InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Usefulness ( Chapter 20 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I don’t own it so please don’t sue.


(I)


Inuyasha gazed blindly out of his office window, his brown eyes glazed and foggy as he pondered his newest problem. ‘It’s not like Sesshoumaru would actually lower himself to explain anything,’ Inuyasha growled irritably. ‘So I guess I’ll just have to see what he can do and take it from the-‘


“Mr. Taisho?”


Inuyasha leaned over and pressed the flashing red button on his p.a. system. “I already know. Send him in please.”


“Of course Mr. Taishou.”


Inuyasha waited until Aoshi entered the room and smirked when Aoshi’s nervousness weighed down the air around them. “What are you nervous for?” Inuyasha growled as he stood up and walked around his desk.


“I don’t know to be honest,” Aoshi admitted. “I mean, I’m not sure if you’ve talked to Sesshoumaru-sama yet“


“Yeah, we talked,” Inuyasha assured him. “He and I straightened things out.”


“That’s a relief,” Aoshi closed his eyes and sighed, his cobalt blue eyes hidden behind his dark lashes. Inuyasha nodded and sat down on the edge of his desk. He adjusted his tie and frowned at Aoshi’s old fashioned attire, his mind already figuring how to change the nervous inu youkai into the businessman he would need him to be . . .


Should he prove to be useful of course.


“So tell me Aoshi,” Inuyasha began once Aoshi sank into one of the many chairs in the room. “What can you do exactly? Can you type?”


“No, I never learned.”


“Ok then, what do you know about computer systems?”


Aoshi blushed darkly. “I’m sorry Inuyasha-san, but I don’t know anything about that either.”


“Great,” Inuyasha growled in frustration. “Can you at least answer the phones?”


“Yes sir, I can,” Aoshi replied with a growl of his own. “Look, I can see this isn’t gonna work.” He stood up to leave. “Tell Sesshoumaru-sama that I apologize for wasting his ti-“


“Hey wait a sec,” Inuyasha said as he barred Aoshi from the door. “Look, let’s start over ok. Just what are you good at?”


“Well, I can do impressions.”


“Impression?” Inuyasha repeated doubtfully. “Right...” Inuyasha closed his eyes, counted to ten, sat down behind his desk and waved his hand. “Let’s hear it.”


“OK,” Aoshi agreed. He cleared his throat nervously, then said. “I wish I knew what you wanted me to say. I guess I’ll wing it though. Taishou-sama-“


Inuyasha looked up, startled as his secretary’s voice filled the room.


“I have those reports you requested for this afternoon.” Aoshi smirked when Inuyasha’s mouth fell open. “Oh, and please-“ He switched from Inuyasha’s secretary to Inuyasha himself, his smirk widening to a full-blown smile.


“Close your mouth. You might attract flies.”


“Holy cow,” Inuyasha whispered approvingly. “Who else can you do?”


Aoshi continued for another twenty minutes and the voices of presidents, emperors, celebrities and other famous people came from Aoshi’s pale throat. Inuyasha applauded when he finished, the black inu youkai blushing in spite of himself as Inuyasha whooped in approval.


“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!” Inuyasha said as he rose to his feet. “That’s better than working a processor any day! You’re hired!”

“But what will I do around here?” Aoshi wondered. “I can’t do anything as far as technology is concerned, so-“


“Taishou-san.”


Inuyasha glanced at Aoshi, then pushed his intercom button. “Yes?”


“There’s a young lady on the phone that wishes to speak to Sesshoumaru-san,” his secretary explained. “She says her name is Higurashi Kagome.”


“Oh shit,” Inuyasha mumbled, his eyes widening as he threw himself into a panic. “Holycrap-holycrap-holycrap!”


“What’s going on?” Aoshi wondered as he watched Inuyasha drummed on his desktop. “What is it Inuyasha-sama?”


“Look, can you do Sesshoumaru’s voice?”


“Yes,” Aoshi replied in the voice requested. “But why-“


“Keep it right there. Look, this girl is sort of...important to Sesshoumaru. Do you think you could talk to her?”


“Of course,” Aoshi replied. “I’ll do my best.”


“Thanks.” Inuyasha pushed the intercom button again. “Patch the call through.”


Aoshi cleared throat again, tested a few sentences on Inuyasha and picked up the phone. “Hello.”


