InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What If? ❯ A New Recruit ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: ShelbyGT1987 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 02.19.2011 | Updated On: 02.19.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 530 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 02.19.2011 | Updated On: 02.19.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 530 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi
I realize that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father was not named "Inu no Taisho," that that means "Dog Lord." But really, there are NO other names out there for him.
So, for the sake of this story, that really is his name. Just go with it, guys :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Chapter One: A New Recruit
"Kagome" was not an established name in any period of Japan thus far. It was a sound called out by children when they were lost, or playing the game, "Kagome, Kagome." With no direct meaning to this sound, it was established that "Kagome" itself meant lost.
This was the name given to the infant found on the beach.
Her mother was cremated, her urn buried and honored appropriately. But no one knew her name, or the name of her baby. No one ever claimed her, either.
So, left without family or identity, the little girl was named Kagome, and raised by the mikos of the temple. She was brought up as the child those women could never have, for, being mikos, they were forbidden to ever marry and, by extension, ever have children.
The head priest of the shrine deemed the tiny girl worthy of becoming a priestess herself when she was old enough, and so, at first, she was raised towards that end.
However, it soon became apparent that wherever this girl came from, whatever her parentage had been, she was not human.
Alabaster skin was treasured in women, but this girl was naturally, flawlessly white. It nearly glowed, especially at nighttime when she was touched by the moon. Her hair was black, so dark it shone blue in light. And as if that wasn't strange enough, there were her eyes.
Nearly all eyes in Japan were, at this time, variations of dark brown on through black. Her eyes, however, were silver. Adding to the mystery of this child, her eyes changed colors, depending on her mood. They went front stone grey, to silver, to ice blue, to the deepest, sapphire-blue any of the women had ever seen. Very rarely, they would turn to shades of green, and that was when the ladies knew to let her alone, for she was in a particularly dangerous mood.
But the oddest thing about this child, of all, was her voice. The mikos and priestesses of the shrine that cared for her all new she could speak, that she was not mute. She made those small mewling noises when she was hungry or needed to be changed, and so on. But she never outright cried.
In her toddler years, she never threw tantrums. Never screamed or hollered or otherwise pitched fits.
When it came time for her to learn how to speak, she kept her voice modulated so low in pitch and sound that the ladies had to lean forward to hear her. It was clear that she was literate; she had no problems read and writing. Just as it was clear that she could speak just as she wished.
That was the problem. She wished to speak as she did. She never raised her voice above a low whisper if she had the choice. The women couldn't understand it.
But Inu no Taisho could.
She was the daughter of a god, and the sea god, at that. Even though she was half-human, she possessed nearly all the traits of a goddess herself. The hair, the eyes, the skin. They were all characteristics of celestial beings. The shrine-dwellers were just too stubborn to see the answer themselves.
Being a half-goddess as she was, her voice was obviously going to be a problem for her. Gods and goddesses were all but forbidden by common law to speak to humans, for their voices were so clear, so sweet, so utterly charming, that mere humans couldn't help but be enchanted by them.
Even though this child, this Kagome, was unaware of her heritage, it seemed that she was plenty conscious of her charms, and she sought to bury them all.
When the girl was about fifteen summers old, Inu no Taisho finally introduced himself to her.
She had forced herself to age to the point she was at, he knew, because she wanted to appear human and normal. Deities, even halflings, could always choose their appearance, and they never aged naturally.
But he had a feeling that, even though she had forced her body to age, she hadn't altered anything else about herself. Whether that was from lack of training and experience, or unwillingness to lose her true face, he didn't know. What he and every other person that had laid eyes on her did know, however, was that she was the single most beautiful creature to ever have been placed on Earth. And it was real, not an altered face to suit her vanity.
He found her one day in the garden of the shrine. She was tending to her own plot of weeds—of course, they really weren't weeds, but to him, every plant was the same—in her miko garb that she had recently acquired for her own.
