Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chi no Yuki ❯ Chi no Yuki ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Inu Yasha or Kenshin. Yuki, however is my creation and if you steal her I will be very angry..now read the story!

"I dare you to pull it out," Kouji said nudging his brother forward. "Quit it," replied Masao, shoving Koji back. He gulped and edged toward the body. The two boys had finally gotten the courage to go into the "cursed cave." The entrance to the cave had long been blocked by a rockslide but the boys had found an opening near the top that was just big enough for two wiry little boys. They had made their way down the dim corridor, which smelled of moss and mold, to the wide cavern, where light shone through a hole in the ceiling, sparkling off the water dripping from the stalactites. It was there they found the body. She was slumped against the back wall, as if she had fallen against it and slid to the floor. Her head was lowered and a curtain of black hair, streaked with silver, covered her face. As they had approached they had seen the rusted katana protruding from her chest. They'd crept quietly up to the body, uncertain if the girl might still be alive, but her skin was as pale as a winter snow, contrasting with the black of the strange suit she wore that hugged her slender body. It was Kouji who finally broke the silence to dare his brother to remove the sword from the body.

Masao was close enough now to touch the sword and could see the dark jewel embedded in its hilt. Maybe it was worth a lot of money. He grasped the hilt and pulled the sword free. He stepped back next to his brother, examining the blade. The sword itself was rusted with cracks all along the blade but the jewel, purple and round, was perfect. "Hey Kouji, look at this jewel." "Ma.... ma.... ma," Kouji sputtered. Masao looked at Kouji who was staring wide-eyed and pointing to the body. "What?" Kouji continued to spew nonsense, so Masao turned to looked at the girl but saw nothing unusual. until the hand twitched. "Kuso," he gasped, dropping the sword with a loud clatter. When she raised her head the boys ran, screaming down the corridor.

The previously lifeless hand, rose to her chest, rubbing the place where the sword had been. "Yuki hurt," she said in a small and childlike voice. She tried to stand but stumbled, catching herself by putting a pale hand to the damp cave wall. She studied her surrounding with eyes that were gray as the sky before a storm but held swirls of brilliant blue. 'How Yuki get here?' She could feel memories tugging at her but they wouldn't come. She took several steps, trying to regain her mobility as she tested the air. There were no smells other than water and earth. Then she caught the scent of humans. 'Fear smell.' She image of a man in her mind, a man bleeding as her claws tore through him. A red tint began to creep into her eyes, obscuring the blue. She wanted blood. She wanted to feel its sticky warmth sliding down her arm; wanted to have its metallic taste in her mouth. She wanted the satisfaction of feeling her claws rip through flesh and bone. Yuki looked for a way out of the cave, finding the hole in the ceiling as the best option. She gathered herself and leapt, her hands digging into the lip of the opening as she pulled herself to the top, squinting in the bright sunlight. She closed her eyes, letting the cool wind wash over her, bringing the scent of many people. Opening her eyes, Yuki smiled, her pale lips parting to reveal cruel fangs. She began to head in the direction of those people but paused as the image of a woman with raven hair and blue eyes flashed in her mind, telling her to stop. She shook her head, grunting, then started to run, away from the cave, away from the memories she didn't want to remember and toward the blood she so craved. When she reached the forest, Yuki took to the trees, delighting in the rough feel of the bark beneath her bare feet as she leapt gracefully from branch to branch. Finally she reached the village and landed in the center of a street in front of a confused looking man, carrying a pail of water. "Who...Who are you?" he stammered. Yuki smiled at him, her eyes completely crimson now. She plunged her hand into his chest, loving the feel of the crunch of flesh and bone, then the warm pulsating mass that was his heart. Even the look of utter disbelief and shock on the man's face as he looked down at her hand brought her great pleasure. She squeezed the heart and the man let out a gurgling cry and fell to the ground as she removed her blood stained hand. His blood, mixing with the water from his bucket, soaked into the dusty ground as Yuki licked the blood from her fingers. "Good. Yuki want more!" She moved throughout the town, dealing death to every one of its inhabitants. Several tried to flee with their small ones but Yuki chased them down, laughing as her sharp claws tore into their soft bodies.

