Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Mesuinu: a tale of Inuyasha
*episode 2*

“Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!”
Inuyasha goes flying. He lands on his back, dazed by the impact. As he catches his breath, he hears her say, “You’re still alive? What’s this thing made of?” As he hears this, Inuyasha feels something peculiar. He looks up and sees that the demoness is now straddling him, grabbing at his shirt to feel the fabric. Taking advantage of her distraction, Inuyasha grabs her and flips her over. Now, she is on her back, and he is lying over her. He brings one hand to support his weight; the other goes to her throat. Smirking, she says sarcastically, “I like it better with me on top.” “Well that’s too bad.” Inuyasha retorts. She reaches up and grabs him on the sides of his head. She then yanks his head down to hers; effectively head-butting him without moving. Again dazed, Inuyasha rolls off of her and stagers to his feet. The girl also rises, showing signs of the same disorientation. Steadying herself on him, she says, “I think…I like you. What’s your name?” Shaking his head to clear his vision, he says, “Inuyasha…I’m Inuyasha; who are you?” “My name is Mesu.” she says. Inuyasha says, “That hurt.” Mesu says, “I know, you have a really thick skull.” “Look who’s talking.” he says. She laughs, “Good point.” Inuyasha asks, “So, are we going to finish this?” “No,” she says, “I was thinking we’d get something to eat and get to know each other.” He asks, “You do know I’m a half-demon; right?” Mesu says sarcastically, “No, really?” Inuyasha looks at her strangely. She starts walking toward the nearest stream. After several seconds she calls, “You coming or not?” Inuyasha hesitates…then he goes after her.
Comments (2) | Permalink

Monday, January 23, 2006

Author’s note
I have almost completed my telling of Inuyasha’s past. Naturally, much has been left out; but two hundred years of suffering would make for a dull read. This final chapter takes place several decades after Konpon’s death. In that time, he has been on his own except for the inconsistent companionship of Myoga. As we rejoin him now, think of him as appearing to be about 15 or 16 years old; noticeably younger than when he was with Kikyo.
Comments (0) | Permalink

Mesuinu: a tale of Inuyasha
*episode 1*

Inuyasha walks alone, ever alone in a lonely world. Time has passed, and he has aged; but the years apparent belittle the many years since the death of his mother and the priestess Konpon. Lately things have been quite: the weak demons in this forest have learned not to mess with him and no one, human or demon, has come yet to drive him off. But today he is acutely aware of a new smell in the woods and he knows that that may mean that it is time to move on; again. The scent itself is peculiar; but he can’t put his finger on what it is. His vassal, Myoga, is not with him; and hasn’t been for some time now. At the moment, Inuyasha half wishes for the flea’s presence because he might know what it is about this smell that has Inuyasha so…interested. Inuyasha is so focused on his nose, that he doesn’t hear the person behind him until a voice says, “Ah Damn it! And here I thought it would be someone interesting.” Inuyasha turns, and sure enough the person with the new scent is right behind him. It’s a girl; she looks about his age; but that’s not where the similarities end. Her shoulder length hair is silver white, her fingers end in deadly claws, and she has deep amber eyes. Unlike Inuyasha, her ears look human; although they have a distinctive point to them. She is clothed in a white linen garment ending mid thigh and a plate of armor crafted to fit her curves. Inuyasha stares in shock, allowing her to continue complaining, “And here I thought I’d find someone worth fighting; but all that’s here is this week little puppy dog.” Finding his voice, Inuyasha asks, “You want a fight; is that why you’re here?!?” She says, “Don’t bark at me little doggy, I’m way out of your league.” Flexing his claws, Inuyasha prepares to attack. Other than rolling her eyes, the demon doesn’t bother to respond. Inuyasha charges, thrusting his claws wildly. She doges several attacks without seeming to exert herself. She asks, “Is that all you know how to do? Fine, try this on for size: Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!”
Comments (2) | Permalink

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 8*

Inuyasha lies gasping for breath and coughing up water. His brother looks at him with contempt written large on his face. “Weak,” he says, “Pathetic, not even worth my time.” With that, the demon turns and walks away. His reasons are unclear, even to himself; but for some reason he does not kill the boy. As his mind continues to ask why, he tells himself that he won’t live out his next encounter with anything, human or demon, anyway. Little does he know that, in time, he may come to regret not delivering the killing blow when he had the chance.
*The End*
Comments (3) | Permalink

Friday, January 20, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 7*

Inuyasha continues to scrub the mud from his hands long after they are clean. His mind is numb and his thoughts are thin and scattered. It seems weird, planting dead people in the ground; but didn’t Konpon once say something about people being like trees? He doesn’t notice the new scent, he doesn’t hear the undisguised footfalls, his mind is so distracted that he almost doesn’t hear the voice when it starts speaking, “That scent…that disgusting stench…weakness, death, human…not only is it all over you but it is in your very blood.” Inuyasha stands slowly and turns to face this stranger. He sees a man, unlike any man he has ever seen. His body exudes a sense of power, he has claws and hair much like Inuyasha’s own; and his forehead is marked with an emblem. But something about him seems false, as if this were only a veneer, something covering what truly lay beneath. The man says, “You must be him; of that I am certain. You are the child of my father by that cow of a mortal.” Inuyasha says, “My…my brother.” “No,” the demon says, “Your executioner.” Inuyasha doesn’t see the strike, his brother moves to fast; but he finds himself lying on his back in the water with a horrible pain in his chest. The older brother comes and kneels over the boy; he grabs him by the throat. “I, Sesshomaru,” he says, “Deserve to be our father’s son. You do not!” With that, he forces the boy’s head under the water. At first, Inuyasha merely lies; but in time he begins to struggle. He grabs the wrist of the hand holding him and drives his claws into the flesh of his brother’s arm. Sesshomaru pulls the boy from the water and hurls him against a nearby tree so hard that it splinters. Inuyasha collapses at the base of the tree gasping for breath.