“Um, hi,” was the timid response from the other end. “Sesshoumaru?”


“This is he. How are you Kagome?“ He smirked at Inuyasha’s surprise and shrugged. ‘I remember the young lady now,’ he said to himself. ‘She was with Kanna-chan that day in the pound.’


“I’m fine,” she laughed. Aoshi smiled and waited for her to speak again. “Are you alright? Is there something I may do for you?”

“Oh no, I’m fine,” she replied with another laugh. “I’m sorry to bother you but I forgot to ask you something the last time you were here.”


“What is it?”


“My cousin’s wedding is the beginning of next month and I was wondering -If you’re not too busy- if you wanted to come with me?”


“Um...” Aoshi watched as Inuyasha frantically scribbled something down, then read, “What day is it?”


“Oh, um, the eighth.”


Aoshi held up eight fingers and watched as Inuyasha glanced over a nearby desk calender. ‘It’s one of the full moons,’ Inuyasha said to himself as he shook his head. ‘But Sesshoumaru usually changes on the first day. This wedding is on the night of the true full moon, the second day.’


“I see,” Aoshi said as he nodded back to Inuyasha. “I will do my best to make it, but-“


“I understand if you can’t,” Kagome said quickly. “I just thought I’d ask just in case.”


“Well where shall it be?” Aoshi quickly scribbled down the directions and handed them to Inuyasha. “Is there anything else?”


“Um, yeah, there was. I wanted to thank you for last time.”


“Why?” Aoshi asked as he and Inuyasha exchanged confused and scandalized glances. “I do not remember doing anything that deserved thanks.”


‘Man,’ Inuyasha thought as Kagome responded. ‘Aoshi’s a better Sesshoumaru than I would have thought.’


“You listened to me and you didn’t have to. I’m sorry for being such a burden-“


“You are never a burden.” Aoshi shrugged again at Inuaysha’s shocked expression. “Now, I really must be goin-“

“Oh, right, I bet you’re busy. I’m so sorry,” Kagome apologized. “I’ll let you go so-“


“Kagome wait,” Aoshi interrupted, then winked when Inuyasha signaled for him to hang up. “Please do not hesitate to call me. It is . . . refreshing to hear your voice.”


“Um, right,” was her shy response. “Ok then. Um . . . goodbye Sesshoumaru.”


“Goodbye.” Aoshi pushed the disconnect button and smirked, then yelped in fright when Inuyasha jumped up from his desk and shook his hand.


“That was amazing!” Inuyasha complimented with a hard clap to Aoshi’s back. “I’ve never heard the stuffy bastard sound so good!”


“Thank you Inuyasha-sama!” Aoshi replied bashfully. “I’m glad you approve.”


“Approve! Hell, I love it!” Inuyasha chirped enthusiastically. “Now let’s get to work on making you business worthy!”


“Wait Inuyasha-sama,” Aoshi said as Inuyasha began to drag him out of the office. “What position am I in? What am I going to do?”


“Can’t you guess,” Inuyasha grinned back. “You’re going to be Sesshoumaru’s personal assistant!!”


(II)


Kagome held her breath, her fingers drumming nervously in her lap as the jury filed back into the courtroom. It had taken the group of 12 only 3 hours to deliberate and despite the strong case Kageromaru made, Kagome was still nervous that the defendant would go free. The jury finally settled in and remained standing.


“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” the judge announced as the rest of the courtroom fell silent. “Have you had time to deliberate?”


“We have your honor,” the jury foreman nodded.


“And what is your verdict?”

The foreman picked up a sheet of paper and read, “We the jury find the defendant, Greg Anthony Wallace, guilty of criminal sexual assault in the first degree.” The courtroom immediately erupted into chaos.


“Order!” the judge demanded. “Order! Quiet!”


“We also find the defendant guilty on all counts of child abuse, child molestation and child endangerment,” the foreman ended with a quick bow, then regained his seat. The judge ordered for quiet once again, but not before Rev. Holland let out a loud and grateful cheer.


“My apologies,” he whispered to Kagome as he sat back down. Kagome smiled in understanding, the judge’s decision to have sentencing the following week falling on deaf ears as the Hollands engulfed her in a grateful hug.


“Thank you so much,” Mrs. Holland tearfully whispered. “I don’t know what we would’ve done without your support.”


