Prolouge: Hatred
#1 of Chō Kokuyouseki
Ch? Summary: "A world filled with hatred, yet light still glitters in the distance. A world filled with pain, yet warmth still burns alone. A world devoid of color and life, yet an effervescent blush still flutters just ahead." This is the saying of the little hidden creatures of the enchanted forests. Prologue: Hatred ???? Chapter Summary: The story begins... Warning: Mostly angst It was still early morning and everything bustled. People ran to and fro chatting and bickering over Kami* knows what; but honestly who cared. The sun had just peeked over the horizon making it not even seven with the season being mid-summer. The youkai* realm seemed to be on their toes in general with the summer solstice on its way but one kingdom in particular seemed to be even livelier then all the others. The dark court of the Land of Kage* was vibrant and almost "alive" today of all days. It was odd for such a thing to be and any traveler passing through the kitsune* realm would wonder exactly what had all the people in the castle so at odds end. A birth. Yet this was no ordinary birth either that need be taken lightly. This was in fact a birth to the Lord Kage's second heir. Be it boy or girl, none, not even the parents, knew. Either way, it was to be born soon to doting parents who would make sure their newborn never knew the tribulations of want. With this thought in mind the servants whispered about ecstatically scampering around preparing for the prince or princess' arrival along with the summer solstice events. All seemed happy about what was to come except one, a small boy that looked to be about ten or so years ningen*-wise. (Sothe's POV) Standing outside the doorway to the throne room I watched my father dote over my stepmother's protruding belly whispering sugar coated promises to my unborn sibling. Suck sickening acts to my sight indeed. I couldn't help but sneer at such affections for the soon to come abomination. I glared at the women with icy azure eyes. Was it not enough that I had spent the last 50 or so years battling for my father's affection with her? Now I would have to battle her child too? I growled at the desolate thought not liking the sound of it at all. This all started around when I had been only 35 passing winters of age and my mother died in battle along side many of our people when my father had not reached them in time; a true warrior kitsune, that she was. It had been some of fifteen autumns after her death, in which my father plummeted into despair like no other, before I began to see the changes in him; he had fount another woman, no not just a woman that I suppose. A Priestess named Lady Akina. I have to admit that she was the fairest of her lands. A unique creature indeed. A hanyou*, though to my distaste: one-third ningen, one-third youkai panda and the last third was unknown, held secret even from her. She had the prettiest shade of lavender eyes, shaded by lush long lashes that were pale enough to pass for white in the dark. Dark black lining around her eyes looked liked she had no clue how to apply eye liner but was in fact a permanent tattoo appear after birth signifying the panda in her. Flowing chocolate hair reached about mid-thigh or so lie spew framing her small delicate face and supposedly cute pointed little ears. Her skin was milky and a bit pale, close to a moonlit paleness but not quite yet. She was tall, taller then my dad by an inch or two and that was stating something seeing as the man was about six two. She was lithe and elegant in the least, primped and pristine, any noble would be happy to have her at their table. Pretty as she may be though, she was not my mother. I would not allow the woman to replace my mother that I lost at an age, where most youkai were still suckling on their mother's bosom. With this new hanyou to the mix that would only leave more trouble for me to endure. I would now not only have to keep my mother's space open but my own. Akina cooed at my father as he stroked her belly lovingly before she felt my icy glare upon her once more. She had no clue why, what she considered her first son, was so cold and distant to her. She thought she understood my pain and in no way was she trying to replace my mother. She had confronted me on this very topic not too long ago wishing to come to complacent terms with me for the sake of the "new" addition to the family. I could see her whispering to my father nodding in my direction. With age, my hearing would have been able to hear exactly what they were saying even with the lowest murmurs. My father looks over in my direction before motioning I come closer. This was not going to be a pleasant conversation. "Sothe, you've been quite distant to your haha* lately." "Stepmother," I interjected quickly seeing the frown upon his face as he continued to stroke her belly. "Stepmother or not why have you done so? Do you not know your otouto or imouto* shall come soon?" "Tanechigai*," I interjected once more. I could see him begin to fume at my insolence but that baka* woman began to assuage him with words saying I was only a child. Who needed her help anyways I wanted him mad at me. "Listen here Sothe, your...stepmother and I have been talking and think it is within you best interest to learn this now rather then after your younger sibling is born. We both feel that the baby needs all the love it can get even though Akina is highly respected and wanted now it hadn't always been that way..." For some reason I had a really bad feeling at where this speech was heading. Why did I need to be included with anything that gaki* got? "She was abused when she was younger and growing up was tough till she fell into her priestess duties and even once she'd become a priestess it was still very hard for her. Neither of us wish for this child to have such a life so..." No, no, no, no. I really honestly have a terrible bad feeling about where this speech is heading. "...we're choosing his/hers mate now. It doesn't matter that the mate will be male because with our kitsune blood and Akina's spiritual powers the child will bare pups either way. In knowing this; the mate we've decided that is best mate for Hanayo is..." Time stopped. I know it did because they weren't going to bound me to the very thing I hated. They couldn't really be that cruel? Then like a mocking predator, time started once more yet slowed down to a slowly steady drip, "...y----ou
