Dying to Live
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
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PART II: LIVING
There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.
-Albert Einstein
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Jaken's short, little legs started to cramp from crouching for so long in the tall grass. He leaned against the Staff of Two Heads and thought about how he gotten into such pathetic situation.
He had been waiting for almost two hours, and now that the sun was about to set, soon it would be too dark to easily spot any movement in the high vegetation. Losing hope, the little imp was beginning to contemplate not going back to the cave at all that night—But if I don't go back tonight, how severely will Master punish me when I do finally return? he wondered with a fearful shiver –when suddenly he heard the familiar scrabble of rodent feet passing nearby.
Listening keenly, he expertly identified the approximate location of the unseen creature, and having carefully aimed the Nintoujou, with the Old Man's face pointed in the right direction, Jaken softly breathed the command, "Fire." Immediately following the fireball shot from the Old Man's mouth, a pained, high-pitched squeak told him they'd hit the mark. Stiffly, the little green demon rose from his hiding spot. Dragging the already heavy, stained burlap bag and parting the long blades of grass with the pointed end of the Nintoujou, he soon found the dead possum's body, still smoking slightly. Grimacing as usual, Jaken delicately lifted the dead animal up by its wormy, rat-like tale and hurriedly dropped it into the burlap bag with the nine other dead possums he'd already managed to catch. After a moment's hesitation, he finally willed himself to head back to his new master's camp, slowly dragging along Nintoujou and of course, the bag of half-toasted, dead possums.
The current situation began when Jaken finally really got up the will to start his search for a new master. No matter how much he longed for and missed his beloved Lord Sesshomaru, whom he vowed would never be replaced or matched with any other master in his tiny, green heart, Jaken had come to the conclusion that he was a demon best fulfilled in the service of other, more powerful demons. In other words, Jaken realized he could still be the perfect vassal to another demonic lord, but he couldn't be truly great himself again until he found someone else truly great to follow.
So having mustered the energy to wash and clean his clothes again, he set off on the first slightly warm day of the year, feeling that for the first time in months, there was fresh wind in his sails. Unfortunately, this initial gale of enthusiasm wasn't bond to last, when after almost week of traveling he didn't come across even a single demon even worth his notice. Many days passed before the imp even heard even of a self-proclaimed lord in the surrounding area; yet, when he finally went to meet that so-called "great leader", a lizard demon, he had been a sore disappointment. First, Jaken had been forced to explain meaning of the word "vassal" to the dullard before the giant lizard even began to understand what Jaken was seeking an audience about in the first place. What was the purpose of being a loyal vassal to a demon who didn't even realize the need for one? Jaken had wondered, having finally caught his breath after running away, having received a number of very real sounding death threats from that unworthy sham-of-a-lord and his seedy, reptilian gang.
Similar meetings followed in the proceeding weeks. Finding all those demons either insufferably stupid, insipid, lazy, or otherwise unforgivably underwhelming, Jaken had no choice but to go off—most often running for his life—on his own, searching once again.
One morning, Jaken was shuffling along, half-mumbling-half-sniffling to the Staff of Two Heads about how much he missed their Lord Sesshomaru as usual. Then, without any warning at all, the ground suddenly lifted up: Jaken felt himself flying and then swinging through the air on his back. As his eyes finally snapped open and he had recovered slightly from the dizzying motion, he found little bits of leaves and dirt floating down onto his face, and the tree tops were suddenly much closer in his vision.
The tree tops! Then- Wait a second! "WAHHHHHRRRRGGGG!" Jaken had wailed as he gripped onto Nintoujou and began twisting frantically about in the huge net that was still full of the leaves and dirt that had disguised it before it flew upward, trapping him.
"HEY! Who goes there?" a high pitched voice called up. Jaken stopped flailing for a moment and looked down to find a group of five kitsune demons, no taller or older looking than seven-year-old human boys.
Jaken's yellow eyes bulged in indignation at the sight of the lesser demons who had captured him. "Put me down this instant, you-you… ruffians!" he shouted, jabbing an accusing, tiny claw in their direction. "I am Master Jaken, former vassal for hundreds of years to the great Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, and I order you to release me this instant!"
