'Please take the pain away, it is too much!" Inside the subconscious of Kagome's mind, she falls to her knees because of all the guilt, regret, and pain that she feels. Her walls crumble and the world ends in front of her.
Kagome, you traitor.
'My life was not so bad before this point in my life, but I guess that someone else should be the judge of that.'
Chapter 1
For years, I have lived on the streets of Edo with nothing to my name except a few coins and the clothes on my back. I was orphaned at a young age without ever knowing my father while my mother died when I was seven. I wasn't able to give her a nice burial but she was buried under her favorite sakura tree. I wish that I could have given her more, but what was I to do at only seven summers? I had nowhere to go because the property owner took our house and put me on the street without a care for me. I cried for days before my food ran out and I began to starve. The hunger made me weak; sometimes I could barely move my little muscles but then I learned to steal to live. My new home is in an abandoned building that the village has neglected to tear down. I think that the people know that I live here and feel some pity for me. I have no need for there pity.
I'm alone in this world with the exception of Shippo; a little fox with a red coat and green eyes that I found injured in the forest at eight. I nursed back to health with the medicine that I "borrowed" from the neighbors and local doctors. The determination that I felt to keep him alive was only thing that kept me going. I knew that I would have to get better at stealing so that he may live. After a few months, Shippo was well enough to be moved and I put him in my home.
Edo is a beautiful village that is isolated from the rest the lands and villages. The palace is three floors high with six tall towers, is in the middle of Edo surrounded by a grand wall. The closest village is a month's walk away and I'll never make that without food which I need more money to buy. I'm not eighteen summers and I have not done anything to improve my life.
"THIEF, COME BACK HERE!" yells a portly peddler in the marketplace.
"Now, why would I do that?" I keep running until I reach an alleyway, which the walls are easy to scale. Then I disappear.
It has been like that for a while; steal some bread and fruit then disappear. I was caught often while growing up and paid the price, but that is in the past. Now I'm an expert and I never get caught.
Back at our home, the abandoned building with a large view of the palace with worn curtains from the trash, I pet Shippo's coat while thinking a world that we won't have to steal to survive. I'll die before I let Shippo die; he has saved me a few times and vise versa. He is my best friend and I'll never leave him. He needs to eat every day unlike me so some days I do starve but I will never regret giving my food to him.
"One day Shippo, we'll live comfortably and we'll never starve again. This I promise you; no matter what we will make it."
The cold wind continues to blow through the worn curtains as I cover Shippo and myself. My skin shivers and my lips feel clammy until the wind finally dies down, but the night gradually becomes colder and more unbearable. Every day there is a chance that I might not awake but I hold on for Shippo.
Chapter 2
This Sesshoumaru grow tired of these servants and concubines that have become old. This Sesshoumaru wants to be released from chains of obligations that keeps him behind these walls. Everything is mundane in this damn place; wake up, eat, argue with father, spar with my half brother, and do patrol. In fact, father should be yelling at me in three…2…1…
"Sesshoumaru, why haven't you found a bride?" yells the ruler with high, long white ponytail that comes to his waist. His bangs fall over his eyes; his golden eyes hold years of wisdom and finality. He is Lord Inutaisho, has been the ruler of Edo for the past 350 years, and believes that it is time for his heir to reign when he has gotten himself a woman.
"This Sesshoumaru does not want a mindless hussy," I reply.
"You're mother; Kami bless her soul, would be turning over in her grave, if she heard you. You have been using the same excuse for the past century and it is getting old. If you haven't chosen a bride within the next fortnight, I will either choose for you and divorce is only something done in other lands, not mine. Have I made myself clear?"
"Perfectly, sir," he responds with a low bow and excuses himself from the dining hall. I continue to walk through the immaculate palace with red tones and portraits as far as the eyes can see.
Everyday is the same and nothing will ever change until I take the throne and then a different routine will start. I suppose that I will patrol the lands for a while and then return to the library.
The gardens are a wondrous beauty that always seems to be missing something. This Sesshoumaru wonders what it could be; every single flower is perfect and every bird sings a perfect tune, maybe too perfect. Some chaos would be nice but asking for that would be too much.
"Milord," calls a high, squeaky voice that annoys me to death. Stupid toad demon, "it is time to patrol."
Jaken is green toad demon with a sharp beak and enormous yellow eyes. He grovels constantly, squawks annoyingly, barely reaches my knee, but remains loyal to me. This Sesshoumaru supposes it is a characteristic that keeps him among the living.
"This Sesshoumaru is aware of this, Jaken. Leave me be and do something that does not involve me."
"Hai, milord," and the short, bald, bow-legged man, runs out of sight and back into the palace. Some day this Sesshoumaru will kick him over the palace walls and let the subjects deal with him.
Image of Jaken screaming, "What has your vessel down to deserve such treatment!" All the while, he is soaring over the palace walls before a long THUMP is heard throughout the land. "Lord Sesshoumaru, why?!" Tears pour from his large yellow eyes as he gazes helplessly at his Lord.
The sun shines brightly as this Sesshoumaru disappears over the palace's walls.
Chapter 3
"STOP, THIEF!" yells a portly peddler.
"Now why does this sound familiar, Shippo," I ask Shippo as we continue to run through the marketplace. This time we "borrowed" some dates and watermelon. I once again run into an alley with walls that are easy to climb and disappear.
We sat up against a wall in a dark alley where the sun does not reach because the buildings are so close together. I give Shippo some dates while I only eat a couple so that we have some food for tomorrow just in case something like rain comes.
