InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifices ❯ Preperations ( Prologue )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Cobalt eyes stared, unseeing, at the murky waves crashing on the shore. The sound of the ocean was soothing and allowed the onyx haired woman to relax, swirling the scotch in her glass, the ice clinking adding to the natural music. The moonlight from the half moon caused her unbound hair and skin to have an ethereal glow, the wind playing with her silk night gown as her toes wiggled in the cool sand. Her youthful face was elegant, a classic beauty that could not be denied, though her eyes were haunted, shadows of past pain shining in her watery gaze. She found solace in the ocean, the tide faithfully pulling in the sea, forming the land's edges. It was ever changing and yet always the same. She could always count on the waves to pull sand from the shore and deposit more in its wake. Perhaps that's why she always loved living close to the shore. Tourists clamored to get skin cancer during the day, but at night, the unearthly calm and peace was hers alone.

Alone. She had been alone so long she didn't wasn't exactly sure how she would adjust to being around anyone. Knowing her own thoughts, not having to explain her actions to anyone, not having to respond in conversation. When she handled business and money matters, she was straight and to the point, but never rude or cold. But other than money affairs or shopping, she almost never contacted the outside world. No, she was afraid of other people. People would hate you, hurt you. Humans and youkai alike caused pain and suffering to each other for stupid reasons such as money, or religion or race. But they also could love, and care for you. They could make you feel like the luckiest person on the planet. But, then they died. A brief flash of a sword sparked in her mind, and blood, then the sound of crushing metal of a car accident. Shaking her head, she dismissed the awful memories, noticing a sheen of sweat upon her brow, her fingers trembling, the clinking of the ice in the glass due to her shaky limbs. Taking a deep meditative breath, she closed her eyes and sighed. Yes, alone was where she always wanted to be.

Then her lawyer called, and sent over the paperwork. Apparently, she wasn't entirely alone in the world. She had a relative. An old man, widowed; her grandfather. Her mother's father still walked the Earth. First, rage had seeped into her heart. She had family left?! Why didn't he pull her out of that foster home?! Why didn't he take her away from her foster family?! Damnit, she had a massive inheritance from a great aunt that died, why didn't he at least come to get her for her money?! With a bit of detective work, it appeared that her grandfather had indeed looked for her, and spent most of his pension doing just that, trying to find his last vestige of kin. Apparently, after being hospitalized after the accident, and her becoming catatonic, they bumped her from home to home so much that a trail was impossible to follow with his small funds. Her anger dissipated with this information, and she quickly set about making arraignments for a meeting. Upon hearing the news, the old man, Kenji, insisted that his granddaughter, despite being twenty three, must come to live with him in his final years. At first, she didn't like the idea, but it grew on her quickly. Though from her injuries, she strayed far from other people, she still experienced loneliness, and this might be her last chance at a family. So, with trepidation, she agreed and would be on a flight to Florida the next day. Packed and ready, she wanted to clear her mind, sip on her drink and savor her last moments alone. Surely, since he ran an apartment building, there would be few of those. She offered to assist him since she was used to taking care of others after living in the different foster homes and often had chores like fixing things, and taking care of the rooms. He objected at first, saying he had help, but after some pushing, agreed, not wanting to offend his granddaughter, not when they had another chance to know each other.

Suddenly she jumped at the feeling of fur against her leg, and worried red eyes gazing up at her, the softest mew almost admonishing her for standing out in the open for so long. Smiling a soft smile, she patted her shoulder and the yellow nekomata hopped up, purring and nuzzling her mistress' cheek. "I know, Kirara, I shouldn't be standing for so long, but I needed to hear the ocean." Kirara gave her a look as if to say, 'That's why I didn't come out here twenty minutes ago.' The softest throaty chuckle escaped her, feeling like she knew her neko's thoughts, and she scratched that special spot behind her ear that would make her melt. And it did, Kirara relaxing bonelessly on her mistress' shoulder. "I'm sorry I'll have to put you in a crate tomorrow, but they won't let me have you on the plane otherwise." Kirara opened one eye, looking slightly annoyed, but accepting, sitting up and giving a wide yawn, her fangs glinting in the moonlight. "I know, Ki. Bedtime comes quickly, doesn't it? Early day tomorrow." Turning, the beautiful woman leaned heavily on her cane, limping quite a bit as she hobbled into the house.

***

"My only granddaughter comes today! Hop to it! I want everything to be spotless! Her rooms must be perfect! What a blessed day!" The old man singsonged as he practically floated through the apartment, giving orders, and severely getting on one hanyou's nerves.

