Chapter Five: Refuge
"I had wandered north for the longest time, seeking a refuge where I could live with no problems. The lands to the north were plentiful with food and water. There were many streams with fish swimming in them, and there were edible berries and such to eat as well. If I was lucky enough, I would successfully hunt down a deer or two.
"I was actually doing fine on my journey, unlike my mother and I in that dark forest before this. There were forests that I traveled through, but there were mostly open fields and plains. For days I had found no villages and no people.
"But I never gave up. I never lost hope. I pushed on, desperate for two things: one, to find a place to stay, and two, to find how to become a full-blooded demon to kill my mother's murderer.
"My eyes would always scan the dark regions of the field, and I would glance warily at every shadow in the forests, expecting to see that same dark figure that I met in the alley.
"But he never came back to haunt me. It was like he was never real at all; I was beginning to think that I just had a bad dream. My mother's death could have been coincidental."
"Did you find out who the murderer was?" Kagome asked him. Inu Yasha smiled. "Hey, don't rush me now. I'm getting to it." She smiled back up at him and then laid her head back onto his chest, listening closely.
"A couple days passed, and soon I came across a village. It was not too small, but it was not too big, either. Even though it looked very welcoming, I had learned to not trust the looks of many things, including villages.
"But I went up to it anyway, and as I got nearer I noticed that there were no humans living there. Instead, there were demons; some hanyou, and some full-blooded.
"They were running around the village streets, carrying big bundles and yelling at each other. It looked like that there was a bazaar going on, and that was when I realized that this was a trading village.
"The trading villages have bazaars all year long; people come from miles around just to sell, trade, and buy goods. But this was a very secret village, so that was why it was so far from the human territories.
"It was hidden at the far edge of a plain, which was surrounded my small mountains. No one would have been able to see it unless they traveled through the mountains and went across that plain.
"Well, I went up there and I was very happy because they were my people and they would take me in. They would not call me names or hurt me. I was one of their kind.
"As soon as I entered the village, many of the demons stopped their activities to look at me. Ookamis, nekos, kitsunes and many other kinds of demons were there. It was a wonderful sight to see.
"They stared at me for a while, and I guess I was a sight. But I was becoming nervous the way they looked at me. I was suddenly afraid that they would beat me up like those kids did and chase me out of the village, and possibly even kill me. I was tensing up while standing there, ready to bolt, when a rotund male demon pushed through the crowd and gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen.
"He went up to me and, to my surprise and delight, shook my hand. 'Welcome, young one!' he said, showing all his fangs in his smile. 'Welcome to Shokugyo, the largest trade bazaar in the northern lands! I am Imasu, the bazaar's head marketer. Would you like to buy, sell, or trade today?'
"I stood silent for a second, looking at the demons that were still gazing at me, but not in fear. They seemed like they were curious, actually. 'Excuse me, sir, but I have no money. I also have no home and no parents, and I was hoping that you had a place for me to stay until I am ready to leave on my journey again,' I explained to him.
"He nodded and stroked his beard. 'Yes, of course!' he said merrily. 'I know where you could stay.' He led me around the marketplace, and many demons gave me weird looks. 'Sir, why are they looking at me like that?' I asked him after a while.
"He looked down at me and smiled. 'Well, son, we haven't had any inu demons visit the bazaar for quite some time now. But this is the first time we have seen a hanyou. There is only one other inu in this market, and he is about your age, if not older. His name is Sesshoumaru.'
"I looked at him, a bit confused. He went on. 'Sesshoumaru has no parents, like you, and he came to us one day out of the blue six years ago, just like you did. We let him live in one of our barracks, and he helps people out in the market. You can help him, if you like. I'll pay you.'
"I couldn't reply; I was too lost in thought. Finally I said, 'Alright, I will do that.' He nodded. 'Good. Good.' I thought some more as we walked on, and then I said, 'Is he a hanyou, like me? I mean, is he a (half-breed) half-blooded demon?'
"The man shook his head. 'No, actually. He is a full-blooded one; a true demon. He is pretty small, but he is very powerful.' I blinked, and then fell silent once again. We soon got to the barracks, which was at the very opposite end of the village. It was actually a place where the marketing people lived; these were the people that lived in the bazaar and sold their things to others that visited.
"I then realized that if this market was so popular, than there must have been more demons and demon villages nearby. Somehow, this made me feel relieved. Imasu opened the door and gestured me inside. 'Welcome to your new home, son,' he said with a big smile.
"I stepped inside and I saw that the barracks were not as bad as I thought they were. There were big hallways and chandeliers on the ceiling. It wasn't very fancy, though. There were doors along the walls of the barracks, and I assumed that these led to the rooms.
