Demons Have Tea
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, the Inuyasha franchise is owned by Rumiko Takahashi.
Demons can live for centuries right? Especially since Inuyasha's father (his name is Inu no Taisho for some newbies) was 3000 years old when he died. So I'm imagining that Sesshomaru and Shippo lived long enough to be still alive (and still be young) five hundred years after the series ends.
It was a bright and sunny day in Tokyo, Japan. People of all kinds of life were walking through the busy streets, each person going to their own destination. The tourists were seeing the sights, vendors selling their goods, kids running to the local playground, and everyone else going to work.
It was normal day.
That is, it would be a normal day if it wasn't for the strange young man who walked through the crowd. This young man of twenty-four was both normal and abnormal. He walked through the streets like any other person, with a certain destination in mind. He didn't act any way that that marked as any different. He acted perfectly normal.
What was abnormal was his appearance. He wore a crisp white suit and pants, with a black tie and polished black shoes. In his suit's pocket were two interesting pens. Both took the shape of ancient katanas. One had a purple handle with no sheath. The other had a blue handle with white dots and a black sheath. All in all, the man's attire was very different from everyone's casual wear. But what really caught peoples' eyes were his facial features. He had pale skin, which was accentuated by two purple lines on his cheek and a crescent moon on his forehead. His ears were tapered to unnatural points. He had white long hair that fell down to his back. But what were really astonishing were his golden eyes. They were narrow pupils that glowed in the sun. They glowed like molten metal. When he caught people entranced at his eyes, they each looked away in embarrassment and amazement.
The young man walked on, eventually ignoring the passerby who stared at him. He did not care what the people thought of him. He had seen worse reactions to his appearance. Some few hundred years ago, foolish humans tried to slay him. Eventually the man came to a special shrine, the one he had been looking for. The shrine was on the top of a hill, where old buildings and trees stood. A long flight of stairs connected the shrine to the rest of the city. A sign next the stairs said, "Higurashi Shrine."
I remember this place, the man thought. This area is where Lady Kaede's village used to be. And this place, he thought while looking up at the shrine, is where we all battled Naraku for the last time. Five hundred years is a long time. Well, it is for mortals, anyway. I remember it like it was yesterday. But still, it was so long ago. Then three years later Kagome came back. I remember that Inuyasha was so happy. At the time I was visiting Rin. The man looked down in shame as he thought, Oh Rin, I'm sorry I didn't visit you later on. I spent years traveling the land looking for worthy foes. But never once did I think about you. I don't even know what happened to you. And now you're gone.
As the man let the storms of his mind rumble, another strange man approached him. A normal passerby might think he was a normal street performer. This man wore blue jeans and a green shirt emblazoned with the words, "Illusion: It's the new reality." This man had auburn hair that was tied into a pony tail. He had tapered ears like the first man, but had green eyes. Despite his adult body, he had a face like a child. A very mischievous child. One might think him seventeen years old.
The stranger then spoke. "Well, if it isn't Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands." The white haired man turned at the mention of his name, one of his pens in his hand.
"Don't worry, there's no need to bring out the Bakusaiga," the stranger said, "We're surrounded by mortals, and I don't think they'd like it if you made a mess of this shrine here." Sesshomaru didn't put the pen that was his ancient sword away.
He called out, "Who are you?" The stranger smirked.
"Why surely you must remember the little fox demon that traveled with your brother?"
Sesshomaru's golden irises narrowed. He put his pen away as he said, "Shippo? Is that you?"
"The one and only."
Sesshomaru stared as saw how much the kitsune had changed since he last saw him.
"My how you've changed," he remarked.
"Yes, I've grown up in the last three hundred years. But let me say how much you have changed. You don't have the same scowl you used to have. You're still serious, but with no scowl on your face."
Sesshomaru scowled.
"Ah, there it is. So you haven't changed."
Both demons looked at each other for a few moments, each thinking about the last time they had seen each other.
Shippo finally broke the silence and said, "So what brings you here after all this time?"
"Call it strategic filing from our last battle."
"You mean you came here to reminisce."
Sesshomaru did not reply. Shippo then turned away and walked away. "Where are you going?" Sesshomaru called. "To have some tea." was the answer. "You can come along too if you want." The dog demon looked back at the shrine for a moment, and then followed Shippo.
OoOoOo
"So where have you been all these years Sesshomaru? I see you have adopted the new Japan."