A lone man walked a slow but steady pace on the road toward the town of Kasaka. He was dressed as a samurai in white hakama and red gi, his flat red hair held up in a ponytail, two scars crisscrossing his left cheek. When people passed they often whispered. He was the Battousai, the manslayer, but many also whispered rumors that he was losing his edge, that he did not desire to kill anymore. He could have told them that they were right, that he was tired of death, that he did not desire to kill anymore but no one spoke to him, just let him go about his business and today he had business in Kasaka. He had heard that in Kasaka lived a blade-smith, who was extremely skilled and had created an unusual sword, a design that would not kill its intended mark. Kenshin wanted to see this sword.
He had been walking a dreadfully long time without seeing another person and began to wonder if he would. It was then that he saw another man appear over the rise, a merchant by the looks of him. He looked as though he had the weight of something awful on his mind, and had a fatigued demeanor about him. Kenshin approached the salesman and greeted him with a smile. "Good day sir."

The man looked anxious as he paused. "No young man, it is not. You best not be going that way. You listen to old Zwei."

Kenshin's smile faded. "Why is that?"

"I was going to deliver my wares to my old friend Eins this morning like usual but when I got to Kasaka everyone was dead."

Kenshin's violet eyes narrowed, his voice serious now, "Dead, how."

"Young man, I didn't stop to find out but I passed some kids hollering about a youkai. If you want to go that way and get killed its your business but me, I'm leaving."

Kenshin watched the salesman leave and then continued toward the village. He needed to find out what happened. The old man's warning had not prepared him for what he saw when he finally left the forest and entered the village. Bodies were laying about the street, their blood absorbing into the dry and thirsty ground. Swarms of flies were already covering some of the bodies. He carefully picked his way through the street, looking for survivors and finally heard the crying of children. Kenshin found the two boys crying over the body of a woman. "It's all right children," he said crouching before them.

They stopped crying and looked up at him, looks of fear came to their faces when they saw him. He wished again that he could erase the deeds that he had done so that no one would look at him that way anymore. A black streak flashed before his eyes and something warm splattered his face. The smaller of the two boys slumped over the body of the woman, blood pouring from the wound on his throat. The other boy had four deep wounds on his cheek.

"Yuki miss," a snarling voice said.

Kenshin turned to face the voice and was surprised to see a young woman before him. She was poised to attack again. Her raven hair was streaked with silver and her eyes shone an unnatural red. He could hear the boys terrified crys. She charged. He would not let her kill this other boy. Quickly he drew his sword, slashing at her. The girl twisted at the last moment so his blow only grazed her shoulder. She stepped back, holding her wounded shoulder, surprise evidenced in her pale features. He stood between her and the child, glaring at her with amber tinted eyes. She didn't charge right away but sniffed the air like an animal, studying him as if unsure how to proceed. He waited. "Yuki will kill you now," she growled.

He barely avoided her, taking a glancing blow across his chest as he swung again wounding her other shoulder. He could feel his own craving for blood clawing its way to the surface and he let it take control as she charged again and again. They fought on for many minutes and Kenshin could feel his muscles burning in protest at keeping up the lightening speed for so long. Finally she stopped charging, dropping to one knee. Both the combatant's breath came in ragged gasps, mutually sporting several wounds, Kenshin's the worst of the two. "Yuki have enough blood today," she rasped, "Yuki come for you tomorrow."

With that, she disappeared into the forest. The amber left his eyes as Kenshin gave into the weakness in his legs falling to his knees, using his sword for support. He felt the killer in him slide away and could hear the remaining boy asking if he was okay. Kenshin gave him a weak smile. "I will be fine. Let me rest a moment, then we will do something for these poor people."

