InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tainted Glass ❯ Kyoto ( Chapter 3 )

AN: Hi guys, I know it's been a while since I updated this fic. Sorry J I fully intend on finishing this though so bear with me.

Tainted Glass

Chapter 4: Kyoto

My journey seemed endless.

Over scorching deserts I trekked, sometimes going weeks without sustenance. My journey across the sea, however, was more comfortable. I had an large supply of humans to feed from, and with the many females on board, it wasn't hard for me to lure them into my room. Yet, I didn't kill any of my meals, since multiple deaths would have drawn attention, instead I used my still infant powers of persuasion and let my victims go with little more than a headache.

Soon, though, I found myself on the shore of Kyoto, a tiny village on the coast of Japan.

As I walked through that village, the inhabitants watched me with wide eyes. I seemed to stick out like a sore thumb amongst the people, with their fair skin, dark hair, and modest clothing. Maybe, appearance wise, I would have fit in more had I still had my original coloring. My clothing, more so than my physical looks, drew much of the attention I suspected as I was dressed the way of my people. Siena was very hot, being close to the equator and all, so it was custom to wear as little as possible to accommodate for the temperature. Therefore, I only wore red loose silk pants with leather sandals. Women eyed me with hunger and fear, while the men seemed suspicious. The children were in awe, obviously having never seen one like me before.

None were hostile though, and for that I was grateful.

I quickly made my way out of the village, into the forest. Ay, the forest, it enchanted me. Never before had I seen something so lush, so green. In other parts of Makata, the whole of my continent which people now call Africa, there were forest but none I had seen could compare to the forest of Kyoto. I had not then, nor have I yet traveled all of Makata, however.

An old man's scream broke through the serenity of the forest and I rushed to see the source. You must understand, it wasn't my sense of altruism that rushed me to the man's side, but curiosity. I could smell something not human in the same proximity and I wanted to see what that was, if I happened to save a human, well so be it. When I came upon the old man he was cowered on the ground, a large spider like creature over him. The thing was hideous and had I not been able to sense that the creature was less powerful than myself, the human would have been on his own. The one thing I hate in all the world is spiders and the spider demon represented every childhood night terror I ever had.

I was a child no longer though, so I didn't so much as flinch when the creature turned his many yellow eyes on me. I jumped at him, using only a fraction of my strength, and soon the demon was no more.

I moved so fast I know the human could not see me.

I know it seemed to him that one moment I was at least ten feet away and the next I was standing right beside him, the dead spider demon at my feet. My hands dripped of the monsters green blood and my stomach clinched at the sight. No this was one kill I would not drink from. The old man, sensing that he was no longer in danger, begin to grovel at my feet, speaking what I assumed was his thanks as he held my leg. I kicked him off of me, not liking the fact that he touched me, and had I not vowed to take no more human lives unnecessarily, I would have killed him for his mishap. Instead, I growled at him and began to walk away.

The fool, however, decided to follow me, rambling in that strange tongue of his.

"I don't understand you, idiot. Go away and leave me alone". I snapped finally fed up with his incessant babbling.

"Ah, you must be from Siena. Though I've never seen one with your coloring, even there." He said in a rough parody of the tongue of my people.

I eyes widened. I never expected to meet someone here that would know my tongue.

"So you've been to Siena?" I asked him, my annoyance with him earlier giving way to surprise.

"Yes, I traded there in my youth, my lord". He said bowing his head respectively.

His eyes glanced at the mark on my chest, that of the sphinx, marking me as the heir of Siena.

"I see you also know of my people's customs."

He nodded at my statement.

"You could be of use to me old man. I require a teacher, someone to teach me the language and customs of your people. Since I saved your life, you owe me. Your debt will be paid in this way".

"I will be happy to teach you master, especially if you offer me the same protection as you did today."

At first I scoffed at the old man's request. I mean, what did I look like, a damned body guard. But as I thought about it, I realized that he wouldn't do me any good if he was killed.

"You got a deal, old man. I'll protect you, and you'll teach me. I also need someone to show me the fighting styles your people are so famous for."

The old man jumped up and down, seemingly excited.

"I could teach you, young master. I am well versed in the fighting styles of this land. In my younger days I was a force to be reckoned with. Alas, now I am only an old man, but I am still a good sensei."

"Very good, seems as though Ramasta brought you to me." I frowned and quickly grabbed the old man up by the collar pulling him up so that he was nose to nose with me.

"I will only say this once, never again call me young. I am older than you can imagine."

