Truth in Blood

Dear all, have not been ignoring writing have just been enbroiled in Nano have been posting on ff.. but cause the story was not yet well adult level held off here, how due to vote decided to post here as well.

OMG... NANOWRIMO Month (National novel writing month, write 50k words in a month.) Ok Im up for it. So this is a new story which WILL be finished in a month and updated everyday or every 2 days if I am swamped. This is an Inuyasha AU. Names are same and much of characterization - but the world and the issues are totally new and unique. I dont own the characters, but I sure as hell own the world this is set in. Oh an assurance I will NOT ignore Sacred Trees.. that is too dear and demanding.. the others may suffer until DEC where I intend to update EVERYTHING cause I have LEAVE!

High levels of child abuse... other characters come in much later - first part is all about a familiar and not familiar child named Inu...

Read and enjoy : review for support I will need it. lol...

Chapter 1 : Truth in Blood : The lost child

Opposites are the key to the world. Black and white, darkness and light, and yet there are many shades and hues in-between.. 4 spectrum rule the humans of the world. At the extremes are the Angels and Devils, in between are the Seraphs and Demons, and scattered throughout the spectrum like so much grass amongst the giant trees of the forest were the humans.

At any extreme the lines are so big, that they actually blur, and if there was a God in the world, the unknowable being kept its presence far from the 4 spectrum, watching from an incalculable distance... it was said that humans had actually more dealing with Gods and Satan, then Angels and Devils themselves. This however was conjecture and gossip, God was a safe concept and in the most part far from the minds and concerns of the people.

The 4 spectrum were of far greater interest and places of worship were created for Angels and Devils, who lived in a close sister dimension, where as the Seraph and Demons walked among the humans and were both feared and respected. Human settlements were at the edge of Seraph and Demon territory and most humans had very little to do with them unless they wanted something from the powerful beings. Both Seraph and Demons alike were feared by the average human, and they kept well away from both. Humans had many rumors, stories and myths about Seraphs and Demons but the truth is not very many knew enough to actually confirm the truth of the stories.

Other then the Spectrum beings, the world was far from a safe place, creatures of power, darkness and decay all walked the land.

Sometimes however of all the deadly strength of the creatures, the most dangerous beings on the earth were none other then human. And while it was fun to blame everything else, humans had a nasty tendency of being the ultimate architect of their own fear and failings.

This is a tale not of the great powers of the land, not yet at least, - rather it is the tale of a child. Of a babe cast off into the darkest night.

Now that tale begins.

The human child was found washed up on the beach. He was young an infant, only a few teeth in his little mouth. He was probably just more then a year old. His hair was as black as night except for two streaks of white that that ran like forelocks down his head. The child washed up on the beach in a broken basket, battered by the waves. No debris washed up with the child, no storms had been reported on the coast. No clue was available to the identity of the child. The babe was too young to speak, he knew only one word that he seemed to mumble even in the depths of sleep. It was a little unclear but to those listening it sounded like “Inu.. Inu.” So that was what the child was named Inu. Other than his hair the one outstanding feature of the child was his eyes, some would swear his eyes were brown, because that is the color they expected to see. Others with a deeper sense of soul would have sworn the child had eyes of gold, but they usually held their tongue – it was too strange a thing to mention.

The guards that found the child gave it to a woman who had lost her husband and yearned for a child of her own. She washed the clothes of the guards, and was most pleased with the little one. But the guards who found the child did not realize the woman harbored a secret. In her pain over her husband's death, she had found a miraculous plant that eased her pain when she ate some of it with her food. Still for a time the lady truly loved the little boy, and looked after him to the best of her ability. True she worked so she left the child alone for most of the day, true she needed some of her special medicine before she slept, so any cries of the child went unheeded at night. Still she did her best, and the little boy was clothed and while he did go hungry in stretches- he did not starve; and though he spent a great deal of time alone, he survived the first few years of his life. All that must count for something.

Three years after he was found, the lady having slowly increased the amount of special medicine she needed over the years, discovered that the child could be an additional source of income. She 'loved' the child of course, only she loved her medicine more.

