Takashi lay in his soft bed, on the very edge of his dreams; he had
been so terrified last night...such vivid nightmares.
He turned slightly in his bed, only to realize that his bedding was to firm; and his blanket felt different as well. He opened his eyes to gaze upon what was not his ceiling, and felt a flood of fear rush through him. He bolted up, staring at his new surroundings.
In the corner of the room, a small fire had been extinguished to ash and embers. Beside it lay a bowl of water and a cloth. He stared down at his bed, and found it was on the floor. The room was bare, save a few jars and some firewood, and the floor was cold and wooden.
He gasped and whipped around in his bed at the sound of something rustling, to find a young man pushing a curtain door open.
"Ah, so you're finally awake; you've been unconscious for nearly half a day."
"Where am-!"
Takashi stopped in the middle of his sentence as he stared at the young man, who was what he considered to be freakish. His ears were small and pointed, and two sharp fangs stuck out of his mouth like buck teeth. As he stared downward, he saw his claws, his tail, and most puzzling, his feet.
"Forget my first question!!! What are you?!?!"
The unusual stranger stared at him as if he were confused.
"Don't tell me you've never seen a demon before..."
Takashi felt his heart jump up in his throat.
"D-demon?!?!"
"That's right, demon; fox demon, to be exact."
Takashi leaped up from his bed, running around the room in search of anything he could use as a weapon. Finding nothing sharp, he decided to pick up an empty jar, threateningly holding it over his head to throw at the demon.
"Don't come one step closer!"
The fox demon rolled his eyes, and pulled out a small leaf from his pocket. Takashi looked confused, as the demon brought his palm to his lips. He blew the leave from his hand, which miraculously shot from his hand like a bullet and cracked the jar into little pieces. He walked casually towards Takashi, who backed himself into a corner in fear.
"Relax, I'm a friendly demon; powerful, but friendly."
Takashi was unsure, but as he stared into the demon's eyes, he felt a little relieved. The kind feeling and aqua green color that emanated from his eyes comforted him, and encouraged him to trust this..."demon".
"My name is Shippo; you were unconscious at the time, but last night I saved you from that snake demon."
"So I wasn't dreaming? Oh my god! I didn't think snakes could be that big!"
"Demon snakes can...so, do I get to hear yours?"
"Mine? My what?"
Shippo cleared his throat.
"...You're name?"
"Oh! I'm so sorry. My name is Takashi."
"Sooo, Takashi..."
Shippo flopped down on the floor, encouraging Takashi to sit in front of him.
"What are you doing in a place like this, huh?"
Takashi felt his fear return in an instant, realizing he was unsure of how to get home.
"I don't know...I was sick in bed, and next thing I knew, I was in that forest."
Shippo looked confused again. He scratched his head and pondered.
"I wonder how hard that snake hit you in the head."
Takashi looked offended, even more so when Shippo chuckled.
"I'm sorry; I just thought maybe you had gotten some case of amnesia or something..."
"Um, Shippo? Why is this room so primitive?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, where's the electricity? And how come my bed is on the floor?"
"...Well, where else would you expect it to be? Stuck to the wall?"
"...No, above the floor...supported by the frame..."
Shippo looked completely lost.
"Well, as for electricity, the word sounds familiar, but I have no idea what you're talking about."
"-Lord Shippo?"
The two turned towards the door to see a young girl with inky black hair, and dressed priestess robes, standing in the doorway.
"Yes, what is it Moriko?"
"I am sorry to interrupt you, but Lord Miroku and Lady Sango wish to see you."
"Thank you; you may leave."
Moriko bowed and backed out of the doorway. Takashi was surprised.
"...Lord...and Lady...?"
"If you'll excuse me..."
Shippo stood up and headed towards the door. He paused, and turned around to face Takashi.
"You're perfectly welcome to follow and join us."
"Uh...alright..."
