HI! I'm back and I actually got a start on this chapter while I was trying to work on eleven. Eleven wasn't exactly going so well for me, and then I suddenly got this idea and just had to put it down before I forgot. Oh! I almost forgot, but I now have a Discord server for TLS! You can find the link on my Tumblr account (the-rebel-alchemist). If you can't find the post, then just PM me either on here or on my Tumblr and I'll send the link.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights are reserved for Rumiko Takahashi and affiliates.
Chapter twelve: We're The Lucky Ones
If Aikotsu thought being the youngest sibling of seven (occasional mercenary) brothers was difficult, she found herself in a world of insanity once she began training to become the Lady of her father's lands. Suddenly almost all of her time was being monopolized by academics, etiquette, and special training for her spiritual, magical, and physical abilities. Her day began at the crack of dawn, starting with an early morning meditation before breakfast. After that was academics and etiquette, then more meditation, followed by lunch and then more lessons. Following that would be a long session of mixed combat and sparring, going between magical and physical attacks and spells. After one more lesson, there was dinner. Finally she would have her bath and then pass out on her bed.
For weeks, her schedule follows these parameters, and while the work is exhausting and she finds herself literally dropping into her futon every night, she can definitely feel herself getting stronger with each passing day. Not only that, but as the Lady of the Southern Lands, she has a better access to educational material; things that would not have been available to her before were now readily accessible and in great abundance. Honestly, her head often feels like it will explode from the constant stream of knowledge being stuffed into it, but the meditation helps keep her calm. Without that, she would have lost it already perhaps.
The only consolation was that her brothers were also undergoing the same torture she was. Just like her, they were being trained to become the Lords of this House. As part of Aikotsu's agreement to become the Lady of the South, she had implemented an addendum; where her brothers would be treated with the exact same measure of respect as she was, and they be made to feel welcome just as she was. Her father had no problem with this, and actually made the decision to declare the seven men as his own children, thereby extending the royal treatment to them in every sense of the word.
Most days, Aikotsu found that the best medicine to heal her frayed nerves was watching Bankotsu try and fail at using proper etiquette. It was truly a treat, watching him fail so many times, but at least he had a smile on his face despite every mishap. That's part of why she admires him; his ability to snap back from any adversity that comes his way.
...
The first time Aikotsu sees Sango in over a full moon cycle, she ends up tackling the poor girl to the ground in excitement. "SANGO-CHAN!" The girl shrieks with unabashed happiness, hugging her dear friend with an even firmer grip than she was known for.
"Have you gotten stronger, Aikotsu-chan?" Sango asked from her prone state on the ground, not even phased by her best friend tackling her. She's honestly received worse during training than a tackle, hence her lack of reaction.
The eleven-year-old rips herself away from Sango, nodding ecstatically as she stands back up. "Yes! I've even gotten better at wielding Hiraikotsu!" The girl gushed happily, unable to keep still. The poor thing is already bouncing on her toes she's so excited. As she pulls herself to her feet, Sango is quick to note Aikotsu's new, obviously quite expensive attire. It's a brand new yukata, black in color with a pretty design of flowers on a branch and a purple splash on the bottom of the skirt and on the sleeves. On her feet, the eleven-year-old sports black okobo with a white foot strap.
With a humored smile, Sango watches as her friend dances from one foot to another, still unable to stand still. "As proud as I am that you're getting stronger, Aikotsu-chan, I have to ask what the reason is?"
"I was nearly murdered!" The girl exclaimed, giggling. In an instant, all activity in the village halted, adults and children alike locking their eyes on the young girl in bafflement. There's a beat, of absolute stillness, where not even the animals move.
"I-I'm sorry, did you say you were almost killed?" Sango questioned, hoping to every God out there that she had misheard or something.