The one who appeared slightly larger and taller than his fellows snickered lightly. "Okay, as you like," he replied with a smirk and motioned to one of his friends. A small flare of bluish-green fire shot from one of the kitsune's raised palms, and as it burned straight through the rope holding the net, Jaken found himself falling through the air again until he hit the ground with a deafening thud. His eyes spun for a minute, but when Jaken finally had the strength, he quickly jumped to his feet with the Nintoujou in his hands, ready to fire, only to find himself surrounded by the kitsune. From every side they blocked him, their bluish fox fire already blazing in each of their, tiny raised hands. Despite the fact the kitsune were no taller than human children, Jaken quickly saw how much shorter he actually was in comparison. A nervous lump clogged his throat.
"So, Master Jaken of the Western Lands," their leader had said, making the tone of his youthful voice purposely unctuous and drawing threateningly nearer. Jaken could almost feel the heat of the blue fire on his green, toady skin. "What's your purpose of business in the Mid-Western Fox Tribe's territory?"
"I-I'm in search of a new master to serve," the imp replied, his voice wavering slightly.
"What happened to your previous master, eh?" the leader pressed, jabbing unpleasantly in Jaken's direction with his flaming hands.
"H-he," Jaken anxiously tried to think how to answer. "He had a fatal accident… and released me from his service."
"Had an 'accident', huh?" The leader of the kitsune seemed to be assessing that answer. "Then, now who exactly are you looking for?"
"Uh, maybe you can tell me," Jaken said, sweating as he still carefully watched the foxes' fire. "I'm seeking audiences with the most illustrious demonic lords in the land. Perhaps you can helpfully point me in the direction of the most powerful demon in this region?"
The fox leader gave him a strange look. "Well, if powerful is what you're looking for, then that would be the ogre, Taikobara-Oni (太鼓腹鬼). He and his gang patrol the entire mountain top area, right down to the foothills that begin only several miles from here. We've had to move our settlements several times in the past months in order to avoid his territory as it's expanded. The humans have abandoned most of their villages around here, too, because of him."
"Oh, well, then he sounds quite formidable! Then, if you'll point me in the right direction, I'll be on my way!" the little demon told his captors, mainly interested in getting away from them more than anything.
"Yeah, except that would make you an ally of our enemy then," one of the kitsune retorted smartly, baring his small fangs.
"Uhhh…" Jaken just trailed off, finally gulping audibly and sweating a little more profusely.
"Um, guys," the leader cut in again, looking from their prisoner to the rest of his group. "If you'll come here a sec," he said, motioning his fellows into small huddle as one of them kept a close eye on Jaken. Once they all had their heads together, he spoke in a lower voice: "Let's tell him and just let him go."
"But, Taiyouko-aniki, shouldn't we just finish him now?" one of his younger fox brothers asked, a look of pure concern on his face.
"Yeah, why should we let him just go straight to our enemy like that?" another asked.
Taiyouko smiled mischievously. "Because, my brothers, you seem to be forgetting what old 'Drum Belly' (太鼓腹)does best."
"Oooh!" the brother across from him said, his mouth suddenly forming an excited "o". "He'll eat 'em right up for sure!"
"Of course! You are so bad, Aniki!" another hissed happily.
"And we won't even have to do a thing," Taiyouko grinned naughtily again.
Jaken watched them conclude their small pow-wow. Their leader spoke again as they faced him: "Alright, imp, we've decided we'll let you pass this one time, because you've got a pretty honorable reason for going."
"Th-thank you," Jaken stuttered, just feeling glad that it no longer looked like they were going to burn him to a crisp. "And will you tell me which way to go?"
"Oh, yeah, don't worry: we'll tell you right where to go…" the fox demon replied, his voice all reassurance.
Several hours later, the position of the sun had told Jaken that it was late afternoon and soon enough the moon would be making its ascent from behind the trees. As the ground's incline grew steeper and stonier and the air thinner and harder to breathe, Jaken started to wonder if he'd just been tricked by the kitsune into climbing the mountain side for nothing. About an hour later though, he unexpectedly stumbled out of the tangle of scrubby mountainside trees onto a narrow ledge. Stopping to rest in the moonlight, he turned and noticed that the flat, platform-like outcrop grew wider and twisted out of sight around the mountain's rocky face… just like the kitsune had described.
