InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten ❯ Humble Beginnings ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Sesshomaru or anyone from the hit anime/manga series “Inuyasha”. Rumiko Takahashi does. I do own all OC's in this story.

 

653 years Before the Search for the Jewel Shards

 

Chapter One: Humble Beginnings

 

It's odd what passes through a man's mind when he is dying. I'm sure it is different for everyone yet… eerily the same. A reflection of one's life; deeds are evaluated. I find mine wanting. It was only in the last century and a half that I truly began to live again. Pathetic when it is realized that I have been around for six centuries. Yet it took so much death to remind me what life was really about. Perhaps it was fitting I would live just long enough to discover that no one survived, not my daughter, not my brother… not even her. I find our relationship strange, especially in light of how we were introduced.

-Sesshomaru

 

Kenhoshi soared through the air, his mysticism keeping him aloft when he had no wings. The wind in his face was a welcome relief from the confines of his castle. Temporarily freed from his duties and the backstabbing of his court, he let the breeze dance in his hair and tickle his skin. The scent of brine warned him of the approaching shoreline and the demon lord drifted down to earth.

 

He sometimes wondered if there had been any real point to the war he had been apart of so many centuries earlier. Between the oath-breakers and the new generations of demons causing murder and mayhem where they pleased it seemed he and Shugotenshi had fought in vain. The enzeru were gone, but the cruelty they had inflicted upon this world remained in the form of the powerful and uncaring among both humans and demons. It was a thought that quickly killed his good mood. He landed on a cliff face and gazed at the ocean beyond.

 

“Was it all worth it?” he said aloud, gazing out to sea. In his mind the faint sounds of long ago battles intruded and he imagined he smelled the dead and the dying. “Was all the death worth what we have now? Was it all in vain?” The waves crashing on the shore lulled his soul and the past vanished within the temporal abyss. His quiet reverie was interrupted by a commotion on the beach below. Curious, the powerful dog demon leapt towards the sounds of fighting.

 

“Vile half-breed!” a man shouted. The sound of a collision followed by a hiss of pain and anger followed.

 

“Disgusting beast! Leave here at once, wretch!” another shouted.

 

Kenhoshi crested the peak and stopped. Several humans raised farming equipment as weapons against a small girl. A number of bruises and cuts already adorned her body, some looked partially healed. The dog demon growled in barely contained rage then leapt down.

 

Like the cowards they were, they jumped in fright at the sight of the demon lord. The girl's attention remained fixed on her attackers, seemingly oblivious to his appearance behind her. This close, Kenhoshi could smell the demon blood within her.

 

`A sea dragon, these humans really are fools. You don't mess with their kind,' he thought, ice spiking his veins. He reached forward, grabbed the back of her kimono, and lifted her off the ground. She shrieked in surprise, a harsh inhuman sound that pierced his brain like a knife.

 

“Easy, child,” he said with as much calm and comfort as possible while nursing a sudden pounding headache. “Since these fools can't appreciate you and your gifts, you shall come with me.” He glared at the humans who stood trembling before them. Baring his fangs, he growled and the villagers finally remembered they possessed legs and fled.

 

The girl turned her head and studied him with a critical eye, wondering if he was really trustworthy. Golden eyes met violet as both regarded one another.

 

`What did I just get myself into?' he wondered.

 

***************

 

Sesshomaru and his court did battle with whatever was unfortunate enough to cross their path. Birds, butterflies, frogs, squirrels all fled in the face of the terror of the puppy pack. The only things that were left to their own devices were the bees. It just wasn't fun when the prey fought back.

 

Lady Ginhana watched her son and his playmates as they ran about the meadow with wild abandon. It had been hours since they had come out to this area but demon children were nothing if not long on energy. She sighed, wondering when the group would finally call it a day when a familiar scent caught her nose.

 

Kenhoshi stepped into view and she already knew her husband wasn't alone. In the crook of his arm was a young girl trying everything within her power to break the great dog demon's hold. She kicked, punched, even made attempts to bite, but his armor was too thick and his grip too sure. Ginhana stared at the girl while her nose picked up the sharp odor of human as well as the brine and brimstone scent of a sea dragon. Long black hair flew about her in her struggles and what passed for her kimono barely covered everything.

 

“Dearest? Where did you find her and why is she here?” asked Ginhana, eyeing the squirming child.

