Inuyasha; A Feudal Fairy Tale – The Sesshoumaru Blues

Chapter Seven – Shuku or Rin

Rikkimaru was raiding a small home off the shores of a lake. He sniffed around, his nose on fire with something delightful. It was sweet and smelled like it would be a sinful treat like a cake or candies. Rikkimaru tore through a clothing dresser, and then turned his head to a small box. It was black box made from polished maple. It had golden dragons on the top. There was decorative red tie around the box. Rikkimaru recognized it as a bentou(1) box. Rikkimaru licked his lips. He had grown tired of raw meats and other repetitive things he had to eat because of lack of funds.

Rikkimaru opened the box and saw lines of fresh sushi and gooey mochi (2). He closed the box because he heard a noise. Rikkimaru had no where to hide although he didn't need to. He was a feared demon by all that spoke his name. To Rikkimaru's surprise it was a girl.

The girl had long auburn locks that touched her rear and they were tied at the bottom loosely with a red ribbon. She wore a pink yukata that hung off her shoulders. It seemed like an invitation to men, but that wasn't her style. It just made her feel comfortable. The sash she wore was a reversible black/red; her bow was the classic chou-chou musubi. Her grey eyes looked at Rikkimaru with hairs falling over her peachy flesh to frame her face. It looked like she had run to her home.

"What do you think you are doing?" She asked with labored breath.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Rikkimaru sneered. His attitude was almost like Inuyasha's. She frowned.

"You robbing me?" She glared.

"Yeah, and if you try to stop me, I'll rip your face off and have it as dessert with this meal I'm stealing." Rikkimaru pushed her aside as he went out of her home. And she let him. Then it hit her.

"My lunch? You're stealing my lunch?" She growled.

"I guess I am." Rikkimaru said walking away. She darted insider her house, by now Rikkimaru was unconcerned with the human. "This is going to be so yummy."

"You sonnovabitch!" Shuku, the girl, cried out with her 50 pound wooden dresser over her head. She wielded it like a man. "You're gonna give me back my lunch!" Shuku threw it at Rikkimaru and before he had a chance to look up—the dresser nailed him in the face. His hands relaxed due to the sudden impact, which allowed the bentou to go flying out of it. Shuku rushed in her tabi (3) to catch it. She slid on her rather large knockers, as grass and dust went flying into the air, but the Shuku caught it.

Rikkimaru's face had caused the clothing dresser to obliterate into fair size pieces of wood. He was on his back trying to come back to reality. And that reality was a human chucking a large piece of wood at him.

"Holy…" Rikkimaru was about to curse as he sat up. Shuku looked down to him.

"It's one thing to ravage through all my clothes, and look at my personal undergarments! It's another to steal my home made goodies!" Shuku pointed her finger into his face. "Didn't your mother teach you better than that?" Rikkimaru cringed. His mother. Bleh. He could careless about her anymore. She allowed herself to be murdered in cold blood probably to protect Inuyasha.

"My mom's dead…" Rikkimaru said. He killed the mood for Shuku. She was regretting saying such harsh words to Rikkimaru.

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" Shuku said remorsefully. She had no idea.

"GOT YOU!" Rikkimaru cried snatching back the bentou box, quite easily. Shuku gasped.

"That wasn't fair!" Shuku pouted.

"Neither was throwing a dresser at my head!"

"Well, you turned around a little so you saw it coming!" Shuku said.

"I had no time to react!" Rikkimaru turned around walking with the bentou box.

"Oh no you don't!"

"Oh yes, oh yes I do." Rikkimaru started to pop the box open. Shuku rolled up her yukata sleeves and rushed to find a young maple tree. Shuku found a sapling that was starting to have girth. She looked it up and down before putting her hands around it.

Shuku was only 5'4", but she demonstrated her brute strength. She pulled, and tugged and in a matter of seconds, Shuku had up rooted the tree. Shuku rushed to find a pebble just to keep it fair, tucking the tree under her armpit.

Rikkimaru was in lala-land, ready to have something that tasted great. A pebble bounced off his shoulders. "What is it now, human?" Rikkimaru rolled his eyes and his head in disbelief that Shuku would keep it up. But Shuku was playing by the rules. This time she gave him fair warning with the pebble. Shuku had the tree whipped back, and she swung it like a baseball bat.

"Eat bark!" Shuku cried out as Rikkimaru went flying into the sky, spinning in circles—the bentou, again, thrown from his hands. Shuku leaped up into the air, never letting go of the tree, snatching up the lunch. But she wanted to teach Rikkimaru a lesson. She put the bentou into her mouth, winding up another swing. Shuku swung the tree with great might, but Rikkimaru had gained his composure and grabbed hold of one of the branches. He mounted the swinging tree, and rushed up the trunk on all fours. Shuku was taken back by surprise when Rikkimaru snatched the bentou from her mouth in a twisting summersault—flipping over her head. Rikkimaru watched Shuku's hair flutter back and forth as he sailed to the ground.

