Please remember that Sakuto is a shape shifter currently in the form of a mortal man. If you forget this, then the story could get a little confusing. Please enjoy


The Pain Within

Chapter Two: Defend Yourself

Sakuto dragged herself along with the rest of the mortal men for two days and nights with minimal rest stops, all the while continually hounded by two men who were supposedly Sesshomaru's 'officers'. It wasn't until the third morning, just as the sun was lazily rising over the hills that the turrets of a familiar castle came into view. Before she knew it she was being shuffled and pushed into barracks that were within sight of the castle itself. The grounds were huge, and it was obvious that Sesshomaru trained his troops here; it was clear he liked them close at hand so he could see how they were going.

Sakuto reminisced over how cold and distant Sesshomaru had always seemed, clearly concerned over the treatment she would receive. She recalled how his hatred for humans and half bloods blossomed, regardless of the irony that his brother was a half-blood. She had always thought that his hatred was misdirected, but then she had never had any problems with half bloods. However, when it came to humans, Sakuto found them annoying, insolent fools. Their obvious distrust and even violent acts towards her only made matters worse, as she was often unable to control her temper when referred to as a 'damn demon'. Human reactions to demons seemed, to her, to only consist of two choices, to kill it, or to run in fear. The only reason Sakuto liked to shape shift into a human was because they were more willing to help one of their own kind. Other demons didn't care much for each other, or were too proud, either way. The few times she had needed help, for what ever the reasons, she had transformed into a human. They also had significantly better food than anything she was capable of. Yet she found that their fighting styles were uncoordinated and ineffective, only the demon slayers were impressive warriors.

As she arrived at the castle she had not seen for so many years, she could not help but search the scents in the air for Sesshomaru's. The excitement was building inside of her, and yet so was her apprehension.

She and the rest of the men were allowed to rest for a short period in the barracks while the few women that had been taken from the village as well were hustled away towards the castle. Even in her male form, Sakuto found herself standing out from the other men, and she had a horrid feeling that Sesshomaru would know straight away that she was no mortal man. Of the twenty men that had arrived with her, Sakuto appeared to be one of the youngest, and by far the fittest. Hesitantly she lay down on one of the bunks, aware of the mutterings of the men around her as they nervously sorted themselves. Silence gradually fell over the large, wooden room as their exhaustion finally overcame their apprehension. Finally Sakuto let her own fears slip away as sleep gradually took her, her heart beating in rhythm to the snoring of the man beside her.

Only a few hours later, a gong echoed through the barrack, rousing the men from their restless sleep. Hazily, Sakuto found herself in line with the other men outside, in the shadow of the castle as a rather fragile looking man paced back and forth, studying each person individually with his cloudy turquoise eyes. His short, messy ebony hair continually fell in his eyes as he continued down the line, occasionally pausing to brush the lose strands behind his ears. He was lean and fairly tall, similar to Sakuto's own build in her male form. In fact, the two were very similar, except that the instructor appeared to have more muscle in his arms. Clearly he would be stronger than he seemed. Even so, this did not necessarily mean he was the more skilled. Sakuto found herself smirking at the thought of him falling on his face with a sword through his back, a smirk he was quick to notice. Without any warning, he grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her from the line. She stumbled forward, caught off-guard before narrowing her eyes dangerously. She watched silently as he threw a sword at her, which she caught easily. He drew his own and Sakuto followed, raising an eyebrow at the sly smile that lit his eyes.

"Come, let us see how long it takes for me to wipe that smirk from your face!" He laughed coldly, his eyes hardening. Sakuto quickly drew her sword in response, chewing on her lip to keep her demon strength in check.

"Your arrogance will be your downfall."

