InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waves of Fate ❯ Nothing Left to Lose ( Chapter 1 )

Again, another new story from Bryan and Zabe. ^_^ Special thanks to my beta's Kat and Al on this story. Especially Kat, since she gave me the idea for the story.

Waves of Fate

Chapter One: Nothing Left to Lose

A moon hung in the inky sky over the farm house outside. Rows of pathetic crops stretched out in front of the house and there were no houses anywhere near the farm. The deep quiet choked any sound from the surround land for miles. The deep quiet… like the calm before a storm.

The silence of the small farm was broken by the scream of the 18 year old child of the Higurashi family. Four men were standing over her bed that was rolled out next to her little brother's bed. Her mother came running into the room to see a rugged band of pirate looming in the darkness of the room set aside for Kagome and Hojo.

"Kagome!" she cried as she flung herself at the malicious bunch of ruffians.

A young pirate with piercing blue eyes and sloppy blonde hair grabbed the young girl by the arm ignoring her mother. "Up with you, runt, you're coming with us," he said as he wrenched her arm.

Another pirate turned to the woman who was coming towards them and back handed her in the face knocking her to the floor.

"Momma!" Kagome screamed, the boyish girl's ebony hair slipping out of the braid she had it tightly twisted back in. The hay crunched beneath her feet as she struggled to get away from the on the dirt floor.

Her mother stood up and grabbed a vase off of the table, a priceless heirloom of the family's, but it was an emergency. She broke it over the back of one of the pirate's skulls and dashed at the one holding her daughter.

Souta looked over to his mother and sister and found that he was too scared to move. "Momma!" he screamed as he looked at the invaders in the room.

A dark, hard man pulled out a long sharp knife and approached the woman. He snatched her up by the hair. "Bad mistake, wench!" he seethed. "No one hits one of us and lives." His dark eyes flashed as he held the knife up to her neck.

Kagome's eyes widened and she screamed as she watched her mother's precious blood spill over the blade to splash against the floor. Tears flowed from her eyes as she struggled harder against the pirate that held her. "Momma! Noo!!" she screamed desperately as her mother fell to the hard ground, her life blood pouring from her.

The blonde man looked over at the screaming child and motioned for the other men to pick him up. "You two are coming with us," he said dangerously low. "And I advise you not to fight against us, or you will end up like your mother."

The dark haired pirate wiped the blood from his blade with an evil smile on his face. Souta wept as another pirate walked over and picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

"Momma!!! No, Momma!!!" He cried and reached out for her.

Kagome spilled her tears as she was half carried, half dragged away from the home she had spent her entire life in. She was still dressed in the tattered rags she had worked in today and dirt streaked her helplessly filthy face. She heard the cries of her brother as the pirates drug them from their farm home by the sea.

She would never see her mother again.

The moonlit stung her flesh as she stopped whimpering and allowed the pirate to drag her along. She stared coldly back at the place where she had lived all her life. Her knees were skinned and bruised from struggling and the pirate's grip on her was viselike.

The group of rogues carried them down the shore of the beach and threw them into a small boat. They kept watch on them as they rowed out into the sea towards a rather large ship anchored out a few hundred yards away from shore.

As soon as the man released her, Kagome picked Souta up and cradled him against her, as she glowered defiantly at the man in front of her.

"Momma, Momma's dead," Souta cried as he tightened his fists into his sister's shirt and bawled.

"Shut up! Or you will be next!" The dark haired pirate yelled at the whimpering boy.

Kagome tightened her arms around her little brother protectively. "Leave him alone!" she cried, covering Souta completely, ducking her head over his.

The blonde pirate narrowed his eyes. "Boy, if I was you I would shut my mouth! Or do you want to be drown like a rat?" he asked as he stared at the raven haired child he had mistaken for a male in her filthy work rags.

The girl's eyes widened as she stared up at the blonde, but hardened again almost immediately. The boat suddenly came to a halt and the pirates started hauling up the children and the loot they had stolen from the children's home.

The blonde opened the bag of loot and looked into it. "Ehhhhh, small haul this time, but what we got is good," he said with a laugh.

Souta stood next to his sister and glared at the man. "That belongs to my mother!" the young boy yelled.

The pirates ignored him and carried their haul away to lock it up.

Kagome just tugged her little brother close to her and stood as much like a boy as she could, having realized what the pirates had taken her for. She nudged Souta and shook her head at him, a hard glint in her eye.

Souta looked up to his sister. "What are we going to do?" he whispered. "They think you're a boy."

She nodded and whispered to him. "Let's keep it that way for now. Just do what they say for tonight and give me some time to think of a plan," she whispered back.

