The Inugami and his Mistress
by Shunrei Ryuzaki
Disclaimer: InuYasha and its characters isn't mine.
I.
'Such a fool.' His recent loss to that inferior hanyou was such a big insult to his pride as a great inu daiyoukai. He had dared to once again claim the tessaiga from his half-brother using a dragon arm he obtained earlier. Not only that, that bastard son of his father was able to unleash one of the great techniques of tessaiga. He was badly injured but was fortunate enough to live by being saved by the useless heirloom, tenseiga. He will never understand why his father refused to give him the tessaiga and so'unga, as the firstborn son he has the right to inherit those swords! But no, his father had decided to left him with the useless sword tenseiga, a sword that doesn't kill, for him to be able to learn compassion. A healing sword, what kind of mockery that his father left for him against his reputation?
Compassion? He doesn't need it. Why would he, a powerful daiyoukai will succumb to such weaknesses? Humans and hanyous are despicable, pathetic and weak creatures. InuYasha's tainted blood is a disgrace to an inuyokai like him. That compassion is what leads to the untimely death of his father. Sesshomaru felt his rage risen to another level. His hate for his half-brother InuYasha and that wicked hanyou, Naraku ensured that he will have his revenge and swear that those hanyous will find their ends in his own hands. Those who seek the shards of Shikon no Tama are also pathetic. They couldn't and weren't able to get stronger by themselves so they rely on a single shard to increase their powers. Cowards and fools.
Sesshomaru felt weak and vulnerable as of this moment. He was thrown away into a secluded forest and unable to move. His demonic instinct is on high alert. Jagged marks on his cheeks, red demonic eyes glowing giving him a menacing and dangerous appearance. Even in his weakened state, any lower youkai near the area will cower in fear and run for their lives. This Sesshomaru will surely rip them into pieces if some idiots dare to question his state. Lying on his right side, his bloody mokomoko cushioned his battered body on the ground, the thick forest protecting him from scorching heat from the sun even on this late afternoon. It may take several days for him to fully recover and that means he can't lower his guard against unexpected attacks from enemies.
On the corner of his eye, he heard a rustling from the bushes. He caught a scent of a human nearby. Turning his head on to the direction where the human could be, he gave a warning and dangerous growl, red eyes flashing, fangs bared only to find a young woman, a hand clutching the trunk of the nearest tree startled on finding an injured yokai on this area. She only blinked in response to his growl. Getting out from hiding on the tree, she held a bamboo water container and carefully walked towards the yokai, noticing the wounds on his chest, blood staining the fluffy white fur on his right shoulder. She was wearing a dirty, tattered red kimono and looks like she was malnourished and weak with her small stature. Her face has some bruises and dirt, her bright brown eyes looked at him with curiosity and concern. She was also barefoot. Even though her appearance looks like a human peasant, his attention was caught with the hairpiece that holds a small ponytail on the right side of her head. A red flower with small yellow buds and long red ties swished on every turn of her head. He was able to sense a small demonic aura from the hairpiece. It was pulsing, sending a warning that he shouldn't harm the woman in his presence. He internally scoffed, as if he was able to harm her in his current state.
'A woman? ' Sesshomaru thought. Without a warning, the young woman poured the contents of her bamboo container over his head surprising the inuyoukai. The cold water refreshes his heated body, somehow cleaning the dirt and blood from his face. Unable to move, he couldn't get away from the hands of the human woman that was now checking out his wounds, and pouring the remaining water to clean them.
'She... intends to rescue me, huh, ' he thought. He watched as the woman tends to him not saying a single word between them. Leaving him for a moment and getting back to him with more water and herbs and medicines she acquired in the wild forest.
The next day, Sesshomaru was feeling better. His demonic instinct finally calmed down after the woman tended to him. His eyes went back to the normal amber color, his jagged face marks now straight on his cheeks. He could still feel the pain from his wounds and felt dirty like a ragdoll. Checking the area with his nose, he didn't find any threats lurking out near him.
