InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Tragedy of Inu Yasha and Kagome ❯ Act 1, Scene 1 ( Chapter 1 )

The Tragedy of Inu Yasha and Kagome

By Oshidori

A/N: All the IY kids are meant to be `of age' at this point. Some relationships are OOC, while some I tried as best I could to keep IC. The same goes for the individual characters, in the context of the characters they're supposed to be representing, I sometimes had to go a bit off.

Also, please feel free to correct any terminology or spelling that might be wrong ^_^

Disclaimer: All IY characters are the creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi. The storyline and characters they represent are inspired by the even greater William Shakespeare. I am simply standing on the shoulders of artistic giants for my humble fanfic, so to speak ;)

Act 1, Scene 1

As Nobunaga paced back and forth, his short companion Bunza sat on his haunches, determined look on his face. All around them the village bustled, ignoring the two. The young mountain cat youkai looked steamed, and honestly Nobunaga felt the way the kid looked, but he was the more level headed of the two.

"Where are they?" Bunza spat out impatiently, pounding his fist on the courtyard pavement, looking up at his human kinsmen.

"Maybe they chickened out. You know how cowardly those Higurashi's are." Nobunaga smirked.

"Ehh? Cowardly, are we?

Bunza and Nobunaga glanced at each other, startled at the new voice. Their looks however, quickly went from shock to one of annoyed resolve. Both men turned around to face the speaker.

"Ginta and Hakkaku Higurashi, so you finally showed, eh?" Bunza smirked, his hand resting on his katana. Nobunaga moved to do the same, ready for action. Some nearby villagers noticed what could be the start of a dangerous scene, and hurried away from the four, glancing nervously back all the while.

"Hey, what were you saying before about us? Don't change the subject!" Ginta glowered at the two, "if anyone's a coward, EVERYONE knows it's you Taiyoukai lot! We thought we'd do you the courtesy of arriving late so you could have a chance to run!" He finished, grinning sarcastically.

Bunza was visibly stung by the retort," Yeah yeah, you guys are always all talk and no action. If you wanna fight, why not just say so instead of trying to pick one in such a lame way?" It was the neko youkai's turn to give a sarcastic smile.

Ginta and Hakkaku quickly glanced at each other, then grabbed the handles of their katanas.

"Sure we'll fight. Someone needs to teach you two brats a lesson, so it might as well be US!"

Both Higurashis and Taiyoukais drew their swords, all sides glaring death at each other. Some villagers who were brave enough to standby and watch the verbal confrontation, now fled to find cover. One little villager boy was seen making his way to the nearby palace, north of the courtyard.

The two sides let out a battle cry, and proceeded to rush each other. Suddenly, before any battle could commence, a scary looking cock-eyed balloon came between them, in a loud wavering voice, stopping all four in their tracks.

"What aaarreee yoooouuuu guuuys dooooooiiiiiiinnnggg?? Stoooop this at oooooonce!" It bellowed. From their hiding places, villagers gasped. Nobunaga and Bunza guiltily hid their weapons behind their backs, while Ginta and Hakkaku stared on wide-eyed clutching desperately to their swords.

"Wh-wh-what are YOU? Asked a visibly frightened Hakkaku, barely grasping his katana.

"Who cares about that! Let's just try and kill it before it kills us!" shouted Ginta frantically.

"Eep!" squealed the monstrous balloon, which then suddenly vanished into a smoky fog with a pop sound.

A very confused Ginta and Hakkaku blinked and coughed, waving away the smoke as best they could.

"Where'd it go?" Ginta wondered aloud.

"Right here you idiot!" came a voice from below. Ginta and Hakkaku quickly looked down in confusion, which was soon replaced with anger when they matched the voice with its owner. Veins could be seen popping out of both the wolf youkais heads.

"Shippo-sama! So it was you huh? You'll pay for tricking us!" The Higurashis steadied their katanas once more, aiming to strike the little kitsune. Shippo yelped and jumped back to rejoin his kinsmen, who, in turn, ready their blades as well.