Her back was to him, but he somehow knew that she had sensed him coming from a long way off.
"Kagome-sama," he greeted politely, bowing in wait for her to turn to face him.
She did so, her steely gray eyes looking him over quickly, assessing him for danger. She didn't recognize him—how could she have? She'd been an infant the last time she'd seen him, and he'd never revealed himself to her since—but she seemed to realize that he wasn't a threat to her.
She bowed in return and said strongly, taking no pains to hide her voice, "Hello. How may I help you?"
From that alone, he knew that she was aware of his demon blood. Even though he had gone to great lengths to disguise himself as a mortal, she still sensed his aura. Demons were immune to the voices of deities, and so she had no fear of using her voice normally to him.
"My name is Inu no Taisho," he introduced formally, "and, not to be overly forward, I have known you since you were a baby. I came to check up on you."
Realizing that her suspicions were correct, Kagome smiled. Just a slight change in the uplifting of a mouth, but it made her entire face seem to light up from within. It momentarily stunned Inu no Taisho.
"I figured as much," she informed him triumphantly. "It would be strange, otherwise, for a demon to go to such lengths to speak with a human."
Inu no Taisho tilted his head, regarding his calmly. "But you and I both know you are not human," he said softly. "At least, not completely."
Kagome froze, staring at him with wide eyes that were rapidly clouding over in a misty blue. "I had my guesses," she admitted in a whisper. It seemed she didn't even know she was doing it. Fifteen years of a habit must be hard to break, after all, Inu no Taisho assumed. "But I never..." She broke off, shaking her head. "Do you know what I am, then? Why I'm so different?"
Inu no Taisho nodded. "Your father is one of my best friends." He caught the surprised and hurt look in her eyes almost before she had fully registered her own thought. He was quick to reassure her. "He knows about your mother, and he thinks you died along with her. Trust me, he didn't abandon you. Ryuujin cares for all his children."
The girl nearly fell over in shock. "R-Ryuujin?" she repeated faintly. "The Ryuujin—as in God of the Sea, Ryuujin—is my father?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Then what does that make me?" she asked confusedly, and it momentarily confused Inu no Taisho that her thought processes were so swift.
"You are a half-ling, half human and half goddess," he informed her, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible. Perhaps the shock would lessen if he treated this as though it were a normal occurrence.
Kagome's eyes darted around frantically, not looking for anything in particular, just something to focus on to bring her out of her chaotic thoughts. Her breathing and heart rate picked up, he could hear, and finally, admitting to her feelings, she pleaded, "M-May I sit, for a moment?"
"Of course."
She collapsed on the ground where she stood, as though her knees had been at the breaking point. Inu no Taisho tried to be patient with her, to let her mind come to terms with all that he had just told her, though he was itching to be free of his disguise and out of the shrine. Such hallowed grounds scratched at his youki, and besides, Kagome had to be taken from here—the sooner the better.
Finally, she regained control enough to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. "Why do you tell me this?" she demanded. "Even if you are a friend of my father's, why would you share that knowledge? I am a priestess, this would only enhance my powers. I could learn more about myself and eradicate demons altogether."
Inu no Taisho sucked in a breath, nodding slowly. "You could," he agreed, "but I fervently hope that you do not. You see, I told you all of this for a specific reason. I am at war. Not with humans, mind you, but with other demons. I control the Western Lands of this country. Others want my lands for themselves. You could be an extremely powerful ally for me, should you decide to aid my cause, and once you gain a few years of experience."
Kagome peered up at him, a smirk playing at her full mouth. "Is that a form of asking for help? I couldn't hear the question under all that ego talking."
The dog lord let out a surprised laugh. "Yes," he admitted, still chuckling. Would wonders never cease? A girl that wasn't afraid to act brazenly in this time? "I am asking for your help. I plan to start building an army now, and when my son is at the proper age, we fight."