 

“The people of her village were throwing rocks at her,” he replied as he strode forward. The Lady of the Western Lands growled, her maternal instincts taking hold.

 

“Fools! Had they no idea what could happen when they behave in such a way toward a hanyou?” she snapped, green eyes flashing as she brushed an imaginary stray lock of hair from her face. Kenhoshi didn't blink in the face of his wife's wrath, it wasn't directed at him and neither was her question.

 

The girl stopped fighting and eyed Ginhana with distrust. The woman's eyes were a supernatural shade of green and her long hair was pure silver, a darker shade than the demon that held her. Two pairs of pink stripes graced each cheek and wrist and a purple waning crescent moon with a star near its center adorned her forehead. The demon that held her had only a single fat purple stripe on each cheek and his eyes were golden.

 

Noticing the look, Ginhana thought, `Poor thing must never have had a reason to trust anyone. Humph! We'll change that!' The lady demon reached toward the girl.

 

“Here, child, let's straighten out your hair at least,” Ginhana said as she pulled the girl from her husband. The girl went rigid as she was transferred. Ginhana felt another growl forming in her chest. The girl couldn't have been any older than ten.

 

`A child her age shouldn't fear people this much!' The lady demon pulled a comb from her obi and started the long tedious process of disentangling the young half-dragon's black hair. The girl continued to eye her with misgivings as she sat on Ginhana's lap, but otherwise didn't move. Some part of her still wanted to trust.

 

Ginhana sensed her husband moving to sit next to her as she began speaking to the girl. “We'll have to give you a bath when we return to the castle and some new clothes too. Blues, purples, greens; those colors will most definitely flatter you. By the way, what's your name?”

 

“Mmm.”

 

“Well we have to call you something other than, `Hey! You, girl!” Ginhana sensed Kenhoshi's aborted laugh and saw the faintest of smiles flicker at the corners of the girl's lips.

 

“Kaiyoshinju,” the young half-dragon said.

 

“Kaiyoshinju? That's a pretty name and so well-suited for just such a pretty little girl,” said Ginhana as she gently loosened a stubborn knot. This time the girl did smile and blushed as well. The loud but immature growl of one of the boys drew their attention.

 

“So how is the little band of warriors doing?” asked Kenhoshi with a chuckle, mischief glittering in his golden eyes.

 

Ginhana waved the comb in a grand mocking gesture and replied, “They shall be singing of the great prowess of Sesshomaru revealed in that terrible War of the Butterflies.” The dog general laughed at this.

 

Kaiyoshinju had other ideas. “But I like butterflies, why would he wage war on them? It's wrong!” she cried.

 

Ginhana opened her mouth to explain she had only been joking when Kenhoshi said, “Well, why don't you go defend the butterflies before anymore fall victim to Sesshomaru's ruthless claws.”

 

“Dear!” cried Ginhana, appalled that he would carry it so far. He waved her quiet; the twinkle in his eye giving her cause for concern at what he was planning, but also curiosity.

 

“But you have to remember, you can't kill anyone, the butterflies don't so neither should you,” he said while fighting the smile that threatened to ruin the whole thing.

 

`Men!' thought Ginhana with a huff. `They just love to pick fights.' She sighed but remained silent. Kaiyoshinju hopped off Ginhana's lap determination etched into every curve of her little body. She ran toward the boys in the meadow below.

 

“Dear, do you know what you are doing?” Ginhana asked. Kenhoshi's face was suddenly serious and she was almost afraid.

 

“She could have killed them, the villagers, I'm certain of it, but she didn't,” he replied not taking his eyes off his new ward. “The girl has strength and it's only going to grow with time. If her people don't come for her, then we will have to train her to handle the formidable power of the sea ourselves. Sesshomaru will have to meet her and that will result in a fight somewhere in the future. Why not settle both now?”

 

“I'll be the first to admit our son already possesses an ego beyond that of what a normal ten-year-old should have, but isn't this a little much?” asked his wife.

 

Kenhoshi smiled and said, “I think Sesshomaru is in for a humbling experience.”

 

Ginhana turned her green eyes to the meadow where the young half-dragon was confronting the boys. “I hope you're right.”