Jaken's heart had skipped a beat as it dawned on him that he had to be very close to Taikobara's cave. Taikobara, a small voice inside of him said in a slightly nagging way. "Drum Belly", right? That's sort of a weird name, isn't it? his inner voice observed, making him feel weirdly unsure about going on. Frowning he looked up at the bitter expressions of the Nintoujou's ancient faces. "No! No!" Jaken berated himself, stiffening his expression to match those of the staff. "We must not be too afraid to find a new master!" Even if this one is only a filthy ogre! he thought haughtily by way of building his confidence. Well, you have to start somewhere, Jaken! he told himself. And with a determined huff, he marched around the cliff face with the staff held straight and tall in his grasp.
The orange flicker of firelight made Jaken freeze almost immediately, though. That's when he noticed inside the cave ahead the three massive ogres, almost as tall as trees even as they sat upon boulders around the bonfire between them. They were turning what must been a horse on a spit over the flames and laughing raucously, when Jaken strode up, his chest puffed out and a determined look fixed on his face.
Since the cave's inhabitants didn't even notice him at first, he cleared his throat and sucked in a big breath. In a voice much louder than he expected, he bellowed: "Oi!"
Well, that got their attention! Jaken thought, trying not to cringe as three pairs of yellowish, blood-shot eyes glared menacingly in his direction. The sound of his rather abrupt salutation continued to echo awkwardly around the cave walls.
Grimacing, the one on the right side of the massive fire pit indelicately turned and spat a rather large bone practically at Jaken's feet. Then, he crudely inquired, "Wutin the hells izit?"
Realizing a little startlingly that he didn't know whether the ogre was asking what the matter was or more generally what he, Jaken, was, he went on with his introduction: "I, Master Jaken, former vassal of the Great Demon Lord Sesshomaru of the West Lands, seek an audience with the great Taikobara-Oni! Is he here?"
For a moment the ogres just stared. Finally, Jaken watched as the ogre in the middle, sitting on the other side of the flames, suddenly rose from his seat like a mountain rises into a view over the horizon line. With skin as grey and dull as stone and a tangled white mane of hair like snow, Taikobara Oni looked even more like a mountain, be it topped with two sharp looking horns, than Jaken initially thought. And then Jaken also saw the reason for the name Drum Belly: with a gut bigger than either of the two oni flanking him, Taikobara's belly was bigger than a boulder itself. Connected to muscular legs and arms thick as tree trunks and a chest chiseled like a cliff face, his corpulent middle didn't make him look sluggish as it might have though. "I's here," its big hungry looking mouth moved, as the giant oni identified himself. "Wutzit want with I?"
Jaken shuttered. "I seek to loyally serve as vassal a worthy new master," he croaked. "And I've heard tell of your power and strength, and so I've come to in-"
He was cut off as Taikobara erupted into rough laughter, his belly shaking with the rest of him. "Wutzit sayin'?" he burst out to his companions, pointing a gigantic finger in Jaken's direction.
"It's so small—ken't barely herrit!" the one on the left guffawed.
"Careful, you eat it, it mine't stick 'n yer teeth!" the one on the right howled, much to Jaken's horror. Slowly, he started backing away.
"It wants to serve—how would you like it to serve ye, Taikobara?" Righty carried on.
"Hot, cold, or raw?" Lefty hooted deafeningly.
"Look, it's leaving!" Righty noticed as Jaken was almost out of the light of the fire.
With a long reach of his arm, Righty easily plucked the little demon up between two fingers. Jaken thought for sure he was going directly into the huge demon's mouth, but instead he found himself at the fireside again.
"Look, its face's sorta funny, Taikobara. Howd'ya want it?" Righty asked again.
"Wut're ye?" Taikobara addressed him directly this time, surprising Jaken a little.
"I-I'm an imp demon, m'lord," Jaken replied nervously hugging the Nintoujou.
"Wut ken it do?" Lefty asked, still speaking about Jaken indirectly like some dumb object in their midst.
"I can assist in surveying your lands, m'lord, as well as liaisoning wi—"
"Still ken't un'erstend," interrupted Righty.
"Should eat it," Lefty pressed again.
"And I can catch food!" Jaken suddenly shouted over the oni beside Taikobara.
"Wut kinda food?" Drum Belly asked, interested in Jaken again.
"Newts, lizards," Jaken replied, barely containing his terror.
"Too small!" Lefty hollered once again. "How ken Taikobara-oni fill his great belly with jus' newtzen' lizards?"
"Wuddabout possum?" Taikobara asked Jaken.
