InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Guardian of Destinies ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

~*~ The Guardian of Destinies ~*~

 

The morning was magnificent. It was the first truly beautiful day of spring. Everything was alive and blooming, the birds were singing. One bird, perched upon the top of a small cherry tree, took flight to express its joy in the beautiful light of the early morning sunrise. The sky was hues of orange and yellow, brightly lit by the low hanging sun that had just lazily risen half-way above the hills in the distance. All was calm and content, until…

 

“SIT!” yelled a voice from below the trees. The bird that had just landed above the group of people below immediately took flight again, recognizing the argumentative pair below him. “Inuyasha! I can't believe you just did that! I swear,” the last part was mumbled under her breath as she shook her head.

 

“What did I do?” the figure that was currently glued to the ground grouched.

 

“Oh! I don't know,” she said with a sarcastic twist to her mouth, “just got me up before sunrise to start moving to some unknown location, dumped my backpack out looking for the chips that you ATE last night, knocked over my bike, and BROKE IT!”

 

The spell that held the hanyou on the ground was starting to dissipate, but before he was able to regain his footing another “Sit!” rang through the air.

 

“Kagome!” he growled at her to stop.

 

“Don't even start!” Kagome said furiously. Honestly, at times, he was so frustrating, she was curious as to why she loved him. But she did, and looking at him now, you would never believe that he would willingly die for her, as he had done in that last battle with Naraku. Sighing, Kagome calmed down, and using her new found power of control, released him from the subduing spell that he had been under.

 

Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara were currently standing about three yards away. This was far enough away to avoid being collateral damage, but close enough for them to enjoy the show. Knowing better than to laugh, they all just grinned.

 

Finally, Sango was the one that was brave enough to intervene. “Maybe,” she started almost blanching at the look Kagome gave her, but still, she continued, “we should go now.” The last part was more firm, with a note of authority gained from her experience as the daughter of the head of the village.

 

Kagome sighed, “I know,” she said, “we should go. We're almost done collecting the jewel shards, and it shouldn't be nearly so hard now that Naraku is gone.”

 

The group finally started walking again, Kagome making Inuyasha carry her now broken bike. She didn't know how she was supposed to get it fixed, `I guess,' she though sullenly, `I'll have to take it back to my time to get it fixed.' This was not an encouraging thought as she realized that it would not be easy getting it out of the other side of the well.

 

Suddenly, Inuyasha, who was in front, stopped, which made everyone else stop. There was a figure on the road ahead of them wearing a long gray cloak that covered them from head to foot. The first thing that Inuyasha noticed was that this person had no scent to them, at least, none that he could detect. As they came nearer, he let out a small warning growl.

 

Kagome huffed and said, “Don't be so rude, Inuyasha!” The stranger came right up to him, standing about three feet away, they looked up. Now that Inuyasha was able to make out their face, he could tell easily that this person was a woman, although he did not know who she was. She smiled at him.

 

Slipping her hood off of her head and letting her long golden locks fall nearly to the ground, she said, “Hail, Inuyasha, second born of the house of the moon. Hail to Kagome, the priestess of time. Hail to Shippou, the last heir of the great kitsune warriors of old. Hail, Miroku priest of the kazaana. And hail, Sango, last of the house of the Sun, may you all be blessed with long life and joy.”

 

With those words, she walked past the stunned group one by one. As she passed each of them, she gave them a smile, but when she came to Sango, who was at the rear, she stopped. Still looking forward she said, “Your brother lives, so do not despair. Do not search for him and he will come to you. Be happy princess, for your life is one fate has bestowed her favor upon.”

 

Sango, looking at the stranger with an understanding said, “Fate is cruel to me, she has no favor for the house of the sun.”

 

The stranger turned to her and smiled a sweet and innocent smile, “Fate has forgiven the sun for his wrong against her, now she smiles at you, for you overcame, and you still live.”

 

Sango stared in disbelief at the stranger, but she left, and soon was no where to be seen. Inuyasha was not pleased at all with this strange turn of events. “Who was that?” he half growled.

 

Sango, in a small voice said, “You just met the guardian of destinies.” The rest of the group stared in shocked silence before Sango pushed at Miroku's back to get them to move again. The next few hours was spent in contemplative silence.

 

***

 

“Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama! Loves the pretty flowers. Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama! Loves to dance for hours,” sang a small voice of a child who was currently dancing around a field of flowers with a sputtering, small green toad demon following her. A two headed dragon was currently sitting lazily in the shade of a large oak tree watching as the little girl and toad were running around the field. Apparently, the toad did not like the song that was being sung about him.

 

Beneath the shade of a tree on the opposite side of the clearing a breath-taking demon appeared to be sleeping. His long hair glinted like silver under the sunlight that was able to fall between the cracks of the leaves on the overhanging branches. However, his activity was not sleep, but complete watchfulness.

 

This was a restful time for the small group of demons, and one human, for there was nothing to be done. Currently, their destination was the west, the home of the high level demon that was not asleep under the tree, but he was taking his time on this journey, allowing the little girl to recover from her injury that she had received but only a week before. In order to draw Sesshoumaru into the battle, Naraku had taken the little girl, and due to this fact she had been stuck in the middle what turned out to be a very ugly battle between good and evil.

