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~chapter 2~
~1~
Whether it could be said that Sesshomaru was born a cruel and stubborn child, or one that ended up that way on the consequence of experience, all who knew him would agree, is arguable. Born on a Sunday in the month of December during the coldest day of that year, as records told, and was the 14th at 12:30 in the afternoon, the year was 792 AD. Least to say it was an odd year, the Taisho, his father was anxious for the entire latter half of that year, as it was predicted earlier that their son would be born under foretelling circumstances.
The mystic that had spoke of this had said that on the day of his birth, at the instant his mother the Lady Moon showed her signs of labor a hundred white candle must be lit in the castle and kept burning until at least an hour following his delivery. Suggesting ominously that if they did not do this that darkness would be present and could creep into the child’s heart, but also that a cherry tree must be in full bloom.
Suggesting that a cherry tree should be in bloom in the middle of December was difficult, but the Taisho brought in the best magicians in the land to enchant one tree in the garden to bloom when needed despite the season or the cold. The mystic also suggested that a blanket of wool be present to embrace the child once he enters the world. When the Taisho inquired about this, presenting it as the oddest instruction yet, the mystic only had this to say, “what I foresee, will be cold, and if not embraced in the proper fabric for warmth it will represent to him the child will grow cold.” Knowing better not to doubt the mystic, for he had yet to be wrong in any of his predictions, the Taisho asked no more, but on the day the child was born the Taisho suggested that the boy be wrapped, not in wool but in fur he presented himself before the hour of delivery.
The fur was a strip of flesh he had taken from his own back and manifested into a long flowing boa, in his boyhood his father had done the same for both him and his brother, and his father before him going back for generations, and so not to cheat the heritage of tradition seeing that the child only needed to be warm he presented it, saying—“wrap him in this when you bring him to me, there is not a cloth or fur in the known world that is warmer than this for him.” the handmaiden to whom this was addressed, knowing better what the mystic had predicted wouldn’t dare remind him, bowed took the mokomoko as instructed. But when the time came the mystic snuck in the wool under it, so only the cloth touched the boy’s skin rather than his father’s fur.
When Sesshomaru was born there was not a whimper to be heard; only a brief wale like a complaint that lasted for about a minute before the infant relaxed and went silent, and his eyes wide open and unusually bright. When the mystic saw this he threw his arms into the air as if in praise and perceived what would be recorded as the child’s fortune. “A child with eyes of white fire, yet the cool embrace of the moon on his brow will settle this child as a petal on the ground. No flower will be more envious than the rose of him, yet he will be like the jasmine. He will ride the winds with force that cannot be hindered, yet through a world he will not see, but with eyes grounded only in earth.” When the Taisho heard this prediction his interpretation of it was dejection. As was his impression of the child himself.
Though proud, because he was the father of such a well formed and healthy son, in his private prayers he had asked for no more than an heir that would succeed him in any expectation, a Fang child to whom he could sculpt into a perfect lord. What he got instead was—that day the maidens came out scurrying from the delivery room carrying with them a bundle wrapped in a voluptuous puff of fur. So over abundant was the fur that the maiden that carried it was partially over taken, let lone the child cradled within it. Yet in spite of the burden they smiled and cheered with glee, “Congratulations my Lord, you have a healthy new son.” In the instant he heard this he felt as though his entire being become lighter and his aura shifted from anxious to a calm pearly air—A new son, a new demon was born this day one for whom I am responsible, for whom will learn everything I have to teach.
One for whom I will love, as a father.
Happily he took the bundle from the maidens, not burdened by the fur for he knew just how to manage it moving aside the fur strands that were in themselves in equal length with the infant’s body to have a look at his creation. Noticing the wool, he ignored it expecting to be delighted at the mirror reflection he had so long anticipated to see, but instead what he saw was a small face, almost feminine with delicate features, and the crescent moon birthmark on his brow—the child was a Lunar Hound.
He was told he had a son! Stunned he moved the cloth to peer lower and indeed the child’s genitals were intact and definitely male. Nothing could speak of the disappointment he felt when he first saw that mark, he felt his life had been cheated of its proper linage and it’s due right—The Taisho was the seventeenth successor of a long line of Fang Lord that had ruled the lands of Jia Tian, the ‘Beautiful Land’ since the day of their original ancestor, the first Inuyoukai Grace of the Moon the II, who lived over ninety thousand years ago—to think that he would be the first to fail to produce a Fang as his first born, was…
Absurd!
He wanted a Fang, a child he could train in his own image, but this boy would not take after him. He was a descendant of the moon, like his mother and would take after her, a demon rich with reverence for nature, but he would be solitary and indifferent, even cold. He will represent fertility over strength, and couldn’t even be a warrior, he wouldn’t even care.