Sesshomaru sipped his tea before answering. They had come to a café that overlooked the neighborhood playground.
"I have not adopted this new Japan Shippo. I'm merely suffering through it. I was there Shippo, one hundred and fifty years ago. I saw how that foreigner Perry sailed his ships into the harbor that day in 1853. I knew that day that things were going to change, and not for the better."
"So what did you do?"
"I did as all demons did during that time; I went underground. As you can see, I used my demonic power to create an illusion over my swords so people would not notice them. I would never let them leave my side. I left A-Un in a deserted forest that had not been inhabited by humans for centuries. It was for his good. As for Jaken, I told him that he should stay at a hidden shrine and wait for me until this era changed."
"So what do you do now?"
"I'm a professor at the University. I teach Japanese History and Mythology."
"Oh, you would know all about that wouldn't you?" Shippo snickered.
Sesshomaru curled his lips and then responded by asking Shippo a question. "So what do you do these days, since I hear you're a master illusionist?"
"You answered your own question there Sesshomaru. I entertain people with my illusions."
Sesshomaru's expression didn't change as he said, "You have got to be kidding me."
Shippo smiled as he spoke. "No, I'm not kidding. I didn't want to abandon my fox magic since I had worked so hard to get to my rank as master. So I decided to keep my skills sharp by entertaining people with them."
"So then, where is my mutt of a brother Inuyasha?"
"Still in mourning, like he's been doing for the last four hundred and fifty years. He's never been the same since Kagome died. Although now that you mention him, I think his time is near."
Sesshomaru raised his eyebrows. Shippo nodded at his silent question.
"It's true. Remember, he is half-human, so he doesn't live as long as a normal demon does. Right now he has the appearance of a fifty-two year old man."
"And does he still have the Tessaiga?"
Shippo gave him a suspicious look. "Don't tell me you want it?" When Sesshomaru shook his head, Shippo dropped his gaze.
"No." he said. "He doesn't have it anymore. He gave it up to his first born son. And he passed it on to his son, and so on. It is still in his family's possession."
"How do you know this?" was the question.
Shippo didn't answer but instead looked towards the playground. Sesshomaru followed his gaze and saw four children standing there on the mulch covered ground, talking. The youngest of them was obvious, a little girl at the age of four. She had an impish face and long black hair. She reminded Sesshomaru of another girl he had known long ago. Then there were two twins, a boy and a girl, not much above the age of ten. The girl had a hard, serious look about her, as if looking for a demon to fight. The boy had a sly and peverted look about him, and Sesshomaru knew he wouldn't trust her with any girl. But what caught his attention was the last child, a girl of eighteen. She had bright white hair like Sesshomaru, and even had the same yellow eyes. She looked kind, but also had a confident air about her, as if looking for enemies to fight.
"They aren't-
"They are. The twins are the descendants of Sango and Miroku. The little girl is the descendant of Rin, and as I'm sure you can see, the eldest is the descendant of Kagome and Inuyasha."
"How is it that Inuyasha's traits have passed on to her after five hundred years?"
Shippo reclined in his seat. "Remember Sesshomaru, that your father's demonic blood was very strong. Inuyasha is a perfect example of that. You see, the demonic blood was so strong that it lasted for many generations. But then about fifty years ago, the blood's power started to ebb. There was so much human blood in the bloodline that it started to dilute the family's demon blood. Ever since then everyone in the family has been born with human ears and no claws."
"You make it sound like you've been watching them."
Shippo smiled. "Oh yes, I have. I made a promise to my old friends that I would watch out for their families when they passed on. So every decade I check up on them, making sure everyone's alright. It gives me something to do, especially since Perry came to Japan."
Sesshomaru sighed at the mention of the commodore's name and put his head in his hands.
Shippo looked at him and said, "Sesshomaru, what is it? I've never seen you show any emotion other than contempt, which is usually for Inuyasha."
Sesshomaru sat up and told Shippo his worries. "I'm just so fustrated. I'm so tired of hiding who I really am. It's these mortals Shippo. I mean look at us! We were once feared by the humans, who knew of our power. We could walk freely and not have to hide our true selves. Humans would bow down before us because they feared what we could do to them. In this era, whenever they hear the word demon, they think of us as nothing but old stories that aren't real, which is very far from the truth. Sometimes I just want to take Bakusaiga and remind these humans why their ancestors feared us!" Sesshomaru was practically yelling by the end of his tirade. He huffed, then put his expressionless mask back on, ignoring the people who stared. The kids on the playground didn't appear to hear him, and kept talking amongst themselves. Shippo gazed at Sesshomaru with a look of pity on his face for a few moments. Then he spoke.
