InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Towards the Future ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Note - New chapter, though I'm not sure how many people are following this story here on mediaminer (c'mon, last chapter got 40 hits but not a single review. Please tell me if I'm doing something wrong! ^_^). I should be able to update much sooner next time. Happy Holidays!

Chapter One

Too late, he saw his opponent's long sword flash against the sky, coming down with a throbbing swipe, severing his right wrist. Toukijin hit the ground with a metallic thud.

Rin screamed his name in horror. She grasped him about the waist, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably, burying her face into his back.

With a numb sense of shock, Sesshoumaru pressed the bleeding stub where his hand had been under the remains of his missing left arm, lost long ago in the battle with Inuyasha in their father's tomb.

It was over. They were both going to die.He knew that now. His opponent stepped backward and pulled off his helmet, laughing scornfully.

Sesshoumaru's mouth curled back in an animalistic snarl.

They would die, but damned if he would die defeated.

His eyes snapped red with blood and his ragged breaths became a growl. Blue and purple swirls of demonic energy built around him as he began to transform. He would crush his enemies with the weight of his true canine form, he would use his last dying breath to flood this battlefield with melting, poisonous fumes.

His face began to elongate into angry, snapping jaws. Rin was still clinging to him, coughing and crying out words that he couldn't make out over the circling roar of the winds.

He would never allow her to be put to a cruel death under a taunting enemy's knife. They would die together. The children were safe, their children would survive.

He suddenly halted in the midst of his transformation, his breath stopped in panic.

Where were the children??

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open as he woke with a start. The vividness of the dream was slow to fade, and he realized with disgust that his fingers had automatically reached for the hilt of his sword. He stood up from the tree he had been resting his back against, and looked around warily. The glade was quiet, no unusual sounds or presences in the night. He began to feel foolish, far too old to be frightened out of his sleep like a fretful child.

"How boring," he said dismissively aloud. It did not make him feel better.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the starry sky irritably, trying to gauge how long he had been asleep. He didn't believe in omens. Omens and superstitions were for the fearful and weak. One made one's own way in the world, and in his case, fought for it. But the dream had left him undeniably uneasy. Perhaps he had been away too long. He had left his house a month ago, in order to make the rounds of the surrounding territories that he considered his domain. Not every youkai had required driving out. Those that posed no threat were left in peace. But he found that a habitual reappearance from time to time served as a useful reminder of his presence, and subsequently, their deference.

When he had first re-established himself in this province, few demons had been obliging enough to respect his claims of authority, merely on the basis that his father had once commanded them. His father may have paved the way, but Sesshoumaru had had to vigilantly protect and occasionally do battle to preserve his territory - quite literally with tooth and nail. Even as he became an older and stronger demon, new uncertainties and nagging concerns had presented themselves. More and more he felt he understood his father better. He was no longer motivated by the thrill of proving himself more and more powerful for power's sake, as he had been when he was younger. Now his actions and movements were usually undertaken out of a desire to protect, even when it came to protecting himself for the sakes of the others that depended on him -- Rin, their daughter and son.

And the latest hindrance to his peace of mind was Gaikkumaru. The young moth youkai leader was too wise to confront Sesshoumaru openly, and had established his colony just far away enough to be considered respectfully distant, yet Sesshoumaru was not deceived from his true ambitions. Unlike his own dog tribe, the moths bred quickly, reproducing their warriors within a generation or two. His mouth curled in distaste. No doubt the eight moth-demons who had "casually" encountered him as he journeyed alone had been sent to probe his watchfulness and strength. Sesshoumaru received a small grim satisfaction in knowing that the tale the one (significantly maimed) survivor would tell his lord would keep Gaikkumaru at bay for a while yet.

His patrols should have taken another week, but he suddenly found that his desire was to return home, immediately. Tonight. He wouldn't bother waiting for morning. He lifted into the air and passed swiftly toward the west, gliding weightlessly over forests of pine, rocky crags, and the twisted ropes of long rivers, grey and quiet in the moonlight, their waters softly reflecting his own shimmering and pale demonic light.

