Disclaimer: I don't own this Inuyasha. I never will. You get the point right?

Chapter One: An Unexpected Curse

Please don't forget how small we really are,

Nothing matters when we're gone.

I'm trying to believe in you.

-The Ataris "All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know"

"I'm hungry. Are we going to stop soon?"

"Shut up! You stupid human, we will stop whenever Sesshoumaru-sama decides that we should stop. Be patient!"

Rin pouted. A familiar dull ache in the pit of her stomach was getting stronger. She never understood why Jaken-sama was so mean to her. She knew that he only looked after her because Sesshoumaru-sama told him to, but she hoped that deep down, he liked her as well.

Not very far ahead, their leader listened to the two argue as always. Barely a moment of silence passed in the long treks they all shared, except for those nights of rest that came sporadically. His head was beginning to ache from all the bickering. Constantly, the two were at odds with each other.

So many demons would never allow a human to join them, but somehow he had wound up with Rin. She was as loyal as Jaken, though not nearly so tiresome. He hated humans, anyone who had even ever heard of him could tell you that. But for a reason that escaped even his own mind, there was a great deal of comfort to be found in her company. At any cost, he was willing to protect her, but he refused to ask himself why. It, in his oh-so-mighty opinion, was a question better left unanswered.

Another loud skirmish pulled him out of his reverie. Once again, Jaken had begun screaming. That baka toad could ruin the best of days, and he seemed to make it his eternal mission to do so.

Just as Sesshoumaru began scanning the ground for an object to launch at an unsuspecting Jaken's head, his gaze was caught by a pile of what appeared to be rags on the side of the road. However, its gentle rise and fall indicated a being taking breath; that obviously proved that it did indeed hold life. It smelt of human.

He planned on passing it by entirely, until Rin noticed that something was there.

"Look Sesshoumaru-sama, what's that up there in the road?" She jumped off of Ah-Un and ran a little further ahead. "It's alive!" she said happily, reaching down to tentatively prod it. The blankets shifted and a head appeared. "Oh, it's an old woman."

The fact did not seem to affect him at all.

"She looks very bad, shouldn't we stop and help her!" Rin's eyes stared at the pile pityingly, and her voice clearly displayed concern.

It did not matter to him, however. The day had been long and dull enough already. There was no chance he was going to give in to any of Rin's silly whims. So he continued walking silently down the road.

A wheezy cough came from the old woman. Her condition was precarious, and she reeked of illness and disease. Rin felt so sorry for her, that her eyes welled up with a splattering of tears. She didn't want to leave without helping in some way: big or small.

"You are so kind, dear. Arigatou." The woman coughed again. "Perhaps your lord would reconsider his aloofness. Any act of kindness would be appreciated very greatly. I am in no condition to do anything for myself."

"Rin we are leaving."

She sighed lowly and stood up. "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Please do not leave me here; I need food and shelter. This act of cruelty certainly wouldn't help your reputation."

He turned and stood perfectly still. His voice was heartless and cold, not even trying to hide his disgust at being begged by a human. "I do not care for any 'reputation'. I would freely take the disdain of all the world. I don't intend to help you or any other human."

The woman, to everyone's immense surprise, stood up and gazed at him with a mixture of anger and sadness in her eyes. As she stood, it was obvious that she was no ordinary wretch. Her air was dignified and strong, and her features portrayed her knowledge and skill.

"I am sorry for that," she told him. Her face was hard as stone. "Why can you not be kind? Why is your heart so cold? I stayed here waiting for a passerby, hoping to prove to myself that the world still holds honesty, and goodness, and kindness. I was very wrong I see, and I give you this warning now. Change your ways. Change your heart. If you do not, I can promise you this: there will be nothing but sorrow in your future. Still there is hope, but it will not be there long. Take my advice- and be quick about it."

The old woman gathered her things and wearily began to walk away. She had taken only a few steps when a call stopped her in her tracks.

"You are much too conceited if you think I would condescend to take advice from you. I don't need your foolish warnings."

"You do not need them, eh?" she cried, wheeling around. "You had best watch yourself, or you will regret talking this way to me."

"The only thing I will regret," Sesshoumaru told her icily, "is having stayed and talked to you this long already."

Anger was rapidly building up and the old woman was clearly very close to her breaking point. "You miserable fool! Do not push me further."

He looked straight at her, dead in the eye. "Come Jaken. Come Rin. I do not need to stay any longer. This is old hag is annoying me. Perhaps she will be quiet if no one is there to listen to her ramblings."

A torrent of rushing air came at them, tossing them up higher and higher. A shrill voice came out of the twirling winds. "You will pay for your black heart, you glacial young demon. Never again will you look down upon others, for you shall be as low as they. I will teach you to have kindness; and you will suffer until you do.

With those last words of threat, the strange old woman vanished, leaving nothing but the huge winds to tell of her ever having been there.

The two smallest of the group were still tangled in the storm, but their leader had escaped. He stood on the ground, firmly planted and impatiently waiting for the others.

He noticed a strange feeling overtaking him suddenly. The earth seemed to tremble beneath his feet, and his head pounded so hard that he began to feel dizzy and weakened.

"What is happening to me?" he asked himself. "Did that old hag truly place a curse on me? It can't be." But he felt so badly that he knew something was wrong. His hands felt as though they were shrinking, and they ached and burned.

His eyes traveled down, and he couldn't believe what he saw.

A/N: Yes, he has both arms. So gross a transgression, but my story wouldn't work as well if he didn't. --hides from angry mob-- And if you're wondering why he didn't just kill the woman? ... Well she's important later and i wouldn't let him. Poor Sesshy, no murderous acts just yet.

Ya'll review now! "Love and PEACE!" -A.D.D.