A/N: hello everyone! I've had a few concepts rattling around in my head that aren't suitable for full-length fics, but I don't want to clutter my page with too many short things in their own little spots. So here we are, the InuYasha Shorts collection! I will have the rating of each story at the top, and each 'chapter' will be a new story unless specified. I'm going to start with one I've put a lot of thought into as I've built the world of Yōkai pride, Human prejudice. We really don't know anything about the relationship between InuYasha's parents except for the few minutes we see them together in the third movie (which IS canon, approved directly by the lovely mangaka, so are the audio dramas, fight me) so I wanted to explore that. This story is the result, and I hope you like it!
The Princess and the Dog (title WIP)
Rating: T
The great Dog General stood on the steps of his palace, gazing out across his lands as a cool autumn breeze ruffled the grasses in the gardens and made his ponytail sway gently. It was about a week before the Running was to start, and he was hoping to finally be able to drag his son, Sesshomaru, along to one of the festivals held in several places across the lands he managed. He'd had many discussions with his hard-hearted and hard-headed son, but he was too much like himself in attitude, despite getting all his mother's looks.
The Taishō sighed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck and settling himself on the stairs, gazing off into the large gardens. Sesshomaru was…a troublesome boy. Much like his own youth, he cared for nothing but power and conquest. He had to admire his son's desire to surpass his father, but there were duties he was neglecting. The boy was thoughtless in courtship, and almost cruel, which was why he'd made the decision centuries ago not to betroth him, as was tradition. No woman deserved such a careless man as her mate, and no pup deserved so preoccupied a father as that. The boy's thoughts and actions were clearly displayed in his still too boyish face and body. He had not matured as someone well past the age of maturity for their kind should have. Next year, his son would reach his five hundredth year; without a mate, without children, or, indeed, grandchildren, as one his age ought to have. The man sighed deeply again, shaking his head gently. In two days, they would go and attend the Nami and Tsuki gathering for the Running, here in the west of their lands. Perhaps instinct would finally get Sesshomaru to come around, or perhaps he would at least give the females a closer look as they played keep-away.
The silver-haired man looked up as his beloved, the political ruler of the lands to complement his military rule, rested a hand on his shoulder before settling herself daintily beside him. "you're worried about him again, aren't you?" she observed, her golden eyes shining in the afternoon light. "do you think this scheme of yours will actually work?"
He offered another sigh. "I can only hope." He glanced at her and offered a smile and his hand, which she took. "you are welcome to come with us also, my love, you know that. There will be no need of your work for the rest of this moon, you know."
The dainty moon-marked woman looked down, blushing lightly as she knew what that offer entailed. "I have never liked the idea of doing such acts out in the open," she reminded him gently. "I very much like the privacy of our empty palace during this season." His face fell; he had been hoping she would agree as the season grew nearer. It would be uncomfortable, to say the least, to go alone as a mated man, and the last thing they needed were rumors starting about there being dissent between them where none existed.
"well, then," he said, trying a different tack, "should I choose you a concubine? I don't want you to spend the season without me being miserable while I have to try and find our stubborn ass of a son a mate—"
"No! I don't want that. And don't call him such things. Even if he is stubborn…and an ass, sometimes. At least it isn't our fault." She looked up at him as he touched her chin and he kissed her. "won't you please reconsider?" he asked, pleading. "You've never even been to a running before. You don't know what you're really missing."
"I am missing nothing. I would say drop him off at the running and come back to me, but we already know that doesn't work," she sighed with some amusement. She offered a tiny smile as he chuckled beside her. "besides that, I am sure there are treaties I could use the time to review, and other projects I may be able to finish now that my largest distraction is away from the palace for a while," she teased him, enjoying his laugh as he wholeheartedly agreed that he could sometimes be quite a distraction to the little woman.
"whether this works or not, my love, next year you are staying," she told him in a softer, warmer tone as she leaned over against his strong arm. "as many problems as Sesshomaru causes, perhaps it would be better for us to start over with a new heir…" he chuckled again, thinking it was just a joke for a few seconds until he realized she was being serious in at least a few ways.
"hmm…perhaps you are right, my love…"
Sesshomaru panted, holding the wooden sword before him, glaring at his opponent. The man across the room stood 6 inches taller than him and a little heavier, and was standing tall and at ease, not even breathing hard. Snarling, Sesshomaru attacked again, trying every move he knew in every combination he could think of, but he couldn't even close to land a blow on the man. He hated, HATED the clacking of the swords bouncing uselessly off one another as the man blocked and parried without any apparent effort.
"I hate you, Father," Sesshomaru growled, pausing to pant again, bending over slightly as he returned to his side of the room. "I will beat you!"
"not anytime soon, obviously," he commented in a disappointed tone. "you have plenty of power, my son. But anger will not help you to use it." He blocked a few more blows as the boy tried again to attack, then pressed his own attack, leaving him quickly with several dozen welts and bruises all over his pale skin. "pathetic. You don't listen to anything I tell you!" he snarled. "you're so focused on attacking me and trying to get past my guard that you completely neglect your own. You're not trying to win, with tactics like that—you're trying to die." He tossed aside his practice sword and started to untie his armor, turning his back.
