Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Inuyasha.
Plot: Did you ever wonder why Hiten believed Kagome's story about Inuyasha loving her? Perhaps it was because he was once in love himself a long time ago. Here's the story of his first love.
Hiten's First Love
Smiling, Hiten watched the wench vanish from sight. He touched his cheek and looked down at his hand. Blood coated his fingers, contrasting nicely against the blue of the girl's hair tie. He hadn't expected her to have a lightning attack, but he should have. She was from the southern clan, but he allowed her sex to cloud his mind. After all, the only fighters he knew from the southern clan were all male.
Hiten chuckled. He had been shocked as all hell when he saw her crouching in the bushes. Her huge blue eyes tugged at him. He thought she was human at first, but her scent corrected that. She was a full demon.
Yes, he should have expected an attack from her. It was a good thing she had bad aim. Shaking his head, Hiten turned around and went back for the rest of his clothes. He sheathed his sword and set it aside. He pulled on his sleeveless shirt and belted it.
The smell of jasmine tickled his nose and he looked around to find the scent. He used his nose and tracked it to hair tie he held in his hands. Bringing it to his nose, he inhaled long and deep. The scent of jasmine wafted from the silk. Smiling, he tucked the silk hair tie into his shirt. It would make a nice memento, something he'd look at and remember the entire incident. Next came his armor. He tied off his chest armor and put on his arm braces.
He attached the fire wheels at his heels, allowing him to soar through the air, which, after grabbing his sword, he did. Hiten traveled to the high peaks of the mountains, to his home. Manten had already gone home, tail tucked between his legs. Honestly, if he wasn't his brother…
"Father, I'm home!" he called. His voice echoed within the stone rooms. "Manten?"
"Hiten!" his father Shikotsu growled. "What's this I hear about you teasing your brother?"
Swallowing his anger at Manten's being a tattletale, Hiten walked into the eating area. His father sat at the table. He smiled. "Hello, Father. Nice day, isn't it?"
"Don't even think about it, Hiten. What have I told you about treating your brother nicely?" Shikotsu asked sternly.
Hiten opened his mouth to answer flippantly, but was cut short by his mother entering, carrying a bowl of rice and his baby sister on her hip. She pinned him with a warning look. He changed directions. "Uh, you said be nice to him for I might have need of his help someday."
Shikotsu nodded gravely. "Exactly."
Hiten walked over to his mother to greet her. He kissed her cheek and deftly stole Soten from her arms. His mother grabbed his chin and forced him to look to one side. "What has happened to your beautiful face, dear son?"
He should have said something about the girl, about Taka, if that was her real name. Instead, he shrugged. "I went through the forest. A branch caught me by surprise." Seeing the concern on her face, he said, "Don't worry. It'll heal soon enough." He looked down at Soten. "How's my beautiful girl today?"
Hiten tickled her and she laughed, squirming in his arms. She patted his face and stared up at him adoringly with her scarlet eyes, just like his.
"Hiten, stop winding her up," his mother said. She scooped rice into a bowl and handed it to him. "Here, eat."
Hiten took the bowl as he gave Soten back to her and followed her instructions. Then he'd look for Manten and make him pay for telling.
Soon his thoughts drifted to Taka. Her hair had been wet. She'd been in the lake. He wondered if she stripped down to her skin before going in. She was beautiful. Her eyes were a sapphire blue, reminding him strongly of the lake.
Before he could stop himself, he asked Shikotsu, "Father, have you had any trouble with the clan to the south lately?"
Shikotsu turned his dark gaze on him. "No, why? Have you seen something, Hiten?"
"No. I was just curious. What was the name of that one demon I fought? He was from the south, wasn't he?"
"His name is Kihoku, Nabutaka's commander of his armies and his chosen heir." Shikotsu cleared his throat. "I understand he also has two daughters, but I hear he'll give Kihoku one of his daughters. I pity Nabutaka, for he has no sons. That is why he chose him as his heir."
Hiten managed to keep his curiosity from showing. Was Taka a daughter of Nabutaka? There was no way he'd ask if Shikotsu knew the names of the girls. He finished his rice and nodded to his father and mother. Walking to his room, Hiten knew he and Soten was lucky to have been born with his father's looks and not his mother's. His mother was…reptilian in looks with a receding hairline. Manten was unlucky enough to have inherited her looks. He knew Manten would lose his hair at an early age. Already, it was going.
He discarded his armor and put them on their stand. Closing the door, he took out Taka's hair tie. The blue silk had been folded in weird directions, creasing it. Alone in the privacy of his room, Hiten allowed himself to think about her.
She was fierce and full of fire, or should he say lightning? She surprised him with her attack and didn't allow him the opportunity to strike back. Clearly, she was trained somewhat in the art of battle. Press your advantage and never let up. Reluctantly, he felt respect for her. In his mind's eye, he saw her slim figure in that dark blue kimono. He had wanted to take hold of her and taste her defiance with a kiss, but he'd held back.
Hiten laid down and put the tie back in his shirt, his sword next to him. He closed his eyes and settled down for a nap. He'd need his strength if he were to get even with Manten.
He awoke to a tap on his door, instantly grabbing his sword. His keen senses told him Manten was outside his room. Hiten rubbed his eyes and counted himself lucky that he never dreamed, and if he did, he didn't remember his dreams. He opened the door and watched Manten start in surprise beneath lowered lids. He growled low, "What do you want?"
"I'm sorry, Brother, for telling," Manten said, looking down at the ground. "I didn't mean to, but it slipped out when Father asked why I was home so early. I'm sorry. Forgive me, Hiten."