Comments (2) | Permalink

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 6*

The morning comes, the rain ends, and the silence is broken by a tiny voice. At Myoga’s instructions, Inuyasha digs a grave by the roadside and drags Konpon’s body to it. He can only hope that an itinerant monk will see the grave and take the time to consecrate it in the human way. By the time the boy has completed the task, digging in the mud and carrying the body of someone larger than him, it is noon. Inuyasha sits by the roadside for a long time. Finally, at the flea’s command, he goes and gather’s the belongings which are now his alone. He eats; and he sets out to find a stream in which he can wash the mud from his hands. Several times, Myoga tries to engage the boy in conversation; but eventually he gives up. When the do find a swollen stream, the flea leaves his ward. He is unsure what to do. He knows he must balance the boy’s fragile emotional state with the need for him to move on. This must be the beginning of the boy’s life; not the end. Unfortunately, Myoga has no idea how to help the boy to that understanding. Not for the first time, Myoga curses his master’s form of existence. Not that he had anything against his lord’s mother, the succulent thing that she was; nor is his loyalty in anyway in question. But his job would be so much easier if the boy were a pure blooded demon. The flea is so engaged in his musings that he does not notice that he is no longer alone until someone stops very close behind him. He turns and sees a familiar profile which freezes the blood in his tiny veins. This person stops and glance at the flea with a complete lack of interest; but his very stare is enough to send Myoga running. As the fleeing flea looks back, he realizes with horror that the new comer is headed straight for master Inuyasha. Myoga want’s to go back, to warn his lord, but his survival instinct has taken over and he knows he can’t go back.
Comments (2) | Permalink

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 5*

Konpon awakens after what she can tell has been a long sleep. The rain continues, endlessly, but the light of day is gone from the sky. In the light of a fire, still struggling to hold on to life, young Inuyasha sits and over her and holds her hand. Of late, all the heat seems to have left her body, and even with both of their blankets she seems so cold to his touch. Her body feels numb, there is little pain; but she feels very tired. She tries to smile for the boy; but she can barely move the mussels in her face. She manages to gently squeeze his hand. Speaking is out of the question; but much is said by here eyes, and his. She wants to leave him with some parting word, some message of hope or love; but all she manages is to form the word, “little.”

He stays like that through the night; and gradually, little by little, the fire is quenched by the steady pelt of the rain…and then there is darkness.
Comments (3) | Permalink

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 4*

The rain continues to pour on Inuyasha’s small fire and he has become soaked. To shelter Konpon, he has hewn several braches and pulled them over her as a kind of shelter. Having done everything he can think of to do, he comes to sit by the old woman. “Little one,” she says, “I still can not feel or move my legs. If I were going to recover, it would have begun by now. The time has come to face what is and what must be.” The boy rises and begins to walk forward to tend the fire. Konpon calls after him, “Inuyasha! I will die on this spot. The time has come for you to go.” He turns back to her. It is imposible to tell weather his face is streaked with tears or rain; but his voice gives away the fact that he is crying, “I won’t leave you! I can’t.” Sighing, the old woman says, “Little one, you have known that this was coming. There is no need for you to see this. You will see death far too often in this world. You don’t need to add mine to that.” He says, “But I can’t just leave you.” She sighs again, “I chose a hermitage because I did not want people watching and fussing over me as I died. That was true of the people I had served for years; and it is even more true for you. You must…” her fragile frame is wracked by coughing. Inuyasha rushes to her side. When the coughing subsides, she does not move. He can see that she is still breathing; but she has lost consciousness.
Comments (2) | Permalink

Monday, January 16, 2006

Hey, I'm sorry for not posting yesterday, and not getting to all of your sites. I don't have a story ready for tonight; but this time I have an excuse. I just finished moving back into my dorm. I'm here, I miss my family already, and I need to go to bed. I'll try to get something ready for tomorrow. Goodnight.
Comments (1) | Permalink

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Inutakai
*episode 3*

Daylight dawns on the small encampment, shrouded by a slow drizzle of rain. Inuyasha gets up and begins to gather more wood; looking for the kind Konpon had told him would burn wet. While it is strange that the old woman is not yet awake, the boy intends to let her sleep…for the moment anyway. As he moves away, he is surprise to hear her call, “Little one…” So she isn’t awake, she’s just lying down. Inuyasha walks over to her and waits for her to sit up. She doesn’t. “Konpon, what’s wrong?” he asks. She says in a weak voice, “I cannot get up.” He asks, “You need help.” “No,” the priestess replies, “I can’t move my legs. Settle down and try to stay dry. We’ll see if this doesn’t pass.” The boy goes back to making a fire; and Myoga comes to the woman. “Tell me, old one, is this the end?” She says, “I’m not sure. I’ve seen this happen in old people; a part of their body stops working. Sometimes they live, sometimes they don’t. Whether or not I’ll walk again, now that’s different.” Myoga says, “For the master to be stranded here, unable to flee if the situation calls for it, is very dangerous.” “I know that.” Konpon says, “But I doubt that even I could convince him to leave me. But,” She sighs, “I will try.”
Comments (2) | Permalink