InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Light in the Darkness ❯ Strangeness ( Chapter 1 )

AN/ hopefully, after much thought and consideration, I believe I finally got the plot to go how I want it in this story. I lost count of how many times I've revised and edited just this one chapter. And I have hardly started on the others after this one. So, just bear with me if you can. And I know many readers are tired of OC characters and I do use a lot of them in my stories. But I'm begging you to just read this, or at least this chapter.

 

Light in the Darkness

Chapter 1: Strangeness

 

“In strangeness I grow, and I grow beautiful and strong. To a lily I may be a piece of grass, but I am strange and to be strange is to be beautiful. I am an exotic flower that blooms under the moon.” -Kolbi Monasmith

 

* * *

Rin shivered under her dilapidated winter kimono. She crossed her arms over her chest as she hugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Beside her was Ah-Un and in the clearing before them was Jaken quivering from the furious glare from his master, the powerful Lord Sesshomaru.

 

“You have disobeyed me for the last time Jaken. Are my punishments not enough for you?”

 

Jaken tried to hide his tear-filled eyes with his tiny, three-fingered hands, but it failed miserably. “I-I'm sorry milord! I meant no disrespect,” he sobbed helplessly bowing down before Sesshomaru. This encounter went on for a few more minutes but Rin tried to ignore it by studying her nails. She always hated how they where uneven and dirty but with constant traveling there wasn't anything that could be done.

 

Of course this wasn't the first time she'd seen her master get angry over Jaken's misconceptions. It happened after he went into one of his sulks, where he'd hide away and mull over things she didn't care to understand. But she guessed about the subjects. She believed he thought about a woman, a woman that wasn't her. It infuriated her to no end.

 

Rin hated how the once calm and collective demon had been replaced with a demon that was out-of-sorts and lost in a gloomy depression. Even Jaken had noticed the change. Lord Sesshomaru would often fall into bouts of anger, yelling over the simplest things and assigning the most horrible punishments. Worst of all he had ceased to listen to Rin's complaints, actually he had stopped paying attention to her altogether.

 

She also had a suspicion it had something to do with the Council's nagging. That group of old demons was always badgering Lord Sesshomaru about something. She had assumed their newest complain was that her master was spending too much time away from his duties.

 

Hmm, she contemplated; does Lord Sesshomaru enjoy annoying the Council? Is that the reason why he's always leaving? It wasn't surprising that Rin never did have the answers for her questions. But obviously that never stopped her from asking.

 

“Rin,” she blinked and looked up into the frozen face of her master with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. It wasn't that she was shocked when her name slipped so eloquently from between his beautiful lips. Instead her eyes widened from something else: an emotion she had become accustomed to when something involved her lord. In spite of being accustomed to the overwhelming emotion, when she heard his dark voice that emotion burst forward with renewed vigor.

 

It was true that it had been ages since he last said her name. If her memory served right, the last time he said her name was before Kagura's death 15 years before. Her heart leapt with pure, unadulterated joy. Was he finally coming to his senses?! Was he finally realizing that Kagura wasn't coming back?!

 

“Yes Milord?” She asked too cheerfully. Mentally, she kicked herself for her careless mistake. Luckily he didn't take any notice; instead he just nodded to the reins in her hands. “Oh!” The reins slipped from her hands into those of Lord Sesshomaru's without their hands ever touching. Rin had established that it was her Lord's only law; Rin felt that if she honored that rule he'd reward her in some way or another. After all, she had grown out of hugging his leg whenever she was happy or frightened.

 

He walked over to Ah-Un's side, and began making adjustments to the saddle. Every time Rin saw the saddle she marveled at its rustic beauty noticing how polished and smooth the leather still was after so many years of use. Hadn't Jaken always said that the leather had come from a powerful deer demon?

 

“Where are you going today Sesshomaru-sama?” he didn't answer, but she continued questioning. She was hoping again. “Will Sesshomaru-sama be back before sunset?” Again he was silent. As it seemed Sesshomaru wasn't going to give Rin the satisfaction of him talking. He was trying to bring down her cheerfulness, trying to make the exuberant girl feel the pangs of guilt, and anguish that was eating away at his heart.

 

With grace, that was too graceful to be human, he heaved himself onto the demon's back, looking like a king on his throne. As he pulled back on the reins, the dragon veered onto its back legs in the parody of a bucking bronco while it huffed and blew plumes of ashy smoke out of its nostrils. Then suddenly it leapt into the skies.