What happened he had to ask—the candles were lit, the cherry tree was in bloom and head personally seen to it that the child would be warm, so why this? Taking this as an ill omen he handed the child back to the handmaidens and marched in to the delivery to complain, accusing that this could be anybody’s fault. “What have you done!” he shouted. His voice strained and echoed so loudly anyone in the castle could have heard it, even the infant.
“Have you spoiled my lineage?!”
The lady sighed, and turned a little in her clean sheets, a sign that she knew this was going to happen, “what’s your problem, you wanted a son I gave you one.”
“A Lunar Hound, what’s the meaning of it… the child’s a male!” saying this under the preconceived notion that all Lunar Fang were and should be female, as to better suit the role. Growing up he knew little of the Lunar Hound side of the family. Where he had grown up there were only Fang, his father and mother both were Fang and his only brother Wind Fang. He knew that White Moon the daughter of the former great ant was Lunar Hound, but had little effect on his understanding of Lunar Hounds because she was female. In fact it was a well known fact that it had been centuries since a male of Luna Hound descent had been born. The last male to have been born of this nature, Silver Moon he was called, lived no less than eight thousand years before Sesshomaru was born. All the descendants of the Lunar Hound line were mostly female and that males were rare indeed, to him it’s the way it was.
“So he is, a male as you wanted.” She knew this was his belief and it amused her.
“Damn it woman, you know of what I speak! The first born is meant to be a Fang!”
Heh, she laughed, “Well perhaps the gods had something else in store for us sending him instead of a daughter. He does have an aura; and it is quite something maybe you can still work with it. Cheer up dear, it could be worse, you could have ended up with a girl, and then what would you be saying to me?”
She did have a point though a minor point it was, a girl would have upset him more, but it didn’t matter. The demon he had expected to be born that day was the demon that was meant to challenge him and prove himself an even greater power, a demon of whom he could be most proud—a demon he would teach, a demon he would sculpt into a lord! A Lord he would create in his own image and watch him flourish into the perfect being, a hero, a guardian and a Fang, a demon of compassion and sympathy and worthy of legend and represented the qualities of a Fang. This is what he wanted… the first born was always a Fang!
Unfortunately Sesshomaru bore none of these qualities and as he feared he was just like his mother, though was by no means the cause for his name sake, in fact in the time of his birth his mother had called him Ming Yue, the ‘bright moon’ because of the glow she saw in his eyes. The Taisho objected to this only at first, disapproving that their child should be given such a common name, but came to dismiss it as readily as he came to observed the child’s quick development, and bright eyes, but elusive and strange behavior. Saying that the name somehow suited him, though the moon was showy in the sky as in deed the child was beautiful, it was also hidden for half of the day and would hide its face, as he often did as if afraid to show that beauty.
Ming Yue did not remain an infant for long, wherein six months after he was born he had already developed into the stage of a four year old, and it would be in this form that he would remain for the next twenty years. In that first year however, Bright Moon would prove he was no ordinary Lunar Hound child.
~2~
For seventeen generations the Inuyoukai have served as guardians of the western lands of the demon’s world, an age that has spanned over ninety thousand years. Their country, coinciding with most of the nation of China and incorporating Korea and Japan of the Human World, Jia Tian, which simply meant the ‘Beautiful Land’ was the largest of all the western nations, the most wealthy and beautiful.
The Taisho being the seventeenth generation Fang Lord had a lot to live up to; as well he was solely responsible for insuring succession for the future. His father Mount Fang the sixteenth generation Fang Lord of Inuyoukai rule was a demon of irreproachable repute.
Legend spoke of him as the perfect demon, blameless, faultless, flawless and immaculately beautiful, and most of all powerful. He was tall and fit, the streaks on his cheeks were perfectly smooth and strait, not showy like those on Great Fang, but wee the same dark blue. It is said that the length of an Inuyoukai’s hair is the same length as the fur on his body when he in true form. Adjacently the length of the fur when in true form is always the same percentage to the length of the body for all Inuyoukai. Because of this it was often said that one could judge the strength and power of an Inuyoukai be the length of his hair and his refinement by its color and luster. The eyes of the late Mount Fang were graceful and fair and golden yellow over the more common honey gold or amber and his main was thick and glistening and pure white that cascaded to just below his knees, and standing at an impressive 7 foot and 9 inches tall, wearing only light armor, a modest white robe and a cascading fur was a sight to behold.
