InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ New Dawn ❯ It's All Business ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Sesshomaru or anyone from the hit anime/manga series. Rumiko Takahashi does. I do own all OC's and plot in this story.

Chapter 17: It's All Business

 

Shots filled the air at the practice field. The target received several new holes but none of them hit the red bulls-eye. Sesshomaru glared at that first then pulled back the hand gun and turned his murderous gaze on it. The gun seemed like such a simple device to use but he hadn't hit the mark once. Then there was the nose it made when fired. Even if with mufflers over his ears they continued to ring.

 

“Stop glaring, Sesshomaru,” said an exasperated Kira. He looked up at her. She stood adjacent to him and wore similar mufflers. Her dark eyes bored into his as she continued, “Marksmanship isn't something you learn overnight. It takes time to learn how to use the gun. There is a whole bunch of little factors that have to be taken into account when shooting in order for the shot to hit the mark. And if you think this is hard try shooting at something that is moving while you're moving.”

 

Sesshomaru stared at her for a second longer then changed his clip and turned to fire on the target again. Kira shook her head and returned her attention to her target. She can understand his frustration but he needed to learn patients. She was just glad his episodes had dwindled over the few months here. Still, it was going to be a long while before they could trust him with a weapon on the battlefield.

 

This part of his training, though, wasn't nearly as exciting as his driving lessons. Kira cringed when she remembered they were after target practice. She was certain she was losing decades off her life every time she climbed in the car with him. Sesshomaru had never had to control anything mechanical before and their hovercars, forget the assault vehicles, had sensitive controls. She was amazed the poor hovercar they were using to train him had only gotten a few scraps to its paint since he started driving it. It seemed the only one with quicker responses than the car was Sesshomaru. Poor Kira had lost track of the number of near crashes they had. Worse, Sesshomaru was of the opinion that as long as the car didn't crash he was doing just fine. Kira had tried to remind the powerful demon that she wasn't nearly as resilient as he was when it came to serious injuries. Sesshomaru's response:

 

“That fact has little meaning as long as you remain uninjured.”

 

And he continued right on with his insane way of driving. Kira didn't think she could take another round with him.

 

“Yo! Baby! What ya doing later?” called Dune as strolled passed the other shooters toward her.

 

Kira swore under her breath and said, “Nothing that concerns you.”

 

The orange-haired dog demon grabbed her shoulder and pulled the reluctant girl toward him. Kira's dark eyes flashed as she pushed on his chest, attempting to break free. “Yar brother says ya free right now,” said Dune with a big toothy grin. “So I guess ya free to be with me.”

 

Kira really hated her brother at times like this. Asamu had to stay on Dune's good side whenever they were in Hong Kong. Kira had never liked the dog demon. She would never have even entertained him in the past if Dune hadn't taken a shine to her. She had been his woman only to make things easier for the rest of the rebellion but she had never regretted a decision as much as that one. It private Dune was a much different person. She had never told her brother all that went on between them. She didn't know what she would do if Asamu knew everything and continued to behave like this.

 

“I'm afraid my brother was misinformed. I have driving practice with Sesshomaru after target practice,” she said. The former demon lord's kamikaze driving seemed far less terrifying compared to what would happen if she went with Dune.

 

Dune turned slowly to face the snow-haired dog demon as Sesshomaru continued shooting into the target. He was either oblivious to Dune's presence or making a point of ignoring him as he had been instructed by both Kira and Asamu. “Who needs ta practice drivin'? The cars drive themselves these days. All ya need ta do is say, `go',” he drawled. The goons with him snickered. “Let's go, Baby.” He pulled her away and took her gun from her hands. “Everybody knows ya don't need practice shooting.”

 

“Dune!” she cried, pushing on him in a vain attempt to escape. She could already see it was going to be one of those nights if she didn't get away. Others saw but hesitated to interfere. Dune ran the place and the rebellion was his guest. Asamu had made that clear on numerous occasions. Yes, at times like these, she really hated her brother.

 

****

 

Sesshomaru ignored what was going next to him, even though he really despised the orange-haired dog demon and was sorely tempted to put the insufferable demon in his place. Asamu and Kira had both stated he was to leave Dune alone. So, despite Kira's obvious discomfort, he turned the other cheek and continued practicing his marksmanship. However, in his mind he now placed Dune's mocking visage in the place of the target. By the time the clip was empty again, he had much more satisfactory results. Three bulls-eyes and the rest surrounded the red dot.

 

He turned but Kira was gone but his nose, dulled as it was by all the gunpowder in the air, still detected her fear scent. Sesshomaru stared at the space Kira had been, thinking. Dune seemed able to do whatever he wanted. To Sesshomaru, that meant this place was Dune's territory and what Dune wanted Dune got. For the rebellion to remain here they had to give something in return. In this case, Asamu was giving Dune his sister, or her body at least. Sesshomaru could understand that. It was a tribute between allies. It was simple, cold business. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and a low growl escaped him. He wondered how long this rebel army was planning to stay in this place. He couldn't wait to leave.

