Disclaimer: I own Ashi and his mom, and the idea behind Ashi's jewel thing. But I also do not own Hoshi. EITHER one of 'em they belong to Clear Shadow. And the rest of what you recognize belongs to Rumiko Takashi.
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"Ashi…Ashi…Ashi where are you?" The voice was growing faint as Ashi tried to see through the mist, which had ascended.
"Mother?" he called out "Mother?!"
"Where is my son? Ashi don't leave me alone. Stay with me." Ashi clawed through the mist trying desperately to find to owner of the voice.
"I'm coming mother, wait for me I'm coming!" he called. "MOTHER!"
Ashi sat up with a start and looked around. He wasn't lost in a thick fog he was laying underneath a tree. He pulled himself back against the tree and leaned into it, "These dreams are going to drive me insane. I've got to figure out a way to stop them." Ashi's fox ears twitched as he looked around, familiar sounds filled them. He yawned, stretching his paw like hands up towards the sky, his bones cracking as he stretched. A rumble erupted from his stomach "hmm wonder if there is anything around here to eat?" Ashi sniffed the air. He smelt water and in that water he smelt fish, "today's my lucky day, I smell Perch!" the boy scampered off through the field until he came upon the river he had smelt.
Wading waist deep in the cool water Ashi stood his hand over the water just waiting for a fish to make a mistake and swim under his waiting hand. Ashi waited with patience. 'Good things come to those who wait.' His mother had always said. Just as he had hoped, a fish swam under the shadow of his hand and with his sharp claws he was able to grab the fish right out of the water with his hand too.
"Yes! Breakfast!" Ashi exclaimed he was about to head back to the shore when the ripples in the water caught his eye.
He watched the ripples calm and return to the smoothness of the river. Ashi stared at the face that stared back at him. He could see the fox ears poking out through his reddish colored hair. The small fangs protruding from his mouth his yellow colored eyes, his claw paw like hands in which wriggled a live fish. Ashi glared at the face, he hated what he was. A half demon, his mother had been human, his father a kitsune. Ashi could feel his anger rising as he stared at his reflection. In truth he didn't know what he was he wasn't human and he wasn't a demon. He was just a loner. He was tired of being half; he was going to be a full. He was going to be a full human not just half, just like his mother had wanted. He'd never have to think about demons again.
"I will be human and I'll never have to look at you ever again!" he said loudly, and hit the water hard, the reflection disappeared into the ripples. He ran out of the water before the water could calm. Back on shore Ashi took some flint out of his bag and started a fire. He began roasting the fish on a stick and could feel his mouth watering as he smelt the fish cooking. Ashi was about to sink his teeth into the fish when his sharp hearing picked up on the sound of someone coming through the woods. He sniffed the air, the smell was that of a human. Ashi hid the fish under a rock near the fire to keep it warm. Then quickly climbed the tree over looking the stream and his little camp. Staying as quiet as he could, Ashi watched as the human came into view. It wasn't what he was expecting, actually he wasn't sure what he was expecting but, this wasn't it. A black haired girl wearing a kimono and prayer beads around her neck. She walked over to the small fire and picked up the small satchel that lay a few feet away. Ashi could have hit himself for forgetting to grab it. His hand flew to his neck to the necklace he always wore around his neck, a round hollow jewel hung off the chain.
The inside the space was supposed to be a jewel, which his mother had found.
The jewel when worn on a half-demons moon would reflect the moon light and keep the wearer human, unless they took the jewel or the necklace off during their opposite moon. The minute they did, they would revert back to their half demon form. Ashi had the jewel in his possession, but after his mother had died, his father had found him. Promising to return the jewel on the crescent moon phase, which was Ashi's moon, Ashi's father told the boy he was taking it for safekeeping. Ashi never saw the jewel again. As far as Ashi knew his father had it and with his father was Ashi's half brother Shippo a full demon. And if Ashi knew his father he had probably given the jewel to Shippo knowing Ashi wouldn't go after his brother. That's what he thinks, Ashi thought. If I ever see Shippo again, I'm going to get the jewel from him however necessary. The necklace was down in his satchel he had taken it off so it wouldn't fall in the stream.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" the girl called out, "Hello?"
Ashi cracked his knuckles he wasn't going to hurt her he was just going to scare her away. That was his campsite and that was his satchel and that was his breakfast!
"HEY!!!!" Ashi shouted and jumped down from the tree, landing between the girl and the fire. She jumped a little then stared at him.
"Sorry I thought it was abando-" she started to say, and then she caught sight of his ears. "You're a demon?"
"Half, if it's any of your business," He took a step forward "Look just drop the bag, walk away, and maybe I won't kill you."
"Your awfully little for a demon aren't you?" Ashi's glare intensified and he cracked his knuckles
"I told you I ain't a demon."
"Well then you might want to get rid of the ears."
"I'm half and that bag is mine, so like I said just drop it and go away," Ashi pulled out a slingshot and loaded a rock into it, "I aint fooling around," He took aim.
"What kind of demon half or full uses a slingshot?" the girl asked
What is with this girl? She's got a rock aimed right at her head and she isn't even flinching. Ashi thought
"Look girl, I'm warning you." Ashi let the rock fly. But instead of hitting the girl it knocked the bag right out of her hand. It fell a few feet away from her.
"You almost hit me!"