For Great Fang, he was model and inspiration for an entire life. His life, and was the demon he not only had to be like but had to, somehow, surpass. Wherein the end this he did and succeeded. With the reputation as the successor of the great Mount Fang, indeed had much to uphold of the family’s legacy, for not only was his father beautiful and powerful but also heroic and noble, wise and fare with his enemies and his subjects. He never lost a battle, and he always chose his fights, never allowed an enemy to get to him or sway him in anyway. All this Great Fang had struggled through life to attain and master—to be exactly like him, to be better, and in the end all this he had achieved, but with once difference.
The most impressive thing Mount Fang was known for is he never allowed his relationships with anyone especially his enemies to exceed being anything more than a mere acquaintance. For this he was very distant, often referred to as a demon of few words. Being elusive and secretive, was his trademark something Great Fang could never be, born a socialite Great Fang was a demon that loved to commune, especially with humans.
To him humans bore a certain charm that both touched and amused him, their earthly struggle were a calling to his heart endowing him with a special weakness that always drew him away from his duties. In time he would rationalize this with his duties and would ultimately result in his downfall, his father always told him, “You shouldn’t commune with humans, though the temptation is there resist it. At length you will discover it is better for both you and them, and even better that they don’t know we exist at all, less you draw them from their place in life or you from yours. Should this ever occur then I’m afraid my son there is no absolution.”
He never listened.
When Ming Yue was born, the demon that would later be known as the Demon Sesshomaru Lunar Fang of the Inuyoukai, Great Fang had settled on two thought one occurring sometime later than the other. The first being of disappointment, but the latter was one of new hope, and perhaps of unprecedented possibilities.
In his first year of life, Ming Yue was to prove he was no ordinary child one night when he was seven months old and stated to his father, “Father why do you always go outside?”
Viewing this a as strange question, the Taisho merely answered while thinking nothing more of it, and said, “of course we must leave the castle, Ming Yue it is the duty of a Fang to patrol the land and to insure all is on its right place.”
Ming Yue responded, “but then why do you leave, if everything is supposed to be in its right place isn’t the land our castle?”
The Taisho was shocked, and had no response.
It was only then that he noticed the large and bright golden yellow eyes staring back at him—his father’s eyes.
At the time he was at the stage in development equal to that of a two year old, and he was reprehensive, disapproving and observant. After this he shocked his father again by stating that the guards outside the castle walls should keep their heads at the same height as the horizon, so they don’t get too big for themselves and end up falling from cliff sides at the ends of the world. After he heard this, the Taisho walked away with a headache unable to believe it—his father used to say the same thing.
After this the Taisho began allowing Ming Yue to accompany him on his routine patrol of the lands. Later in life Sesshomaru would reflect of these excursions being amongst his fondest memories from his boy hood. Those few times he had to spend quality time with his father, since he would soon grow up mostly under his mother’s care. But those times when it was just the two of them, just father and son left so great an impression on him that to him he couldn’t have asked for a more perfect life.
Ming Yue loved nature, and his spirit was naturally apart of the world. When that’s all there was he was perfectly in peace requiring nothing, he was the same. When the world was in peace and quiet he was content. All he needed was a little food and water and to be with his father.
One day during these excursions young Ming Yue met with an unfortunate experience. The Taisho was observant, over time he had grown increasingly impressed and curious about his son’s strange knowledge and behavior. He both behaved, and yet didn’t behave in the way expected of a child or a proper Lunar Hound. The similarities to his grandfather continued to show had within this time he had begun to suspect—could he be?
Had he been reborn?
If it were true that his father, the great demon Mount Fang was reincarnated as Ming Yue then Great Fang knew what to expect from the child, Lunar Fang or not. Mount Fang was a warrior at the top of his class, and when demons are reincarnated, though rare it is, always retain the skill from the previous life. And so if Ming Yue was Mount Fang then the power he is expected to have would be beyond any hopeful expectation for an Inuyoukai. Indeed, for not only does a demon retain their level of power from former lives, but being reborn anew with that level of power to start off with redoubles the expectant potential of the demon several fold.
And so on that one fateful day when Ming Yue had his encounter with Yomi and the gang the Taisho was observant. He had known that these demons were in the land, and he knew who they were. The Silver Fox Gang led by the renowned Youko Kurama, a self-evolved spirit fox and local native, a demon he had been aware of for many years. A demon that he knew and had once charmed him with great interest. He saw potential in the quality of the spirit whose energy he could detect so easily, and had expected great things from. The fox was known for his trickery, sly ways, had a very bad habit of steeling things—a thief, had a lethal mind and could control plants. But in the end when it turned out three hundred years later that the fox only amounted to becoming the leader to nothing more but a band of mere thieves, and he was disappointed.