"I was trying to stop the fight, baka! We're not supposed to fight in the streets like this, remember? You Higurashis are so dumb!" The small fox youkai readied his toy top and snake, preparing for the oncoming battle. In the background, villagers could be heard whispering from their hiding places:

"Ah! So it was Shippo-sama, Inu Yasha's cousin? "

"Yes, I knew it all along. He always plays tricks on the Higurashis with his illusions"

"Kohaku-oji-sama will NOT be pleased when he hears the two families are quarreling again!"

"Feh! Maybe they'll all be banished and this mess will finally be over with!"

"STOP!"

A voice commanded in the distance, bringing the five to a halt. The wind suddenly picked up, and a whirlwind blew in to the courtyard, stirring up the dust and leaves, forcing the villagers to cover their eyes. In a matter of seconds, the whirlwind was in between the warring sides, and came to an abrupt stop, only to reveal a cocky looking wolf youkai.

"Kouga!" All sides exclaimed at once.

"Oi!" Kouga walked over to the kitsune and his crew, "what business do you have starting with my men? You should know better than know than to pick a fight with us!" He smirked, a fang gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"Keh!" Shippo replied defiantly, "Don't speak if you don't know! I came up here to break up the fight your men started with my men!"

"Is that so?" Kouga replied haughtily, "And why should I believe that? Everyone knows you can't trust the word of a Taiyoukai!" he challenged.

"That's IT!" Squeaked the angry kitsune, who then threw his toy top at Kouga, which landed on his head. Kouga looked up confused and then laughed.

"Ha ha you stupid brat, what the hell is this supposed to do? It doesn't even hurt!" he chuckled as he raised his arm to snatch the spinning top off of his head.

Ginta and Hakkaku looked at each other and then the wolf youkai, the realization of what was about to happen spread quickly over their faces, "K-k-kouga!" before running to his side. Unfortunately they were too slow to be of help. At the moment they reached Kouga, Shippo threw his shape-changing leaf, which transformed the toy top into a large revolving gyroscope, knocking down Kouga and grinding him into the courtyard pavement. The villagers, awestruck by the scene, gasped at the action.

"This looks like it's gonna be a big brawl."

"Yep, definitely a big brawl."

"Anyone want to go and break it up before it gets worse?"

"Are you crazy? It'd be suicide to get in between that lot!"

Kouga grunted as the top steadily drove him into the ground as he struggled to look up. Shippo, grinning confidently at his victory, stood with his back to his prey, smiling at his kinsmen. But before he could boast his accomplishments, something caught Nobunaga and Bunza's eyes as they looked past Shippo's shoulder, only to cry out to the fox too late. Shippo's eyes swirled as he fell to the ground, knocked out from Kouga's heavy blow. Kouga continued to struggle from under the spinning top.

"Heh, serves ya right, brat!" Kouga grunted, his body formed a U-shape as his midsection was pushed further and further into the ground.

Nobunaga and Bunza cried "Shippo!" before turning to face their original opponents, teeth clenched and swords poised for attack. Ginta and Hakkaku quickly mimicked their stance.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" All four shouted to each other, rushing into battle.

A fierce battle commenced, with swords clashing and swinging wildly, as the terrorized villagers remained in their hiding places, shouting and booing the fighting families from their safe distance to the battle scene taking place before them.

*********

As Lord Naraku and his wife, the Lady Kagura, walked along their shopping route near the village's square, they had heard angry voices in the distance, and looked at each other, mildly quizzically. Suddenly, people were seen running away from the direction they were headed, as the two looked on unemotionally, yet slightly amused. Kagura smirked at the frantic way the villagers rushed, and then snickered at the looks on their faces. Both knew deep down that it was most likely something that would concern them anyway, and that trouble was sure to ensue. And did this couple love trouble!

