InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Crow ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Sesshomaru carefully made his way down the back alleys, heading towards a dilapidated, old building. The crow landed on a dumpster, next to an old pair of boots. As Sesshomaru picked them up, he noted they were in rather good condition then put them on his feet. After he'd done that, he looked up the building, up the fire escape to see where the crow had landed. All the way to the top.

 

Still shivering, he proceeded to climb up the fire escape, more than a little surprised to see that, despite the cold and stiffness of his limbs, he still had all of his agility. Within moments, he had reached the top floor and entered.

 

The building itself had seen better days. Papers and other pieces of garbage littered the floors. Doors hung off their hinges, but only one held his interest . . . the one with the yellow police tape around it.

 

`I know this place . . .'

 

The crow flew by him and into the apartment, landing on a support beam. Body shaking, Sesshomaru walked into the apartment and looked around.

 

Everything about it looked and felt familiar but nothing jarred his memories . . . until a scrawny, long-haired cat crept out of the shadows.

 

“Gabrielle,” he murmured, reaching down to pick the cat up. How he knew the cat's name, he didn't know. He just knew.

 

Sesshomaru had just picked the cat up and had started to pet her when something flashed before his eyes . . . Gabrielle being picked up by some stranger . . . and biting the man . . . something she did to him. He staggered back, dropping the poor creature to the ground as another scene flashed before him.

 

A young male had sat on the couch, a male with white puppy ears on the top of his head and silvery-white hair. He was playing a guitar and humming to himself when someone knocked on the door. Puzzled, he'd set the guitar to the side, had gotten to his feet and had made his way to the door.

 

“Sesshomaru?”

 

He'd reached out to open the door when it crashed open, four men standing there. One of them threw a piece of paper at him, sending painful jolts of electricity surging through him. Before he could react or stop them, the men had entered the apartment, more of the seals landing on his body.

 

Sesshomaru's body jerked as pain coursed through him, the pain of the talismans . . . the pain of being beaten down . . . the pain of being violated by all four men . . . Then he heard his own voice.

 

“Inuyasha?”

 

He ran into the apartment as pain blossomed in his right shoulder. Under normal circumstances, such a wound wouldn't have stopped him. But it wasn't a normal situation. One of the men assaulting his brother was a dark monk . . . the blade had been laced with poison and a curse. Sesshomaru heard his brother's voice calling out to him, his tone weak and sad.

 

“Sesshomaru . . .”

 

When the men had made sure Inuyasha couldn't get up to fight them, they turned their attention to Sesshomaru once more. Before he could slash at them with his claws, two of them grabbed his arms and dragged him to the large bay window. They stretched his arms out and held him while their leader pointed a gun at him . . . and fired, his body falling out the window . . .

 

Sesshomaru swung back in and landed gracefully on his feet. He glanced at his hands to see a severe cut over each palm . . . which healed almost instantly, faster than his youkai blood could have ever healed him. A cold and harsh realization settled over him. They had died. He and his brother had died . . . because they had cared. They had cared about the people who lived in that building and had wanted to make it a better place for them . . . but he had no names for them. Just faces . . . and scents . . .

 

* * *

 

Houjo had to laugh as he pulled into the parking lot of The Pit. Tonight had been a very good night for he and his boys. Of course, it helped that they had the backing of the most powerful drug dealer and landlord in all of Detroit. Naraku. And they had some time before he had to report to Naraku. They could relax for a while and have a few drinks. He patted the bullets he carried in his pocket. Some fun and some drinks. A test of courage. Something that they could all use to unwind.

 

The four of them went inside to their usual table. Miroku's girlfriend, Kagura, glanced at them as they entered and smiled. Immediately, she was there and taking their orders.

 

`Time to play,' Houjo smirked, handing the bullets out . . .

 

* * *

 

Picture after picture landed on the smooth surface of the vanity. It had belonged to someone, a female . . . his brother's fiancé. He knew that when he'd touched it. But that had not been painful in and of itself. The pictures had been.

 

With each picture came a memory. Each memory was punctuated by the events that had taken his brother's life and his own. He'd given his brother a ring . . . a family ring that indicated who their family was . . . Inuyasha had nearly burnt their apartment down trying to fix dinner one night . . . whenever he saw his brother's eyes, he saw the love and admiration his brother had held for him, even when they'd had a disagreement. So many memories . . .

Finally, Sesshomaru couldn't take it anymore. Rage had filled him, rage at the loss of such a valuable life. Revenge began to consume his thoughts. With a loud and feral growl, he punched the mirror of the vanity, no longer acknowledging the pain that erupted in his hand. Pain was his friend now. Sesshomaru opened one of the drawers to the vanity and pulled out a container of white make-up.

 

Inuyasha had done some theater work at some point. His brother had always been creative, and his band had started to gain popularity thanks to his guitar work and writing. He'd done some acting between gigs, having brought home various props and the make-up. Tonight, that make-up would be Sesshomaru's disguise . . . a pale, deathly face made paler . . . eyes darkened.

 

Sesshomaru rummaged about for a different shirt to wear. His enemies wouldn't know what hit them until it was too late . . . Tonight, revenge would be his.