Note: Hello all! Well, this is a fic that my friend,Tracy, and I wrote. Our friend Kelli helped with some of the dialoge. So we hope that you enjoy this story and please review!(and yes Minagi is in this one also, but in a diffrent anime and a diffrent history. So please dont get mad about that, shes my alter ego!)
--OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO-- scene change
CH.1 Crossing Paths
Kitsumaru walked briskly down the dim torch lit hall, the long sleeves of his kimono billowing behind him. He sighed, brushing a stubborn bang from his face. Whatever his father had to say to him, it must be important to summon him at such an early hour. And to his own private chamber! His father usually never allowed anyone in that room except that little toad, Jakken, and sometimes his mother. Kitsumaru approached the huge doors, elaborately carved with symbols of royalty and his father's mark, which was an enormous white dog. Kitsumaru stepped up to the arched doors and raised his hand to knock, then lowered it. That rare feeling of nervousness crept slowly into his chest. Thinking a moment, he raised it again and knocked loudly. Why should he be nervous? This was his father after all.
From inside, Kitsumaru heard his father's quiet voice.
" Enter."
Kitsumaru pushed the door open and stepped inside. He had half expected his father to be writing at the small golden table in the corner, that was usually where he spent most of his time, but instead he sat on a futon near the fireplace. Kitsumaru bowed.
" Father," he said quietly. His father opened his eyes, but did not look up.
" Jakken," he called quietly.
The little toadlike demon scrambled clumsly to bow before his master.
" Yes Lord Sesshomaru?" he stammered, his nasty,yellow eyes lowered to the floor.
" Bring my son a futon, then leave us." Sesshomaru ordered.
" But...but my Lord...--" Jakken glanced toward Kitsumaru untrustingly.
" Jakken!" Sesshomaru said, more loudly this time.
" Yes mi' Lord." the little demon ran into a smaller room and returned a moment later with a folded futon. He layed it out neatly, because Sesshomaru was watching, then stood and bowed.
" Now leave us." Sesshomaru ordered.
" Yes mi' Lord," Jakken scampered from the room, hurrying past Kitsumaru and pulling the heavy doors closed.
Kitsumaru stood for a moment, not sure whether he should sit or wait for his father's invitation, but Sesshomaru looked up, motioning to the empty futon with his hand.
" Come and sit. You need not stand when you speak to me." he said.
Kitsumaru moved to where his father sat, and knelt on the futon. He saw now that his father had been reading a small book. He placed it aside, and shifted to his knees, placing his hand in his lap. Sesshomaru looked into the fire for a moment, not speaking or moving. Kitsumaru tilted his head, staring curiously at the silver haired demon Lord before him. Kitsumaru had never understood the man he had always called father. He knew his past. His mother had told him about Sesshomaru's life before Kitsumaru and his sister's birth. But when he looked at his father, he did not see that evil creature.
" Father?"
"Hmmm..." Sesshomaru turned back to him.
" You wished to speak to me?" Kitsumaru asked.
" Yes. I know that it is early, but what I have to tell you is urgent." Sesshomaru said.
Kitsumaru nodded." I was not asleep. Mother gave me your message. What is it you wished to speak to me about?"
Sesshomaru sighed. " I must leave for awhile. There is buisness I must tend to in the North."
Kitsumaru frowned." You would leave during mother's pregnancy?"
" I must." Sesshomaru said. " War is breaking out in the North and I will lead our side."
Kitsumaru looked down at his hands for a moment. " War..." he whispered. " Does mother know?" he asked.
" She knows where I am going, but I have not told her why...I know she has figured it out. Your mother is no fool." Sesshomaru said.
Kitsumaru clicked his long white claws together, staring at the floor. He looked up suddenly. " Why can't I go? I can fight. Mother needs you more than me."
Sesshomaru frowned. " Do not be naive!" he snapped. " You have no experience in battle. And a few small skirmishes does not make you ready."
Kitsumaru sighed, nodding. " I am sorry, father...what is it you wish me to do?"
" You will stay here and help your mother." Sesshomaru stood, and Kitsumaru was surprised at how he did so without his left arm. " I will leave you to take care of my usual position."
" I will take your place you mean." Kitsumaru stood also.
Sesshomaru said nothing, and Kitsumaru took his silence as a yes.
" You may go now. I am through." Sesshomaru moved around to sit at his small table.
" You leave soon then?" Kistumaru asked.
Sesshomaru unrolled a scroll. " Tomorrow." he said shortly. " Go."