"Hey, I told you to drop the bag, I even gave you the option of dropping it on your own terms. Its not my fault you didn't heed my advice," He loaded up another rock, "Now go away or else I wont almost hit you." The girl backed away and ran into the woods.
"Stupid girl," Ashi grumbled, he picked up the bag and slipped his necklace on. Then, he walked over to the fire, which was starting to die; he added more wood to it, and, moved the rock taking out his fish. It wasn't warm anymore. "Damn it, I'm so hungry that I don't want to warm it up again," He made a face, "But eating it raw isn't top on my list," so Ashi was back where he started, he began warming the fish over the fire. The smell of the cooking fish filled the area. Suddenly, Ashi picked up on another familiar scent, it was that girl again. This time Ashi wasn't going to hide his fish. If she wanted it she'd have to take it from his lifeless hand.
"You know that fish might smell and taste better with some herbs."
Ashi looked at her he hadn't seen her approach, but, suddenly there she was.
"How would you know?" he snarled
"I cook," the girl said, "Let me try ok?" Despite his better judgment Ashi nodded
"Then will you go away?" She shrugged. Smiling benignly.
"Sure."
"Fine then, but I'm not sharing my fish. You want fish, you've got to get it yourself."
"Ok then" she walked down to the river and began trying to catch a fish, with Ashi following to watch. One thing was for certain, the girl could not fish. Ashi was on the verge of rolling on the ground laughing.
"You're pathetic," he said, "Can't even catch a damn fish."
"Like you could do any better." She retorted
"Blindfolded." Ashi walked into the water and waited, within seconds, a fish swam under his hand and Ashi grabbed it. He tossed the fish to the girl, "Told you," He said and walked back to the shore.
The girl smiled and nodded to his back. Ashi watched as the girl cooked both fishes, adding herbs and spices to them. He had to admit, it did smell good, a lot better then his fish had smelt.
"So why'd you help me get a fish?" the girl asked as they ate. Ashi wasn't going to admit out loud to anyone, especially not a girl, but the fish was actually very good.
"If I had let you keep trying to get your own fish. You'd still be down there acting like an idiot."
"So you do care?"
"Look, just cause you made me breakfast doesn't mean I care about you, you're the one who came in here and tried to walk off with my stuff," Ashi snapped taking a bite. "So do you have a name? Or do I just call you stupid girl?" he added innocently.
"I don't know." The girl said Ashi looked at her
"What do you mean you don't know? That's pretty pathetic, if you can't even remember your own name," The girl glared at him
"its not like I don't know it by choice. I can't remember anything, my name, my family, where I came from, how old I am. I've been wandering around trying to find just that. You're the first….um…..'person' I've seen in a while, when I saw that this place was occupied I was hoping to find the person it belonged to," Ashi rolled his eyes.
"So you cant remember anything? Nothing about your past?" he asked
"Like I said I can't remember the only clue are these prayer beads and a song."
"Pray beads huh?" Ashi's ears twitched. "and a song?" she nodded but didn't expand.
"So you haven't told me you name." She said looking at him. Ashi leaned into the tree.
"Your point?" he said shortly
"You asked me mine."
"And I didn't get an answer so what makes you think I'm going to give you mine?"
"Out of courtesy."
"What's that? Ashi asked sarcastically
"Please?"
"Why the hell do you care?"
"So I know what to call you so I can thank you for the fish." She smiled wickedly, "unless you want me to call you Demon-Boy," Ashi rolled his eyes again.
"Whatever, its Ashi. Tell you what not that I owe you anything, but what if I gave you a name? That way you don't sound like such an idiot when people ask you your name. Not that I care or anything."
"You're a very kind person." She said sarcastically.
"Thanks," Ashi replied matching her sarcasm. He thought for a moment, "How about Hoshi?"
"Hoshi?" she asked
"Yeah I have a baby sister named Hoshi." Ashi answered. "I'm not good with names so take it or leave it."
"I'll take it it's a very nice name." Hoshi said "thank you. That's sweet of you," Ashi shrugged and added another log to the fire.
"So, you have a sister?" Hoshi asked
"Yeah"
"What about your parents?"
"Who knows."
"What kind of parents let a little kid wander around by himself?"
"I'm old enough to take care of myself I don't need anyone." Ashi looked up at Hoshi, "Lets just say I don't get along with my family. My mother was the only one I actually care about-" he stopped "Why am I telling you all this?" he asked more to himself then to her.
"I'm guessing your mother is human?" Ashi started into the fire
"Yeah she was human."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Whatever." Hoshi looked like she was going to reply to Ashi's attitude but then decided against it.
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"What's it to you?" Ashi asked.
"I was just wondering if you would like to stay with me for a few days."
"Now why the hell would I want to stay with you?" Ashi demanded standing up, he picked up his bag and threw some dirt on the fire. He was heading into the woods when Hoshi called to him.
"I'll feed you." Ashi's ears perked up. Food?
"If you're just inviting me to stay with you so I can get food and protect you then-"
"No, I'm inviting you to stay because I don't think anyone should be alone." Hoshi interrupted "But I will feed you in exchange for help around the house."
"As long as I'm not getting the short end of this deal." Ashi said and followed Hoshi through the woods.
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I really hope you liked the first chapter. If was hell tryin to come up with a title for this thing. If you have any ideas for a different chapter just let me know. Thanks everyone and please review.