Hello my loyal readers, a good day to ya'll :)
A/N: Soooo… anyone remember or even care about this fic anymore? You know, the one I said I was going to write... like, last summer some time? Yeah, well, I decided NOW might be a good time to actually get it going, lol.
There's no real reason I'm choosing to update it now, but I'm finally turning sixteen today, so I'm in a pretty good mood, and figured why not. I WAS going to update it at some point, I never leave a story unfinished (believe me on that!), so you can also expect my other story 'Youkai Flesh' to experience an update in the near-ish future.
Please, please bear with me with my tardy updates, I don't do it on purpose, things just go that way. I have my real GCSE exams coming up in about three or so months, so I really need to revise and everything if I expect to pass (especially for maths).
Maybe that'll shed some light on my rather poor updating? As soon as my GCSEs are finished, I'll have what will be THE longest summer of my young life, leaving plenty of time for my fan fictions! Should be fun ^^
So now that that's cleared up, without further ado, here is the first chapter of Change the World - Enjoy.
Note: Ideas for this story are based on what I think might have happened and how I think events took place. This chapter and the rest are nothing more than interpretations, not necessarily how they actually occurred. Original characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
1. Sango
~A Taijiya in the making ~
"Now Sango!"
'Hit the mark.'
"Concentrate!"
'I will not let you down father.'
"Go for it Ane-ue!"
'Just you watch.'
"HIRAIKOTSU!"
It all came down to this.
A young, brown haired girl of thirteen stared at the large flying bone boomerang that sliced through the air after she had released it. Distinctive whooshes of wind could be heard as the giant weapon ripped through the air currents. Sweat dripped down the back of the young girl's neck as she watched it, preying with everything she had that her boomerang would hit the target. It had to be precise, at the right time, at the exact spot…
Intakes of breath could be heard all around her as the flying weapon sliced through its intended target of youkai. It hit its mark without fail. A yell from the beast could be heard as its body was severed. It would no longer pester this village.
Sango let go of the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding.
A fleet of pride and self satisfaction brewed within her chest as she raised her hand into the air, catching her boomerang weapon as it came back to her. She thought her chest would literally with glee when she heard the villagers cheer her, saw the look of utter delight in her father's twinkling eyes.
She'd made him proud. Proud to call her his daughter.
Sango could hardly contain her joy.
Two small arms wrapped themselves around her middle, a faced buried itself into her abdomen and she could just about make out the words of praise that came muffled out of her younger brother's mouth.
"You were brilliant Ane-ue! You made the mark! I wish I could be as good as that some day! Father must be so pleased!"
Sango placed a gentle hand on her younger sibling's hair, ruffling it affectionately.
"Thank you, Kohaku."
Shouts of praise and astonishment could be heard from multiple places on the field in which she and her brother stood. Sango closed her eyes and allowed herself to relish in this moment, a moment that came so rarely to her.
The final words she'd hoped to hear that would make this glorious moment absolutely perfect soon came when a firm hand landed on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"Well done my daughter. Your mother would have been very proud of you," her father said.
Ah. Life was good.
-x-
All of Sango's life she'd struggled to gain approval. She was a young woman in the making, and as a young woman, the villagers she lived with had certain expectations of her.
Sango came from a hidden village of taijiya, or demon slayers. Despite the village's name, it was the men who trained and did the demon slaying, not the women. Women were expected to take care of their husbands, clean and cook, raise the children and look after the house while the men went out to eliminate the many youkai threats. It was rarely heard of, a female taijiya. It wasn't respected or thought very highly of, either.
But Sango risked reputation and neck to become one.
Why? It was her because of her mother.
Ever since she was a little girl, Sango had always been a little different from the rest. She longed for adventure, to one day seek a life away from the village she called home. She was happy here with her remaining family and friends, but had always felt somewhat out of place. She'd never wanted to practice the art of embroidery or cooking - she was far more interested in the art of battle skills and weaponry. Her father was the headman of the village, the chief taijiya. The number one demon slayer.
Oh, how she'd wanted to be just like him.
Unfortunately, few people had seen it her way. Other girls her age had criticised and teased her, and older men and women had scolded her, telling her it simply wasn't done. Even her father, who loved her with all his being, had shown her dream little support.
