AfterShock

The drive to Inutaicho's was too slow for Sephiroth. It seemed like everyone conspired to get in his way. Sephiroth tossed his phone into the passenger seat after another failed call to both the bastard dogs. Cursing, Sephiroth blared his horn at another dumb asshole driving down this road to gawk at the homes of the super rich. At this rate he could get out of the car, jump the fence, and run to the house. Swerving around the startled couple in their ailing car, he sped off with screeching tires. Sephiroth let out a hissed breath as he jerked the car into the entryway to Inutaicho's lands. Cramming on the breaks at the gate, he pressed the call button on the box.

"May I help you?"

"This is Sephiroth. I need to see Inutaicho. It's an emergency." He was asked to wait by the irritated male on the other side of the speaker box. Sephiroth tapped the steering wheel with impatient fingers. "Hurry." He whispered as he cast his eyes about to look for the enemy.

Inutaicho was staring out his window when Sebastian came to him to tell him Sephiroth was at the gates. Frowning he ordered him to let his future son-n-law in. Reaching into his pocket, Inutaicho pulled out his phone and checked it. He had yet to receive word from Shikamaru about the attack on his son and it was bothering him.

Sephiroth slid to a stop in front of the massive mansion. Hopping out of the car he ran for the front door as it opened. Inutaicho was stepping through a doorway off the main hall when he looked at him. His face turning from surprise to worry, "What is going on? Is my son alright?"

"Demon hunters are on their way here." Sephiroth said quickly. He could see the demon lord relax as a mocking smile crossed his lips. Before Inutaicho could say a word, Sephiroth continued, "They are led by Ryukotsusei."

Inutaicho felt all the ease fade as his heart literally skipped a beat. "How did you get this information?"

"I still have friends in the Akatsuki. Stark sent me the warning."

"Do you trust him?" Inutaicho asked as his wife came to the rail at the top of the stairs.

"Yes." Sephiroth answered without hesitation.

Turning to his wife, Inutaicho said, "Get Mai now."

She didn't argue, just lifted her skirt and rushed back the direction she came from.

"Sebastian, you get them to safety." Sephiroth watched Inutaicho walk up to the wall beneath the staircase. "Have you been able to get in touch with Sesshomaru?"

Sephiroth shook his head as Inutaicho knelt down, his hand blocked by his legs as he messed with something. A hidden door slid sideways revealing a dark cobweb riddled passageway. Inutaicho stood as his wife rushed down the stairs with a sleepy looking Mai. "Get to my son quickly and warn him."

"I can't do that." Sephiroth said.

"You are not staying..." A loud bang shook the house causing Mai to scream and squeeze her mother.

Sebastian came up to them, "They are here."

Inutaicho snarled, shoving Sebastian and his wife through the secret entrance, "Keep her safe."

Shutting the door, Inutaicho walked over to the large, heavy table that sat in the center of the entry hall. Tipping it over, the table top landed with a thunderous boom on it's side, exposing some automatic weapons.

"Are you not going to transform into your demon form?" Sephiroth asked, grabbing a gun, and hoping for an answer to a deep seeded question.

"I can't." He answered a second before the front door blew apart with a massive chunk of the wall. They both dropped behind the table as the entry was peppered with bullets.

"Hello bastard dog general. How have you been?" Came a condescending voice.

"I'm doing well. How have you been? Still slithering under rocks?" Inutaicho chuckled as another barrage of bullets entered his home.

"I'm guessing that is Ryukotsusei." Sephiroth said as he and Inutaicho returned fire.

"Yes, and he is the reason I can not change form. A demon level battle between us would end with too many human casualties." They dropped behind the table as another barrage peppered the room, "And he knows I won't risk innocent lives."

Sephiroth felt any possible hope die with that statement. Though the great dog demons could transform, he realized the limitations involved. How the hell were they going to get out of this if the Yokai leader couldn't use the full extent of his power?

"Are you ready to surrender your life?" Ryukotsusei taunted.

"This table won't hold much longer." Sephiroth observed.

"You have any ideas?"

"Can't say that I do." Sephiroth said as a heavy, metallic thunking sound echoed through the room. Looking around the table Inutaicho cursed.

"You need to get rid of that." He snarled as he opened fire. Sephiroth quickly grabbed the smoking canister and threw it out the door, but three more sailed into the room.