"Such a pretty human… But on my way!" Rikkimaru said once landing on the ground. He made a dash for the woods to get out of her sight. He knew her nose wasn't as keen as his, being half dog demon of course, so she couldn't track him that way. Rikkimaru could almost taste his freedom. Keyword: almost. Shuku launched the tree like a rocket, once again, connecting with Rikkimaru. The braches snapped and buckled under the force of smashing against the ground. Branches and leaves went flying everywhere as the tree split in the middle, trapping Rikkimaru. The sound of the bending wood wasn't pleasant to Rikkimaru. He frowned as Shuku stood over him with narrowed eyes.

"What a cheap thing to do." Shuku started to smile. "My name is Shuku, what's yours?" He rolled his finger tips on the ground, in boredom from being stuck to the earth. Looked like he had no choice, but Rikkimaru wanted to talk to the girl that would do such a thing to anyone over a bentou.

"My name is Rikkimaru." Shuku went blank faced, her eyes nearly turning into black dots.

"R-Rikkimaru?" Shuku covered her face. "Not the Rikkimaru! The Rikkimaru who burns down towns and slices demons from ass to ear!" Rikkimaru nodded.

"That's me…" Shuku took her hands away from her face, with those narrowed eyes. They were acting a lot alike. Shuku stuck out her bottom lip.

"Man, you're weak! I practically handed your ass to you! And I'm human!"

"No you're not; you can't be!" Rikkimaru was embarrassed.

"Quite human." Shuku's expression was normal. "You want some help getting out of the dirt?" Shuku asked with a gentle smile. "Or would you like me to feed the bentou to you that way?" Rikkimaru stared with a lifted eyebrow.

"After all that, you'd be willing to give me the bentou?" Rikkimaru was confused. Women, he scoffed in his mind. Shuku shrugged.

"If you still want it…" She knew he would. Rikkimaru struggled to pull himself out from the forked tree. He was stuck. He placed his face in the grass.

"I'll take the bentou and your help from getting un-wedged from this spot." Rikkimaru hid his embarrassment. Beaten, and pinned into submission by a human and a maple tree. If his father had gotten word of this, Rikkimaru would never hear the end of it…

BLUES

"SO!" Sesshoumaru walked around Rikkimaru. Rikkimaru had to go his mother's grave, and just like he feared, his father was there, paying respects. "Word on the streets is that you got your ass whooped by a human girl."

"She didn't kick my ass. We were horse playing." It was a month after the little event between Shuku and himself.

"I heard that you're dating that girl." Sesshoumaru glared. "That human girl." Sesshoumaru sounded angry.

"So what? You got it on with a human once, too." Rikkimaru reminded.

"That was once, I never dated your mother." Sesshoumaru cringed. Rikkimaru snarled.

"Don't you talk about mother like that, at least not at her grave. Do it on your own time. You're just pissed that no female demon would sleep with a one-arm bandit like you." Rikkimaru said. Sesshoumaru went for the Tokijin.

"Don't make me get my belt." Sesshoumaru said with narrowed eyes.

"Well, seriously, what do you want me to do?" Rikkimaru crossed his arms. "You haven't been very involved in my life and once you here a rumor that I'm sleeping with a human you start acting like a father."

"I already knew that you'd go after a human—it apparently runs in our genes. But I want you to date a human that is to my liking." Sesshoumaru said. "Rin!"

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Her little voice cried. She rushed over to Sesshoumaru, standing at his knee cap. Rikkimaru nearly died.

"I'm not a pedophile, pops! She's like seven! That's just naaaaasty."

"Don't call me that. And she's not properly groomed yet. Just give her 15 or 16 more years and she will be the perfect human for you." Sesshoumaru said, pushing Rin towards Rikkimaru. Rikkimaru made a batsu (4) with his hands.

"I don't think I can do that, pops." Rikkimaru looked to Rin, shocked more than anything. "Sorry, kid."

"That's okay." Rin said, trotting back to Sesshoumaru.

"You of all people!" Rikkimaru glared. Sesshoumaru started to whistle putting his head into the clouds. "You're running around with a human and here you point the finger at me like I took the crap on the floor!"

"Rin, head back to Jaken." Sesshoumaru told her. There was something that Sesshoumaru didn't want her to hear.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin said, turning back to Jaken. Rikkimaru glared in disgusted.

"WELL?" Rikkimaru turned his glare towards his father.

"She reminded me of your mother…"

"She's not black." Rikkimaru glared. "No one will come close to my mother, especially not a child!"

"Did you even know that Inuyasha was off the tree?" Sesshoumaru changed the subject, but kept it similar. Zayane's death might have been instigated by Inuyasha, which had reminded him to tell Rikkimaru the 'good' news.

