Author's Notes: Finally the first chapter ^^ I hope you'll enjoy it. Sesshoumaru might be a little OOC though, okay? ^^ So sorry about that.
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Abandoned Home – Chapter 1
By Clow Angel
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I woke up, feeling slightly tired. Something didn't seem right. Groaning, I sat up using my left arm to support myself. I look at my surroundings and find the room lit by candles. The shadows of the flames danced against the walls giving the room an eerie kind of feeling. Looking down at myself, I found myself dressed in a white haori. It looked similar to my clothes. I heard the door slide open and close with a creak. Looking toward the door, I saw a young dark-haired girl dressed in miko robes, with a basin of water in her arm rush over to me.
"You shouldn't be up yet." She said, voice laced with concern for my well being, and sat by my bed on a chair she pulled over. Placing a hand on my shoulder, she gently pushed me back down onto the bed. I resisted the urge to growl at her for laying a hand on me.
"Why am I here? How long have I been asleep?" I asked instead.
"I was part of the rescue team that came once we received notice of your home's situation. I brought you here to heal you up. You've been asleep for a day."
I didn't reply. I merely stared at her. Does she not know I'm a dog youkai? She's a miko, so she should be aware of the fact that I have a tail. Before I could further dwell deeper into my thoughts, I was interrupted by her voice.
"I'll be checking your wounds now. They should be almost healed considering the fact that you're an inu youkai."
So she does know.
"Why are you not afraid then?"
"Why should I be? I can defend myself against youkai. I've been trained to do so."
Is she just brave or is she stupid?
"May I?" she gestured towards my wounds. I nod. After dressing my wounds again, she places the basin of water and a cloth on a little table by my bedside. "Clean up and I'll come get you for dinner."
Staring into the mirror at the desk after I made myself somewhat presentable, I checked myself over, wondering how severe my wounds were. They weren't very severe. They would heal in a day or two. Now what was I to do? My home has been destroyed. Therefore, I have nowhere to go. I can rebuild it. Suppressing a sigh, I decided I would think of it when the time comes.
Several minutes later, the girl came as she said she would. I followed her down a hallway, turning left; we came upon the dining room. Dinner was served and I ate. The food wasn't half bad. It was quite good, but I wasn't about to say such a thing. After finishing my meal and waiting for her to finish, I decided to question what has happened. "What has become of my home?"
She looked up, then paled and dropped her head. Sighing, she replied, "I'm sorry. Your home was completely burned down. Nothing but ashes remains. However, I found two swords." Getting up, she leaves the room and returns a minute or so later carrying two swords with her. "These are the swords." Handing me the swords, I look them over. Finding that these were my swords, I strapped them to my waist. "Thank you for bringing them to me."
"Your sword radiates odd energy." She stares at my swords suspiciously. "What are they made of? I've never seen any sword like them before."
Almost rolling my eyes, I stared at her with a raised brow. "You're a curious human, aren't you? If you really must know, one is made from a fang of a powerful youkai, the other is made from my father's fang."
"Oh! That's interesting!" she practically beamed from the information.
"What is your name, girl? I've never asked."
She looked like she was about to blow a fuse. "Stop calling me girl! Or human! Or any other odd names! You could've simply asked, 'What is your name?'"
"Very well then, what, may I ask, is your name?" If I didn't have better control over my emotions, I would've grinded my teeth and narrowed my eyes, then slit her throat.
She smiled cheerfully. "I'm Kagome. What's your name?"
"Sesshoumaru."
She blinked. "What a long name." Sighing sadly, she looked away. "Again, I'm sorry about your home."
"I do not need pity. I do not care for my home." She looked up at me in surprise. "What? Don't you care what happens to your family?"
"No." …Not anymore.
"Why wouldn't you?! They're your family!" she practically shouted. I almost winced at the sharp tone. Having sensitive ears can be a pain.
I retorted in my monotone voice, "Do not tell me what to think of my family. You haven't a right to. You don't know what—" I stopped. There was no need for me to tell her anything. I should slit her throat in half before she annoys me further. However, I made no movement to do so. After all, I have honor. I will not kill the one who had rescued me before I return the favor.
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"Sorry…" I took a closer look at him when he said those words and realized he probably went through something painful to make him think of his family in such a way. He didn't say anything. He seemed even colder. His golden eyes hardened, his face remained stoic and cold. In fact, he hasn't made a single facial expression. He didn't glare, laugh, smile, grin, smirk, nothing! This man was an ice cube! I mentally hit myself over the head. Don't judge people like that, Kagome!
After another minute of silence, I stood and sighed. "You should rest. Your wounds aren't fully healed just yet."