"Higurashi-sama!" a villager ran up to Naraku and bowed apologetically before continuing his excited speech. "Forgive me my lord, but your kinsmen are battling again at the courtyard with the Taiyoukais! I thought you should know!" The man bowed again to the hanyou lord.

"Ku ku ku," chuckled Naraku, "is that so?"

The lord then reached for his katana, and began to walk off in the direction of the fight.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Kagura, as she followed her husband.

"To help out my kinsmen, of course"

"You mean you aren't going to let them fight it out for you, like usual?" she replied sarcastically, a malicious glint sparkling in her eye.

Naraku turned and glowered at her, "Do not anger me, Kagura. Are you forgetting that I, Naraku, am your lord and master, who holds your heart? I will do as I please, without any snide comments from one such as yourself" Before she could reply, Naraku turned and floated towards the courtyard, his miasma cloud causing merchants and villagers alike to fall to the ground unconscious.

"Like you'd let me forget it, you bastard! O kami-sama, why was I forced to marry you?!" She muttered under her breath before pulling a feather from hair to use to catch up to him

*********

As they sat in their garden, sipping sake, Jaken, excited and anxious, ran up to the couple's table and fell to his knees in a deep bow before speaking, obviously carrying urgent news with him.

"Lord and Lady Taiyoukai, excuse my interruption, but you must know you're nephew, Shippo-sama, and his men are fighting with those insolent Higurashi at the courtyard in the center of the village!" Jaken's speech was quick, and his mouth moved up and down in a manner that resembled a chirping bird.

Rin had made this comparison in her mind and giggled at the idea. Jaken glanced her way, a bit annoyed, before focusing his attention at his lord.

Sesshoumaru rose from his seat, and unsheathed Toukijin.

"Rin, come with me." He said in a cool voice as he turned towards the direction of the courtyard.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cheerfully exclaimed, grabbing the reign of Ah-Un, who stood nearby, before she mounted it in pursuit of her husband as they floated off in the direction of the battle.

Jaken sighed as he watched them go." Damn that Rin, he always takes her instead of me!" he mumbled to himself piteously.

*********

As the battle raged on, now with a recovered Kouga and Shippo thrown into the mix, from opposite ends of the courtyard came the heads of their families, katanas drawn, ready for battle. Naraku and Sesshoumaru caught the others presence as they each descended from their `clouds', their mates in tow. The fighting six saw their masters arrive, and in turn fought the other harder than before. As soon as the lords landed, each walked towards the other briskly, slowly raising their arms to give the other a powerful blow with their swords. Lady Kagura and Lady Rin remained on the sidelines, watching their husbands anxiously. Kagura, noticing Rin, took a moment to glare at her, making poor Rin visibly anxious and uncomfortable at the unwelcome attention she got from her rival.

But, before their swords could clash, a procession drum pounded loudly above the riotous commotion. All motion stopped abruptly to the sound that echoed throughout the courtyard. All stayed perfectly frozen in their attack positions, while Kouga and Shippo audibly gulped. Large sweatdrops gleaned brilliantly on the backs of their heads in the afternoon light. The villagers breathed a sigh of relief as they abandoned their hiding places, to line up the road that linked the village courtyard to the palace steps, and bowed while they awaited the royal entourage. Rin and Kagura ran to join their husbands' sides.

As the beat of the taiko drum neared, the brawlers quickly sheathed their weapons and lined up, with both families directly facing each other. After a few minutes of tense silence among the two groups, the prince, in all his splendor, arrived on horseback. He promptly dismounted his steed, and walked over to the noble families, disappointment evident on his royal visage. Both families bowed as he approached them.

"Kohaku-oji-sama, it is an honor" Sesshoumaru said calmly, as the young prince held up his hand for silence. Sesshoumaru's eyes quickly flashed his annoyance at this gesture, all the while the remainder of his face keeping its emotionless mask. Luckily, the look passed too quickly for the human to catch.

