InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wishmaster ❯ From One Master to Another, Part 1: Abu ( Chapter 3 )

The light still had yet to diffuse from around the hanyou but the ritual and spells of binding had been completed. Slowly, his feet touched the stone slab that they had used to hold him down on then his body quickly dissipated into a flash of blue dust and dove into a violet and peacock blue-striped inkpot with a couple of topazes, one imbedded at the top and one at the bottom. The lid, also peacock blue in colour, immediately latched itself on top, sealing the hanyou in. Candles now lit the stone-walled room. Several inkpots and bottles surrounded the stone slab in a semi-circle. A strange little man in a blue rope and with white cloth wrapped over his head watched as his latest 'creation' entered his new home, the others just like the new one watching impassively. Then he clapped happily.

"He's perfect! Just perfect!" he cackled, dancing around some, ignoring the beads of sweat that dripped down his face.

"Yes, he'll fetch a fine price at Market, won't he?" a female voice stated. The man looked up at the red-headed girl with her hair pulled into two tails standing behind him. She wore boots, a skirt, and a cape of white fur and a black leather top, a katana at her side. Aside from her hair, her green eyes, and slightly elongated ears, the girl looked and spoke Japanese, although she was anything but an ordinary woman. The bone-tooth necklace and braided hemp around her forehead spoke of tribal power. Two white wolves rested at her heels. A wolf demoness.

"No!" the man snapped. "He is NOT for sale, Ayame! I have spent too much time looking for him! I have put too much power into him just to turn around and sell him. All that magic, all that power and all that energy would be wasted . . . He is mine for my own use. Could you imagine a genie as powerful as he in the hands of a tyrant human lord or your feared Naraku? No, I have no intentions of selling him. Ever."

Of course, that was a lie. He did intend to sell this genie, had already done so, in fact. His commissioner had been very specific about what was desired for this genie and Abu had been more than willing to oblige. Thankfully, the commissioner for this particular genie would not be at Market. This particular genie's master resided in his home country and Abu couldn't wait to get back with him. Thankfully, she didn't speak his native dialect and the ceremony required him to do so. What Ayame didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"But the rest you will?" she inquired.

"Ah, Ayame, you should know the answer to that," he winked at the wolf demoness. "The market will be filled with those who have ordered these specific genies. Take a look at what I have created!" He gestured to youkai and human genies alike. "They are magnificent genies and they will serve their masters and mistresses well."

"The price of subservience . . ." she murmured.

"Yes," Abu nodded. "The price of subservience. And I must thank you again for finding some of these subjects for me, especially the hanyou. I'm not sure I could have found him as quickly as you did."

"It helps that I've ran into him before. Just remember your end of the bargain, Abu," she retorted. "I want that potion and you have until it's time for market to produce it. Otherwise I'm taking Inuyasha for myself and he will grant my wish for me."

"And how would he do that, my dear Ayame? He is a genie, not a God. He can't interfere with free will. Even the Gods cannot interfere with it."

"Free will?" Ayame blinked.

"Yes, free will. What every youkai and human possesses and what has brought you here to me. Spells and potions can interfere with it but only so well. Genies and the Gods cannot. Come. We must get ready to go. All of you! Back into your homes!"

With the simple command, every genie, male and female, youkai and human, became transparent and disappeared into each respective bottle. He then bent over and picked up the violet inkpot that contained the hanyou genie. Abu had been mildly surprised at seeing the vibrant shade of violet and blue and the number of the topazes. Every genie he had ever created always had more ornate decorations on the lamp or bottle but then he could never predict what each home would look like. A man who wished to become a genie ended up in a lamp while women ended up in elegant glass bottles, and that had held true for most of his created genies . . . until he had reached Japan.

`Must be the country itself. I have yet to see any lamp like the ones from home.'

"You are mine," he murmured, stroking the smooth glass of the inkpot. "I shall never let you go."

He stuffed the inkpot between his sash and his pants, securing it tightly, then set about to picking up the other bottles. Ayame helped, making sure that none of the bottles got too dusty from sitting on the floor. All of his clientele had paid great money to own a genie, the greatest kind of servant the world had ever seen. Of course, he could have used Inuyasha to wish everything in place but he had learned from bitter experience to use a genie too soon after its creation would be to kill it.