Kenshin and the boy, Kouji, struggled for several hours to pile all the bodies together. When that was done, they lit them in one massive funeral pyre. Kenshin could see Kouji fighting his tears and put a hand on his shoulder as they both stared into the flames. 'That girl,' Kenshin thought, he had used every attack his master had taught him and only managed to score grazing hits, even his Battou Jutso had been ineffective against her. A horrifying realization came to him. 'I only beat her because she was tired. I can't defeat her without help.' He remembered the salesman saying something about boys hollering about a youkai. Maybe this boy knew something about this Yuki creature. "Kouji," Kenshin said quietly, "Where did that Yuki come from?"

Yuki settled herself amongst the branches of a huge oak tree, her mind on the strange man from earlier. Her trip to the hot springs to ease her wounds had done nothing to ease her thoughts. 'Man fast, he hurt Yuki' she thought, remembering his scent. It was familiar but she couldn't remember where she had smelled it before. She didn't want to remember, there was something very painful about those memories. A gentle breeze rocked the branches of her tree lulling her to sleep. Fast or not she would kill that swordsman tomorrow and bathe in his blood.

Kouji led Kenshin to the cave where he and his brother had found the youkai. They climbed the fallen rocks and Kenshin carefully removed more from the hole so that he too could fit. As soon as he dropped to the floor of the corridor he could feel something ominous emanating from the inky black depths. He removed the torch and flint from his belt and lit the torch. He moved down the passageway with Kouji close beside him and finally came to the cavern. Kouji pointed to a place that was free of moss and dust. "That's where she was."

Kenshin crouched beside the spot, examining the ground for any clue as to how to stop Yuki. He sighed standing. There was nothing here. "Come on Kouji," he said turning to leave, stopping when his foot hit something metal. He crouched again brushing away the dirt. The firelight glinted off the rusted metal of a sword, a dark purple jewel in its hilt. "That's the sword," Kouji said in a trembling voice.

Kenshin reached to pick up the sword pausing as the jewel pulsed with a purplish light. This was the presence he'd felt when he'd first entered the cave. He reached again for the sword, his fingers curling around the hilt. The jewel pulsed again and he could feel something try to engulf him. He concentrated on pushing back the evil force and the jewel ceased to shine. Kenshin studied the sword. Kouji said that Yuki looked dead until he removed this sword from her chest but it was in horrid condition. The cutting edge was dull and the blade cracked in many pieces, he wondered what was keeping it from crumbling all together. How could this stop Yuki? He shook his head and slipped the sword in his belt. He felt Kouji tug his sleeve and looked at the boy. "Yes Kouji?"

"You aren't going to fight her again are you?"

"Yes Kouji. I have to."

They returned to the village. Kenshin told Kouji to remain in one of the houses and not come out until Kenshin came back for him. Then he entered the forest. It was time to find Yuki.

She was waiting for him at the top of a hill. The wind blew her unusual hair, whipping it in her face but she made no move to restrain it. Her burning eyes were trained on him as he walked slowly up the hill. All the wounds he had dealt her yesterday were gone. His own injuries were slightly healed but still there. He stepped into the clearing with determination in his violet eyes. He could see the barely contained rage in her, as she flexed her clawed hands. Her lips curled in a snarl when he stopped several feet away from her. Kenshin waited, he would let her make the first move. He didn't wait long. She charged, her hands poised to slash him to pieces, but as before he dodged her attack, jumping to the side twisting in midair so he landed facing her. Yuki slid to a stop, crouched, bracing herself with one hand on the ground, glaring up at Kenshin through a veil of hair. She straightened and began to circle around him. Kenshin waited. Again she came at him, this time anticipating his dodge and leaping into the air to knock him to the ground with a devastating punch. He rolled as he hit the ground and drew his sword as he rose and charged, hoping to catch her off-guard. She jumped over him, flipping and kicking him in the back. 'Damn,' he thought as he fought to regain his balance. She was different now, not as frenzied as before. His fingers clenched the hilt of his sword as he felt his own rage building in him. He leapt into the air, planning to use his Ryu Tsui Sen. As he began to descend, ready to draw his sword, Kenshin saw Yuki launch herself skywards. She grabbed a handful of his fiery hair as she flew by him, pulling him up with her then throwing him to the ground. He got up quickly, the man slayer in him ignoring the pain and charged her.