"I said I was nearly killed. See, I was gathering herbs for Sui-nii again, and just as I stood up, I felt something. When I had looked down, there was a sword sticking out of me! And I fell, and then my barrier came up. Then I started running away. I managed to send the guy off in another direction, but then I passed out because I lost a lot of blood." The eleven-year-old explained without a care in the world, somehow not finding a single issue in her statement.
"One of your brothers found you, right?" Sango asked cautiously. In response, Aikotsu shook her head from side to side emphatically, still grinning.
"Nope!" She chirped, further confusing Sango even more.
"Then-"
"That honor goes to me, young lady," A foreign voice announces calmly and Sango looks up to see a tall demon man with long black hair. "I found Aikotsu here passed out against a tree and brought her back to her camp where Suikotsu tended to her wounds." He revealed, offering her a small smile as Aikotsu latches onto his hand with a giant grin.
"And who are you?" Katashi asks as he comes to a stop next to Sango. He's quick to notice Aikotsu, and her grip on the stranger's hand, as well as how unphased Aikotsu's brothers are from behind their sister and the stranger.
The demon smiles again, his dark red eyes crinkling in calm happiness. "My name is Lord Naraku, and I'm Aikotsu's father."
...
Following that surprising announcement, Katashi had all but ushered every single one of them back to his hut so that they could properly sort through this without the prying eyes of the villagers.
"So," Katashi begins, settling himself. "Could you explain what you meant by saying you were Aikotsu's father? I was under the impression that she'd been orphaned in an unspecified event."
Sparing a brief glance at Aikotsu, who was blissfully unaware as she entertained herself and Sango, Naraku explains. "No, she was orphaned; technically. Nine years ago, I had left my Clan on business, and when I returned I found every single person dead, including my mate. I searched all around the burned lands, but even so I couldn't find my daughter. I don't know how long I spent just wallowing in my own pity, but every now and then, as the years passed, I would feel pain. Both emotional and physical, the type of pain I'd only feel from my child. That gave me the thought that my daughter was alive somewhere, and while it may have been foolish, it was something to hold on to. So I kept on searching, desperately trying to find the one thing that hadn't been taken from me. One night, I found a little girl collapsed against a tree, bleeding from a terrible wound. That was Aikotsu. I brought her back to her camp and Suikotsu treated her while I explained what I knew."
And although he could see Sango was slightly teary-eyed from the short explanation, Katashi held firm. "I hate to ask this, but can you prove you're her father? Looks only go so far, after all."
"Of course." Naraku easily agreed, pulling his barrier up only a second later. And although she was busy playing, Aikotsu had tuned in just long enough to hear the request, and let hers surround her. The two left the barriers up as Katashi took the time to observe them with a well-trained eye, carefully inspecting the barriers to ensure they were in fact father and child.
Finding nothing that could point otherwise, Katashi relaxed significantly and sat back down. "Thank you." He stated, watching as both barriers then dissipated into nothing.
Since the first question has been solved, Katashi addresses the next issue. "Now, what was this of Aikotsu nearly being killed?"
"Aikotsu was gathering herbs for me one night about a moon cycle ago, when she was stabbed from behind. Her attacker chased her through the woods and kept up until she managed to direct her scent to another direction, giving her the chance to escape. She ran as far as she could before she collapsed against a tree, where Naraku found her and traced her scent back to our camp."
"And do you happen to know who injured Aikotsu?" The demonslayer asked, quiet rage filling him up. He thought of Aikotsu as his own, and the thought of someone hunting her down like a dog set his blood on fire. Similarly, Katashi can see Sango scooting closer to Aikotsu with a pensive look on her face, clearly not privy to the idea of someone hurting her dear friend.
Naraku spoke up then. "Yes, my older brother Magatsuhi. He's also the one responsible for killing the people of my Clan and my mate. It appears as though he's been hunting her down for quite some time."
Seeing Katashi is now confused, Ginkotsu jumps in. "We think Aikotsu's near-kidnappings are connected to the psycho who hurt her. Like he's been sending goons to kidnap her while we sleep, only they kept failing and he just got tired of it so he came after her directly this time."