 

Kaiyoshinju stared down the pack of boys. They in turn stared at her. Then one of them, the leader she assumed, stepped forward. He was taller than her by a few inches. Long silvery-white hair hung to his waist. He looked like the demon woman who had been combing her hair except his eyes were golden and the waning crescent on his forehead lacked the star in its center. He was also ridiculously pretty for a boy.

 

He stuffed his arms into his sleeves and demanded in a haughty tone, “Why do you interfere with this Sesshomaru's business?” He glared at her and puffed up his chest in indignation.

 

Kaiyoshinju tried very hard not to laugh. She just couldn't take him seriously. While trying to look intimidating, he only managed to look put out. His thrown back head, done to make him look superior, emphasized instead his baby round cheeks. His puffed up chest made him look like he was going to fall over backwards and his death glare was about as intense as a pout. Not to mention his voice was higher pitched than hers and squeaked more than her mother's hut.

 

Losing the battle of self-control, she finally giggled and said, “`This Sesshomaru'? Aren't important men supposed to be the only ones to use that?” The boys all gasped in horror and Sesshomaru's face puffed up more and turned red with anger.

 

“This Sesshomaru is an important man! This Sesshomaru's father is the Lord of the Western Lands, the great Dog General!” declared the outraged boy. The squeaking was worse than before.

 

Kaiyoshinju laughed outright. “With those cheeks and that voice?” she said while pinching his cheek and bopping his throat. “Your father may be the most important man in these lands, but you're just a little boy, a little little boy!”

 

Infuriated, Sesshomaru yelled, “And who are you?”

 

“No one special,” she replied with an evil grin as she began to hop back and forth, enjoying her new game, butterflies forgotten.

 

“Why you!” Sesshomaru raised his hands as he prepared to charge her. Kaiyoshinju stopped and grinned, also raising her fists. Her blood began burning within her and she felt her strength surge. She didn't know why and she didn't care, but the thought of fighting him thrilled her. Sesshomaru took a step forward then paused and sniffed the air a couple of times.

 

He backed up and said with disgust, “Feh! You're only a half-breed. You're not even worthy of this Sesshomaru's anger.” He turned away from the stunned half-dragon. The other boys were stunned too and began sniffing the air as well.

 

Kaiyoshinju's blood began to boil as she recovered from her shock. “You're not going to fight me because my mother was human?” she demanded, seething.

 

“Hanyou like you are beneath me,” he replied without turning around. “This Sesshomaru honors you enough by just conversing with you.”

 

“COWARD!” she roared. “You act all tough but you don't have any strength of your own. If I hadn't been a hanyou, you would have suddenly remembered that your father had told you men don't fight girls. You can't fight! You hide behind your father, using his power and position as a shield. I bet you were never in a real fight before. You're afraid you don't have what it takes to beat me. You're afraid I'll pound your baby face right into the ground.”

 

Sesshomaru glared over his shoulder at the girl, his expression livid. “Half demon, half power, if we fought you would end up six feet under. This Sesshomaru is doing you a favor by not fighting you.”

 

“Spare me!” she snapped. “Prove to me you actually got balls underneath all that cloth and fight! Or maybe you really are a girl and you're afraid taking on another girl would reveal that to your buddies.” His companions looked at her as if she were insane.

 

Sesshomaru turned growling and snapped, “This Sesshomaru shall personally throw you back into your station, half-breed!”

 

Furious, she yelled, “If someone is returning to their place after this it's going to be you! Boys shouldn't let go of their mother's kimonos until after their voices change.”

 

“You shall be punished severely for your insolence, wench, and this Sesshomaru shall be the one to do it!” he hollered as he moved into a fighting stance he had seen his father use when training.

 

“Right here, big boy!” she called, turning around and giving her butt a loud whack. “That is if you really are man enough to do it!”

 

Enraged, Sesshomaru charged with a roar, his companions fled to a safe distance. A mad grin graced Kaiyoshinju's face as she flipped over him. His fist's collision with the dirt created a small crater, but the young half-dragon remained unfazed. She could create bigger craters.

 

She landed then sprang straight back, her elbow preceding her. She slammed into Sesshomaru's back and she heard a choked cry escape him. A life with bullies had taught her the finer points of brawls, never let up when you have an advantage and always keep moving to prevent the other from getting one.