 

She had, thankfully, been saved from death by the quick and efficient actions of his brother's wench, although he would never admit it to either of them. Rin had escaped with only a gash on her right side, but currently appeared as if she was completely fine to the untrained eye. However, Sesshoumaru was anything but untrained. He saw how she would every now and then run her hand over her right side, or she would stop a few minutes to catch her breath before returning to torment his retainer.

 

“Rin,” he called to the little girl who had been stopping more and more as the day was starting to wane.

 

She jogged up to him and smiled saying, “Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!”

 

“Rin,” his deep voice said again, “It is time for you to bath. Ah Un will go with you.”

 

“Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama,” she said as she bounded over to the dragon so that he could take her to bathe.

 

The little girl was growing, and would soon need to be found a proper home. The idea, however, was not too appealing, as that meant having to really make her leave. The last time that he had tried to do that, she had cried and begged and asked if she had been a bad girl. He really didn't know how to deal with a girl's tears.

 

By the time that Rin had returned, he had gotten a fire going, and dinner for her was almost done. She had to have special food that was fit for humans, he usually ate either before she did, or after she went to bed. Tonight, he had eaten while she had bathed.

 

“Rin,” Sesshoumaru said, “Come here.”

 

“Hai!” she said as she came to him in the same kimono that she had left in.

 

“We must change your bandage,” Sesshoumaru stated as she came up to him. She quickly obeyed, and, while not able to stop the wince of pain, she was able to keep still for him to make sure the bandage would hold through the next day's journey.

 

After finishing her dinner, Sesshoumaru sent Rin to sleep, and she complied, for the day's activities had been rough on her young body. The sun had set before the food had even finished cooking, and Sesshoumaru could hear the snores of his retainer who was asleep on the opposite side of Ah Un from Rin. All of them were fast asleep, but Sesshoumaru knew that sleep would not be coming to him soon.

 

Trusting that they were safe, and setting up a barrier to keep stray demons and animals away, he strolled into the forest. It was not uncommon for him to wonder at night just not far from his companions should there be a problem.

 

Tonight was no different from the rest at first. He stood up after they were all asleep, and walked, or stalked, silently into the shrubbery for some solitude and meditation. Heading in the general direction of the stream that Rin had bathed in earlier, he kept his senses open for any threat to his entourage.

 

Funny, his `entourage' had seemed to grow recently. Before, it had only been his retainer, or servant, who had accompanied him, but soon Ah Un was needed, for haste became an issue. Then, he met Rin, the little girl that would smile through a bloody lip, and help a defeated dai-youkai who was too injured to properly care for himself, even if he threatened her with death.

 

In the solitude of the night, he allowed himself a small smile thinking of the little girl who had given everything, even her life, for him. “…a compassionate heart…” his mother had told him. She had told him that to strengthen his sword, the last remaining gift of his father, he needed a compassionate heart. She had shone him just how much he cared for the little girl sleeping back at his camp.

 

Kohaku had traveled with them for a long while, and would likely be back. He remembered that Kohaku had practically been dead when he came to their group, running from Naraku who was trying to destroy him. Sesshoumaru had used his sword, and taken the Shikon Shard out of his back. Kohaku had disappeared after the battle, probably to make peace with his past, which had been hard for the human emotions of the boy to bare. The memories had been forced back upon his mind when Naraku was trying to distract Inuyasha by causing pain to the boy.

 

It had worked only for a moment for Inuyasha knew that the only way to stop the pain was to completely destroy the half-dead hanyou before them. And he did, although, it was not an easy task. Their group, Sesshoumaru supposed, was searching for the rest of the jewel shards. Kouga, the leader of the tribe of wolfs in the North, had given his two up once Naraku was completely destroyed.

 

Distracted by his musings, he missed the presence that was currently sitting at his destination until he was close enough to see them. He almost let out a snarl of surprise and anger at being interrupted, but he stopped. He could tell that this person meant no immediate harm on him, or those in his care.

 

“Who are you?” He questioned harshly of the stranger.

 

They jumped in surprise, apparently not realizing that he was behind them. Standing up quickly, they pulled the cloak tighter around themselves and turned. “I am sorry for intruding. I will leave immediately, Sesshoumaru-sama.” From the voice and the small stature of the figure in front of him, he immediately came to the conclusion that the person was female, but he couldn't smell her.

 

She hurried to get past him and leave, but at the last moment, he put out his good arm and said again, “Who are you, and why do you address me as such?”

 

At this current distance, or lack there of, he could tell that the small person was definitely female, but he could not determine of what race she came. “I am sorry,” she said again, “if you will release me, I will be gone.”

 

Now he was starting to get annoyed, “Not until you tell me who you are.”

 

She sighed, apparently ready to give in to his demands. “I will,” she said, “but not yet.” And with those words, she was gone. Sesshoumaru held nothing in his arm but air.