 

****

 

Kira stomped down the street the next evening, high strung from the pain-killers she had swallowed a half-hour before. I can't keep doing this! thought Kira nearly in tears. Asamu has got to find another supplier. He keeps procrastinating because of Dune but he needs to look for someone else. I can't keep letting that beast have his way with me. Forcing me to play out those humiliating fantasies of his, it's too much!

 

Deep in thought, she didn't see Sesshomaru until she slammed into him. She glared up at him, he didn't even blink. “What's your problem?” she barked. The dog demon raised an eyebrow but other than that his expression remained the same, emotionless. “Cold bastard and clueless too!” she snapped and she moved to step around him.

 

“A cheap price,” he said suddenly. She froze mid-step and turned her head to regard him. He didn't even look back as he continued, “Usually these arrangements are more permanent.” Sesshomaru then walked away. Kira turned all the way around and stared at him as his words sank in then she laughed, a hollow sound with no humor to be found in it. Sesshomaru wasn't unaware of her plight, he just didn't see it as wrong, unlike the many others in the rebellion, because this had been an accepted practice in the world he had left behind.

 

****

 

A few days later, Sesshomaru climbed into the hovercar for his driving lessons. Since no one but Kira was brave enough to involve themselves with the ancient demon, his driving practice had been put on hold until she found some free time. She had spent the last few evenings in Dune's company. Kira was relieved that Dune had been called away to deal with something elsewhere in the city.

 

Asamu had disappointed her again by refusing to look elsewhere for a supplier. He believed this was as good as it was going to get for them. Kira felt hollow and defeated. Her brother felt terrible about the situation she was in, but it didn't help her plight at all as long as he chose not to do anything. She was now convinced that even if she told him everything it would do nothing to change her circumstances. She might as well spare him the nightmares. She sat in the passenger seat and wondered if this would be the day Sesshomaru would lose control and crash. The thought was slightly appealing.

 

Sesshomaru climbed into the driver's seat and glanced over at his supposed instructor. “Does he suck souls, as well?” asked Sesshomaru.

 

At any other time, Kira would have been thrown by his question. Not now because she didn't care to understand the comment. “Shut up and drive,” she said in flat voice.

 

Sesshomaru didn't. He stared at her for long time then asked, “Do you desire my pity?”

 

“Shut up and drive.”

 

“If you despise being a pleasure slave then kill him and be done with it,” said Sesshomaru as he turned the vehicle on.

 

Kira lunged at him, grabbed him by the collar of his leather jacket and shook him. “If I could do that this wouldn't be an issue!” she shouted at him.

 

Sesshomaru met her smoldering gaze without flinching and asked, “Can't or won't?”

 

Kira blinked then released Sesshomaru and sat back; caught between rage and despair. “This isn't a question of whether I can kill him but should I kill him. We can only work with outlaws and renegades and some of them would turn on us if it benefited them. Dune is the only one we can really count on at this time.”

 

“Because of his attraction to you,” stated Sesshomaru. “You walk upon thin ice.”

 

Kira glared at him and said, “Shut up and drive!” As the car sped down the street the young woman felt, strangely, calm, her anger and despair vanishing in the face of revelation. Sesshomaru maybe a pitiless bastard from the past but he still has a point. If Dune grows tired of me, what's to stop him from turning on the rebellion?

 

Kira's eyes widened as she thought, What's to stop him from taking me and selling out the army if the right price is offered? There were no answers available for Kira right then.

 

*****

 

“There he is. The biggest bounty in history,” said Aetna as she peered through her binoculars at her target as he climbed into the hovercar with a human female. She saw the pair argue before the car drove away.

 

“Da guy drives all funky but he ne'er crashes. Da bitch-boy has got some super reflexes. Just remember that I want da girl at the end of this. I gots no problem it lettin' ya have da bitch-boy just give me da girl. Then you can go back deliver da bitch-boy get da reward. I don't even want any slice of da pie,” said Dune from where he stood next to her.

 

“That's because you have your eye on another pie. Why settle for a slice when you can get a whole one for yourself? Once the girl is safely stashed away you'll turn the army over to Katagai and collect the reward through one of your human contacts. That's your kind of pie, a sweet lemon murrain,” said Aetna peering at the orange-haired demon. Dune was grinning at her. “Don't feel bad betraying your friends and fellow demons?” she asked though she thought she already knew the answer.

 

“Pssh! It's all business. Keepin' the army on as a partner doesn't look nearly as profitable as sellin' `em to Katagai. I always planned to do it. I was just waitin' for the stocks to rise higher before selling `em. Augustus nearly stiffed me with his attack. Da way they are now, if I don't cash in now I'll lose my investment,” he said with a shrug without losing his grin. Aetna smiled, she understood that kind of business.

 

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I know this seems to wander a bit but I'm really happy with where it ended up. I wanted to introduce conflict between Dune and Sesshomaru but I thought it too soon for him to be getting all jealous and over-protective of Kira. The next chapter shouldn't bounce so much.