"Sesshomaru, I know how you are feeling. Sometimes I too want to show people my true form and not have to hide who I am. These mortals make me so angry with their disbelief! . . . But Sesshomaru, you have to let go of the past. This isn't the feudal era anymore. Times are different now. Even if you did take your sword out on the humans, it wouldn't do any good. They would just tune down any destruction you cause down to a bomb, or an earthquake. Humans are so stubborn that they'll believe whatever they think is true. Some people might believe what they see, but most won't. The feudal era is over. It will never come back again."
Sesshomaru slumped in his chair, defeated. Shippo looked at him for a moment then continued.
"But you know, not all hope is lost. Things can be become better by a certain person." Sesshomaru sat up at this comment, wondering who Shippo was speaking about. Shippo indicated the descendants of his old friends. "She is our new hope Sesshomaru. Despite her age, she has the power to change this world and the way people think. She and her future descendants can bring an era of glory to Japan, if only we believe in them. We merely need to teach them."
"What do you mean?"
"The girl," Shippo said, pointing to the descendant of Inuyasha, "goes by the name of Sakura. She has a lot of untapped potential as a part demon. She also just so happens to be enrolling in your university to major in your particular subject."
"Wait a minute," Sesshomaru interrupted, "why did you ask me what I was doing these days if you knew the answer. And how did you know that she's enrolling in my major?"
Shippo snickered. "Kitsune are very cunning Sesshomaru. You should already know that."
Sesshomaru frowned. "So you're saying that I should take her under my wing?"
"Exactly. Teach her the old ways, so she can be prepared for when her time comes. Teach her how to wield the sword that can kill a hundred demons with one stroke."
"What do you mean by 'when her time comes'? What is it you know that I don't?"
Shippo had a mischievous look on his face. "You'll see when the time comes. In the meanwhile, why don't you say hello to your new student?"
. . . . . . . . . .
"You can't be serious."
"I am, and I will do anything to get you over there, even if it means revealing our identities."
Sesshomaru grumbled, but got to his feet. He then walked over to the children, Shippo behind him. It was the Rin's descendant who noticed him first. She murmured a word to the other children, and then they were all watching him approach. Sesshomaru stopped in front of Sakura, who looked at him with apprehension.
Sesshomaru began his greeting. "Hello Sakura. It is nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."
"Who are you?"
"So sorry, how rude of me. I am Professor Sesshomaru from the university. I will be your teacher when you study Japanese History and Mythology."
Sakura's eyes widened. "You're the professor?" Sesshomaru nodded. "How do you know me?"
"I make it a point to learn about every one of my students. But you seem the most interesting to me."
"You do?"
"Yes, even though you haven't been in my class yet I know that there is something special about you." Sesshomaru was looking at Shippo when he said this. "According to my sources, Sakura, I believe that your family owns a specific historical treasure. A sword, in fact, that goes by the name Tessaiga. Am I right?"
Sakura was suprised that he knew about this. "Y-yes sir. But how do you know about it?"
"I have my sources, remember? Anyways, while we're on the subject, I happen to know a lot about the sword's history. I also happen to know the way of the sword. Maybe between classes, you would like to learn about your family's treasure, as well as how to wield it? It could be very beneficial to your education."
Sakura was stunned at the stanger's proposal. She had never thought that this kind of a chance was possible. But here it was, a way to learn more about the sword's past as well as wield it. But then she remembered that the sword was very old.
"But professor, the sword has not been used in three hundred years! It would break if I even took it out of its sheath!"
"Trust me, it won't."
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
The young girl thought about this for a moment and then agreed to her future teacher's proposal.
"Very well," Sesshomaru said, "then I will take my leave. Shippo, buy them all some tea. I will contact you later to speak a bit more about our business. And Sakura, I will see you on the twentieth of August. Good day."
And with that, the Lord of the Western Lands left, leaving behind three happy children, one indignant and disgruntled fox demon, and one girl who didn't know why in the world her professor had taken such an interest in her. Little did she know of how her life would change forever.
Well that's it. I hope you guys all liked it. Please send many reviews, I want to know what you think. No flames please. I might think on making a story about this, but I want to know whether my writing constitutes that based on your opinion. So tell me what you think of the idea of making this one-shot into a full-fledged story.