‘So he returns does he and with his followers, and they are headed for Ming Yue, hmm interesting.’
‘Son what will you do?’
‘Will you prove my suspicions to be correct or will you…’
Ming Yue was in the forest playing by himself along a stream not far away. The Taisho usually let him wonder off while always keeping a conscious eye on him by keeping track of his aura, as he carried on with his patrol. The demons drew in, Ming Yue, completely oblivious to the danger kept playing in the stream.He expected to see proof, but what he got was disappointment. Ming Yue ran. He wasn’t surprised when the child growled and snarled, but when he tried to run away he just lowered his head and sighed to himself. Perhaps he was wrong. Ming Yue just resembled his grandfather and he was putting more in it then there really was.
As a father he wanted to see more to see him stand and fight, and as a Fang would, but young Ming Yue wasn’t the type. If he wasn’t proof, he got it Ming Yue was a Lunar Hound. The demons caught him easily and were running. He watched it all by reading the aura and from the scent of the wind. He knew that Ming Yue was scared. He allowed them to get to the midway point between him and the sea before he transformed.
The fox ran off, the rest scattered, only one remained a threat, Yomi. Though not knowing his name, the Taisho new who Kurama was but he knew nothing about Yomi, could sense that the demon had power but that he wasn’t utilizing it. Figuring that his demon was either not aware of his potential or was just not fired up enough to have tapped into it. Sensing the danger of him being in direct contact with Ming Yue he approached with caution.
Fortunately as soon as he arrived, the demon fled, apparently scared off by his thundering aura and immense size. Ming Yue was clearly upset. He could smell the poison used to subdue him, a common toxin of a certain toxic wildflower that was indigenous to the county.
How cruel, he thought, poisoning a child to served their greedy needs, but then something happened that once again struck him with surprise. And he began to feel a certain rise of power, Ming Yue began to stir, his aura tripled then re-tripled, eyes bulging red and snarling he transformed.
The poison completely overcome, he howled and ran, bolted after the demon which whom he was struggling. The Taisho was astounded, and alarmed. Could it be? Was he doing what he thought he was doing? Was he going after him for revenge, a Lunar Fang child bent on vendetta?
Was it wrong?
Nonetheless there was no denying the child’s power. No it can’t be….
Father it can’t be you!
Why my son, why Ming Yue?
It’s only been a century sine’s you died. Why Father, why have you come back so soon?
Then something stirred a memory from his childhood, when something similar to this happened to him and he fussed over getting even, he father said this to him, “never seek the means to an end through violence if you can help it. The punishment will only be reflected back onto you in due time.”
Ming Yue pursued the demon, and as he did these words echoed through the Taisho’s mind, wise words from a wise demon. “Ming Yue,” he tried to call out. “Ming Yue stop!”
“Come back!”
This was wrong, Mount Fang would never have chanced down a demon over such a petty struggle. The thief was no threat; though he had power it wasn’t that much. So there was no need to be excessive. He charged at his son, and with a single swipe of his paw threw the pup off his path and sent him tumbling into a brush.
The child whelped, but he ignored it, and came down upon him a massive paw on either side. His disapproving growl intimidated the pup and he turned back. The Taisho as well changed back, and as he did, “Ming Yue whatever do you think you are doing?”
The child was silent but it was clear he was struggling to hold something in.
“What Ming Yue, did you think you could just take on the demon. Did you have a reason? A minor assault, do you think that’s a good enough reason to lose your temper?”
The child shook, holding back his tears. “No!” he cried out. The Taisho was baffled. Ming Yue never cried.
“Ming Yue, do you have words?”
The child shook more. “No… I!” then it seemed he could hold in no more and leaping into his father’s arms, burst into tears. “No I want…” he stated crying and calling out.
“I want him!” he shouted, “I want the demon!”
Now more baffled, want him? “Ming Yue what do you mean, what are you saying?”
“I want him… I want him…the demon!”
The child was clearly upset. And not liking the sound of it the Taisho turned right around. “No!” Ming Yue protested. “The demon!” But the Taisho’s mind was set they were going home.
The child wouldn’t have it “the DEMON!” he screamed. And began to kick and struggle, ands crying out “the demon…. The demon… I want… I want…” until the Taisho on alarm threw his hand over the child’s mouth to silence him. His grip clenching down like a vice, “that’s ENOUGH!” he hollered.
“What has gotten into you?”
But the child grew still; it was then that he noticed the scent of blood coming from him. Blood that wasn’t his own but that of the demon that was with him. Simply by smelling it he could tell the blood sent was taken in hostile defense and that it was coming from his mouth.
To be continued.
