A/N: Wow, you people review really fast, not that that's a bad thing. If you reviewed after I put chapter two up you'll have to wait till three to get a reply, sorry but I'm too busy writing to edit it!
Chapter started: 9/18/04 Chapter Ended: 9/19/04
Please forgive any spelling errors or grammar errors that are almost obvious. That's what happens when I try to write fast. Oh, and when switching POVs they usually overlap each other a little if you get confused. This chapter is probably really lame since I can't seem to get Inuyasha's attitude right.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the Inuyasha cast. I do own all characters that do not go by the names of the inu cast, including those that don't have names at all. This alternate universe is a bit of a collage between a bunch of other ideas so I wouldn't call it mine exactly.
He blinked suddenly in surprise as he heard a cry and a thump only a few fraction of a second later. What was this, yet another slave that wasn't sold? Yeah right, he was the only half demon in the bunch. Demons, no matter how useless, would get bought before a half-demon was even glanced at twice.
Then the slave master was back? No, the master had taken a different exit after locking him in. Besides, there were footfalls now and they were too light for the slave master's bulk. No, it was not the slave master. It was a young girl, small for her age probably. She had loose raven black hair and liquid brown eyes that were almost burning with anger as she turned the corner, staring into his cell. Her chin was angled defiantly and stuck out just slightly from her face, and there were grey bags under her eyes, obvious to him even in the dim light. He growled, narrowing his eyes in a glare.
The girl should have backed off in fear, but instead she took the nearest torch out of it's place and held it up to the bars, casting light on his shackled wrists and ankles. The light only made him growl even more, wishing he could tear the girl apart. If he weren't under orders not to break out of his chains he would show- something came hurtling through the air towards his lap. Instinctively he caught it, jangling the chains attached to his wrists.
It was a spice roll, and pretty fresh. Without thinking he devoured it, licking the delicious crumbs off of his hands, ignoring the filth they had accumulated. He hadn't had a spice roll in ages, not even one long gone stale. No, a half-demon slave didn't even get the oldest and stalest of spice rolls.
He growled again as soon as his mouth was clear of the roll's taste, still glaring at the girl wondering what she was trying to pull. She didn't back away or flinch in fear like she should have, she probably knew he couldn't hurt her, which made him even angrier.
Instead, she returned the torch to it's holder and came up to the bars, her body blocking most of the little light that he could see. He growled again, meeting her shadowed gaze.
"I'll get you out of there, I promise." she whispered. He froze with surprise, the growl in his throat stopping as he stared at the girl. She really wanted to free him, a half-demon? She must be touched to the wits. First of all, how would she, a mere shop keeper's daughter from the looks of her, be able to do anything to buy or free a slave? Only the master had the keys to his shackles, even if she got through the cage somehow.
What kind of cruel trick was this then, did it amuse her to watch him deliberate her words? He glared at her again, narrowing his eyes to near slits, and snarled, moving an arm quickly as if trying to attack, though he stopped at once when he heard something else.
The heavy footfalls were coming, it was the slave master.
The demon was surprised, she could tell. It was probably the only kind thing anyone had ever said to him. Half-demons were always maltreated, especially if they were slaves. Suddenly he snarled and his chains jangled, as if trying to attack her. She knew he couldn't and it made her feel even sorrier for him.
Then, as fast as he started, he stopped. Her eyes had gotten used to the darkness in the corner now so she was sure she saw his ears twitch and his eyes shift their gaze to one side.
Someone was coming, she, too, heard the footfalls now and backed away uneasily. She shouldn't be down here, she knew that. It was probably off limits or something. It was too late though.
A moment later the slave master rounded the corner coming almost face to face with Kagome. She hated him at once. He was a bulky man with a set jaw and layers of fat over the bulk of muscle and he reeked.
"'At are you doin' 'ere wench?" he roared, grabbing Kagome by the neck of her kimono and shaking her. Beside them the half-demon growled again, his chains rattling fiercely as he strained against them.
"Let... go..." Kagome said, having a hard time breathing since the slave master had lifted her into the air.
"Tell me what yer doin' 'ere and I just migh' let ya go." he replied. She could smell his breath, fish and beer dominating most of it.
"She can't breathe you idiot!" came a voice, arrogant and angry. Both heads turned to the half demon who was glaring back at them. The slave master glared back.
"Bad dog!" he said and the half-demon's snarl stopped and became hoarse as he rocked back against the wall.
"Damn it all!" she heard him curse as he gritted his teeth in pain.
"Stop that!" Kagome said, kicking the slaver hard in the thigh. He didn't let go but jerked her back and forth until she was dizzy but for some reason he stopped.
The reason was the silver locket that had just slid out of the neck of Kagome's robes, causing the slave master's eyes to widen with shock. With a grimy hand he turned it over, the torchlight casting on the symbol engraved in it, the symbol of the house of Higurashi.
With a thump she fell to the ground, her already sore bottom feeling even worse. The slave master was backing away, staring at her shoulder where the locket was resting. She followed his gaze and found her locket, the one that marked she was of the Higurashi line, had shown up somehow.