Souta nodded. "But...but what do I call you? I can't call you by your name or they will know."

The girl thought frantically before remembering her dear father's name, who had died so long ago. "Call me Masaki."

Souta nodded again as he spied a man walking towards them.

A tall man dressed a little better than the other pirates with long ink colored hair and icy blue eyes walked over to them. He looked them up and down. "A little scrawny," he said as he made a circle around them. "But they look to be in good health and strong." He reached out and tugged on the older child's long hair.

The child grunted and shot the man a hard glare, turning her head to yank her braid out of his hand.

He smirked. "Fiery spirit, I like that. You both will make fine pirates." His icy eyes fell onto the younger boy. "I am Kouga, captain of this ship, and what are your names?" he asked.

Kagome's eyes widened and she cleared her throat, and lowered her voice. "Masaki."

Souta glared at the man. "Souta," he said with a slight growl.

Kouga bent down to look at the younger boy. "You remind me of myself when I was your age, Souta," he said as he ruffled the boys hair.

Souta jerked his head back and yelled. "Don't touch me!"

Kagome stepped in front of Souta, glaring hard at Kouga. "Leave him alone!" she snapped.

Kouga glared at what he thought to be the older boy and stood. "I didn't harm the boy!" he snapped at the older child. "And never raise your voice to me again, or I will cut your throat from ear to ear myself!"

The girl clamped her mouth shut, but didn't lessen her glare. The ship was already well out at sea, she could tell that he was pushing fast. She just wished she knew what the hurry was.

Kouga turned away from the boys and looked at another pirate, a short man with a patch over one eye. "The young one I have taken a liking to," said Kouga as he turned to leave, "Make sure he is treated well, and the other, make him swab the deck for his fresh mouth." With that order he strode off to his cabin.

Kagome felt her self be dragged across the deck as she watched desperately after her younger brother. "Oh, Souta..." she whispered, watching as he faded from her sight when another pirate led him away.

The older pirate, who had dragged her across the deck, tossed a mop and bucket to the supposed boy. "Get to work and next time, maybe you will remember not to mouth off to the captain," he said as he folded his arms across his chest.

The girl glared up at him and shoved the mop roughly into the bucket, splashing the pirate.

The pirate glared at Kagome. "Keep it up, and you're shark bait," he growled out as he reached out to hit the kid on the back of the head.

Kagome almost lost her footing but regained her balance and set to work, slopping as much water in the pirate's direction as she could.

Souta walked with the pirate and was put into a private cabin since the young boy was well liked by the captain. He looked around the room as the door was locked from the outside. Tears ran down his face.

"God, why have you done this to us?" Souta asked quietly as he sat down on a chair in the room. "It's not fair…"

Kagome yelped as she was kicked down the stairs to the boarding quarters for the crew. She picked herself up off of the filthy floor and looked around the dingy room. It was lit only by sparse lanterns that were carefully watched to make sure that nothing caught fire.

The rank smell made her heady as she stood on wobbly legs. The roaring laughter of a couple of men drinking off to the side made her ears ring. The rocking boat made an unstable ground to stand on which made her queasy.

A really nasty looking pirate with a huge scar on his face that ran from his eye to his mouth looked over to the boy. "Hey, look, we got a young one," he said as he stood up and walked over to him. "What's your name, boy?"

"Kag-" Kagome stopped herself and started again. "Masaki," she growled up at the man, straightening up.

The man raised a brow at the kid. "Masaki, huh?" he walked around the "boy." "How old are ye? You look puny."

The girl thought frantically for an appropriate age. "I'm 15."

He narrowed his eyes as he snatched the kid's face into his hand. "I was twice your size when I was your age." He let go of her face and reached down and grabbed her hands and looked at them.

Calluses covered her hands from working out in the fields and dirt was caked under her cracked and rugged nails. They were cut up from fighting with their sparse chickens to get them into the pen earlier that day.

"I'm just small for my age," she stammered nervously as she looked up at the pirate, yanking her hands back.

He looked at her curiously. "I don't know." The old pirate raised a withered hand up the young girl's face and ran it down her cheek. "As smooth as a baby's bottom. Something's not right here."

Kagome whimpered in pain as another pirate yanked her hair. At the same moment, the floor lurched, sending the girl sprawling.

"I don't think he is what he says he is," the other pirate said as he placed a boot on the kid's throat.

The older pirate knelt down and ripped open the supposed young boy's shirt and smirked at his findings. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he asked as his wrinkled face twisted into an evil smile. "A wench, I see."

Kagome shrieked and drew the torn pieces of her shirt together as she scrambled away from the pirates. "Get away from me!" she yelled.

