Mirrors of the Fox

Abby Ebon

(Once called "Asahi's Mirror")

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Chapter Two: The Fox of the Dog House

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Tsukiojou! Where have you been?" Her mate, the Inu no Taishou, demanded.

Tsukiojou looked up at her mate, meeting his anxious golden eyes with her own calmer ones. She smiled serenely up and him - going to him and licking his chin for forgiveness, she fangs teasing his bottom lip, hoping to distract him from his sour mood.

He growled softly in annoyance – pulling away from her advances at the thought that he had been so worried for nothing, with a soft whining sigh – to which he quickly looked back to her, for she had never made a pleading noise unless in dire need.

His golden eyes on her, she lifted the sleeping kit in her arms, rocking it, the lazy motion attracting his attention. The Inu no Taishou, she was somewhat amused to see, had been so caught up in her, he had not smelled or saw the sleeping kit. He inhaled – nose flaring and taking in the newcomer, his eyes widened in surprise at the scent of a half demon.

Tsukiojou saw this, and bared her teeth – she would keep the kit, and she had not expected her husband to mind too much. He was always soft to humans and half-demons alike, some thought that made him weak – but he beat whoever challenged him. Demons were slowly finding themselves changing their opinions of half demons – if only a fraction of them.

As if to plead its own case – the kit called out blindly, a soft heart wrenching whine. That, she knew, caught and pulled on the Inu no Taishou's heart-strings. Tsukiojou could not have been more pleased by the effect.

"He needs us. If Sesshomaru agrees to it, we shall keep him." Tsukiojou told him, defiant.

Her husband stood – staring dumbly at the kit, at all that it represented to his family; all that it would represent. He made no protest however, and Tsukiojou took it for an agreement to her words.

He did not bother to move, though, so she smoothly passed his still form to enter the cave – where her pup slept. Her eyes adjusted within moments to darkness so complete, that, even during the heat of the day it would have had humans carrying in a torch, to see the dark cave walls.

Tsukiojou, like all mothers, was proud of her first little pup. In her eyes, he was perfect. So, automatically, she sought out his sleeping form, eyes going over his face – the two almost- crimson marks under each of his golden eyes, and the twin to her crescent moon symbol upon his brow.

There was no doubt to anyone upon laying eyes on him that he was the son of the Inu no Taishou.

Tsukiojou moved into the cave, her steps silent, yet even so her son stirred, his senses telling him in his sleep that someone other then his father and mother had entered their territory. She smiled warmly down at him, settling herself beside her pup, waiting for him to wake.

He did so, as all young things did, slowly, gradually moving himself to lay his head on her lap – his nose flaring – taking in that the scent of the stranger was mixed with her; his brow wrinkling at the hint of blood that accompanied the new scent.

"Mother?" Sesshomaru greeted and inquired all at once, his eyes flicking from her to the kit, and then to her – a question in their depths.

Sesshomaru's nose twitched at the odd smell that emitted from the kit. Like the forest, and fruit, and something else. For the first time in his life, Sesshomaru couldn't place a scent. It was like a human, but mixed with the power of a demon.

His eyes finally opened – and he blinked sleepily up at her, relaxing when she petted his silver hair soothingly with one hand – the other still holding the kit – which he was now forced to see. Sesshomaru's golden eyes had widened in open shock.

It had silver hair, white furry ears, claws, and bright sunlight-amber eyes. Sesshomaru learned in closer, its smell giving away that it had been born only hours ago. His sudden silvery appearance in the infant's blurred vision caused the infant to blink and wriggle in her arms.

A tiny hand reached out, but Sesshomaru ignored it, and paid a price for it. Sesshomaru yipped in surprise, when the kit's hand grabbed his silver hair, and pulled his face closer. A tiny silver tail brushed Sesshomaru's nose, nearly causing him to sneeze.

Tsukiojou, watching all this, laughed – startled, the kit let go of his hair, and Sesshoumaru took the opportunity presented. Jerking his face away, he did sneeze, the odd scent clinging to his nose as he shook his head.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru questioned her, Tsukiojou snorted; it was obvious he was interested in the answer – if a bit puzzled at his own interest.

"It is a kit. As far as I can tell it is a half fox demon." Tsukiojou explained calmly, holding the kit closer to her.

"No, I mean, what's its gender?" Sesshomaru asked, Tsukiojou blinked at him – then down at the kit.

"Meet your new…um…" I would forget to check its gender… Tsukiojou thought scathingly to herself as she took a quick peek between its legs, ignoring her son's look of open bemusement, "baby brother!" She cried out before he could say anything too mocking.