'I can't still move. How long has it been since it happened? ' he asked himself. It has been days since he got these injuries.
Leaning his back on the nearest tree, he heard a movement again from the bushes and saw the face of the same woman who helped him the day before.'She's back again, 'His interest peaked on this human. He never encountered a human before who don't cower in fear in his presence. Some may stupidly think that they could kill him only to find out that their death was forthcoming. This woman is fearless and relentlessly helped him regardless of his race. Also, that weak demonic aura from her hairpiece still lingers when she was near. A human that can withstand a demonic thing? He heard some humans were able to possess demonic things at the expense of their lives or soul or if the youkai who originally owns that power allowed them to use it at their will. But this woman doesn't seem to emit notions that she's capable of using it or anything. Is this woman possessed by another youkai? He couldn't identify the scent of the youkai on her hairpiece. He wasn't strong enough to find out that youkai that protects this young woman from other demons. It was clear though that the youkai didn't mark her as his.
'Unless she's a sorceress.' He shivered at that idea. This woman could be dangerous if she is really a sorceress. A sorceress that could perform kodoku is a creature that most lowly and mythical creatures avoided at all cost. They would try to make a spiritual possession on a youkai to gain a curse or grant their wishes. He couldn't imagine this woman taking several youkai for them just to kill one another until only one survives. That one could be used as her familiar or worst kill that one to use its blood and ashes as a deadly curse against the enemies. He wondered then what was the woman's motive. Judging by her look, she doesn't look like she's capable of it.
She walked silently and with grace which also weird on her current state as a human peasant. There is grace in her every movement. Never stumbling, her eyes always lowered and looked submissive, never dared to look up until she was seated in front of him. Once again, she was holding a bamboo container but also holding something on her other arm. She offered to him a fish that is skewed on a stick and some mushrooms on a large leaf. Seshomaru looked away on the opposite side, disregarding the food the woman offered to him. She laid the food carefully beside him and gave him a curious glance.
"I don't like human food. Mind your own business, " Sesshomaru told her, his baritone voice sending shivers on her spine. She didn't utter a word in response. Slowly, she stood up and walked away from him. Looking one last time over her shoulder, she gave him a sad look before leaving completely.
~oxo~
Rin never thought that she will be able to meet someone like him in her lifetime. When she found him alone and injured in the forest, a part of her remembered the time when the bandits killed her mother and her cousins. She was just 12 summers during that time, badly injured, severely beaten to death by the humans. All her childhood memories were full of joy and laughter, the total opposite of her current predicament. A daughter of the daimyo of the southern lands, Rin was considered as a beautiful young princess in her early years. She was trained to become a proper lady someday but all began to change when her father took a concubine. The woman was selfish and greedy, she seeks power and began to plan to eliminate the lady of the house which is Rin's mother. Although everyone knew that her mother came from a branch family of the Asakura clan known her as a sorceress, she was greatly loved by every staff and servants of the House of the South. Unable to produce a son to her lord husband, she was left but no choice to allow her lord to take another concubine to produce another heir. The concubine succeeded to bear a male child for the lord which now threatens Rin's status and life within the court.
The concubine finding out about the fox spirit as the familiar of her mother used this to eliminate the Lady of the house and the princess from the court and Southern lands. She wrongly accused the Lady enchanting and planning a rebellion with the ministers against the lord. Enraged by these accusations, the Lord exiled his own wife and daughter, ordering anyone to kill them if they dare to step once again to his lands.
The fox spirit which unknown to the public is a nine-tailed fox spirit. She was a fox youkai who once fell in love with the emperor of Nippon, and because of it, she disguised herself as a courtesan to get his attention. She was said to be the most beautiful and intelligent woman the emperor ever met. Due to her origin as a fox youkai who consume souls from their unsuspecting victims, she had caused severe illness to her beloved emperor. Exposed by one of the scholars within the court as the source of the illness, the emperor (despite his claims that he truly loved her), sent a powerful monk to kill her. Overwhelmed with hate because of the betrayal of her lover, the dead youkai, now a fox spirit haunted the shrine where she was killed. She filled the shrine with her demonic aura and poison which instantly kills anyone who dared to trespass the area. Later, she was exorcised and freed from her hatred by Tsubaki of the Asakura Clan, Rin's lady mother.