"Imasu went inside after I did and said, 'Now, son, go to the door in the left hallway of the building that has the numbers 453 on it. That will be your room, and you will be sharing it with Sesshoumaru.' I nodded, and then went off. 'I'll call for you at eighteen hundred hours,' he called after me, 'and then you can start working.' I had looked back and nodded again, not knowing what eighteen hundred hours meant.
"But I didn't bother to ask because I didn't want to sound like an idiot. I traveled down the left hallway and knocked on the door to room 453 when I finally got there. My feet were dead tired from walking, and I was exhausted myself.
"When there was no answer to the knock, I called 'hello'. When there was still no answer, I opened the door and peeked inside. It was silent and dark, even though the shades on the windows were drawn. There seemed to be no life whatsoever in the room.
"It was a nice room, actually. It had two beds and one bathroom, but it also had its own small kitchen and patio. I had cautiously crept around the room, occasionally saying a quiet 'hello' into the still darkness.
"Suddenly it had dawned to me that this Sesshoumaru guy must not have been back from work yet. That being said, I collapsed onto one of the two beds, and I fell asleep just like that. I was later awoken by a clawed hand shaking my shoulder vigorously. 'Hey,' the voice said. 'Hey, wake up.'
"I woke up and rested my eyes upon my awakener's face, and I freaked out and fell out of the bed. He leaned over me, glaring. I knew I was cowering on the floor. 'Who the hell are you?' he asked gruffly. 'I-I'm Inu Y-Yasha,' I stammered. 'I-I came from a long way a-and Imasu said I could stay here w-with y-you.'
"His gaze turned soft, and then he smiled. 'Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I forgot that he told me about that. Busy day today; it really gets on my mind.' He helped me up. 'I'm Sesshoumaru,' he said, holding out his hand. I shook it. 'And I'm Inu Yasha'.
"We sat there on the bed talking for a while. It turned out that he indeed had the same story as mine. I asked him if he knew his parents, and he said that he did not know. His mother was killed, and his father abandoned him. This had happened when he was six, and right now he was twelve.
"He had spent his days wandering around, seeking refuge and parents. Everyone rejected him until he came across Shokugyo, and Imasu took him in like he did with Inu Yasha. Sesshoumaru has been living there ever since, helping out with work in the market.
"When Sesshoumaru asked what my story was, I said that I did not know my father, but I knew my mother. I told him about my whole life story, from the time of my birth to the time of me finding Shokugyo.
"He had looked at me and asked, 'You want to find a way to become a full-blooded demon?' I nodded. 'Yes, so I can become a lot more powerful and kill my mother's murderer. I could sense that he was stronger than me and you combined. He was even stronger than my father.'
"Sesshoumaru gave me a curious look. 'You remember your father's power?' I shrugged. 'Seems like it. I remember a lot of weird things.' He nodded, and then his eyes widened. 'Hey, I think I know a way that you can become a true demon,' he cried. 'What?' I asked anxiously.
"He looked me right in the eye and said, 'There is a legend that there is a sacred object called the Jewel of Four Souls, or the Shikon no Tama, which has the power to turn you into a true demon. Legend has it that it resides in a village that is very far from here, and the Jewel is protected by a priest. His wife, the priestess, was originally the guardian, but she became pregnant with their daughter. But I doubt that you will get passed them alive; they are very powerful.'
"I had stuck my nose up in the air and declared, 'I am strong enough to take two humans on.' He shook his head. 'No, Inu Yasha, they are too strong. But I can train you.' I looked up at him, surprised by this suggestion. 'Are you really serious?' I asked. He nodded, smiling. I had thanked him for his information and for his kindness, and he promised me that he would train me when he had the chance.
"Soon it was night and we had to hit the sheets. I fell asleep grateful to finally rest, and also grateful that I had a new friend."
Inu Yasha looked down at Kagome, whom seemed to be half asleep. "But Sesshoumaru's your brother; or your half brother at least," Kagome said to him. He shook his head. "I did not know that at that time, Kagome. We had no idea we were brothers or related in any way."
She smiled up at him. "That's interesting. I really love your tale, Inu Yasha...but I want to sleep now." Inu Yasha laughed lightly. "Of course," he said, and he gently laid her down on a soft bed of leaves. He then laid down behind her, and he wrapped his arms around her. He breathed in her sweet scent greedily.
As he became aroused, he controlled himself and his mating instincts slowly melted away. She fell asleep in his arms, and he soon drifted off as well, dreaming that he and Kagome were finally together, forever, and they were happy.
