Chapter Seventeen

A Boy With A Curse

Disclaimer: -Chucks the law book at the lawyers- I'VE TOLD YOU A THOUSAND TIMES THAT I DON'T OWN INUYASHA! GIVE IT A FING REST! –Spectators hide-

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Takara was wandering the forest of the Western Lands bored.

Man, what the hell is there to do around this place? There's no malls, no swimming pools and I don't even know anyone so there's no chance in just hanging out … I'm so BORED!

She growled in frustration and didn't notice that she melted a tree with her poison claws, nor did she even realize that she had those powers. That's when she smelt something she'd never really smelt before.

It was a demon, that much she knew but she also smelt something that made her stomach do flip flops and make her want to be sick. It was then that she saw the most horrific sight she'd ever seen in her entire life.

Blood. There was blood everywhere. The smell of death was so strong that she had to cover her nose with her kimono that was a pale pink and orange with scattered blue flowers. The smell made her want to be sick, many times. Slowly, she forced herself to walk through the village and look for any possible survivors.

In one of the huts that she checked, she found a small boy, sobbing over his dead parents.

Takara frowned a little, crouching down beside him. "Hey, are you okay?" The boy looked up at her and then saw her eyes then her ears and shrieked a little, scrambling away and into a corner.

The noise made her wince but she just looked at the scared little child. "It's okay. I won't hurt you. I promise. I'm one of the good guys." He looked up at her, his eyes red from crying. The boy's clothes were covered in blood and blood was in his long brown hair and his eyes were blue strangely. Takara smiled a little.

"Hey now, c'mon, don't cry anymore. You'll be all right. Everything will be fine, you'll see." Slowly, she extended a hand and the boy looked at it fearfully but slowly crawled to her and Takara picked him up in her arms, not even realizing that the blood from his clothes got on her kimono.

"There now. See, I'm not so scary." The little boy nodded, whimpering still but clinging to her kimono as if his life depended on it. Takara looked over the sight and sighed inwardly. Slowly, she stood.

"Well, let's go find a river or something to get cleaned up in. What's your name, by the way?"

"Hakurei. Everyone calls me Haku for short." Takara smiled, walking away from the bloodied mess of the village.

"That's a very nice name." The boy nodded a little.

"My parents named me after Mount Hakurei because it is a place of purity." Takara nodded a little, somehow that little tidbit of information was making a lot of sense though she had no idea why since she had only ever heard of the mountain in school and even then it was only briefly.

Takara stopped and the earth beneath her feet began rumbling and soon it began breaking, a huge monster coming out of the ground. It roared and glared at her and Haku.

"Give me the Jewel!" It ordered, slamming a huge fist down onto the ground. Haku closed his eyes and clung to Takara's kimono.

Takara barely dodged the huge fist and began running as fast as her legs could carry her. What the hell was that monstrosity talking about? WHAT jewel? She didn't have any stupid jewel!

She was dodging fists left, right and center, trying to figure out a way to either out run him or … would she have to kill him? Suddenly, something came at her from a blind spot and sent her flying through a couple trees, shielding Haku with her body that slumped on the ground after hitting the last tree.

After a few seconds, Takara slowly got herself to a sitting position. Her ribs were broken, all of them, that much she knew. Wincing with great pain, she let Haku go.

"Go and hide and don't come out until it's absolutely safe." Haku nodded fearfully and ran off, hiding in a hollow log.

Slowly, Takara got up, wincing with every breath she took. Damn it this hurt. She had to move quickly to avoid being crushed by the next fist and her first and second claws on her right hand began glowing and soon, a long whip formed of light was attached to her hand and she jumped into the air, sending the whip to the demons face.

The demon in question, stumbled back, holding his face and screaming in agony as Takara landed easily on the top of a tree. It spotted her and screamed his battle cry and soon, she was completely surrounded by hundreds of demons. She looked up and the only thought that ran through her mind at that moment was:

Oh shit.

While she was distracted, the demon grabbed her and began the process of crushing her bones. Takara yelled out in extreme pain and felt something course through her body and then a sizzling sound could be heard and she was promptly dropped. She looked at her hand in amazement as it glowed it's poisonous green glow and yet, she felt fine, well, almost fine. Her body still hurt to even move never mind stand.