Yuki landed on one knee, looking up in time to see Kenshin begin his charge. She smiled, now that she was rested, this swordsman would be an easy kill. She was ready for his attack and raised her hands to catch the blade between her palms. With a savage twist she broke the blade in two and punched him in the stomach as he was knocked off balance by the breaking of the blade. Kenshin stumbled back, his broken sword falling from his hands as he struggled to maintain balance. 'Yuki kill him now.' She raised the piece of the sword she still held, ignoring the fact that it was cutting into her palm and charged, thinking to kill him with his own weapon.

Kenshin, now on his knees, saw her charge and reflexively drew the rusted sword to block her. As they swords clashed, sparks flew from the blades. Yuki kept up the pressure trying to force the blade closer to his head. Kenshin was amazed to see the cracks sealing before his eyes, the rust was disappearing, and the jewel's purple depths now swirled with a pale white. He twisted to the side, using Yuki's strength to knock her off balance. She was able to catch herself, discarded the blade in her hands, and came at him with her favorite weapons, her claws. Kenshin was able to dodge this attack and the strange sword sliced through her arm. Yuki paused, staring at the sword he now held as if seeing it for the first time. She looked frightened. He sped toward her once again, thinking that now he might have a chance.

Yuki felt a tremble go through her body. She could not exactly remember but she knew that sword was a source of great pain for her and she didn't want it to touch her again. Despite her fear she was able to duck under his swing and knock him back, with an open handed thrust to his chest. For some reason she couldn't explain, Yuki was frightened. She wanted to end this battle. "Don't hurt Yuki!" she screamed, knowing she wasn't really talking to Kenshin, but to someone on the edge of her mind.

Kenshin picked himself from the ground as the girl yelled for him to stop hurting her. The sword was now completely whole, a beautiful katana. "It's time to finish this Yuki."

With those words the jewel emitted an explosion of brilliant white light. When the light faded and Kenshin could see again he saw that the sword had changed. It was much bigger; the blade was pearly white and looked almost like the fang of a huge beast. A tuft of fur decorated the base of the blade, the jewel; still in the hilt was now pure white. 'A magic sword?' He looked at Yuki, who was looking at him with terror in her eyes. The red in them had faded slightly, revealing their true gray color. There was no time to contemplate this strange sword. He had to strike now, while she was distracted. She didn't move as he thrust the sword into her chest, feeling it piece flesh and bone. He twisted the sword, making sure his blow was fatal and with a chocking cough, Yuki fell forward against him. He caught her and she raised her head to look at him. The crimson was gone from her eyes and he could now see the blue swirled in their depths. "You hurt Yuki...like Father hurt Yuki."

He looked at her. The expression on her face was one of complete innocence. Gone was the terrible creature he had just fought. This was the last time he would kill. There would be no more blood for the Man Slayer, he thought as her eyes slid shut.

She was falling backwards into darkness. Above her a light shone. She could see the silhouettes of two people. The woman was reaching for her. She remembered them now and strained a hand towards them. "Mother...Father."

Just as her fingertips grazed those of her mother, strong arms grabbed her from behind. She looked to see someone wearing the white fur pelt of a baboon. The hood fell off the face revealing a man with wild raven hair. He smiled evilly at her. "Come with me my daughter."

Yuki struggled to reach her Mother but she was dragged down into nothingness.