Takashi stood up and hastily followed Shippo outside. But as he left the small hut, he found himself standing in the middle of what looked like an ancient village from hundreds of years ago.
"What on Earth?! Where are the cities?!"
He felt himself shiver with confusion.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO MODERN CIVILIZATION?!"
"Again with those weird words...honestly, you almost remind me of somebody I knew when I was a pup."
Takashi quickly lost his will to speak, aimlessly following Shippo as he stared at the strange new world around him. Women were gathering water and washing their clothes in a stream; men were working hard in fields, growing crops...
After several minutes, Takashi abruptly stopped as he bumped into Shippo.
"Takashi, I would like you to meet my friends Sango and Miroku."
Takashi walked around Shippo to see what looked like a monk, standing next to a young woman with long black hair holding a small cat in her arms. The monk bowed to him and walked forward, offering his hand.
"My wife Sango and I are pleased to meet you."
Takashi smiled and shyly took the monk's hand. Suddenly, the monk's expression changed, giving him the appearance as if he were perplexed by something.
"Strange...you...have a very interesting aura now that I've come up close to you."
Takashi looked behind Miroku to see a boy, who appeared to be only a few years younger than him, standing in the doorway of their home.
"Hi, who are you?"
The boy walked out and stood next to Sango.
"This is our son Kohaku."
Kohaku bowed and extended his hand as his father had. Takashi accepted it, briefly shook it and stepped back.
"So what did you want to see me about?"
Miroku cleared his throat and put a hand on Shippo's shoulder, whispering into his ear.
"It's about the boy...Takashi...you said that the other night the snake demon called him a half-breed?"
"...Yes..."
Shippo looked at the monk, suspicious of his allusion. Miroku looked towards his son, and walked toward him.
"Kohaku, would you be so kind as to please gather some water for us?"
Kohaku nodded, walked inside to grab a bucket, and silently went off to complete his errand.
"Perhaps you would like to go and join him Takashi, and take a good look at the village?"
Takashi hesitated, and then stared at Kohaku walking off in the distance. He shrugged and grabbed another bucket from where the other one sat.
"Okay, I'll be back later; hey, Kohaku, wait up!"
Kohaku turned around and stood in the middle of the dirt road, waiting as Takashi caught up with him.
"Thank you."
Kohaku said nothing and simply walked on with Takashi beside him. Takashi looked around at all of the villagers doing their chores and talking with each other. Though the village seemed comfortable, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to get back home.
Takashi stopped next to Kohaku as they reached the river. They both dumped their buckets into the river, sitting back for a moment while they filled. Takashi looked up and froze, as he saw a strange ghost-like creature with a flute floating at the edge of the forest. Several little children seemed to float behind it, dancing to the music. Takashi was fascinated.
"-It's a soul-piper."
"Huh?"
Takashi turned to see Kohaku, who had stood up and smiled.
"A soul-piper; they calm the souls of dead children before they cross over."
"Wow...so those children are...-?"
Kohaku nodded. Takashi felt sad for the poor children, though he was glad they were comforted by this strange creature...
"My mother has taught me the skills of demon slayers, so I know about different demons and creatures...-my father also taught me how to exorcise evil spirits."
"Really? That's so awesome! I think I'm best at science..."
Kohaku gave Takashi a strange look.
"Sssciii...-what?"
"Uh, it's kind of like studying why everything is the way it is...for example-"
Takashi pointed at the river.
"The river is moving downstream because of gravity...because of the way the world moves, a force is created that keeps us on the ground...-But you know, all of these things about demons-"
He stared at the soul-piper again.
"...-That I just can't explain."
***
I thank those of you who have supported my very first fanfiction. I really appreciated those reviews...I'm sorry I didn't make any personal comments before like disclaimers and little jokes about why I don't update more often...I'm really very funny, I just haven't felt like joking lately whenever I'm writing this...
However...
If some of you enjoy my writing style and would like me to do something comical, feel free to give me suggestions! My friend Botan (real name shall remain unknown) and I are always coming up with hilarious ideas...usually involving chibis...