"How old is your son?" Kagome asked curiously, wondering how much time she would have to learn her this other half of herself—should she decide to help, that was.
Inu no Taisho sighed. "Well, you see, that's a difficult question for a youkai to answer. My son is far older than you, and yet he is in the body of a 'teenager.' We youkai age at a much, much slower rate than humans. While twenty years could pass to a human, only one year passes to a youkai. My Sesshoumaru has been on this earth for three hundred and seventy-five years, and yet he has physically matured no further than a fifteen year old human boy. Does that make sense?"
Kagome nodded, "In a way. Is he mentally matured to his demon years or human?"
"It's different for every youkai, but in his case, demon. I swear, that boy was born an old crank."
Kagome laughed, and the dog lord could see how humans could be easily enchanted. Her voice was pure attraction. He was immune, for he knew that not only was she hundreds of years his junior, but he just had no interest. Still, he could see the reasoning.
She sobered up quickly, however, and surmised with shocking insight, "You don't want my help at all. You're here to take me with you, aren't you?"
Ino no Taisho shook his head. "Only partially correct, my dear. I do want your help. You will be one of the greatest assets I will have when the time comes. However, I am here to take you with me. You aren't properly protected here. On top of that, you have to hide who and what you truly are. Whispering and forcing your body to grow and change when it isn't ready is not a way to live, Kagome-sama."
She looked down, nodding as she bit down on her lower lip. "I know. I've often thought about running away. But... the women here—the mikos, and even some of the priestesses—they've raised me. I owe them my life. How could I abandon them?"
"With comfort in the knowledge that you are repaying your debt," he answered smoothly and sincerely. She looked at him again, furrowing her brows. He explained, "The battles to come will be far greater than any this world has seen to date. By joining me, you ensure that the fighting and bloodshed will end that much sooner, and cause fewer casualties. By leaving them, you are saving their lives."
Kagome laughed once, though there was no humor in her voice. "How can I argue with that?" she asked rhetorically, of no one in particular. Letting out a long, shaky sigh, she let her head fall forward, as though agreeing to be executed. "Can I have your word that everything you say is true? Am I to fight for an honorable cause?"
"All that and more," the dog lord swore. "You will not only be defending my own property, but you will help me teach demons that we need not fight each other like beasts. And, I'm hoping, you can help my son in particular."
At that, Kagome's head whipped back up. "Help your son how?" she asked suspiciously.
"Nothing that would ever tarnish your name or reputation," he amended hastily. "I just wish my son didn't have such a strong... aversion to humans. You, being half human, might be able to help him see sense."
"After three hundred plus years, I doubt anything I say could change his mind," Kagome warned.
Inu no Taisho nodded, looking a little disappointed. "I realize that. Still, there's hope." He took a breath and continued, more cheerfully, "You will be given a section of my own castle. It's a separate building from the rest, and you will have privacy there. My wife and son and I live in the other, larger part. We will, of course, visit you, and you are welcome to dine with us and come to our side, and so forth. I only do this so that you don't feel crowded too soon, you know."
Kagome nodded, thankful that she wouldn't be expected to live in the same domain as his family. Though she would be on the same compound, it wasn't quite the same, and she was grateful for that. Being thrust upon a family would be awkward, no doubt, for they most likely weren't too excited to welcome her there.
"My guards are all dog demons, as I am," the lord went on, "and they will escort you everywhere, and guard you day and night. Forgive me, Kagome-sama," he added when he saw her look of protest, "but I must insist on this. You are still far too young to defend yourself should another demon discover your alliance with me. While you train and hone your skills at the castle, you will be guarded."
"And once I am fully able to take care of myself?" she prompted, raising her eyebrows.
Inu no Taisho grinned ruefully, but promised, "You will be given a residence of your own. You drive a hard bargain, sama."
"I agree on one condition," Kagome stated, smiling at the irony. Inu no Taisho, also smirking, gestured for her to name it. "Stop calling me 'sama.' I only need Kagome."