The man slowly began to circle her, his eyes never leaving hers. Sakuto was no amateur in combat and waited until the muscles in his arm bunched, signaling his preparation to attack. He was faster than she had anticipated, yet even so, she managed to block the attack aimed for her arm. The clang of steel on steel rang clearly through the air, cutting through the building tension between the two fighters. The man quickly pulled back and aimed another blow for her head, which she managed to dodge with apparent ease, clearly infuriating him. He spun around, cutting off her attempt to get behind him and brought his sword towards on her head. With one hand, Sakuto blocked his attack, fighting to push his sword back. Teeth were clenched as he quickly broke away, trying to hide his surprise at the strength of the young man before him. Yet as Sakuto continued to smirk, he felt his anger and frustration rise. Before he could help himself, he aimed blow after blow at her, only to have each attack bounce off her sword. The boy's ease with a sword was astounding, and without thinking properly, he leaped forward in an attempt to drive the sword straight through him. Anticipating his move, Sakuto leaped to the side and tripped him. He fell hard, slightly stunned, before feeling Sakuto's foot on his back and the cool scrap of her sword against his throat.

"You were saying?" She sneered before releasing him and stepping back. He quickly rolled over and sat up, using his sword for support. She watched curiously as his eyes focused on something behind her. Quickly his expression changed from awe to nervous. Worried it was a trick, Sakuto refused to turn around, until the blood had completely drained from the man's face, indicating his fear was genuine. Allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, she spun around, sword at the ready.

Amber eyes glared down on her and she felt herself pale at the emptiness of them. Lord Sesshomaru seemed so void of all emotion as he slowly raised an eyebrow, refusing to remove his hard gaze from hers. Sakuto's heart raced nervously as she inhaled sharply, her breath caught in her throat. His gaze seemed to be searching for something, yet as he studied her sapphire eyes, she found no spark of recognition, no sign that he was suspicious of her identity. He was merely gazing down on a mortal man who had just made a fool of one of his training officers. Time seemed to stand still before Sesshomaru's gaze finally moved beyond her, to the man lying on the grass behind her. With relief, Sakuto allowed her eyes to drop to the ground, desperate to calm the racing of her heartbeat.

"Am I correct to assume that this… new recruit… has just beaten you, Jasuto?" He asked coolly, his voice dripping with distaste. Sakuto's eyes hardened slightly as she glared up at him in annoyance.

"Defend yourself, boy." He demanded, no emotion in his tone as he drew one of his swords. Quickly Sakuto jumped back, readying herself for his attack. Their eyes remained locked as they began to circle one another.

Sakuto jumped forward, bringing her sword down over her head, yet Sesshomaru easily blocked this and with his demon speed, backhanded her, sending Sakuto flying. She landed hard on her back, ignoring the thin trail of blood that trickled from her nose as she quickly leaped to her feet once more. She muttered to herself, cursing for underestimating his strength. Sesshomaru was once more in front of her, watching patiently the way she leapt around him. She ducked and attacked, tastelessly thrusting her sword in his direction every now and then as she eyed his movements, searching for some kind of weakness. Yet much to her shock and annoyance, she just could not find one.

"Damn, he's good." She whispered under her breath as she felt her muscles starting to seize up. He was quickly wearing her down as she was forced to dodge his attacks, all the while cursing herself for falling into such an incriminating position. She chewed on her lip, nervous that if she became too exhausted, or injured, she would be unable to hold her form as a mortal male. If her body was to be put under a great physical strain, her shape shifting abilities would fade and she would change back into her original form. Sakuto was unsure of what Sesshomaru would do if he were to find out he was being fooled. She wasn't even sure if he would recognize her after so many years apart. To him, the Sakuto he used to know was probably dead. And as much as she longed for her old life, she knew it was never to be, and it was probably better for them both if she remained dead to Sesshomaru. With these thoughts running through her mind, Sakuto ducked as Sesshomaru swung at her before kicking him in the stomach. He staggered back slightly, obviously infuriated that a human had actually managed to hit him. His brow furrowed slightly as he stepped forward again, swinging down with great force. Unable to dodge his attack in time, Sakuto was forced to quickly block him. The force between the two swords was almost unbearable as Sakuto snarled, trying her hardest not only to hold Sesshomaru back, but also to keep her demon self restrained. Yet quickly her strength was being drained, and before she could break away, she found herself pushed down to her knees. Her arms began shaking with the strain, and she quickly resigned herself to the fact she would not be able to beat Sesshomaru in such a weak, mortal form. Over the years his physical strength had doubled, and the Sesshomaru she had known so many years ago was long gone.

