Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

The Next Generation	By : groovytits Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female Views: 5240 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Inuyasha. All credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi. No profit was made off of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
My uncle entered my bedroom quietly, and I stared at him while he closed my door and sat at the foot of the white mattress. He looked at the ceiling for a long time. There was a lot I wanted to say to him, but our recent encounter made me cautious, so I said nothing. After a good amount of time, he looked down at me and began speaking,
“I must congratulate you, pup. Your hand-to- hand combat is lacking sorely, but your unpredictable tactics give you an advantage. Had you been running in a straight line, I would have quickly outrun you. I find your strategy refreshingly cunning. You are like Inuyasha, without his expected method.”
Wow. He’d never complimented me before. Ever.
“Arigato, oji. I am sorry I got so carried away. I was just… angry. And I thought you were trying to kill me.”
“I was most certainly trying to kill you, but still I did not mobilize my full powers. We must correct your technique. You must always be ready for battle, even when you have no weapons at hand.”
We stayed mute again, a surprisingly comfortable quietness settling over the two of us. I relaxed myself, certain now that he didn’t have malicious intent against my person.
“You must never disobey my like that again.”
“I’m sorry uncle, please understand that I won’t eat animal meat. It is something that I solidly stick to.”
He seemed to ponder my answer,
“I want you to eat it because you are very malnourished. You may not notice it, but you are far too small. It seems to have slightly stunted your growth, and you are far too thin for your age. I want you to eat at least some sort of meat.”
“I do eat fish on occasions when I feel like I am not getting enough nourishment.”
Maybe he was right. I was pretty short, and sometimes I did feel like passing out when I over-exerted myself. I thought that was normal due to my human blood.
“Then you shall eat a full meal of sea creatures every morning.”
That sounded really good, actually. Oji was being surprisingly reasonable.
“Arigato, oji. Thank you for your kindness.”
He nodded at me and looked up again. I thought our conversation was finished, but apparently not. After a while, he put a long hand on my foot and got up to leave. Before he opened the door, I spoke up again,
“Oji, I know what kind of design I want.”
He stopped and didn’t look at me, but I knew he was listening.
“I wanted a haiku on my right rib cage. Hold onto nothing. Nothing will possess you. Fear cannot possess a heart of fearlessness. The heart will burn. The burning soul will yearn. Yearning dreams will move the moon.”
He still said nothing as he left, only a thoughtful ‘hn’, which was better than a ‘no’.
I went back to sleep quickly, not knowing what else to do.
_________________
The days following the frightening situation with my sister were actually pleasant. We began our mornings with training; our sensei was an older inu demon. I wasn’t sure of his name, because we just called him sensei. We trained with hand-to-hand on the first day of the week. Pikes, spears, and oak branches on the second. Swords and two-handed weapons on the third. Knives and daggers on the fourth. Throwing blades, axes, and darts on the fifth. Bows and crossbows on the sixth. And on the last day of the week we had the opportunity to pick from uncle’s armory. We had every choice under the sun. There where whips, clubs, tiger claws, brass knuckles, Korean fans, wind and fire wheels, tessen, emeici, chains, the list goes on and on.
After training was lunch, then off to the more scholarly subjects. An hour each of writing, math, history, strategy, alchemy, and geography. Then we had a free period of two hours. Dinner for an hour. The girls had dance and other entertainment artistry for the next hour, and I had courtesy while they did that. Rintsuki did not take this class with me, for he had surpassed it long ago. Sleep after that. Ryuumiu had two hours of courtesy after her entertainment class, so she got to bed at about midnight. I’ve never been so glad to not be a female. Sometimes uncle would leave to visit Rin, but we where sadly not allowed to go. His reasoning was because ‘I forbid it.’