"We have to get out of here." Inutaicho stood with his hand over his nose and mouth. Sephiroth rushed up to Inutaicho as the demon staggered. He looked around, his eyes briefly landing on the door to the secret door. Quickly he disregarded it. That way would put Inukimi and Mai in too much of a risk. They rushed through the home to the kitchen, but by the time they got there Sephiroth was supporting Inutaicho's weight. They were close to the door when a sharp pain in his thigh caused him to stumble and drop Inutaicho. Looking down he saw a dart sticking out of his leg. Pulling it out he threw it away as he dropped to his knees.

"Well, well. Looks like Itachi is in for double the fun."

Sephiroth snarled at Kisame as whatever was in the dart hit his system hard. The man squatted next to him with a toothy grin.

"Why did Itachi change his mind. I was hired to kill the demon bastard." Sephiroth turned his blurry eyes on the seething man who entered the room.

"Don't know, Don't care." Kisame said reaching out to Sephiroth, but jerked his hand back when Sephiroth swung at him, knife in hand. Sephiroth hissed as another dart hit him in the shoulder, sending him into darkness with Kisame's laugh ringing in his ears.

*****

Itachi stood at the back door to the warehouse watching the clouds float by while he waited for word on how the attacks were going. Anger sent a shiver through his body. Soon all he wanted would become reality. The path he set upon would finally bear fruit.

He remembered that day. He had been part of Madara's Akatsuki for a couple years and proved himself as a proficient and valued member. When he came home his father was sitting at the table with a disgusted look on his face. It seemed his mother had found out he was part of Madara's gang, she was furious.

So, instead of admitting he was the reason Itachi had joined, his father turned on him. He had even called the police and had him arrested. Nothing he said could convince anyone of his innocence. He spent the next six months in a juvenile detention constantly fighting because of who he was. An Akatsuki.

Once out, Itachi threw himself into the gang activities, all the while hating his father. A year later he was shunned by the clan members by his father's orders. He hatched a plan then. He would gain control of the Akatsuki, he would then remove his father from his precious company, take over and ruin the man. Then the blasted demon got involved.

Under pressure from the elders of the Uchiha clan, his father sold his company to the silver tongued Sesshomaru. Furious he went to his father and killed him. As the man lay bleeding, his mother came home. When she started screaming he reacted. The action would haunt his dreams for years. With one clean sweep, he had silenced his mother forever. Standing in their livingroom, Itachi stared down at his bloody hands. Anger swelled up inside him. He left the house he had grown up in and continued his path through the Uchiha compound. His hatred and anger drifted into his view of all Uchiha. It was easy, they never suspected it. The darkness kept him in her inky embrace as he went from house to house killing everyone. Men, Women, Children, none were safe. He could feel the euphoric sensations even now.

When he finished he was standing near his parents home as the light of dawn brightened the sky. He entered his parents home one last time. Standing over their bodies, Itachi was not surprised he felt nothing over his fathers death, he thought he would regret killing his mother, but he didn't. She always sided with his father, she was weak. Hearing a noise, Itachi looked up to see his little brother standing at the door, his bag he used for spending the night at friends houses was laying on the floor beside him.

In that moment he had his first stab of regret as Sasuke's fear filled teary eyes took in the scene.

As his little brother's mouth opened, Itachi jumped forward. His first instinct to silence the child, but a fraction of a second before he delivered a deadly blow, Itachi changed his motion. Sasuke fell to the floor hard gasping for breath. Tears streaked down his face as he stared at their parents. Unable to take the sight anymore, Itachi rendered his brother unconscious.

Turning from the home, he made an anonymous call to the emergency line. Leaving the yard Itachi turned to look back, his brother's body was visible from where Itachi stood. Gritting his teeth, Itachi realized he couldn't leave. Finding a hiding place, he waited. The police showed quickly, followed by the ambulance truck. Itachi stayed until his brother was taken away by children services; until the bodies of his clan were removed; until the police had left, and the darkening grounds of the Uchiha grounds were devoid of all life. He died that night as he left the grounds. His soul, his emotions, his name as an Uchiha, it lay in that house where he had left his brother.

Turning from the bright, cloudy sky of the present, Itachi walked back into the warehouse to await the arrival of his honored guest. Today he would eliminate the demon whose interference caused him to murder his whole clan.

Had the blasted demon Sesshomaru not pressured the elders, Itachi was sure he would be able to persuade his father accept him and give his approval to be where he belonged, at the head of the company, of the clan. Coming into the open space inside, Itachi smiled. Tonight would secure his future and relieve the emptiness left by the past.

*****

Coyote Stark stood in front of what was left of the Yokai den. The men who had been in the den were now bound and glaring at him. Sitting on a larger piece of debris, Stark sighed. Some of his men surrounded the Yokai members while others kept watch for reinforcements.

