AN: This story tells the tale of Inu no Taisho; it's going to be AU for the most part. Actually the whole thing is pretty much AU except for a few canon events. This story involves abuse, alcoholism, minor coarse language and alludes to adult content. If you find any of that disturbing, I suggest you read something else, otherwise, please enjoy. On another note, I only own the plot and every character except Touga (Inu no Taisho), his children, Myouga, Totosai, Saya or Izayoi or anyone else who obviously belongs to the series. Well please read on and I hope you enjoy it enough to review!

Chapter 1: A toxic dream, a living story

Tokyo Japan, the modern day

A soft series of swishes filled the inconspicuous classroom. Each student held an elegant brush and carefully copied down the elaborate kanji forms their teacher, Honurei-sensei, had marked upon a sheet of paper, now magnetically stuck to the blackboard. Megumi Sano, a small girl of 16 sat in the back of the class. She had finished the forms on the board and was using her book as a guide for more characters. Her short black hair was in two braids which were nearly undone from the many times she had pushed them back behind her ears. Honurei walked to the back and leaned over Megumi's paper. "Goodness Sano-san, you shouldn't be taking calligraphy level one!" Honurei's voice was soft, almost too much so for a man. Megumi smiled and shrugged.
"Kind words sensei, but they fall on deaf ears. My parents will not allow me to move up until I have graduated each level, even though I have been told I have a natural aptitude." Megumi blushed and bowed her head. She had almost been boasting!

"I do not doubt that." Honurei stated in a slightly awed manner. "Now, since you're finished today's assignment, I'll let you go early. No need to keep you here."

"Thank you sensei." She said and began to pack up her things. A few minutes later she emerged into the 5 o'clock sun. Megumi sighed and headed down to the nearest train station, getting there faster than any normal human would. Ten minutes later she arrived at a station where she quietly slipped into a washroom.

The girl that reappeared from the chalky-pink cubicle was almost unrecognizable from the one who had entered. Megumi wore a simple yet elegant navy blue kimono with a pattern of stylized Asian plants and birds woven into the fabric. Her hair was long and she pulled it up, setting it into a simple bun on the back of her head. She wore black lacquered geta with a strap that matched her kimono and had put her uniform into the traditional wicker-bottomed purse she carried. She dressed like this because she was to visit her grandmother, who insisted upon keeping the old traditions strong.

Once in the station, many people took sly, hidden glances at her. Even if they thought they were subtle Megumi felt their eyes burning into her, she shuddered. 'Stupid humans, they think I look odd yet only 75 years ago this was common clothing. Humans have short memories.' Megumi thought bitterly, a slight glower appearing on her smooth, porcelain white face. She continued up the steps until they leveled out on a main street. Lifting her hand, she hailed a cab.

Finally, after 15 minutes she arrived at the elegant feudal-style mansion that was her family's ancestral home. Her grandmother stood on the front porch waiting to greet her.

"Megumi, how are you my dear?"

"I'm fine obaasan, how are you?"

"As good as ever I suppose." Chiriki, her grandmother, said half-sighing. She smoothed her kimono of pale pink and flipped her long dark-brown pony-tail behind her head. "Now, come Megumi, I need you to organize the archival storehouse." Megumi followed her grandmother into the house and down a hallway, stopping at the room second from the end.

"Dinner will be in an hour, until then, you may start putting the scrolls in alphabetical order."

Megumi nodded and turned to her task, a servant had already put out ink, a brush and fresh tags to attach to the end of each scroll. "I guess grandmother heard of my calligraphy skill." She mumbled absently and began to work. Half an hour into her organizing, she heard a soft thump and the sounds of rolling. When she looked to identify the source of the noise, she came across a beautiful tube, undoubtedly containing a rare scroll inside of it. Despite the feeling of apprehension at doing something wrong, she opened the top.

Suddenly her nose was assaulted by a smell of cherry-blossoms and vanilla. The scroll she pulled out looked incredibly new, why was it in a tube? She pulled it open, and read: The Record of the Western Province 1400-… but the ink had faded too much for her to read. She almost squealed in delight, she loved history and something like this was a historians dream. She unrolled the scroll a bit further and began reading again.

This is the official record of the house of Taisho, under the rule of Taisho no Keiji and his successors. I Setsuna no Hiroshi have taken this task upon myself. Which I shall complete with the greatest detail, even if that should dishonor my Lord.