Unable to protect her mistress from humans aside from other youkai like her, the fox spirit cursed the House of South for the maltreatment they did on her innocent mistress and young lady. Deeply saddened that she couldn't do more to protect the two without her having a physical body, the fox spirit possessed the hairpiece heirloom that was passed from the sorceress of the Asakura clan to each generation. She could only watch and talked to her mistress and young lady these past years. Known as the bearer of bad luck, the mother, and child, as well as the younger sister of her mistress and nephews, were forced to live in a seclusion on a hut on the outskirts of the village. The village was near the border of the Southern Land hence the news of the exiled Lady and Princess were known to the villagers. On her deathbed after the invasion of the bandits, the mistress claimed her first and only wished she asked her familiar. She was asked to help her young daughter to have a better and happier life. The fox spirit swore to her mistress that until her last remaining youki, she will protect her 'Hime-chan'. The young lady was very much like her mistress. Selfless and compassionate to everyone. It doesn't matter if the person is a human or a youkai as long as the young lady could help, she would. Rin of the Asakura Clan exiled Princess of the South wouldn't deny anyone who needs help.
Now, this left the fox spirit restless. Since her 'Hime-chan' found that inu daiyoukai in the forest yesterday, the fox spirit couldn't comprehend the actions of her young lady. While it's true that Rin is now her new mistress, the young lady refused to make a spiritual contract with her. In her defense, Rin had claimed that she was free to go as a free spirit since her contract with her mother already ended. She could but she wouldn't. She's still bound at the last wish of her mistress until then she will possess the hairpiece and stay with the young lady. Now that Rin-hime is now in her fifteenth summers, the fox spirit knew she there's only a couple of years remaining for her to serve the young lady until her youki runs Rin came back to the injured inu daiyoukai this afternoon, she couldn't believe that Rin would offer the youkai a fish for him to consume. While Rin was walking back to the outskirts of the village, she couldn't help but ask her.
'Hime-chan, are you sure you want him as your inugami?' the fox spirit asked her.
Rin blinked and halt her steps. The fox spirit has an idea that Rin doesn't know what she's trying to do with that dangerous inuyoukai. Based on her actions, she knew she was right. Rin lost her voice since the tragic event three years ago where her throat was severely damaged by the bandits.
'You don't know, do you?' she asked again. Her young lady shook her head in response. Her mother did not give her extensive training with regard to sorcery and mythology about youkai. Having an inugami is quite uncommon especially in this era. If a sorcerer or a Miko desire to have an Inugami, one should take a starving dog, cut its head and buried it on a trail where people passed to feed its rage, and burned its head to get its ashes. The other way could be to get a couple of dogs, let them kill each other until only one survives, feed him a fish and make him a familiar or use him to create a curse. The fox spirit was certain that no one in history had ever tried to make an inugami on an inuyoukai, especially not an inu daiyoukai!'What are you thinking, Rin?! ' the fox spirit thought. While Rin's actions are unconventional, the process is the same. She might not have known it but she had just openly declared that the inuyoukai was hers by offering him a fish. An action that the only one left which was full of rage and anger will be the one chosen by a sorceress to become her familiar. The inuyoukai was clearly been injured from an intense battle, his scent tells that he was against an inuyoukai just like himself. When Rin stumbled at him on the forest beaten, injured and his demonic aura full of rage, the moment Rin came to him and tended to him without uncertainty she stakes her claim to the inuyoukai.
Her attention as a sorceress, given to the inuyoukai started the three days ritual between an inugami and the master. The first one was yesterday when she had treated his wounds and silently gave him her full attention. Today was the second day, she had openly declared that he was hers. The third day would be tomorrow. If the inu daiyoukai accepted her offerings and openly accepted Rin as his new master, the bond between the Inugami and inugami-mochi would be final. The fox spirit doubt, it was clear that the inuyoukai is not interested in her young lady, or so she thought.