Hiten allowed the silence to lengthen uncomfortably before growling, "Whatever, Manten. Just don't do it again, or you'll become intimately familiar with the edge of my sword."
Manten's huge eyes went even bigger. He ducked his head and nodded. "Of course, Brother. I won't do it again."
"Better not." Hiten closed the door on his brother and laid back down. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. Her face kept swimming across the backs of his eyelids. Her beautiful blue eyes stared up at him. Her pink lips parted slightly in a silent plea.
His palms tingled as he imagined her slim body. He imagined her skin to be petal soft and his blood heated as he thought about touching her…
With a growl, he sat up. "Damn it. I let her get under my skin." Her face floated across his mind's eye. "I have to see her again. Even if I have to go through the entire southern tribe to do it."
He quietly put his armor on again, tying the pale blue sashes quickly. He sheathed his sword and slipped his shoes on. Hiten opened the door and listened. His parents and Soten were asleep and Manten was snoring. It was all clear to go. Treading silently, he grabbed his fire wheels and slipped outside. Attaching his fire wheels, he launched himself in the air and headed south.
The wind ripped at his clothes. Hiten didn't spare a thought of the joy of flying. All his energy was fixed on Taka.
Hiten knew when he crossed into the territory of the southern tribe. He flew closer to the ground so as not to alert anyone to his presence. He stopped beside a stream to get his bearings. Turning around, he caught the scent of jasmine on the wind. Walking quickly, he followed it upstream.
There in the moonlight he saw a slip of girl kneeling on the bank of the stream. She was humming gently. Quietly, he crept up beside her. "Taka," he said.
With a gasp, she whirled around and screamed. "Father! The Thunder clan! They're here!"
Startled, he drew back. "You're not Taka!"
He wasted what chance he had on his words. The girl scrambled away from him, screaming at the top of her lungs. She flung her hand at him and white-blue lightning bolts flew at him. He threw himself to the side and whipped his head around to glare at her.
"You! Stay where you are!" a smooth voice commanded. "You are to be taken prisoner and held until our lord, Nabutaka, decides your fate. Search him for weapons."
Rough hands stripped him of his sword and armor, and searched his clothes for any hidden daggers. They tied his hands behind his back harshly.
The same demon that spoke to him was addressing the girl. "Ami, are you hurt?"
"No, Kihoku. I was just sitting here, gathering my thoughts."
Hiten was pulled roughly to his feet and he gazed coldly at his captors. He was fully surrounded. He looked at the girl, Ami, and Kihoku. Kihoku had Ami by the arms, looking down at her sternly.
"Did he say anything?" he was asking her.
Ami blinked and shook her head. "No. He just came up behind me. I saw a shadow and turned." She licked her lips and looked over at him. He drew in a sharp breath. She looked like a younger version of Taka. Ami asked, "What's going to happen to him?"
Kihoku finally looked at him and started in recognition. Hiten cursed softly. Kihoku smirked. "Well, well. If it isn't Hiten as I live and breathe. I must say I'm surprised you were idiot enough to show up here. If you were looking for a rematch, all you had to do was send—"
Hiten growled low. "If I wanted a rematch? I'm not the one who lost in the first place!"
"Silence!" Kihoku roared. Ami cowered in his hands. Kihoku turned back to Ami. "Go back home, Ami. Tell Taka we have company." Ami shot him one last glance. When she was gone, Kihoku chuckled. "What should I do with you, boy? I can't cast you down into the deepest dungeon. My lord wouldn't like that at all as you are the only son of the Lord Shikotsu."
Taking insult for Manten's sake, he yelled, "What? I'm not the only son! There's my brother Manten, too!"
"But you're the only one worth calling his son," Kihoku said.
"How DARE you!" Hiten shouted. He struggled against his bonds.
"Our lord will return in two days having left unexpectedly tonight. He will deal with you then." Kihoku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Come, bring him to the cave. It's not the worst place to put him, but neither is it the best."
Kihoku led the way to the cave. Hiten noticed they passed an immense house and someone ran out. "Kihoku! What's going on?"
His enemy caught the girl in his arms. Her face was shadowed, but it wasn't Ami. Her voice was huskier and without the girlish tone. "Taka, go back inside. You shouldn't be out here."
Hiten stiffened. It was her! He strained to see her face.
"But, Kihoku, Ami said you captured someone from the Thunder tribe," she said.
"Just the son of Shikotsu." She turned to look. The moon's light splashed across her face, turning her blue eyes dark. Her eyes widened slightly. Kihoku took it as being frightened. He pulled her closer and pushed her hair out of her face. "Hey, don't worry, Taka. I won't let this boy hurt you or Ami."
His gut clenched as he watched Taka in Kihoku's arms. His arm around her waist held her too close. What was that light in Kihoku's eyes?
"Kihoku," she started.
"No, no, Taka. Go on back to the house. I'll be right there. Put some tea on for me." He pushed her towards the house. "Go on."
Taka glanced worriedly at Hiten. She bit her lip and ran back to the house. He looked over at Kihoku and saw the expression on his face. The soft eyes, the smiling lips, why he was in love with her!
"She'll never be yours, Kihoku," Hiten spat once Taka was safely inside. "I hear she's going to be someone else's woman."
A thundercloud stole over Kihoku's face. "You don't know anything, Hiten. Keep your mouth shut or I'll do it for you."
"You know I'm right," he taunted. "Nabutaka will never give her to you."
"I said shut up!" Kihoku hit him in the stomach, driving the air out of Hiten's lungs. Kihoku ordered, "Take him away."
Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter. Tell me what you think. Drop me a line...I'm not above bribery. I'll give you cookies and candy.
--TG