" and with that one word my entire world crumbled. I faintly heard an ear splitting scream and thought someone must have felt the way I did. Well that was until I noticed I was falling to the ground, my father was bellowing about getting water, and servants were no longer preparing for that mixed-breed's arrival but rushing to help me. It was I that screamed as my soul had been ripped from me. My feminine scream as what I felt my entire life quickly come to an end. ? (Author's POV) A fortnight after the incident... To say in the least that it had been quite taxing on Sothe to know that his unborn nemesis was supposed to be his...beta mate would be putting the situation rather lightly. He'd woken up with his father hovering over him, insipidly worrying his eldest might be in some kind of physical pain rather then emotional. He hadn't even thought it might be the news of becoming his tanechigai's mate. After all it was pretty common amongst youkai and even more common amongst the nobles that wished to keep the family blood as pure as possible. Pedigree pup breeding that's what it was. Sothe tried talking with his father even telling him that it was an awful mistake, he hated the unborn child and would surely make its life much worse then Akina's life had ever been if they were to be bonded. But to Sothe's dismay his father would have none of it and said as soon as the Salutation Commencement, a ceremony welcoming the newly born royal, and then he would be introduced as the future mate. That had been a fortnight ago...the commencement....was tonight. A boy, that was what Akina had; a healthy, feminine, exuberant baby boy. Already just out the womb he had a full head of amber/chocolate brown hair. Not only did his hair take after his mother but also those eyes, yet his was lighter, a soft caressing lilac. When he was born it was the night of the waxing gibbous and he's appeared to be full youkai but this had only lasted a night and every other waxing gibbous assured the witch they'd brought in to bless him at birth. She also affirmed that he'd turn ningen during every waning gibbous. The pup's full youkai form consisted of pale moonlit milky white fur. There was black mascara like markings since exiting the womb around two different colored eyes: one icy azure like his father's and one lavender one. His tail was the bushiest of their kind while his ears were twice the size of his two handful sized body causing him to step on them often. Now Sothe stood not next to the, slightly cute youkai if he must think of something nice, Hanayo but the hanyou Hanayo, the one that looked of no relation to him and now would be forced to be his mate. Hair, eyes, tattoo markings, elfin ears and lilac eyes all traits of his mother while the still ever bushy tail stayed and his skin was something all naturally him whiter then both his mother and father's though not as milky. It was sort of a translucent film harboring a dim white light centimeters below the surface giving off an eerie other worldly glow. He glared at the cooing baby in disgust. "Bet you would like that you little bitch wouldn't you..." Sothe scowled when it appeared the boy was telling him yes indeed he would. Both brothers stood behind a curtain with the Great Hall, or simply put the ballroom, on the other side. The chatter of the nobles speaking of everything from the summer solstice festival to mating season sent the hall in a jumble. The Great Hall was a circular-grand room able to hold millions of youkai. Two parts of the circle, across from each other were stain glass windows depicting kitsune kage's cultural history while the two other parts of the walls were the main entrance from in which you came through the castle and the stage were the boys stood that led out into a secret underground garden. Crystal chandeliers and lights hung from the ceiling and lights were strung along the archways. Sothe knew his father and stepmother stood right in front of them on the other side of the crimson red curtains smiling down on the nobles silently before the commencement would begin. All he had to do was wait for the glass to clink. Clink, Clink, Clink. And there it was. The prattle began dying down to low curious whispers; no one knew what they were here for exactly. Of course they knew something big had happened and they would be the first to know outside the Land of Kage. "We're mighty glad that so many nobles were able to make it out here tonight for this very special occasion. Akina and I would like to proudly introduce you all to..." Sothe waited for the last bit so that the curtains would drop open to reveal him and his tanechigai to the gaping audience. But instead of the rest of the announcement he heard a wet heavy splat as something wet and heavy-like hit the curtain.... To be continued... Authors Notes: Here's a list of the Japanese translations. If you all read the first un-edited version then you didn't get this or a lot of little tid bits that were added. Don't worry nothing overly changed except for this is SO going to be a Trigun remake......just kidding you know you didn't have to go get all silent on me. I love you any ways. But yeah look back over this for the added bits. I'm sure there are probably like grammar/spelling mistakes but once again done at like 3:00 AM and I have no beta so please have mercy on my heartless body. Hehe. But yeah I'll respond to reviews in chapter two which should be up like Oct. 9th. Kami- God Youkai- Demon Kage-Shadow Kitsune-Fox Ningen- Human Hanyou-This is the more difficult to explain because technically it's not a Japanese word but an anime word. It's typically defined as the term half-breed often used to describe InuYasha and another half ningen/youkai or other various combinations but typically only two. If you break up the actual word you half to things obviously: han and the you from youkai. Youkai being demon, han is more difficult because it has many definitions but in the one of chose was the one meaning group. So hanyou in this story can mean two or many. Haha- A way to referring to one's own mother as oppose to someone else's. Otouto /imouto- younger bother /younger sister Tanechigai- half brother; half sister Baka-Stupid Gaki-Brat