He turned slightly in his bed, only to realize that his bedding was to firm; and his blanket felt different as well. He opened his eyes to gaze upon what was not his ceiling, and felt a flood of fear rush through him. He bolted up, staring at his new surroundings.
In the corner of the room, a small fire had been extinguished to ash and embers. Beside it lay a bowl of water and a cloth. He stared down at his bed, and found it was on the floor. The room was bare, save a few jars and some firewood, and the floor was cold and wooden.
He gasped and whipped around in his bed at the sound of something rustling, to find a young man pushing a curtain door open.
"Ah, so you're finally awake; you've been unconscious for nearly half a day."
"Where am-!"
Takashi stopped in the middle of his sentence as he stared at the young man, who was what he considered to be freakish. His ears were small and pointed, and two sharp fangs stuck out of his mouth like buck teeth. As he stared downward, he saw his claws, his tail, and most puzzling, his feet.
"Forget my first question!!! What are you?!?!"
The unusual stranger stared at him as if he were confused.
"Don't tell me you've never seen a demon before..."
Takashi felt his heart jump up in his throat.
"D-demon?!?!"
"That's right, demon; fox demon, to be exact."
Takashi leaped up from his bed, running around the room in search of anything he could use as a weapon. Finding nothing sharp, he decided to pick up an empty jar, threateningly holding it over his head to throw at the demon.
"Don't come one step closer!"
The fox demon rolled his eyes, and pulled out a small leaf from his pocket. Takashi looked confused, as the demon brought his palm to his lips. He blew the leave from his hand, which miraculously shot from his hand like a bullet and cracked the jar into little pieces. He walked casually towards Takashi, who backed himself into a corner in fear.
"Relax, I'm a friendly demon; powerful, but friendly."
Takashi was unsure, but as he stared into the demon's eyes, he felt a little relieved. The kind feeling and aqua green color that emanated from his eyes comforted him, and encouraged him to trust this..."demon".
"My name is Shippo; you were unconscious at the time, but last night I saved you from that snake demon."
"So I wasn't dreaming? Oh my god! I didn't think snakes could be that big!"
"Demon snakes can...so, do I get to hear yours?"
"Mine? My what?"
Shippo cleared his throat.
"...You're name?"
"Oh! I'm so sorry. My name is Takashi."
"Sooo, Takashi..."
Shippo flopped down on the floor, encouraging Takashi to sit in front of him.
"What are you doing in a place like this, huh?"
Takashi felt his fear return in an instant, realizing he was unsure of how to get home.
"I don't know...I was sick in bed, and next thing I knew, I was in that forest."
Shippo looked confused again. He scratched his head and pondered.
"I wonder how hard that snake hit you in the head."
Takashi looked offended, even more so when Shippo chuckled.
"I'm sorry; I just thought maybe you had gotten some case of amnesia or something..."
"Um, Shippo? Why is this room so primitive?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, where's the electricity? And how come my bed is on the floor?"
"...Well, where else would you expect it to be? Stuck to the wall?"
"...No, above the floor...supported by the frame..."
Shippo looked completely lost.
"Well, as for electricity, the word sounds familiar, but I have no idea what you're talking about."
"-Lord Shippo?"
The two turned towards the door to see a young girl with inky black hair, and dressed priestess robes, standing in the doorway.
"Yes, what is it Moriko?"
"I am sorry to interrupt you, but Lord Miroku and Lady Sango wish to see you."
"Thank you; you may leave."
Moriko bowed and backed out of the doorway. Takashi was surprised.
"...Lord...and Lady...?"
"If you'll excuse me..."
Shippo stood up and headed towards the door. He paused, and turned around to face Takashi.
"You're perfectly welcome to follow and join us."
"Uh...alright..."
Takashi stood up and hastily followed Shippo outside. But as he left the small hut, he found himself standing in the middle of what looked like an ancient village from hundreds of years ago.