"I had wandered north for the longest time, seeking a refuge where I could live with no problems. The lands to the north were plentiful with food and water. There were many streams with fish swimming in them, and there were edible berries and such to eat as well. If I was lucky enough, I would successfully hunt down a deer or two.
"I was actually doing fine on my journey, unlike my mother and I in that dark forest before this. There were forests that I traveled through, but there were mostly open fields and plains. For days I had found no villages and no people.
"But I never gave up. I never lost hope. I pushed on, desperate for two things: one, to find a place to stay, and two, to find how to become a full-blooded demon to kill my mother's murderer.
"My eyes would always scan the dark regions of the field, and I would glance warily at every shadow in the forests, expecting to see that same dark figure that I met in the alley.
"But he never came back to haunt me. It was like he was never real at all; I was beginning to think that I just had a bad dream. My mother's death could have been coincidental."
"Did you find out who the murderer was?" Kagome asked him. Inu Yasha smiled. "Hey, don't rush me now. I'm getting to it." She smiled back up at him and then laid her head back onto his chest, listening closely.
"A couple days passed, and soon I came across a village. It was not too small, but it was not too big, either. Even though it looked very welcoming, I had learned to not trust the looks of many things, including villages.
"But I went up to it anyway, and as I got nearer I noticed that there were no humans living there. Instead, there were demons; some hanyou, and some full-blooded.
"They were running around the village streets, carrying big bundles and yelling at each other. It looked like that there was a bazaar going on, and that was when I realized that this was a trading village.
"The trading villages have bazaars all year long; people come from miles around just to sell, trade, and buy goods. But this was a very secret village, so that was why it was so far from the human territories.
"It was hidden at the far edge of a plain, which was surrounded my small mountains. No one would have been able to see it unless they traveled through the mountains and went across that plain.
"Well, I went up there and I was very happy because they were my people and they would take me in. They would not call me names or hurt me. I was one of their kind.
"As soon as I entered the village, many of the demons stopped their activities to look at me. Ookamis, nekos, kitsunes and many other kinds of demons were there. It was a wonderful sight to see.
"They stared at me for a while, and I guess I was a sight. But I was becoming nervous the way they looked at me. I was suddenly afraid that they would beat me up like those kids did and chase me out of the village, and possibly even kill me. I was tensing up while standing there, ready to bolt, when a rotund male demon pushed through the crowd and gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen.
"He went up to me and, to my surprise and delight, shook my hand. 'Welcome, young one!' he said, showing all his fangs in his smile. 'Welcome to Shokugyo, the largest trade bazaar in the northern lands! I am Imasu, the bazaar's head marketer. Would you like to buy, sell, or trade today?'
"I stood silent for a second, looking at the demons that were still gazing at me, but not in fear. They seemed like they were curious, actually. 'Excuse me, sir, but I have no money. I also have no home and no parents, and I was hoping that you had a place for me to stay until I am ready to leave on my journey again,' I explained to him.
"He nodded and stroked his beard. 'Yes, of course!' he said merrily. 'I know where you could stay.' He led me around the marketplace, and many demons gave me weird looks. 'Sir, why are they looking at me like that?' I asked him after a while.
"He looked down at me and smiled. 'Well, son, we haven't had any inu demons visit the bazaar for quite some time now. But this is the first time we have seen a hanyou. There is only one other inu in this market, and he is about your age, if not older. His name is Sesshoumaru.'
"I looked at him, a bit confused. He went on. 'Sesshoumaru has no parents, like you, and he came to us one day out of the blue six years ago, just like you did. We let him live in one of our barracks, and he helps people out in the market. You can help him, if you like. I'll pay you.'
"I couldn't reply; I was too lost in thought. Finally I said, 'Alright, I will do that.' He nodded. 'Good. Good.' I thought some more as we walked on, and then I said, 'Is he a hanyou, like me? I mean, is he a (half-breed) half-blooded demon?'
"The man shook his head. 'No, actually. He is a full-blooded one; a true demon. He is pretty small, but he is very powerful.' I blinked, and then fell silent once again. We soon got to the barracks, which was at the very opposite end of the village. It was actually a place where the marketing people lived; these were the people that lived in the bazaar and sold their things to others that visited.
"I then realized that if this market was so popular, than there must have been more demons and demon villages nearby. Somehow, this made me feel relieved. Imasu opened the door and gestured me inside. 'Welcome to your new home, son,' he said with a big smile.
"I stepped inside and I saw that the barracks were not as bad as I thought they were. There were big hallways and chandeliers on the ceiling. It wasn't very fancy, though. There were doors along the walls of the barracks, and I assumed that these led to the rooms.