From the far left, Jakotsu casts a glance at Aikotsu, whose face is carefully blank as she manipulates a small fire in her hands using magic, careful to keep it contained to her hands and not let it go anywhere else. He knows she can hear them, but is doing her best to pretend she isn't paying attention.
"We are planning to stage an attack from all sides on Magatsuhi, to catch him off guard." Naraku informed Katashi, who nodded thoughtfully. "The only way to stop him from coming after Aikotsu is to kill him, so we have all been training for approximately a full moon cycle now. I'm quite impressed with the skills of both the brothers and Aikotsu. The boys told me that alongside them, you also had a hand in training Aikotsu?"
Katashi nods once again. "Yes. I took to training Aikotsu in offense and defense while her brothers were away on missions. Although it took a bit longer than usual, due to Aikotsu's aversion to violence, she picked it up quite quickly. I told her that even though she doesn't enjoy violence, and doesn't want to hurt someone, there will be a time in her life where having these skills will come to be necessary, and may even save her life." He casts a look over to the girls. "Clearly, at least some of it helped her escape, and for that I'm grateful."
"I'm fairly sure my escape was pure luck, but thank you for training me all the same, Katashi-sama," Aikotsu announced out of the blue, inserting herself in the conversation for the very first time since they arrived at the hut. "I think without it, I would genuinely have been properly screwed." The eleven-year-old gives a crooked, sardonic grin at the Chief.
"I was wondering," Sango begins, drawing attention to herself. "Could someone explain Aikotsu-chan's new, clearly expensive clothing?"
"That is also my influence," Naraku states. "As I'm a Lord of the Southern lands, she was always meant to be my heir. As soon as she came under my care, I spared no expense in acquiring only the finest of fabrics and garments, and not just for her. I've also supplied her brothers with an updated wardrobe, they just choose not to wear them unless in formal situations. When I last asked about it, they said something about not wanting to ruin them in bloody combat or something to the effects of that. And in addition to training Aikotsu in combat and defense, I have also taken to training her to take over as the Lady of the Southern lands when I retire. Alongside her, I've also been teaching her brothers in the same areas, accepting them as my adopted children. Since then, they have all grown quite spectacularly, not just in combat." The demon man informs.
The rest of the day is spent recounting the last moon cycle, sharing stories and catching up with everyone. And although Sango is glad Aikotsu is safe, she has the very distinct feeling that this isn't the last they've heard of her attacker.
...
Later that night, Aikotsu and Bankotsu can be found relaxing on the veranda, just enjoying each other's presence as they stare up at the star-dotted expanse above them. No words are needed, the silence content as they observe the inky black sky high above them.
Out of nowhere, Aikotsu abruptly breaks the silence. "Ban-nii?" She asks, keeping her eyes locked on the sky.
Humming in response, Bankotsu shifts his gaze to his sister.
"I want to thank you. For everything you and the others have done for me. Not just saving me and adopting me, but for always being there for me and even studying to become princes of Naraku's lands with me. I wouldn't be able to do this on my own, so having all of you here to help me is...so relieving." The eleven-year-old then turns her sights on her brother, and he can see the tiniest bit of tears shining in her eyes. "You can't imagine how lucky I am to have all of you."
Bankotsu smirks, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and they look back up at the stars. "Ai, you're not the lucky one here. Pretty sure it's us."
Smiling, Aikotsu snuggles more into his side, her heart full.
IT'S FINALLY DONE! CHAPTER TWELVE IS FUCKING DONE!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I'm sorry if no one else is as excited as I am, but this chapter has been giving me problems for a while. Now I just need a chapter thirteen. Not sure how long this story's gonna be. As long as it takes to have the main conflict happen, settle said conflict, sprinkle in more Kid!Inugang, and perhaps an epilogue.
-Silver Sin