Converting /tmp/phpLJIe6z to /dev/stdout
I realize that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father was not named "Inu no Taisho," that that means "Dog Lord." But really, there are NO other names out there for him.
So, for the sake of this story, that really is his name. Just go with it, guys :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Chapter One: A New Recruit
"Kagome" was not an established name in any period of Japan thus far. It was a sound called out by children when they were lost, or playing the game, "Kagome, Kagome." With no direct meaning to this sound, it was established that "Kagome" itself meant lost.
This was the name given to the infant found on the beach.
Her mother was cremated, her urn buried and honored appropriately. But no one knew her name, or the name of her baby. No one ever claimed her, either.
So, left without family or identity, the little girl was named Kagome, and raised by the mikos of the temple. She was brought up as the child those women could never have, for, being mikos, they were forbidden to ever marry and, by extension, ever have children.
The head priest of the shrine deemed the tiny girl worthy of becoming a priestess herself when she was old enough, and so, at first, she was raised towards that end.
However, it soon became apparent that wherever this girl came from, whatever her parentage had been, she was not human.
Alabaster skin was treasured in women, but this girl was naturally, flawlessly white. It nearly glowed, especially at nighttime when she was touched by the moon. Her hair was black, so dark it shone blue in light. And as if that wasn't strange enough, there were her eyes.
Nearly all eyes in Japan were, at this time, variations of dark brown on through black. Her eyes, however, were silver. Adding to the mystery of this child, her eyes changed colors, depending on her mood. They went front stone grey, to silver, to ice blue, to the deepest, sapphire-blue any of the women had ever seen. Very rarely, they would turn to shades of green, and that was when the ladies knew to let her alone, for she was in a particularly dangerous mood.
But the oddest thing about this child, of all, was her voice. The mikos and priestesses of the shrine that cared for her all new she could speak, that she was not mute. She made those small mewling noises when she was hungry or needed to be changed, and so on. But she never outright cried.
In her toddler years, she never threw tantrums. Never screamed or hollered or otherwise pitched fits.
When it came time for her to learn how to speak, she kept her voice modulated so low in pitch and sound that the ladies had to lean forward to hear her. It was clear that she was literate; she had no problems read and writing. Just as it was clear that she could speak just as she wished.
That was the problem. She wished to speak as she did. She never raised her voice above a low whisper if she had the choice. The women couldn't understand it.
But Inu no Taisho could.
She was the daughter of a god, and the sea god, at that. Even though she was half-human, she possessed nearly all the traits of a goddess herself. The hair, the eyes, the skin. They were all characteristics of celestial beings. The shrine-dwellers were just too stubborn to see the answer themselves.
Being a half-goddess as she was, her voice was obviously going to be a problem for her. Gods and goddesses were all but forbidden by common law to speak to humans, for their voices were so clear, so sweet, so utterly charming, that mere humans couldn't help but be enchanted by them.
Even though this child, this Kagome, was unaware of her heritage, it seemed that she was plenty conscious of her charms, and she sought to bury them all.
When the girl was about fifteen summers old, Inu no Taisho finally introduced himself to her.
She had forced herself to age to the point she was at, he knew, because she wanted to appear human and normal. Deities, even halflings, could always choose their appearance, and they never aged naturally.
But he had a feeling that, even though she had forced her body to age, she hadn't altered anything else about herself. Whether that was from lack of training and experience, or unwillingness to lose her true face, he didn't know. What he and every other person that had laid eyes on her did know, however, was that she was the single most beautiful creature to ever have been placed on Earth. And it was real, not an altered face to suit her vanity.
He found her one day in the garden of the shrine. She was tending to her own plot of weeds—of course, they really weren't weeds, but to him, every plant was the same—in her miko garb that she had recently acquired for her own.
Her back was to him, but he somehow knew that she had sensed him coming from a long way off.
