Author's Note: Just a quick one-shot that popped in my head. I figured it would be good practice for third person. For those that were reading Dreaming of You, I haven't abandoned it. I've been revising and reworking it over the past year or so since my personal life calmed down a bit. You can see the progress on my profile page.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha & Final Act are all owned by Rumiko Takahasi, Shogakukan, Viz Media & Madmen Entertainment.
A Story of Firsts
The first time Sesshoumaru heard his ancestor’s prophecy was the eve on the anniversary of his fifth summer. All of youkai will be saved when the pink cat returns and the strongest of The House of the Moon takes her as his own. It was a right of passage to learn of the prophecy, a way his family marked the end of his infancy and the beginning of his boyhood. It was a thing of pride. Only the male heirs of the House of the Moon knew of it and being able to count himself among them was the greatest of honors. Even if his father sired any other children, it was he that would rule the West. No other would be able to do so in his stead. Not unless he himself shared the secret of the prophecy.
The first time Sessoumaru met the heiress of the panther tribe was at the celebration feast for his fifteenth summer. All of the cardinal lords attended in honor of the Western heir leaving his childhood behind and becoming a man. Though, he truly believed the only true reason so many of them attended was to parade their daughters before him in hopes of enticing him to find a mate among them. Touran was no exception. Her father had brought her in hopes of joining the panthers with The House of the Moon. It would have been a foolhardy attempt had it not been for the soft pink kimono Touran wore. Both he and his father took note of the cat dressed in pink before them.
The first time Sesshoumaru began to doubt his part in the prophecy was upon his second meeting with Touran. The Panther King had brought her to visit with Sesshoumaru while he and Touga discussed a potential mating. Wanting to get to know the neko more, Sesshoumaru took her on a tour of the Western Shiro. While walking past the stables something caught Touran’s attention. One of the recently hatched dragons had been born deformed; a beast with two heads even its own mother scorned. Unlike his peers, Sesshoumaru had taken a special shine to the small dragon, raising it when its mother refused and it would have surely died. Touran however, was horrified. The neko demanded the dragonling be put down, its looks far too hideous to look upon. She had even raised her own hand to strike down the hatchling only to be stopped by Sesshoumaru. He was no stranger to killing when it was called for; but, this was wrong. The hatching was stronger than any could imagine given its deformity, and Sesshoumaru would not see it killed without reason.
The first time Sesshoumaru argued with his father was when he learned of the agreement with the Panther King joining him with Touran. The more time he spent with the neko the less he wanted to do with her. If she truly was the pink cat from the prophecy he would rather another took his place as the strongest of The House of the Moon. Touran was strong, yes, but like all nekos was selfish in nature. He could not bring himself to care for one that refused to put the needs of the people they ruled and proceeded over their own. He would not do that to the West nor would he bind himself for eternity with one he despised. Touga did not see it the same way. He demanded that Sesshoumaru do his duty and mate with Touran, much like he himself had mated Kimi. Yet, Sesshoumaru steadfastly refused; going so far as to write to the Panther King and break of the agreement behind his father’s back.
The first time Sesshoumaru felt true shame was upon the battlefield fighting against Touran. His father was facing the enraged Panther King, but he would have gladly taken his place. Facing Touran, tears streaming down her face was nearly too much to bear. There was no shame in canceling their betrothal, neither had done anything to cause the other harm to their reputation. Yet that didn’t seem to matter. The slight was done, and Touran was far more crushed than Sesshoumaru expected. Though they stood at opposite sides of the battlefield, he did not fight her with his full power; it was the least he could do for the pain he had caused.
The first time Sesshoumaru felt true rage was watching his father fly off to his death to protect his human mistress. It wasn’t the unfaithfulness that enraged him so; it was the willingness of Touga to abandon him. Their relationship had been strained since the war with The Panther Tribe, but that was no excuse to run off to his death. Sesshoumaru was not ready to take control of the West, he still had far more to learn from his father. But, that would no longer be an option. By the time the sun would rise, he and his younger half-sibling would be all that was left of the great Inu no Taishou. Had he known of the further slight to come he would have followed his sire and taken Tessaiga for himself.
The first time Sesshoumaru saw the human Miko that was his half-brother’s new companion he paid her no mind. She was insignificant compared to the treasure he sought. It wasn’t until that very Miko was the only one to be able to pull Tessaiga from its resting place that he actually looked at her. For a human, she was quite beautiful; bright sapphire eyes a perfect complement to his own gold. He could see the power she possessed locked away, deep inside behind a seal. She would be quite the force to reckon with once it was broken. But that was none of his concern. She was his half-brother’s companion.