“It was nothing,” Kagome replied then grinned and held out her arms when Kageromaru approached them. “Great job there Kags.”


“Thank you very much Kags,” Kageromaru grinned back before shaking Rev. Holland’s hand. “I assure you reverend. We intend to seek the maximum sentence. The DA and I don’t want him to end up with a slap on the wrist. This guy has been sick a long time, with a rap sheet as long as my legs, and he should have been thrown underneath the prison a long time ago.”


“Thank you so much for your diligence,” Mrs. Holland bowed gratefully. “You and Mrs. Higurashi have been more than a help.”


“Yeah well, it runs in the family,” Kageromaru replied and gave Kagome a quick smile. “Sooooo . . . when do we tell the young one?”


“Right now if we can!” Kagome exclaimed, her dark heels making a sharp clicking noise against the polished floor. “I can’t wait to celebrate!”


“Celebrate how?” Rev. Holland asked as they left the courtroom and made their way to a small pathway across the
hall.


“Um . . . I don’t know,” Kagome admitted. “But I’m sure it’ll come to me. Hey Kanna,” Kagome said as she opened the door to Kageromaru’s office. Kanna looked up from a small book she was reading, Aoshi’s dark head lifting from her lap, and waved.


“Hiten and I were waiting for you guys,” Kanna smiled as she scratched behind the canine’s onyx ears. “Is everything over?”

“Yup,” Rev. Holland nodded and (with a barely concealed groan) crossed his legs and sat down on the floor beside her. “Everything’s all over. He’s going to jail for a long time.”


“That’s good,” Kanna grinned happily. “I’m glad he’s going away. That way he can’t hurt anyone else.” The adults in the room exchanged uneasy glances, each looking to the others for the right way to respond to Kanna when Kagome kneeled down and scratched Aoshi’s side.


“Hey, I have an idea!” she ‘whispered’ to her snow haired counterpart. “How about we go on a picnic this weekend?”


“Just us?” Kanna asked and was confused when Kagome shook her head.


“It’ll be all of us,” Kagome giggled and waved her hand to everyone else in the room. “You, me, your mom and pop, Higurashi-san and-“ she leaned in close and whispered, “We’ll even let Hiten and Chance hang out-“


“REALLY?!!” Kanna squeaked excitedly. “I can’t wait to see him! Do you think he remembered me? I bet he’s grown a lot!”


“Yeah, he has,” Kagome laughed and nodded. “So, what do you say? You guys want to picnic or what?”


“It’s fine with us,” Rev. Holland agreed when Kanna glanced at him. Kageromaru nodded as well. “I take it to mean that my Saturday is now booked.”


“It is,” Kagome nodded. “And you’re going to help me pack some stuff to eat. Mrs. Holland, don’t worry, I’ll get everything set up. This is going to be so much fun!” Kagome smiled when everyone else agreed, the Hollands and Kageromaru engaging in a conversation that obviously didn’t concern her. ‘Hmm,’ she remembered suddenly. ‘Don’t Chance and I have to take pictures with Miroku that day too? Oh well. We’ll have to do it early or later in the day.’

(III)


“Miroku, you’re not standing right,” Kagome whispered as she nudged him into the right place beside the alter. Miroku groaned but allowed Kagome to move him, the priest standing by smiling at them while Kagome continued to shove her hapless cousin. “Hey Miroku,” Kagome whispered once he was settled. “I’ve got a problem.”


“What kind of problem? You need some money?”


“No, no way,” Kagome said quickly. “I just need for you to-“


“Alright,” Miroku’s father said as he brushed past. “Here we go people. Places. Um, Kagome, you don’t belong up there.”

“Right, sorry.” Kagome jogged down the aisle toward the church’s massive wooden doors, where Sango and the other bridesmaids stood waiting. “Hey!”


“Hey yourself,” Sango replied with a grin. “I was wondering where you were.”


“OK people.” The wedding planner, a short, elderly woman with a pair of severe black glasses and a tight salt and pepper bun, urged them forward. “Sango dear, you stand at the back of the line. Kagome, Uma, and Kirara, you three stand here.” She placed Kagome in front of Uma and placed a single plastic flower in their hands.