"What's his name?" Sesshomaru asked causally, his lips quirking in a smirk at her expense.

"Hasn't got one yet, he might as well be an orphan for all the human woman did to protect him from a snake demon." Tsukiojou told her son, sneering at the word human, Sesshomaru remaining silent beside her.

"Ah, come on Tsukiojou! Humans aren't that bad!" Inu no Taishou protested abruptly– finally coming back to himself, turning away from where he had stood.

"Tell that to this little one!" Tsukiojou pointed out, holding the kit up for her husband to take. He did so, clumsily, keeping his claws away from its flesh as he held its torso, a look of bafflement on both their faces.

"Humans aren't that bad?" Inu no Taishou repeated, the kit squealed, and Tsukiojou smirked as a panicked 'what do I do?' look passed over her mates face. Tsukiojou calmly took charge, swiftly lifting the kit from the Inu no Taishou's hands, and patting the infants back until it burped.

"That proves it – he'll hate humans when he's all grown up – isn't he precious?" Tsukiojou cooed down to the kit – Sesshomaru and Inu no Taishou exchanged a look, which Tsukiojou pretended not to notice, all the while plotting her revenge for the look.

"Yes, well, Mother, what are we going to call him, if – indeed, we are going to keep him?" Sesshomaru inquired, keeping his tone light, his fingers taping onto the ground as he watched his mother coo over a half demon kit. He only hoped his mother hadn't done that to him as an infant – it would have been mortifying, even some hundred years later.

"I don't know, what do you suggest my dear Inu no Taishou?" Tsukiojou asked, lifting her eyes to her mates, a blank look entered them. She knew he had a terrible time of coming up with names – even with a near year of warning. And how she loved to rub his face in it – a hundred years later and he still flinched ever so slightly whenever he heard 'Sesshomaru', hence why her sons name was shortened to 'Omaru', or when she felt playful 'Sessho'.

"Well, um, that is, since you didn't return with him until sunrise, why not…Asahi?" Inu no Taishou suggested with much hesitation and delay, Tsukiojou nodded thoughtfully, taping the kits nose. "Very well then, Asahi it shall be." Inu no Taishou's shoulders sank with relief.

Sesshomaru grinned at his mother – too bad for the half-human kit the first decent name Inu no Taishou came up with was a girly one.

"Mother, how are we going to feed him?" Sesshomaru asked his mother once Asahi had started fussing for milk. Tsukiojou and the Inu no Taishou shared a look, they both know of some kitsune demons not a half days run from where they sheltered in the cave.

"Sesshomaru, can I trust you to watch Asahi while your mother and I get something that will suit him?" The Inu no Taishou asked of his son, who nodded in agreement.

Inu Daiyōkai – the great dog demons had no marked territory, no homes, except when they had pups and even then, stayed only long enough until the pup could walk and run on its own; they wandered, usually alone, and constantly - they thought of all the lands they wandered as theirs.

Often, they were sought for protection, and granted it – as the Lords of their territory – and, in turn, their pups were guarded fiercely by all who meant to take advantage of the Inu Daiyōkai loose tuff rules.

The Inu no Taishou was the only recognized the leader of the Inu Daiyōkai, and, in turn, the Lord of the Western Lands, where lay the Inu Daiyōkai's only physical presence on the land.

Tsukiojou carefully handed the newly named Asahi over to her son, and after petting his hair, she and the Inu no Taishou left him – swiftly running over the lands separating then from the near by kitsune family.

"You," Sesshomaru told his newly found 'brother', "need a bath." Sesshomaru told him firmly, nose twitching at the blood-scent that clung to the kit. Sesshomaru stood, and carefully made his way to the small river-pool that flowed near the cave.

Finding a small clearing, Sesshomaru sat down, keeping the newly named Asahi in his lap. The pup wriggled, now that Sesshoumaru saw it under the sun, looked well-developed, and not so red-and-wrinkly as the new human baby a village human hand once shoved in his fathers face to 'bless'.

Sesshomaru glanced down into the pool of clear water – seeing his own reflection of what appeared to be a human child of ten, indeed – the only signs he was a demon was his pointed ears and demon markings.

Even if, by human age, he was nearly a hundred years old – and it would be two hundred years more of being with at least one of his parents before he would be judged old enough by Inu Daiyōkai standards to be on his own.

Sesshomaru looked to his 'brother'. Despite just being born, the kit would likely be able to walk and run by half a year – and then spend the next two hundred playing 'catch up' with Sesshomaru.