Let me begin with the accession of Keiji one of the most brilliant yet most brutal men to rule…

It was the year 1349, just after one of the great wars to ravage our demon-kind had come to its end. The great Lord of the West at the time before the war had been Ken'ichi, during one of the battles he perished, leaving the throne empty and five violent tempered sons ready to take it for themselves. It was through ruthless plotting, purging and assassination that the youngest, Keiji, was the only one left surviving at the wars close.

He was a great military leader but, drank often and was as heavy handed on women as he was men. He never took a wife but kept many mistresses and concubines to himself, he never found one who could meet his high standards. He craved an heir, yet he took to beating many of his women who were with pup while he was drunk thus, none were ever born. It was purely luck, in my guess, that one woman fell out favor at the time she became pregnant. When her son was born, Keiji was greatly pleased and set this woman and child apart in their own wing with servants, effectively giving a gift that would inadvertently save their lives, one might suppose.

The boy was the first of many siblings. Some were girls, some were boys, yet all similar in appearance; amber eyes, as well as a ragged blue tribal marking on each cheek.

Keiji took to drinking even harder at this time, I believe due to his various failures in love, and began to lay his hands onto his children, beating them black and blue…

Megumi's head felt fuzzy, 'it must be that smell' was her last groggy thought before her head slumped onto the large central desk in the room and she fell into a deep sleep. The smell of cherry blossoms and vanilla crept into her mind and brilliant pictures formed. She saw a palace, situated in front of pristine mountains. To the left was a silver surfaced lake, on the right, large orchards, gardens and further back, fields. She felt drawn to the palace and indeed, found herself seeing a room, in it, a man, tall with white hair in a pony, amber eyes and two tribal markings on his cheeks stood there. In one hand he held a sake cup; the other was raised in a fist.

"Touga, how many times do I have to tell you never to come to my rooms? What are you, stupid? Why could I not have a smart and intelligent heir like Lord Ishikawa of the South? They say his boy is a military genius and an excellent poet. All I have is this bastard shit, who sullies my name and disgraces my blood." Keiji's angry voice rang throughout the wing, frightening off the maids. "All I ever gave to that whore, who whelped you, was my heart and all she gave back was a worthless pig-headed son. What does Kami have against me?" He raged and finally brought down his fist, connecting with the 18 year olds face. Touga winced and bit back the instinctive tears of pain. He hated his father so much. All the man had ever done was cause pain in his life and break the heart of his mother. Another blow to his body brought him out of his reverie.

"Pay attention, damn it, how can you ever learn to respect if you can't pay some damn attention?" Keiji's voice carried all the way to part of the main wing. Everyone winced, they knew what was happening yet no one dared or had the power to stop it, not even Touga's mother.

Keiji spat on his bleeding son, "You are an utter disgrace." He half stumbled, shoving the door so roughly it popped out of its track and jammed; causing Keiji to roar in pent up rage and break it into two pieces. Touga lifted his head; his lip was cut and bleeding, two black eyes and swelling cheeks added to his appearance of utter weakness. A soft hiss of a door being rolled and the light pine fresh scent told him his first sister had entered from the adjoining room. Her kimono was deep green, like the trees of her scent like, she kneeled beside his head. "Oh Touga, why are you so immature?" she bemoaned and dipped her cloth into the small bowl of water she carried. 'You are hardly one to talk' he communicated with her telepathically.

"Yet you know how father is and you still went there, to his wing. I may only be 16, brother, but I know better." She swung her white pony-tail behind her head and continued wiping off blood.

'You may be my junior, you may be wiser but, don't forget you are also a woman and what a man may take as a bruise, a woman takes as a wound. You know that he could kill you with the same beating he just gave to me.' He kept his face impassive as he mentally relayed his speech.

"That may be true, but Touga, is it not better to walk away unscathed than to be beaten when you are almost a man?"

'I have not the will to argue Kotori, if you insist, perhaps you should leave me be.'

"Gomen nasai, ani." Kotori bowed her head slightly and continued to wipe the blood off Touga's noble face. He relaxed and concentrated his energy on his body, trying to determine if anything was broken. He had been lucky this time.

A cruel smile played on his wounded lips, either the old man was having too much to drink, or the alcohol was finally killing his strength. He would soon have his revenge.

A fluttering of kimonos and hushed words grew louder and finally stopped, his mother and two of his brothers, the 16 year old twins Toji and Kaji, appeared.

"Oh my poor son, what have you gone and done to get that evil man to attack you this time?"

Kotori gave an impertinent sniff and answered for him, "He went to see father in his rooms."