"What is this?" inquired Kohaku, frowning, "this is the third time you lot have caused a disturbance in this peaceful village!" The boy prince's face appeared to be deeply troubled, as he seemed to recall the memories of the events. He looked away sadly-

"Kohaku-oji-sama, I can explain-"Shippo started, giving Kouga a malevolent sideways glance before he was cut off by the kotaishi.

"No," said Kohaku, "this is enough. I grow tired of this feud." Kohaku slowly let his eyes look upon the faces of each member of the involved families, giving them the full brunt of his disappointment.

"Hai, Oji-sama" Shippo replied sheepishly as he hung his head. Nobunaga and Bunza also hung their heads, with Kouga and his crew following suit. Immediately after the gesture, however, all cocked their heads at an angle high enough to give the opposing family a hateful glance. A ball of electricity soon appeared and buzzed angrily between the two groups.

"I said enough!" Kohaku reaffirmed, shaking his head. "This is not to happen again, do you understand?" He glared at the two groups in particular, and then softened his gaze to look upon the faces of the heads of the families. "Now please, this is all giving me a terrible headache, and making me recall the other awful memories you lot have given me over this" the kotaishi put his hand to his temple and massaged it, "I want you all to part ways and return home. Understand? And if I hear this happening again, well, I will not be so easy on you! Now GO!"

Slowly, the groups bowed their goodbyes to the young prince and then turned their backs to each other, heading in opposite directions towards their respective family estates. Shippo ran on all fours to catch up with his uncle, the Lord Sesshoumaru, ready to explain what had happened earlier. But before he could even utter a word, His Aunt Rin spoke.

"Shippo-chan, where is Inu Yasha? I thought during something like this he would have surely been with you?" The beautiful woman's brow creased with concern and worry, in spite of her naturally cheerful and melodic voice.

"I don't know, obaa-san. Besides, that baka has been acting real weird lately; he might not have been any help." Shippo grumbled. Rin gave her young kitsune nephew a look.

"I mean, weirder than usual!" Shippo humphed.

As they continued up their path, Sesshoumaru caught a familiar flash of red in a large oak tree in front of the estate. The lord's eyes slitted at the sight.

"There he is! That worthless hanyou brother of mine! If he was hiding…"

"Oh! Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cut him off, trying to calm him, "I doubt he even knows what happened! You know he'd never back down from a fight, especially one that his kin is involved in!" she turned to Shippo," Shippo-chan, can you go and talk to him, please? I'm worried about him; this isn't like him at all!"

The little kitsune looked up at his surrogate aunt, and gave a stiff nod of his head in agreement. He then turned and headed towards Inu Yasha's tree.

*********

"Oi! Inu Yasha!" Shippo called up. Inu Yasha looked down in annoyance. He just as soon looked off into the distance, scowling.

"What?!" he growled, not really wanting to talk to his nosy cousin.

Shippo returned the annoyed look and crossed his arms, "come down! I want to talk to you!"

"Keh! What do you want, brat?" Inu Yasha replied as he jumped down from his perch.

"There was a fight today! With the Higurashis! And YOU weren't there to help us!" the handsome hanyou was startled by this news, and frowned, guilt evident in his fair, if dog-like, features.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No, thank gods!" replied the frazzled kitsune. He then climbed up the tree part-way to look at his cousin directly in the eye.

"What's wrong with you anyways? The Inu Yasha I know would have been at that fight in an instant!" Shippo eyed the hanyou suspiciously. Inu Yasha scowled again and turned away, crossing his arms.

"None of your business, brat!" Inu Yasha huffed. Shippo jumped down off of the trunk, and began to walk away, arms crossed behind his back.

"Fine then," he said in a confidant voice, "I guess I'll just tell oji-san that you really were being cowardly, and hiding from your duty to protect your kinsmen!" Shippo smirked at that last line.

