Author's Chapter Notes:
The first time I've posted here, yay! This story has already seen deviantart and FF.net, so I thought that one more place would be a good idea as well. I actually have up to chapter 22 written (the whole of book one and a bit of book two!) and can post it whenever I want, so I have to see that people want me to! Hope you enjoy it!
Then she felt the all-too-familiar feeling of the eyes on her, but along with about five hundred eyes as well. Yuko was tugging on her sleeve in excitement. Could it really be…? The tear that glowed in the afternoon light fell with surprising speed and stained the red kimono. She tried to wipe it off but to no avail.Rubi Tamasho was an eighteen year old Japanese fire demoness, or kansai youkai as they were called in traditional Japanese. And she had just been arranged to mate with a man that she absolutely despised. She heard her mother calling for her to come down for tea. Rubi guessed she had made rice by the smell of it, at least one thing to cheer her up. But Rubi didn’t think it would help that much.Looking in the mirror first to make sure her eyes weren’t too puffy; she slowly walked to the kitchen. Two steaming bowls of rice complete with chopsticks were laid on the counter. Rubi didn’t think her unhappiness showed that much, but mothers knew almost everything that their children felt for some strange reason, so her mother stated,“Rubi dear, Murko isn’t that bad of youkai. When I met with his family, he seemed quite nice. Be grateful to have a family with a son who wants to mate with you.”“But mother, he’s an arrogant jerk! Four whole hours we were together, and not once did he ask me a question about myself! He just went on and on about how he is “the best” man in the village, and about how I should be blessed to be his mate!”“But maybe he’ll grow on you in the months to come.”“I don’t think so!”Rubi asked the question that she dreaded the answer to.“When is it?”“Next mating season.”“WHAT!?!” Rubi was literally seeing red. She would have gladly put this event off for years, but it was happening in about five months? How could her mother, the person she loved most in the world, do this to her?“I know that you aren’t happy, but please, for my sake, say no more tonight. Your mind will undoubtedly be preoccupied with other things.”What was so special about tonight? That was the question that Rubi asked.“You know, the- wait, I didn’t tell you! Remember the news of the Dog Demon Lord, the Lord of the Western Lands, coming to our soshi youkai (element demon) village to destroy that ghost youkai that had been haunting the valley for months now?”“Yeah, I think so… wait. What was his name again?”“Lord Sesshomaru.”“Oh yeah, I remember. Did he succeed?” Rubi felt stupid. With the power he was rumored to have, of course he did.“Of course he did,” said her mother, mirroring her thoughts. “But there was one catch. He asked for, in repayment for his doings, a young demoness to travel with him and assist him. It would be any demoness he chose, and he has many to choose from since there are about five hundred in this village. There is a formal dance tonight, both to honour him and so he can choose. All young demonesses are to attend, as well as their parents.”Rubi’s curious thoughts of her father, which had started when her mother said “parents” got interrupted when another idea hit her right in the face. If she was chosen, that would mean exploring the world outside the village, which she had always wanted to do, and escaping from her arranged mating. It would also be an excellent way to practice and use her demonic powers. Rubi nearly yelled with delight at her new idea, and ran up the stairs, her mother shaking her head, wondering how teenagers could change into drastically different moods so quickly. The dance was an hour and a half away. Rubi looked through her closet, trying to find something suitable. But she had a (very smart, in her opinion) idea that went with not just dress, but personality bias.See, a person can tell a lot about you by how you dress, she thought. Wearing an elaborate kimono portrays wealth but not the ability to live comfortably in the wild without many supplies, which is obviously what we will be doing. Wearing my hair up will say the same thing. So Rubi decided to leave her hair the way it was, and thought more about the kimono. But I know from experience that the eye is immediately drawn to the prettier people in the room. It is all creatures’ nature, even demons. So I have to be at least moderately attractive. Reasoning done, she found a gold kimono with black flower embroidery and a red obi to go with it. Simple in it’s construction, but elaborate in design. In another forty-five minutes, she was ready, and having left-over rice to hold her hunger until the dance. Rubi joined the steady stream of demonesses and their parents heading down to the huge village gardens that the formal event would be held in. Seeing all the demons that were their fathers made Rubi extremely jealous, though she was used to it. Rubi only had her mother for family. The youkai village they called home was, of course, for demons, but there was a human village very close by. When her mother was about 500, and looking 25, she met a human at the