His mother blanched, she knew how odd Keiji was about no one entering his rooms and she knew the secret why. His rooms were the only place he never drank, the place he made his plans, alliances, strategies, the place he showed what little emotion he was capable of. The place he had loved her and all the others.

"Touga why did you go?" She questioned as tears fell down her white cheeks.

'He summoned me, to discuss, marriage I think, though undoubtedly he forgot when he got drunk and answered me at the door.'

His mother's face went even paler if that were possible. She looked at Toji and Kaji, signaling them to help carry Touga back to his own rooms. They each supported him under a shoulder and the small group made their way back to the "family wing" as it was called.

It was a week before Touga made a public appearance, during the time when he was confined to his room Kotori and his mother had visited him, each pestering in a kind manner as to whether he knew more about his father's supposed marriage plans. Personally, he was grateful his sire had forgotten about them. He was not ready to settle down yet; he still had his youth and good looks and fully intended to use them.

- - - - - -

Touga made his way down to the back gardens, this particular one was a geometric design of squares and diamonds in each square were four neatly trimmed red maple trees. Each diamond was filled with a repetitive pattern of red and orange flowers and because of this; it was nicknamed 'the fire garden' for in full bloom the area appeared to be burning. His eyes scanned the garden and immediately made out the form of a young mouse demon girl, clothed in a sky-blue kimono and with hair a soft brown shade, which she had left down, good, she hadn't forgotten their plan. "Nomi," he sighed. The girl turned and sped towards him and they caught in an embrace.

"Oh, my Lord, when I heard about your misfortune, I was scared for you, I haven't been able to eat since I heard about it, so great was my worry. I'm thankful your father was to busy to notice my lack of appetite." She said and nestled her head into his chest. Touga smiled, Nomi was his father's favourite concubine at the moment and he had made a habit of seducing each of the favourites. It gave him great pleasure to know he had first pick over all the women in a sense, and that they "loved" him, would willingly risk being caught and killed to be with him, it had happened to two previous ones. He had escaped beatings by telling his father that the women made advances at him, yet he had refused but they insisted and threatened him so he gave in to keep them quiet. Either his father had been drunk or was losing his wits because he believed him and let him go. He turned his attentions back to the girl in his arms. Tilting his head down, for even at 18 (and not quite his one day full height of 6'3) he towered over most women at the height of 5'10, he kissed Nomi, she responded and her scent became laced with lust. He felt his own body responding to Nomi's. "Come," he whispered to her and led her back to his rooms.

3 hours later Nomi lay asleep beside him and he played with her hair, a slight smile gracing his lips. His door was rolled back quite violently and a flustered Kotori burst in, no doubt due to the lingering smells of lust and love-making in the room and partly due to her original reason for barging in. "Touga, get up, get up, get up! Father has called an assembly and we need to be there." She turned so her brother could get dressed.

"Why, do you know why he's pretending we are a normal family?" Touga gritted out as he tied the knot to hold his loose white pants.

"I suspect that it has to do with him finally arranging for you to be married, but I only guess, brother." She said and handed him his haori. He began to pull his hair into his usual high ponytail, though wasn't having much luck as his thoughts distracted him and his fingers trembled with anger. "Touga, calm down, here, I'll do it." Kotori soothed and used her strong but gentle hands to pull her brother's hair up. Together they raced down the halls towards the formal receiving hall. They entered and headed towards the top of the room to take their seats.

"Ah, good, you two have made it, now we wait for the officials and then, our guests." Keiji said while staring straight ahead, not bothering to look at them. Kotori glanced at Touga; he had the look of utmost disgust on his face. It was a full 10 minutes before everyone had finally entered and sat in the main 'gallery'. Touga almost sighed with relief at seeing Nomi enter, freshly washed and wearing a powder green kimono, she took a seat behind his father. His own mother was the last to enter; she wore many layers of brilliantly colored kimono, she headed towards them and seated herself next to his father. He almost wanted to yell 'well, how much are we all being paid?' for this really was like a large play setting. A voice broke the ominous silence, "Lord Fujiwara," it announced. A man dressed in a rather militaristic style and with a high black pony-tail entered, behind him trailed three girls, each wore a veil. Touga did not like where this meeting seemed to be going.