He caught her in the chest with his foot, sending her sprawling to the ground. She closed her eyes as she felt the cold, sharp steel pushed against her neck. Sakuto was aware that Sesshomaru could quite easily slice her head off for her insolence, and a small part of her wished that he would. He had managed to beat her with very little effort and she was silently ashamed of herself. Without her demon skills she knew now that she would never be any match for a demon, especially one as strong as Sesshomaru. Sakuto made a quick promise to herself that if she were allowed to live, the next fight would be one Sesshomaru would never forget.

Sakuto slowly opened her eyes and found Sesshomaru watching her intently, almost curiously. Slowly he withdrew the sword from her throat and stepped back, allowing her to rise. He watched silently as she stumbled forward, slightly dizzy from the fight, before falling to her knees before him.

"I will bow to you as the superior fighter. But know this, I will not bow to you as my Lord and master." Sakuto whispered harshly, not really expecting Sesshomaru to hear. Before she could draw breath, Sakuto suddenly found herself thrown back against a tree, Sesshomaru's claws wrapped tightly around her throat. She gasped in surprise, feeling her vision blur slightly. Sesshomaru's eyes had shifted from the beautiful amber to a deadly crimson as his hard gaze bore straight through her.

"You will bow before me, boy, I will make sure of it." He whispered viciously so only Sakuto would be able to hear him. Her eyes widened slightly as she struggled to maintain her mortal shape, fearing that if she lost consciousness, she would also lose her image.

Without warning, Sesshomaru quickly released her. She collapsed at the base of the tree as Sesshomaru turned around to leave. Sakuto sat up with a groan and rubbed her throbbing neck.

"We will see about that." She snarled under her breath to Sesshomaru's retreating back. Yet she had to choke back a cry as he suddenly froze on the spot and turned back to her sharply.

"Oh damn." She swore as he took a step towards her again. Before she could move, Sesshomaru had backhanded her again, sending her flying into the trunk of a nearby tree. She hit it painfully hard and crumpled into a ball as the pain rapidly washed through her beaten mortal body. She groaned, rubbing her cheek, which was turning a bright red with his handprint before just managed to catch Sesshomaru's words,

"Let that be a lesson to you all. Do not cross me." He stated firmly before turning and vanishing into the line of trees.

Sakuto stared at the spot where he had just been for a moment longer, before the one Sesshomaru had referred to as Jasuto stepped before of her. She glanced up at him as he offered his hand. She hesitated for a moment, but took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Sakuto hung her head in shame and embarrassment as she averted her eyes.

"Do not worry too much, he treats everyone like that." He smiled. "If it makes you feel any better, no one I know, human or otherwise, has ever lasted as long in battle as you just did." Sakuto nodded numbly, a small smile in the corners of her lips. In a small way, she appreciated his words. She wasn't sure why he was suddenly being so nice, compared to his arrogance before, but shrugged and accepted it.

"What is your name?" He asked curiously as she leant against the tree for a moment, steadying herself.

"Makita, my name is Makita." She managed to mutter the first name that came into her head, the name of her cousin who had died when she was still a child. Jasuto nodded sharply and introduced himself.

"Your fighting skills are impressive."

"Do not give me undue credit, it was you who underestimated me." She sighed as she stepped back into line with the other men, who had begun talking and whispering amongst themselves.

"That is true, I did underestimate you, but your skills are still impressive."

"Compared to this lot, that would not surprise me." She smirked, jabbing a thumb at the men beside her.

"Just be careful, there is no need to anger the Lord any further. I do not want to know what you said, but it is better to keep your comments to yourself. He could easily kill you, and he has done so in the past." He smiled kindly before turning back to the rest of the group.