"Where didja g't that from, ya lil' thief!" the master said, unable to believe that the girl in front of him was of the Higurashi house. It didn't at all match the jewels and finery and silk that he had imagined.
"It's been mine since I was born." Kagome said, getting to her feet and snatching the heart shaped locket, holding it up slightly in the air. The symbol began to glow and it seemed that violet lines were tracing the engraved ones. Only one of the Higurashi household could do such a thing and the slave master gasped.
"So sorry miss, 'ad no clue you was one of them. See, it's ma duty to ke'p this place-" the master blundered, shocked and terrified at the discovery that he had just manhandled one of the house of Higurashi. Lord Higurashi was the ruler of this village, the one who protected them from demons. There was a small estate not to far from the village and that was where some of his bloodline were allowed to stay, those not needed in his court.
"Forgiven, I think, but call off your command!" Kagome said, pointing towards the half demon who was gasping and panting, his chains jangling as he tried to reach his collar.
"That's better." the slave master said at once and the demon's gasping was replaced by a heavy panting.
"How much for him?" she asked quickly, lest the man decide he still owed her an apology.
"'im, that worthless specimen?" the master queried then, seeing his opportunity to get more gold continued. "That'll be a thou'."
"A thousand? Two hundred, he's a half-demon and half starved as well as beaten to death!"
"'is wound 'eal overnight, the collar inflicts pain but not damage." the master said. "Eight hundred."
Kagome had to think fast.
"How can he work well, though, if he's covered in whip marks and bruises? Five hundred, take it or leave it!"
The slave master considered the panting demon who had already started to glare at him.
"Five-fifty, 'ere's a set collar on 'im."
Good, she wouldn't have to continue using such harsh treatments on him.
"Fine, five fifty, and let's do this outside." Kagome said, sick of the way the place smelled.
As the pain from his collar faded away Inuyasha was aware of their talking again. Apparently this girl was someone important, and she wanted to buy him? Probably to set him straight to work, considering what she was saying. The master was trying to rip her off, paying one thousand was worth a weaker full demon, nobody spent that gold on a half-demon and apparently she didn't either.
Their haggling was short, one thousand as a starting price was pretty low, before the master came in and began to unlock his shackles and unlocking the chains, leaving a longer one attached to lead him by when they blundered out of the cell and back up to daylight.
The master tried to push him to the ground but he dodged the blow and sat down on his own while the master glared at him. As long as the lady, his new master, was here though he couldn't punish Inuyasha, much to the half demon's delight.
The man pulled out a few papers, they were crinkled from when he had stuffed them into his coat, and smoothing them out before handing them and a sheet of wood as well as a quill for the girl.
"Sign 'ere 'ere an 'ere." he said, indicating which the girl promptly signed before pulling out the coins from her purse. The master took them and slid them into a fat pouch at his waist.
"One more thing, he isn't yours till you set a punishment into 'is collar." the master said. "Jus' picture the punishment and say the words while touchin' the collar."
The girl stared at him for a moment and Inuyasha wondered what awful punishment this was going to be. She came closer and laid a hand on his collar, he glared at her sleeve and said nothing those his ears pinned angrily.
The girl paused for a moment and said, loudly and clearly,
"Sit boy!"
The half demon fell to the ground with a thud, though not a painful one. Considering what the collars had been doing to him before she'd be surprised if it hurt that much, but it had the intended affect. If the demon was ever doing something wrong or bad it would stop him. The slave master handed her the chain and started walking away.
"Hold on, what's his name." she asked the retreating man.
"Dunno no name, slaves dun' got names." he replied causing Kagome to fill with anger again. The man didn't even know the demon's name, maybe the demon didn't even have a name.
"What's your name then?" she asked.
"Inuyasha." came the response as the demon picked himself up from the ground, dusting off his arms.
"Well Inuyasha, we'd better get home." she said, pretending to be a little cheerful. It had no affect on Inuyasha who was glaring at her still.
"Uhh... yeah follow me!" she said when she was sure he wasn't going to say anything and started back down the alley, leading Inuyasha by the chain but making sure she didn't tug. She'd remove the chain as soon as they got home but for now, in order not to attract weird glances, she'd have to keep him on it.
She needn't bothered though, Inuyasha followed at her heels the a dog, glaring at everything and everyone he saw. If the collar ever went off him she was sure he'd tear the world apart for vengeance, which only made her sigh. She couldn't release him. First of all she didn't know how, second of all he could be enslaved again by some brave person clamping a collar on him. Lastly, he'd probably kill anyone he met, which all added up to keeping him enslaved, much to her disgust.
They were on the last path towards her home when she began to wonder why Inuyasha was following her so obediently. From his voice and his snarls she was pretty sure he'd have run off if she didn't hold his chain.
"Why are you following me?" she whispered, turning her head and meeting the angry glare of the half demon.
"Because you ordered me to, idiot."
"Why are you obeying me, though?"
"Why didn't I break out of my cell, chains, and slavery?" his response carried the notion he was talking to a fool.
"Because you would have been punished."