The younger pirate yanked her up from the floor by her hair. "Shut the hell up, wench!" he snapped at her and slapped her face hard enough to make her head snap back. He looked over to the older pirate. "Yosho, go and fetch the captain. He might be interested in what we have here."

The older man got up and left the room, an evil smirk on his face.

Her cheek red and stinging, Kagome yanked away from the pirate and bolted up the steps and onto the deck. Letting go of her shirt to scramble across the rocking and lurching deck, the rag of her shirt, flapped in the wind as she ran. Kagome looked over her shoulder to see if the pirates were following her.

A strong hand reached out and grabbed her by the neck as she passed by. Icy cold eyes locked onto her face.

"So, what Yosho told me is true," Kouga said as he looked at her.

She let out a strangled cry as her legs gave out beneath her. The girl fell backwards, cracking her head against the hard wood of the deck. Groaning, she looked up at the man in front of her and frantically tried to cover her chest.

"Get away!"

He bent down to look her in the face. "You listen here, bitch, I don't take orders from a filthy wench," Kouga said as he reached out and grabbed her chin. "Maybe if you're washed and cleaned up I can get a fair price for you at the next port."

Kagome grunted a heave and brought her knee up hard between the man's legs, and turned to scramble off again.

Kouga doubled over and yelled. "Catch that bitch!"

Some other pirates ran after her and tackled her to the deck. "Stupid girl, you just asked for your death," one said as he pulled a dagger from his boot and put it to her neck as the other two held her down.

She whimpered and struggled with all of her strength against the pirates that tried to hold her. The moonlight shone down on her alabaster skin and made her almost seem to glow.

Kouga limped over and seemingly towered over the girl. "Wash and clean her up, she will be sold at the next port. She will fetch a good price."

The girl's eyes flashed with intense hatred as she glared at him. The pirate yanked her up and about, making her exposed breasts bounce against her chest. She made another go at the captain and spat at him.

"You Bastard!" she screamed.

Kouga laughed slightly as he turned around to face the young girl. "And this is coming from a future whore." He shook his head. "Stop behaving like a spoiled princess and act like the slut you are."

Tears filled her eyes as she wrenched free of the grasp of the pirates and dashed at Kouga pinning him against the railing and glaring up into his face.

"Its pretty sad if you have to have more than three grown men take care of a young girl, don't you think, Kouga?" she spat at him, ready to push him overboard.

Kouga grabbed her, having freed his arm from where the girl had it pinned, by the throat and began to crush the life out of her. "Bitch, I'm going to kill you myself! I was trying to be sparing, for your brother's sake, and let you live!" he yelled out at her as he lifted her up so that her feet couldn't touch the deck. "Or do you want me to kill you? I think that would crush the poor boys will to live."

Pain flashed through Kagome's eyes as she thought of her younger brother. Souta was her only family now. She wanted and needed him to live. Kagome stopped struggling against him. "Souta..." she whispered hoarsely, her grip on his wrist going slack.

The waves beat mercilessly against the ship like green hands smacking its rump, urging it on faster. Suddenly the entire ship lurched as a sound of splintering wood was heard.

Kouga dropped the girl to the deck abruptly. "What the hell was that?!"

The pirates ran to their posts. One yelled out to Kouga frantically.

"Captain! We are being boarded!"

A tall dark haired woman in dark brown slacks leapt into their line of sight. "Sango, of the Sacred Jewel, at your service!" she said with a flourish, brandishing her sword. She was soon followed by a wave of pirates that rushed past her.

Kagome groaned and winced rubbing her throat after Kouga he dropped her. Kagome's eyes widened at the spectacle in front of her. While Kouga was distracted, she bolted off again.

Kouga narrowed his eyes at the young girl in front of him. "How dare you board the Sea Wolf?! You damn wench!" He grabbed the hilt of his pistol and pulled it out. "Who is your Captain?!" he barked out at her.

Sango grinned from ear to ear. "My Captain is already on board and rooting about. And if you call me a damn wench one more time..." she said dangerously lifting her sword. "I just have to make you one."

Kouga scowled as he glanced out of the corner of his eyes at the ship that his pirates were now fighting. His eyes narrowed at the woman in front of him. "Inu Yasha..." he seethed.

Kagome ducked her head as she sped through the fighting pirates. Her head was spinning and she was dizzier than anything, but she kept pushing herself to go.

She clenched her shirt together tightly and continued running until she slammed hard into the firm chest of a certain somebody with radiant silver hair, which sent her sprawling to the ground.

Golden eyes locked onto the girl as his sword was lowered to an inch away from her alabaster face. "Damn, dog," the silver haired man said with a slight growl in his voice. "Damn sea hag, I should kill you right where you are."