 

***

 

Usagi, who was currently hiding in the shrubbery downwind from the powerful youkai that had caught her, breathed a sigh of relief. She had barely escaped that one.

 

She watched him walk back towards his camp, and after the sound of his footsteps died away, she was able the breath freely again. She hadn't been able to risk using her powers again for fear that he would sense her, the only reason he hadn't noticed the flair in her little corner when she reappeared was because of the shock.

 

But just to be on the safe side, she snuck along the shrubs instead of re-entering the clearing to leave the area. It was always better to watch your back and be wrong, then to not watch and be caught, at least, she thought that was how it went. Minako was not a very reliable source when it came to popular sayings.

 

Thinking of Minako made her heart ache, and so, she chose to change the subject. The dai-youkai that she had just seen was definitely cute. If she had still been the same girl that had ogled the guys at the crown after school every day, she would have been struck dumb by his very appearance, but she wasn't her anymore.

 

Sighing with sadness, she left the beautiful stream behind her, and looked for a way to rectify the situation. She wasn't supposed to meet the first born of the house of the moon, was she? She didn't know. For being the Guardian of Destinies, she sure didn't know anything about her own.

 

For the rest of her life, she would never be able to properly explain what happened in the following few minutes. One minute she had been having a perfect little pity party about her lack of friends, life, guys, and knowledge of her own destiny, and the next she was flying through the air, held only by an arm wrapped around her waist. She was going so fast that her feet flew behind her, and her hood whipped off of her head allowing her long silvery blond locks to fly free. `Boy,' she thought, `that's going to be one big rat's nest to undo later.'

 

Then her mind couldn't process any other information, because she was falling from the sky. The arm was still there, but they were going very fast towards the ground, and it did not look like a pleasant place to fall on one's butt. Squeezing her eyes shut in fear, Usagi didn't open them again until her feet were placed firmly on the ground.

 

“What are you?” came the deep rumble of the voice she really didn't want to hear.

 

“What is it with you and monosyllables, that's seems to be the only way you can speak!” she grumbled more to herself than to him.

 

“What are you,” he said again with more irritation showing in his voice.

 

“Let me go first,” she said.

 

“No.”

 

“Let me go!” This time she stomped her foot for good measure.

 

“No.”

 

“Fine,” she said as she crossed her arms over his which was still around her waist. “If you don't want to know, we can stand here all night.”

 

The silence stretched between them, and Usagi knew she was going to loose this battle, he was going to push it until her every nerve was just ready to jump with the wound up anxiety of the situation. Sighing in defeat, she finally said, “I really wasn't ever supposed to meet you, as far as I know anyway, so I will tell you who I am.”

 

Loosening his arm, he released her; he could tell from her smell that she was not lying or planning deceit. Once she was free, she turned to face him and said, “I am…human you might say, and yet I'm not. I am youkai, and yet, I am not. I come from all the people of this earth, and yet I am none of them. I am the guardian of life, the keeper of the gates of hell, and the destiny of the blessed. But more specifically, I am just Usagi Tsukino, the last of a house long gone. I greet you, first born of the house of the moon, as I greeted your brother this morning.” Finishing these words, she bowed lightly to him, more as an equal than someone who was lower than him. For some reason, this seemed appropriate to him.

 

“What house is it that you say is `long gone'?” he asked her.

 

With a sad smile she said, “I am the last of the House of the Stars. I was the daughter that escaped. I was not meant for survival but death. Because I lived, destiny took pity on me and made me the Guardian of Destinies.”

 

This was confusing, how could she be punished for surviving. He almost asked her this, but thought better of it before the words escaped his mouth. Instead, he said, “What are you doing here?”

 

She smiled more brightly at him, “Just checking up on one of my favorite charges.”

 

Since the only ones she could be checking up on were him or his companions, he felt his next question was justified, “Who?”

 

“The little girl with you,” she said happily. “She has a bright future, even though it has been and will be filled with trials, she will be happy in the end.” For some reason, this assurance seemed to comfort Sesshoumaru, but he did not let her know that.

 

Sesshoumaru was doubtful of the truth of her words, and, knowing that the only way to determine if someone is lying is to catch them in it, he questioned her more. “Where are you from?”

 

Her face took on that sad quality again, “Nowhere and everywhere. I live nowhere; I sleep and eat in uncertain places and uncertain times. I travel the unknown roads that lead to destinies ends.”

 

Sesshoumaru did not like to see her face look so sad. It reminded him of Rin when she was sad, and it gave him an unpleasant feeling in his gut that he could not place. It was this feeling that led him to say the following words, although if he had been thinking, he wouldn't have said them at all; “If you are uncertain as to where you should be, then you could be with Rin.”

 

She smiled brightly at him, “That is the best news I've had in over a century, however, are you sure you want me to come along?”

 

He noticed that she seemed uncertain in her last statement, “If you do not wish to, do not come. If you want to, then come.” He shrugged, “It matters not to me.”

 

She smiled, and walked back to his camp. She knew that in a few days, she would have to go, but a little company for a while wouldn't hurt, right?”

 

***

 

That is the end of this chapter; I hope that everyone enjoyed it.