Me: I don't know why, but there actually may be chapters of this.
Edo: So rather than me being named for the Edo period, the Edo period is going to be named for me?
Me: Yes
Sesshomaru: And I'm going to take two mates, neither of them Kagome or Kagura?
Me: Yes.
Jun: Just get on with it.
Me: I own nothing.
Warning: Yaoi. Also, ningyo is a translation of mermaid. Or…Merperson.
Deep within the bowels of Kikyo pass, was a path, following that path there was a forest. And as Inutaisho had learned in years past, there was a rather impressive waterscape within the forest. A large crystal clear lake, leading off into many ponds obscured by large tree roots was the main body of water. There was a waterfall, or several, depending on any given definition of waterfall. These waterfalls were small, only five feet high at most, though they had good water pressure. These mini-falls were why Inutaisho ventured so deep into the forest, a ways away from his main territory. His current Mate waiting at home with his pup, Sesshomaru.
The demon lord bled profusely from a gash in his side. As he staggered through the trees toward the cleansing waters blood poured freely into the water. He could swear that something was watching, thus putting his guard up, even as he disrobed on a rock leaning into the waterfall, leaning in so he could let the water carry out anything, unsavory, in the wound.
He leaned back in the dappled light, the ice cold water chilling him to the bone, but it cleaned the gouge quite nicely.
'hello'
Inutaisho startled out of his trance "Who's there!" He thundered in his powerful voice.
'sorry'
Inutaisho stopped his frantic searching. The voice was literally coming from inside his head. "Can you tell me where you are?"
'Down'
The voice was getting more confident as if it was working out how to do what it was doing. So obediently, Inutaisho looked down. A demon, as he must have been, to be so inhumanly beautiful, looked up from the water. His torso was out of the water.
"Hello" The voice which must belong to the man in the water, repeated.
"Hello, to you as well. What is your name, young one?"
The man blinked up at him with big blue eyes, and cocked his head to the side. 'confused'
"You don't understand my question?"
'too long. Confused.'
"You don't speak my tongue?" Inutaisho mimed this by gesturing at the man, shaking his head and gesturing to his mouth and tongue, this the man understood.
'no'
"Ah, um. I'm Inutaisho." He would have included his title, or if possible not gestured to himself as he said his name, but the man obviously didn't get it. Perhaps he was from a sheltered tribe of demons, though his humanoid appearance lent credence to him possibly being a taiyouki.
The man lifted a hand from the water and gestured to his chest. He seemed devoid of nipples or a navel, Inutaisho noticed, much like bird and snake demons who had no umbilical cord or nursing ability. The hand, he also noted was webbed. 'Akimitsu'
"Well, little one, that name certainly fits you."
Pleased
Inutaisho blinked; apparently emotions came through loud and clear. "What are you doing in the water, little light, it's cold."
Akimitsu blinked again and dove beneath the water flashing a long impressive steel grey fin where everything under his waist was supposed to be.
Ningyo, the great demon lord thought uneasily. But before he could dwell on it the grey haired (and finned) man was back with a bundle wrapped in woven moss.
"What is that?" Inutaisho said carefully.
Akimitsu lifted the bundle up to the demon in offering.
Cautiously the demon stooped to take the sopping bundle and pulled back the flap to reveal a little ningyo with a bright white silver fin and hair to match, a pair of big blue eyes just a shade brighter than his fathers blinked up, welling with tears, the baby began to sniffle, tears ran down his face, and yet the child didn't wail. "He's quiet, is he okay?" Inutaisho asked concernedly.
Akimitsu pulled himself onto the ledge with great difficulty, and pressed his lips urgently to Inutaisho's. Just as the demon was about to push the ningyo away he felt a slight pull at his consciousness.
And he let himself be swept away.
Spring: Akimitsu and his mate Sakura swam in the shallow water to the little egg, carefully wrapping another layer of seaweed around it to keep it warm. Ningyo could have sex, but eggs were not produced that way, not even from the same area really, just a temporary opening, much like the pleasured excretions of a male could not fertilize it, the male must swim over and excrete silt to create the baby. This long arduous process had been completed and Sakura and Akimitsu smiled excitedly at each other as they tied the seaweed on the egg.
They sang melodiously to each other, the mer-tongue pleasant to the ear on their way back to the center of the lake, their precious baby securely in their own pond near the big tree.
Sakura had standing, she wove skillfully through the crowds on ningyo handing hatchlings little bits of seaweed from mer-vendors without pay. Sakura's red koi fin always in sight as Akimitsu followed close behind. When their obligations to the other ningyo were done they swam back to the pond they shared and curled protectively around the egg. Sakura kissed her old friends cheek happily and chastely. And they slept.
