his lustful red eyes. He waited patiently for one of the Taisho brothers to answer.
InuYasha had been waiting for the moment to see Naraku's true identity. They had only ever described him when he was in basic training for the military. Even back then the descriptions weren't that accurate because Naraku was a known shape-shifter and could take on several appearances. In that moment in clicked for InuYasha and his eyes widened to capacity.
"I've seen you with Kikyo before." He stated, shocked. "You went to our high school, didn't you?" He asked, accusingly. "The hell did I ever do to you?"
"It's not what you did to me, per se, it what's your father did to my family." Naraku's voice dripped with malice.
Sesshoumaru adjusted the waistband on his pants and sighed. He really wished he had changed into something more comfortable before coming out here. Who comes ready for battle dressed as middle-aged dad who just got off work from his business job? 'and here, ladies and gentlemen is the infamous back story. Jesus Christ.' He said mentally.
"You see, my father used to work for the Taisho corporation. He had a love affair with your mother, Seira." He shifted his gaze towards Sesshoumaru. "Your father found out and took it out on my father and fired him immediately. My father was our only source of income we had nowhere to go. I had to live on the streets until he was able to find a new job. Seira was too ashamed that she was caught by your father to continue the affair with my father and allow us to stay with her. My rage has been boiling up over the years and I've been targeting anyone you've ever affiliated yourself with. The only thing that will avenge my father is if InuTaisho stands down and hands over his company."
InuYasha bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. He was a little glad that Kagome wasn't in sight because if they had made contact they would have burst out laughing disrespectfully. If you've ever had to hold in a laugh before it is extremely painful.
"So Taisho brothers, what is it going to be?"
InuYasha cleared his throat and closed his eyes. He tried his hardest to focus on his sense of smell to locate if Kagome was anywhere on property. It was faint but she was definitely there and there was no scent of decay either.
Sesshoumaru raised a brow at InuYasha and once they made eye contact they nodded at each other with what they decided.
"I say…" InuYasha trailed on. "You can go fuck yourself." He unsheathed his sword and the second he had done so the sword pulsed and transformed into its full form. InuYasha was a little caught off guard by the weight change but only took a few seconds to adjust to it. Sesshoumaru, simultaneously jumped into the air and sprung himself forward past Naraku and Hakudoshi deeper into the shrine to look for Kagome with the help of his yellow whip used as a grappling hook. Naraku pierced his lips together and raised his eyebrows, impressed at the decision they had made. Hakudoshi kicked up his own weapon into his grasp, his eyebrows narrowed and determined to protect his master. The weapon resembled a spear, towing over his small frame but he seemed to wield it well. He lunged forward towards InuYasha. InuYasha braced himself and swung up his sword with great force using both hands clashing directly with the spear and creating sparks.
"Smart man bringing an outlawed weapon." Hakudoshi complimented, withdrawing a couple steps. InuYasha ignored him and charged forward a second time with his sword, knocking it down onto the ground that caused a powerful gust to push his opponent backward. His shifted his gaze back over to where Naraku was seated, only to find him gone now. Hakudoshi took the split second that InuYasha was distracted to jump into the air, striking InuYasha down with the dull end of his weapon. InuYasha started coughing, clutching at his side in agony. All the training in the world from his military training couldn't have prepared him for this. He had to stay strong, he had to keep fighting for Kagome. He gripped onto his sword tighter and used it as support to get back up. Hakudoshi was behind him now, using the hilt of his blade to put InuYasha in a choke hold. The henchman of Naraku was nearly half the size of InuYasha, but he had to give him credit for his immense strength. InuYasha dropped his sword and gripped onto the blade, trying to push it away from his neck. Using all the muscles he had in his back he jolted forward, sending Hakudoshi tumbling to the ground. InuYasha grabbed his ankle in that same instance, sinking his claws into the soft flesh and dragged him across the ground. The muscles in his arms flexed as he yanked Hakudoshi's body up in the air and against one of the posts of the shrine. Hakudoshi winced in pain, and looked up at InuYasha with a swollen eye.
"I don't want to kill you." InuYasha started, kicking his opponents weapon out of his weak hands. "I just want my friend."
"Then agree to give Naraku what he wants!" Hakudoshi spat, blood drizzling down his chin. "Or we'll kill her."
InuYasha's whole body pulsed. The second he closed his eyes and reopened them they had shifted to the red and blue hue his whole family had tried hard to suppress his whole life. Hakudoshi hoisted himself up from his position, spitting away any excess blood from his mouth.
"Ah…look who came to party." Hakudoshi held out his hand in the direction of his blade and was able to recall it back into his grasp. InuYasha would be lying if he said he wasn't impressed by that, he wish he had the same abilities. He seeped his claws into the open wound on his torso that was collecting blood and like blades he flung it towards Hakudoshi. Though it was a bit odd, Hakudoshi had never seen an ability like that from a half demon.
Their swords continued to clash, Hakudoshi's last blow nearly knocked Inuyasha off balance. He gripped his sword with two hands and again his body pulsed. This time his sword was transformed on what appeared to be shards of layers of diamonds. He dug his heal into the ground and using all his might he swung the sword deep into the ground and watched as jagged diamonds sprouted from the ground heading towards Hakudoshi. The emerging shards impaled Hakudoshi like a shish kabob. The impact was enough to snap InuYasha out of his demonic state. He took in the sight before him with widened eyes and dropped the sword.
"Holy shit…That….did that?" InuYasha stood agape not realizing just how much power his father's sword had possessed. He kept shifting his gaze back at the graphic sight before him. InuYasha had never actually killed someone before. The rumbling of the ground pulled him back to his senses. "I have to find Kagome." InuYasha made double sure that Hakudoshi wasn't going to spring back to life before he started running towards Kagome's scent, heading deeper into the shrine.