How the hell was she going to do this? There were now thousands of demons and she quickly dodged most of the attacks and noticed a few demons chasing after Haku. Growling, she ran towards them with new determination and even a little anger. Without thinking, her claws began glowing the same poisonous green that her hand had been doing a few minutes ago.

"Poison Blades!" She called out and sent razor sharp green poisonous blades at the demons that were after Haku. She found an unoccupied burrow and put him in it. No one should be able to find him there if he hides deep enough.

Then she began dodging attacks again, occasionally sending out a few of her own but she was much too inexperienced to handle such a large amount of demons at one time. Just as they all attacked, Takara's ankle was quickly broken and she winced in such extreme pain.

This is it. This is my last day. At least I'll go down fighting.

She didn't even get to finish that thought when she heard someone yelling and looked up just as a man with silver hair, ears like her own, golden eyes and wearing red while brandishing a huge sword.

"WIND SCAR!" She could see it. The blues and gold that shot at the demons and then they just vanished and the danger was gone. She looked up at the man who saved her as he put his sword away and it untransformed into it's sheath and blinked a little. Why did he seem so familiar?

"Feh, for you being Sesshomaru's daughter you didn't put up much of a fight." Takara's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you to say such things?" She demanded coolly, sounding like a female version of her father. The man turned around and smirked a little, his arms crossed.

"His brother and your uncle." Takara blinked a little at him.

"My … uncle?" He nodded.

"You're … InuYasha?" He nodded again.

"Why all the questions, pup?"

"I'm not a pup." She told him in her cool voice again with her eyes narrowed.

"Well you are compared to most. Anyways, up ya get." InuYasha hauled her up and onto his back.

"We should probably get you home." Takara nodded and then remembered Haku.

"Wait! I have to find someone!" She jumped off his back, instantly regretting it and began running, well a very poor excuse for a run, into the woods, fearing that the boy was dead.

InuYasha sighed a little. "What are you crazy? Don't try and walk on a broken ankle!" He snarled and grabbed her, hauling her onto his back again.

"Who is it that you have to find, anyways?" Takara closed her eyes, her wounds finally beginning to get the best of her. She just realized that when she saw blood dripping onto the ground in large quantities that she probably had more wounds than she had realized at first.

"A boy that the demon was after … I left him in the woods … in a burrow." InuYasha frowned a little when he heard her weakening voice and quickly sped into the forest until he heard soft crying.

Sure enough, a boy was in a burrow, sobbing. When he looked up, a frightened cry came from him but Takara smiled.

"Don't worry, Haku. He's family." InuYasha nodded a little, putting the boy on his back.

"Hold on." The boy nodded a little and held on his tightest as InuYasha quickly sped towards the castle and was met by his brother, who wore an angered look.

"What did you do, InuYasha?" InuYasha growled at him.

"Oh, shut up, will you? I didn't do anything but save your daughters life after she saved this boy that some crazed demon was after." Sesshomaru arched a silver brow, this new tidbit of information obviously interesting him.

"Come." Was all he said as he led InuYasha to the healing wing.

Soon, Takara was bandaged up and Sesshomaru was busy with keeping his frantic mate calm and away from the healing wing. InuYasha had gone to sniff around, hopefully finding some new information.

As she rested for the remainder of the day, Haku had gotten changed into some of Kasei's old kimono's that fit perfectly. He was sitting on Takara's bed, waiting for his savior to awaken.

When everyone had left them alone, Haku took out a broken pink jewel and it glowed prettily and then looked to his hand that had beads wrapped around it, white ones that symbolized purity and innocence. Closing his eyes and putting the jewel away, he gave a little sigh, remembering what his father had told him just a day before him and his mother along with the rest of the village was murdered.

… … … … … … … … … … … …Haku's Flashback … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

A handsome man with long black hair that was held in a ponytail smiled down at his son as they fished together. Once they caught enough fish, they just sat on the edge of the dock, the water lapping at their toes.

"Haku." The man said softly, looking to the horizon.

Haku looked over at the man, curious as to what he might learn. "Yes father?"