"So, what do you have planned now?" One of the Yokai asked.

Stark looked at the older man, he looked far to calm to be sitting there with his hands bound behind his back. He realized that this man could escape at any moment and most likely take out many of his men before being put down. This man had submitted to being bound for the same reason Stark had not killed anyone today.

Shrugging his shoulder, Stark leaned back. "Honestly I despise fighting. My only wish is to see how this day ends."

"You do know the Yokai will come out on top." The man said with a goofy smile on his face.

"It is possible." Stark answered. He could see the errors in Itachi's plans but he knew there was a small chance the man would come out victorious. There was much Itachi's vengeance was clouding from his vision. Itachi may have succeeded in taking Lord Inutaicho and delivered a hard blow to the Yokai, but the two sons were still alive. Those boys had allies and a tenacious attachment to what was theirs.

Stark also knew the Yokai had saved Zaraki and hid him from the eyes of the entire city. The only way he had found out was because his daughter Lilynette had been visiting a friend on rotation at the ICU. If the Yokai had the power and desire to protect a rival, they had what it took to put Itachi down.

Stark looked over the men before him. He had subdued the Yokai because he didn't want to make the Yokai his enemy when this ended. Laying down on the chunk of wall, he waited. One way or another he and his men would survive this.

*****

Inuyasha stepped into the club to see Sakura, Gin, and Sasuke waiting at the bar. Looking around he was not surprised to see most of the staff there waiting for him. His heart swelled at the sight as fear for their well being clogged his throat. He nodded at them as they began to close in on the bar. "I'm sure you are all aware that a large scale war is about to occur. Any of you who do not want to be a part of it should leave now while it is still safe to do so."

Everyone muttered different variations of the same thing. No one was leaving Inuyasha. Smiling he then gave a quick glance at Miroku. His mate nodded and took over speaking. "When this building was chosen to be the club we all know and love, Inuyasha made absolutely sure it would survive a full scale attack by his father's enemies."

Inuyasha sighed, "That would be the biggest reason I ran out of money so quickly. I wanted to keep you guys safe should something happen."

Sakura let out a chuckle as she gave him a shove, "Thanks boss."

Miroku cleared his throat, drawing their attention again, "There is an armory located in one of the storage rooms behind the kitchen. I advise everyone get ready."

Mugen looked at Inuyasha in surprise as Miroku continued to inform the rest of the staff what they needed to do. Inuyasha just smirked at Mugen's lack of knowledge. "Dad always said to be prepared for anything."

*****

Shikamaru's blood ran cold as he came up the driveway to lord Inutaicho's home. The entire entrance was blown open, the gaping hole still letting out smoke from gods knew what inside. Kimimaro was the first in, calling out for Inutaicho to answer. His panicked voice echoed through the home.

"Shikamaru there are many Yokai casualties." One of the men said with a chocked voice.

"And the enemy?"

"Nothing yet. There are some dead out front of the mansion."

Kimimaro came from the kitchen, his body shaking in rage as he handed a dart to Shikamaru along with a piece of paper with a smiling face on it. The words 'Got Him' stretched out below the face. Shikamaru crumbled the paper in his hand.

"Sir." A man shouted through the opening. Shikamaru and Kimimaro turned as the men dragged a someone into the entrance. "He is alive."

They dropped the man onto the floor and turned him over. Shikamaru took a step forward but Kimimaro beat him to the enemy. The assassin straddled the man then dropped to one knee and slapped the man's face. The enemy groaned as he opened his eyes, they quickly focused and he reached for his vest. Kimimaro grabbed his wrist and slammed it onto the floor followed by a knife through the man's wrist. The prone man screamed from the pain but Kimimaro backhanded him. The man's eyes met Kimimaro's in rage.

Kimimaro slowly pulled out his gun, "You have ten seconds to tell me where they were taken."

The man opened his mouth but Kimimaro fired off a round into the floor beside the man's head.

"You said ten seconds, that was only two." The man's eyes were wide with fear.

"I'm an assassin. I don't count."

Shikamaru smiled as the man told them everything without another question asked. When he was done Kimimaro simply put a bullet between the enemy's eyes.

"Sir." Shikamaru turned to Ichigo, their orange haired street general. "The den has been attacked."

*****

Sesshomaru was sitting at the table listening to the whining man lay out the proposal that those other bastards should have closed weeks ago. Instead the man was now making impossible demands of Sesshomaru and DDM. The demands were so unrealistic that he had spent the last half hour of the speech plotting the demise of this company. By his estimation, it should only take a maximum of two years. That is, if the workers were on the level of employees at DDM. If not, this company would belong to him in six months. The sniveling bastard should not have opened the meeting with his idiotic statement - 'In light of recent events I have re-evaluated the contract.' - Those were his companies dying words.