`And it would not do to have this genie die before he reaches his master.'

"Abu . . ." Her voice broke through his reverie.

"Yes, Ayame?"

Picking up the bottles and setting them in their proper crates had been a fairly easy task. Abu quickly patted his side to make sure the inkpot containing Inuyasha was still there. He then met the questioning gaze of the wolf demoness.

"What is the difference between these genies that you've created and those that you have come across before?" she inquired, folding her arms. "Especially with Inuyasha?"

"Ah, good question, my dear, good question. All genies are powerful and limitless in what it is that they can achieve. And all are bound to either a lamp or a bottle of some kind. An inkpot, in this case. But the real difference is in how they are created and the number of wishes that they can grant."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You see," he explained, "a regular genie wishes to become a genie, believing that he can become all powerful and do whatever he pleases once he gains that power. However, he is limited with his power. A mistake is made and it's too late when he realizes what it is he's done. He is bound to a master but he has to change masters after three wishes."

"He can only grant three wishes?" Ayame blinked.

"Only three wishes," Abu nodded. "The genie is useless to the master after that. My genies can grant as many wishes as the master sees fit. And that is because they were in servitude already. I am commissioned, so to speak, to create them specifically for the needs of the master and to increase their wish granting capacity."

"I see," she nodded.

"Yes, yes. We must hurry now, Ayame. Market begins in a few days and my clients are not the kind you wish to have angry at you."

"Of course, Abu," she smiled sweetly. "My potion?"

"It is already made, it just needs to sit for a while longer. I'll bring it with me, my dear. Do not worry. When the time is right, Kouga will be yours and infatuated with Kagome no more. Just be sure that you follow the instructions to the letter, Ayame. It is very important that you do."

"Yes, Abu," Ayame sighed. "You've told me repeatedly already . . ."

"I am serious, child. In order for the potion to work, you must use when I tell you to use it. Otherwise, your beloved Kouga will fall even more in love with the girl Kagome or he could end up dying."

"You've told me this before, Abu . . ."

"And I must stress it," he stated. "I do not wish to see you heartbroken more than what you already have been."

"Thank you, Abu."

"You are most welcome, Ayame."

"Are we ready to go to Market?" she inquired.

"Yes. The crates just need to be loaded on the carts."

"Good. Let's go."

Abu shook his head as the wolf demoness flounced out of the room, the two wolves at her heels. "I don't know about you, my new pet, but I do not know about women. Such fickle creatures." Shaking his head, he followed.

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Rest. That's all he had wanted to do since the burning and the pain had begun to vanish. His eyes had closed and he'd fallen. Not too fast but not too slow and his landing had been extremely soft, as if he had landed on Kagome's bed and not some stone slab. Sleep had overtaken him instantly and he'd curled up in the plushness of his new surroundings. When he awoke some time later, it was to much jostling around and a pillow landing on his face.

At first, Inuyasha paid no heed. He hadn't fully awoken yet to realize that a pillow had landed on top of him. With a quick flick of his wrist, he tossed it to one side and curled to go back to sleep. It took a few more of them landing on him to bring him fully back to reality. Then he bolted straight up and looked around wildly.

'This isn't Kaede's hut,' he thought as he tried to stand on wobbly legs. 'What the hell happened to me?'

Around him were lavish pillows of dark blue and silver silk, tapestries of light blue and white gossamer, and a few golden, ornate decorations of the likes he had never seen before. They looked like candle sconces. Bits and pieces of a strange ceremony entered his mind and he rubbed his forehead to clear his memory. However, he couldn't recall how he got to where he was and he saw no doors for escape. Around him were smooth surfaces of violet, a contrast to the amount of blue fabric in the surrounding area. It reminded him somewhat of the sage Tokajin's gourd, only without the flesh-eating liquid. He shook his head.

"This is Hell," he muttered. "Has to be. If it were Heaven, Kagome would be here with me and there'd be a door to walk out of."

Another jolt sent him crashing to the floor and more pillows falling on top of him. Why the decorations hadn't fallen, he didn't know but was certainly grateful that they hadn't. They looked like they could cause a lot of damage if they landed on someone. The soft, silken texture brushed against his bare arm.