Our days where completely scheduled, and I was fine with that. The castle was exciting, and there was always something going on. If I ever got bored, I would meditate. I was surprised to learn even in our leisure hours. My sister snuck me into the music room once to show me what she had learned thus far. Turns out she has an ear for music. And so began our own private lessons. We would steal half an hour away from our free time and play instruments. By the time we left to return home, I could play the nohkan and the kokyu pretty well. Ryuumiu surpassed my musical abilities by mastering the hand drums, the wind flute, and many-stringed biwa. I surpassed her in most of our other classes, though. I was beginning to figure out that my sister was fairly right-brained, as she excelled in the arts while I outshined her in the subjects that actually mattered. Except training. We were fairly matched when we fought one another in two completely different ways. But, all good things must come to a screeching halt at some point. At this point, I was sixteen. Ryu was a year behind me, Yukiyuu was ten, and Rintsuki was seventeen.
The day started out with an early rise and a letter to Kaede. I took the time most mornings to write each member of my family an individual note, the person varying day by day. I tended to write to the old priestess more than the others because of her age. There was no telling how much longer the woman would last, and I wanted to make sure she felt loved.
Dear Oba,
The days grow longer and prattle slowly throughout the season. I believe that Ryu and I are drawing close to the end of our education here. Another year, I predict. I do miss you, Oba. I long to see the rolling hills of the countryside and the mounds of mother’s vegetable garden. Memories of your stories by the fire pit make my heart ache. I believe that Ryuumiu has painted a stack of pictures for you, and she has gotten quite good. You will love them. Yesterday I learned how to mix a potion for a burning heart, so I will be able to ease your ailments much better than those herbs you often eat. I love you, Oba. I will see you soon.
Kachio
I rolled up the scroll and made my way down the corridor, heading to the pigeon loft with the intent to quickly send off the letter so that I would have time for meditation before breakfast. A pang in my chest stopped me. I had a gut feeling that something was amiss. Did I forget to do something? Perhaps my subconscious mind was prodding me faster. Those couldn’t be it. I felt anxious. I took long strides towards the dining hall, sprinting when I caught my sister’s wild scent. Something was wrong with her. I quickly barged into her white room, my heart dropping when I found her curled in the corner. The scent of death was heavy in the room. She cradled Kuritsuki’s big body, his fur dappled with grey where he had once been onyx. Ryu rocked back and forth, her face buried into the crook of his neck. Her soft singing was muffled. Then I realized that the wolf wasn’t completely dead, just making the slow passage to the next world of old age. Ryu looked up at me, her face drenched in her own tears,
“I just took him outside to make his business, and he started bleeding out of his anus. He just dropped, and I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I don’t know what to do.”
She buried her face back into his neck when he started whining. The wolf was almost nine now. Old as dirt in wolf years. I knew that there wasn’t anything I could do for the big clumsy animal. Maybe uncle had some magical elixir, or he could bring him back to life when he passed on from this world like he had done with Ryu. I ran full-speed towards his chambers.
Oji had a whole wing to himself. Instead of going to his bedroom, I veered to his study and pounded on the door.
“Enter.”
I opened the door as calmly as I could,
“Oji-sama, I need your help.”
He glanced up from the scrolls littering the small table in front of him.
“Ryuumiu’s beast is dying.”
Sesshomaru didn’t set his papers down,
“Does he need my help passing on?”
Gah. I loved my uncle, but sometimes I wanted to hit him.
“No, Oji-sama. I was hoping you would have some remedy.”
I was rocking back and fourth on my heels in anticipation,
“Death is a part of life, boy. You both should learn a lesson from this experience.”
“Please, Oji-sama. Can’t you bring him back when he passes?”
“That will not cure his old age.”
“Is there nothing you can do? I will do anything you ask of me, please uncle. Do not forsake your niece to this pain, I beg you.”
He looked up at me and closed his eyes with a sigh.
“Very well. In exchange for this favor, I expect for you both the polish the armory. You will tend your aunt’s gardens. You will also assist me for the next month when I make my daily patrol. I will find other chores for the both of you in time.”
I bowed so deeply that my forehead almost hit my knees.
“Thank you so much Oji-sama, we will serve you in any way you require.”
“Indeed.”
He breezed past me. His long legs where much faster than mine, and we reached the room in no time.
Ryuumiu was in the same position, Kuritsuki still holding onto his life.
Sesshomaru motioned for her to move. When she didn’t, he calmly explained that she would move if she wanted him to live.
“This will be messy, girl. I expect this room to be pristine after this is concluded.”
Messy? What was about to happen?