"What on Earth?! Where are the cities?!"
He felt himself shiver with confusion.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO MODERN CIVILIZATION?!"
"Again with those weird words...honestly, you almost remind me of somebody I knew when I was a pup."
Takashi quickly lost his will to speak, aimlessly following Shippo as he stared at the strange new world around him. Women were gathering water and washing their clothes in a stream; men were working hard in fields, growing crops...
After several minutes, Takashi abruptly stopped as he bumped into Shippo.
"Takashi, I would like you to meet my friends Sango and Miroku."
Takashi walked around Shippo to see what looked like a monk, standing next to a young woman with long black hair holding a small cat in her arms. The monk bowed to him and walked forward, offering his hand.
"My wife Sango and I are pleased to meet you."
Takashi smiled and shyly took the monk's hand. Suddenly, the monk's expression changed, giving him the appearance as if he were perplexed by something.
"Strange...you...have a very interesting aura now that I've come up close to you."
Takashi looked behind Miroku to see a boy, who appeared to be only a few years younger than him, standing in the doorway of their home.
"Hi, who are you?"
The boy walked out and stood next to Sango.
"This is our son Kohaku."
Kohaku bowed and extended his hand as his father had. Takashi accepted it, briefly shook it and stepped back.
"So what did you want to see me about?"
Miroku cleared his throat and put a hand on Shippo's shoulder, whispering into his ear.
"It's about the boy...Takashi...you said that the other night the snake demon called him a half-breed?"
"...Yes..."
Shippo looked at the monk, suspicious of his allusion. Miroku looked towards his son, and walked toward him.
"Kohaku, would you be so kind as to please gather some water for us?"
Kohaku nodded, walked inside to grab a bucket, and silently went off to complete his errand.
"Perhaps you would like to go and join him Takashi, and take a good look at the village?"
Takashi hesitated, and then stared at Kohaku walking off in the distance. He shrugged and grabbed another bucket from where the other one sat.
"Okay, I'll be back later; hey, Kohaku, wait up!"
Kohaku turned around and stood in the middle of the dirt road, waiting as Takashi caught up with him.
"Thank you."
Kohaku said nothing and simply walked on with Takashi beside him. Takashi looked around at all of the villagers doing their chores and talking with each other. Though the village seemed comfortable, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to get back home.
Takashi stopped next to Kohaku as they reached the river. They both dumped their buckets into the river, sitting back for a moment while they filled. Takashi looked up and froze, as he saw a strange ghost-like creature with a flute floating at the edge of the forest. Several little children seemed to float behind it, dancing to the music. Takashi was fascinated.
"-It's a soul-piper."
"Huh?"
Takashi turned to see Kohaku, who had stood up and smiled.
"A soul-piper; they calm the souls of dead children before they cross over."
"Wow...so those children are...-?"
Kohaku nodded. Takashi felt sad for the poor children, though he was glad they were comforted by this strange creature...
"My mother has taught me the skills of demon slayers, so I know about different demons and creatures...-my father also taught me how to exorcise evil spirits."
"Really? That's so awesome! I think I'm best at science..."
Kohaku gave Takashi a strange look.
"Sssciii...-what?"
"Uh, it's kind of like studying why everything is the way it is...for example-"
Takashi pointed at the river.
"The river is moving downstream because of gravity...because of the way the world moves, a force is created that keeps us on the ground...-But you know, all of these things about demons-"
He stared at the soul-piper again.
"...-That I just can't explain."
***
I thank those of you who have supported my very first fanfiction. I really appreciated those reviews...I'm sorry I didn't make any personal comments before like disclaimers and little jokes about why I don't update more often...I'm really very funny, I just haven't felt like joking lately whenever I'm writing this...
However...
If some of you enjoy my writing style and would like me to do something comical, feel free to give me suggestions! My friend Botan (real name shall remain unknown) and I are always coming up with hilarious ideas...usually involving chibis...