Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Inuyasha. The only one I DO own is Ai, my own original character. I understand that in the fourth movie there is a young girl named Ai, but they are not the same.
ALSO, I've tried to keep my fic as close to the anime as possible, but I've decided to keep Tokijin 'alive', if you will. Sesshomaru still has his sword; it does NOT break in my fic as it did in the series. And, obviously, I've made a few changes (as all fanfic authors do), and these will be brought to light as the fic progresses. Thanks!
Payback
"And you're sure you'll be able to handle this demon, Lord Sesshomaru? I will expect no trickery from you." The voice of my father accurately reflects his strong desire to protect the castle and his family. I peer through a crack in the door, crouching on the tatami mat to stay low. I am supposed to be asleep, as is the rest of the castle. My father stands with his shoulders squared and his head thrown back, exuding confidence and completely fulfilling the role of Lord of the castle.
"Lord Shinobu, I can guarantee to you that this demon plaguing you will be exterminated by sunrise of the night he attacks." Lord Sesshomaru vows. I feel my heart flutter at the sound of his velvet voice. "Your family will be safe." My father visibly relaxes at this news.
Lord Sesshomaru stands easily, unimpressed by the row of soldiers and demon slayers kneeling in a row on either side of him. His beauty clearly outshines every elegant object and expensive tapestry in the room, even as he simply stands before my father. Dressed in a stunning hakama of white, red, yellow and blue with his intimidating armor covering his chest and arching over his left shoulder, he looks the capable part of someone able to slay Ryokutsusei - the only demon his great father could not eliminate.
His silver hair is nearly long enough to reach the floor, and his exquisite face is marked by a thin blue crescent moon on his forehead and two magenta slashes under his eyes on either side of his face. Lord Sesshomaru's eyes are the hardest yellow, flint and gold and his senses keen. I know that despite crouching in the shadows and hiding behind a door, Lord Sesshomaru knows I'm here.
"And you are a demon, are you not?" My father's voice interrupts my studious scrutiny of Lord Sesshomaru. He is a demon? I see him in a new light now; his quiet intensity and the dangerous undertone of raw power I can sense he possesses.
"Is that a problem?" Lord Sesshomaru asks. My father bristles.
"Demon or not, I am placing my trust in your abilities to slay Ryokutsusei. Even my most talented slayers have failed to eradicate this demon."
"Ryokutsusei?" Lord Sesshomaru echoes.
"What? Too challenging?" I cannot see his face, but I know my father is grinning with sarcastic humor. Irritation flashes briefly across Lord Sesshomaru's face.
"What a ridiculous statement. Of course not. I assume I will receive payment after I've slain Ryokutsusei?" His voice is hard, holding an interested curiosity. My father produces a bag from his obi, holding it out.
"You will receive half of your money now and half of it when I am presented Ryokutsusei's head." Lord Sesshomaru reaches out and accepts the bag of yen with a fluid, graceful movement, tucking it into the sleeve of his haori.
I rock forward, distributing my weight to the balls of my feet and taking the pressure off my arches. The tatami mats creak, and Lord Sesshomaru's head inclines. His hair brushes back and I see his pointed ears twitch. I clap my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing aloud and the noise alerts my father. He whirls around, annoyance and anger touching his features and sliding the door open with a bang, startling me bad enough to knock me backwards.
"To bed with you!" My father demands brusquely. I feel my cheeks flame and I look down to the floor in shame.
"I'm sorry, father." I apologize. My father offers out his hand, and I take it as he helps me to my feet and blocks me from Lord Sesshomaru's view. Too late I see his hard, yellow stare, watching me. The slayers and soldiers kneeling on the ground do not look my way and for that, I am thankful. He ushers me back through the door and slides it closed with a gentle, yet chiding look.
I do not leave.
I press my ear firmly against the door, holding as still as I can manage and listen.
"My daughter has more curiosity then she knows what to do with," My father apologizes. I can't see anything as clear as I'd like, but I can still make out the silhouettes of my father and Lord Sesshomaru from the light of the oil lamps.
"She is forgiven. I will not be far away." Hearing the daiyoukai speak of me, even in passing, sends a feeling of excitement through me.
"And you will report to the castle immediately when summoned?" My father questions. Lord Sesshomaru does not answer yet I know my father gets the response he desires. "Very well. I've no more business with you."
I retreat to my room once I know Lord Sesshomaru has left, sliding the door closed behind me and moving to the window. The night air is fresh and the moon is bright, illuminating the radiance of Lord Sesshomaru's silver hair and large white mokomoko. I watch as he takes even steps toward the gate, under the severe scrutiny of the many guards that stand watch.