"Huh? I had my haori on just last night . . . It can't be gone."

Wide-eyed, Inuyasha gazed at his arm and found that his haori had, indeed, been taken off. A gold band rested on his wrist along with some strange writing. He looked down and saw that his pants had changed a deep blue as well and had become lighter, and shoes were now on his feet. They reminded him of the shoes his brother wore constantly, soft yet durable but uncomfortable. At least they had been when he'd tried them on once before. Wildly, he scrambled to his feet and searched for an opening of some kind, any kind to get him out.

'This can't be happening. It just can't be,' he told himself as he ran for the wall. Instinctively, he reached for the Tetsusaiga, thinking that he could slice his way out . . . only his hand grasped air. Startled, he skid to a stop and searched for the missing sword. 'The Tetsusaiga! Where is it? What's happening to me? Why isn't my demon blood taking over? Where's Kagome? And Miroku and Sango and Shippou? Why am I not in the village anymore?'

A flash of light stopped him from running into the wall and a piece of reflective glass appeared before him. What reflected back at him shocked him.

His haori had been replaced by a dark blue vest of a strange kind of soft, lush fabric. A silver sash had been tied around his waist and someone had braided his hair. Another gold band rested on his other wrist along with more of that strange writing. Each cheek bore a jagged purple stripe, like the ones he had from his youkai heritage. A golden-amber jewel in the shape of a crescent moon sat in the middle of his forehead - it reminded him of the crescent moon on his half-brother's forehead. He still had his inu ears, his claws and his fangs, and that gave him a small amount of relief. But what shocked him the most was the absence of the rosary and the appearance of a plain leather choker around his neck. Even the Tetsusaiga had disappeared and he'd had both just last night. He dropped to his knees, his fingers going to his cheeks then to the jewel on his forehead.

'That ceremony . . . it did this to me . . . I'm free from that subjugation spell . . . I can't believe this . . . As if things couldn't get any worse! I thought it was a dream . . . Kagome is going to kill me! That is, if I can ever get back to her. She must think I've ran off after Kikyou.' His ears drooped. `And I can't blame her, either . . . not after the number of times I already have.'

As Inuyasha stared mournfully at his reflection, words in blood red light started writing themselves on the glass. His reflection all but vanished. He tilted his head slightly in curiosity and crawled closer to get a better look.

At first, the words were just that. Words. Random thoughts here and there coupled with an occasional image. Then they began to form sentences and he read aloud.

"You know the rules. They have become imbedded in your blood. You have sought power and change, and you have received it. You are now among the select powerful . . . There isn't anything you can't do but with great power comes a price and a responsibility. Your demon blood has been sealed . . . and you are no longer prone to periods of vulnerability. You are the finest creation yet and you will do well in your duties to your master. Whoever holds the inkpot is the master but only one will be the one who truly wants you. Your new master awaits your arrival . . . Master? What master? I don't have a master. What kind of sick joke is this?"

He puzzled over it for a few moments, growing angrier as each moment passed, until he felt a faint tugging. Inuyasha stood, his eyes closed and a soft smile on his face, his anger vanishing. Blue light and dust swirled around him as he headed for the outside world. He didn't exactly understand completely what was going on but he understood one thing. Someone was calling him. He was needed.

"Coming, Master."

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"Well, hello there, Ayame," Kagura sneered at the wolf demoness. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"Not long enough," the girl stated, standing in front of a sniveling, cowering human. He clutched some inkpot like it would be his saving grace and whimpering something unintelligible. "What do you want, Kagura?"

The wind sorceress merely smiled and brandished her fan, her eyes subtly taking in the inkpot. It had a rich violet colour with a couple of gems placed around the top and bottom. Two strange blue stripes wrapped around it and the lid on top was the same colour. It was absolutely harmless, in her opinion.

"Why do you think?" She brought the fan down. "Dance of blades!"

Kagura laughed outwardly but gnashed her teeth on the inside. This was humiliating, attacking a weakling like Ayame and some craven human. What was Naraku thinking, sending her after them? Sure, Ayame could fight but not very well. She had detected some strange power emanating from the human but, like the inkpot he clutched, she deemed it harmless. Neither one of them could harm her. They didn't have any jewel shards and they were hardly worth her effort, though he did say that they had some items of interest. She watched as their eyes widened at her attack and the realization that they were unable to avoid it. For a moment, she knew, beyond any doubt, that they were as good as dead and whatever they were carrying would be hers. Then it was her turn to be shocked.