"Kagome-sama," he greeted politely, bowing in wait for her to turn to face him.
She did so, her steely gray eyes looking him over quickly, assessing him for danger. She didn't recognize him—how could she have? She'd been an infant the last time she'd seen him, and he'd never revealed himself to her since—but she seemed to realize that he wasn't a threat to her.
She bowed in return and said strongly, taking no pains to hide her voice, "Hello. How may I help you?"
From that alone, he knew that she was aware of his demon blood. Even though he had gone to great lengths to disguise himself as a mortal, she still sensed his aura. Demons were immune to the voices of deities, and so she had no fear of using her voice normally to him.
"My name is Inu no Taisho," he introduced formally, "and, not to be overly forward, I have known you since you were a baby. I came to check up on you."
Realizing that her suspicions were correct, Kagome smiled. Just a slight change in the uplifting of a mouth, but it made her entire face seem to light up from within. It momentarily stunned Inu no Taisho.
"I figured as much," she informed him triumphantly. "It would be strange, otherwise, for a demon to go to such lengths to speak with a human."
Inu no Taisho tilted his head, regarding his calmly. "But you and I both know you are not human," he said softly. "At least, not completely."
Kagome froze, staring at him with wide eyes that were rapidly clouding over in a misty blue. "I had my guesses," she admitted in a whisper. It seemed she didn't even know she was doing it. Fifteen years of a habit must be hard to break, after all, Inu no Taisho assumed. "But I never..." She broke off, shaking her head. "Do you know what I am, then? Why I'm so different?"
Inu no Taisho nodded. "Your father is one of my best friends." He caught the surprised and hurt look in her eyes almost before she had fully registered her own thought. He was quick to reassure her. "He knows about your mother, and he thinks you died along with her. Trust me, he didn't abandon you. Ryuujin cares for all his children."
The girl nearly fell over in shock. "R-Ryuujin?" she repeated faintly. "The Ryuujin—as in God of the Sea, Ryuujin—is my father?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Then what does that make me?" she asked confusedly, and it momentarily confused Inu no Taisho that her thought processes were so swift.
"You are a half-ling, half human and half goddess," he informed her, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible. Perhaps the shock would lessen if he treated this as though it were a normal occurrence.
Kagome's eyes darted around frantically, not looking for anything in particular, just something to focus on to bring her out of her chaotic thoughts. Her breathing and heart rate picked up, he could hear, and finally, admitting to her feelings, she pleaded, "M-May I sit, for a moment?"
"Of course."
She collapsed on the ground where she stood, as though her knees had been at the breaking point. Inu no Taisho tried to be patient with her, to let her mind come to terms with all that he had just told her, though he was itching to be free of his disguise and out of the shrine. Such hallowed grounds scratched at his youki, and besides, Kagome had to be taken from here—the sooner the better.
Finally, she regained control enough to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. "Why do you tell me this?" she demanded. "Even if you are a friend of my father's, why would you share that knowledge? I am a priestess, this would only enhance my powers. I could learn more about myself and eradicate demons altogether."
Inu no Taisho sucked in a breath, nodding slowly. "You could," he agreed, "but I fervently hope that you do not. You see, I told you all of this for a specific reason. I am at war. Not with humans, mind you, but with other demons. I control the Western Lands of this country. Others want my lands for themselves. You could be an extremely powerful ally for me, should you decide to aid my cause, and once you gain a few years of experience."
Kagome peered up at him, a smirk playing at her full mouth. "Is that a form of asking for help? I couldn't hear the question under all that ego talking."
The dog lord let out a surprised laugh. "Yes," he admitted, still chuckling. Would wonders never cease? A girl that wasn't afraid to act brazenly in this time? "I am asking for your help. I plan to start building an army now, and when my son is at the proper age, we fight."
"How old is your son?" Kagome asked curiously, wondering how much time she would have to learn her this other half of herself—should she decide to help, that was.