Movement to his right drew his attention. Sesshomaru frowned when Rin opened the glass door and walked into the room. She looked worried and close to tears. Raising from his chair he leaned down and she whispered the worst nightmare possible into his ear. Grabbing her by the arm he started towards the door. "This meeting is over."

"But Sir.."

"It is over." He snarled low, his eyes meeting the terrified man. Leaving the room he moved to the elevator. Once inside Rin broke down.

"I'm so sorry. I tried to get to you. They kept saying they would get you the message."

Sesshomaru pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back, "You did what you could."

Grabbing his phone he was about to call Sephiroth when his phone rang, "Yes."

"Lord Sesshomaru. It's Shikamaru."

"Where are you? My father is..."

"I'm at Inutaicho's home." There was a shaky breath, "The whole front of the house is destroyed. Sesshomaru, your father, mother and sister are not here."

"What about Sephiroth?" Sesshomaru asked, his heart thundering in his chest from the news.

"I...." There was someone speaking in the background but Sesshomaru couldn't hear them. "Sebastian just contacted us, your mother and sister are safe." There was another paused followed by a snarled curse. "Itachi has your father and Sephiroth."

"I'll meet you at the den." Sesshomaru said through clinched teeth.

"The den was destroyed. Inuyasha has closed the Aftershock and we are going there to regroup."

"So be it. Send my mother and sister to Byakuya's." Sesshomaru barked as he ended the call. He immediately dialed Byakuya.

His friend answered the phone, "Sesshomaru, I heard they..."

"Itachi has them." He could barely contain his rage as his adopted daughter sobbed harder in self blame. "The boys?"

"They are safe. We have shored up our defenses."

"Meet me at the Aftershock." Sesshomaru snapped then ended the call. It took everything in him not to roar in fury. The only thing truly stopping him from transforming and tearing the city apart was Rin sobbing in his arms.

*****

Kiba sat on a branch in one of the trees waiting for Sesshomaru to leave the building. He was probably more relaxed than he should be, but who in their right mind would take on one of the Yokai lords. His phone chirped drawing his lazy mind from his internal musing. Pulling the phone from his pocket, Kiba opened the text message. Jerking upright he read it again. Jumping from the tree he ran towards the building, but Sesshomaru's demonic powers surged nearly driving him to his knees. Stumbling a couple of steps, Kiba rushed to the building as Sesshomaru exited holding Rin. "I got a message from Shikamaru."

"I did as well." Sesshomaru pulled a set of keys from Rin's coat pocket, "Take her to Byakuya Kuchiki's home. Than stay there. Your job is to protect the Kuchiki mansion and its occupants."

"They wouldn't attack again, would they?" Kiba asked as he took the keys.

"Yes." Sesshomaru watched the boys face turn pale as he met his eyes. Gently, Sesshomaru ushered Rin into Kiba's car then rushed for his car.

*****

Itachi turned as a grumbling Yammy came into the warehouse. The big man was dragging the demon lord. It thrilled Itachi like noting else to see the powerful demon lord dragged by his foot as his long pale hair swept the dirt and debris on the floor. "Chain him over there."

Yammy nodded as he dragged the Yokai lord to the metal plate bolted to the floor. Then Kisame walked into the room with the nights bonus catch. Sephiroth was draped over Kisame's shoulder with his hands bound behind his back. Itachi had been disappointed when the men had not captured the bitch demon and the spawned child, but when he heard they had caught Sephiroth, Itachi was elated. This would be so much more entertaining. Kisame walked over to where Yammy bolted the chains binding Inutaicho to the plate and dropped Sephiroth hard onto the concrete floor. Itachi just smiled at the sound Sephiroth's body made hitting the hard floor. Kisame moved behind him and wrapped his arms around Itachi's waist.

"You hired me to kill the dog."

Itachi sighed as Ryukotsusei came into the warehouse followed by Kariya. The demons eyes were red from his barely controlled fury.

"And you will, but I need him alive when I lure his eldest son here." Itachi said as he stepped from Kisame's embrace. "Until then, how about I give you the rest of his family to torture? They have scattered for now, but we will soon know their whereabouts."

Ryukotsusei's eyes flashed with interest. "I can do whatever I want?"

"Absolutely. Destroy to your hearts content." Itachi answered, "But Sesshomaru is mine."