After the formal introductions, his father and Lord Fujiwara had eased into a talk of politics. The large group had left leaving the Lord and his three daughters (Touga guessed by the scents) and his own motley family alone in the room. The two older men talked for a while more then Keiji held up his hand, "You may all go, what happens now is for me and Lord Fujiwara, as well as his daughters alone." In a lightning fast mass move everyone bowed and quickly left. Keiji gave a poisonous smile while the other Lord stared on, impressed at their immediate action. Outside, Touga's mother took his arm and led him to her quarters, the other children and their mothers' dispersed. Back in the room the conversation had taken a rather interesting turn.

"So, now we get to see the faces." Keiji stated and leaned on his armrest. Lord Fujiwara nodded and waved a hand at his daughters who lifted their veils. Keiji had to smile, signs of superior and selective breeding showed for each girl was exquisitely beautiful. Lord Fujiwara pushed forward the first. "This is Korin; she is my oldest at 18. A talented artisan but unfortunately," and here he cuffed her on the back of her head, "not good for much else. Her aura is strong; she would be a good mother." Keiji looked her over.

"Stand." He commanded her and stood himself. She rose to her full height of 5'3, Keiji was 5'10, and the girl's head was at his chest. She had a good figure, stood straight and he could tell had the control of a dancer for she held herself perfectly still. She smelled of Jasmine, 'pleasant' he thought. Her face was an oval shape and was paler than the moon with three green dots making a small triangle shape on her forehead. Her hair was long and black as a raven's wing. "Who is your mother, my lady?" He asked, using his kindest tones.

"Lady Oda no Aiko." Korin responded and bowed her head slightly.

"Ah, so the rumors of her beauty must have been true, you may sit." Keiji waved her down. Lord Fujiwara then pushed the second girl forward.

"This is Ran, the second oldest." He gave her a shove to make her take another step forward. She was an inch shorter than her sister and slightly timid in appearance. However, once she found her balance Keiji saw she was strong. This girl smelled of mint, which Keiji thought suitable because she had green eyes. Her hair was a soft golden-brown and fell in smooth waves down to her waist; she wore two bejeweled clips on either side of her head holding it back. She had two thin crimson lines on each cheek running parallel to each other. "How old are you?" He asked her, well aware that their father left out enough information so he had something to ask them.

"I am 17, my Lord." She inclined her head politely. Keiji smiled, he liked this one.

"And your Mother must have been Lady Subaru."

"Yes my Lord, how could you tell?" She asked looking up in surprise.

"You have her eyes," Ran's eyes widened, "your mother lived here for a time." He smiled again. She smiled and her face took on a truly charming look. She returned to the place in between her sisters and sat.

"And finally, the youngest, though I have more, I doubted you wished to marry your son to a mere child."

"You are quite right, thank you for your consideration." Keiji said and stared as the youngest approached him. "Are you quite sure she is the youngest, my lord, her height exceeds the others." He said as the girl, a full 5'6 stood before him, head lowered. Lord Fujiwara laughed.

"Hai my Lord Keiji, quite sure, but your son is tall, she might be more to his liking."

"Indeed," Keiji said and brought his arm up, haori sleeve grazing his fingertips, and used the fan in his hand to raise the girl's chin up. She was indeed a rare beauty to behold. Her face was elegant, with high cheekbones. A blue crescent moon, like the one adorning her father's forehead, graced hers, as well as two scarlet stripes on her cheeks. Her arm moved slightly and he saw that the scarlet stripes also wrapped around her wrists, probably her ankles too if had to take a guess. Her eyes were a crystalline blue, so many minute shades of blue in her eyes made them look like living sapphires. A golden-white cascade of hair graced her head, falling to her waist. She also had bangs; Keiji noted how they framed her forehead mark. Her body would be lean and well toned was his conclusion from her stance. Her scent was a combination of cherries and vanilla. Now, to ask the questions, "So, you are the youngest, how old are you and what is your name?"

"My name is Shizuka, my Lord and I am 15." Her voice carried an odd lilt and melody Keiji found pleasing, he smiled.

"Good, good, where was your mother from?"

"She comes from the far north of the continent; from a place she calls 'Rossija' she was captured by the Tartars and then sold as a slave, which eventually led to my Father saving her from them on a raid to the continent. Her clan was a strong demonic one and he took her for a wife, I am the first child and I have a younger full brother named Kano."

"That is quite an interesting story." Keiji contemplated it for a minute, yes he had heard of the Mongolian raids into the land of pale-faced and pale-haired people. The country's name sounded like Ross-ya, he would have to look into that. "Where do your strengths lie, Lady Shizuka? You have an accomplished dancer and a musician as your sisters. What is your talent?" Shizuka and her sisters shared a quick telepathic conversation.