“Oji! Please don’t kill him. Don’t kill my baby, please!”
“Be still your wagging tongue. He will live.”
Then uncle did something very strange. He cut his entire right forearm open and then forced it into the wolf’s mouth. I don’t know how it works, but it worked very well. He drained a good deal of his blood into the wolf, making him swallow every last drop. I had to hold Ryu’s shaking shoulders when Sesshomaru sliced Ryuumiu’s belly open. My sister dropped to the ground and cried harder when she thought that Sesshomaru had tricked us. I knew better. The great lord wouldn’t do something that cruel to us.
Uncle reached deep in the wolf’s belly and withdrew a black ball with one hand. Kuritsuki’s body seemed to loose every ounce of bone and muscle when his body just… deflated. It looked as if somebody had skinned the wolf to perfection. Sesshomaru held the ball out to us, and Ryuumiu took it in her arms. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a ball at all. It was Kuritsuki, but he was a puppy again. Much smaller than when we took him in, but it was him alright. The little pup uncurled his legs and opened his eyes. They weren’t gold anymore. His irises were blood red, the pupils a golden color. My sister didn’t ask questions, just held the pup to her chest and continued crying. Even the fabric of his torn ear had been restored. His scent was the same dank earthy smell that it had always been, but much stronger now.
“He will grow back to full size in a few weeks.”
Sesshomaru picked up the deflated black and grey pelt, draping it over Ryu’s head,
“Th-thank your oji-sama. I will never be able to repay you.”
She hiccupped. She laid down with the pup, burrowing her body into the thick folds of fur. The pup was whining and burying his face into the crook of her neck.
I left her alone and walked out with my uncle.
“Is he a demon now?”
“Of sorts. Think of the beast’s blood as you think of your own. He has only a fraction of my blood.”
“Thank you, honored uncle. You have truly blessed us.”
“Yes, and you will have a full year to pay that off. Tell your alchemy sensei that you are to make the khat and ephedra potion this evening.”
“I will, uncle. What is it?”
He paused before the dining hall door and gave me a small smirk. Damn. The smile. I’d never before received it in my life, but now I knew that something was up.
“You will not be sleeping so much for the next year of your life. The potion is a stimulant, and it will keep you awake at all hours of the night.”
That didn’t sound like a good idea. I was very against the thought of pouring that into my body for an extended amount of time. But, we had to pay a debt. The great Lord Sesshomaru didn’t just give his precious blood away freely.
I bowed and entered behind him, anxious for what was to become of my daily life for the next year.
_______________________
Our day of departure from the western lands was much sadder than I expected it to be. You would think that I would have hauled ass out of there, but I actually got pretty emotional. I mean, I’ve lived with these people for three years. Sure, this last year was hell. I got about five hours of sleep a week, but that was the payment for the life of my Kuritsuki. Totally worth it. Plus, we got some sweet-ass magical speedy drink from the bargain thanks to my uncle not being overly cruel. Every night at the stroke of twelve, we got to work with the servants for the night. At first I was pretty peeved, but after awhile I began to understand the point behind everything. Oji-sama didn’t hate me. Everything he did ended up having a meaning. He gave me a plain room to humble me. I was forced into silly instructions such as art and dancing to remind me that life wasn’t all about push-and-shove. I was put into dangerous corners in training to make me think my next moves through. I tended the rice moats at night to force meditation (and make my back very sore). I was yelled at constantly to keep me on task, physically harmed to force my youkai out so I could gradually control it. Danniki sensei would withhold food from me to force my pride away in the face of survival. All in all, I became a much stronger person for it. I was declared sufficiently trained when I finally stabbed my sensei with a sword. It was kind of ironic, actually. The one weapon I hated to use was the one to grant me my freedom. Kachio had improved dramatically, too. He sharpened his mind considerably, and his fighting skills where that of a master-in-the-works. He had grown more courage in our time here. Instead of blindly following orders, he now held his ground firmly in the face of adversary. He had also grown more ambitious and confident. A man now. Even Kuritsuki took something away from his time at the inu house. Besides the fact that he was now bigger than Kirara. He still relied heavily on his fight-or-flight instincts, but he was much more likely to stay and fight now than run and save his own ass. And I swear that Sesshomaru had granted him a bigger brain; it seemed now as if he actually understood the words I said to him. Well, for the most part.