 

“Good-bye!” Rin called after him despite his failure to acknowledge her. With a sad puff like an old dog's sigh after not getting a treat for doing a trick, she let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding. Long ago she had resigned herself to the fate of infatuated servant girl watching handsome master drift away like a leaf on the calm breath of life and again she took up the role.

 

He was drifting away and it didn't matter how hard she tried to pull him back.

 

Was it just her imagination or did he seem more godlike as he flew in a fuchsia powdered sky or maybe it was just the sunrise that was beautiful. No, it was both the godlike beauty of the taiyoukai (demon lord) and the natural beauty of the sunrise, for the two complemented each other perfectly. So with the color of the sky dancing in his silken strands- glowing like the last embers of a dying flame- the demon lord named Sesshomaru rode off on his mount leaving behind a tender-hearted female and a stupid toad demon.

 

But that tender hearted female smiled regardless of all the troubles in her life. She smiled because many years ago she had been living her worst nightmare and she had been saved from it. From watching her mother and sisters get raped and mutilated beyond recognition at the hands of bandits from her hiding place under a pile of futons to then watching the heads of her father and brothers roll toward her. And she still watched as their dead eyes stared into her waterlogged ones while their blood turned the soil crimson.

 

But the next years were worse and wonderful. They were spent in utter silence and solitude as she stole the food out of the village reserves; she knew it was wrong, but she was starved and desperate. It didn't matter how much the villagers beat her, she still stole to live because she knew they wouldn't help her. And then, like an angel come to save her she found Lord Sesshomaru half-dead under a giant tree. He needed her help, so she helped him, and she was happy when he wondered about her bruises. For the first time in a long while she laughed and smiled, but then he left and she watched the slaughter of her fellow villagers. Subsequently she died as well and for once she was watching her own blood turn the soil crimson. However, unlike the others she awoke from the darkness as if it had all been just a horrible dream. And she saw an angel looking down on her from where she lay in his arms. However it hadn't been an angel at all, just the opposite; it had been the cold demon lord, Sesshomaru. He had brought her back; he gave her a new life: a dream life. From a horrifying nightmare to a fairy tale. It was just so magnificent and she was so grateful.

 

Even now she was giddy with happiness. She waved to Jaken yelling ecstatically, “I'm going to go look for breakfast Master Jaken!” And in surprise-for he'd forgotten she was even there - he looked up from the glowing embers he was trying to coax into a fire. “Wait Rin,” he shouted after her, “you can't go alone! Lord Sesshomaru would kill me if I lost you again.” As quick as his short legs could carry him he was up and waddling after her.

* * *

I know what I smelled and I know that my senses would never trick me so cruelly. How could it possibly be her? She died 15 years ago. He killed her. Against his will he growled, feral and low. Inuyasha didn't say anything about her when I saw him, but he said he smelt something strange this morning. Where is she then?

 

The gold of eyes shone bright in the sunlight-and every once in a while they would glow so bright that they would blind the birds- but they darted about looking every which way. He was so unsure, so exposed, and it annoyed him. Did he smell her or didn't he? Which was it and why?

 

He shook his head ferociously sending his elegant locks of sliver hair fluttering about. What would the council say about this? He snorted at the thought. They would love this, but only because they liked to see him squirm -but only because he never did.

 

It didn't matter what the Council said. He wasn't neglecting his duties; quite the opposite. He was doing his duty to everyone, to the late Kagura, to his lands, his servants, and to himself. It didn't matter if it was right or wrong. He never particularly cared about such things. Demons never did. He was only doing this for the benefits. Naraku was a thorn in everyone's side.

 

Ah-Un sent a puff of smoke from its nostrils, its eyes darting upward. The creature reared back, kicking its front legs. Sesshomaru pulled back on the reigns wondering what had startled the dragon. He assumed it must have been a bird had just veered in front of them. It didn't take to long for the dragon to calm down, but when Sesshomaru pulled the reigns again Ah-Un didn't move. They were watching, maybe waiting for something but Sesshomaru had no clue as to what they were waiting for.

 

The demon looked upward. There was nothing but clear sky. Cobalt blue sky, cloudless on a late summer's afternoon with birds taking afternoon flights into the heavens. Then the golden eyes narrowed. Why was the moon shining directly above him? Why could he see the moon at all? Last night had been the night of the new moon but then why was he seeing a full moon? Was this strange sight the work of some demon? Of course he'd seen this sort of thing before. The fake celestial maiden Kaguya had made the full moon shine each night before she tried to stop time.