The human standing behind the wolf demoness suddenly stepped to one side, opening the inkpot he'd been clutching. "I'm not going to allow it!" he shouted. "I wish for your attack to end and I wish for you to be a mortal woman!"

"Hah! Me? Be turned into a mortal by that silly little thing?" she scoffed. "Don't make me . . . It's you!"

From out of the inkpot, a blue light had emanated until a figure stood, tall and straight, before the demoness and human. A male figure with long, silver hair, and a pair of dog ears resting on the top of his head. His clothes had changed and his hair had been braided back. Golden-amber eyes revealed themselves to her and a hint of amusement twinkled in them. Inuyasha. There was no mistaking it. He held out a hand and her attack vanished.

"As you wish, Master."

'It can't be . . . It's impossible . . . His friends are looking for him! He can't be standing here in front of me! Yet here he is . . . And he came from inside that strange looking inkpot. How did he get here? Did he just call that human `master'?'

She was so dumbstruck that she couldn't move. Not even when Inuyasha sent a wave of power at her. Kagura closed her eyes as it overtook her and knocked her out.

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'How did I do that?' Inuyasha stared at the limp form of the wind sorceress. The wind of his attack had died down instantly, changing the elongated youkai ears into human ears and altering her scent completely. She smelled completely human, no longer of Naraku, which had to be an improvement for the wind sorceress. `He wished for it . . . and I did it.'

"Excellent! Excellent!" came the cackle. "I knew it would work!"

"Good job, Abu. Now what do we do with her?" a familiar voice asked.

Inuyasha turned his head to see who had spoken. He managed to catch a glimpse of Ayame talking with some strange human male just as the man held out a strange looking inkpot towards him. He felt the pull once more.

'What's going on? I don't want to go back in there! I want to know what's going on. How was I able to do that?'

However, he couldn't resist the pull and he had felt safe inside the inkpot. The blue light and dust swirled around him and he returned to the ornate room where he'd been before. Looking at his hands, he crossed his legs and immediately landed on a large, fluffy pillow.

'How did I do that?'

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"Why couldn't you have just wished us to Market? Or at least to the closest village? We could at least have gotten rid of Kagura that way!"

Abu rolled his eyes at Ayame's complaints. She'd been like that since he had used Inuyasha to dispel that strange woman's attack and turn her into a human. The girl just didn't want to understand. He had to keep that woman with him. She recognized not only Ayame but his servant as well but Abu wasn't about to point that out to Ayame. At least, not yet. And he hoped that he hadn't done any damage to the hanyou genie. It would be his head if there was.

"Because if we get there too soon," he replied patiently, "we will not be allowed into Market. They like punctuality. You are to be there at the time they designate. Besides, I am a trader at heart. This female could be of some use to me."

"You're disgusting, Abu," she snorted. "Absolutely disgusting."

"Ah but I am the one giving you the potion you require, my dear. Do not forget that."

"Believe me, I haven't, Abu."

"Besides . . . if someone likes the way she looks, she, too can be turned into a genie. She is, after all, someone else's servant and she wants to be free of him."

To that, she said nothing and they continued on in silence, Ayame brooding over something and Abu clutching his inkpot. He didn't trust the wolf demoness entirely . . . at least not until she had her potion and would be gone from his life forever. Abu liked Ayame but she tended to act a child little too often for his taste. She was a grown female and should have been married off by now but that had been her problem. Her beloved had broken his promise to her and forsook her for another female. His potion for her would correct that.

'Such is the life of a magic dealer,' he sighed to himself. 'I can't wait to get back to the desert and my oasis. This place is a little too cool for my tastes. And you,' he gave the inkpot a tiny pat, 'shall come with me. There is someone who will definitely take good care of you. And I shall never have to worry about money ever again.'

