Something To Talk About

A/N: Well, only one chapter and the epilogue to go, and then, this fic will be finished. It's been a bumpy road, littered with writers' block, moving, and other things, but here we are, and I'm glad to be nearly finished. I will start working on Brother after this one is finished.

Thanks a lot guys, and please enjoy the chapter.

~!~

Kagome stared out at the darkened sky and sighed as she thought over the events of the past few days. In that time, she had made the firm decision to remain in Japan, and she had decided what exactly she wanted to do with Taisho Corp.

But, her decision was anything but easy. She would be giving up her ace in the hole, and didn't know if that was a good thing, or not. All she knew was this madness had to come to an end, for all of their sakes.

She turned and walked over to her closet and began to pull out her clothing for the meeting that would be held in the morning. She had to come out the victor and she would. After all, she was trained by Hojo, himself, and she would not be stopped.

Tomorrow would bring about the end of a meddlesome company, and the beginning of a new corporation. Now Japan would see why she was known as the best at what she did. She would crush those who dared cross her path, and she would make sure that when she was done, those who were her enemies would think twice about rousing her anger.

Satisfied with what she knew she had to do, Kagome turned off the lights in her bedroom and got into bed. As sleep began to claim her, she wondered if Sesshomaru were thinking about tomorrow, and if he would try to stop her.

She hoped not. She was going to enjoy this.

~!~

Naraku smirked and shook his head. His two companions were silent and staring out the windows of the car that was driving them to Taisho Corp. He knew that he could sway Kit Yurakami, and it would be very satisfying to see Sesshomaru Taisho, and his foolish family fall.

Leaning back, he asked, “Did you get confirmation that she will be there?”

Muso's eyes slid over to where his brother sat and silently nodded. “Yeah,” He said, his eyes moving back to stare out the window. “She will be there.”

“Good.” Naraku laughed, and then narrowed his eyes when he saw that his companions were not laughing with him.

Naraku studied the wolf, and then asked, “Are you ready to confront your past, Ayame?”

Ayame turned and nodded. “I am ready, and have been ready for a while now. Today will be a real eye-opener.” She said, giving the man before her a smile.

Relaxing, Naraku sat back and smiled. With Kit Yurakami's help, he would become the most powerful man in Japan, and after he destroyed Sesshomaru, then he'd go after Kit. After all, he didn't like to share power, even if it was with a beautiful woman.

When the car finally came to a stop, and the door opened, Naraku stepped out and took in a deep breath as he stared up at the tall building. He could see his own name replacing the Taisho name, and he smirked.

Motioning to his companions, he walked to the door and watched as the doorman opened it, a smile upon his face. The man wished him a good morning, but was ignored. Instead, he walked to the elevators, his mind going over the plans he was ready to reveal.

Once they were on the top floor, they were quickly shown to the boardroom, and he was not surprised to see that all of the chairs were filled, save for the ones saved for him and his companions, and another chair, which was clearly saved for Kit Yurakami.

Setting his briefcase on the table, he looked over at Sesshomaru and smirked. “So, are you ready to hand over control of your precious company, Taisho?” He sneered.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes glared over at the hanyou, and he coolly replied, “Things change, and quickly, hanyou. I won't let you take my family's legacy.”

Lifting an eyebrow up, Naraku asked, “And what legacy would you be referring to? Perhaps it is the one where you knock some broad up and then leave her for Ayame.”

Ayame cringed a bit, but then stiffened her shoulders. This mess was almost over, and she had to be patient. It would be worth it.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes glared over at the wolf, but noticed that she didn't bother to look his way. Instead, she kept her eyes trained on the wall that was behind Kouga. He could see the glares that were being directed in the female's direction, yet she didn't acknowledge them. It was strange to see Ayame so controlled.

Ayame took in several deep breaths, and nodded when Muso whispered to her that it would all be over soon. Like him, she was sick and tired of being a puppet for Naraku, and she was more than ready to watch him fall.

The males in the room spat insults to one another, but quickly stopped when the door opened and Kit stepped through the door. She sighed and shook her head.

“Already?” She asked, looking down at her watch. “Most of you only arrived thirty minutes ago. This has got to be some kind of record.”

