Frog Prince, Meet Cinderella by CritterWhisperer

Meet the Prince

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. I also do not own any popular namebrands that may be mentioned throughout the story.

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Sesshoumaru glared at the remains of what had been a practice dummy. Actually, the remains of three practice dummies. They had been sturdy things, specially reinforced to withstand the strength of a demon's punches. But they didn't last long under Sesshoumaru's temper. Now they looked something like scarecrows that had been turned inside out. And he was no calmer than he was before the carnage.

"Man, you really need to get laid. Anger like that, that happens when you let yourself get all backed up."

"I'm not backed up. Must you solve all of life's problems with sex?" Sesshoumaru growled as he cast an icy glare toward the only other person in the room.

"Is the sky blue?" Miroku smiled back, not intimidated at all. He had been friends with Sesshoumaru for years, ever since he started working for Takashi Enterprises. He had started as an intern in business law. His obvious talents and sharp mind landed him a permanent position that led to promotions and recognition from higher-ups, as well as the ever-elusive respect from one Sesshoumaru Takashi.

"Well then. What's the problem today? Incompetent employees? Inuyasha did something embarrassing in public again?"

"Father."

"Ah." That was answer enough.

Sesshoumaru's father, Touga Takashi, was CEO of Takashi Enterprises. Sesshoumaru was his eldest son and heir to the family business. Or so was the official story. The real story is that the Takashis were a family of inuyoukai that had once been the powerful rulers of the western regions of Japan, recognized by both humans and demons, alike. To the youkai society, that standing still held. But for the unaware human society, the Takashi empire was limited to business, only. (Miroku only knew of this because of his abilities to identify demons - a latent holy power inherited from a long family history of Buddhist monks. His knowledge was probably one of the reasons he was one of Sesshoumaru's few trusted friends.)

Over the past two centuries of the company's history, Touga and Sesshoumaru had been in the perpetual role of CEO father and son. Well-used illusionary spells made it appear that they aged like any other human. Every 40 years or so, they would perform a passing-of-the-torch charade, reset the aging spells, and go on with business as usual.

To be honest, Sesshoumaru was getting tired of his role. He had never much liked the pomp and circumstance that had come with the royal court of the western lands. He took every opportunity to escape it and patrol his lands, ensuring the safety of his people. Those patrols never lasted long enough and he would be thrown into the courtly lifestyle again, ignoring windbag nobles and their ninny daughters, who would throw themselves at him, hoping he might choose them as a mate one day.

Things had not changed much since he took on the role of the heir of a multi-billion dollar corporation. It only got worse because now he had to fight off other CEOs who hoped to merge with his company and deal with their ninny human daughters, as well as demonesses, who hoped to catch his eye. Oh, he would indulge in what they could offer from time to time when one female or another would manage to catch his attention. But all of them were of little use outside the bedroom. He couldn't fathom having to spend any more time with them than necessary. And that was part of the reason for his ill temper.

"He wants me to be mated. He's practically demanded it and threatened to bring a matchmaker into it."

"Is that all? Who needs a matchmaker with the way women throw themselves at you?" The lucky dog. Miroku would give his left arm to get that kind of attention.

"All brainless twits."

"You don't know that. You hardly spend any time to get to know any of them." That was true. Sesshoumaru was never much for socializing. In fact, he had grown into the habit of using his work as a shield from the rest of the world. If he wasn't in the office, he was at home, working in his study. He approached social functions and business dinners as if he were going to his own execution.

"If their conversation could keep my interest for more than five minutes, I might be able to bear spending more time with them."

"Well, maybe you need to move outside your normal social circles." At the glare he received, Miroku changed tactics. "This is an old subject for Touga, anyways. What else is wrong?"

"He's decided to retire. For good this time. He said he wants to spend his golden years with Izayoi."

"His golden years? Hah, he's into his diamond years by now. Beyond that. And both of them still have centuries ahead of them."

"Yes. Father has just become bored with the company for now. He's going to turn over control to me."

"Well, that's no big deal. You'd welcome the work."

"He wants Inuyasha to be vice president."

"Oh." Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had never gotten along. They were half-brothers. Izayoi was Inuyasha's mother. Often, Sesshoumaru ridiculed him for being a hanyou. In reality, his human blood did not bother him that much. Well, it did back when his father had mated Izayoi. In those days, unions between humans and demons were frowned upon. Sesshoumaru was thrown into a number of battles to help his father maintain his control over the western lands. There were some times that Sesshoumaru had considered challenging his father, himself, just to ease the tension. But something always held him back from going through with it.

But that was centuries ago. Things settled. Minds changed. He got over Inuyasha's heritage. Now, he just didn't like him because the hanyou was a loud-mouthed idiot. He had a habit of doing stupid things that caused embarrassment to the family, also. Like that time when he was arrested at a party being held in a five-star hotel. Sesshoumaru never got all of the details. He had read the report up to the point that it stated a donkey had been in the hotel suite, and decided that he didn't want to know the details.

"Father, in his infinite wisdom, believes Inuyasha is ready to join the family business."

"Well, I should think he would have been ready. He's what, 300 years old? How many times has he gone through school?"

"His school days were spent much like his leisure days. Full of drinking and partying, but broken up with the occasional class during which he would sleep."

Miroku shook his head. "I don't know why you force yourself to put up with these things if they are going to make you miserable."

"It is the demand my father and alpha."

Ugh. Dogs. "No, I think it's because you're a masochist. Otherwise you would have gone off on your own, or challenged your father by now."

"My situation would be little improved in challenging my father."

"Maybe, maybe not. At least you won't have to worry about it for a while. What with leaving for America next week."

"Hn." Yes, he and Miroku, along with a number of other employees were going to America to see to a merger. They were acquiring a small manufacturing company that was going under. While it had branches in various parts of the company, its headquarters and largest facility was located in some backwater town in the American South. This would be the focus of their trip. They planned to completely revamp the facility to be a production line for fuel-efficient engines, and add a research and development department. It would create hundreds of new jobs in the area.

While Sesshoumaru had no idea why his father had been interested in the little company in the first place, he was thankful that the old dog had suggested that he spearhead the endeavor. It was one of the few good suggestions his father had ever made. It would be months before he returned to Japan and Sesshoumaru welcomed the idea that he would have at least one continent and one ocean between himself and his father, depending on which way you traveled around the world. Maybe by that time he would have a new perspective.

 

INUYASHA © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan • Yomiuri TV • Sunrise 2000
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