~chapter 2~
~1~
Whether it could be said that Sesshomaru was born a cruel and stubborn child, or one that ended up that way on the consequence of experience, all who knew him would agree, is arguable. Born on a Sunday in the month of December during the coldest day of that year, as records told, and was the 14th at 12:30 in the afternoon, the year was 792 AD. Least to say it was an odd year, the Taisho, his father was anxious for the entire latter half of that year, as it was predicted earlier that their son would be born under foretelling circumstances.
The mystic that had spoke of this had said that on the day of his birth, at the instant his mother the Lady Moon showed her signs of labor a hundred white candle must be lit in the castle and kept burning until at least an hour following his delivery. Suggesting ominously that if they did not do this that darkness would be present and could creep into the child’s heart, but also that a cherry tree must be in full bloom.
Suggesting that a cherry tree should be in bloom in the middle of December was difficult, but the Taisho brought in the best magicians in the land to enchant one tree in the garden to bloom when needed despite the season or the cold. The mystic also suggested that a blanket of wool be present to embrace the child once he enters the world. When the Taisho inquired about this, presenting it as the oddest instruction yet, the mystic only had this to say, “what I foresee, will be cold, and if not embraced in the proper fabric for warmth it will represent to him the child will grow cold.” Knowing better not to doubt the mystic, for he had yet to be wrong in any of his predictions, the Taisho asked no more, but on the day the child was born the Taisho suggested that the boy be wrapped, not in wool but in fur he presented himself before the hour of delivery.
The fur was a strip of flesh he had taken from his own back and manifested into a long flowing boa, in his boyhood his father had done the same for both him and his brother, and his father before him going back for generations, and so not to cheat the heritage of tradition seeing that the child only needed to be warm he presented it, saying—“wrap him in this when you bring him to me, there is not a cloth or fur in the known world that is warmer than this for him.” the handmaiden to whom this was addressed, knowing better what the mystic had predicted wouldn’t dare remind him, bowed took the mokomoko as instructed. But when the time came the mystic snuck in the wool under it, so only the cloth touched the boy’s skin rather than his father’s fur.
When Sesshomaru was born there was not a whimper to be heard; only a brief wale like a complaint that lasted for about a minute before the infant relaxed and went silent, and his eyes wide open and unusually bright. When the mystic saw this he threw his arms into the air as if in praise and perceived what would be recorded as the child’s fortune. “A child with eyes of white fire, yet the cool embrace of the moon on his brow will settle this child as a petal on the ground. No flower will be more envious than the rose of him, yet he will be like the jasmine. He will ride the winds with force that cannot be hindered, yet through a world he will not see, but with eyes grounded only in earth.” When the Taisho heard this prediction his interpretation of it was dejection. As was his impression of the child himself.
Though proud, because he was the father of such a well formed and healthy son, in his private prayers he had asked for no more than an heir that would succeed him in any expectation, a Fang child to whom he could sculpt into a perfect lord. What he got instead was—that day the maidens came out scurrying from the delivery room carrying with them a bundle wrapped in a voluptuous puff of fur. So over abundant was the fur that the maiden that carried it was partially over taken, let lone the child cradled within it. Yet in spite of the burden they smiled and cheered with glee, “Congratulations my Lord, you have a healthy new son.” In the instant he heard this he felt as though his entire being become lighter and his aura shifted from anxious to a calm pearly air—A new son, a new demon was born this day one for whom I am responsible, for whom will learn everything I have to teach.
One for whom I will love, as a father.
Happily he took the bundle from the maidens, not burdened by the fur for he knew just how to manage it moving aside the fur strands that were in themselves in equal length with the infant’s body to have a look at his creation. Noticing the wool, he ignored it expecting to be delighted at the mirror reflection he had so long anticipated to see, but instead what he saw was a small face, almost feminine with delicate features, and the crescent moon birthmark on his brow—the child was a Lunar Hound.
He was told he had a son! Stunned he moved the cloth to peer lower and indeed the child’s genitals were intact and definitely male. Nothing could speak of the disappointment he felt when he first saw that mark, he felt his life had been cheated of its proper linage and it’s due right—The Taisho was the seventeenth successor of a long line of Fang Lord that had ruled the lands of Jia Tian, the ‘Beautiful Land’ since the day of their original ancestor, the first Inuyoukai Grace of the Moon the II, who lived over ninety thousand years ago—to think that he would be the first to fail to produce a Fang as his first born, was…
Absurd!
He wanted a Fang, a child he could train in his own image, but this boy would not take after him. He was a descendant of the moon, like his mother and would take after her, a demon rich with reverence for nature, but he would be solitary and indifferent, even cold. He will represent fertility over strength, and couldn’t even be a warrior, he wouldn’t even care.