The fox spirit hopes that the inuyoukai rejects Rin's offerings and leave her alone. She could clearly sense the anger and disdain from the inuyoukai's youki. It was threatening and unforgiving. Rin would be in great danger if the bond between the two will be formed. They would be like opposite sides contradicting each other. She would be the light, he would be the darkness. The inuyoukai is someone not to be messed with. If he dared to touch or hurt the young lady, the fox spirit will be forced to possess Rin to be able to protect her from the powerful youkai.
The sky was already dark when she noticed that Rin was in the village reserve trying to get another fish for the inuyoukai. The fox spirit could only watch and cursed to herself as Rin was beaten by the villagers when they found out that she was the one taking the fish from the reserve. If she was her former self when she hasn't known her mistress and the young lady, she would have released a large amount of youki to kill these stupid humans hurting her Rin.
~oxo~
He wasn't surprised when she showed up once again. What surprised the inu daiyoukai though was her face was beaten. Her right eyes swollen, her cheeks and arms covered with bruises, some already started to darken on her tanned skin. Who else capable of doing such thing to a young woman like her? Her frame so delicate and fragile. Sesshomaru wondered where did she get those bruises. Again, he watched as she silently walked towards him, slowly and gently sat on her feet beside him, offering him another food. This time she offered a dead rat and a lizard. He looked away once again.
"Don't bother," he told her. She looked up again at his face wondering why he kept refusing the food she served to him. She looked down to the dead animals on the large leaf. She admitted to herself she had no idea what youkai like him wants to eat. But he needs to eat, he needs nourishment for him to get better, she thought.
"What happened to your face?" Rin was caught off guard by his sudden question. No one since her deceased mother had asked her about her welfare. Humans hate her because of their association with sorcery and youkai. This was the first time someone asked her. Their eyes met as she stared back at him. Both of them, trying to read each other's mind through their eyes. He waited for her to reply which never came.
'This girl... can't speak?' he realized. "You don't have to say, if you don't want to," Sesshomaru said. Suddenly, she smiled back at him. A smile so radiant, so beautiful, something that Sesshomaru never saw before in his long life years. At that moment, Sesshomaru knew that he will never be able to forget the stupid smile she had given to him.
'What she's smiling about? I just asked about her appearance,' he thought.
~oxo~
It wasn't only Rin who was caught off guard when the inuyoukai asked about her appearance. The fox spirit who silently watched her young lady was surprised by his sudden question. Would this mean that a bond has already been started between the two? She still doubts that the inuyoukai will accept Rin. The last step to the ritual would require the inugami to openly declare that he considered Rin as his which the fox spirit thought quite impossible due to the nature of the inuyoukais. They are prideful, arrogant and undeniably intelligent. She wondered if the inuyoukai is aware of him being a prospective candidate inugami for her Hime-chan.
Screaming was heard within the village, the fox spirit and Rin were surprised when wolves attacked the villagers. The fox spirit could clearly detect the distinct scent of a wolf demon commanding the pack of wolves to annihilate all humans and find that guy who had the jewel shard. She knows that the wolves can also sense her scent to her young lady. Dogs, wolves, and foxes even though there are similarities, they held an undeniable hate for each other. The fox spirit told Rin to run towards the forest even though she knew that was a bad thing since it was a clear invitation to the wolves to take her as their prey. She couldn't possess the girl on time, not when her young lady's emotion is on the peak, instead she released a powerful youki wave warning the wolves to leave the girl alone but they were become more aggressive realizing that she's a fox girl. She could only hope that Rin could outrun the wolves and seek the inuyoukai in the forest for protection. All hope was lost when Rin tripped on the forest floor and was mauled by the wolves.
~oxo~
It was almost nighttime when Jaken found him lying on the forest floor still in his weakened state.