"Shut up, jiji! We're doing our best, and I don't care if the Queen of fucking England is coming here, I won't 'hop to it'!" The silver haired inu hanyou growled before 'eep'ing at a bop to the head and glaring at his black haired companion.

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha! A beautiful woman will grace us with our presence and make our landlord and employer happy, you should be cheerful." The man calmly replied, a twinkle in his eye. "And if Buddha is gracious, she will have a beautiful bod-" Another 'eep' came from him as he was bonked by a pretty girl behind him, carrying a box on her hip, not looking too happy.

"Shut up, pervert! She's here for her grandfather, not some dirty bastard that wants to grab her ass!" She snarled, stomping out of the room with her load as the black haired man stared dreamily at her ass as it disappeared.

"Kami, she is beautiful." He whispered, yelping at another bonk to his cranium before whining. "Honestly, Inuyasha, if you both keep hitting me, I'll get brain damage!"

Inuyasha snorted as he moved the sofa by himself, talking as he moved the heavy object effortlessly. "Miroku, if you keep going after other girls, you can kiss Sango goodbye. She's a tough woman and a good woman and won't put up with your stupidity." He moved to push the coffee table into place, filling up the empty apartment with items to make sure it was homey for their new arrival. Wiping off the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, (He had moved all the furniture alone, since the "weak humans" couldn't as fast as he could.) he turned to his friend who had moved into the open kitchen to put dishes away. "You're an idiot if you think you can keep a woman with just flowery words, a promise and batting your lashes. Women look at actions more. Besides, if you hurt Sango, I'll have to kill whatever Sango leaves of your broken body, and I hate to clean up things like that."

Miroku sighed and shook his head, "I am so misunderstood! I simply love all women, but Sango is my heart!"

Inuyasha sighed heavily and straightened the bookcase; the apartment was almost finished, all that was really left was its occupant. "And you don't let a woman know she's your mate by trying to hit on other women! You're such a moron."

"Oh and you know so much? You only dated a few times and barely kissed any of them." Miroku countered with a little smug grin, crossing his arms over his chest, proud of his statement. Inuyasha sighed again, pulling off his bandana that kept the dust out of his ears, said ears flicking and stretching a little now that they were unbound. Before Inuyasha could speak, a redheaded man, about five years younger than the mid-twenties men, strolled out of the bedroom, going into the almost empty fridge to grab a soda, hopped up on the bar of the kitchen and spoke for him.

"Inu youkai mate for life, Miroku. So do kitsunes. We may date around but unless we find our true mate, we don't fuck around. Humans are faithless and fuck whatever comes around. Even married and promised to only one person, they break their vows. Unless they have true honor, humans are sluts. Like you." The kitsune winked, hopping off the bar quickly before Miroku could hit him.

Inuyasha laughed and pointed to the younger man. "See? Shippo is right! You're a slut! HA!" The two of youkai blood high fived as Miroku shook his head pitifully.

"I am so misunderstood."

"Get to work! Kenji's granddaughter gets here in less than an hour and this place isn't perfect yet!" Sango bellowed, stomping into the room and into the bathroom with a box of cleaning supplies, Inuyasha's ears flattening and Shippo scampering back into the bedroom to finish the curtains.

Everyone wondered what she would be like, not having heard of her until Kenji had run through the halls shouting 'BANZAI' and screaming happily. He had thought she was gone to him, but she found him finally, and in his advancing age, not a moment too soon. When anyone asked, he simply said with a haunted look in his eye, 'Last I saw her, she was barely seven, gap-toothed and scrawny. If she's like her mother, she's become a beauty.' They all lived in the apartment house and had offered reduced rent to renters that helped with upkeep, so all four had become good friends working for the old man. They all lived on the fourth floor, and Inuyasha's apartment was even across the hall from this famed granddaughter's new place. Apparently, she had come into money years ago and offered to take him with her, but he politely refused, saying the building kept him moving and 'Once an old man stops moving and working, he dies. I'm not kicking the bucket quite yet.' From what little they heard, they didn't know what to expect. Discussing it, all Inuyasha said was, 'I hope she's not a total bitch.'

“SHE’S HERE!” Kenji shouted and scampered down the stairs, Shippo and Sango coming into the living room, all of them looking at each other in surprise and all wondering, who was this woman?

And suddenly a shout came from through the open windows, “Kagome!”

***
Author’s note: Thanks for giving this fic a shot. It’s my first real attempt but I needed something to get me through writer’s block from my own writing, so here I am! Please review! Criticism is always welcome, but please no flames, they’re just mean. I’ll try to update soon! Happy reading!
-Kaoru