"It is not a job I want my little girl caught up in, Sango." He had told her.
Close to tears, Sango had sort out her mother.
"A taijiya? You wish to become one of the village demon slayers?"
"Yes! I wanna be just like Oyaji and slay the youkai! Protect the village! Just like him…"
"It is a dangerous post, Sango."
"That's what father said…"
There had been a pause. Sango had watched as her mother appeared thoughtful for a few moments, as if debating what she had said.
"It would be dangerous for you, Sango, but… that doesn't mean I believe you couldn't do it. Your father would never let anything happen to you, and I know sewing and such has never really been your ideal past time…"
The woman had laughed as Sango's chubby face screwed up in obvious disgust.
"I understand why your father would feel this way. I feel the same, the job is dangerous… but, as well as your safety, I want you to be happy as well Sango. If this is a path you truly wish to follow, then I will not say otherwise."
Sango had never been so happy. She'd wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her tightly. Her mother at least, believed in her.
"Thank you, Okaa…"
"I know you could do anything you put your mind to Sango. You're a bright, beautiful girl, and I'm always proud of you. Know that."
Her mother had died in a youkai attack shortly after that. She and her father had been distraught, but Kohaku had been too young to realise what had happened. Even as a baby, however, he'd sensed the sadness and unease that had fallen on his father and Ane-ue.
The youkai attack had only strengthened Sango's decision. Her mother had believed in her, told her that she was always proud to call Sango her daughter, and supported her throughout everything. The young girl was a mere six years of age when it happened, but already, she'd decided how she would lead her life. Her father had been far from happy, especially after what had happened to his wife, but Sango had been persistent. Eventually, he'd agreed to train her - on the condition that she waited until she were eleven years old. This was the age a boy become properly appointed as a taijiya, though he would have already had plenty of training.
So up until the age of eleven, Sango had rather reluctantly spent her days practising her sewing and cooking like all the other girls. Even at a young age, Sango knew that perhaps her father had only given in to her pleading because he thought her desire to become a slayer was merely a phase - so Sango vowed to prove him wrong.
Now at the tender age of thirteen, Sango didn't think she'd done half bad in showing her father otherwise at all.
She'd been training under her father's supervision and the entire village's scrutiny.
A female taijiya? In their village? Not completely unheard of, but not exactly common.
Or well thought of for a growing woman.
Training had been hard, but Sango had kept going. She swore she'd make her father, her brother and people proud to call her a taijiya. Her mothers words were like a mantra to her…
'You could do anything you put your mind to Sango. You're a bright, beautiful girl and I'm always proud of you. Know that.'
It was hard at first, but things improved as she got further and further into her training. Families had started to watch her as she trained, fascinated, witnessed her inherit her Hiraikotsu when she turned thirteen, seen her strive in combat and dice demon puppets with her katana…
Then, just three days prior, her big break had come. It had been time to prove herself, not just to her father or self, but to the village and all other slayers out there.
To her mother. To prove to her mother that she was worthy of the praise and encouragement she'd given her as a young child.
Her father, brother and almost the entire village had been out watching her as a dangerous looking youkai had entered the village. For once, her father had held back, allowing Sango to take the lead. It had been her moment, her moment to shine.
She'd lifted her boomerang high over her head and taken aim. Just moments before the snake youkai had entered the village, Sango had thrown her weapon forward, sending it flying towards the snake youkai's heart. It had been obliterated in seconds.
And that proud and adoring look her father had given her had meant more to her than anything else at that moment.
She'd proven herself a fine slayer. Everyone respected her for what she stood for, for what she was. An official taijiya.
~Owari~
A/N: You may have noticed Kirara wasn't mentioned. There was no real reason for that - originally, this was going to be a lot longer than it ended up being, and she was going to make an appearance, but I decided against it. It didn't really fit with the whole concept of Sango striving to become a respected female demon slayer. That's all. If I get enough reviews and find people liked this chapter I might lengthen it in the future.
Well, I think you can either love or hate this chapter, it wasn't meant to be anything special. Just something for me to do to pass some time ^.^