By the time both of them were old enough to be out on their own – they would look nearly twenty, despite a two hundred year gap. That, Sesshomaru knew, was the main reason demons disliked – and even hated half demons, they reminded demons that they weren't immortal – and that if a demon grew close to friendship or loving a half demon, the half demon would die far sooner then before the demon would grow old.

Even knowing this, Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel protective for the kit. Cooing at Sesshomaru, the kit wriggled to get free, to explore his wide new surroundings - like most kitsune kits did after their births. Sesshomaru tugged his sash off, dipping it in the cool water, and bringing it to the kits smelly skin.

Sesshomaru kept a firm grip on the kit's tail (knowing that it would take a lot to hurt them by their tails) and silently telling it by body-language not to move. Sesshomaru found himself lost to the task, intently cleaning the kits silky hair and furry ears, and its skin – and under its tiny claws. Unlike his parents, he did not have to be fearful of his claws tearing the kits skin accidentally.

Eventually Sesshomaru finished, and was surprised to see it was nearly noon. Asahi, sensing he was done, stirred – yawning, his little fangs flashing in the sunlight. Then, much to Sesshomaru's surprise – he found the kit still had ideas of exploring, as Asahi tried to crawl away from his lap.

Sesshomaru, rolling his eyes, watched the kit smelling the grasses and surroundings for the first time.

The kit – testing him, scooted a little ways away – then crawled a little more. Sesshomaru, having none of that – and determined not to let the half human get hurt, pulled it's now fluffy silver tail – the kit, surprised, quickly rushed back to him – whimpering and nuzzling him for reassurance.

Somewhat fondly, Sesshomaru held him to his chest – as he had seen his mother do.

After a few minutes of this, Asahi yawned, and bated Sesshomaru's nose with his tail causing Sesshomaru to sneeze. Upset, Sesshomaru glared down at Asahi, who yawned again, revealing two elongated canines.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips - giving Asahi's tail another fond yank, causing the kit to give a yip, and swipe at him with his clawed fingers. Sesshomaru easily dodged the swipe, and caused the kit to slide from his chest to his lap, but cursed himself for his stupidity. This wasn't a full demon's kit, and he couldn't use his demon strength – even fondly, in play until the half-kit got older.

After giving Sesshomaru his best hiss, Asahi curled up on Sesshomaru's lap, and proceeded to ignore the dog demon. Sesshomaru let out a small 'keh' and folded his arms, turning his head away - pretending not to notice the half kit, somewhat hurt by it's ignoring him.

Letting out barks of soft laugher his mother came into the clearing, with the knowledge that his mother had seen him acting like a pup, Sesshomaru blushed. Tsukiojou, smiling softly at her pup and the kit, kneeled in front of Sesshomaru, ruffling his hair.

"You did well. You father and I have decided to let Asahi live with us." Tsukiojou told a grinning Sesshomaru, who gave his mother a pleased look.

"You mean you bullied him into keeping the kit." His mother winked, reaching down to pick up Asahi from his lap, the kit had stirred, and was watching his mother's hand warily, as if he was complicating biting if it got too close.

"You've pulling his tail." Tsukiojou accused angrily, Sesshomaru nodded, and his mother glared heatedly at him – much to his confusion.

"You shouldn't. You might turn him away from touch…and then where will we be? Having invited the kitsunes here for a year so they will see if their vixens can milk him? …" Tsukiojou stopped, calming, as Sesshomaru looked down, properly shamed.

"I'm not angry Sesshomaru, just worried, the little one should be feeding, and he must be starved." Tsukiojou said with a small sighed, as she ran her fingers through Asahi's hair. Sesshomaru's golden eyes widened.

"You mean he might die?" Sesshomaru asked, having – despite himself, grown attached.

"He is a newborn; there is no way to know yet…" Tsukiojou warned, not liking it when Sesshomaru's face fell, almost hopelessly. Shifting Asahi in her lap, she notiched the blood-scent was gone, and smiled softly at Sesshomaru.

"You did well to bath him. Come son; let's go see your father." Sesshomaru followed her obediently, as she stood and went into the cave - he knew, having seen his mother look at the kit, that she would try her best to give the pup natural substances in place of milk if the kitsune's refused to help them.

Even with the winter setting in.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O

AN: The Early History of "Asahi"; when he was an 'Original Character' and not Youko Kurama.

The first drafts are lost, but… from what I remember, the first one began with a teenage demon-looking Asahi journeying with his aunt to the family shrine, it is slowly revealed (in three pages) that he had lost his mother at birth, and both he and his mother were believed dead, until Asahi showed up in the modern world a ten year old, with the necklace of his mothers family crest.