“Now, Kageromaru, Souta, and Kohaku, you three stand here.” Kageromaru winked at Kagome as he came to stand beside her, Souta stood beside his girlfriend Uma and Kohaku took his place beside his girlfriend Kirara. “Wonderful,” the elderly planner grinned as she clapped her hands. “When the music starts-“ she waved toward the organ player, who immediately began to play. “Kagome, you and Kageromaru march out first.” She shoved them both, ignoring their shouts of protest as she practically hauled them toward the alter where Miroku was currently laughing at them.


“Now stand on the sides and hurry.” Kagome and Kageromaru split, not wanting to be assaulted once again by the woman, Kageromaru standing beside Miroku with Kagome waiting on the opposite side. Souta and Uma were treated similarly but Kohaku and Ana managed to avoid being manhandled.


“Now Sango dear, come on out.”


Sango wiped the last of the giggles off her face, grasped her father’s arm and began to walk.


“No, no, no,” the wedding planner called out over the music. “You must slow down! Take smaller steps!! This is a wedding not boot camp!”


“Then why does it feel like boot camp,” Souta ‘whispered’ to Kohaku, who immediately snorted in laughter. Miroku and Kageromaru soon followed, leaving half of the wedding party in a fit of giggles while everyone else glared at them.


“Perhaps we should take a break,” Kagome suggested when Sango growled and moved toward the men. She stopped and considered it, then nodded and took off her veil.


“I think we do need a break,” she readily agreed. Miroku and the others agreed as well, each sending Kagome grateful smiles as they left the sanctuary for the outside and the church steps. Souta sighed and rolled his shoulders.


“Man, I’m so ready to go home,” Souta complained. “It’s bad enough Sango hired the Wicked Witch of the East for her wedding planner but we’ve got to stand in there too. Man, I’m sweatin’ worse than a whore in confession!”


“SOUTA!” shouted Kagome, Uma, and Sango before Kagome slapped the back of his head.


“That was awful!” Kagome gaped at him. “How could you say that?”


“What?” was his intelligent answer as everyone else shook their heads at him.


“You’re so bloody hopeless,” Uma muttered. She shook her head and wacked him again for good measure. Kagome laughed at Souta’s affronted look and sat down beside Miroku.


“Weren’t you asking me for something Kagome?” he asked as he glanced at his younger cousin. She smiled back at him, her sapphire blue eyes so different from the inky indigo of his own.


“Oh yea, I wanted to tell you that Chance and I will be late Saturday.”


“Why?”


“I 217;m going on a picnic with one of my kids.”


Miroku smiled and nodded in understanding. Kagome never called the children she was assigned to her ‘cases’, but her ‘kids’. She felt that calling them cases would be dehumanizing them and everything they suffered through. They were hers and she was theirs for as long as they needed her, her heart’s decision made before her duty to her job could question it. Miroku loved this about his cousin and was grateful that her past experiences hadn’t tainted her innocence and joy. “How late are you going to be?”


“Eh, maybe thirty minutes or so,” Kagome speculated and thoughtfully scratched her forehead. “I’m not sure. If it’s longer than that I’ll be sure to call you.”


“Alright then.” Miroku and Kagome glanced up when the church’s doors burst open and revealed the ancient wedding planner on the other side.


“Let’s go people!” she shouted and began herding the reluctant wedding party back inside. “We’re wasting time and time is money! Let’s start from the beginning!” She grabbed Miroku’s arm and dragging him back inside, taking a moment to grab the startled priest before continuing her determined stride toward the alter. Kagome giggled at her cousin’s distress before running in behind him.


(IV)


Miroku stood in the middle of his studio, his paintings held in a separate room as he set up his camera. He opened the camera’s tripod stand in front of a jet-black sheet that hung from the ceiling on clear hooks. A large box covered with black felt sat on the floor in front of the camera’s lense.


“That’s better,” Miroku said aloud, his head bobbing up and down in approval and his hands fisted at his waist. “I think that’ll do it-“ He glanced up, grinned, and waved as the cargo elevator door’s were rolled up and Kagome’s raven head appeared beyond the gate’s bars.

“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Kagome said as she and Chance rushed toward him. “The picnic ran late and traffic was bad and-“


“Kagome, chill,” Miroku laughed as Kagome huffed before him. Sesshoumaru sat down and watched her, his amusement at her antics plain in his eyes as he yawned and plunked his chin on his front paws.


“It’s alright. I knew you might be late, remember?”