"Haku, if something is to ever happen to the village or to me, you must take what is left of the Shikon no Tama and protect it. You must never use it for any kind of power, though." Haku's eyes widened a little.

"Father, you're … entrusting me with such a great responsibility?" The man turned to Haku and gave him a smile.

"I would not want to have anyone else do it. You are my son and I grow more and more proud of you with each passing day. Someday, you will make some lucky woman very, very happy." Haku smiled back and hugged his father.

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Haku sighed a little, tears forming in his eyes as he looked at the broken jewel and then to his hand.

Father's last words were that he was proud of me. He was so proud of me and yet, I let him down …

A stir beside him brought him out of his thoughts and to look at the golden eyes of the woman who had saved him. Takara gave him a smile.

"Hey, Haku. You've changed your clothes, that's good." Haku looked at her and then he lost all of his composure. Wrapping his arms around her neck, he began sobbing pained sobs. Takara, though slightly surprised, did nothing but hold the boy and stroke his hair.

"It's okay now, Haku. You're safe."

A ways away, Kagome had calmed down considerably and was relaxing in the bathing spring was when she could feel it. Her eyes widened a little. She thought that the Shikon jewel was gone! Maybe … that's why the well stopped working … but if so then she probably wouldn't have been able to cross to her time.

She shook her head and got out quickly, getting dressed. The problem of the well didn't matter now. What mattered was that she felt the jewel's presence and it was close, in the castle somewhere. Throwing open the door to Sesshomaru's study, she rushed in and he looked up.

"Kagome, what's wrong? Are you all right? Has something changed with Takara?" Kagome shook her head quickly.

"I feel it, Sesshomaru." He blinked a few times at her, trying to make heads or tails of what she was telling him.

"You feel what? Are you carrying again?" Kagome groaned in exasperation and lightly pulled at her hair. God, he could be even denser than InuYasha sometimes!

"No! I mean I can feel the jewel!" This caught his attention.

"Where is it?" Kagome thought for a minute.

"I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in the castle, that a way." Sesshomaru nodded, picking Kagome up and heading out of the room, towards the healing wing.

"It's getting stronger." They opened the door to where Haku was sitting on Takara's cot.

"It's in here." Sesshomaru nodded and then Kagome could see it and she gasped a little.

Sesshomaru caught her gasp and looked over as she walked over to the boy.

Haku looked up and watched them.

Kagome smiled at him and knelt down. "Hi there. I'm Kagome. What's your name?"

"Hakurei but everyone calls me Haku." He said after a minute.

"That is such a nice name, Haku. Say, do you know anything about something called the Shikon no Tama?" Haku blinked a little.

"You mean this?" He asked as he pulled out the broken jewel. Kagome gasped a little, she hadn't seen anything of the jewel for years …

"Can I see it for a minute? I'll give it right back, I promise." Haku frowned and looked to Takara who nodded and he turned back to Kagome and slowly put the jewel in her hand.

Kagome looked at the jewel and she could feel the power pulsing through her body and she slowly handed it back to the boy.

"That's a pretty powerful jewel you've got there, Haku." Haku nodded a little.

"A priestess gave it to my family for protection." Kagome nodded a little and then shifted her attention to Takara.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Takara shrugged a little. "Better than I was, that's for sure."

Kagome smiled a little and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Well, we'll check on you later."

With that, she took Sesshomaru's hand and led him out of the room. Sesshomaru looked at the two and frowned a little but followed his mate anyways.

Kagome stopped once they were far enough away. "There's something about that boy that I just can't put my finger on."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Do you think he will be a threat or anything?" Kagome shook her head.

"No, he's too small and as far as I could tell, didn't have any powers or anything that would be useful." Sesshomaru nodded a little, sighing.

"I suppose that we will just have to wait and see what happens."

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A/N: Sorry again … what is it with the short chapters and me? –Sigh- I don't mean to write such short chapters but I'll like run out of inspiration and then yeah … if I continue writing without inspiration, it starts sucking. Sorry again …

A HUGE HUGE GIGANTIC GINORMOUS THANK YOU TO EVERY LAST ONE OF MY REVIEWERS, CRAZY OR NOT!