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Response to reviews at the end of the chapter.
"This sucks." Inuyasha complained, tossing another clod of soil out of the hole.
"Quit whining and help me!" Sesshoumaru panted, wrestling with another long, wooden plank. Inuyasha peered up at his big brother in concern, watching his halting approach. He was hanging onto a board at least twice his height and walking it back and forth, trying desperately to keep it upright.
"I'm gonna…lay it down now!" the full demon announced, peering over the edge of the hole. "Try to catch it if you can!" he urged. The board groaned, and swung slowly downward, meeting Inuyasha's outstretched hands.
"Shit!" Sesshoumaru yelped as a nasty splinter pierced his hand. Inuyasha jumped, startled by the sound…and the wooden slat slipped out of his grasp. It quivered wildly for a brief moment before tipping over into the pit. It lay there patiently, one end swallowed by the earth and the other pointing up at an angle.
Sesshoumaru's round face appeared over the edge of the hole, eclipsing the sunny sky. "Now look what you did!" the full demon snapped, scowling at his brother. Inuyasha threw a clump of dirt at him.
"I didn't do nothing!" he retorted, sinking his claws back into the ground for another chunk of ammo. "You scared me!"
"Whatever! Here, push that end up!" Sesshoumaru called down. Inuyasha complied, lifting the rickety old slat as high as he could. Sesshoumaru's clawed hand closed around his end, pulling as hard as he could.
"I got it…" the older boy grunted unconvincingly. Inuyasha's legs shook under the burden.
"Hurry up!" the hanyou ground out, trying like hell not to drop the stupid thing on his head.
"Just a little more…" his brother huffed, leaning over to get a better grip…
"Ow!" Inuyasha yipped as his little legs finally gave way. The whole beam sunk downwards, pulling his big brother with it.
A thin pillar of dust shot into the air, startling a few songbirds.
"You ok?" Sesshoumaru groaned.
"No…"
"Me neither."
The board thrashed wildly as two puppies attempted to extract themselves out from under it, peppering the air with a thick cloud of dust and an even thicker cloud of insults. Finally, both of them collapsed panting on the floor, starting up at the sky.
"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha called querulously.
"What?" the demon snapped angrily.
"I don't think this is gonna work."
"Well, dammit, what else are we supposta do?" Sesshoumaru barked. "We've tried everything!"
And they had. Girl traps, girl poison, girl cages…and even this moat. But somehow, the girls just failed to appear. You'd think a few of the damn things would get curious and come see what all the commotion was...Inuyasha just didn't understand it. They'd even put up big Keep Out! signs around the perimeter of the forest, specifically telling the girls not to come in—so where were they?! The hanyou sighed and willed himself to move. Girls just didn't make any sense.
"They're not coming, are they?" Inuyasha asked, sitting up painfully. His healing powers were already hard at work repairing a few broken ribs.
"No." his brother replied bluntly, cracking his neck. The scratches were already disappearing from his forehead, fading as if they had barely existed in the first place. However, his normally silver hair was dull gray, covered in soil. Inuyasha sighed. They were both going to need B-A-T-H-S…whether Sesshoumaru liked it or not.
Both puppies sighed and worked on scrambling out of the dog-made hole, digging their tiny claws into the soft earthen wall. Sesshoumaru reached the top first and scrutinized their set up.
Treehouse? Check. he noted, looking up at the strange collection of boards, blankets, and pillows threaded throughout the branches of the old oak tree. Moat? Unfortunately. He thought, scowling at the rough pit surrounding their fortress. Drawbridge…in progress. he decided quickly, staring at the splintered board at the bottom of their moat. Traps and stuff? All over the woods! he grinned happily. And we definitely got the Keep Out! signs! he thought. One of them was still drying, leaning against a tree. It read something like:
"Keep Owt! No giRlz AlOud
SigNed -
-SesShouMaru's club [crossed out]
-inuYasha's Klub [crossed out]
-SeSShomaru'[crossed out] iS a big eediyot! inuyasha
-Is a Big idiot who can't spelll idiot! This is
-the FlufFy sux klub [lots of paint splashes and a few drops of blood]
-the Boy's Klub
"We're still missing something…" Sesshoumaru contemplated slowly, surveying their territory. "Did we get a tiger pit out there?"
