InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Compass Ball ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

This was written in the vague attempt to outwit the plot bunnies…they are tricky buggers so beware.
Nightfall approached and so did the castle on the horizon. Akemi had to admit it was fairly impressive against the rainbow of colors in the sky. The walls surrounding the castle were high and thick as they road thru the gates. Soldiers were on their guard in specific locations and stood at attention not only because of the guests arriving, but because their lord and his eldest son were standing at the doors to welcome them.
“Higashi, welcome!” Nishi said as they bowed. “This is my oldest pup, Sesshomaru.” The pride was apparent in his voice as he introduced his son to the lord of the east.
“It is an honor to meet you at last, your father talks about you proudly,” Higashi said as Sesshomaru, despite the lack of emotion on his face, seemed to swell a little in pride of the knowledge. “Nishi, you remember my mate Mai and our oldest kitten, Seiji?”
“Of course, Lady Mai, always a pleasure and it’s wonderful to see you again as well, Seiji.” Nishi chuckled. They watched as the other four boys came out of the carriage. “Good, you brought everyone, but I thought you said you had a daughter Higashi?”
“We do, Akemi,” Mai said as she looked at the carriage confused. Higashi turned to the carriage as well waiting for Akemi, who seemed stubborn about coming out.
“Akemi can get a little shy,” Higashi said as he walked to a window of the carriage to see Akemi scratching at her ear. “Come on out kitten.” Akemi shook her head as she scratched again. “Akemi, it’s rude to hide, come out here.” Akemi obediently came out of the carriage but immediately moved behind her father as they walked forward.
Sesshomaru looked at this young female as she peaked around her father to look at them. Her large eyes seemed widened with worry as she warily looked around to make sure it was safe. Her brothers were calm and collected; Akemi didn’t seem to like strangers as much as they didn’t mind them.
“Why don’t we get you all inside, the servants will take your stuff to the guest rooms, and we’ll see if Akemi can calm down with some food and drink, I’m sure you’re all hungry and Izayoi would be thrilled to see you all.” Nishi said as they watched her look around, scratching at her left ear almost nonstop.
“Akemi, leave your ear alone,” her mother said softly as they entered behind their hosts. Akemi held her hands in front of her to stop scratching, though that’s when she started to tremble a little. They entered the dining hall to see a human woman seated at the table with an inu hanyou. Also seated at the table was a large family of tora youkai and hanyou.
“Minami, it’s good to see you again,” Higashi said as they all stood in the doorway, the other lord getting up to greet them. He smiled and nodded as he looked at the large group Higashi had brought with him.
“Always wonderful to see you up and about, Higashi,” Minami said with a cool smirk. “I see you’ve brought everyone this time around.” Higashi nodded in agreement as he looked at his family, his daughter still hiding behind him some. “I hear you trained them all yourself?”
“Yes, from the oldest, Seiji, to the youngest, Akemi,” Higashi said as they all sat down. “Aren’t yours?”
“Kayura doesn’t wish for our cubs to know as much fighting, but they are trained in self defense.” Minami replied as his mate seemed to scowl and nod.
“Both boys know how to fight,” Nishi said proudly as he sat down next to his mate. “Sesshomaru’s already working his way up the ranks within the army that way.” Minami nodded in agreement as he listened. The younger members of the table seemed to sit awkwardly silent. Akemi was now not only blushing, but shaking like a leaf, as she found herself seated next to the lord’s older son.
“Akemi generally calls the troops to order,” Higashi replied as Nishi and Minami looked at him surprised. “She’s smaller and quicker than most of my finest soldiers, she’s also an excellent leader and quick thinker. I’d trust her most with my army, though the boys can run it easily enough.”
“This Sesshomaru is surprised that your daughter isn’t a distraction, my lord,” Sesshomaru said, his voice emotionless and cold. Akemi’s blushing immediately stopped as she thought about what he said.