Walking to her seat, Kagome knew that Sesshomaru's eyes were upon her, but she didn't dare look up at him. If she did, she was afraid that she would lose her courage to do what needed to be done. She needed her wits about her, and to do that, she needed to be the one in control. On this day, she would show everyone just how good of a teacher Hojo had been to her, and what she had learned.

Once she was seated and her papers in front of her, Kagome sat back and silently traded glances with Ayame. The female wolf looked apprehensive, but then again, she was surrounded by people who didn't care for her very much.

The male beside Ayame was softly whispering to her, and from what Kagome could see, he was a calming influence for the wolf. That was good. Those two were going to need each other's support by the time the meeting was over.

Taking in a deep breath, Kagome nodded over at the men she recognized as being on her own board of directors. They were here to observe yet another victory and she wasn't about to disappoint them. Once, they had thought to try and overthrow her, but she came back and made them see that she was their equal, if not their superior.

But, they were in for a rude surprise, too. However, that was saved for later. Right now, she had a company to ruin and she really did enjoy her victories.

Naraku stood up and gave Kit his most charming smile. He felt his body tingle with excitement when she smiled back and calmly said, “I would like to extend a most gracious thank you to Kit Yurakami for seeing fit to be here, today.”

Several people clapped, including Sesshomaru's people, and Naraku smirked. The old dog was about to see just how powerful he had become. “However, I feel that this is an age where it is kill or be killed, and I feel that it is time to put a dying dog to rest.” He said, staring over at Sesshomaru, his eyes never straying from the golden ones.

Kagome listened with eager ears as the man talked. Oh, he was smooth, and it was clear to her that he was trying to anger the youkai within Sesshomaru. Glancing over, she could see that Sesshomaru's eyes were slowly tinting red, meaning that his youkai was close to the surface, but was being held back by Sesshomaru, at least for now.

Inu Tashio and Inu Yasha were both sitting closely to Sesshomaru, to prevent him from attacking. Both men were clearly aware of just how far Sesshomaru had been pushing himself, and it didn't help matters to find out that the male had not slept in several days. They also knew that at the center of Sesshomaru's distraction was Kagome. The few times they did try to talk to Sesshomaru, they had been met with a silence that told them that he was very close to giving up.

For Sesshomaru to give anything up, well....it was disturbing. It was almost as if he felt defeated.

Turning her eyes back to Naraku, she found that he was looking directly at her. “Kit, I understand that you have taking firm control of your late husband's company and made it flourish.” He said, and turned before he could see the dangerous narrowing of her eyes. “However, I believe that together, you and I could rule this country's economy. Therefore, I am asking that you join me against Taisho Corp. Let us bury the past behind us, and start new.”

The boardroom was silent, and Kagome sat in her seat, thinking about his words. It was clear to her that Naraku wanted an answer, and she wanted to be sure that she was in complete control over herself before she answered. She had to be really careful in her reply. After all, she wouldn't want to spoil the surprise that she had planned for him.

One of her directors, an American named Carl Bender, cleared his throat and calmly asked, “Are you suggesting that our company join with yours in a partnership?”

“Yes.” Naraku replied, his eyes moving over Kit's directors, and seeing that they were uncomfortable with his request. Well, they didn't matter. As long as their bitch CEO agreed. “A partnership would greatly strengthen both companies, and with Taisho Corp. out of the way, then we will have full control to spread our influence to other countries.”

Kagome pushed away from the table and slowly stood up. She watched as Naraku sat down, and she knew that he was waiting for her answer. Her directors knew better than to speak up to her, especially during a meeting such as this one, and so, they sat back and stayed quiet. Their opinions would not be listened to, anyways.

Looking around the room, Kagome smiled and said, “It is no secret what I have accomplished. I've dismantled many companies, and have enjoyed it. But, I do believe that I have more to gain by merging with another company. But, it will be on my terms, and it will be what I want, and to hell with what anyone else wants.”

Naraku's eyes narrowed as Kit reached down and pulled out a small pile of paper. Turning to the hanyou, Kagome asked, “Do you know what these are?” She smiled when he shook his head, but she could tell that he was lying. He knew exactly what she was holding, and what it meant.

When he was sure that his temper was in check, Naraku calmly said, “No, but I am sure that you are going to tell me.”