Kitsumaru hesitated for a moment, then bowed and left the room.
--OoOoOoOoOo Somewhere in the forest OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo---
Minagi rested her body against the tree as she balanced herself on a limb. The elf had done nothing but train herself since midnight last night. She was now on her morning break. The tree she was sitting in had lucious fruit growing from it's limbs. Minagi hadn't found any decent food in days, so without hesitation she picked a fruit from it's branch that was resting above her head. She took a bite letting the sweet taste of the fruit hold in her mouth for a moment, then swallowed. She smiled with pleasure and quickly finished the rest of the fruit. She was just about to pick another one when she heard some voices comeing up the trail just below the tree. She stiffened her body and hushed her breath. She cautiously leaned forward to see the owner's of the voices. To her dissapointment, it was nothing but two weak humans.
" That demon Lord hads been very quiet lately." the first one said.
" Yes. Rumor has it that his bitch is pregnant again, so he has been 'preoccupied.' "
"You would think that his son would be doing all of his dirty work, seeing as how he has that powerful sword and all."
" Urgh. Just the thought of theTouikijin sends chills down my spine."
Once the humans moved off farther down the trail, Minagi relaxed again. " Demon Lord?" she thought. Her Elf ears gave a twitch.
"Touikijin, huh?" she said outloud. A smirk escaped her lips then as her mind began to work.
" If that sword is as powerful as they say it is, then it could be of much use to me." she said. She had traveled from place to place for so long that she had never heard of such an object. The thought of herself weilding it made her smile. " And while the demon is busy with his pregnant wench, I can sneak in unnoticed and claim that sword as my own."
Suddenly, the elvin tattoo on her shoulder started to throb as it usually did. But she covered it with her hand. It was the only thing that she had of her people: the woodlend elfs. Every wood elf had one somewhere on their bodies. Hers was an elvin flower, but hers was diffrent then her people's: hers was only half a flower. And now it throbbed persistantly. But she ignored it and jumped out of her tree and amoung the others, towards the Demon Lord's palace.
--OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO--
Kitsumaru watched his mother from the balcony. She walked along the winding paths of her garden, smelling flowers and speaking to servants. Kitsumaru smiled. He had always found pregnant woman funny...the way they waddled along, their great bellies in the way of everything. But not his mother. She was only a few months in to her pregnancy, but her belly was unmistakable and she walked along gracefully, looking beautiful in her pink flowered, blue kimono, her hair pulled back with silver chopsticks and orchids. Kitsumaru smiled as she looked up and waved to him. He turned away and made his way back to his father's chambers. Lady Catsumoya would be lonely without Sesshomaru. The two shared a love he had never seen between demons. And how did his father expect him to take over heare at the palace? Kitsumaru knew he could not keep his mother from being unhappy. He could not control every demon in Sesshomaru's lands, or keep the humans from fueding. The thoughts of controlling demons brought his thoughts to Kitsumoya. Where was his twin? He had not seen her all day....
" Lord Kitsumaru!...Lord Kitsumaru!!" Kitsumaru spun around to see Jakken come skidding across the marble floor and stopping at his feet.
" Why the hurry Jakken?" Kitsumaru asked. " Lost your two-headed stick?"
Jakken, who was panting violently, gave a small annoyed snort." My...My Lord Kitsumaru...---"
" Yes Jakken. I know my name, thank you. Whats the matter?"
" The sword!! It's gone!!" Jakken practically screamed.
" The sword?...Touikijin!!??"
"Yes! Stolen...The guards...DEAD!!" Jakken was jumping up and down. Kitsumaru psid no attention to the toad, but had already started running down the hall toward the weapon rooms.
--OoOoOoOoO Flashback to what had happend OoOoOoooOooo--
Minagi had reached the palace. It was indeed a great structure, looking as if it could house a hundred demons. Her gaze was now on the great doors, however, it was being guarded. Two massive cat demons with heavy swords and axes were standing tall, looking straight ahead, ready to defend. Minagi wouldnt be able to get through them without being seen, so she decided to put on her elvin charm. She gracefully jumped from the tree she was in and landed on her feet. She slowly rose, leaning against the tree and giving the cats a suductive glance. Seeing the elf they held their weapons ready.
" Who goes?!" one growled.
" Chill boys," she said in her sexiest voice." I don't want to fight."
They stood there, confused.
" You see," she said. " I have been alone for so long and I have been searching for someone to have some 'fun' with. But then I saw you two and thought,' now how can I pass up sexy demons like that?"