The first time Sesshoumaru truly hated his brother was after losing his arm. In all of their skirmishes, he had never once truly made a move to seriously injure his half-sibling. They were youkai or at least partially when it came to Inuyasha. Training was harsh and often bloody. It was the only way to learn how to control the beast the dwelled within. With their father gone, it was left to Sesshoumaru to ensure Inuyasha wouldn’t bring shame to their bloodline. Yet here he was, hiding away as he licked his wounds and recovered from an amputation. If Inuyasha wanted to turn their training into a true battle, far be it from him to deny the request.
The first time Sesshoumaru truly understood the will of his father was seeing the rabid beast his brother became without the power of Tessaiga keeping his blood in check. Never had he expected such an outcome; and, now felt rather embarrassed at all the times he tried stealing what was clearly Inuyasha’s much-needed inheritance. There was no way Tenseiga could do what Tessaiga could. Once again, it was the human Miko that confronted him, begging for him not to kill Inuyasha. The thought hadn’t truly crossed his mind. He had gotten his half-brother back for the slight of taking his arm long ago. But, watching the human Miko, clearly worried for her friend and scared for her life face him down was magnificent. It was too bad she was human.
The first time Sesshoumaru was grateful for his own inheritance was when he came across the corpse of the sweet child that had tried to nurse him back to health. Though her attempt at caring for him was unnecessary, she never shied away. It was the first time since he was a young pup that someone tried to care for him not because they wanted something, but because it was the right thing to do. Finding her body ravaged by wolves was in injustice; one that he was truly pleased he was able to right with the power of Tenseiga.
The first time Sesshoumaru felt at a loss for words was when the human Miko stared up at him with awe and gratitude when he saved her from Mukotsu. He had not sought her out, but when he realized the danger she was in, he knew he had to do something to save her. She had long ago proven herself to be a worthy ally, even if it was never voiced. He had planned on saying such, yet when their eyes met, words failed him. What was it about these human women that seemed to see past his cold exterior? Unable to think, he blurted out the first thing that came to his lips, asking where his half-brother was. It was a reasonable question. He was her protector and had he been doing his job she would not have been in such a precarious position. Yet, as the light in those sapphire eyes dimmed he wanted to kick himself.
The first time Sesshoumaru felt like a failure was when he felt Magatsuhi’s tentacle pierce his heart. It wasn’t his impending death that made him feel such, it was his inability to protect Rin and Kohaku. They were just children. They needed him to protect them. Yet, he was dying. He had failed them. If only he was stronger...then he could protect them as a strong alpha would. Closing his eyes, he focused his youki towards healing, refusing to give in. As long as there was breath in his body, he would fight. A deep pulse echoed through his bones a split second before his blood turned to fire. Energy poured out of the stump that was his left arm. It was instinct to use the blast of energy to free himself and destroy his enemy. He was the killing perfection, and none would harm his pack while he still lived.
The first time Sesshoumaru felt heartbreak was when he left Rin with the old Miko in Edo. He knew it was the right thing to do. The girl was still young and needed to learn what it was like living in a human village. It was the only way she could truly decide on where she wanted to live when it was time for her to find a mate. Would she wish to stay within youkai society, or with the humans? It would be a disservice to her and selfish of him to keep her by his side as he wanted. He had chosen Edo as the people there were used to Inuyasha and would allow him to come and visit his ward without fuss.
The first time Sesshoumaru visited Rin in Edo was the day his life changed. Rin was not with the elder Miko as he had expected. Instead, she was in a field lying in the grass in front of an old well, the kitsune that traveled with his brother by her side. It was clear as he made his way closer to the other two that the kitsune was telling the stories of his travels to Rin. But, it was no ordinary story. As Sesshoumaru reached their side he could see the young kit had drawn pictures to enhance his story. Rin was so enthralled she hadn’t noticed his approach. He couldn’t blame her. When the kit moved to show the next of his drawings, he was staring at none other than a pink cat with brilliant sapphire eyes.
The first time Sesshoumaru neglected his duties to the West he found he didn’t care what the Courts said about him. For the first time in his family’s history, he had found the elusive pink cat. It was no neko youkai as all had thought; but, the imaginings of a kitsune child as he told stories of his missing adoptive mother. Sesshoumaru spent all the time he could with the two children in Edo, learning all about Kagome and her time-traveling adventures. Should the prophecy ring true, the young Miko would make an amazing Lady of the West. Often times while standing guard over the mystic well he found himself fantasizing about her standing by his side as they ruled their people with strength and kindness.
The first time Sesshoumaru truly believed in the prophecy from his youth was the third anniversary after the fall of the spider-hanyou. He had arrived at the old well to check if there had been any change since his last visit before meeting up with Rin. Unlike all of the other times he had visited, the clearing was filled with magic and a scent he hadn’t been exposed to in many years. Reaching into the depths of the well, his clawed hand encircled the soft delicate hand missing from this time for far too long. Surprised-filled sapphire eyes met gold as he pulled her into his arms. “Welcome Home, Kagome.”