However, he knew exactly what they were. They were proxies, and from the way the three Taisho males stiffened, it had to be their proxies. If she were pulling them out, then she meant to use them. After all, the company was technically hers, anyways. They couldn't do a damn thing to stop her.

“Alright.” Kagome replied, smiling and playing along. “I'll tell you what they are. They are proxies, but then again, from your smirk, I think you knew what they were when I pulled them out.”

Moving away from the table, Kagome smiled over at all of the room's occupants and calmly said, “I don't like being played for a fool. To underestimate me is to insult me, and I won't stand for it. Just because I have breasts, doesn't mean that I am any less of a threat than if I had a penis. In fact, I'm probably the biggest threat in this room, just because I know how to play under the table, and win. I had an excellent teacher, and he made sure to pass everything he knew to me. I use that knowledge to the best of my ability and won't hold back.”

Her board of directors chuckled at her tone, knowing that she was about to cause someone some serious problems. The others in the room, though, looked shocked at her choice of words. Inu Taisho and Inu Yasha exchanged glances, but then turned their eyes towards Sesshomaru, who kept his eyes trained upon Kagome.

“Now, I am in a bind.” Kagome said, and moved back to her papers, and pulled out another stack of papers, similar to the first stack she pulled out. “I am not a very patient woman, and some would consider that to be a potential downfall, but I just see it as me wanting something, and not waiting to get it.”

Naraku stood up, his eyes glued to the papers she held in her hand, horrified. Kagome nodded, as if confirming his thoughts.

“Yes. Just like I did with Sesshomaru and his company, I did to you, as well.” She said, smirking. “After all, I didn't gain the reputation I have now simply by sitting around, collecting dust on my ass.”

Naraku gripped the table, his knuckled turning white as his rage continued to mount. “How?” He demanded. He glanced over at his brother, and found the male to be staring straight at him, his face void of any emotion.

Kagome laughed, and motioned for him to sit down. Hell, she didn't care if he knew how. There was nothing he could do about it, and now, she held all of the power. Two major companies, being held by the balls by a small, wisp of a woman. “I did it by going to the people who held the proxies, and convincing them that I was the lesser of two evils.” She explained, her tone patient. “Apparently, you are not very well liked, or respected. Try to take your defeat with some dignity.”

Glancing around the table, Kagome nodded over at Ayame. “Did you get me what I asked for?” She asked. Of course the wolf had it. Kagome just wanted Naraku to know just who it was that served his head to her on a silver platter. She wanted him to know how it felt to be betrayed. After all, he was planning to betray her, so she just beat him to the punch. Nothing more, nothing less.

The female wolf nodded, and stood up. Without a word, she shoved her purse across the table and into Kagome's hands. Reaching into the black bag, Kagome smiled and pulled out the last of the proxies that she had been waiting for.

Naraku was done for.

“Thank you, Ayame.” She said, smiling over at the wolf. Turning to look over at Naraku, whose face was now a pasty white, she said, “This will be coming in handy in a few short moments.”

When the wolf sat back down, Kagome's smile died off of her lips and she glared over at Naraku. “Do you take me for an idiot?” She demanded, her eyes flashing with fury. “I know that you are the one who went after Hojo's reputation, and I know that you are the one who tried to call my marriage to him into question. However, I'm not the sort of woman to do something without thinking it through.”

Kagome glared over at Inu Yasha when he snorted at her comment, but then turned back to Naraku. “Right now, I have the power to destroy two companies, but as I have said, I will only be taking one out and merging with the other, on my terms.” She said, and then looked over at Muso. “I thank you for your time, and appreciate yours and Ayame's help. The money has been wired to your account, along with a little extra, to show my appreciation. Our deal is now complete.”

Muso stood and helped Ayame to her feet. As they walked to the door, Kagome asked, “Ayame, please check to see if my guests have arrived.”

Ayame looked out into the waiting room, and watched as Muso moved over to greet the men, before turning and saying, “They are here. Do you want them to come in?”

“No, please ask them to stay outside for a few more minutes. I have something else to say to Naraku, and don't wish to be interrupted.” Kagome said, and then sat back down in her seat when the wolf nodded, and closed the door before leaning against it, and waiting for her cue.