“Yeah,” Kagome huffed, her hands grasping her knees while she bent over and gasped for air. “But you (huff) know how much I (wheeze) hate it.”


“Yes, I know. How are you buddy?” Miroku asked Chance as he kneeled down and scratched underneath his chin. Sesshoumaru yawned in reaction and shifted his head away from Miroku’s fingers. Miroku laughed and patted the top of his head.


“He thinks you’re patronizing him,” Kagome said and grinned when Miroku stared back at her. “What? He’s my dog.”


“I think sometimes you forget he’s a dog,” Miroku countered and laughed when Kagome laughed. “Aw now, don’t be upset.” He draped his arms around Kagome’s shoulders, ignored her wary glance at his hands, and patted her arm. “I do have news for you though. I’ve decided to take pictures of Chance . . . only.”


“Really?” Kagome replied as Sesshoumaru’s ears perked up.


‘What did the pervert say?’ Sesshoumaru inquired while Kikyou laughed in his mind’s ear. ‘Surely he jests.’


‘What’s the matter?’ Kikyou giggled as Miroku began his attempt to convince Kagome to bend to his will. ‘Don’t tell me your camera shy?’


‘Wench be still,’ Sesshoumaru growled, his thoughts of picture taking settled away as he went over his earlier conversation with Aoshi.


‘I think it’s a good idea you know,’ Kikyou added helpfully. ‘If he can sound like you so well then it’s bound to be useful to the company, right?’


‘I did not ask for your opinion,’ Sesshoumaru growled absently. He was a little worried, not over Inuyasha’s decision to make Aoshi his ‘assistant’ but over how Kagome would take it if he didn’t show up for her cousin’s wedding. ‘It is not as if I wish to go,’ Sesshoumaru attempted to think to himself. ‘But I . . . do not wish to disappoint her.’


‘I wish there was something I can do.’

‘Wishing will not help me,’ Sesshoumaru told her, then looked up when Miroku grinned and clapped his hands. ‘Or I would have been free of this curse a long time ago.’


‘Oh please,’ Kikyou retorted with a mental image of her rolling her eyes at him. ‘Being a dog can’t be that bad.’


‘I was speaking of you, nuisance.’


He smirked when she pouted, an image of her displeasure burned into the Good file of his memory as Miroku turned to him.


“OK buddy,” Miroku said as he reached forward and unfastened Sesshoumaru’s collar. “Your mistress has given me permission to exploit you for my own personal gain.”


“Jerk,” Kagome grumbled and wacked his upper arm. “Don’t tease him.” She shook her fist at him, sapphire blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she closed the space between them. “I’ll make you sorry if he does so much as whimpers under you’re so called ‘care’.”


Miroku held up his hand in surrender, his eyes round in fright as he swore not to harm a hair on Chance’s head. “Awfully protective of you, isn’t she?” he whispered in Sesshoumaru’s ear before leading him toward the camera. He waited until Sesshoumaru was seated on the box before stepping behind the camera’s lens, then adjusted something on the camera itself before looking up.


“Can you lay down for me buddy?” Miroku asked and smiled when Sesshoumaru complied. He stretched out onto the box, his snow white body barely fitting on the box’s limited surface. He stared directly into the camera, then at Kagome when she sighed and dragged a nearby chair toward them.


“That’s perfect,” Miroku called out and began taking shots. “Hey Kagome, he’s following you around. Move a bit more would you?”


Sesshoumaru huffed and rolled his eyes, but watched his owner as she moved from Miroku’s left to his right. The last time Sesshoumaru remembered having his picture taken, it had been more than 60 or so years ago. It reminded him of the turmoil of the time and the little boy who changed his view of the world-


Forever . . .


‘You know,’ Kagome mused silently, her fingertip lightly tapping her side as she watched Chance over Miroku’s shoulder. She failed to notice the pooch’s sudden melancholy mood, his golden eyes darkened in sorrow as he remembered days long past. ‘Chance’s hair is getting kinda long. Maybe I should give him a cut.’


(End Chapter)


SF: This is a filler chapter, something to keep the ball rolling. The next chapter is important, as there will be information on Sesshoumaru’s past. The next chapter goes further into Sesshou’s past and into what made him the male...um, canine...um, whatever he is today.


Next chapter- Chapter Twenty-One: Something Like the Wandering: Issac’s Suffering