While it was true that a genie could grant immeasurable wealth when wished for, one could only keep it if they had the actual money to do so. Wishes only became permanent if they were able to build off of something else. But most people were too stupid to realize it until it came to the final wish and most normal genies had begun to put their foot down on wishing for more wishes. That had led to experimenting in genie creation. Not many had succeeded as well as he had but Abu had enough wisdom to know that genies could not outnumber the rest of the population. He'd spent many years specializing in their rules and quirks to know. Several genies had granted him the knowledge of genie creation in exchange for freedom, a gift that was far too rare for them. Genies had a tendency to be abused by their masters so he had become very selective when taking commissions for creating one. A miserable genie made for a miserable companion, depending on how quickly the wishes were used up and how quickly the master got rid of the genie's home.

"Hey, Abu . . ."

"Yes, Ayame?" he sighed quietly.

"Why did you require a hanyou for your final genie? And why did everyone have to be in a place of submission or subservience? Especially those who here dissatisfied with their positions in life?"

"Still curious about genies, Ayame?" Abu winked.

"In a way, yes," she nodded. "But what does submission and subservience have to do with genies?"

"In becoming a genie, nothing," he stated. "In creating a genie, everything."

"I don't understand . . ."

"A genie's power and ability to grant wishes is determined by how he is created, my dear. When a man wishes to become a genie, his personality remains intact. If he has a kind and loving heart, he will take pity on his master and grant whatever he wishes as he wishes it. No tricks. However, if he has a dark and hateful heart, he will twist the wish and cause the master much trouble."

"But what about in creating a genie? Why the subservience and submissiveness?"

"The creation of a genie alters the personality. A kind and loving servant turns into a dark genie when going through the ceremony. Human genies tend to be a little too submissive and that works for some. Youkai genies tend to be a little more aggressive than human genies and that works for some. However, both are limited in the amount of power that their bodies can absorb, and affecting their abilities. Only with the right combination of human and youkai blood can you create the perfect genie."

"Why not just take the blood of a human and a youkai to create one?"

"Because there is no flesh, no personality to mold," Abu answered. "Without any of that, there is no genie. And you can't give human blood to a youkai or youkai blood to a human to create a genie. It kills them."

The horse pulling their cart slowed to a halt as it joined the long line of merchants and traders heading for Market. Another day and a half, their journey would be over. Ayame would have her potion and he . . . he had his hanyou genie and would be long gone before anyone would be the wiser. He climbed into his wagon to prepare. A lot of people would pay to see genie demonstrations and the more that saw a demonstration the merrier. He counted on the commissions to keep his lively hood going.

`Three more days and I shall be out of this land until Market comes around again. I can't wait to see Allah's face at this genie.'

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"This is Market?" Sesshomaru hid a smile at the wonder he heard in Rin's voice. Market came around every so many years, though most humans, unless they were merchants and traders of a certain kind, never heard of it. Only the most powerful of humans came here, several of them from strange and foreign lands, though the majority of them came from Japan. The last time Market had come around or at least the last time he'd been here, Inuyasha had been a tiny whelp of two days in their Father's arms. They walked by two bull youkai - two large fellows with olive skin, white pants, and curved blades - who stood at the gates. Jaken took a piece of parchment from one the youkai as they did so.

`And it hadn't been nearly as busy as this,' he mused. Market had grown and, though it was always an organized affair, looked hastily constructed. Tents were haphazardly pitched, wooden posts with tarps tossed over them were erected, and carts and baskets laden with foods, clothing, and other odds and ends were displayed. There were silk traders, spice traders, and merchants who dealt in rare objects and spells. Whatever one wanted, one could find at Market. `They always choose to be by a river . . . Interesting.'

"Yes, Rin. This is Market," he replied.

"And what are we doing here, Sesshomaru-sama?" She immediately took a hold of him, some of the strange youkai making her nervous.

"Just looking, Rin."

Truthfully, none of the merchants and traders had anything of interest to him. As the heir to his father's domain, he had everything that he desired. Filling the palace up with useless junk didn't appeal to him like it did other youkai lords and the majority of human lords, but it was interesting to see the many different merchants and traders with their wares. It was the only time he'd allow himself any kind of an indulgence and he had figured Market would be as good a place as any to buy Rin the kimonos she needed. While he didn't mind her orange and yellow kimono for traveling, he did mind it for staying at his father's home. A child in the care of a lord needed to look like the child in the care of a lord. Not a peasant.