Almost as if he senses my gaze he slows, inclining his head in my direction and our eyes meet for a single instant. Adrenaline surges through my body and I duck down, crawling on all fours and into my bed, my heart racing with excitement.
The next night, Ryokutsusei attacks and my life is never the same again.
I kneel amongst the charred wreckage that was once my home. For as far as I can see the black remains greet my eye; tatami mats reduced to ash, support beams charred and burned, thin plumes of white smoke twisting into the blue sky where the wood is still cooling. The air smells of a fresh fire, and, underneath that, I smell the sinister, alarming scent of burnt flesh and hair. Everyone in the castle is gone; burned alive.
I am the last surviving Shinobu.
A single, hot tear slide down my cheek, leaving a track in the soot that has dusted my face, hair, arms and clothes. Everything has been destroyed. My mother and father are gone . . . my little dog, Taki . . . all gone.
Three nights ago, my father called upon the powerful dog demon, Lord Sesshomaru, to slay Ryokutsusei, a gigantic and terrifying faceless dragon with a Noh mask situated on his forehead. The battle hadn't lasted long – three easy strokes of a terrifyingly powerful sword called Tokijin and a single punch to split the Noh mask and Ryokutsusei was eliminated. But it wasn't the end of our troubles.
Able to spew numerous demons from his gaping jaws, Ryokutsusei had done just that, and those demons had fled into the surrounding forest. After Lord Sesshomaru had slain Ryokutsusei and offered his head to my father, a day had passed peacefully.
My father, unable to shake the sinister feeling that still hung in the air, had kept my mother and I hidden safe in a cabin on the hill a short distance away from our castle. Despite the clear orders my mother and I had been given to stay put, she had left me alone to return to the castle, worried about my father.
It had been their cause of death. Alerted by my mother's presence as she returned to the castle, the demons that had fled from Lord Sesshomaru descended upon my home and my family, devouring the guards and setting the castle ablaze. I had clung desperately to the hope that Lord Sesshomaru would return to save my family and slay these demons, but he had not. His job was done, he had been paid and left just as previously expected.
The cracking of a beam breaks me from my mournful reverie. I wipe my eyes and glance around once more. Near the very edge of the forest lay the lifeless bodies of many of the demons, stuck with arrows and abandoned swords and weapons. I imagine the only salvageable items arethose weapons, but I'm not about to approach the creatures that had caused the destruction of my home and life.
From the corner of my eye I notice a brief flash of something silver in the bright sunlight. Rising to my feet, I make my way toward the area of what I knew had been my room to find one of my most precious possessions – a lacquered silver comb my mother used to brush my hair with every night.
"You've got such gorgeous hair, Ai," my mother would say. "You must be sure to take care of such a precious gift." I ran my thumb over the front, brushing away a light layer of soot that clung hopelessly there. I hold the comb against my chest and lift my face skyward, sending a silent prayer to the gods that I would be watched over and kept safe.
The realization that I am utterly alone had struck.
I tuck the comb into my frayed obi. All I wanted to do was curl up amidst the rubble and fall into a sleep I would never wake from. My burned feet ache as I pick my way out of the wreckage, hoping to find my way to the river so I could wash up. The burnt edges of my frayed spring kimono brush against my legs uncomfortably as I hurry to get under the cover of the trees and out of the direct sunlight.
I hadn't gone more than twenty an twenty yards into the trees when I hear a low growl. The blood in my veins freeze and the cold hand of fear works its way up my spine as I slowly turn. A panther, black as death and just as frightening, stands in the middle of the path at the opening of the trees, head low and fangs bared. It takes a slow, deliberate step in my direction, skinny tail brushing against his powerful hindquarters.
Even though I know I have no chance of outrunning the cat, I fill my lungs with air and began to run. With a yowl of fury, the panther springs forward and gives chase eagerly. Hearing the sound of its paws hitting the ground pushes my legs faster and faster. Eventually, the sound of my own labored breathing and the pounding of my heart closes out any sound I hope to hear.
Looking behind me, I see the panther has gained on me. Suddenly, my foot strikes a root and I fall, sprawling to the ground, my chin striking the hard dirt and jolting my system. The comb flies from my obi and skitters away, just barely out of my reach. I reach out fruitlessly as the panther closes in and just as my fingertips brush the teeth of the comb, I felt the teeth of the panther in my stomach.
I scream out, and everything goes black.
A/N: Well, hey, guys, thanks to you all for reading! I'd appreciate it if you could give me some reviews! Reviews make me happy and keep me writing!