While his mother is 'dead', his father is a nameless, but rich demon. He does not remember anything of his past; the well though, is on his family's shrine, and the last place his mother visited when alive. While babysitting his niece (I think she was Kagome, before I hated her), he follows her down the well. Suffice to say, this was only five or six pages long.

Thus that draft ends.

However, there was a vaguely remembered second draft somehow connected – yet not connected to this one, in which in the future, he travels with Inuyasha- before his fifty year bout of hanging from a tree, and in this version, he smells something familiar and (after splitting with Inuyasha at cave) in the cover of darkness – and, surprise, surprise, he finds his human mother very much alive, and living in the feudal era – and, to make it all the sweeter, she has a daughter.

His mother is very likely one of the most complicated – or just plainly vague, characters I've ever made up. She expects to see him staring at her daughter (who is apparently what he smells – claiming something along the lines of her daughter smelling more like his mother then she, his mother, does – she smiles mysteriously at this) in the middle of the night. She, of course, vaguely mentions something about hearing of his appearance and adventures with Inuyasha, even if those adventures are never mentioned – heck, his appearance isn't either.

Yet, even knowing he is her son - she claims her daughter is her first child – and demands that she (the daughter) is who he is to owe his life to, and shall protect in the future; even getting him to agree to such a bewildering twist of words.

There is, of course, 'mixed feelings' between them, but after guiding him out of her daughters room, she sits him down, feeds him, and from her he learns that his father was an unnamed kitsune, who, upon finding her expecting, left her. Thinking she was abandoned by him, she tries to suicide by falling through the well on the family shine she is just about to, when she tries to leave the well, changing her mind, but she is attacked by a snake demon – and blacks out.

He denies this, and in a typically teenage manner, reveals to her that his father had given her family a good portion of his wealth, for the care of Asahi, at age ten – till now, leading me to think, that somehow his father is the reason that at the age of ten he is found at all in the 'modern' world, and how he knows this.

She ignores his outburst, and urges him to be silent, or her household will awaken, and kill him. She continues on that after the attack she had awoken to find she was alive, yet has lost her child, somewhat upset – yet relieved, and believing it's a miscarriage; she stays with the village that had taken her in.

She meets the human lord of the land her family well is on (which makes her the lady of this household she is in, and the lands- and in turn, wealthy) and he – finding her exotic, marries her, which she claims is no part of trickery. Then, later, she gives birth to her daughter. Which she claims saved him from 'discovery and certain death' somehow, her husband knows of Asahi, perhaps in nightmares, but, in any case, he promises – at her instance to protect her daughter and her daughter's children – he does so.

Leading me to think he is – in her eyes, immortal. Her families crest – and the crest of this lord, "is of a many-tailed fox with a mirror, in the light of the morning sun". This is, a very clear reference to Asahi; which means 'morning sun', and to what he is – the mirror only being another significant fact about him, and his powers. You'll find out about the mirror later.

This then ends that tale, and quite abruptly jumps fifty years in the future to when he ends up, somehow, traveling with Inuyasha and 'his human pack', who he remembers/recognizes as a pack-mate of his, leading me to think the encounter with his mother happened when he was 'young'. He looks like Minamino Shuichi.

That evening, they meet up with Sesshomaru - while Asahi is, of course, out scouting – Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru end up in a fight, and Asahi, sensing something is wrong and smelling blood, goes back to the others.

He stops the fight between the two brothers, and Sesshoumaru, he attempts to knock him aside, recognizes him, but not before stopping himself too late – his hand raised to strike, his poison claws brush against Asahi's cheek.

Like Inuyasha's human change takes place on the night of no moon- his takes place in the full moon, and, unfortunately, that night is the full moon. This draft ended rather frustratingly with Asahi turning human, and the three exchanging blood to save him- thus making them blood brothers, half fox-dog, and human. Yes – even Sesshoumaru.

Then, somehow, they are in the far future – no sight of the others, and Asahi's aunt is outside his bedroom door asking if he is alright – and, with two half-human dog-fox demon brothers – how could he be anything but 'alright'? Can we say 'how could you end it there!'?

Yes, yes we can…To my younger teenaged old mind, this was the prefect ending – with no middle, and no explanation at all...Ah, sometimes I just want to strangle my younger teenage self...Now this draft, three or so long years later, believe it when I say, is much…improved. Because, believe it or not, it will make sense!

...Eventually.