Kagome's eyes traveled up the length of the sword and up to the golden eyes which were still locked onto her. Her own silver eyes widened and she was captured by his gaze.

"Who are you?" he asked in an even tone as he stared into her eyes.

"M-Masaki..." she said in a shaky voice, hoping to god he hadn't noticed she was female.

He narrowed his eyes. "Get up, you are now my prisoner," Inu Yasha ordered. "If you don't, I will kill you now."

The girl stood up, fire in her eyes as her grip on her shirt slipped. "Love to, but can't. I have to go find my brother," she snapped as she brushed past him.

He reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "I don't think so, you do as I say,'' Inu Yasha said as he flung her up against the wall of the ship, pinning her with his hand

"If you're looking for that small boy, he is gone."

Tears gathered in her eyes. "You're lying!" she screamed, shoving against him, letting her shirt fly open, exposing her bare chest.

Inu Yasha growled and shoved her back. "I don't lie, bitch! Kouga's men loaded him into a small boat when we boarded and left."

Her head dropped into her hands as tears streamed down her face. "No..." she whispered. "Souta..."

Inu Yasha raised the blade up to her chest. "Now, prisoner, what's your real name?" he asked. "And don't tell me it's Masaki, because I know better than that."

She lifted her eyes to glare up at him. "Oh? And how is that?"

A slight smirk crossed his face. "You would be the first called that to have tits, that's why. You're as much a male as that so called Kouga is."

Kagome snarled and stood up. "And why should I tell you my name? So you have something to call me when you sell me off to be a whore, like that damn Kouga's doing!?"

Inu Yasha raised a brow. "Who said I would sell you off to be a whore? I never said that."

The girl yelped in surprise as a couple of battling pirates rammed into her, pushing her into Inu Yasha.

Inu Yasha shoved her behind him and handed her his sword as he punched one pirate in the face, knocking him to the deck.

"God damn it, Miroku, cant you do anything right?!" he asked as he looked over to the other pirate who was fighting.

Miroku licked the blood off his lip. "Inu Yasha just shut up. I had three jump me at once," the man said as he dragged the pirate out the door and threw him over board.

Kagome looked down at the sword in her hands. A scowl set on her face as she saw the pirate that slit her mother's throat. She remembered the way her warm loving father had taught her how to use a sword, back when he was still alive and part of the infantry.

She swung the sword above her head and brought it down at an angle. All went silent in her mind as she watched the blade cut through the man's neck. A loud thump of the man's head rolling to Inu Yasha's feet was the sound that brought her back to the roaring reality.

Inu Yasha looked down to his feet and kicked the man's head away from him. "Did Sango get the loot loaded on the ship yet?" Inu Yasha asked Miroku.

His friend nodded. "We are waiting for you to signal us to leave, Inu Yasha."

Kagome stood there with the sword looking at her reflection in the blade. She turned around and looked up at the two men. The one with the dark, short, shaggy hair and a red bandana tied around his head seemed to be close to the silver haired man. Miroku and Inu Yasha. Kagome realized that, that was what their names were.

The girl looked down at a necklace that had fallen to the floor when she had beheaded the one pirate. A silver amulet with a cloudy jewel inside dangled on a tarnished silver chain. She knelt and scooped it up while her eyes narrowed as she shot a glare down at the man's gory head.

"A souvenir," she muttered bitterly, slipping it over her head.

Inu Yasha walked across the deck and let out a loud whistle and waved his hand, signaling his men to board his ship so they could leave. He turned to look at the girl. "Are you coming or what?"

Kagome looked up at him, then out to the sea. She had nothing left here. At least Inu Yasha wasn't going to sell her off to be a whore. She choked down bitter tears then nodded curtly, walking after him.

Inu Yasha and Miroku stood, jumped up onto the railing of the ship, and watched the others board their own ship.

Inu Yasha turned and looked at the girl. "I hope you can swim, girl," he said as his silver hair blew in the salty breeze that blew in from the ocean.

Kagome just tossed him his sword and shot him a scowl.

He caught the sword and put it in the sheath on his hip as he and Miroku dove off the ship into the dark cold water.

The girl stood on the railing for a while, her hair and torn clothing waving in the ocean's breeze. She cast a final glance back towards the direction of home.

Souta was gone. Momma was gone. Daddy was gone. It was just her. A deep scowl set on her face she turned again to face the sea. She had nothing left.

Her strong leg muscles flexed as she sprung from the railing, angling her body to dive into the chilly sea. Her body was perfectly positioned from her practice of diving off of the cliffs back home. She closed her eyes as the dark water engulfed her.

'And if I have nothing left... then I have nothing left to lose.'