border, and fell in love. But not long after their child was born, the human father died when another group of demons attacked the human village. Rubi Tamasho was the child and a half-demon, or hanyou, as a result, although she and her mother would never admit that to anyone, saying instead that she was full kansai youkai.Rubi heard a familiar voice calling, and walked over, though to any human it would look like a series of bounces, each “stride” about three meters long. The voice belonged to Yuko, a water demoness and her best friend. When they were little, they had often used Rubi’s (at the time hugely oversized for her height) fire staff and Yuko’s bow and arrows of water power to combine their magic, which resulted in a colourful firework show. All demons had to have a way to convey their magic, and Rubi’s was a staff, which was made from an oak tree and bore a blood-red stone at the top, where the power was released from. She took it everywhere with her, and it was held tight in her hand at this very moment.“Well, this is an interesting night.”“Indeed it is,” Rubi replied, another idea striking her. “Hey, want to come stay at my house after the dance? We could put on another firework show, but better since we’re basically adults.” The thing that Rubi loved was that yes, she was truly eighteen now, but 200 years from now she and her friends would look almost exactly the same. And that she had such a long life to live ahead of her, even though she might not enjoy it right now. How she pitied humans.An exclamation of “YES!” broke into her thoughts. Yuko then started laughing, remembering the fireworks. Rubi could already see this night was going to be fun, whether she got chosen or not. She dismissed the thoughts of the arranged mating for the present. It was crowded for a while in the Garden entrance, but soon everybody started walking off in different directions. While her mother immediately started talking to another demoness, Yuko pulled Rubi away to the far side of the main area to show her an exotic plant she had discovered a few days previous. While Rubi was bending down, smelling the flower and talking to Yuko, she felt a burning stare on her back. She spun around, looking in the direction it came from, but it had stopped and there was no-one to be seen looking at her. “My, we’re jumpy tonight,” Yuko teased, but looking at her friend in concern. On a more serious note she added, “What’s on your mind?”“I’ll tell you later,” Rubi replied, still trying to find the source of the stare. She then dismissed it as her imagination and walked over to the food table.The burning stare happened two more times, and Rubi had to admit it wasn’t her making things up. Both times she spun around, for it only happened when her back was turned to the source. She knew Yuko was getting annoyed, and resolved to stop trying to find the owner of the eyes with the intense glare.But when she was just finishing her bowl of Chazuke, Rubi felt it again. She snorted in annoyance. But it lingered longer this time, and when she finally could stand it no longer, she turned again.“Rubi, could you please stop- wow…” For the source didn’t hide itself this time, and Rubi couldn’t look away.A demon, obviously a dog demon or inuyoukai, with long silvery-white hair that almost reached his knees and the most piercing amber eyes. His kimono and hakama were white, the kimono decorated with red hexagons on the shoulders and sleeves. A yellow and blue obi completed the outfit, and a mokomoko of white fur was resting over his shoulder, symbolizing royalty. Somehow, without being told, Rubi knew this was the Demon Lord Sesshomaru.“He is… interesting, isn’t he?” commented Yuko, who had followed Rubi’s eyes with her own.“Mmmm…” He had stopped looking in their direction, and was walking over to a demoness in a deep red kimono with waist length black hair, red eyes and red nails who was obviously a fire demon… wait. That was her mother! Rubi watched as they talked, and then her mother motioned in her direction. Rubi, using her demonic speed, quickly spun to face Yuko and performed hand motions like she was in an in-depth conversation. Yuko just looked confused and asked,“What exactly are you doing?”“My mom and him, they’re looking at us. Whatever you do, don’t look to your right.”“It’s a good thing you’re my best friend, because if you weren’t, I would’ve ditched you a long time ago!” The huge clock that overlooked the gardens chimed eleven as everybody occupying the Gardens fell silent. All demons’ attention was at the front, on a raised podium that had just been created by a wood youkai. The village leader and Lord Sesshomaru were standing on the wooden structure, waiting for silence. “I have made my choice, and will announce it at the tenth hour tomorrow.”After that, the Demon Lord jumped down and disappeared into the night.“The gathering has officially ended,” added the leader, following Lord Sesshomaru.Rubi hadn’t even begun moving in any direction when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stared up into her mother’s red eyes.“What did he say to you?” asked the half-demoness as her, her mother and Yuko started walking back to the Tamasho house.“Just asking your name and a bit on your personality.”