"Imasu went inside after I did and said, 'Now, son, go to the door in the left hallway of the building that has the numbers 453 on it. That will be your room, and you will be sharing it with Sesshoumaru.' I nodded, and then went off. 'I'll call for you at eighteen hundred hours,' he called after me, 'and then you can start working.' I had looked back and nodded again, not knowing what eighteen hundred hours meant.
"But I didn't bother to ask because I didn't want to sound like an idiot. I traveled down the left hallway and knocked on the door to room 453 when I finally got there. My feet were dead tired from walking, and I was exhausted myself.
"When there was no answer to the knock, I called 'hello'. When there was still no answer, I opened the door and peeked inside. It was silent and dark, even though the shades on the windows were drawn. There seemed to be no life whatsoever in the room.
"It was a nice room, actually. It had two beds and one bathroom, but it also had its own small kitchen and patio. I had cautiously crept around the room, occasionally saying a quiet 'hello' into the still darkness.
"Suddenly it had dawned to me that this Sesshoumaru guy must not have been back from work yet. That being said, I collapsed onto one of the two beds, and I fell asleep just like that. I was later awoken by a clawed hand shaking my shoulder vigorously. 'Hey,' the voice said. 'Hey, wake up.'
"I woke up and rested my eyes upon my awakener's face, and I freaked out and fell out of the bed. He leaned over me, glaring. I knew I was cowering on the floor. 'Who the hell are you?' he asked gruffly. 'I-I'm Inu Y-Yasha,' I stammered. 'I-I came from a long way a-and Imasu said I could stay here w-with y-you.'
"His gaze turned soft, and then he smiled. 'Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I forgot that he told me about that. Busy day today; it really gets on my mind.' He helped me up. 'I'm Sesshoumaru,' he said, holding out his hand. I shook it. 'And I'm Inu Yasha'.
"We sat there on the bed talking for a while. It turned out that he indeed had the same story as mine. I asked him if he knew his parents, and he said that he did not know. His mother was killed, and his father abandoned him. This had happened when he was six, and right now he was twelve.
"He had spent his days wandering around, seeking refuge and parents. Everyone rejected him until he came across Shokugyo, and Imasu took him in like he did with Inu Yasha. Sesshoumaru has been living there ever since, helping out with work in the market.
"When Sesshoumaru asked what my story was, I said that I did not know my father, but I knew my mother. I told him about my whole life story, from the time of my birth to the time of me finding Shokugyo.
"He had looked at me and asked, 'You want to find a way to become a full-blooded demon?' I nodded. 'Yes, so I can become a lot more powerful and kill my mother's murderer. I could sense that he was stronger than me and you combined. He was even stronger than my father.'
"Sesshoumaru gave me a curious look. 'You remember your father's power?' I shrugged. 'Seems like it. I remember a lot of weird things.' He nodded, and then his eyes widened. 'Hey, I think I know a way that you can become a true demon,' he cried. 'What?' I asked anxiously.
"He looked me right in the eye and said, 'There is a legend that there is a sacred object called the Jewel of Four Souls, or the Shikon no Tama, which has the power to turn you into a true demon. Legend has it that it resides in a village that is very far from here, and the Jewel is protected by a priest. His wife, the priestess, was originally the guardian, but she became pregnant with their daughter. But I doubt that you will get passed them alive; they are very powerful.'
"I had stuck my nose up in the air and declared, 'I am strong enough to take two humans on.' He shook his head. 'No, Inu Yasha, they are too strong. But I can train you.' I looked up at him, surprised by this suggestion. 'Are you really serious?' I asked. He nodded, smiling. I had thanked him for his information and for his kindness, and he promised me that he would train me when he had the chance.
"Soon it was night and we had to hit the sheets. I fell asleep grateful to finally rest, and also grateful that I had a new friend."
Inu Yasha looked down at Kagome, whom seemed to be half asleep. "But Sesshoumaru's your brother; or your half brother at least," Kagome said to him. He shook his head. "I did not know that at that time, Kagome. We had no idea we were brothers or related in any way."
She smiled up at him. "That's interesting. I really love your tale, Inu Yasha...but I want to sleep now." Inu Yasha laughed lightly. "Of course," he said, and he gently laid her down on a soft bed of leaves. He then laid down behind her, and he wrapped his arms around her. He breathed in her sweet scent greedily.
As he became aroused, he controlled himself and his mating instincts slowly melted away. She fell asleep in his arms, and he soon drifted off as well, dreaming that he and Kagome were finally together, forever, and they were happy.