The next thing he felt was a sharp jab in the middle of his back, opposite his heart, and closed his eyes in disappointment, letting out a deep sigh and giving the stupid boy a few seconds to run before he retaliated. The point of the practice sword didn't even move in those precious few seconds, and Sesshomaru didn't see his father move. The next second, he was flat on his back with his father sitting on his chest, one huge hand pressing on his throat and chin, snarling, his eyes a dangerous red.
"have you NO honor at all?!" he asked in a tone that was far more growl than speech as he fought to stay within his human form. "you may claim my blood, but to seek my life in such a cowardly way, you are no son of mine. Consider this your only warning. There will be no second time." The Taishō removed his hand from his son's neck as the boy willingly turned his head, bearing the vein in his throat to his superior in submission, closing his eyes. Both of them could feel his heart hammering, for this was the only man Sesshomaru had ever met that could scare him in any way. He had no doubt that his father was completely serious, just as he had been with the jab. He was bitter and wanted to land a 'killing blow' on a man he clearly could not match. But with such speed and fury…he would have been in the afterlife before he could blink had his father wanted to kill him. Sesshomaru knew he would not be making such a mistake again.
He opened his eyes as he felt the prick of fangs on his neck, accepting his submission, then a tight hand on his scruff dragged him back to his feet. "get out," the Taishō spat, making a dismissive gesture. "we will not spar again until we return from the running."
Sesshomaru did his best to walk away without limping, pausing in the hallway to rub at his neck and calm his racing heart. That had been too close. Much, much too close for him.
As the Taishō reached the large field full of his clanmates and those few of his mate's, he glanced behind him. Sesshomaru, also in his true form, was lagging behind, tail and head lowered. It was obvious he did not want to be here. "cheer up, my son! The running will begin soon. At least enjoy yourself while you are here. Stretch your legs, do some hunting. Perhaps you will find someone worthy of your affections without realizing it." The boy gave a surly growl and looked away, trying to ignore his father. Well, there were other matters he needed to discuss with the daimyō and minor lords before the festivities began anyway. The Taishō trotted over to a relative of his, the Nami daimyō, and sat down.
"do you think the restrictions will hold?" he asked the silver-furred hound who was lounging with his mate in the midmorning sun.
"Taishō-sama! I didn't notice you arrive," the man yipped, sitting up and dipping his head respectfully. "are you well? How is the Lady Mother and your heir?"
"I asked you a question."
"oh! Of course. I made sure to explain to all my lords, and I am certain they told their subjects. There shouldn't be any more human-hunting incidents this year with the new borders we've set up."
"good." He turned at a growl and saw Sesshomaru sitting apart from the others, hunched in on himself while a couple of young females sniffed and poked at him teasingly. He kept growling but apparently wasn't brave enough to try to get rid of the girls in any way. The man gave a huff of amusement and walked back over to his son, clearing the girls out of the way and watching his son relax once they moved off. "that's no way to treat the ladies, my son. Perhaps that is why you can't find a mate," he teased, sitting beside him once more. "the hunt will start at noon. Be ready."
As the last of the clan members gathered, many coming to speak with the Taishō-sama and his heir, the two Daimyō gave a signal and everyone stood. "it is time for the Running to begin. Everyone, good luck," the Nami daimyō called out with a howl. Everyone took off at a run, some even flying, in every direction, looking for prey. The Taishō watched as Sesshomaru took off with a small clump of promising females and nodded in satisfaction before running off with a different group.
The massive InuYōkai was just finishing his second wild sheep when a high scream sounded from somewhat nearby. He licked the blood from his muzzle the best he could and bolted after the sound. That was a human! "STOP!" he howled, squeezing between the trees to reach the clearing where 3 younger Tsuki stood, two females and a male. 3 humans were already dead, and looked to be guards of some sort. The fourth human, a dainty young female with fancy layered clothing, was trying to hide under a tree, cowering and crying, from the massive white beasts. "Stop, I said!" he snarled, getting between the attackers and their prey. "the law is clear. Hunting humans is forbidden!" he told them furiously. They all reluctantly retreated, even leaving behind the dead that were rightfully their prey.
As the massive hound turned to look closer at the little ningen woman under the tree, she screamed in terror again, hurting his ears, and hid behind her large sleeves, cowering and shaking. "please don't eat me!" she wailed, clearly terrified.
"I…I'm not going to eat you. I just said it was forbidden," he snuffled softly, forgetting that humans couldn't understand the language InuYōkai spoke while in their true form. The girl looked up, then squealed and hid again, falling as her weak knees gave way in terror. All she had seen was the blood-covered muzzle of a massive killer beast who was probably trying to decide if she was worth the trouble of chewing over swallowing whole! "Kami-sama, please don't let me die today!" she prayed desperately.
Realizing, belatedly, that the ningen could not understand him, he knew there was one thing left to do. With her guards dead and well within the boundaries he had set, it was a matter of time before someone else made a meal of her. He concentrated on his human form and settled into it, quickly wiping the last of the sheep's blood from his mouth. He stepped the last few feet forward and bent down, offering his hand.
"please, princess, do not be afraid. I will protect you, I promise."
A/N: this is one of the few that will have a second part actually, so stay tuned! Please review and help me decide on a better name!