• 1-Overcoming Adversity
• 2-Chapter 2
• 3-Chapter 3
• 4-Chapter 4
• 5-Chapter 5
• 6-Chapter 6
• 7-Chapter 7
• 8-Chapter 8
• 9-Chapter 9
• 10-Chapter 10
• 11-Chapter 11
• 12-Chapter 12
• 13-Lucky 13: Interlude, Family Honor
• 14-Interlude II - Secrets
• 15-Chapter 15
• 16-Chapter 16
• 17-Chapter 17
• 18-Chapter 18
• 19-Chapter 19
• 20-Chapter 20
• 21-update soon
• 22-Chapte`,

Disclaimer: Don‘t own it. AU type fic with usual pairings.

Despite growing up in his father’s mansion, nestled within the expansive mountains of northwestern Japan for most of his life, Inuyasha possessed fighting and survival skills that most demons needed to train decades to acquire. The hanyou had never been one to sit idly at home, and like his brother, both explored and enjoyed the wilderness, traveling as far as he could for days at a time before returning to face his father’s anger and wrath for his disappearance. The Lord Inutaisho insisted hat his sons at least leave warning of their departure, and where they could be found in the event of emergency, but as usual, they would never listen.

Because he was half human, his brother and father always assumed he was soft-hearted, weak, and like humans, something to protect and pity. It brought much surprise to Inutaisho to discover that much of his inuyoukai blood was in Inuyasha, and that his son possessed a great strength.

Though their numbers were fewer since the days of old when youkai could roam Japan freely and at will, there were still some to be feared in the mountains. Neither Inutaisho, or his son Sesshoumaru concerned themselves with this. He was, afterall, the lord of the West and had nothing to fear of minor demons scuttling about his territory, as long as they did nothing to raise his ire.

One day, Inuyasha strayed far from the mansion, and neither Sesshoumaru or their father heard anything from the boy for days. Wrought with worry, the lord could only assume his son had disobeyed him by leaving the safety of the western lands, and entering a foreign territory where the name Inutaisho could not keep him safe.

He thought correctly. Overcome by fear that something terrible had occurred, he tracked dows ths then, thirteen year old son, following a stale scent trail that had almost faded into oblivion, until the drying scent of blood assaulted his nose. It was his son’s blood, in splatters and patches on the ground as if some great fight had occurred there. The trail that was now scented with his son’s blood, led him onward for another mile, until he came toree ree where he found the sleeping form of his youngest son slouched in its branches, resting off his injuries. From the sight of the battle, he would have expected Inuyasha to be bearing great wounds, and suffering from much blood loss, but a thorough exam only revealed the boy to be mildly injured and mostly healed of any damage he may have sustained.

It was then that Inutaisho realized his half-human son had every bit as much potential as his full inuyoukai brother. Past that point, he began to treat them as equals, and his love for Inuyasha could only grow. He gave to Inuyasha anything he wanted, and accepted any behavior from the boy. Sesshoumaru only saw it as a disgrace, when the sof Iof Inutaisho were above petty human hobbies like automobiles and carpentry. It was what the mortals were for. If a car broke down, call for a human to fix it. If the pipes were leaking, call the plumber, but never, were they to lower themselves to the level of the humans.

When his older brother looked at their father, expecting his agreement, the lord sy shy shook his head and smiled. So, the hanyou was allowed whatever he desired, and Sesshoumaru’s resentment and jealousy only grew. On the day of Inuyasha’s fifteenth birthday, their father gave to him his prized sword that had been made of one of his own fangs.

That was why, no more than two days after the death of their father, the bitter sibling rivalry that only the presence of Inutaisho could stave off, escalated to new limits of hatred and hostility.

“Get out. Go to your human mother. Perhaps she will have you. I expect to see you gone in no more than a week’s time.”

The servants at his father’s grand estate hated him, his brother despised him and loathed his existence, his own mother seemed sometimes to fear him because of his hidden (and sometimes not so hidden) strengths, and the students of his school envied him.

Jocks and male students cursed him behind his back, blaming him for their inattentive girlfriends as females shamelessly watched the new boy walk from class to class. Females gossiped about him, spreading half-truths and lies from friend to friend. One day, he was a prodigy, intelligent, rich, smart, and perfect. The next day, he was a bad boy, the leader of a gang of thugs, so rude and uncontrollable that his brother had no choice but to kick him out of their father’s home.

Now, after three months of hell in school, one of the people at the source of his irritation was in need of his help. He recognized the boy that was in her pursuit, a tall, and fairly muscular fellow with waves of long dark hair. Before Inuyasha came to the school, Naraku had been the girls’ obsession. He was a track star, a football player, a hottie with impressive grades and matching good looks…he’d also been all but forgotten when Inuyasha enrolled into their school.

“Hogosha.”

“Onigumo.” The two regarded each other. “I believe the woman said she didn’t wanna be bothered by you.”

“This is an issue between her and I. It has nothing to do with you.”

“It may have nothing to do with me, but I’m tired of hearin her screaming for you to go away. Leave before I make you,” he threatened, a growl almost leaving his throat. If there was anything he hated, it was men who picked on women weaker than them.

“Don’t meddle in my affairs, Hogosha. You know ing ing about what’s going on.”

Inuyasha crossed his arms and shifted his gaze towards Kagome. “You wanted him gone, right?” At her rapid nod, he turned his attention to Naraku, golden eyes half narrowed and full of distrust. There was something about the human’s scent that didn’t sit well with him. He was unable to determine what bothered him so much, but the sense of foreboding that gnawed at him while Naraku was near couldn’t be ignored. “I’m not gonna ask you again to e, be, before I let my fist do the talkin’ for me.”

Naraku’s brown eyes rested on Kagome, and the handsome young man gave a smile that was more disturbing than pleasant, sending a chill along her spine. “We will meet again, Kagome,” he stated calmly before leaving.

Kagome seemed to relax and let out the breath she had been holding ever since the confrontation began. “Uhh…thanks,” she muttered, kicking at the ground and looking away from him towards the shrine. The very boy that her friends had amused themselves by spreading tales and gossip about, had just helped her out of a tough jam. While she hadn’t helped the girls in their petty little scheme, she certainly hadn’t asked them to stop lying and telling stories about him either.

“Bastard should have left you alone when you asked. Kagome, right?”

Her nervousness increased when he said her name. Swallowing, she nodded, clutching her books tighter against her. She would have never expected him to remember her name, despite the two classes they shared each day, considering the silver-haired teen seemed to ignore the sensei and everyone else around him. “Whoa, your eyes. There’s something wrong with them,” the dark-haired girl suddenly, stated, moving in close for a look at the golden irises of the hanyou. Inuyasha blinked stupidly at her, before realizing he had neglected his contacts, and that it was his true eye color that now showed.

More coming soon

A/N: *Sweatdrop* You mean the manga is still going? :o I suppose I can stand to wonder a little longer about whats going to happen. Sorry, didn't mean to bump, I was reading my own story and picked up on some mistakes and misspellings, and the perfectionist in me had to fix them. A new chapter will come soon, I've been busy lately, and hope to write several pages n the next update.

Those flaws are on their way, Drake. I've got a bit planned for when they emerge. Some will happen in the school, and a few at home.