InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons ❯ Chapter 1

"Lessons"

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha.

Thinking back, I can't recall many people who ever truly taught me anything in life. The first was my mother. She loved me even though no one else understood. Later of course I had Kagome, Miroku and Sango. They showed me that sometimes it helped to have friends. But somewhere in between I meet someone who taught me a lesson possibly even more valuable. It was only a few years after my mother had died, and before the terrible misunderstanding with Kikyo, Naraku, and the Shikon No Tama.

I was traveling around, getting what I could by scaring villagers. You see, after my mother died, I figured no one else cared, so why should I? I was on the outskirts of Nagasaki, and was getting bored. I'd scared a few people that morning, and, as fun as that is, no one was putting up much of a fight.

I came to a farm, barely within the city. The people who owned this farm must have been extremely poor, since there were only a few chickens, and a small garden. The house was very small, and although it wasn't the greatest place, it looked as if it could be comfortable. I decided maybe there was something worth stealing inside. And if there wasn't, at least looking would occupy me for a little bit.

The door was unlocked. I didn't even bother to try sneaking in, after all, no one has yet to be able to defeat me…or even threaten me for that matter. I looked around. The house was small, but comfortably furnished. It became obvious after a moment that only one person lived here, and they must have been out. I didn't see a thing worth taking until my eyes landed on a string of shells. What it was about those shells, I'm not sure, but I wanted them. I snatched them up.

"Hey! Who are you?"

I spun around to see a woman, shorter then me. She had a scarf around her head and a very long coat over a purple kimono.

"Consider yourself lucky, lady." I laughed. "I could kill you…but I'll just leave with this."

Before she had a chance to move, I was out the door, making my get away.

Or at least I thought I was…

"Wait right there!"

I stopped and was surprised to see that she'd somehow caught yup with me. She held 3 prong shuriken in one hand, and I noticed a sword was attached at her waist.

"You're willing to fight me over these useless shells?" I asked, surprised. "A human like you doesn't stand a chance against me!"

"Who says I'm human?" She replied. She pulled her scarf off revealing floppy black dog ears. I then noticed a long black tail twitching slightly under the coat. "Just give it back, and I won't hurt you."

"You won't hurt me?" I had to laugh again. This demon certainly thought a lot of herself. "You want them? Come and get them!"

I charged, and she charged, and despite the fact that she was smaller and weaker, she was able to throw her shuriken with deadly accuracy. I'd managed to injure her a bit, but the wounds didn't seem to faze her. The only chance I had left was if I aimed for her heart. I put my all into one last charge, and she used my outstretched hand to lift herself out of the way. She then brought the sheath of her sword hard against the back of my head, right against the base of my neck.

When I awoke, I found myself back in the small cabin. I was stretched out on the bed. I went to sit up, but pain shot through the back of my head, and I fell back against the pillow. I saw that a fire had been lit in the fireplace, and could smell something delicious from the pot bubbling atop it. I closed my eyes again.

"Are you going to wake up and eat anything?"

I opened my eyes again and saw that demon from earlier. She no longer wore the coat, and I could tell that she too was a dog demon, though I had no clue what kind.

"What is going on?" I asked. My head still hurt too much to move.

"I can't have you leaving before I make sure you're better, can I?"

Despite the headache, I sat up. "What are you talking about? You're the one who did this to me!"

"That's true." She turned to the fire and began to dish something into a bowl. "Maybe next time you'll realize it's not nice to sneak around someone's home and steal things."

She handed me the soup. It smelled wonderful, and I didn't realize how hungry I was until she handed it to me. But I didn't eat it.

`She probably put poison in it…' I thought.

"Don't be silly!" She snapped. "I wouldn't poison someone I've spent most of my energy healing."

"What the-"

"Oh…sorry…I guess I forgot to warn you I'm a telepath…" She smiled brightly at me, dishing out her own soup. "Now the sooner you eat, the sooner I can take care of that headache of yours."

She sat on the bed beside me, eating quietly for a moment. I eventually gave in and began to eat as well.

"So, you got a name, or what?" I asked after finishing off the bowl.

"Vera." She smiled again as she got me another bowl. "Yours is Inu-Yasha, correct?"