"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pointed toward a suspicious mound of dirt. "We digged it over there! But I didn't find a tiger yet!"
"Don't worry about it." his brother said. "What about the tar n' feathers?"
"You said we do that after we find 'em trying to break in!" Inuyasha yapped. "We didn't catch nobody yet!"
"Well, it can't hurt to get ready…"
Inuyasha sighed and tore open another pillow with his teeth. The whole thing was getting very frustrating, and his momma was gonna be mad at him—they were already running low on pillows from the servant's quarters, and pretty soon he'd have to start stealing good ones from the house. Besides, so far the Boy's Club wasn't very much fun…they only had two boys, and he wasn't sure that Sesshoumaru even counted. And there weren't even any girls to pick on – what fun was a secret club that nobody wanted to be in?
"Maybe we should try something else…" he suggested, earning an extra special death glare from his half-brother.
"Like what?" Sesshoumaru snapped.
"We could go an' find 'em!"
"No way!" Sesshoumaru snarled. "Er, I mean…I don't think that's wise, statego-gically speaking." he attempted lamely.
Suddenly, Inuyasha was suspicious. "You're just ascared they're gonna scritch your ears again! Aren't you!"
"No!" his brother snapped, but something curiously like a blush scrawled across his face.
"You are!" the hanyou shrieked in amusement. "Aw, poor widdle puppy! Would you like me to pet you?" he mocked. "Ow! Hey! Dad said no biting!"
"That was in the house! We're not in the house anymore!" Sesshoumaru huffed, wiping his mouth. "Anyways, I dunno."
"Fraidy cat." Inuyasha taunted.
"Take that back!"
"Make me!" Sesshoumaru did.
"…you didn't have to hit so hard." Inuyasha sulked, nursing his gash.
"Sorry." Sesshoumaru replied, in a tone that Inuyasha knew meant his brother wasn't really sorry at all. "What was your idea again?" he asked. The hanyou blinked, rather confused. Sesshoumaru asking for suggestions? He musta hit his head harder than I thought.
"You ok?" he asked in concern.
"I said…" his brother barked testily. "What was your idea?"
"Well…" Inuyasha thought hard. "I guess we could always go an' make the first move!"
"What? And just give up the fortress?!" Sesshoumaru huffed. Inuyasha gave the 'fortress' a wary look. One of the branches creaked under the weight of the old table they had hauled up there. Sesshoumaru thought it made a great 'war room desk', but so far the only war negotiations they had held were about the Afternoon Snack Divisions.
"Well, at least that isn't BORING!" Inuyasha groused. "This club sucks."
"Hrn." Sesshoumaru grunted, ignoring his brother's previous comment. He plopped down on a stray pillow, absently brushing a chunk of mud out of his silky hair. "Well…" he began. "You know what dad always says…"
"Stop that Yelling Before I Give You Something to Yell About?" Inuyasha supplied hopefully.
"No! I mean the thing about 'In a Bad Situation, Always Get in the First Shot (Or If You Can Kick them in the Privates, Do It and Run Like Hell)'." Sesshoumaru rubbed his face against his sleeve, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the dirt off. He only succeeded in spreading it around, eclipsing the blue moon on his forehead. "We have a fortress to come back to...so we can retreat to our stronghold where all shall break like the rocks upon the waves—"
"Waves upon the rocks," Inuyasha automatically corrected. Sesshoumaru never got that one right.
"Whatever." The dog demon dismissed the correction with a flippant hand wave. "Hey, I know!"
Inuyasha had a nasty feeling he knew what coming next.
"Yes…we'll attack first to draw their fire and quickly retreat into our forest, where they shall break their teeth upon rocks!"
"I told you that already!" the hanyou sputtered indignantly. "That was my idea!" Sesshoumaru didn't listen, as usual.
"C'mon!" the full demon urged, grinning mischievously. "We're gonna go pay those women a visit." His eyes glittered strangely.
Inuyasha sighed. At times like these, it was best just to go along with it all and ask questions later. Preferably from a safe distance.