“Trust me, if they’re distracted in the beginning, they’re not by the end or they’re dead.” Akemi said softly as they all looked at her surprised. “I’ll not be stared at because I’m female.”
“Or your garb,” Seiji muttered as Akemi shot him a look. He shrugged it off as she rolled her eyes and ate after being served. “Generally Akemi can handle the troops on her own. She’s even proven problems with some of father’s ideas for battles in the past that he got lucky in.”
“It’s never luck when it’s your father, it’s always skill,” Minami said with a smirk as the three males chuckled. Their ladies remained quiet as they listened, though with no real interest in the conversation.
“Either way, Akemi’s skills have obviously honed quicker than our father’s in some cases,” Seiji replied. As the oldest and heir of the group, he was more than welcome in the discussion and able to argue quite a bit, it just surprised Akemi that it was in her defense as a female. Minami nodded as if to concede to the younger hanyou about the observations of their father and sister’s fighting styles.
“With how defensive of your sister, I would imagine you would protect her with your life, thus not allowing her to prove it.” One of the female toras said. She was a hanyou, like her sisters, though they were uncertain if she was the eldest or what.
“Of course, we all would,” Shinta said as if it were obvious. “Akemi is our sister, she’s our responsibility until she finds a mate, and even then we will come to her aid when needed. As for her proving it, that’s her choice, not ours. We’d just stand aside and wait for if she needs aid, and she generally never does.” Akemi smiled weakly at her food, despite the tormenting she forgot her brothers did actually care.
“Would she do the same for you?” the female asked coolly.
“Of course, after all, they are technically my troops and someone has to look after them,” Akemi said softly as she looked at her. “They are male after all.” At this quite a few of the females chuckled, though Minami didn’t look amused and his mate was obviously fighting the chuckle she wanted to emit.
“Yes, well let’s not get into the scrapes you’ve managed to find yourself the center of, shall we?” Ryo said with a smirk. “Like that kitsune?”
“And then we’ll have to discuss your fight with that ferocious fish.” Akemi replied in a warning tone.
“A fish,” Nishi and his younger pup repeated confused.
“Should I, Ryo?” Akemi asked with a smug look. The other brothers were fighting not to laugh as Ryo was bright red and prepared to yell at her.
“The kitsune was a child of no older than two human years,” he grumbled.
“I slipped the fish into his bed and he screamed like a little female kitten,” Akemi said louder. At this everyone at the table burst out laughing.
“The kitsune lit your hair on fire, you screamed like a little female,” Ryo snapped back.
“She was younger at the time,” Seiji said with a chuckle, “and nothing beats screaming like a little female kitten about a fish in your bed. It was a great prank though.”
“Alright,” Mai said in a warning tone causing her kittens to calm down quickly. “The kittens have a habit of playing pranks on each other. I generally don’t endorse it if it’s going to hurt one of them, but Higashi thought it was better to teach them some humility.” Higashi nodded in agreement. “Akemi’s pranks are legendary in our castle.”
“Yes, that’s because she’s up at the crack of dawn,” Ryo grumbled.
“And you sleep until noon,” Akemi said with a grin, “what could work out better?”
“The crack of dawn?” Sesshomaru asked her in disbelief.
“Yes, crack of dawn,” Ryo repeated annoyed, “she’s got more energy during the day than a cartload of younger kittens. She’s up early and in bed late and works all day long, I don’t know how she does it!”
That night, after dinner had settled down and finished, the ookami clan of the north arrived and were offered food and drink by Nishi and the other lords and ladies, thus allowing those who ate the freedom to run off. Akemi found her way to the library and started to look over the various books the inu lord and his family had collected over the years. She didn’t hear someone else enter, or take a seat until she turned and jumped in surprise.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” she said startled a little, “I didn’t hear you enter.” She turned back towards the books to hide her slight blush; it only seemed to appear when he was near.
“Yes, very few hear this Sesshomaru enter,” he replied. She nodded as she thought about it. “Are you looking for a particular book?”
