Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young lord lived in a shining temple surrounded by a small, but nice was a half-demon who's mother was a Lady of the small village, and everyone loved her and in a way loved her son. After his mother's passing he became the young lord with no objections from the village. Although he had everything his heart desired, the lord was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the temple and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the lord sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful priestess. The lord tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she placed a powerful spell over temple and village, and all who lived there. Only a small amount of land was available to hunt and collect wood, but nothing more. Ashamed of his unforgivable act, the lord concealed himself inside his temple, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another from a different village, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain locked in the temple and the surrounding land for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for no other mortal or demon would love him. For who could ever learn to love a half-demon?

Not far in another village lived a young girl. Her house was on the outskirts of her name was Sango. She was a strange girl to her village only because of what she loved to do. She loved to fight rouge demons, not like a normal girl. On this particular day she was heading into the the village to return a weapon she borrowed from the weapon maker. As she entered the village she was greeted by many of the villagers. She notices the same things as everyother day wondering why they couldn't be more interesting. As she was walking the baker waved her over.

"Good morning, Sango!" He called as Sango walked over.

"Good morning sir!" Sango replied happily.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He chuckled.

"To the blacksmith! I just finished fighting a demon with the new weapon he made and..."

"That's nice...Mikoto, the taiyaki! Hurry up!"

The baker called to his wife ignoring Sango. Sango rolled her eyes as she walked on. As she walked some of the villagers started to talk about how weird she was.

"Look there is Sango. She is so dazed and distracted, can't you tell?" A woman said to another woman.

"She is never part of any crowd." The other said.

"It's cause her head's if the forest fighting demons." A man cut in.

"There is no denying she is a funny girl." The first woman said.

Sango ignored the group talking and hopped on a cart passing by her. As it pulled infront of the blacksmith's workshop she jumped off. She walked inside to see the blacksmith standing there.

"Ah Sango!" He greeted smiling at her.

"Good morning. I've come to return the sword I borrowed." Sango said handing him the sword carefully.

"Finish with it already."

"Oh, I couldn't put it down till I got tired of it! Have you got anything new?" Sango asked looking at the weapons.

"Not since yesterday." The blacksmith laughed.

"That's all right I'll borrow...this one." Sango said pulling the giant boomerang off the rack.

"That one? But your always using that one!" He chuckled.

"Well it's my favorite!" She says turning around to face him. "It abilaty to return when thrown, taking out demons with one blow!"

"Well, if you like it all that much, it's yours!" The blacksmith smiled leading her out.

"But sir!" Sango protested.

"I insist." He smiled.

"Well thank you. Thank you very much!" Sango smiled leaving the workshop.

As she walked by the workshop some boys stood and watched her walk away. The village once again starts talking about her and her joy to fight, as they found it weird for a girl. As Sango walks on she places the weapon on her back.

"Man Sango is a real pretty girl if only she wasn't so odd." A boy said to his friend admiring her.

A bird slowly flew over the village and was shot down. A young man ran over and caught the bird and turned to the man who had shot it down.

"Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Naraku! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!" He said honoring the man.

"I know, Koga!" Naraku said smiling.

"Huh. No demon alive stands a chance against you...and no girl for that matter! Not even me being a wolf demon." Koga smirked as he sat down on the ground.

"It's true, Koga, I am the best demon around. All the girls love me for my dashing good looks, but I got my sights set on that one." Naraku said pointing to Sango as she walked by.

"The inventor's sister?" Koga asked a bit shocked.

"She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry." Naraku smiled.

"But she's..."

"The most beautiful girl in the village." Naraku said cutting off Koga.

"I know.."

"And that makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?"

"Well of course, I mean you do, but I mean..." Koga tried to say but was once again interupted by Naraku.

"Right from the moment I saw Sango I fell for her. Here in this village there is only her, who is as beautiful as me. So I'm making plans to woo and marry Sango." Naraku chuckled following her.

As Naraku walk after Sango, Koga followed. Some girls admired Naraku as he passed by taking about how handsome he was. As Sango walked a crowd of villagers got in the way of Naraku and he became upset, and jumped up on a hut along with Koga. Naraku and Koga jump down from the hut behind Sango.

"Hello, Sango." Naraku greeted her.

"Hello Naraku." Sango said as Naraku took her boomerang. "Naraku, may I have my Hiraikotsu, please?" Sango asked.