 

Under him the dragon lurched to the side-almost throwing Sesshomaru off his back. With a growl the taiyoukai kicked them in the side. Ah-Un groaned, but its eyes never moved from the moon. Momentarily off guard, Sesshomaru hadn't noticed the change in the air. The chirping of birds had stopped. Everything had gone silent. It was like the very Earth was waiting for something.

 

Sesshomaru sniffed. Even the smell of the air had changed. It smelled pure and new, almost innocent, but filled with tension; like waiting for a new baby to decide to come into the world. He stifled a cry at the memory the scene immerged. The death of a loved mother and the death of an unborn child: the death of his mother and his unborn sister. Violently he shook the thought from his mind sending it to the back of his mind where he tried to strangle it by cutting it off at its roots like some unwanted shadow.

 

He kicked the animal in the side again willing it into action. The creature relented with a whining roar. It lowered its head as it veered to the right in one jerky movement, which almost caused its rider to tumble off yet again. Sesshomaru growled and kicked it once more. When had Ah-Un become so defiant? he wondered.

 

There was a flash above him, and he looked up expectantly. His mouth opened in shock, eyes widening slightly. What he saw would have astounded any demon. It seemed like the moon had opened up almost as if it was some portal. But the portal was a whirlwind of purplish light that blanketed the sky, and something or someone seemed to be descending from it.

 

His heart was beating against its chest. He swore if it beat any harder it was going to jump right out of his body. Please let it be her. It has to be her! If he'd had the chance to gravel he'd have done it then, and he wouldn't have paid any mind to pride or honor. More than anything in the world he wanted her to come back. He wanted to speak with her. To hear her witty confidence, oh man that would have been refreshing. But life's cruel isn't it?

 

Instead of a demon with hair done up in a bun with a feather, and a crimson lips, a girl around the age of Rin with long ebony hair fluttering about her and pale pink lips floated past him. He looked to her face in hope, but he didn't find any similar attributes to that of the wind witch. She was lean and tall with fair skin. The angular shape of her face resembled a little of Kagura, but there wasn't much resemblance. She looked like someone else he knew once, but he just couldn't place a name to that person.

 

One thing he noticed was the strange hakama she wore. Loose and they flapped about in the wind the whirlwind created. The kimono top was even stranger. There were large markings all over it, but the markings looked similar to the letters in the language English and they seemed to spell “Green Day: American Idiot.”

 

He reached out trying to grab the female and haul her onto the dragon, but the purple whirlwind intervened. The winds became fiercer, surrounding the girl in a torrent. Maybe it had been his imagination, but he could have sworn that the wind seemed to growl as it pushed him violently away. His ears where still buzzing when he finally fled to clear air. When his clothes settled he happened to notice how cleaner they looked. It was as if the purple light had washed away the dirt and grime that had collected on his person. Had it been cleaning him while it was trying to kill him?

 

Sesshomaru leaned forward in the saddle to pat Ah-Un on the neck. The creature was panting from the strain of the encounter, and a twinge of guilt and pity swept into the heart of the taiyoukai. But the animal seemed content like I'd just seen something grand. Ah-Un sent a puff of smoke billowing from his nose right into the face of Sesshomaru. With a rumbling sound like two rocks being rubbed together (that Sesshomaru identified as a laugh) they started to descend.

 

The female floated down protected by a barrier of purple as she descended through the scratching branches of the tall evergreens. From atop the fallowing dragon, Sesshomaru had planned on fallowing the strange girl all the way down, but before they even reached the canopy the dragon veered upward. It huffed, and roared in protest. Sesshomaru growled while he slammed his fist into the saddle. “You dare disobey me!” He roared eyes narrowing, and flashing from gold to crimson and back again. Against his thighs he felt the dragon's scales slide against the fabric of his hakama as it cringed. “Do what I say you insolent beast!”

 

Ah shook his head as he bit at the mussel hooking the reigns to him while Un huffed indignantly. They glanced at each other with septic looks. “Get on with it,” Sesshomaru cried in frustration. Again they glanced at each other, but in a more resigned way, before they decided to descend into the forest. Yet they didn't land where Sesshomaru had wanted, so he had to get off the dragon and tie them to a tree at the edge of camp before trudging into the forest to look for the mysterious girl.

* * *

Shy groaned as she tried to move her cramped limbs- who at that moment were resisting with a passion. At best she could she tried to remember just what had happened except all she could remember was going to sit down in the bus stop to wait out a storm. If she had actually sat down she didn't know or at least she didn't remember. She whimpered with fright. Had she passed out? Was she sick? That would be a disaster! How could she look for her father when she was sick?