“You better have answered correctly!” Rubi playfully threatened. In no time at all they had reached her house.Rubi led the way to her room, and once they had jumped up the steps, which were a bit shorter than a meter high each and settled themselves on the floor, they started to talk. Her best friend hadn’t forgotten what Rubi had promised at the dance.“I believe that it is considered “later” now. What’s been bothering you?”“Well, you already know about the eyes.”“I don’t mean the eyes. Something else.”Rubi gave up. She couldn’t fool her best friend, who had known her for about ten years now.“I want to get chosen so badly.”Yuko raised her eyebrows. “Why?”“My life sucks. Well, everything except my mom and you. I am arranged to mate with Murko, don’t you remember him?”“I don’t know…” Yuko thought, “I don’t- oh, was he that guy who was in my archery class and kept showing off to everyone every chance he got?”“Sounds like him.”“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, “Not him! If I was going to mate with him, I probably would commit suicide or something…”Rubi knew that Yuko felt sorry for her, but she also knew her best friend couldn’t even imagine how she felt. A few months ago, Yuko’s family arranged her to mate with a demon that they both knew very well. It also happened that Yuko had a crush on him since eighth year at school. The mating was going to take place in the spring, as all matings were. For about a month and a half at that time was mating season, the only time possible. It was late November at the moment. She sighed, thinking how lucky her friend was, and got up to stand in front of her mirror.An near-adult demoness stared back at her, with moderately pale skin (but a natural colour for a youkai) and blue, almost violet eyes framed by a bit shy of shoulder-length black hair decorated with natural blood-red streaks. She was shaken back into the present by Yuko asking her a question.“So what’s your exact reason for wanting to be chosen so badly?”“Mostly an escape from my mating. But I have always wanted to explore the world beyond the village, so that would basically equal a two-in-one reason.”“Ah, I see. But for my outlook on it, I am exactly the opposite of you. I am quite happy with my life, and have no wish to explore outside the village. Heck, if I’m chosen, we could switch identities!”Rubi laughed along with her friend. But Yuko suddenly looked serious again, so Rubi became silent.“But in all seriousness, there are about five hundred girls in the village. And while my chance is a five hundred in one, yours is a one in five hundred. I would hate for you to leave me, but I would hate seeing you unhappy even more.”“Well, nothing will probably come of it anyways,” Rubi stated, and that ended the conversation for the night. “Yuko wake up! We have to be gone in like… HALF AN HOUR!” Agitated was a word you could use to describe Rubi at this moment. They had to be at the Gardens in exactly half an hour and Yuko still hadn’t woken up, even though the fire demoness had been trying to wake her best friend up for the last quarter of an hour.“Ughh… fine, it’s really warm though-”“Just wake up,” Rubi said calmly, she had come very close to screaming at the water demoness. She then left Yuko to her own devices and leaped down the stairs to breakfast, already wrapped in a red kimono with golden fire at the bottom and sleeves.Yuko soon joined them, dressed the same as last night, since she had been invited over on short notice. Rubi noticed her mother had a sly smile plastered on her face all throughout breakfast and asked about it a few times, but all the older demoness did was shake her head and reply “nothing” infuriatingly. The two friends were soon on their way to the Gardens, once again joining the throng that was heading the same way.The thing Rubi noticed first was that Lord Sesshomaru had added a breastplate to his outfit. She was looking up at the podium like everybody else. He started speaking, and for the first time Rubi gave up all hope that she would be chosen. She realized that all her thoughts up until now had been childish hopes, and that if she was to take on a mate that she would have to act much more mature. Her violet eyes scanned the crowd, and found a familiar figure that she wasn’t expecting to be here. Her mother stood in the crowd as well, with that same smile on her face, and looking quite out-of-place because everyone was at least two hundred years younger. Then she felt the all-too-familiar feeling of the eyes on her, but along with about five hundred eyes as well. Yuko was tugging on her sleeve in excitement. Could it really be…?“Kansai youkai Rubi Tamasho, if you are present.”Rubi couldn’t believe her ears. Her, chosen? Out of all these girls, some wanting, some not? She started on her way to the podium, eyes still on her. Be careful what you wish for, her mother had always told her, because it might just come true. This was a prime example of that, then. But now that she had gotten herself into this, a thing that she longed to do was to turn and run the opposite direction, right to her mother and bury her face in her mom’s kimono, like she used to. But she couldn’t do that, not now, not for the rest of her life. Her wish had come true. She was happy.She reached the podium in no time at all, and jumped straight onto it. Trying to speak up, Rubi said,“I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that Lord Sesshomaru-sama has given me.” She decided to tack the “sama” (meaning Lord/Lady) onto the end for more respect. “I will do the best I can as his assistant.”She then was given a nod by him, and jumped down from the wooden structure. The two demonesses she loved most met her when she landed. Yuko let out a little scream and hugged her.