Author's note: A bit of a fickle pickle here. Keep in mind that this is an AU (hehe, like that wasn't obvious), and in this world, humans and access to them are carefully controlled. Why? Well, unravel the mystery and read! Hope you enjoy! .

In All Things Great

Both ladies and men of high esteem,

we present to you the following scenes,

In a world where demons exist

Yet it seems that something's amiss!

What's this, humans are of high regard?

But by the government, t'is quite odd.

By the hand of Fates unfold

the path by which our hero..

does receive one of his own..

Act I, Scene 1: Enter Yakushitai Sesshoumaru

"It's not healthy for a boy his age to behave like that!"

The darkness of the late evening pervaded the large, sparse room. Seated on his bed with his newest book in hand, Sesshoumaru half-listened to the conversation, or argument, as it seemed to be escalating into, that his parents seemed determined to hold in the sitting room down the hall.

"Behave like what?! Sesshoumaru is a perfectly well-behaved boy who merely happens to be more advanced than children his own age- it can't be helped if he doesn't relate well with others!"

Sesshoumaru turned the page and continued to read unfazed. The same topic seemed to be coming up more and more in these heated "conversations"- the fact that Sesshoumaru didn't have many friends. Actually, that was stretching it a bit.. The list of social contacts was nonexistent.. Not that he cared. At the ripe old age of ten, Sesshoumaru found more satisfaction in reading up on astrophysics then running around with the pack of snot-faced demon brood his stepfather insisted on subjecting him to every now and then. Though the silver-haired boy had a feeling those "visits" would be coming to an end.

"'Doesn't relate well'?!" his father figure bellowed out. "Naraku's face is practically caved in because of him! The medical expenses aren't paying for themselves!"

Sesshoumaru's mind quickly momentarily flew back over the day's events. The corner of the youth's tight little mouth tugged slightly, which was the closest he ever came to smiling. Naraku had had it coming. The creep of a little bug was always insulting Sesshoumaru's distinctly canine heritage, but Naraku had crossed the line when he'd dared to direct a single ill word towards the pup's mother, the one and only Yakushitai Tanmei.

"That little spider probably had it coming!" Sesshoumaru's mother retorted, causing her son's "smile" to widen just a bit. "The members of the Kumori family hold no respect for others. I find every one of them are insufferable and I hold no blame in my son for sharing the sentiment."

"Well, your son almost cost me my biggest customer!" Tsugiko shouted back, the milliseconds before he regretted doing so.

Even from all the way down the hall, Sesshoumaru's sensitive hearing detected the light footsteps of his mother pad out of sitting room, headed for the stairs. Moments later, a stylish chauffeured car made its way down the long driveway and of the lavish estate. A proud woman, Tanmei refused to allow either Tsugiko or Sesshoumaru to behold her tears.

Looking up through the windows from the back of the fine vehicle, the strong, yet delicate figure chided herself for getting so emotional. It was times this these she always contemplated the infamous 'what ifs' in life- those possibilities one's mind is always drawn towards, full of longing, yet all resided just out of reach. What had past couldn't be changed.

It had been five years since the marriage of Busujima Tsugiko and his beloved wife took place, much to the approval of the father of the bride. Tanmei's first husband, whose name Sesshoumaru never did quite catch (though hardly cared to in any case), had pressed the divorce, claiming to be too wrapped up in his "essential research" to devote the time and love both Tanmei and their son needed from a husband and a father. Truth of the matter was, Yakushitai Tanmei was still very much in love with her for husband, but when Fates brought Tsugiko proposing at her door, Tanmei's father had "persuaded" her to take up the offer. Who wouldn't think that the union between the vice-president of the very influential Yakushitai Corporation (as well as sole heiress to the entire Yakushitai fortune) and the head of the largest banking firm in the world was a match made in Heaven? Though people did wonder why Yakushitai-sama had absolutely insisted on keeping her family name.

Tsugiko sighed as he watched the car as the car made its out of the cold, iron gates. Foreboding clouds sent a chill down his spine as he folded his arms in thought. Why, in all the love that he had showered upon her, did he feel that his wife's heart would never belong to him? All her affections seemed to be laid at the feet of that one, obstinate little boy.

The next moment, the pensive man was pulled from his reverie by a phone call. He'd been wondering when Kumori-san would be calling with the doctor's bill...

Dinnertime was one of the rare occasions that Sesshoumaru was to be found out of his room. Now he sat in the expanse of the dining hall, solemnly awaiting the next course. With a bored expression at hand, the boy flicked his silver hair over his shoulder and cast his eyes about the room. Busujima-san, the youth noted, was stealing glances at his mother, who had arrived home just prior to the meal. In Sesshoumaru's opinion, his stepfather was being annoyingly obvious in the fact that he wished to voice some matter, and the boy had to suppress the urge the throw a spoon at the man and shout, 'Oh, get on with it already!'

