Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, or any of the characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. However, my OC is my own creation and I intend to keep it that way.

This is my first fanfiction. Please be gentle with your reviews.

Rated M for later chapters.

(...) = character's thoughts

(I'm almost out of breath... I can't run any farther! What do I do?!)

Midori was running. She was running as fast as her small legs could take her. At just 6 years old, her kimono was stained crimson with blood, including the blood of her parents, as she had watched them die minutes earlier. The snake demon tribe had taken over the village, ruthless, and giving no mercy while taking almost everyone's lives in their rampage. She was the only one left. Suddenly, she was falling.

"Oof!", she said as she fell to the dirty ground. She had tripped on a branch while running away from the village. The snake tribe would soon be upon her. She shut her eyes tight as they approached, fangs bared in preparation to fulfill their plans of poisoning her and then watching her die slowly.

Moments passed. Then minutes. Why was she still alive?

She peeked open one eye to see them all dead. Her eyes opened wide as she looked around to see what could have happened, or to see who could have possibly saved her. She was surrounded by nothing but the forest and the gentle breeze that blew through the branches and the leaves. She was alone. Whoever her savior was, he had disappeared as quickly as he had come. She quietly stood up and looked around.

"What now?", she wondered. Her parents were dead, and she was too weak to save them. Her fight or flight response kicked in and she ran. Like a coward. How could she ever forgive herself? With her head down, tears began to fall from her crimson eyes. Her long blue hair was completely messy and riddled with dirt.

Suddenly, she heard a sneeze. She followed the sound, and caught a glimpse of a small toad demon with large yellow eyes.

"Who are you?", she asked.

"What's it to you, girl?! I am Jaken, aide to my master, Lord Sesshomaru, who also just saved your butt!", he said, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Lord Sesshomaru? Lord Sesshomaru was the one who saved me? Where is he at?", Midori asked, genuinely curious.

A deep male voice came from behind a tree in the shadows. "Jaken, you fool. Why did you tell her I was the one who had saved her? Our plan was to leave."

"S-S-Sorry Lord Sesshomaru! I did not mean to! This.. this girl annoyed me into telling her!", Jaken said with a panicked look on his face.

"Hn.", Sesshomaru scoffed.

Midori walked over to where he stood behind the tree. She began to speak. "Lord Sesshomaru.. is that your name? Thank you.. for saving me.."

He looked down at her. "Do not think of yourself as special. I was merely passing by and wanted to test my strength on those snake demons."

She looked into his amber eyes, wondering what mysteries lie behind them. She mustered up the courage to speak again. "...M-may I come with you? I will not be a bother.. My village was destroyed and my parents killed by those snake demons.. and I have nowhere else to go."

"No you may NOT come with us!", Jaken stammered, clearly frustrated that his master had even given this girl the time of day in the first place.

Sesshomaru swiftly kicked Jaken and sent him flying 20 feet away.

"Girl, you may do as you wish. Do not get in the way of this Sesshomaru, lest you be left in our dust."

Midori smiled sweetly and excitedly jumped up and down, then ran after the youkai who was now walking away. A new adventure was about to begin for her.

(Hn... I can't believe I let her come with us. What the hell is wrong with me? She will only be an annoyance and a hindrance.)

(...Rin.)

He didn't look back at the young girl running after him. She reminded him of Rin, whom had decided to stay with Kaede in the human village. It was for the best, but he still missed her, though he wouldn't ever admit it. She was engaged to be married to Kohaku, Sango's younger brother, and she was happy. All he wanted was for her to be happy. He had begun to love her, but it was just not meant to be.

Jaken ran up beside him. "Lord Sesshomaru, what were you thinking?! Bringing another young girl with us? Have you gone mad?!" The stone cold glare that Jaken got next shut him up almost instantly.

"Do not question this Sesshomaru or his decisions, do you understand, Jaken?"

(Damn that toad is irritating. I'd almost prefer the girl over him.)

They neared Sesshomaru's castle. The girl had finally caught up with the powerful Youkai and the toad.

"Wow! Is this where you live? I've never been near the castle of the Western Lands!" Midori was in awe at the sight. As they walked inside her mind kept jumping around, looking at everything. This castle looked like it was fit for a god. Jaken wandered off to his quarters, and Sesshomaru looked at the girl.

"You may stay here as long as you swear loyalty to this Sesshomaru, and do your part around here. Do not think for one moment that I will keep you around if you become useless." His amber eyes peered into her pools of crimson. She curiously looked up at him, unsure of what she saw in him. Was it remorse? Why would she see that in his eyes when he looked at her?

"I'll do my best, Lord Sesshomaru."

He gave no facial expression as he turned around, expecting her to follow. She did. He led her to a room that looked like it belonged to a child previously. There was a large window leading out to a balcony overlooking a beautiful garden. She ran over to it and smiled. She had never seen such grandeur in her entire life.

"This will be your room. Do not wander through the castle. You will be punished if you disobey. I will send a change of clothes for you, and they will help you to the bathing room. You are filthy." She really was filthy. Her entire body was covered in dirt, covering her demon markings and her upwards facing crescent moon on her forehead. She was sure he knew, but if he did, he did not say anything. With that, he turned and began to walk away, with Midori staring at him as his silhouette in the hallway got smaller and smaller until it disappeared from her sight.