The Danger with Beauty by Brittany
Chapter 1: What is your name?
Hi everyone. I am back at it again with a new fic. STOTBEB is still a WIP but this was an idea that popped in my head that I could not pass on. I should also mention this story is changing from past to present. Like always read and review and most importantly enjoy! I do not own Inuyasha.
[Three years ago]
Finishing her makeup’s last touches, Niao Long applied a soft pouty pink gloss to her lips. She sat in front of her vanity, admiring herself in the mirror, satisfied with the overall look she was trying to achieve. She turned her head slowly side to side, looking for any imperfections. She sighed in contentment, humming a little random tune in her head while dancing to her reflection. Before she could do anything else, she felt the cold sensation of thin metal of a dainty cross necklace on her neck.
“An elegant woman,” a silky feminine voice said in Mandarin Chinese, belonging to an older woman in her late 20s. “Always adorns herself with small trinkets. Not noticeable to the inexperienced eye but elegant.”
Turning around slowly to face her elder sister, “Zhenzhu Jiejie,” Niao Long smiled with a playful tap to the older woman's abdomen. “You always know how to make a girl feel beautiful. I am so lucky to have a big sister like you.”
Zhenzhu placed her hands on Niao Long's shoulders, gently with firm pressure, “Stand and let me look at you.”
Without hesitation, Niao Long stood, moved away from a little from her vanity, and slowly turned for her sister’s review. She wore a brandless plain clean-cut button-down shirt from a shop in a department store and wore a plain black vintage tweed Chanel A-line skirt with black heels purchased from Zara. Well-dressed ladies knew how to style themselves, combining high and low pieces. Another tip she learned from her big sister.
Zhenzhu circled her, scanning for anything that would be considered a wardrobe malfunction. Without losing her concentration, she asked her little sister, speaking Japanese instead of Mandarin, “What is your name?”
“Higurashi Kagome,” Niao Long bowed politely and replied in Japanese. She kept her gaze low, displaying her beauty double-lidded eyelids. “A pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Hen Hao.” Zhenzhu complimented, shaking her head in approval, uttering in her native tongue, Mandarin. “Very good. You fit the part very well. I trust you accounted for everything.”
“Yes, Jiejie.”
She turned Kagome around with an all-knowing smile, allowing her to see both of their reflections in the vanity mirror. Zhenzhu tucked the loose strand of black hair behind her ear. “Very beautiful.”
[Present- Qinlao Security Penitentiary- Beijing, China]
“Prisoner B4234.” The intercom shouted. A warden ordered a correctional officer to release the prisoner from cell B4234, after lifting the little box-shaped opening cut into the door to handcuff the little beauty, as she was affectionately known, inside. They used this small measure with all prisoners in case they decided to play games. Finally, opening the door, he stepped aside to allow the occupant of the cell access to the visiting area.
Niao Long exited the cell in her gray blank matching uniform and walked toward her visiting booth behind a glass case, separating her from the outside world. Sitting in front of her designated section was a man that she had never before met. His hair was black slicked back away from his face, and his face was long and disapproving. Although she wore no visible tags, his all black and white suit’s design and craftsmanship screamed Armani. Who did he send this time?
“Ms. Liu Niao Long.” he greeted into the phone after she picked it up and took her seat before him on the other side of the glass. His briefcase filled with dossiers of her case leaned near the leg of his chair. “I would offer you a handshake, customary for us Chinese citizens, but considering our circumstances, I would like to bow and introduce myself.” Getting up from his seat, he did just that. “My name Zheng Weng Penguin. I am an international attorney and a representative of Mr. Taisho. I was sent to represent you in your case.”
Niao Long sighed in annoyance. “You can just call me Kagome. It is my real name, anyway. And don't waste your time with me. Unless it has to do with my sister, I do not need you nor his help. You can relay that to him.”
Taking his former place back in his seat, Wang Peng warned. “Very well, Ms. Kagome, but your case is one that you can not take lightly. You may receive a life sentence if you are not careful.”
She laughed at his pathetic warning sarcastically. “That damn magistrate would likely be doing me a favor. Do you have any idea about how many people want my head on a silver platter? I have so many hits out on me from mob bosses, trust fund kids, and many other jilted fellows. Mr. Taisho is lucky that I only stole a mere ¥300 million (approx. $3 million) in his assets. And he still has enough to recover from what I stole.”
Seeing that this conversation was going nowhere really fast, he sighed. He did not want to work with this entitled woman, but Mr. Taisho was one of his high stakes clients, and he wanted to keep it that way. “Ms. Kagome, Mr. Taisho cares so much for you and is willing to put all your discretions in the past.”
“And I told him as well the fool before you that unless he can find my sister, I can care less,” she smirked confidently, rocking the back of her seat back and foot by pushing her feet on the table before her.
“And what about your son?” he inquired, hoping to get a reaction from her.
Her chair that previously rocked back and forth came to a standstill. The smug look dropped from her face, but she regained her composure as if it never happened. Got her! “He is where he belongs...with his father.”
“But he cries for his mother every night.” he egged on, knowing he would hit a nerve sooner. “Is that what you want for him? Crying for his mother. Barley over the age of 1.”
“SHUT UP!” she screamed into the phone, having half a mind to throw it at the glass.” YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MY SON. HE SENT YOU HERE TO TORTURE ME, DIDN’T HE?”
Reeling her back into where he wanted, he explained. “I want everyone to be happy. If you are cooperative with me, I can get you out of this place. Your son and husband will have their mother and son returned. Naturally, Mr. Taisho has already paid the mountain of money that you stole. And, in the event you are released early, he will provide top-quality security for the rest of your days. So you needn’t worry about that. And you shall be free. As for myself, I get to have Mr. Taisho’s loyalty as a high net worth client. A win for everyone.”
“And what about my Jiejie?”
“We are tracking her down. At least if she had perished in that shooting, we will find her corpse and lay her to rest.” He stared at his client with determination in his eyes. All she needed to do was take the bait.
Closing her eyes and leaning her head back in contemplation, she waited several seconds before she sighed in agreement.
“Hen hao!” ZhāngWéng Péng replied. “I bribed the warden for extra time, so tell me everything you can quickly.”
Repositioning in her chair and crossing her arms, placing them in front of her, she recounted. “It happened three years ago…”