Inu Yasha grew red with anger, as a vein began to throb on his head. He clenched both his fangs and fists, knowing that if that arrogant brother of his thought that, all hell would break loose. No way did he want that asshole touting to the rest of the family that he, the great Inu Yasha, was a coward! Inu Yasha turned to face Shippo, who had a pleased look on his face. This made Inu Yasha even angrier, so he in reply bopped the kitsune on the head, giving him a nice sized lump.

"WAAAAAAAAHH!!! What'd you do that for, BAKAYARO?!" Shippo spat at the still scowling Inu Yasha.

"Keh!" Inu Yasha smirked, "fine! I'll tell you my problem then." The young man looked off, his head cocked to one side, wondering if he should say what was really bothering him. Inu Yasha began to concentrate on his thoughts, looking very much like a person struggling with the world's most complex math equation, rubbing his chin all the while. He tried desperately to figure out which was worse, being called a coward, or being weak because of his emotions? His kit cousin looked up at the hanyou expectantly.

"Well?" Shippo asked impatiently. "Does it have anything to do with that undead miko you were with behind the temple yesterday?"

Inu Yasha was jolted by the sudden outburst from his cousin. His brow furled again in anger, knowing once again the nosy brat had been spying on him.

Bop!

"HEY!!" Shippo rubbed his head, a new lump forming on top of the old one, "You don't have the right to hit me just because you've been caught!" The kitsune glared at the older boy.

"You shouldn't have been spying on me!" Inu Yasha spat back angrily. The hanyou fumed for a moment more before he sighed audibly, suddenly changing his facial expression to that of sadness, "Feh, not that it matters," He exchanged looks with the confused kitsune, his eyes holding a questioning look, "she doesn't really want me anyway. She's hung up on some sort of revenge thing, and said she doesn't really have time for me." Inu Yasha look dejected.

"That's all?! Jeez Inu Yasha, I thought it was something more serious than that!" the kitsune breathed a sigh of relief, "I mean come on! What did you want with an undead woman anyway? It's not like you can marry her, Sesshoumaru-oji-san would never approve something like that!" Shippo rattled on, as the hanyou once again curled his fists in anger, vein popping out all over again.

"Who cares what that asshole thinks! If I had to, I would elope with Kikyo in an instant! What, you think I'm worried if I get disowned or something? Keh! Like I care!"

Shippo, made suddenly aware of the hanyou's anger, moved out of reach before he could get bopped on the head again and continued.

"Well, get over it, she doesn't want you anyway! Besides, we have more important things to worry about, like dealing with those baka Higurashis! So forget her!"

Inu Yasha turned his back to Shippo, and said quietly, "I… I can't forget her! I... l-l-lo-wanna be with her!" Inu Yasha turned to face his cousin, determination in his eye and a smirk on his face, chuckling in a way that bore no mirth. The hanyou curled his clawed hand and held it up, his stance making it obvious that he was about to make a vow of some sort. Shippo only rolled his eyes.

"For as long as I am alive, I will remain faithful to Kikyo! I will never stray! It's because of her that my life holds any meaning! For that, I owe my life to her!"

Shippo sighed in disgust at the dramatic spectacle his cousin was making. "Now that you've gotten that out of your system, can we go home now? It's getting late and I'm starv-"

Shippo wailed once again at the new lump on his head, as Inu Yasha walked ahead of him towards the house.

"Oi Shippo! What're you waiting for?!" the hanyou smirked.

"Baka!" the kit muttered under his breath, before running on all fours to catch up to his ill-tempered cousin.

********

A/N: Following in the spirit of Ericedwyn, I've decided to also include a glossary.

Baka- stupid, stupid person

Bakayaro- You fool! Jerk!

Hai- yes

Hanyou- half-demon

Katana- Japanese sword

Kitsune- fox

Kotaishi- crowned prince

Miko- priestess

Neko- cat

Obaa-san- aunt

Oji-sama- prince

Oji-san- uncle

Sake- Japanese rice wine

Taiko- ceremonial drum

Youkai- demon