I was about to demand how she knew that when I remembered, `She's a telepath.'

"So what's a demon like you doing living in the middle of all these worthless humans?"

"Healing…tending to the sick, and caring for a few orphans that live alone just inside the village."

"You help these humans?" I couldn't believe it. "And they don't mind that you're a demon?"

"Of course they mind." Her eyes grew a little sad. "I wear the scarf and coat as to not upset or scare people."

"Doesn't sound like they appreciate your help much." I put the bowl down and crossed my arms. "I say, if they don't care, don't do it!"

Vera laughed.

"I can tell you're a half demon. You've got the attitude of most humans in a demon body."

"What do you mean?" I demanded.

"It's human nature to fear and reprimand things you don't understand." She gathered up the bowls. "I don't help them because they ask me to, or because I can get something from it. I help them because they need it, and I can give it."

"I bet you think you so noble and mighty just because you help people who don't want it." I crossed my arms. "Feh! It's pointless."

Vera stood in front of me.

"If it's so pointless, perhaps I should have left you there. You certainly didn't want my help at first."

"I would have been fine."

"You were unconscious. Not to mention the fact that wolf demons have been spotted in the area recently. You would never have woken up. Now shut up and sit still."

She put one hand on either side of my head, and I almost instantly felt the dull pain go away. I could feel warmth and a sense of calm radiate, and I shut my eyes, trying my best to keep the feeling. It slowly faded, but her hands didn't move. That was when I realized she was playing with my ears.

"Cut it out!" I snapped, pulling away. "What's the big idea?"

Vera sank back down beside me.

"Your ears…reminded me of a friend of mine…"

I gave her a skeptical look.

"What was so important about those stupid shells anyway?" I asked after a moment.

"Growing up, I had two best friends. They were like sisters to me. We went to the shore one day and gathered shells. I made three strings, so we'd always be together." She smiled at me, her dark purple eyes showing faint signs of tears. "I haven't seen them in many years. Each left to fulfill their own mission. Those shells are all I have to give me hope that I'll see them again some day."

I honestly didn't know what to say to that. I felt a twinge in my heart, and felt like a jerk for taking them.

"What were you going to do with them?" She asked after a moment.

I thought. I wasn't sure at first what I had planned, but then it hit me. "If I'd gotten away with them…I would've put them on my mother's grave."

She smiled.

"You love your mother a lot, don't you?"

I simply bowed my head. "You ever have the feeling that there's only one person who really understands you?"

She nodded. "I must've been lucky…I had two. Luna and Avia knew me better then I know myself."

We sat there in silence for a while. Not an awkward silence, but a clam sort of silent understanding.

"We should both rest." She smiled up at me as she crossed to a small cot I hadn't noticed was against the wall. I wasn't sure what she was up to until she got comfortable. "Goodnight, Inu-Yasha."

`She's letting me have her bed?'

`Of course I am…this thing isn't nearly as soft…if you slept on it tonight, you might reopen a few small wounds.'

I awoke then next morning to find her gone. There was a modest breakfast waiting for me and a small note.

Inu-Yasha,

I had to tend to some children in the village. Please eat up. You should be well enough to head out. I'll be late, so I expect you'll be gone when I return. Have a safe trip, and please remember that you'll always have a friend here.

Vera

I put the note down, ate the food, and prepared to leave. Just before walking out of the small cabin, I glanced back and saw the string of shells. I smiled and headed out the door.

Many years later I was traveling through the area with Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo. I kept a look out for the small cabin. Once we'd set up camp and everyone else was asleep, I headed for Vera's home. It was dark, and once again I found the door unlocked. No one was inside, and it didn't look like anyone had been for a very long time.

`Where has she gone?' I wondered, looking around the mostly empty room. `Did she ever find her friends?'

I had so many questions I knew would never have answers, but I also felt a peace fall over me. It was the same peace I'd felt when she'd put her hands to my head. I was about to leave when I saw a small string of white shells. I picked them up and tucked them inside a pocket, heading back to the others. The next time we passed by my childhood home, I'd have to sneak a visit to my mother. I finally had a gift worthy of giving her.

The End