DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This author has no financial or non-financial relation nor do they possess any right to "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale" franchise. Full ownership of all characters is the sole intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 1

Once Upon A Time


Once upon a time, there was a world much like the one we know. Filled with demons and those trained to slay them. Everything seemingly written in stone. Thus, it's amazing what changing one minor detail can do. A butterfly flaps its wing and the course of history shifts. Opening up an new series of events. Good friends may become strangers. Those with tragic stories are much better for it. Others not so much. Little things here and there that ultimately make all the difference in the world. Take a young lord, for example, who lost his father and got sent down a dark, lonely path which ultimately inspired him to be better a man. So, what was that small little thing I changed that changed everything?

"Why have I been tormented with such a reckless, destructive, impulsive son?" the Great Dog Demon sighed heavily as he sunk down into a rather ornate arm chair and pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"It was an accident," Inuyasha tried to argue, "I was not aware that…"

"Enough. You have known where the boundaries of the Western Realm end and yet you crossed them to purposefully enter the Eastern Realm," his father snapped as he sat up and glared, "Such a challenge to authority I might expect from Sesshomaru but from you?"

"It. Was. An. Ac-ci-dent.," Inuyasha insisted – trying to dig himself out of the hole he'd dug, "Besides, no one saw…"

"I saw you," Toga hissed angrily as he got to his feet and towered over his son, "Ever since your mother died you have been nothing but insolent and foolhardy. She would be ashamed of the man you've become."

Recoiling at the ultimate insult, Inuyasha tried to remember to breathe and keep his composure rather than start a fight that could only end badly. Even though after years of training he was arguably lethal in his own right, he simply lacked the strength to defend himself against his father.

"What would you have me do?" the half-demon asked shakily as he tried to meet his father's enraged glare headon, "How can I fix this?"

"You can't fix this. To enter those lands is to declare war. Even if I say it was a foolish mistake by my idiot son, I expect a declaration of war unless we are very, very lucky and your little escapade went unnoticed" Toga snapped as he literally vibrated with rage, "What were you trying to prove!?"

"I honestly didn't know…"

"Enough! Enough. I will hear no more of your excuses," the Great Dog Demon seethed, "You have never seen battle much less a war. You have no idea the danger you put our realm in."

Completely at a loss for words, Inuyasha's chest heaved as he tried to mentally prepare for whatever punishment was about to be doled out. For a long moment, the powerful demon glared down at his son before sighing and shaking his head.

"We've…I've sheltered you for far too long," Toga finally sighed – momentarily averting his eyes and running his claws over his scalp, "That was a mistake. Half-demon or not."

Inuyasha's confidence withered slightly at the reminder as to why they didn't normally let him out of this figurative cage and it wasn't because they were afraid of what he would do. Well, okay, now it would be but everyone here treated him like he was fragile and weak when he was just as strong as half the demons in the stupid fortress. So, yeah, on occasion he'd sneak out to go run, use his strength to rip up a few trees and pretend he was just like everyone else. If only for an afternoon. That was what he was doing today and the only reason he ended up half-way into Eastern territory was because he got in a rhythm. Wasn't paying attention to where he was going or how far. He just wanted to let out some steam and running always seemed to do the trick. And, to be fair, once he realized where he was he'd turned back. He honestly didn't think it'd be that big a deal.

"Father, I…"

"You are to leave. In the morning," Toga interrupted curtly and Inuyasha's heart sank to the bottom of his toes.

"Y-you're banishing me?" Inuyasha managed to ask - his large amber eyes wavering with hurt and shock, "But it really was an accident. I just...I wasn't planning on..."

"Whether you meant to enter their realm or not is irrelevant. Your wanton disregard would convince any outside observer that you were a scout," Toga explained like his son was five, "This will be good for you in any case. You're almost two hundred years old. It's high time you grow up."

"I am grown up. It was an honest mistake. I just lost track of where I was and crossed the boundary without knowing it," Inuyasha argued hoarsely– knowing full well there was no real point in arguing. His explanation, however, seemed to only make his father more angry.

"If you still do not know the boundaries like the back of your hand, that is all the more reason for you to forge your own path," his father chided – clearly struggling to keep his anger in check, "It means you have had two hundred years to learn that basic fact and failed to do so. I'm sorry but my decision is final."

"I didn't say I didn't know where they were. Just that I crossed it by mistake. Y-you're overreacting. We don't even know if they saw," Inuyasha mumbled miserably, "I swear I won't..."

"I have overlooked your past transgressions and while I know it sounds harsh, you need to learn the value of what we have built here," his father tried to explain to his heartbroken son, "This will not be forever. It is not banishment. But before you return, you will need to earn your place here. Prove to me you're worthy of your title."

"What? Like you made Sesshomaru prove that. He threatens to kill you on a weekly basis and he still has his title," Inuyasha ground out - his temper flaring at the blatant insinuation that he wasn't worthy compared to his brother who went around acting like his shit didn't stink, "You're only doing this because I am a half-demon. You've hidden me away most of my life. Never let me leave and now you're throwing me to the wolves just in case someone might have seen me? Are you serious?"

"I don't expect you to understand," his father sighed heavily and Inuyasha visibly bristled, "I hope one day you will."

"Well since you want me gone, I'll go," Inuyasha replied coldly as he turned to leave before pausing and looking over his shoulder, "But you shouldn't have brought Mother into this. That was too far."

Toga subtly cringed and nodded once as a silent apology.

"I will have something to give you before you leave. To defend yourself," his father offered after an awkward moment, "I'll bring it to you later this evening. After dinner."

"Bold of you to assume I'll still be here," Inuyasha muttered - more to himself than to his father before tensing when he heard something metal cascade across the ground. Sighing, Inuyasha reluctantly glanced over his shoulder before choking at the sight of Tessaiga, of all things, laying discarded on the floor.

"It won't be safe for you to go alone. Take it," his father ordered gently- the peace offering seeming a little like overkill as Inuyasha's amber eyes whipped up towards his father, "Who knows? Maybe one day you'll wield it far better than I ever did."

Nodding slowly, Inuyasha slowly turned and knelt down to pick up the legendary sword before giving his father a strange once over.

"Thanks I guess," he sighed awkwardly - tying the sword around his waist and trying to think of something else to add, "I'll, um, take care of it."

Giving his son an apologetic smile, Toga sighed and nodded once, "This will be good for you. You'll see."

And...just like that Inuyasha found himself snapping out of his shock and becoming irritated all over again. This entire situation was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. Screw taking anything else with him. He'd just leave now and get the hell away from this place he'd never belonged in anyway. Build his own fortress. Make his own name. Become stronger than any full blooded demon could ever dream.

And maybe one day, he'd pull a Sesshomaru and kill his dad if he felt so inclined. That seemed like a goal if he'd ever heard one. Especially considering he'd just been banished for pretty much no reason by the man who called himself his father.

"Be safe my son."

Scoffing, Inuyasha gave his father a withering glare before storming out of the room and heading towards the front gate.