Inu no Taisho sighed. "Well, you see, that's a difficult question for a youkai to answer. My son is far older than you, and yet he is in the body of a 'teenager.' We youkai age at a much, much slower rate than humans. While twenty years could pass to a human, only one year passes to a youkai. My Sesshoumaru has been on this earth for three hundred and seventy-five years, and yet he has physically matured no further than a fifteen year old human boy. Does that make sense?"
Kagome nodded, "In a way. Is he mentally matured to his demon years or human?"
"It's different for every youkai, but in his case, demon. I swear, that boy was born an old crank."
Kagome laughed, and the dog lord could see how humans could be easily enchanted. Her voice was pure attraction. He was immune, for he knew that not only was she hundreds of years his junior, but he just had no interest. Still, he could see the reasoning.
She sobered up quickly, however, and surmised with shocking insight, "You don't want my help at all. You're here to take me with you, aren't you?"
Ino no Taisho shook his head. "Only partially correct, my dear. I do want your help. You will be one of the greatest assets I will have when the time comes. However, I am here to take you with me. You aren't properly protected here. On top of that, you have to hide who and what you truly are. Whispering and forcing your body to grow and change when it isn't ready is not a way to live, Kagome-sama."
She looked down, nodding as she bit down on her lower lip. "I know. I've often thought about running away. But... the women here—the mikos, and even some of the priestesses—they've raised me. I owe them my life. How could I abandon them?"
"With comfort in the knowledge that you are repaying your debt," he answered smoothly and sincerely. She looked at him again, furrowing her brows. He explained, "The battles to come will be far greater than any this world has seen to date. By joining me, you ensure that the fighting and bloodshed will end that much sooner, and cause fewer casualties. By leaving them, you are saving their lives."
Kagome laughed once, though there was no humor in her voice. "How can I argue with that?" she asked rhetorically, of no one in particular. Letting out a long, shaky sigh, she let her head fall forward, as though agreeing to be executed. "Can I have your word that everything you say is true? Am I to fight for an honorable cause?"
"All that and more," the dog lord swore. "You will not only be defending my own property, but you will help me teach demons that we need not fight each other like beasts. And, I'm hoping, you can help my son in particular."
At that, Kagome's head whipped back up. "Help your son how?" she asked suspiciously.
"Nothing that would ever tarnish your name or reputation," he amended hastily. "I just wish my son didn't have such a strong... aversion to humans. You, being half human, might be able to help him see sense."
"After three hundred plus years, I doubt anything I say could change his mind," Kagome warned.
Inu no Taisho nodded, looking a little disappointed. "I realize that. Still, there's hope." He took a breath and continued, more cheerfully, "You will be given a section of my own castle. It's a separate building from the rest, and you will have privacy there. My wife and son and I live in the other, larger part. We will, of course, visit you, and you are welcome to dine with us and come to our side, and so forth. I only do this so that you don't feel crowded too soon, you know."
Kagome nodded, thankful that she wouldn't be expected to live in the same domain as his family. Though she would be on the same compound, it wasn't quite the same, and she was grateful for that. Being thrust upon a family would be awkward, no doubt, for they most likely weren't too excited to welcome her there.
"My guards are all dog demons, as I am," the lord went on, "and they will escort you everywhere, and guard you day and night. Forgive me, Kagome-sama," he added when he saw her look of protest, "but I must insist on this. You are still far too young to defend yourself should another demon discover your alliance with me. While you train and hone your skills at the castle, you will be guarded."
"And once I am fully able to take care of myself?" she prompted, raising her eyebrows.
Inu no Taisho grinned ruefully, but promised, "You will be given a residence of your own. You drive a hard bargain, sama."
"I agree on one condition," Kagome stated, smiling at the irony. Inu no Taisho, also smirking, gestured for her to name it. "Stop calling me 'sama.' I only need Kagome."
Converting /tmp/phpLJIe6z to /dev/stdout