It was well after midnight when he arrived at the home that had once belonged to his father, now his. Most of the building was blanketed in shadows, the occupants already asleep. Sesshoumaru took very few servants, but one sentry stood watchfully by flickering torchlight. He bowed low and respectfully as Sesshoumaru landed on the stones of the front courtyard.

"Lady Rin and Master Jaken are still awake, my lord," the sentry murmured.

His footsteps echoed softly on the floorboards of the dark corridor. Rin and Jaken were in one of the inner rooms of the house, lit by a couple small lamps that reflected against the soft wood paneling. They were seated on the floor together, both looking up in surprise as the figure entered the room.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken cried enthusiastically, dropping a teacup and springing to his feet before falling prostrate and groveling on the floor. "You're back early, my lord!"

"All is well?" he asked quietly.

Rin nodded, her wide eyes shining. Jaken launched into an excited, self-important account of the household's doings over the past weeks.

Sesshoumaru cast his eyes over Rin. She looked well, healthy. The autumn air had turned chillier since his departure, and she wore a heavier robe of orange with gold chrysanthemums. The rich material cast a warm glow on her cheeks, already flushed. She was still in the prime of her human life, but Rin's face tonight reminded Sesshoumaru more of the eager, younger woman she had been when he first brought her back to live with him over a decade ago. She had become a mother since then, grown more patient and measured. Yet some aspects had never changed - Rin was still inexplicably selfless, trusting and giving, and completely devoted to him. And, as he noted with amusement, she was a terrible failure at hiding her true feelings. Despite her attempts at propriety, her whole being was infused with an obvious, quivering joy. He could tell that she was brimming with questions, stories that she would want to share, emotions that she wanted to express.

His father's human lover (Inuyasha's mother, he thought with a fleeting moment of distaste) had been an aristocrat, with manners andbreeding. Rin, by contrast, was the daughter of peasants. When he had finally come to the utterly astounding realization that it was her, and no one else, that he wanted as his mate and companion he had barely reflected on her social background. Her humanity had been the hardest obstacle to overcome. Once he had accepted that, human social distinctions meant little. And to be fair, when she was a child traveling with him he had never given a consideration towards planning her more formal education. Even making Jaken teach the girl to read had been more an afterthought. As a result, Rin had never learnt the politer forms of reserve that any well-bred female - human or youkai - would have exhibited.

And tonight, as usual, he found he didn't care.

Jaken was obliviously prattling onward.

"…A family of badger demons has taken to living in the south forest under the mountain. I TOLD them that they were closer than the Lord Sesshoumaru allowed but they refused to listen to me and now that you're back you can teach them a lesson about-"

"Jaken," he said firmly.

"Yes, my Lord?" The toad demon's bulging eyes blinked twice.

"You may go."

The little imp was too confused to be offended.

"Good night, Jaken," Rin added cheerfully and kindly.

Jaken peered at her suspiciously, and then again at Sesshoumaru. Comprehension finally dawned, along with sullen resignation. With the suffering air of a martyr he crossed the room, grumbling just loud enough to be heard.

Rin waited demurely as possible as Jaken carefully slid the screen doors shut behind him. She raised her eyes, caught her husband looking at her, and laughed out loud. She joyfully threw both arms around her husband's neck then paused.

"I missed you," she said soberly, looking up at him with her wide, brown, human eyes.

As Rin affectionately pulled her fingers through his hair, Sesshoumaru felt the tension in his muscles finally begin to unknot. He cupped her cheek with his palm, brushing his thumb along the soft flesh, and allowed his mouth to soften into the small private smile he reserved for moments like these. For the first time since he had woken suddenly a few hours before, he felt soothed, and at peace.

New Chapter to Appear Soon