Just at the moment in which Sesshoumaru felt he could resist no longer, Tsugiko (fortunately for himself) cleared his throat.

"Tanmei, Kumori-san called-" Tanmei's face darkened threateningly, and Tsugiko hurried on, "and he said he blames Naraku-kun entirely for today's.. little 'incident.' Apparently, Naraku's gotten into a nasty habit of instigating trouble lately.." Here, Sesshoumaru let out a humorless 'ha'. "He apologized on behalf of his son and for himself for his inexcusably behavior this afternoon-" it was Tanmei's turn to scoff, "and has promised to make it up to us."

"And how, pray tell, does he plan on doing that?" Tanmei drawled out, in a none-to-ladylike manner to boot.

Suddenly, Tsugiko found his rice bowl quite interesting. "Well, I might have mentioned the difficulty Sesshoumaru was having with his peers-"

"What?!"

Tsugiko gathered his wits about him and continued. "He said that if we-" Tanmei coughed angrily, "if I was concerned with Sesshoumaru's lack of companions, we might consider getting him a Pet."

"... Advice impossible to follow. Wonderful way to 'make it up,' dear." Tanmei turned her attention to her soup.

"What I mean to say is, Kumori-san has agreed to pull some strings and obtain a pet for Sesshoumaru!"

A beat of silence passed. Then the spoon make contact with Tsugiko's head. The servants present hid their chuckles as the mother lightly admonished her expressionless son. The lady of the house then turned back to her husband.

"A pet," Tanmei considered. As a mother, she knew Sesshoumaru had trouble confiding in anyone but herself, but she was so terribly busy that Sesshoumaru must have been terribly alone so much of the time. The child wasn't very big on conversation, but companionship was an important aspect of life.. Maybe a pet of his very own would be good for her son.

"Perhaps a pet for Sesshoumaru would not be such a disaster," Tanmei said in a voice that made it clear that she was still wary of Kumori, but would make the best of such an offer. "Make the arrangements with Kumori-san, and tomorrow I'll see to a lovely thank-you gift for him."

Tsugiko's face brightened considerably. It seemed as though his wife had forgiven him for his earlier hurtful words.

Tanmei rose from the table and make her way to Sesshoumaru, kissing him on the top of the head and stroking his hair. "I'll be in to check on you before I go to bed, sweetheart." And with that, she moved to retire to her room.

Tsugiko rose to follow her before his wife's voice called out to him from the stairway. "Oh, and Tsugiko? I'll be sure to have the maids make the guest room as comfortable as possible for you."

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he watched his grumbling stepfather trudge off towards the guest wing, towards the room designated as his official "guest room" for nights like these.

The golden eyes of the boy darkened a bit as he sat at the dining table a bit longer to think.

A pet? Something that would constantly call for his attention, day and night? Well, closets and closet locks could serve other uses, he supposed, as he too got up and make his way to his bedroom. Besides, a pet would be far less bothersome than those accursed "play dates."

'A pox on play dates,' Sesshoumaru declared silently and he curled into bed with his favorite book of kabuki plays. He'd give astrophysics a break for tonight.

A twisted smile took form upon his delicate, slightly attractive, yet obviously sinister face as he rested the phone back on its cradle.

"My plan is going to be fulfilled after all," he thought out loud, letting a low rumbling, malicious laugh escape, so eerie the cat fled the room, and the lilies in the vase seemed to droop just a little more.

"Wha'cha lauppink ad, Da'? Wha' plann?" Kumori turned to see Naraku standing in the doorway, eyeing him in a peculiar way. Gods, that child looked bad. A ribbon of white wound its way around the middle of his face, holding the antiseptic wad the doctor had put over the injury to prevent any permanent scarring. An additional bandage to hold the first one in place wrapped under the boy's chin and tied bow-style at the top of his head. The dressings gave Kumori's son the effect of a noseless, disagreeable bunny, and prevented him from proper annunciation as well.

"Wehll??!" Naraku slurred impatiently, bringing Kumori out of his thoughtful observations.

"Oh, yes.. Well, you see, Naku-chan, Daddy owes an acquaintance of his a little.. something.. in return for things he did to Daddy a long time ago.." Kumori heightened malice in the cryptic reply with a devilish smile followed by more evil laughing.

Naraku blinked. After a moment or two of watching the man who'd seemingly got nuts, the young boy shrugged and went off in search of some better entertainment. He wondered if the cat's whiskers had grown back yet it been ages since he'd pulled them out the last time. With one last glance at his ever-cackling father, Naraku went out the door. There were some things about his dear old dad he'd just never understand.

End Scene

There! The first chapter done! I hope it's not too long.. or too short... maybe... just right, I think. Haha, Goldie Locks sure wasn't the brightest in the bunch, now was she..

Well, as is usually the case, reviews are much appreciated, but not as much as you, the readers! ..

(..Flattery doesn't get me anywhere, does it?)