"Inuyasha, is… Off the tree?" Rikkimaru's heart pounded against his chest. Inuyasha… He had been so distant because of his mother giving up his life for Inuyasha. Rikkimaru was sure that his mother took on a demon that she couldn't handle to protect Inuyasha's dormant body. All for Inuyasha's sake.

"Are you going to pay him a visit?" Sesshoumaru would be glad to have Rikkimaru put Inuyasha down.

"If you could help me… Just point me in the right direction…" Rikkimaru didn't want to beg for his help. Sesshoumaru put a clawed finger to his chin.

"I don't know…" Sesshoumaru smiled. He was waiting for the words.

"Please fa-father." Rikkimaru frowned. Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, smelling the air. Sesshoumaru pointed north-east. "Inuyasha is a long ways from here, but I know his scent better than anyone else's. It's faint but he's probably 100 or so miles away."

"Aww man, not a freakin' road trip." Rikkimaru groaned. "Shuku will never let me go that far by myself. She thinks I'm promiscuous. She thinks I get it from you." Rikkimaru sighed.

"Shuku doesn't know me." Sesshoumaru said, like a modern day gangster. Rikkimaru turned, about to take his leave.

"Yeah, but I tell her stories about you all the time." Rikkimaru said bouncing off in the tree tops.

"Stories all the time…?" Sesshoumaru said to himself. It was flattering that Rikkimaru told stories about Sesshoumaru, but what was unflattering was he didn't mention what kind.

BLUES

Rikkimaru leaped great distances, with Shuku holding onto his back. They looked like a miss-matched Inuyasha and Kagome. Rikkimaru had to make jokes.

"Ugh! You're heavy!" He complained. Shuku turned red.

"You shut up before I give you a slug upside the head!"

"Hey, I'm piloting this stupid ride, and I'll throw you off if need be!" Rikkimaru said taking a shaky leap while saying that. Shuku clutched his shoulders.

"You sow!"

"Yuujou (5)!"

"Why you piece of! Ugh! Death be upon you!" Shuku cursed.

"I hate women, they are such back seat drivers! You want off this ride?" Rikkimaru turned his head a bit. Shuku slapped him since she had the chance. Rikkimaru almost went spiraling out of control—on purpose. "Oh dear, did you see that? We almost died!"

Shuku glared. "Only if you were trust worthy I wouldn't be put through such stress!"

"You know, this would be a good time to tell you that my father picked out my very own future human girlfriend." Those words made Shuku jealous, her eyes burning up.

"Is that so?" She tried to play it off as if it didn't faze her. "What was she like?"

"She was like ten." Rikkimaru narrowed his eyes. "My father was trying to do that arranged marriage thing—sept we both weren't children."

"Ewww—I think your dad is a pedophile." Shuku frowned.

"Nah. He said he sees my mother in that little girl." There was a long pause.

"…That… Isn't… Healthy… Either…" Shuku stared into space with shock. "Your dad is gross." She said snapping out of it. Rikkimaru didn't think of it that way until she said that.

"I will just have to trust his judgment. Some times it isn't as cracked up as it seems. I can say my mother might have been good judgment, but the way he treated her wasn't." Rikkimaru closed his eyes for but a moment. Shuku's grey eyes softened.

"Your mother… You don't talk about her. Is she really… You know…" Shuku didn't want to finish.

"It's quite possible that she died protecting the person we are trying to find. Inuyasha might not even be aware that my mother has passed away. Which makes me want to kill him all the more."

"Whoa whoa! Kill him?" Shuku wasn't sure if she heard right. From what she could tell, Rikkimaru seemed as if he only wanted to inform Inuyasha about what had been going on with him as of late.

"It's just a figure of speech. Don't worry, I won't kill him." Rikkimaru turned his head so that Shuku couldn't see his face. Rikkimaru glared. Unless he gives me a reason to, he thought.

つづく(Tsuzuku)

Author's notes/Translation notes:

(1)bentou is a special lunch made specifically for boxes. The boxes can be very decorative or just plain in simple. Bentous are popular on the Shikansen bullet train or school lunches to look kewl

(2)Mochi is a gooey rice cake that is as rice mixture pounded over and over to get the texture. Personally, mochi is an acquired taste because it just don't feel right going down the pipes let alone in the mouth. It has a texture like glue but so many yummy flavors. WHY?

(3)Tabi are the toed socks that Japan are famous for. The perfect sock for thronged sandals.

(4)Batsu is a word/phrase that in basically like, "Negative" "Hell naw" "No" Incorrect" The way Rikkimaru performs his Batsu is typical among teenagers who REALLY don't want to do it—or they are joking with a friend, I.E. "Wanna date Harumi?" "BATSU!" –kid makes an X with the arms- Hell naw.

(5)夕女, Yuujou. The Kanji in Yuujou means, "Night woman.", "Woman of the Night." It was a common term during the feudal era. Basically, Rikkimaru is calling Shuku a hooker.

Ooo Rikkimaru wants to kill Inuyasha to avenge his mother, who didn't see that one coming! Please endure!