A short while later, both puppies were back in front of that infernal Door, crouched low on the porch steps. Their quarry was just beyond that mythical barrier, moving about like shadows—elegant, long winged butterflies silhouetted against the screen door, flitting back and forth transmitting gossip, making clothing, and…doing whatever else it was that girls do all day. Hidden deep in the Women's Quarter, where no male puppy dared enter. Occasionally, one would pause for a moment and peer out through the blinds for a second, as if searching for potential ears to molest.
Stupid women! Sesshoumaru grumbled, watching their movements intently. They picked the wrong demon to cross! His golden eyes narrowed.
Revenge would be quick and satisfying.
"You ready?" he whispered.
"I-I think so, but—" Inuyasha replied, struggling to hang onto everything he was carrying.
"All right! Showtime!" the full demon cackled, standing up as straight as he could muster. Inuyasha followed suit, dropping a few flower petals on the ground. Sesshoumaru straightened his top and ran a careful hand through his hair, smoothing out a few rat's nests.
"Come out, Yasuka!" Sesshoumaru called politely.
"We got a present for ya!" Inuyasha added happily.
The rush of activity behind the screen halted instantly, and the puppies' sensitive ears could pick up the faint sounds of conversation (and a fair amount of laughter). Sesshoumaru leaned forward, eyes glued to the screen. Slowly, the Door shuddered and slid aside to reveal an all too familiar pink-haired female.
"Y-yessir?" Yasuka quivered, approaching timidly. "What does my lord wish of me?" she inquired formally.
"Here you go!" Sesshoumaru gave her his most winning smile and stepped aside. That was Inuyasha's cue…the little puppy reached up and gave her his most innocent, adorable look and thrust a large bunch of petunias into her dainty hand. The pink-haired demon's eyes widened, and her face instantly drained of color.
Score! If he had a tail in his human form, Sesshoumaru would be wagging like there was no tomorrow. And the fallout would be on Inuyasha, if things went really sour…he just loved these setups.
However, contrary to expectation, Yasuka's fingers only wrapped tighter around her prize. "T-thankyoumylord." she mumbled quickly. Her pink eyes quivered, and she pressed the bouquet to her nose. "They're beautiful."
"Huh?!" the demon prince gaped. He swiveled around to face his younger brother.
"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru hissed. "At-whay appened-hay to the ake-snay?"
"Snake?" Inuyasha blinked. "Oh no! I musta dropped it…" He immediately dropped to all fours to look for it.
"You IDIOT!" Sesshoumaru snarled, lifting his sibling up by the collar. Inuyasha squealed and scratched at his brother's face, trying desperately to get away. The full demon turned his head just in time…to see Yasuka scurrying up the veranda stairs, waving her flowers in one hand. She looked absolutely ecstatic. "Look what you made me do!!!" Sesshoumaru howled, dropping his brother.
"But I—" Inuyasha protested.
"Look, Michiru!" Yasuka yelled excitedly, leaning through the doorway. "The prince gave me a present!!" She gestured toward him with the petunias, and giggled in a very strange sort of way. A few soft murmurs echoed from the Land Beyond the Doorway, and Yasuka looked rather chastened. "Yes ma'am…I will." she replied, shooting a glance in his direction.
"Will what?" Sesshoumaru panicked. He had given an actual present to a girl…what else could go wrong?! Was she going to try and talk to him? They were supposed to be Mortal Enemies! (At least, the way he saw it – she had touched his EARS! That should be an act of war in and of itself!) Yasuka swallowed hard and stepped toward him, her face the very picture of determination...as if she were steeling herself for something.
"Dammit…what do girls do when you give them flowers?" he wondered out loud, suppressing the urge to back away.
"I think they hug you…" Inuyasha supplied helpfully. Sesshoumaru gave him a hard kick. "Well, that's what my MOM does!" the hanyou sulked.
Oh gods!Sesshoumaru wanted to melt himself. HUG me?! EWWWW!!!! Cripes! You could probably die from that! What a way to go… He tried, and failed, to repress a shudder. Inuyasha began giggling, more than content to laugh at any tragedy not directly happening to him.
The girl stopped at the edge of the veranda and went down on her knees.