"There's a new trader here," Jaken announced, looking at the map the gatekeepers had given them. "Says here his name is Abu (what a strange name) and that he's a genie merchant . . ."

"What's a genie, Master Jaken?" Rin asked.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Jaken, an indication for him to answer Rin's question. He, too, wanted to know what a genie was.

"Er, well, it says here that a genie is a being with great power, greater than anything anyone can imagine and can grant its master any wish . . . and he specifically deals in the commission and trading of genies."

"Any wish?"

"It's probably just some hoax," Jaken scoffed. "Still, it might be interesting to see how he pulls it off to sell his wares."

"Indeed. Where is this merchant located?"

"Over at the river's edge, at the very end."

They made their way to the river's edge then walked along it, passing more merchants as they went. Rin ended up with several new kimonos, a few hair bands, and more sweet buns than Sesshomaru would have liked for her to have, but, he sighed in resignation, that was the price he paid for having a young child in his care. Even Jaken got a few odds and ends, especially some potions he'd been requesting for a particular spell. Finally, they reached their intended destination. Sesshomaru couldn't believe the variety of bottles the human had on display. Some even looked like inkpots.

"We're, uh, here . . ." Jaken announced. "Is this where the genies are?"

"Yes, yes. Indeed, this is the place!" an olive-toned human male stated, smiling cheerfully and bowing before him. "What can I do for you? A demonstration, perhaps?"

Sesshomaru looked over the man, his eyes narrowed. The man was not from Japan. He wore an open vest, red in colour, a red sash around his waist, white pants, and he had some strange cloth wrapped around his hair. Even his shoes looked different, coming to a curved point. Sesshomaru sniffed lightly but didn't detect any dishonesty in the man. Just sand and the sun.

"Yes," he replied. "A demonstration is in order. I find it hard to believe that a powerful being such as you're boasting would grant wishes."

"Ah but it is true," the man assured. "Please allow me to explain. You see, while a genie is very powerful and can do anything, he is bound to an object, such as this bottle. He is a servant and whoever holds the bottle is the master. The talisman, as it is called, binds them. That is how come they are able to grant wishes. And my genies are the finest ever created, designed specifically for each master."

"How are they able to grant wishes?"

"That, my child," the man chuckled, "I do not know entirely. I've only seen enough to know that it is true and I have discovered a way to perfect and enhance the genie's abilities. With the right amount of magic, anything is possible. Here, allow me to demonstrate. And, if you are interested, I can create a genie specific to your needs. I just need to know what kind of a genie you'd like."

"You can create genies?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at him.

"Of course, my lord. A regular genie would be of no use to some of the fine lords and princesses that have need of them. My genies do not have that problem and are completely subservient for the intended master."

He began to reach for one of his many bottles, an emerald-hued water jug with several strange jewels embedded on it, when several wolf youkai came barging through Market and straight for the genie merchant. The man jumped in fright and started to back away, one hand going for a violet inkpot with two peacock blue stripes and a peacock lid. Unlike the other bottles and inkpots, this one bore a couple of amber-coloured gems, one at the top and one on the bottom. Sesshomaru gazed at it with mild curiosity.

"Where is she?" one of them demanded. "Where is that bitch, Kagura?"

`Kagura? The Wind Sorceress? She can't be here,' Sesshomaru frowned, his eyes narrowed. `I'd have detected her by her scent alone. The wolf must be losing it.'

"Who?" the man blinked, his body trembling some and his hand going for the inkpot with the amber-coloured gems and peacock blue stripes around it. Before he could open it, however, the wolf demon smacked his hand and sent the inkpot flying towards Sesshomaru, which he deftly caught with his one hand. More youkai converged on the spot, intent on breaking up the disturbance. He looked at it with mild interest.

'Must be one of the many genies he has created,' he surmised, escorting his servant and ward away from the commotion. It wouldn't do, after all, for him to get involved. The wolf youkai had ignored him for the most part and he couldn't think of any use for them. Yet. 'I think I shall test this man's word myself. Perhaps this will be the answer to my dilemma. That of my younger brother, Inuyasha.'

Carefully, he slid the inkpot into his sash and headed for the main gates of Market. His hand had intertwined with Rin's and he heard Jaken scurrying to catch up. He had what he had come for.