"Keh, those 'masters' of mine lacked the imagination for anything that really hurts. You try slapping a demon collar on yourself and try to disobey your master's orders. It takes too long to die from a collar, long enough to make you reconsider."
Somehow she got the feeling he had tried this before.
"Don't the orders wear off eventually?"
"If there are new ones or there's no point in following the old one anymore, otherwise it's usually a day." he sounded like he was talking to a toddler, his words slow and clear.
"So a master could control the entire life of a slave?" Even if she did feel like a toddler, Kagome couldn't help being curious. She had tried to stay away from slavers and slavery so she didn't have a clue.
"Would you like to wake up every day ordering a servant about? There are better things for 'masters' to do."
"I thought there would be loopholes."
"Well duh, what are you, the village buffoon?"
"I'm not the 'village buffoon', I'm Kagome, Ka-go-may, of the house of Higurashi!"
"Whatever." his tone was dismissive, even though he was the slave, and she decided to keep quiet until they passed the gates of her home, where Kagome promptly removed the chain from Inuyasha's collar. The half demon was stunned for a moment in which Kagome used to caution him with an order.
"Don't leave the grounds, please." she said, worried he might cause trouble outside. Well, he was probably going to cause trouble inside the estate anyways, but she would deal with it.
The estate was nothing like the castle his previous master had owned. No, the house was large but modest with shutters and white curtains. The house itself wasn't painted, keeping the natural color of the wood and logs. The entire place looked cheery and on the wooden patio a young fox demon was playing with a top.
The grass was green and well taken care of, emerald green leaves hung from tall saplings and there was a lake that sheltered plenty of waterfowl and a forest stretched beyond the back of the house.
He immediately looked for a slave's quarters, pausing a moment over the well maintained structure not too off before deciding it was a shed when a gardener, dressed in clean clothes with neat hair, entered it and emerged with a wheelbarrow. So where was he supposed to stay? Was he supposed to make do with the outdoors, the forest and the grounds?
His thoughts were interrupted as the girl, Kagome, announced she was home. The little fox demon immediately ran into her arms before eyeing Inuyasha warily.
"He won't hurt you, Shippo." the girl said comfortingly. "You won't, won't you?" she said again, talking to Inuyasha.
"Hurt that weakling? What's the point?" he responded, earning glares from both of them. He waited for the punishment, knowing it would come, but somehow it was strangely lacking. Perhaps it was because an old woman had just exited the door to the patio.
"Kagome, why are ye back so soon? And who be this demon of yours?" the woman asked. She didn't appear a threat so Inuyasha chose to watch her but otherwise ignore her.
"His name is Inuyasha and he was a slave, I bought him, I hope it won't be too much trouble." Kagome said.
"Aye, a good idea." the woman said, coming down from the patio. "And half demon by the looks of it."
He was surprised, the woman had power. Why hadn't he sensed it before? The girl had it too, they were priestesses, oh why hadn't he noticed? The master's gruel, it was probably drugged to give them all so much energy. It must be wearing off now.
"Yup, I was wondering if he could have a bath and a change of clothes, those rags are in terrible condition."
Somehow he got the feeling things were about to change.
A/N: Okay, the last line sounded lame. As stated in the top A/N I think this entire chapter wasn't very good. Don't worry though, another piece of the plot should fall in in the next chapter and I'll be skipping most of the boring things, or maybe I'm just lazy.
Replies to my many many reviewers:
Keyo-Red Angel of Hope, Anime-Devil-101: You got your wishes, I updated just before you reviewed!
Keyo- Red Angel of Hope 2nd review: I know, poor Inu, but if this didn't happen where would my story go?
Tippi: Thanks, you really don't know what those words mean to me.
Naturesunicorn: Well... I suppose this is a little unique.
Couch Potatoe, Victoria Wolf, KazeMizuHi, Mariahbaby, Neko-Yuff16, StaryKegome: Thanks for the reviews! As you can see, I've updated.
KazeMizuHi: Really? I didn't know that. Yes, I am proud of my fast typing, though I have a bunch of grammar errors. -typo demons nod heads-
Inutashio: You thought it was sweet? I thought it was over used, oh well, thanks for the review!
Zoe: Well, his wounds usually heal overnight, there's nothing severe, and his spirit isn't broken as his attitude proves, so he won't be that hard to take care of.
Inuyashaluver52293: Well, I'm positive this is more than two paragraphs.
dragonSpired48: A cool plot? I don't know about that, but I'm still working my tail off. (Note: Darkwolf does not have a tail, just bear with me)
inuyashachibiwriter: Well, this alternate universe is a bit of a jumble between a bunch of ideas, as is everything I think of. Why would you think I'd abandon this? I got a review only a few hours after publishing and now I have more than 26. If you review I'll write, that's a solemn promise!
Inuyasha-Addict-77: Why does everyone think I'm going to abandon the only story of mine that actually has a plot and reviewers!
Well, thankies all for the reviews. -huggles again- Now, after the swarm of reviewers I got (this went from 6 to 26) I want at very very least five reviews, at very least. I'm sure I'll get these by Wednesday. I'll try to put another chapter up by Thursday, don't kill me if I don't.
Darkwolf