 

“Just great the onna is alive,” a voice said coldly, as something hard rammed into her side. The pain brought her back to the problem at hand. And then somewhere deep in the back of her mind a voice asked, “Weren't you supposed to leave unconscious people alone?” As it seemed some people just don't listen to the doctor's orders.

 

“Master Jaken be nice!” Another voice said. The name “Jaken” resonated in her brain like a thousand bells, beings as that oh so familiar name coming from a girl just couldn't be a coincidence.

 

With sudden energy she was able to open her eyes and turn onto her stomach. But she had moved too fast and the blood rushed to her head. She ended face first in the dirt. “That'll teach the stupid onna,” the first voice laughed shrilly; making her wince. “Jaken be nice or I'll tell!” there was a grunt as the laughing abruptly stopped. “Is the pretty lady alright?” the second voice asked sweetly. She moved again so she could nod, finally realizing that the two voices were speaking in old fashioned Japanese.

 

She forced herself to sit up, slowly this time. What she saw made her gasp but when she tried to gasp she choked instead. She'd have shake off her dizziness to get a good look at the two. Yet, at first glance she thought she was dreaming or that the two creatures were just a trick of the light but soon she realized that it wasn't so. The pain in her head was too intense to be a dream.

 

The one she noticed the most was a rather disgusting toad thing (at least she thought it looked like a toad). Its skin was all shriveled and wrinkled and a most revolting color of dark green. While the toad creature's large yellow eyes looked as if they were about to pop right out of their sockets. She noticed that its hands only had three little fingers, and in one hand the imp held a staff that had two heads on it. On head on the staff was an old hag while the other was a male.

 

On the other hand, the second creature was human at least. She seemed about 16 years old though, strangely enough, her large almond shaped chocolate eyes still sparkled with innocence. Her hair was the same color as her eyes and was held back in a pony-tail like any other woman's. With high cheek bones and a triangle shaped face she could have been the most beautiful girl at her school, especially with her petite body. While the girl was beautiful her yukata was rather worn and it was stained with dirt, meaning she'd done a lot of traveling.

 

“Toto we're not in Kansas anymore,” Shy murmured under her breath. She'd said it in English.

 

“Oro (huh)?” The human asked as cocked her head to the side.

 

“Where am I,” she hurriedly asked. With some difficulty she stood and brushed off the dirt that coated her like Tinkerbelle's fairy dust that had coated Windy in Peter Pan. “And what is that thing?” Shy pointed in the direction of the fuming imp.

 

“Do you mean Master Jaken?”

 

So I did hear right, but I couldn't have ended up in the world of Inuyasha but what if I have? Then I've got to play dumb, she decided with authority. With her dark eyes gleaming she smiled. “If that's its name, but what is it? It looks like some freaky toad-thing that flew straight out of Hell itself.”

 

The imp's glare darkened and he scoffed in disapproval. “When the lord hears you said that around Rin, he won't be happy,” Jaken said matter-of-factly.

 

Rin grinned, mistaking his meaning entirely. “So you do care, Master Jaken!”

 

“That's not what I meant! I don't care at all what happens to you!” This turned out to be the wrong thing to say to the compassionate young female, for her eyes welled up with tears and she began to cry. “No don't cry! I didn't mean it! Oh no the lord is surely to kill me now,” the toad stuttered pathetically.

 

“It would serve you right, you despicable, pea brain. You should feel ashamed for making her cry,” Shy scolded him waving her finger in front of his little beak.

 

Rin sniffed in mock sadness, “You wanted to know what he is didn't you?” Shy nodded glancing over to Rin. “Master Jaken is a demon, a very mean demon.”

 

“A demon! Oh no wonder he looks so disgusting.” Jaken scowled while Rin giggled.

 

“He does look hideous doesn't he?” Rin mused. “At least Lord Sesshomaru is handsome enough and though Ah-Un is a dragon he is very beautiful.”

 

Shy blinked and smiled with excitement. “You travel with a dragon? That sounds wonderful.”

 

“I guess it is quite wonderful except I usually have to spend my days with Master Jaken.”

 

“I don't give a damn if you don't like me Rin, and I don't care about you either,” he pointed a stubby finger at Shy; she just scuffed at his rude language, laughing in her head about how he had commented on her foul language.

 

With a huge grin on her face Rin stuck her tongue out at him. The toad gasped, “How dare you, you little cretin. I would roast you if not for Lord Sesshomaru! Roasted mortals are sure tasty. Such a waste I can't eat you Rin,” he paused in mid thought. “But the other one is fair game,” he mused happily.