“You got what you wished for!” she exclaimed.“Indeed you did,” her mother said in a slightly more calm voice, but was distracted when a presence loomed up behind her daughter. Rubi could also sense it.“Rubi,” Lord Sesshomaru said, nodding his head to her. Rubi mentally laughed when she saw Yuko subconsciously straighten her kimono. Rubi asked a question, to escape from simply asking “why are you here?” which was very impolite.“When will I need to be ready, my lord?”He paused. “One hour, and then my servant Jaken,” he gestured to a toad-demon standing beside him (and coming up to his mid-thigh), “and us are leaving.” He then turned and walked a few paces away, Jaken (who Rubi guessed was his servant) following him.“That toad guy is funny,” Yuko commented, and Rubi laughed. Her mother then took her hand.“In the last hour you have with us, I have some things for you.” While walking back, Rubi learned that Sesshomaru had visited her mother late last night, and told her of his choice. That explained the smiles, and the appearance at the announcement. As her mother lead her into their living room, Yuko right behind them, the kansai youkai took a package from the counter and told Rubi to unwrap it. Rubi gasped as she gazed upon its contents.A red, flower-patterned short kimono with tight black shorts underneath was what met her eyes. A purple obi went with it, and straw sandels completed the outfit. Rubi had seen clothes like these on travelers, and she knew that they cost a fortune.“Oh my god, thank you so much!” Rubi exclaimed, “I hope I haven’t put you in debt for this!”“I know this is going to be the last of the money I spend on you for a long time, so I am perfectly okay with it. But wait, there is another one.” She handed Rubi a second package.Inside of that was a silk kimono, blue but with tiny embroidery in red all over it. Gold and silver flowers patterned the shoulders and sleeves, and the outfit came alive with the addition of a simple black obi. Rubi grinned like a four year old. “If the traveling outfit cost a fortune, I can only imagine how much this cost you. Thank you again for both, but I have to ask, where am I going to wear it? I’ll most likely be bush-whacking most of the time.”“I don’t know,” her mother smiled, “but take it with you, for you’ll never know when you will need a kimono fit for a princess, like you.”Rubi ran to hug her mother. Yuko clapped. A shoulder bag with the kimono and a few favourite spices was what Rubi packed. Yes, youkai had the strength of a hundred men, but even they tire, and that was really all Rubi could think of. She leapt down the stairs, the traveling outfit fitting her like a second skin. Yuko was preparing to leave, and Rubi felt tears spring to her eyes. The water demoness she had known for years was staying while she was going. It just felt unnatural. “Since I didn’t have warning that you were getting chosen, I’m sorry I can’t have an expensive gift ready for you. But I do have something…” her hand went to her wrist and unfastened the sapphire and silver bracelet that was there. Yuko had had that bracelet forever; it had been fastened on her wrist since birth, by her parents. It had become a part of Yuko’s appearance, and seeing her without it was unimaginable. And she was giving it to Rubi.“Yuko, I can’t accept this, it’s yours, by birth.”“And that means it’s mine to give to whomever I wish.” Yuko clipped it around her best friend’s arm.“Yuko…” Rubi whispered and drew her close in a tight embrace. “I have to go now,” she choked, “goodbye, best friend. I will see you again, I know it.” And with that, Rubi Tamasho walked to the village square again, leaving her truest friend behind, maybe forever. “You’re ready?”“Yes, my lord,” Rubi replied, standing in front of the Demon Lord. She had said her teary goodbyes to her mother on the way there, and the older fire demoness stood a distance away right now, watching her only child go out into the world. She wiped the tears running down her cheeks.“Follow me. We will find a camp about fifteen miles from here.” Lord Sesshomaru started walking towards the gate, his mokamoka swaying in the early afternoon breeze. He seemed so cold and distant, but Rubi was intrigued by that. Rubi waved one last time at her mother, and followed him and Jaken. She started asking questions.“So how long have you traveled with Lord Sesshomaru-sama?”“I was born a servant for him.”“So that’s what frog demons are for!”He let out a “hrrmp!” and kept walking. Rubi laughed, her staff gripped in her hand. He wasn’t that friendly, but she’d pester some information out of him.She missed her old life already, but was eagerly awaiting the new. Rubi had started her journey.
Chapter End Notes:
I do not own Inuyasha or anything associated with it. Rumiko Takahashi does.