"Possum?" Jaken said dumbly, unable to make himself think for a moment. "OH! POSSUM! Yes, yes, m'lord! I can catch possum for you!"
"Then here," Taikobara said reaching behind him and pulling out what looked like a small square of fabric between his thick fingers. When he tossed it, though, and it fell practically over Jaken's head, the imp realized that it was a large sack made of burlap. "Now, go catch possum, imp," he ordered, and Jaken had scurried off into the darkness.
Looking a little irritated, Righty turned to their leader. "Why din't ye eat'im?" he asked.
"Once ye eat'im, he's gone," the largest oni replied simply. "But now, we ken eat possum anytime."
Lefty and Righty grunted simultaneously, as understanding suddenly dawned on them; indeed, that's why Taikobara-Oni was the leader.
And that was how Jaken had become his vassal almost three weeks before. More like glorified rat killer, Jaken wanted to moan now as he picked his way over the rocks. Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, you never would've made me do something this degrading! the imp thought, struggling to hold back tears. Finally, he clamored over the lip of the steep cliff face and dragged himself wearily in the direction of the mouth of Taikobara's cave.
This evening the huge ogre and his two regular companions, Righty and Lefty as Jaken still thought of them even though he'd heard Taikobara called them Second Brother and Third Brother (whether they were truly related, Jaken really hadn't a clue or given a care), had invited two more of their allies to join them. That meant Jaken had been practically punted from the cave with orders to bring extra snacks for their guests. Managing to discreetly pull the heavy sack, Jaken crept along in the shadows cast behind the two newcomers whose massive bodies sagged over the giant boulders that had been rolled up to the fireside in the afternoon. Finally, he arrived at Taikobara's side and was just about to speak when Righty gave a great snuffle and dropped his gaze to Jaken and his load.
"Oh, look, it's yer new 'vessel'!" Righty snorted amusedly, still sitting to the right of Taikobara. The other four ogres also joined in with great bellowing laughs at this joke, the two new oni apparently recently apprised of Jaken's new station under Taikobara. Biting his tongue out of fear, Jaken just grimaced inwardly at the terrible pun that the dumb hulks seemed to think so funny. Then, without so much as a glance at Jaken, Taikobara snatched the sack from his grasp.
Hungrily, the largest ogre pulled two of the possum from the bag and swallowed them instantly in a single gulp as he usually did, while the others passed the burlap around rapidly enjoying their share. When the bag finally, returned to Taikobara, he pinched the small bag with his fingers to make absolutely sure it was empty. Still without looking at Jaken, he then released the bag so that it floated down and finally landed over the downtrodden little demon's head. Totally without energy, he didn't even move when Drum Belly grunted the command: "More."
It wasn't normally in Jaken's nature to resist a command from his lord, but he'd been out hunting possum, both day and night almost without stop. "But m'lord, I've only just returned—" he started to say.
"I's said 'more'", Taikobara's voice rumbled dangerously like thunder, before he tore the flesh of a freshly roasted leg of deer with his enormous front fangs.
Jaken felt slightly sickened as he watched the enormous oni's mouth pull at the still slightly bloody, stringy meat. He was so worn out, though…. The imp dared to try again: "But, m'lord there were already two for each of you so I thought-"
"Ye hear that, Taikobara? It hadda think!" Lefty hooted spitting globs of animal fat about, as he led the others in laughter.
"Yeah, well's I's not keepin' it t'have a think," Taikobara said pointedly, licking the last of the grease off the bone in his giant hand. "I's said more," he repeated, barely looking out of the corner of his eye at Jaken.
"Yes, master," Jaken replied, bowing low to the ground before he backed out the ring of light, dragging in heavy resignation the blood-stained sack behind him like his own ball-and-chain.
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Note: So with the beginning of Part 2 we finally see where Jaken has wound up – Poor Jaken! How is he going to get out of this terrible situation?
Thanks as always for the awesome reviews I got from the last chapter!
Hon-kyogen: I really did enjoy getting inside Naraku's head for that chapter and look forward to getting back to his plotline.
Chocolatte: Glad to see you're back and enjoyed the wedding chapters so much! Thanks for your lasting dedication to this fic :D
Taraah36: Don't worry, I didn't have Inuyasha meet his mother and father for nothing! Sesshomaru will get help whether he wants it or not. :P
That's all for now ~ Peace, dear readers! Origamikungfu.