I was somewhat relieved to be leaving the tension that stood between my cousin and I. I thought that maybe I was imagining things at the time, but he seemed to be silently coveting me. Usually, the thoughts where knocked aside by my inner-self. I was paranoid and conceded. I had found that Yukiyuu was some sort of hell-god in disguise through three years of living two rooms down from the girl. It was never obvious to those around her, but I could see past her veil of vile lies.
“Go back inside and dress yourself properly.”
My uncle commanded when I came outside with an armload of gear. I smiled sweetly at him,
“But Oji, it’s so hot outside. And besides, I’m no longer under your charge.”
Well, I hadn’t changed completely. My hands fastened the tightened bundles of knives to the leather strap bound to Kuritsuki’s back and he whined,
“Hush, you big baby. It’s not that heavy.”
I smacked him lightly on the huge black shoulder and laughed when he gave me a making look. He thought he was so big and bad. The wolf was loaded down with weapons with the exception of my hand drums. Kachio had a massive pack strapped to his back of various potions and scrolls. He was bowing to our extended family, talking quietly amongst them. I could feel my cousin’s eyes on me. I was used to it by now. My own pack was loaded with our clothes and my rolled-up paintings. I made my way to the gathered inus and bowed to them,
“We are very grateful to you all, it has been a truly enlightening experience.”
Aunt Mui embraced me and said softly to me that I really should put on some clothes. I had grown to respect the woman and her kindness, and I almost obliged. But, I was very proud of the outfit I had been working on for years. I was going to give it to Kouga, but I couldn’t bear to part with it. I made Kuritsuki’s old pelt into a skirt, his long fangs served as fasteners to the part of hide that used to serve as his right thigh. The long black tail hung to the right side of my knee. I wasn’t wearing the infernal shoes of hell, opting for my bare feet. My own black tail was out and waving proudly.
“I will miss you.”
Yukiyuu said tearfully. She squeezed me close. Her satanic scent filled my nostrils, and I briefly considered pushing her far away. I thought better of it and hugged her back. Rintsuki grabbed me next, holding on a little too tightly for my comfort,
“I shall be sure to visit, dear cousin.”
His breath was hot on my ear, and I got goose bumps. Not in that way, you sick freak. He was my cousin, for fuck’s sake. I’m goddamn ticklish, remember? He seemed to take it the same way you probably did and lightly scratched my lower back in a way that nobody could see. I chalked it up to hormones and thought nothing of it. Lord Sesshomaru put his hand on both of our shoulders, surprising me. He wasn’t one for touching.
“My house is open to the both of you.”
That was his farewell. I was quite touched by his uncharacteristic show of affection. Once our farewells where made, we began walking home; our noses as guides. I glanced at my brother,
“Are you nervous?”
“No. I am excited. Although, I’m not really sure what to do once we get home. It seems a shame to just sit around in that small village after we have learned so much.”
“Well then, let’s not. We could have like… an adventure.”
He made a snorting sound from his stupid perfect nose. At least he was letting loose now.
“Like what? The only thing I can think of is demon slaying. And I’m sure you’d rather go ningen-slaying instead.”
“Har, har, har. Think outside of the box, brother. What do people our age usually do?”
“Chores.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, but what do they do when the candles are extinguished?”
“Sleep, usually. Unless they have some sort of disorder, then they stare at the ceiling.”
I turned my back to him and walked sideways, pointing in between my shoulder blades. A look of understanding came on his face when he saw the totemic mushroom in bedded in my skin. Personally, it was my favorite irezumi. It had taken three hours.
“Hallucinogenic fungi?”
I began walking straight again,
“Well, yeah. But other stuff, too. We could just go wild in general. As a celebration of our return.”
He mulled it over for a moment,
“Alright, but I won’t get too impaired. In case something happens.”
I smiled and slapped his back, I knew that his inner control-freak would never allow him to loose himself too deeply. It was well past noon by the time we arrived home.
- 9
- 10
- 11
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Next Generation