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Sesshoumaru headed towards the direction of the guest room he was staying in while Kagome cleaned up and soon afterwards headed into her chambers as well. They both needed some rest after a long day.
The next morning, Kagome woke up bright and early, just after sunrise. Getting dressed in her midnight blue miko outfit, she pondered over her houseguest. She sat down at her desk and looked into the mirror, staring at her own image. Today, she decided to braid her hair. Braiding her hair over her shoulder, she tied a blue ribbon into it to hold it together. Satisfied, she smiled at her reflection and got up, ready to start the day. 'I wonder if he would open up. Oh well, I can't keep thinking about him. I need to do my job of protecting the village and the Shikon no Tama. However, I can't help but remember his eyes. So much was hidden behind those golden eyes.' Stepping out of her room, she saw Sesshoumaru sitting on a tree branch dressed in his mended clothes, in the courtyard. She had also asked the village tailor the make several more of that outfit. It suits him quite nicely. 'I guess dog demons rise early in the morning too.' "Awake already, Sesshoumaru?"
Staring at the miko girl, he nodded once to confirm that indeed he does wake up early.
"How are your wounds?"
"My wounds are no longer there. They've all healed." Just as Kagome was about to turn and walk away, he stopped her. "Thank you." She stopped in her tracks and her eyes widened. She whirled around to face him.
"What is so surprising?"
"You. You said thank you. You barely ever talk and you say thank you!"
"You do not think I can say those words?" He had fought with himself to say those two words and now she acts as if the world has come to an end. He fought the urge to grind his teeth.
"Uh… no… It just seems so unexpected of you to say them. That's all." Smiling up at him, she added, "Well, I have to get going. I have a job to do. If you're hungry, there's breakfast in the dining room." With that, she disappeared behind the front door.
'What an odd human girl.' Making his way to the dining room, he found a full meal on the table with fish, rice, miso soup, and all. Finishing his meal, he placed the dirty dishes in a pile on one of the kitchen counters.
Deciding to look around the village, he headed out. There were a lot of trees and flowers in this village. It seemed forest surrounded it with a large meadow behind the village and more forest. There were people selling fruits and vegetables and meats at the market place and farmers working on the fields. All different kinds of smells hit his sensitive nose. 'These humans smell horrid.' Moving on, several children bumped into him. He growled threateningly at them and they ran away in fear.
The villagers didn't seem to mind his presence. They went on with their ordinary lives, which Sesshoumaru found surprising. Most people would run for their lives or start hollering if they spot a youkai walking around in their village. He then took notice of a fire cat youkai and several other friendly youkai in the village as well. 'So that's why. Youkai and humans live together in this place. How very odd.' Lifting his head, he noticed a familiar scent in the air. It was the scent of blood. Human blood.
No more than a minute later, a monk and several villagers came running, calling, "Kagome-sama!!! Kagome-sama!!" A young pony-tailed woman rushed out of her home, followed by the fire cat youkai he saw earlier, and ran up to the monk asking what was wrong.
"Houshi-sama, what's wrong? Has there been an attack?" Worry was etched into her pretty face.
The monk's face was serious as he explained. "Yes, there has been an attack. A villager has been injured already. A pair of centipede youkai are looking for the Shikon no Tama. They appear to be mates as well. This can get ugly if we don't kill off both of them at once."
"I'll get Kagome-chan at once. She was healing a sick child before, but I'm sure that can be done later." Rushing off with cat youkai at her feet, she called back to the monk, "Go and stall them while I get Kagome-chan!"
"Got it!" The monk rushed off to do as he was told.
"Sesshoumaru?" I turn toward the voice and find Kagome and the pony-tailed girl with her cat youkai rushing over to me. "Should you be out here during an attack? You're injured."
"I'm fully healed. I told you before."
"Right. I forgot. Anyways, this is no time to chat. I have to go stop some youkai from hurting anymore people." She rushed off with her pony-tailed friend at her heels. I stood there for a few minutes pondering over what to do before I decided I might as well follow and see what's going on. After all, it was rather boring standing around doing nothing. Might as well watch a fight.
I jumped into a tree and watched the people below.
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"Kagome-sama, you're finally here."
"I heard there was an attack, Miroku-sama, so let's hurry. Sango-chan is catching up." Nodding, Miroku led Kagome to the beginning of the forest as Sesshoumaru secretly followed in the trees. "Several villagers have already been injured. They're going to need you to heal them."
Spotting the centipedes, they saw one was about to eat one of the villagers. "Oh no!!"
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Author's Notes: Okay, done! Is it too short? Too long? Suggestions? Please tell me in the reviews. ^_^