"Thank you, my lord." Yasuka bowed formally, pressing her face to the floor. "I am not worthy of…the honor of your affection." Her lips moved slowly, as if she was being prompted. More faint laughter from the Women's Quarter.
The honor of my…affection…Sesshoumaru ran the word through his brain. OH SHIT! She thinks I like her! The puppy broke out in a cold sweat, and he could almost feel the cooties crawling over his skin. Double-EWWW!!!
Before he could react, the small girl sprang to her feet and scurried toward the safety of her chambers, moving as fast as she could manage in her restrictive dress.
"Hey wait!" the demon prince shouted after the retreating female. "That's not what I meant!! Give those back—" He dashed up the stairs toward the doorway with Inuyasha in hot pursuit.
"No, Sesshoumaru! You can't go in there!" Inuyasha urged, pulling on his brother's lengthy sleeve. "Dad'll BITE us—"
"Shut up!" the older boy snapped, lunging for the bouquet. Yasuka, oblivious, stepped through the doorway…
Sesshoumaru missed his mark, and both boys tumbled head over heels into the Women's Quarters.
It was darker, Sesshoumaru faintly realized, and musky—a guy could barely make out anything in that confusing muddle of scents. Jasmine, myrrh, costly spices…it was enough to give a grownup headaches for days.
"Oww…is my brains showing?" Inuyasha asked, holding his head carefully. He had smacked his head hard against the wooden floor when they fell.
"No!" Sesshoumaru replied, although he couldn't actually tell – the light from the doorway was blinding him. Dozens of glittering eyes stared at them inquisitively, peeking through the haze of incense. Their owners were shrouded in silk, wrapped up like packages, and they rustled nervously, whispering about the intruders in their mist. One of them stood, and slowly moved toward the door.
"Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru grunted. "Get…up…" The hanyou groaned in response, still dazed.
A shadow loomed overhead, and both puppies swooned in a nightmare of purple cloth and flashing eyes---moving directly between them and the doorway. Sesshoumaru watched that last sliver of light disappear behind silk…
It was too late: they were Among the Enemy.
So what do you think so far? I didn't want to abuse poor little Yasuka in this way (for the record, she's 12 or so), but the plot requires it—Sesshou is smart enough to quit when the going gets rough, unless he has a real reason for a vendetta…dun dun DUN!
Remember: If you got this far, you should also REVIEW and tell me what you thought! I might one day be a good writer, but I'm sure a bad mind reader.
Response to Reviews (no particular order):
Miko-chan:
You're right on the mark with the Jaken comment – almost. I nearly wrote him into this chapter, but that particular plot device is too powerful this soon in the story, so I wrote in this short instead. But yes, Jaken will make an appearance, and you'll see what his attitude toward Inuyasha is. (Hint: It's a bit like his reaction to all small children – he's not so much hanyou as he is a seven year old, and both are things Jaken doesn't like dealing with ^_^)
Profiler120:
No, Kagome and Kikyou aren't in it – this are legit puppies (7 and 10, although I've thought about bumping that up just one year… 8 and 11 sounds better :-/). That's part of the reason their personalities are somewhat different – Sesshou hasn't frozen up entirely, although he is a pompous little bastard, and Inuyasha is a little more naïve and hero-worshipping – he hasn't been so disillusioned yet.
Lady BlackDragonFire:
Sure, you can scratch lil Sess's ears…if you don't get scratched yourself! Watch out – those claws are sharp! ^_~
lynnxlady:
Thanks! You're awesome for picking up on that subtle detail: I had that specific thought in mind while writing that part. I've got some very specific character sketches in mind when I write for this fic, and Inuyasha is a little more innocent – he's a kid, after all. And that's also why he alternately looks up to his big brother and gets exasperated with him…older siblings are both a blessing and a curse, especially when they're pretty cool and stronger than you ^_~
Thunk:
Glad to hear you enjoyed it – and I should congratulate for picking up on that bit of foreshadowing. I really didn't want to have to use it, but I started running out of options here…something needed to escalate this Battle of the Sexes…we're going for all-out war here ^_~
Everyone Else:
Thank you for your continued support to this story! It wouldn't be anywhere without the kind encouragement of Readers Like You. Much love.