" You mean us?" one said.
' What idiots,' she thought but didnt say it. " Of course," she said in a charming voice moving closer. Her blue-green eyes sparkeled as she batted her eyelashes. They both blushed at this, and Minagi moved closer, giving her long blonde hair a flick and moving the one black highlight she had out of her face. She adjusted her chest as she moved behind them, twisting one's whiskers in her fingers. The cat purred with pleasure when she did this. She moved to the middle of them and put her hands on her hips. " Would you boys like to go somewhere a little more...private?"
One of the cats put it's fury arm around her slender waist in excitment. " Oh yea..." he slobbered.
That was her que. Quickly, she called forth two balls of purple energy and formed two long knives in both hands. With lightning reflects she brought the knives up to the cats throats and cut into the flesh. Blood flowed from the cats necks as they fell to the ground, dead. She smirked at her work, making her knives dissapear. She then turned to the big doors, kicked them open, and walked into the dark castle.
--OoOoOoOoOoOOoOOOOoOOOOoOoOoOoOO---
When Kitsumaru reached the commotion, his mother, and several servents guards were already there. He pushed through to see. As he looked around, his mother layed her white hand on his shoulder.
" THe guards are all dead, and your father's sword is gone," she said.
Kitsumaru could not believe what he saw. Dead demons lay everywhere, their throats cut or beheaded.
" Did anyone see anything?" he asked.
There was no answer for a moment, then an old hag stepped forward.
" I did my Lord," she croaked.
Someone from the croud snorted with laughter. " Don't listen to old Umatsu! The old bat just wants attention!"
The old woman said nothing and the others laughed.
" Silence!" Kitsumaru snapped. " I asked for no one's opinion! Only for an answer to my question!"
The room became silent at once. Kitsumaru nodded to the hag " Speak up old one. Tell us your side."
The hag cleared her throat. " I was coming back from something I had to do outside. As I came up from the side, I noticed the guards weren't at the doors and I knew something was wrong, so I hid. A few moments later, a young woman ran from the palace carrying a bundle."
Kitsumaru frowned. " A woman?...A demoness?"
" Most likely, my Lord. Ran fast, she did. Laughing, too." the hag answered.
Jakken had just arrived holding his staff. "Huh...My Lord...The Staff...we must use the wisdom of the staff..."
" Screw the wisdom of the staff!" Kitsumaru growled. He turned back to the old woman. " You saw her well?"
She nodded.
"Describe her." he ordered, not unkindly, but urgently.
--OoOoooooOoOoOoOoooOoOo---
Minagi laughed to herself. " THis was too easy."
The single black strand of hair had moved itself into her face, so she moved it with her hand. That was also another symbol of her race, her other race. Always it was in her way, always. But she pushed that thought aside and continued to run.
" The whole palace is probably frantic now, " she laughed. " You know, for a powerful demon Lord, his security was pretty pathetic," she thought to herself. The tightend her prize around her waist and ran farther into the forest. But suddenly, she felt a strange feeling swept over her, the feeling of being followed. She felt it getting closer, whatever it was. She stopped for a moment, and concentraited on the force. It was comeing from the West and at a high speed. Then a thought struck her: what if it was the Demon Lord? What if he was tracking her? She didnt expect him to find out so quickly. She couldn't be discovered! Quickly, she bounded up into a nearby tree limb. She hid in the shadows of the leaves and held the sword close. But hideing was no good if he could sense her powers. So she closed her eyes and relaxed. She had often used this tecnique to excape from carnivorous demons when she was younger. She could feel her tracker getting closer, and she could hear it's feet running in the grass. She looked out and saw the trees move from the wind of the tracker's speed as it ran past them. It was almost near her. She hid her power and hushed her breath.
Kitsumaru raced through the trees, dodgeing branches and roots, searching the tree tops as he ran. He knew the theiving bitch was here. He could smell her. She was here in one of these trees. Kitsumaru skidded to a halt near three of the tallest trees, sniffing the air. The girl's scent was strong, yet somehow pleasent. He hoped she gave up the sword without a fight, but he douted she would. The wind shifted and her smell faded. Kitsumaru growled to himself. How could he find her if there was nothing to go by? No scent, no sight, no sense...but what was that feeling. He often felt it around his mother and sister...magic? He sensed magic close to his own, even. Smirking, Kitsumaru turned to the farthest tree and whispered:
" Found you."