What happened he had to ask—the candles were lit, the cherry tree was in bloom and head personally seen to it that the child would be warm, so why this? Taking this as an ill omen he handed the child back to the handmaidens and marched in to the delivery to complain, accusing that this could be anybody’s fault. “What have you done!” he shouted. His voice strained and echoed so loudly anyone in the castle could have heard it, even the infant.
“Have you spoiled my lineage?!”
The lady sighed, and turned a little in her clean sheets, a sign that she knew this was going to happen, “what’s your problem, you wanted a son I gave you one.”
“A Lunar Hound, what’s the meaning of it… the child’s a male!” saying this under the preconceived notion that all Lunar Fang were and should be female, as to better suit the role. Growing up he knew little of the Lunar Hound side of the family. Where he had grown up there were only Fang, his father and mother both were Fang and his only brother Wind Fang. He knew that White Moon the daughter of the former great ant was Lunar Hound, but had little effect on his understanding of Lunar Hounds because she was female. In fact it was a well known fact that it had been centuries since a male of Luna Hound descent had been born. The last male to have been born of this nature, Silver Moon he was called, lived no less than eight thousand years before Sesshomaru was born. All the descendants of the Lunar Hound line were mostly female and that males were rare indeed, to him it’s the way it was.
“So he is, a male as you wanted.” She knew this was his belief and it amused her.
“Damn it woman, you know of what I speak! The first born is meant to be a Fang!”
Heh, she laughed, “Well perhaps the gods had something else in store for us sending him instead of a daughter. He does have an aura; and it is quite something maybe you can still work with it. Cheer up dear, it could be worse, you could have ended up with a girl, and then what would you be saying to me?”
She did have a point though a minor point it was, a girl would have upset him more, but it didn’t matter. The demon he had expected to be born that day was the demon that was meant to challenge him and prove himself an even greater power, a demon of whom he could be most proud—a demon he would teach, a demon he would sculpt into a lord! A Lord he would create in his own image and watch him flourish into the perfect being, a hero, a guardian and a Fang, a demon of compassion and sympathy and worthy of legend and represented the qualities of a Fang. This is what he wanted… the first born was always a Fang!
Unfortunately Sesshomaru bore none of these qualities and as he feared he was just like his mother, though was by no means the cause for his name sake, in fact in the time of his birth his mother had called him Ming Yue, the ‘bright moon’ because of the glow she saw in his eyes. The Taisho objected to this only at first, disapproving that their child should be given such a common name, but came to dismiss it as readily as he came to observed the child’s quick development, and bright eyes, but elusive and strange behavior. Saying that the name somehow suited him, though the moon was showy in the sky as in deed the child was beautiful, it was also hidden for half of the day and would hide its face, as he often did as if afraid to show that beauty.
Ming Yue did not remain an infant for long, wherein six months after he was born he had already developed into the stage of a four year old, and it would be in this form that he would remain for the next twenty years. In that first year however, Bright Moon would prove he was no ordinary Lunar Hound child.
~2~
For seventeen generations the Inuyoukai have served as guardians of the western lands of the demon’s world, an age that has spanned over ninety thousand years. Their country, coinciding with most of the nation of China and incorporating Korea and Japan of the Human World, Jia Tian, which simply meant the ‘Beautiful Land’ was the largest of all the western nations, the most wealthy and beautiful.
The Taisho being the seventeenth generation Fang Lord had a lot to live up to; as well he was solely responsible for insuring succession for the future. His father Mount Fang the sixteenth generation Fang Lord of Inuyoukai rule was a demon of irreproachable repute.
Legend spoke of him as the perfect demon, blameless, faultless, flawless and immaculately beautiful, and most of all powerful. He was tall and fit, the streaks on his cheeks were perfectly smooth and strait, not showy like those on Great Fang, but wee the same dark blue. It is said that the length of an Inuyoukai’s hair is the same length as the fur on his body when he in true form. Adjacently the length of the fur when in true form is always the same percentage to the length of the body for all Inuyoukai. Because of this it was often said that one could judge the strength and power of an Inuyoukai be the length of his hair and his refinement by its color and luster. The eyes of the late Mount Fang were graceful and fair and golden yellow over the more common honey gold or amber and his main was thick and glistening and pure white that cascaded to just below his knees, and standing at an impressive 7 foot and 9 inches tall, wearing only light armor, a modest white robe and a cascading fur was a sight to behold.
