InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 1

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

For future reference, ( and ) indicate Japanese speaking, and regular “ and “ indicate English speaking. I don't own Inuyasha, but I own my original characters.

Chapter 1

Another day, another boring class… no wonder Mother preferred to be wandering Sengoku Jidai rather than sit in these tedious classes.

A tall, slender boy of seventeen, dressed in the same black school uniform as all the boys had to, walked mechanically towards his class. History… Of all the baka things to have to study. I have experienced enough history, arigatou!

Pausing outside the doorway to the classroom, he turned his head as a pair of disturbingly familiar gold eyes blinked owlishly at him.

He narrowed his own gold eyes in suspicion. (“What is it now, gaki? I no not have time for you.”)

The stunning raven-haired beauty, her well-rounded figure clad in a green and white sailor school uniform, gave a mock pout. (“You never have time for me, you overgrown baka. You're always so busy with your studies.”) She gave him a serious look. (“You used to be so much more fun when we were little.”)

(“Feh! I doubt you were ever little, you great beast,”) the young man replied. (“You have kept up with me all these years- why stop now?”)

She snorted delicately. (“It's not my fault I stopped growing.”) The girl stood only two inches shorter than her six-foot-two brother- making her tower over most of the other girls in the school. Luckily, she was a charmer to both sexes. But it was the boys who drooled over her.

Just like all the girls wanted her brother. He was the focal point of every female attention that happened to walk by him. Not by choice- he was simply one of the best-looking guys in school.

His long jet-black hair reached to the middle of his back and was usually tied back in a simple low ponytail. His build was slender but extremely athletic- from countless sparring sessions with his father. And he moved with such a lethal grace that girls practically swooned as he walked by.

But that wasn't the only thing that drew the females. No- there was his eyes. A rich amber-gold, they would practically glow in the sunlight. Every girl wanted to be the one to stare into those eyes and lose herself forever.

His sister blinked her own topaz eyes. (“I was looking for you because you forgot your lunch. Again.”) She held up the dark-blue cloth-wrapped bento for him to take.

Scowling, he took the lunch. (“Arigatou…”) he mumbled.

His twin sister giggled cheerfully. (“Anything for my Oniisan!”)

This time he snorted. (“I am only three minutes older than you.”)

(“Still makes you bigger!”) She waved and hurried down the corridor, dodging students with incredible grace and dexterity and vanished into the sea of bodies.

Baka neesan… always trying to bring me down to her immature level. Maybe Minako knew what she was doing when she chose to stay in Sengoku Jidai rather than try to build a life in this time.

He turned to enter the classroom and accidentally bumped into another student- one he hadn't seen before- and knocked her books and papers to the floor.

(“Oh, g-go-men… na-sai,”) the girl stuttered out slowly, as if unsure of the words. Her face was turned away, gathering up some scattered papers, so he couldn't see her face, but his eyes first caught her hair.

The new girl's tresses were amber. That was the only word to really describe it. It matched his eyes, his sister's eyes, and his father's eyes- it was that same shade of gold. The light reflected highlights of red throughout the brownish-gold, making it truly amber-colored.

He knelt down to help her pick up her books. (“No, gomen nasai. It was my fault,”) he said.

At his words, the girl finally looked at him. She blinked in slight confusion.

Her eyes… His breath stopped. Her eyes were like sapphires, sparkling slightly in the sunlight coming through the windows.

Blue eyes and gold hair. Whoever she was, she certainly didn't look like she belonged around here.

He picked up the last piece of paper and stood. She quickly followed, blushing slightly and not meeting his gaze.

(“Do… know… where… art… room… at?”) she said slowly and carefully.

(“Excuse me?”) Was she mentally stunted?

(“Art… room… here?”) she repeated, concentrating very hard on her words.

At his confused look, she sighed in exasperation. “Bloody hell… Can't even find my stupid classroom,” she muttered under her breath in English as she racked her brain for the correct way to ask where the art room was located. “How do they expect me to learn anything here? I can't even speak the language!”

“I speak English,” the boy replied in extremely good, precise English. He barely had any accent at all. “You need to find the art room?”

She blinked up at him in surprise. “Um… yes,” she replied nervously. “See? Here on my schedule- I'm supposed to be in room B for an art class.”

The raven-haired boy read the schedule resting on the top of the small pile of papers he held. Giving a little grin, he glanced at her. “According to this, you are scheduled for Home Economics.”

“What?” she blinked, startled. Then she groaned, genuinely miserable. “I can't do Home Ec! I don't understand the language- that's why I chose the art program! I figured I could just work on my drawings and not have to talk!”

He chuckled. “So go to the councilor and have your schedule changed.”

“He's the one who made my schedule fifteen minutes ago!”

The boy scratched his head. “Well- you said you do not understand Japanese- could it be that when you asked for the art program he thought you asked for Home Economics?”

She closed her eyes and slapped her palm against her forehead and left it there. “I knew I should've found a translator.”

Glancing at the clock, he then turned back to the golden-haired girl. “Would you like me to talk to the councilor for you and get your schedule changed?”

Confusion crossed her face as she slowly lowered her hand. “What about your class?”

Grinning, he walked away from the doorway, leading her down the corridor. “It is only a history course. There is very little I do not already know about it.”

