Yay part 2! (This'll take forever to finish )
Wood creaked. The sound nearly visible in the quiet dusty air.
Get through this. Think of Kikyo.
He shut off his senses to reality and calmed his heart with her soul, her black hair tickling his arm, red lips whispering warmth in his ears.
His eyes softened and he relaxed. He kept her in the back of his mind as he scanned the dark attic for possible gifts. There was a knit blanket folded on a stool. Some bottles begged to be wiped clean of dust on a shelf. A quick sniff told him alcohol.
Wandering over to one of the shelves that lined the small space, he grasped a wooden box and hesitantly, pried it open a crack. Small candles. Unscented, thank god. Strong smells would trigger a memory.
Night had already fallen. There was nothing that screamed 'gift for the girl of your dreams.' How could he surprise her?
~Starfall~
He fumbled with his attire as he waited for her to come to the window. He had just withdrawn his hat from his head when her scent wafted from above. His heart sank at her groan.
"Inuyasha, I clearly said-"
"I know!" He cut in quickly, "You told me not to come. I-I have something for you. A surprise."
She sighed and rolled her eyes, pulling the window in again. "Wait-" But it was already shut and her face had disappeared within.
He sighed. The dirt was suddenly mocking him beneath his feet. He apologized to her inside his head over and over. Why did it seem like what he wanted and what she wanted were different? She didn't want him to come to her and he did. He never wanted to leave her side.
The same lamplight from the night before highlighted his sagged shoulders, as he began to leave. Her scent coated the air around her house.
A delicate hand caught his and he smiled at the sound of her voice, "It's not my birthday for another week, you know."
~Starfall~
Kikyo gasped. The sensation filling his chest made him feel like he could soar. Strong alder saplings surrounded the field she knew so well, jeweled with orange flickering lights from white teacup candles. He'd made sure he'd laid the blanket where the least amount of flowers grew. A small cornucopia of fruits and cheeses lay center on it, accented by two bottles he'd hand-polished hours ago.
Kikyo twirled into the scene and descended to the grown, laying the skirt of her night gown around her with care. It was one of the many moments of her he'd never forget. He grabbed one of his mother's shawls from a branch and draped it around her. Her hand tugged it closer around her, and brushed his fingers. She smiled up at him.
"I've never had champagne before."
"You're in for a treat then." He smirked, popping the bottle the way he'd seen his adoptive father do it many times over.
"My god!" She groaned out as the bubbly liquid rolled over her tongue, "This is delicious!"
He chuckled, sipping from his glass.
"Well how did you-" She gestured to the site he'd set up around them, "How does a shop-boy afford all of this?"
He quirked a brow, "I'm not a shop-boy."
A hum sounded from her throat as she swallowed, "God. I heard. I'm sorry. What are you going to do now?"
"Well no- I mean, I'm not a shop-boy. I was just working at a shop. And now I'm not. I'm free to live my life how I wish." He was no longer tied to the village by any means. Not by family or obligation. Kaede had led him to that realization.
He scooted closer to her. "But Inuyasha. This must have been all your savings."
"Sure if you count all my mother's old things I've kept saved in the attic."
She froze. Her silence worried him. A hand fisted gently above her heart. "These things belonged to your mother?" A somber expression kicked him in the gut.
He didn't need this now.
He turned his head the other way, "Keh. The fruit is fresh."
Silence took its sweet sweet time to depart from the space between them. He refused to think at all as he stared at the heavens above.
"Still." She broke the silence, "What are you going to do now? You still have to work for a living don't you?"
"I've got some travel money saved. I'll go see the world and make my fortune."
"Now you sound like Onigumo."
The mention of that name had his brows inch closer. He held back an irritated growl for her sake.
"He's quite a traveler. Did you know he's going all the way to Ipswich just to buy me a ring?"
"Pff. Ipswich huh? Kikyo. I'm talking about London, Paris- whu- a ring? Why's he-?"
"Word is he's going to propose to me on my birthday."
"Are you- going to say yes?"
"I can't really say no. Not after going out of his way to Ipswich."
"Ipswich," he growled, "Kikyo! I'd cross oceans for you! Continents!"
Her head tilted with a kind smile, "You would?"
"Yes! I would go to India and bring you back so many of the finest silks you'd have a different one for every day for the rest of your life."
Her hand was over his as she ducked her head in giggles.
"I would." He whispered, "I'd mine the earth in California for centuries until I found you a diamond bigger than your fist."
He could taste her breath.
"I'd travel to Africa, hunt down a lion for you, kill it with my bare arms, and- bring you back it's head."
It had just come out as his lips neared hers. He could feel her breath, until suddenly he couldn't. He opened his eyes to find her disgust, a look he feared. Did she change her mind? Can she not even stand to kiss him because of his looks and age after all?
"A lion's head?!"
Damnit. He couldn't even say what he should say to a woman he wanted. Though he would provide any kill for her, any meat she wanted, she was still human, and a human who didn't care for unnecessary death.
What the fuck is wrong with me? A sound of disgust from his companion was a stab to his chest. Though he knew it wasn't about him, only what he'd stupidly said in the thrill of the moment. He plopped a grape in his mouth distractedly. He didn't dare apologize for the truth. He had to be fair and have her know what it would be like married to him.
"You're silly. Inuyasha, people like you and people like me, we just- I should be going. It's really late."
"Now hold on. Let's at least finish the champagne?" He didn't beg. But he'd do anything for her.
Kikyo smiled at her candlelight reflection on the bottle. "Alright."
Had Inuyasha learned then of how the stars watched Earth. He'd shudder at the very thought of an audience to him and his feelings he keeps so tightly bound within himself.