Naraku glared over at Kagome, but he couldn't help but be in awe of how devious she was. She really was good at what she did. However, the bitch was still going down. He would not lose to anyone, especially a bitch with delusions of greatness. “I don't care what you think you hold on my company.” He snapped. “I won't let you take me down without a fight.”

Kagome nodded. “I know.” She said, quietly. “So, I am removing you from the picture, completely. I can't tell you how much you disgust me, and just so that we are clear on this matter....I would have never joined your company. I already know about some of the things you've been into and I wouldn't dirty my name with yours.”

She could feel everyone's eyes upon her, but she only had eyes for Naraku. Nodding over to Ayame, who was still standing in the doorway, she watched as two men walked in. Their faces were set in hard lines, and they stood patiently by Ayame.

“Hojo came back into my life at a very difficult time.” Kagome said, her eyes never leaving Naraku's. “He saved me, and my son, from a life that would have been very hard on us, emotionally. He was a good man.”

“He was a flamer.” Naraku spat. He glared over at the two men, who were staring at him openly. “He only married you for looks, nothing else.”

Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. “Only someone like you would think that way.” She replied. “He loved me and my son. And, I know that you are the one who took him away from us. I know that you are the one who sabotaged his plane. He wouldn't let you near his company, so you decided to get rid of him and try your luck against me, but it didn't work. Hojo was right. You are pathetic, and have no business controlling a company. I am about to remedy that, right now.”

Naraku froze. Glancing over at Ayame, he saw that Muso had joined her, and the two strange men, and was staring at him, watching his downfall.

“I don't know what you mean.” He said, his voice hard.

“Oh, I think that you do.” Kagome murmured, her own tone hard. “Muso has been kind enough to provide me and the police with a taped conversation that you had with him where you confessed to sabotaging my husband's plane. He has also handed over several other tapes that has you admitting to other crimes. So, you're going to be too busy to worry about what I am doing with your company, or should I say, my company.”

When she nodded at the two men, they came forward and surrounded Naraku. The hanyou was silent as his rights were read to him, and he was silent as he was led away. However, as he passed by his brother and Ayame, he hissed out, “I'm going to make you pay for this. Both of you.”

Muso slid his arm around Ayame's waist and hugged her to him. “Try it.” Muso snapped. “Besides, with all of the enemies that you have, I'd be more worried about protecting my own ass rather than threatening other people. You are no longer in power, brother.”

Once the hanyou was gone, Kagome shook her head, and looked at the couple by the door. Ayame's eyes were locked onto Kagome's and she softly said, “I really am sorry, Kagome.”

Kagome nodded. “I know you are, Ayame.” She replied. “I can't forget it, but I can do my best to forgive. As far as I am concerned, the matter between you and I is settled, as of now.”

Ayame's face lit up and she nodded. It was as if years of guilt melted away and she felt like a new person.

Muso smiled down at the female wolf, and then looked over at Kagome. “I'm sorry for my part in this, but I'm glad that you got over on Naraku.” He said, smirking. “I'm just sorry that your husband had to be the one to face Naraku's wrath. But, please know that I will testify against him and he will be getting all that he deserves.”

Kagome laughed and shook her head. “Well, he doesn't know the worst of it yet.” She said. “After you gave all of your information to me, I passed the information along to his board of directors. It seems that your brother has been a very naughty boy where money is concerned, and now, it is possible that he is going to lose everything that he owns. In fact, if I am not mistaking, his bank accounts are about to be frozen, and he'll have to settle for a court appointed attorney. How the mighty have fallen.”

Muso smirked. Good. “Well, we are going to leave you alone.” He said, glancing down to see Ayame smiling up at him. “I'm sure that there are more interesting things to do besides sitting in board meetings.”

Kagome smiled as the pair left the room, closing the door behind them. Taking in a deep breath, she said, “As of right now, Onigumo Tech. is officially out of business.”

Kagome watched as her board of directors nodded, and smiled at each other. However, there was still one more piece of business that she needed to deal with. Turning her head, she saw that Sesshomaru was watching her closely, and she took in a deep breath. She knew that he was waiting for her decision about his company.

She had to remain in control. It was almost over, and this was the most important deal of her life. She could not fail.

“I have reached a decision in the matter concerning the future of Taisho Corp.” Kagome announced, watching as her directors leaned forward in anticipation.

When she announced her decision, the room erupted.