Her brow furrowed. “You already know history? Well enough to miss a class?”

He almost choked. Baka! Shut your mouth before you end up telling her all your secrets! “I am certain one class will not affect my grade.”

They arrived at the councilor's office and the dark-haired boy held open the door for her. Wow, nice manners, she thought in surprise. Guys back home don't do that unless they're on a date.

The councilor looked up from his desk in surprise at the young couple bowing respectfully to him. (“How can I help you?”) he asked in Japanese.

The boy smiled. (“We seem to have a misunderstanding…”)

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

At the end of the day, the black-haired young man swung his backpack over his right shoulder and stepped out into the bright sunlight.

I thought this day would never end… He grinned as he took a deep breath of fresh air. It wasn't nearly as fresh as the air in Sengoku Jidai, but that was 500 years in the past. Pollution hadn't taken its toll on the environment yet.

He happened to glance over at one of the trees in the schoolyard and saw that golden-haired girl with the sapphire eyes leaning against the trunk. A sketchpad was in her lap and her hand was making quick, sure strokes with a pencil.

Curiosity got the better of him and he changed direction, heading over to where she sat.

Leaning over her shoulder from behind the tree, he examined her work. A photograph was paper-clipped to the corner of the sheet as a reference, and a half-rendered drawing of the photograph was beginning to make its appearance.

“That is exceptionally good,” he murmured.

The poor girl squeaked out an “ai!” as she jumped in surprise. Placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart, she glared up at the grinning boy. “Don't do that!”

He squatted down next to her while balancing on the balls of his feet and peered at her intently. “Do not do what? Inform you that your artwork is excellent?”

“N-no! I-I mean… thank you… but don't sneak up on me like that!” she managed to stutter out.

He chuckled. “Forgive me. I am merely impressed with how well you have captured the picture with your pencil.”

She blushed as she picked up her drawing. “Thank you… that really means a lot to me.” Turning towards him, she smiled softly. “You know… there's a story behind this picture.”

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Do tell,” he said, not bothering to stand or sit normally. He remained balanced on his toes with his forearms resting on his knees and his hands dangling between as he looked at her with those intense gold eyes.

Smiling, more confidently this time, she unclipped the photo from her sketch. “This is a photo of a very famous painting handed down through my family for 600 years.” Her gaze went distant for a moment, as if remembering something painful, then she recovered and continued with her story.

“My Obaasan used to tell me stories about this painting. I don't know if they were true or made up, but I memorized every word. She told me that this was a painting of Feudal Japan, when the great Inu no Taishou ruled the Western Lands.” She pointed to the great white dog figure standing at the top of the picture. “He was the most powerful tai-youkai in Japan.”

He blinked several times. That looks… vaguely familiar… the purple marks on the inu-youkai's face…

She looked up at him, concerned. “Um… are you okay?”

He glanced at her, aware that he had been staring at the picture strangely. “Oh… I apologize. I… I was just thinking that you are very talented.”

The girl smiled again. “That's so kind! I didn't know if anyone around here would appreciate it. It is such a very old painting. And it has such a history!”

She leaned closer to him and whispered. “Did you know that the Inu no Taishou was rumored to have taken a human wife? And that he fathered a hanyou?” She grinned in delight. “Isn't that so awesome? If only it were true!” She quickly sobered, her face growing sad. “I'm sorry… sometimes I forget that youkai and hanyous are only legends…”

Inusouta nearly choked. If only you knew, ningen...

Suddenly she gasped in dismay. “Oh, I'm so sorry! I've been so rude, and after all you've done to help me with my schedule…!” She jumped up to her feet and bowed to him. “My name is-“

“Kohaku,” he finished, making her look at him in surprise. He shrugged. “I read it on your schedule. Ryoushi Kohaku.”

She blushed. “Yes… my given name is Kohaku, but where I come from… everyone just calls me Amber.”

“And where do you come from, Amber-san?”

She turned away, but not before he saw a glimpse of sadness. “I'm from the States. I came here to do some searching. My Obaasan asked me- begged me- to come here and find the answers.” A delicate snort escaped. “But even she couldn't imagine the trouble I'd have with communicating here in Japan. I can't even read the language, let alone search for information or ask questions.”

He pondered that for a moment, then came to a decision. “I can assist you with your Japanese. That way you can find what you came here to discover.”

Hope lit up her sapphire eyes. “You… would do that? For me?”

“Sure. I need to be home before the sun goes down, however.” Or else you are going to be in the hospital for a heart attack.

She blinked. “You… you mean…? Today?”

“Today, tomorrow. Whenever you are free.”

“Well… okay. Thank you… um…” she blushed as she trailed off.

He stood up and bowed gallantly to her, offering his hand. “Inusouta. Higurashi Inusouta, at your service.”

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

A/N: Welcome back for the revised edition of "It Must Be Destiny"! I have made some major changes throughout the story and tried to incorporate a more "traditional" feel for the languages and how my characters interact and refer to one another. Blame it on reading hours upon hours upon HOURS of manga online.

Otousan- father

Okaasan- mother

Neesan- (little) sister

Oneesan- (elder) sister

Oniisan- (elder) brother

Obaasan- grandmother

Ojiisan- grandfather

Hiijiji- great-grandfather

Ojisan- uncle