But fortunately for him, nearly every star in the sky was at that moment looking in earnest on the other side of the wall, where the King of all Stormhold, the father he'd never known, bravely faced death in the face.
Coincidentally, it was the King's final act that would set a new course for Inuyasha's destiny.
~Starfall~
"Father."
He was the first to arrive among the four brothers that still lived. For the great demon king only sired sons.
"Sesshomaru." He responded hoarsely. At the sound, even the revered prince Sesshomaru softened. Though he was about to gain the throne -for there was no doubt he would best his brothers- he was saddened knowing that he would soon say goodbye to his teacher of worlds, his trainer of skills.
The hue of blue fur of the crescent was faded. The King would meet his death soon.
The great Dog King clawed at the ground silently. Then, "Where are your brothers, Hideo, Kenzou, Masaru?"
He shrugged. "On their way I'd presume."
"Then we shall wait."
"Hn."
The two dog demons lifted their heads at a familiar, mournful howl. Hideo was in his true form atop the highest castle wall. His song was deep and true. Not a single rock broke from the wall from his weight as he leaped.
Hideo, the first-born, could not fly. He dashed down the wall along gravity's pull, his gait thunderous, echoing. The muscles in his legs were near the size of father's in his prime.
Sesshomaru ignored the stench coming closer of a pure canine demon. His father had found his first wife when wolves were thought to be extinct. Now only pure-bred wolves were.
A golden eye burned at the newcomer, now in his main form.
For the moment.
The other two soon arrived.
"Hideo, Kenzou, Masaru, Sesshomaru. Four demon sons still live, but only one can become king. Therefore, we shall solve this in a non-traditional manner."
The wind rustled the foliage at their feet. Father lay in his favorite field, full of snowdrop blossoms. It was a mystery really.
He once said it reminded him of someone he loved. Sesshomaru knew the scents of all the seven queens. Not one smelled like that flower. He'd had many guesses at the possibilities.
Father could have fell in love with a demoness that was married to another. He could have lain with a female, but why keep it a secret and not make her a queen? Was she unsuitable? Perhaps infertile?
The last option was the one he dared not consider; that somewhere out there, was another potential king. If only he had killed his brothers sooner. Then Father could witness his rise to rule.
His attention sharpened at the glowing blue moon.
"The blue pearl will become pure to the one of royal blood who shall be king. Let fate decide the future of Stormhold."
The air was thick with suspense. As nostrils flared, drawing his last breath, the moon lifted off his forehead, condensing smaller and smaller. A sphere the size of a coin pulsed. It swayed in the air unsteadily as if it were alive.
Would it choose? Was it supposed to choose the successor?
But such inquiries were for the hesitant.
The four princes lunged, evading their father's corpse. Eyes never leaving the cunning jewel, Sesshomaru transformed. Splitting clouds with thunderous paws, he tunneled through the wind, aware of his brothers trailing behind.
In a split second, he dodged a set of fangs snapping at his shoulder. Kenzou was the only one who could easily sneak up on him. The third-born shadow inuyoukai. There was no question how he'd survived so long.
Hideo kept pace below, watching the black and white inu circling around each other above as they pursued the silver pearl. Masaru could hardly be seen far above as he too chased the future they all sought.
Hideo watched helplessly from the ground as Masaru swooped down to the two of them, surprising them both by using their bodies to propel himself even farther, ever closer.
He whined in protest.
All four halted when the light of the pearl was suddenly gone. They landed to the ground.
Masaru had caught it.
And had swallowed it.
He lifted his head high in triumph, attained the victory he was named for. The other three reluctantly hung their heads in a way of bowing to their new King-
"Cleh!" Green demon-slitted eyes went wide as Masaru coughed again. Then another cough, but more strangled this time. The three watched as the kitsune inuyoukai pointed his nose nearly at the ground and hacked, heaved. Eventually he rolled over, pawing at the air in desperation. His breaths grew ever so desperate and he knew if he transformed back, he would definitely die.
Hope glimmered in golden eyes as he watched his brother struggle. The pearl had apparently caught in his throat. He was the smallest after all. Even a gem could cut off his access to air.
After thrashing for a full minute, he froze. He was dead.
The fool.
Would they have to desecrate the body to attain the pearl? He had not long to think before the still-white pearl tore through the flesh of his neck and shot straight upwards faster than the speed of light. Only keen ears could hear it sail into the black sea of stars.
The pearl left the stratosphere, passing the dark side of the moon, and streaked light years to wherever fate took it.
A silent scream and a cosmic explosion...
~Starfall~
"Look! A shooting star!" The lass pointed, her eyes admiring the light.
Inuyasha sat up from the blanket. An idea struck him. "I'd go beyond the wall for your hand in marriage. I'd find and capture that star. Will you . . . Um . . . Accept it as a gift?"
The most important woman in the world to him sipped her champagne in thought. Her smile gave him hope. Her serious gaze testing him. She was the only one not to cast him out, the only one who treated him like something more than an orphaned, pale, worthless half-human, the only thing to his name the creaking, worn house his mother had left him centuries ago.
Her parents had arranged to have Kikyo wed. He didn't have any say however unless he could win her favor, which meant making her parents happy.
"Hmmm my very own star..."
She held her glass, and his gaze. He lifted his decanter. "You have one week or I'm marrying Onigumo."
~Starfall~
She whimpered. Her hands covered her wet face. The glowing wind roared in her ears deafeningly as she streaked across the sky.
Sorry I haven't given much attention to TGE but I love this movie. I HAVE been working on HFA tho so yay!
REVIEW! XD