For Great Fang, he was model and inspiration for an entire life. His life, and was the demon he not only had to be like but had to, somehow, surpass. Wherein the end this he did and succeeded. With the reputation as the successor of the great Mount Fang, indeed had much to uphold of the family’s legacy, for not only was his father beautiful and powerful but also heroic and noble, wise and fare with his enemies and his subjects. He never lost a battle, and he always chose his fights, never allowed an enemy to get to him or sway him in anyway. All this Great Fang had struggled through life to attain and master—to be exactly like him, to be better, and in the end all this he had achieved, but with once difference.
The most impressive thing Mount Fang was known for is he never allowed his relationships with anyone especially his enemies to exceed being anything more than a mere acquaintance. For this he was very distant, often referred to as a demon of few words. Being elusive and secretive, was his trademark something Great Fang could never be, born a socialite Great Fang was a demon that loved to commune, especially with humans.
To him humans bore a certain charm that both touched and amused him, their earthly struggle were a calling to his heart endowing him with a special weakness that always drew him away from his duties. In time he would rationalize this with his duties and would ultimately result in his downfall, his father always told him, “You shouldn’t commune with humans, though the temptation is there resist it. At length you will discover it is better for both you and them, and even better that they don’t know we exist at all, less you draw them from their place in life or you from yours. Should this ever occur then I’m afraid my son there is no absolution.”
He never listened.
When Ming Yue was born, the demon that would later be known as the Demon Sesshomaru Lunar Fang of the Inuyoukai, Great Fang had settled on two thought one occurring sometime later than the other. The first being of disappointment, but the latter was one of new hope, and perhaps of unprecedented possibilities.
In his first year of life, Ming Yue was to prove he was no ordinary child one night when he was seven months old and stated to his father, “Father why do you always go outside?”
Viewing this a as strange question, the Taisho merely answered while thinking nothing more of it, and said, “of course we must leave the castle, Ming Yue it is the duty of a Fang to patrol the land and to insure all is on its right place.”
Ming Yue responded, “but then why do you leave, if everything is supposed to be in its right place isn’t the land our castle?”
The Taisho was shocked, and had no response.
It was only then that he noticed the large and bright golden yellow eyes staring back at him—his father’s eyes.
At the time he was at the stage in development equal to that of a two year old, and he was reprehensive, disapproving and observant. After this he shocked his father again by stating that the guards outside the castle walls should keep their heads at the same height as the horizon, so they don’t get too big for themselves and end up falling from cliff sides at the ends of the world. After he heard this, the Taisho walked away with a headache unable to believe it—his father used to say the same thing.
After this the Taisho began allowing Ming Yue to accompany him on his routine patrol of the lands. Later in life Sesshomaru would reflect of these excursions being amongst his fondest memories from his boy hood. Those few times he had to spend quality time with his father, since he would soon grow up mostly under his mother’s care. But those times when it was just the two of them, just father and son left so great an impression on him that to him he couldn’t have asked for a more perfect life.
Ming Yue loved nature, and his spirit was naturally apart of the world. When that’s all there was he was perfectly in peace requiring nothing, he was the same. When the world was in peace and quiet he was content. All he needed was a little food and water and to be with his father.
One day during these excursions young Ming Yue met with an unfortunate experience. The Taisho was observant, over time he had grown increasingly impressed and curious about his son’s strange knowledge and behavior. He both behaved, and yet didn’t behave in the way expected of a child or a proper Lunar Hound. The similarities to his grandfather continued to show had within this time he had begun to suspect—could he be?
Had he been reborn?
If it were true that his father, the great demon Mount Fang was reincarnated as Ming Yue then Great Fang knew what to expect from the child, Lunar Fang or not. Mount Fang was a warrior at the top of his class, and when demons are reincarnated, though rare it is, always retain the skill from the previous life. And so if Ming Yue was Mount Fang then the power he is expected to have would be beyond any hopeful expectation for an Inuyoukai. Indeed, for not only does a demon retain their level of power from former lives, but being reborn anew with that level of power to start off with redoubles the expectant potential of the demon several fold.
And so on that one fateful day when Ming Yue had his encounter with Yomi and the gang the Taisho was observant. He had known that these demons were in the land, and he knew who they were. The Silver Fox Gang led by the renowned Youko Kurama, a self-evolved spirit fox and local native, a demon he had been aware of for many years. A demon that he knew and had once charmed him with great interest. He saw potential in the quality of the spirit whose energy he could detect so easily, and had expected great things from. The fox was known for his trickery, sly ways, had a very bad habit of steeling things—a thief, had a lethal mind and could control plants. But in the end when it turned out three hundred years later that the fox only amounted to becoming the leader to nothing more but a band of mere thieves, and he was disappointed.