Sakuto drifted into her own thoughts as Jasuto challenged each man individually. None were capable of beating him, and she watched with a smirk as each underestimated Jasuto's strength because of how easily she appeared to beat him. The first was disarmed and lying on his back in merely seconds while the next few were just as pathetic. Overall, only a couple in the entire group managed to put up much of a fight, and Sakuto was the only one to actually beat Jasuto. She sighed to herself, having forgotten that she was meant to blend in with the other men, not stand out. It would be that latter that risked her true identity being revealed.

Once the final man was defeated, Jasuto motioned for all to have a break for lunch, but to be back within the hour. Hastily Sakuto snatched a small loaf of bread and nibbled it with disinterest as she wandered around the large training field. Other groups of men were also training, yet as large as it seemed, a huge part of Sesshomaru's army seemed to be missing. She shrugged it off, suspecting there was probably some kind of war happening up North, as there usually was. She continued wandering around the edge of the forest and managed to catch sight of a huge lake glistening in the sunlight. She snuck through the trees, making her way towards it and watched the midday sun sparkling off its smooth surface. Sakuto sighed contentedly and allowed her head to fall back as she leant against a tree.

She inhaled deeply, desperate for the fresh air in her lungs, yet the scent that caught her nose made her heart race. Another demon was nearby, and not just any demon. Lord Sesshomaru's scent was strong and very close. She shuddered, aware of his eyes on her. She managed to calm herself again, aware that if a mortal showed signs of sensing a demon, he would probably kill her. With her eyes closed and breathing steady, she managed to focus on his scent, trying to pick out exactly where he was so she would be able to avoid him. Yet she had to choke back a cry as she realized he was sitting right above her, in the tree she was leaning against. Feeling eyes on her, she could not help but opened her own to find two amber orbs staring straight at her. She cried out and jumped away from the tree in surprise; however, in her haste she managed to overstep. She waved her arms madly before finally losing her balance and falling back into the lake. She splashed frantically for a moment before finally hooking her fingers on the grass beside the lake. With difficultly she managed to pull herself out and collapsed on her back, staring up at the crystal clear blue sky. She took a deep breath, yet Sesshomaru had moved further back into the forest, out of her line of sight. She knew he was still watching as she rose and shook herself off before quickly scanning the line of trees for any sign of movement. In pure rage, Sakuto brushed the dripping ebony strands from her face with her calloused hands before storming back through the trees, her clothing still dripping when she arrived back in the field.

Jasuto caught sight of her first as she dropped underneath a tree, her arms folded and her hair and clothing-soaking wet. He had to fight back his laughter as he made his way over to you. The other men soon followed and were quick to break into fits of laughter. She only glared at them as Jasuto stood before her, trying to hide the smile on his face. A cool breeze blew across the field, which sent shivers down her spine. The men finally managed to get their laughter under control and had lined up again, smirks still on their faces as they eyed her. Yet Sakuto remained under the tree, refusing to move as Jasuto instructed them to complete ten laps of the field. As they stretched and prepared themselves, Jasuto turned to her,

"So what happened?" He asked with a smirk, trying to hold back his laughter. "Go for a bit of a swim, did you?" She bit her tongue, promising herself that she would get her revenge on Sesshomaru.

"Doesn't matter." She snarled as she jumped to her feet and began stretching with the rest of the men.

Everyone set off, each trying to outrun the other, but Sakuto quickly over took them all. Her mind was also racing with thoughts and plans on how to get her revenge. She didn't even realize that she managed to lap the others twice before she finished, momentarily forgetting to hide her demon strength. She was still preoccupied with her plans even when she collapsed in the shade, her eyes glistening with malice.

"Soon Sesshomaru, soon."


I just want to quickly note that Sakuto may seem a little Mary-Sue right now, but please keep in mind she is a demon in a mortal form, it is only natural that she is stronger and generally 'better' than the mortal men she is with. She doesn't stay this way forever, so please bear with me.