The egg was hatching! The reflective shell was going to show them their baby in just moments. Of course in the middle of the worst storm in memory, the trees whipped and leaves dove into the water with enough force to cut. Akimitsu hoped nobody was hurt, once a dominant partner (the female in their society) died, her mate was torn to shreds. The offspring would be too, just to prevent weak blood.
A pale little arm, skeletally thin poked out of the shell, Akimitsu carefully pulled away the pointy parts so the infant wouldn't hurt itself, soon the little body was free of its shell. Akimitsu gathered his son to him and screeched for Sakura, she ignored him, focusing on the mouth of the pond, debris was being kicked up, and something may be in the water. Just then the baby opened shockingly blue eyes and screeched a horrible screech, that immediately brought Sakura to her son, and dazed friend. A screech and their claws were a ningyo's only weaponry.
'Little Edo' she crooned in their tongue 'my little one, someday you will escape to someplace else, and find your mate, won't you?'
She crooned to Akimitsu to watch the child and swam to the mouth of their pond to see if everyone was okay. When the tree fell she was gone. And a death warrant was signed for their baby.
Akimitsu played dead for days, patiently feeding the baby small plants from the side of the pond, silencing him gently when he cried. Until the day a demon walked through their marsh and Akimitsu swam to greet him while the others hid.
"You're going to die Akimitsu? Do you want me to take you as well?"
Akimitsu smiled sadly and shook his head negative. He patted tentatively at his gills, and made motions with both hands representing scales.
Too heavy and not able to hold his breath.
"How did you all get here?"
He mimed wings and gestured at Inutaisho's legs. He paused and kissed his son on the forehead, making a begging motion to Inutaisho before thrusting the child again into the demons arms.
"I'm not leaving such a caring father to die" Snarled the demon
The ningyo began to cry soft crystalline tears down his cheeks, he made a begging motion again and began to wiggle uncomfortably. He was suffocating.
"Get back in the water you fool! Akimitsu, I will protect you if you need to breathe!" Inutaisho cried, and then he looked down and realized the choice that awaited. Too many ningyo clamoring beneath him, if Akimitsu went to breathe they would kill him. If he stayed by his son, he would suffocate, the minimal sun was beginning to burn his white skin.
Inutaisho, with a firm hold on the child, jumped down, re-dousing the moss blanket then bouncing back up to the ledge where Akimitsu looked fearful, carefully reaching up for his baby. Inutaisho squeezed slightly allowing water to fall on Akimitsu's gills, re-clothing himself quickly and scooping Akimitsu up in the arm not holding the infant. He was heavier than would be expected, but still light. Inutaisho began the long trek to the palace; his wound already closed once clean.
Inutaisho made it at great expense to Akimitsu's health. He placed them both carefully in the water of a decorative koi pond next to the palace. Then went inside to find food. Returning moments later with several apples.
"Eat." The demon commanded
'die soon' The ningyo said slowly, his voice weak 'Edo take care?'
The ningyo wilted before his eyes, day after day, week after week, month after month too sick from poisoning by the air. As the ningyo diligently held his son and fed him shreds of apple that the infant seemed to enjoy. Carefully crooning words that the baby would never remember, he would grow up without a song or voice, though maybe he would learn Japanese, he would never communicate with another ningyo.
''taisho' Akimitsu said one day two years later.
"Yes 'Mitsu?"
Akimitsu leaned in and kissed him once more imparting his language to the demon 'to him, older?'
"I suppose 'Mitsu" the demon said pulling the ningyo close to him. "Can I try something?"
'sure' Akimitsu said weakly, his time closing in.
Inutaisho carefully laid the ningyo back on the grass and leaned over him.
'dying 'taisho, hurry'
Inutaisho gently leaned over and touched his lips carefully to the eagerly responding ningyo. Slowly the movements became less and Inutaisho pressed his mouth down harder, fighting his sadness as the lips beneath his slowed, and stopped, along with the flutter of gills and the beating of a strong heart.
A small smile graced Akimitsu's face in death. His two year old shrieking from the clear pool, gently grasping his father's tail weeping softly.
Fighting back his own tears Inutaisho slid fully clothed into the pool to pull little Edo onto his lap.
Softly humming a tune that Akimitsu used to sing, he fished beneath the water for the little moss blanket and pulled it up. Removing Akimitsu's pearl dagger and setting it aside he grabbed the only other remaining item in the blanket, a red coral comb. He carefully began to comb the little boys already long hair. Until the ningyo fell asleep, still crying. He placed the boy on the sandy floor and covered him with the moss blanket.
He buried the boy's father a few feet away, and slept by the pool for several days, only leaving to finalize the construction of a pool in his bedroom.
It would be several years before Edo slept outside again. By then Sesshomaru would be the demonic equivalent of sixteen as would Edo, and there would be a little half demon named Inuyasha in the making, due to a grieving demon and a beautiful princess.
Okay, I just seriously made myself bawl! I can't see the fucking screen. It will get happier, and sweeter.