“No, just seeing what you have,” she replied with a shrug and returned to one of the chairs in the room. “What brings you here?” He shrugged as she nodded, figuring he was great for a boring conversation. “I noticed your step-mother is carrying, do you know what it is yet?”
“A female, father is thrilled,” Sesshomaru replied. Akemi nodded as she thought about it, she wasn’t sure if her father had been thrilled about her, but he was very protective of her now. “Inuyasha and this Sesshomaru are not affected by the addition of this female.”
“Why do you talk like that?” she asked him, she was getting annoyed with the third person already. He remained silent, she figured no one had ever asked him that, just accepted it.
“Why do you ask?” he asked her.
“Because, you’re talking in a very strange way for most who can talk,” she observed. “And you’re very depressing sounding, and I was wondering. Is that so wrong?”
“Have you ever heard the expression curiosity killed the cat?” he asked her as she smirked amused. “You should be careful of your curiosity, considering you are a cat, or at least part one.”
“Is that a knock because I’m a hanyou? Are you trying to be funny?” she asked surprised. “Because I honestly can’t see that working properly for you.” He just stared at her as she smirked amused a little. “It’s alright to laugh.”
“This Sesshomaru doesn’t laugh,” he replied. Akemi sighed as she thought.
“I figured as much,” she sighed, “you don’t look like the laughing type.” Sesshomaru just tilted his head to the side a little as if wondering what she was thinking about.
“Did you really put a fish in your brother’s bed?” he asked her curiously after a moment, though he still sounded monotone.
“Yes, he overslept for something and father said the one with the best prank gets a treat, so I grabbed a fish from a nearby pond as my brothers argued over what would work, slipped into his room, and tossed the fish under the covers. He came out two minutes later screaming like a little female and holding the fish out like it was going to bite him. He ended up having that fish for lunch.” She said with a feral grin at the thought of the fish.
“And what was your reward?” he asked her. Akemi had the hint he was curious but shrugged it off, it’s an interesting story no matter how many times you hear it or tell it.
“I got a new kimono for it, he would have given my brothers something else, I wasn’t training at the time I did this.” Akemi said as Sesshomaru nodded as he listened. “Have you and your brother ever played pranks or anything like that?”
“This Sesshomaru has only ever worked towards supreme conquest,” he replied. She looked at him confused as she thought about it.
“Supreme conquest? Taking over the world? Isn’t that a little overrated?” she asked him confused.
“Supreme conquest leads to supreme power,” he replied as she thought about it a little. She knew what he was talking about; she just didn’t understand his desire for such.
“But why? Your father doesn’t have supreme power and he seems very content being a mate to two males and now a daughter soon, while controlling the Western Lands,” she observed. Sesshomaru just looked at her. “And what’s your definition of power?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” he replied as she looked at him curiously, “for the conquest of supreme power is something a true fighter can understand. Running an army is nothing, being able to destroy the most powerful is everything.” Akemi thought about it.
“Why?” she asked softly as he looked at her, he was surprised that this female would question such a thing, though no one would ever know, not even her. “It doesn’t make sense to attack someone just for the thought of power, imagine what you’re doing beyond that fight. So you kill a lord, what about his mate and kittens? Or his lands? There are circumstances to everything you do, consequences for doing what you’ve done. Do you not take those into consideration? Or have you done nothing but defeat lower youkai with no purpose?” Sesshomaru remained silent as she looked at him sadly.
“You pity this Sesshomaru,” he observed.
“Yes,” she said softly, almost a whisper, “for one day you’ll learn precisely what your conquest of supreme power has done and it may cost you more than your life.” With that she got up, returned to the shelves of books and pulled one out. “I pity the female that agrees to be your mate with that hanging over your head.” With that she walked out of the room. Sesshomaru remained seated until the four lords entered the library.
“Sesshomaru, join us for a drink?” his father asked him.
“No, thank you father,” he replied and left the library before heading to his own room.