 

The young dog demon slashed at her, but she caught his arm and swung him over her shoulder and into the ground. His face became one with the dirt and once again he was slow to respond. She jumped on top of him, heartlessly slamming another elbow into his kidney. He smashed against the ground again, muffling his cry of pain. The world began to spin before his eyes. Kaiyoshinju grabbed his long snowy locks and slammed his face into the ground.

 

She did it twice more, but it wasn't satisfying. Infuriated at the ease she was beating him, she backed off. She wanted a real fight. She stood over him, hoping he would regain his feet and continue the battle. She was disgusted at how long it took him to start moving.

 

`I was right, he hasn't been in many fights, maybe not even one,' she thought. The idea enraged her more. Sesshomaru had been spared all the hostilities she had grown up with. He had had an easy life and was soft as a result.

 

“Get up and fight, you sorry excuse for a demon!” she roared. She surged forward and drove a fist into his stomach just as he regained his feet. He doubled over with a gasp.

 

“You're so weak and so soft,” she whispered, cold fury settling over her. “All those pretty words and you can't last longer than two blows before you're at my mercy. I have more of a challenge fighting humans than you.”

 

That last part got him. Sesshomaru struggled to straighten up, a growl escaping his lips, but Kaiyoshinju was merciless. Blow after blow landed on the young dog demon as he struggled to retaliate. The closest he came was when he managed to grab her long ebony hair. She slammed a kick into his groin before he could do anything else and he crumpled to the ground.

 

A kick to his chin spiked his vision with stars and brought him off the ground. A punch to his nose sent him flying into a tree. He slid down the trunk into a curled ball of defeat. He was in too much pain to even try to get up. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

 

“Enough,” he heard his father shout and was horrified he was here to witness his humiliating loss. “You've made your point, Kaiyoshinju. Anything more would be excessive.” The young dragon reluctantly agreed with him, but she still fumed inside.

 

`Father knows this girl? Did he tell her to fight me?' thought the young dog demon, but it hurt to think and he didn't dwell on the matter as he closed his good eye. The other was swollen shut from an earlier blow.

 

“And here I was worrying about her, guess I should've been more worried about Sesshomaru,” said his mother. He felt her hands on his forehead. Then he was lifted off the ground and his mother's scent smothered him.

 

His head rested against her chest as she turned to his companions who were inching closer to her while watching the young half-dragon. Kenhoshi had a hand on Kaiyoshinju as he watched them as they approached. “Shall we return to the castle now?” she inquired of them.

 

“Yes, my lady,” they chimed, eyeing the young half-dragon with fear. She turned and the little group followed her as she began walking.

 

Kaiyoshinju hesitated then felt a gentle push from Kenhoshi. “Come along, my dear. If I hadn't wanted this, I wouldn't have encouraged you to confront him,” he said. Relieved for several reasons, she started forward.

 

`Dragons,' he thought with amusement as he glanced at the girl walking beside him. `This should make things interesting around here.'

 

************

 

Well what did you expect with a chapter title like that?

 

Enzeru: angel

Hanyou: half-demon

Obi: the sash that is wrapped around a woman's waist to hold her kimono closed.

 

Yes, it's here! I finally posted the next chapter of Forgotten. Now don't panick! I'm planning to switch between the two brothers at least in the beginning when I'm describing both Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's past before the two come together for the mutual story. Whole years, even centuries will pass from chapter to chapter between Sesshomaru's entries while days and weeks will be all the time taken over these earlier accounts of Inuyasha during these times his brother Sesshomaru is unknown to him. Next chapter will be shooting forward to a young Inuyasha on the most tragic day in his young life. Now people don't be alarmed at the memoir in the beginning. Consider it foreshadowing. Sesshomaru is reaching back from the end of this story to highlight these points in time as will Inuyasha being doing for his chapters. I said this story not Rumiko's or any time after the end of Naraku. It'll make sense when I get there but I must remind you this story ends ten years before Inuyasha meets Kikyo. So Sesshomaru is telling his story sixty years before he meets Kagome. If you want to know why he is on his death bed sixty years before Kagome then you'll just have to stay tuned, because I'm not giving away the ending!

 

Kaiyoshinju was originally going to be called Shishina but when I checked translations I found that would be a bad thing. Kaiyoshinju means ocean pearl.

Shugotenshi was translated as guardian angel.

Ginhana means silver flower.

Kenhoshi means sword star.