"I've finally found you, Sesshomaru-sama. It's terrible to see you in such a state..., " his faithful vassal told him. Sesshomaru tried to get up on his feet, although still weaker than usual the medicines that the young woman applied to his wounds helped him to get better. He could clearly smell the wolves from afar.
" Aah.. Please don't force yourself..., " Jaken said but was immediately cut off by Sesshomaru.
" I'm going back, Jaken..," he told him as he started to walk away. His steps were halted when a scent of blood reached on his nose. A familiar scent that he couldn't deny.
'That human girl... always left in that direction... ' he thought. Walking towards the trail where the scent is coming from, he found five large wolves hovering over the human girl who tended to his need on the past three days. The youki that was pulsing on her hairpiece was mourning to the loss of the girl's life. He could now identify the youki as a fox youkai's. Rage fills his chest when he looked down at the girl who was lying on the cold soil, blood seeping below her. He knew then that she was dead. An undefined pain constricted on his chest, his eyes glared at the wolves that had killed the Ningen onna. He instantly killed them using his claws. As he looked at the dead ningen once again, he did notice that Jaken followed him. Jaken came and checked on the dead Ningen.
"Ahh... she's already a goner. She's already dead," he heard Jaken say. "Sesshomaru-sama, do you want something from this human?" Jaken asked.
"No," he replied. What else did he want from the human girl? As he looked at her corpse, he couldn't help but remember the sweet radiant smile she had given him this afternoon. He couldn't understand why he felt lost knowing she's dead. The forsaken tensaiga started to pulsed on his side. Looking back at the dead girl, he realized what tensaiga wanted him to do. Pulling out the sword from its scabbard, Sesshomaru walked until he reached the human girl. Staring at her body, Sesshomaru noticed a group of tiny creatures hovering over her.
'I can see them... So these are the minions of the netherworld.' He slashed these creatures with tensaiga. Their ruined bodies disappeared into the thin air. Slowly and carefully, Sesshomaru cradled the human girl's body with his only arm. He watched as slowly the wounds, bruises, and scratches on her body slowly disappeared, followed by a heartbeat slowly but surely getting stronger every second passed. Her body slightly moved in his care, her eyelids opening once more revealing two innocent eyes, looking back at his amber eyes. He released her body. The human girl now slumped down looking at her with a hint of curiosity and happiness in her eyes. She was probably thinking why she was still alive. Moving back, he stood back at his feet and walked away.
'Tenseiga... you made me save a human life today,'.
Staring at the back of the inu youkai, Rin stood up and followed his trail. Happiness filled her entirely as she realized she finally has someone that cares about her.
"Wait for me, Sesshomaru-sama! "she heard the little demon yelled at her back. So Sesshomaru is his name then. She grinned at herself.
~oxo~
The fox spirit is speechless at the moment. She could not believe what transpired between the inuyoukai and her young lady. Did he just accept her little Rin as his master? Did he even realize what he did tonight? She knew that the youkai was clearly better now than the first time Rin saw him days ago. He could just walk away and leave her alone. Dead and cold in the forest floor, mauled to death by the wolves. When Rin died earlier, she was prepared to follow her young lady in the afterlife. Staying in this mundane world would be useless without her mistress and young lady. By going back to Rin in his current state, the bond between him and Rin as an inugami and her as an inugami-mochi has been formally established. A bond that cannot be broken by anyone except when her death comes. The death that he had clearly defied tonight when he revived her using his healing sword. The human girl and the inuyoukai may not know what happened today. The fox spirit wondered now what will happen to her young lady. Her young lady is not a strong sorceress to be able to protect herself. They couldn't form a contract now since Rin had finally taken a clueless inuyoukai as her familiar and her unwilling protector. She could only grant her wishes and keep her company.
Having an inugami is a dangerous path to deal with especially if you just made an inugami out of an inu daiyoukai. It was either she will be killed by him or be killed because of him. The fox demon could only hope that her precious Hime-chan could find happiness in this twisted world.
End of Chapter 1.