I taught myself to read as I looked into the local schools that wouldn't accept me since I had no parents. When the children went to school, I went to school and paid attention to every word and lesson that came from the teacher's mouth. She was an old woman with a black patch over her left eye and a slight hunch in her back. Despite her looks, she was a nice old lady and would "accidentally" leave some writing utensils and some strolls where I could find them. She would also leave some food. Her name was Kaede and she died four years ago. I still visit her grave on the outskirts of town and I remember everything that she did for me and now her school is gone and I have no one else for extra help. When she was alive, I would sleep in the school during the winter in the rafters where no one could see Shippo or me. Shippo never squeaked a sound, which was very fortunate. Nevertheless, I never made a friend; I was ashamed because of my position in the village.
Homelessness is frowned upon in this village, I don't know about other villages, because it shows that a person cannot provide for themselves with the many resources within this village. However, the villagers forget that many of the jobs are hereditary and if the person does not learn the trade from her parents then she is useless to the village.
My mother was a seamstress for the village, she worked when she became ill and tried to teach me some things, but I was unable to learn quickly. I realized that my mother was using a lot of energy to teach me and eventually I made her stop. It was then I began to small amounts of food, mostly for mother. A few moon cycles later, she died in her sleep. I do not know if she suffered, but I did. Eventually I was put out on the street with nothing to my name and a few belongings on my back.
There are so many homeless people in this village while the royals eat like fat pigs in their thrones and warm chambers. Sometimes I wonder if there even is a Kami, since so many of His people suffer on a daily basis. The dead are buried in unmarked graves and there is no priest to say a few words over the grave. The corpse is considered a burden to the population and no one remembers except as, "Remember that body that was found near such and such?"
Shamed
Nobodies
We are the hungry.
Forgotten
Downtrodden
"It's rude to watch someone eat," I speak to the shadows.
Shippo fur sticks up on ends as he growls towards the direction of an intruder.
"You do know that stealing is a crime?" speaks a deep voice.
I stroke Shippo's hair to calm him down and look towards the intruder that emerges from the shadows and I am met with perfection. His white hair flows into the wind, two magenta strips appear on each cheek, and his stance is tall that demands respect, while his eyes hold a coldness that could freeze the desert. He wears a white shirt with matching pants and an armor with spikes coming out of the shoulder blades. There's also something furry over his shoulder, maybe a tail. I stroll down to waist to see two swords on his left hip. Hmmm, he must be royalty.
I am jealous for his birth. It would be impossible for me to climb to his ranks. It's forbidden. If the royals could read minds, then I am sure that it would be forbidden to think of such thoughts.
"I steal because I have to, not because I want to," I continue to eat my food slowly, not even bothering to look at him any longer.
"It is still a crime and that will not be tolerated in my land." HA! He is royalty and an arrogant one at that.
"I don't care. If it's really your land then you wouldn't let your people starve." I stand up and turn my back towards him. This simple gesture is one that could be death because it shows disrespect, but I'm no one's servant.
Then I felt darkness reign.
Chapter 4
"STOP, THIEF!" I hear someone yell in the distance.
I use to my speed to witness the wench's escape. It has only been an hour since this Sesshoumaru patrol started this should prove to be some sort of entertainment. However, I was incorrect when it was a fat man chasing a human woman in her young years. I was disappointed when I knew that there would be no punishment for her crime. She ran quickly and her raven hair flowed behind her as she ran. When the husky man gave up on her, I decided to finish where he could not. I kept my distance as I stalked her and waited until she stopped.
Why does she steal from my people? Does not she have her own food to consume; must be gluttonous.
She finally comes to halt on an alley wall with her weird looking red fox by her side. She feeds herself last while the fox eats more than her, why? This ningen is confusing to me but it is beneath me to understand them but I must why she decided to steal from my subjects.
"It's rude to watch someone eat."
How did she know that I was there? I am the master of stealth; I must be slipping. There is no way that she would have heard me except if I was not as quite as I thought. That fox must have tipped her off with some kind of signal
"You know that stealing is a crime?"
Her stupid fox continues to growl at me but she calms it with one hand while looking me over. I am completely aware of her eyes upon my body. However, my rage within me builds when she resumes to her simple food, ignoring me! She should be surprised and honored to be graced with my presence. How dare she ignore this Sesshoumaru!
"I steal because I have to, not because I want to," is her response to my person.
I find her reason false since no one has to steal. She must be reasoned with,
"It is still a crime and that will not be tolerated in this Sesshoumaru's land."
"I care not. If it is really your land then you would not let your people starve."
Insolent whore! She dares to criticize me; the heir to these lands then turns her filthy back towards me. Red seeps in my vision as I envision her body lifeless on the ground next to the blasted red fox. But I want her to suffer dearly for her insolence.
I run quickly behind her and punch her hard in the head. I take great pleasure in kicking the fox in the nearby wall. It does not move after that. Good. The wench is covered from my eyes by her black hair that shields her face. Probably the best thing, I would like change it with my claws but there will time for that later. I grab the wench, toss her hard over my shoulder, and make my way back towards the palace.
"I will enjoy breaking her," I say to one in particular.
Chapter 5
"I will enjoy breaking her."
Green eyes open looking frantically for his "mother." He cannot find her anywhere but knows that she will never leave him. He sniffs out her scent and remembers the demon that hurt his "mother" and kicked him into a wall! He will pay! Shippo catches the scent and sprints towards the direction that the dog demon walked about an hour ago. He only hopes that he reaches her because it would be his greatest fear to see her hurt or worse.
She found him when all others would pass him by. She was much younger then and looked like her world crumbled right under her. Nevertheless, she never cried or showed any pain even when she was punished for stealing for him. All her pain was because of him and he would be damned if she was punished this time.
The little fox ran faster and faster and he focused all his thoughts on his "mother" who braved the storm for him many times. Now it is his time walk through the lightning, rain, and thunder.