'My god, he knew I was a dancer,' Korin tittered in nervous excitement

'And that I was a musician,' Ran squeaked.

'Well, since he cannot be deceived I shall have to say the truth.' Shizuka replied firmly,

'Well, if you are determined to ruin your chances,' Korin trailed off.

"My strengths lie in brush painting and physical combat, My Lord." She said, eyes pointing down.

"Hmm, that is an interesting and unusual combination of talents." Keiji hid his surprise well. "That is all for now, perhaps tomorrow we can see some demonstrations." At these words a maid appeared to escort the family to their rooms and Keiji turned and headed out after they had left, taking a direct route to the bedroom of his first lover to bare a child.

Touga sat there with his mother; they were drinking tea, though Touga's was tainted slightly with blood. It was a practice that helped sooth a demon male's blood lust; the blood was from slaughtered animals. Keiji appeared in the doorway, Touga's mother bowed deeply and Touga inclined his head. Keiji sat down and gave his first love a small smile. "Fear not, he won't be married just yet, the girl I like best needs to grow up more, as does our son." Touga felt an indescribable feeling in his heart, apprehension, hate, love, lust all mingled to form a dark cloud on his conscience. "Don't look so dark Touga; I'm not going to forbid you to watch tomorrow as the women give their demonstrations. I will just make sure you know not their names or faces, but become acquainted with their talents."

"Why do you wish to hide the face and names of these potential brides Chichi-ue?"

"Because Touga, there is more to mates than beauty, if the woman has no brains, no strength and no power, how can she make a pup that is strong and healthy?" Touga nodded his head in acquiescence.

- - - - - - -

That night the Taisho family and the Fujiwaras ate together, the dim lighting provided by the outdoor setting prevented Touga from seeing any of the girls faces. Even with his demonic sight, he supposed his father had a hand in 'blinding' his eyes that night. Kotori was seated near the girls and he intended to ask her about them later on. The usual entertainment took place and people branched off to hold private conversations. Touga left the table and went to the overgrown garden he and Kotori used as a secret meeting place. The willows in it were bent and untrimmed, as were most of the trees. Moss grew rampantly over the stones and a natural waterfall cascaded in the south-western edge. He sat on a bench pressed against one of the plastered walls. A few minutes later Kotori appeared through the round door that lead to the other gardens. She spotted him and sat down on the bench, the pale moon filtered through the sakura tree above them in broken chunks. "So, did you speak to them?" He asked, masking his anxiety.

"Yes, I spoke to each one."

"What is your impression?"

"The oldest one is kind, but I believe she can be cruel. She also does not have much in her head except dance, gossip and the machinations of a lady desperate to be admired and loved. She is a traditional beauty, black hair, oval face. Her tribal marking is three green dots making a triangle on her forehead."

"What of her age, and name?"

"Korin, she is 18." Kotori said and absently fiddled with her fan.

"The next one?" He pressured her.

"A fairly attractive girl of 17 named Ran. Her hair is the colour of that girl's hair that you spent a few hours with today,"

"Nomi," he cut in.

"That hardly matters, anyways her eyes are green and her skin is warm. She has two parallel thin scarlet stripes on each cheek. Her talent is music. She seems like a lovely, intelligent girl, but a bit determined to not be married."

"Hmm," Touga mused, "it seems you are almost trying to force me to favor the last one."

"I may be, but really she is the only one who didn't make an impression upon me."

"Oh, why not?"

"She told facts about herself but kept her voice free of emotions, though she could not hide her love of her family. She is 15 with white-blond hair and fair skin. She has two scarlet stripes on each cheek and wrist. She shares the moon mark of her father as well. Her mother was from the continent, captured in a raid by demons, what humans call the Tartar or Mongolians, though they are not all demons." She added and took a slow breath.

"She has an intriguing history, what are her talents."

"I heard her say painting and combat"

"Now, I'm really curious." Touga smirked while he leaned back on one elbow and bent one leg to use as an armrest.

"You will be able to see everything tomorrow." Kotori said with a slight laugh and slipped off the bench to lie down in the soft grass, she turned her head to gaze at the stars.

AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter; rarely will I do a bottom note just every now and then when things need explaining. If you didn't guess, Megumi is a demon who cloaks her appearance. Shizuka's mother comes from Russia and was captured by demons from Mongolia, at a time when the Mongols (Tartars) commonly raided Russia. Russija is how Russia is written in Russian; they use a Cyrillic alphabet so I translated it into the Arabic form we use.