Title: Dragonfly

Genre: Fluff/intro

Rating: K+

Word Count: 224

Dragonfly

On the eve of battle, Sesshoumaru watched his daughter play with dragonflies. As she stalked them through the reedy grasses, his hand slid to the ever-vigilant Tenseiga at his side.

A gift from me to you, my son.

His father died in the final battle of what had been a string of final battles, facing his greatest foe. Tomorrow Sesshoumaru would follow that legacy.

Sesshoumaru, why do you seek power?

The corners of Sesshoumaru's mouth twitched. I'm your son.

A back draft of window lifted his hair and flattened the grass around him. His daughter squealed, and then fell over giggling at sight of a three-eyed bull.

"Well, I'll be," Toutousai said, peering down at the little girl. "It's true."

Inu-no-Taishou died, but not before bequeathing each of his sons a sword.

Toutousai shrugged. "I suppose it can't be helped," he muttered, almost gleeful, and whipped out a rather wicked pair of pliers. "Open up."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked to his tiny daughter as his hand tightened around Tenseiga. Sometimes, he wondered why the wise and powerful Inu-no-Taishou ever thought a sword could replace a father.

His eyes narrowed at the sudden realization weaving into his heart. He understood what his wiser father should have known.

Without a word, he gathered his daughter and strode away, leaving a bewildered Toutousai.

Much later, Toutousai would learn that Sesshoumaru had abandoned all plans for conquest. Choosing, instead, a life of contemplation.

That day, without realizing, Sesshoumaru had surpassed his father.

But more importantly, his child, the Inu no hime, would reach adulthood knowing her father's face.