I dropped him and he fell to his feet, begging my forgiveness.

"Get up. I must find lodgings for this night".

The old man immediately obeyed my request.

"I have a place not for from here, my lord."

"Lead the way then".

As we walked the old man kept up consistent conversation, telling me much about the culture of the people I would be living amongst.

Fortunately, the old man lived in the woods, saying it offered more freedom than the village.

When we finally arrived at his quaint little cottage he asked me my name. It just then occurred to me that I didn't know his as well.

"My name is Myouto, Lord Inuyasha." He informed after I gave him mine.

So that is how I found my teacher.

As Myouto said, he was well versed in martial arts and only after a few months under his tutelage I had learned quite a bit. I also became somewhat fluent in his language, at least enough to get by. It was then that I decided to go into the village.

We needed supplies and the old man had come down with a cold, so I journeyed to the village, a place I hadn't been since first arriving to Kyoto.

The market place was busy, people at various booths trying to sell their goods. I made my way through the crowd, stopping at a few of the booths to get what I needed. It was then at the fruit stand that I saw a little boy, no more than ten, swipe some fruit. The merchant didn't seem to see him, however, and it really wasn't my concern so I moved on to the next booth, forgetting about the young boy and his transgression.

When something or should I say someone, ran into me, arms full of stolen items, it took me a minute to recognize him. I held him at the shoulders, steadying him as he repeatedly screamed at me to let him go.

I saw why, when I looked pasted him. It seemed as though three merchants had saw him stealing and was chasing him down.

"Sir, hold him. Don't let him get away". One of the merchants called to me.

I, of course, held him, just as the merchant said. I wanted to see how this little scenario played out. Anyway, I hadn't had any action in weeks. Though I didn't want to alienate the village people, I was feeling antsy. I've always been rather impulsive.

"Boy, I'll take what you owe out on your hide".

The merchant said when he came upon us.

"No, he's stolen from me for the last time." Another merchant said. He pulled a sword from his belt.

"I intend to make sure this doesn't happen again".

"How much does the boy owe you"? I asked calmly. It was something about the boy that made me want to protect him.

"This does not concern you, foreigner".

"Well, I'm making it concern me. I'll pay you what the boy owes and you can take the money or I can kill you and you will lose your goods and your life. The choice is yours".

"You foreign piece of shit. How dare you threaten me." The one with the sword said. He rushed me, intending to run me and the boy through with his sword.

I quickly pushed the boy behind me and grabbed the hilt of the blade taking it from the man's hand. I then grabbed the man and pulled him close to me, the blade of his own sword held firmly against his throat.

"As you can see I am not one to trifle with." I pushed the man to his feet and pointed the blade to his neck.

"I like your sword. I think I will keep it. As for the boy, take this as payment, unless you will like to try me as well". I threw a sack of gold coins at their feet, which they quickly snatched up.

"He's a demon".

The man on the ground said looking at me with frightened eyes. I smirked at his statement.

My gaze bored into his. I knew he could see the fire behind my eyes flickering like a flame. I could smell his sweat, poring off him as his fear intensified. I licked my lips hungrily, imprinting the image in his mind of me eating him alive.

"All the more reason for you not to piss me off".

The man scrambled to his feet, running off like the devil was at his heels while his friends hurried off behind him.

I turned around to face the boy who was trying to sneak off.

"Where are you going?"

He flinched, then turned to face me a false smile spread across his face.

"Nowhere kind sir. I must thank you for helping me". It was then that I realized why I felt so protective toward the boy. If his black hair was longer, he could have been my son. The boy looked just like Reine did at that age. I momentarily found myself speechless.

"Well if there's nothing else, I think I'll be going now". The boy said again trying to ease away.

"Wait, how old are you?"

The boy looked at me again obviously exasperated with my questions.

"Ten, sir and before you ask I am an orphan".

I smiled then.

It was as if Ramasta decided to give me another chance with my son, so I did the only thing I could have done.

Eyes so like my son's, so like my dead mate's, stared up at me.

"You not an orphan any longer." I said.

The waif smiled at me and at that instance a bond was formed.

My son, my best friend.

The shoppers carried on amongst us, even the scene displayed earlier was soon forgotten by them, if they ever even noticed it.

"What is your name boy?" I asked as my adoptive son followed behind me.

"Miroku". He replied.

AN: Ok now you know how he met Miroku and Myouga. Kagome may be in the next chapter, I don't know yet. I might spilt it into parts.