 

Rin screeched placing herself in front of the other girl, “Master Jaken you wouldn't!”

 

“Oh yes I would,” he looked at Shy with a devilish grin. The color drained from her already pale face. He wouldn't…would he?

 

“If you dare try it I'll kill you,” she threatened, her voice dropping into a growl.

 

The toad cringed, yet he stood tall with his beak-like nose in the air. “There is no way you can stop me,” he raised his staff.

 

“You can't Master Jaken! I won't let you!”

 

“Get out of the way you stupid mortal!” Jaken billowed. “Move or I shall roast you as well!”

 

“Get out of the way Rin,” Shy commanded and Rin obeyed. The young woman stepped forward. All the courage Jaken had left in him vanished and he collapsed in a whimpering heap. She swung a foot at the quivering imp which sent him flying.

 

He landed in a billow of smoke and didn't move. It seemed that he was dead, but Shy knew he was only unconscious. “Don't worry he's not dead,” Shy tried to reassure Rin when she saw Rin's startled look.

 

“I'm not worried,” she laughed and Shy smiled.

 

“So your name is Rin?” she laughed, while Rin beamed and nodded happily. Damn, that leaves getting home out of the line up. Now I'm going to be stuck in some warped version of my favorite show.

 

“Nice to meet you both,” she said sarcastically with a glare at the unconscious imp. “Now if it's not trouble, could you tell me where I am?”

 

“I will tell you, but only if you tell me your name,” Rin said brightly.

 

“The name's Shy,” she replied.

 

“That's a very pretty name.”

 

“So, can you tell me where I am?” She wanted to hurry this conversation up. If Rin and Jaken were here then Sesshomaru wouldn't be too far behind and he wouldn't be too happy with what she had done to his servant.

 

“Well, Rin's mommy always called this place Japan,” Rin looked a little confused.

 

“Japan!” Ah ha! I knew it, Shy thought triumphantly

 

Rin nodded as if the statement had been a question. “But if you're not from here then where are you from?”

 

“Me? I'm from the United States of America.” she kicked herself for her slip. How was she going to explain what the U.S was?

 

Rin looked at her in confusion, “Where's that?”

 

“Umm, well it's, uh, on the continent. Yeah, it's a country on the continent.”

 

“A country?” the girl was still confused but it looked like she was buying it.

 

“Yeah, you know how Japan is a separate nation from the ones on the continent? That makes it a country.”

 

“Oh,” Rin smiled. Thank the heavens for Rin's innocence and naivety, but most of all I thank you for her not having a proper education, well actually that's a bad thing, but oh well.

 

“Urrgh, my Lord Sesshomaru will kill you,” Jaken shook his small fist at her. “I will kill you.”

 

“In your dreams you crazy toad,” Shy shot back.

 

Her little outing, so to speak, was soon becoming one weird adventure. In a way she felt anxious and in another she felt both joyful. Part of her was screaming for her to leave as quickly as possible, but she couldn't bring herself to obey it. Why leave now when the fun is just beginning? She asked her voice of reason. That would just be a waste of a good day. And you know I don't have many of those.

 

But, the voice countered, what if he shows up? What are you going to do then?

 

The young woman's heart fell. Why did her voice of reason always have to ruin her day? One minute she was feeling happy and felt good about herself, the next that annoying voice was telling her about the down points of her miserable existence. There went her happy moment and she was stuck setting there helpless as everything went down the drain.

 

“What year is this?” she asked to avoid the thoughts that were emerging form her subconscious.

 

“The Warring States Era,” a cold voice answered her. Her heart froze in terror. Not him, please be any one but him, she pleaded.

 

“Welcome back Milord.” Rin walked with her cheeks blushing with young love, right past the still teenager who watched her with amusement and fear. Jaken, despite his injuries jumped up and ran to his master his large eyes shinning with joy.

 

She gulped and slowly turned her head to inspect the man she anticipated behind her. The demon glared daringly at her, but made no move to slash her to pieces with his sharp claws. Instead he stood with his two arms at his side. He looked different standing there in the flesh. He looked more human than some animated character and it was creepy.

 

His clothes and armor were the same, except he didn't have any spikes on his armor. Nothing seemed too different, except she could see his aura for just a second. It showed relief and then switched to confusion, then to unemotional. And then it was gone, leaving her perplexed and frightened.

 

AN/ It took me awhile to finally finish revising this chapter. I hope this story doesn't turn out too bad. I beg of you R&R!

@%Lady Red Dragon%@