"How can you fight with this? It's so heavy and big!" Naraku complained.

"Well some people can handle it."

"Sango, it's about time you stop this fighting demons thing." Naraku said dropping the Hiraikotsu. "And pay attention to more important things...like me! The whole village's talking about it. It's not right for a woman to fight...soon she starts getting ideas...and thinking."

"Naraku you are positively primeval." Sango says picking up the Hiraikotsu and setting it on her back.

Naraku places his hand on her shoulder and smiles taking it as a compliment.

"Why thank you, Sango. Hey, whaddya say you and me take a walk over to the tavern and have a look at my hunting trophies." Naraku bragged to her.

"Maybe some other time." Sango says pulling away from Naraku.

"What's wrong with her?" A girl asked another.

"She's crazy!" The other replied.

"He's gorgeous." She smiled.

"Please, Naraku. I can't. I have to get home and help my little brother." Sango said walking away from Naraku.

"Ha ha ha, that crazy loon, he need all the help he can get!" Koga said as him and Naraku laughed.

"Don't you talk about my brother that way!" Sango said stamping her foot on the ground.

"Yeah, don't talk about her brother that way!" Naraku back fires on Koga hitting up upside the head.

"My brother's not crazy! He's a genius!" Sango shouts.

A big bang sounds from her hut, and she spins around to her house. Naraku and Koga burst out laughing as Sango rushes home. When she gets to the hut she walks back to the shed to see everything everywhere.

"Kohaku?" Sango called for her brother.

"How on earth did that happen? Dog gonnit!" Kohaku said coming out of the debry.

"Are you alright, Kohaku?" Sango asked helping him up.

"I'm about ready to give up on this hunk of junk." He said kicking an ax looking machine.

"You always say that." Sango chuckles.

"I mean it this time, sister. I'll never get this boneheaded contraption to work." Kohaku whinned.

"Yes, you will. And you'll win first prize at the festival tomarrow." Sango said trying to cheer her brother up.

"Hhhhhph!" Kohaku said crossing his arms and looking away.

"...and become a world famous inventor!" Sango added in placing her hands on his shoulders.

"You really believe that sister?" Kohaku asked looking at her.

"I always have." Sango smiled.

"Well, what are we waiting for. I'll have this thing fixed in no time." Kohaku said sliding under the machine. "Hand me that dog-legged clencher there...So, did you have a good time in the village today?" Kohaku asked.

"Well the blacksmith told me I could keep the Hiraikotsu." She smiled.

"Really? That's your favorite weapon sister." Kohaku smiled.

"Kohaku do you think I am odd?" She asked.

"My sister? Odd?" Kohaku asked crawling out from under the machine and looking up at her. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just I'm not sure if I fit in here. There's no one I can really talk to." Sango said looking at the ground.

"What about that Naraku guy? He seems to like you." Kohaku said checking the last things on the machine.

"Yea he seems to like me, but he is rude and conceited and...Oh Kohaku, he's not for me." Sango said as her brother placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, don't you worry, cause this invention's going to be the start of a new life for us." Kohaku smiled. "I think the machine might be ready now. Let's give it a try ok sis?"

Kohaku starts to spin a wheel on the side of the machine and the machine whirs and starts to chop the block of wood that it placed infront of it's self. When it finishes chopping the wood it throws it into the pile of chopped wood on the side of the hut. Both Sango and Kohaku stare in shock.

"It works!" Sango shouted.

"It does? It does!" Kohaku shouts hugging his sister.

A little later Sango begins cooking lunch. Kohaku could not sit still. He couldn't believe that his wood chopper actually worked. Sango laughed and placed his food infront of him.

"Well eat up Kohaku. It's awhile to the next village." She smiled sitting herself.

"I really can't believe it works Sango!" Kohaku smiled as he ate his lunch.

"Do you mind hitching up the horse for me sister?" Kohaku asked as Sango finished her food.

"Sure Kohaku." Sango said walking outside to the horse.

She hooked up the horse, Takuto. After Kohaku was done with his food he came out to Sango. She helped him up on Takuto, and hooked the machine on the cart. Kohaku started to ride off to the village as he waved back to his sister.

"Good bye, Kohaku! Good luck!" Sango called.

"Good bye, sister, and take care while I'm gone!" Kohaku called back.