‘So he returns does he and with his followers, and they are headed for Ming Yue, hmm interesting.’
‘Son what will you do?’
‘Will you prove my suspicions to be correct or will you…’
Ming Yue was in the forest playing by himself along a stream not far away. The Taisho usually let him wonder off while always keeping a conscious eye on him by keeping track of his aura, as he carried on with his patrol. The demons drew in, Ming Yue, completely oblivious to the danger kept playing in the stream.He expected to see proof, but what he got was disappointment. Ming Yue ran. He wasn’t surprised when the child growled and snarled, but when he tried to run away he just lowered his head and sighed to himself. Perhaps he was wrong. Ming Yue just resembled his grandfather and he was putting more in it then there really was.
As a father he wanted to see more to see him stand and fight, and as a Fang would, but young Ming Yue wasn’t the type. If he wasn’t proof, he got it Ming Yue was a Lunar Hound. The demons caught him easily and were running. He watched it all by reading the aura and from the scent of the wind. He knew that Ming Yue was scared. He allowed them to get to the midway point between him and the sea before he transformed.
The fox ran off, the rest scattered, only one remained a threat, Yomi. Though not knowing his name, the Taisho new who Kurama was but he knew nothing about Yomi, could sense that the demon had power but that he wasn’t utilizing it. Figuring that his demon was either not aware of his potential or was just not fired up enough to have tapped into it. Sensing the danger of him being in direct contact with Ming Yue he approached with caution.
Fortunately as soon as he arrived, the demon fled, apparently scared off by his thundering aura and immense size. Ming Yue was clearly upset. He could smell the poison used to subdue him, a common toxin of a certain toxic wildflower that was indigenous to the county.
How cruel, he thought, poisoning a child to served their greedy needs, but then something happened that once again struck him with surprise. And he began to feel a certain rise of power, Ming Yue began to stir, his aura tripled then re-tripled, eyes bulging red and snarling he transformed.
The poison completely overcome, he howled and ran, bolted after the demon which whom he was struggling. The Taisho was astounded, and alarmed. Could it be? Was he doing what he thought he was doing? Was he going after him for revenge, a Lunar Fang child bent on vendetta?
Was it wrong?
Nonetheless there was no denying the child’s power. No it can’t be….
Father it can’t be you!
Why my son, why Ming Yue?
It’s only been a century sine’s you died. Why Father, why have you come back so soon?
Then something stirred a memory from his childhood, when something similar to this happened to him and he fussed over getting even, he father said this to him, “never seek the means to an end through violence if you can help it. The punishment will only be reflected back onto you in due time.”
Ming Yue pursued the demon, and as he did these words echoed through the Taisho’s mind, wise words from a wise demon. “Ming Yue,” he tried to call out. “Ming Yue stop!”
“Come back!”
This was wrong, Mount Fang would never have chanced down a demon over such a petty struggle. The thief was no threat; though he had power it wasn’t that much. So there was no need to be excessive. He charged at his son, and with a single swipe of his paw threw the pup off his path and sent him tumbling into a brush.
The child whelped, but he ignored it, and came down upon him a massive paw on either side. His disapproving growl intimidated the pup and he turned back. The Taisho as well changed back, and as he did, “Ming Yue whatever do you think you are doing?”
The child was silent but it was clear he was struggling to hold something in.
“What Ming Yue, did you think you could just take on the demon. Did you have a reason? A minor assault, do you think that’s a good enough reason to lose your temper?”
The child shook, holding back his tears. “No!” he cried out. The Taisho was baffled. Ming Yue never cried.
“Ming Yue, do you have words?”
The child shook more. “No… I!” then it seemed he could hold in no more and leaping into his father’s arms, burst into tears. “No I want…” he stated crying and calling out.
“I want him!” he shouted, “I want the demon!”
Now more baffled, want him? “Ming Yue what do you mean, what are you saying?”
“I want him… I want him…the demon!”
The child was clearly upset. And not liking the sound of it the Taisho turned right around. “No!” Ming Yue protested. “The demon!” But the Taisho’s mind was set they were going home.
The child wouldn’t have it “the DEMON!” he screamed. And began to kick and struggle, ands crying out “the demon…. The demon… I want… I want…” until the Taisho on alarm threw his hand over the child’s mouth to silence him. His grip clenching down like a vice, “that’s ENOUGH!” he hollered.
“What has gotten into you?”
But the child grew still; it was then that he noticed the scent of blood coming from him. Blood that wasn’t his own but that of the demon that was with him. Simply by smelling it he could tell the blood sent was taken in hostile defense and that it was coming from his mouth.
To be continued.