And so little Inu was sent to work with the Chimney sweepers. Chimneys came in all sizes, and small children were needed to climb the sooty depths of chimney's to knock out stuck debris and soot. It was dirty and dangerous work, with children choking to death, or falling to their deaths or being beaten to death by the bosses. The four year old was younger then most of the other children who at least had lost one of their milk teeth before being pressed to work, but the little Inu was stronger, more independent and braver than most. He never complained about the lady who raised him, and was quick to learn.

His first boss was a sweeper like any other, not particularly cruel or kind. He was paid his wage if he did his job, and beaten if he did not work fast enough. His boss was rather low ranked amongst even the chimney sweeps and so had only little Inu as a helper and he worked in the seedier areas of town. This was a good thing as the chimney's there were lower and the poor people that they offered their service to were not unkind.

Little Inu, was a hard worker, and he was soon noticed by the more prosperous sweepers. They were soon approaching his 'mother' to have him work with them, here one thing happened that made Little Inu feel a debt to the first sweeper he worked with. His boss had noticed the interest of a number of groups in the little boy, and one group in particular, while it was the richest, had the poorest record for mortality of their child workers.

The large eyed child had watched the negotiations silently, he had not liked the man that his 'mother' seemed to be in talks with the most. The mad had a fake gold teeth, and when he smiled the boy could almost see the greed in the man. But he did not dare say a word, his 'mother' never approved of him speaking out of turn, preferring the boy to do his work in silence. So little Inu stood terrified, he could see that he was going to be sold to the gold tooth man, when his boss suddenly walked in. He began shouting at the gold tooth man and somehow managed to bodily pick the man up and throw him out of the house. Inu's boss then turned to his 'mother' and told her that her child would be dead by spring if he sent him to work with that outfit. Then all her money would run out.

Inu's 'mother' then began ranting about how she needed Inu to work and he should be grateful to her because his parents had thrown him like garbage into the sea. She went on and on about how he was no use if he did not bring her the medicine she needed so badly, she finally broke down sobbing. Little Inu, came out of the corner he was in and went to the crying lady. He petted her and said it was okay, he would work and help out, he put the lady to bed soothing her and with little hands tucking her in. He then went to his boss, who watched the scene with troubled eyes, and asked him if he could recommend a better outfit for Inu to work with.

The boss sighed, he would miss the boy, but it was time they parted. His boss warned Inu that working with other boys would be hard and tough, and found his little worker a place in an outfit that was as fair as he was to their boys. It was a true act of kindness on the bosses part, and Inu learned that people were complex. He never knew the name of his first boss, but he was always grateful to him, for that one break in his life, when he needed it the most.

He was grateful to his mother as well, he loved her in a way, but was well aware that his love was not returned. That night after her rant, the woman was happy to learn that the boy would be bringing in more income, and would take care of her. It took her two weeks to realise they boy now called her “Lissa” her given name in that too serious voice of his, and no longer called her mother. No amount of beating changed what the boy called her, and soon as long as she got her medicine it did not matter to her anyway.

Self pity was not something little Inu was into, and he figured he was no worse then some of the other children in the streets. At least he strong.

His new boss, was like his first one in that he paid you or beat you according to the job you did. The work was more dangerous as the houses were taller and bigger, and the people he worked for were colder and more snobbish. Still to the boy it was no big deal, however in his first week at the new job, he found how cruel other boys could be. His boss had 5 other boys working for him and on his second day at work he got 'initiated', meaning they got together and beat the tar out of him. Inu wanted to fight back, but something told him it was better to fight a little and lose, then win. So he made sure he got in a few solid blows and hits, but allowed them to 'win' the fight. Granted if he had fought his best he may have lost anyway because the boys were bigger then him, but in this way he at first thought kept his pride and allowed them theirs. The boys bullied and badgered Inu for a week before deciding that he was rather boring and after beating him up again left him alone.

That night Inu thought long and hard, and came to one decision, next time he would not lose a fight. Sure the boys now left him alone, but the whole incident left a bitter taste in his mouth. This was not what he wanted, if he lost so what? No one really cared – except himself. He cared if he had fought his best or not. He didn't like himself now.. he had thought he was saving his pride, but instead he had trampled on it. It was a bitter lesson. So next time and any time after that, if they came after him he would fight and damn the odds, no matter how big they were, he would fight to win.


Chapter 2 : Lessons

Little Inu watched the world, most of the time he was covered in soot, dirty and ragged. The good people around pretended not to see the little boy, unless they had a chimney to sweep or dirty work to do. The boy with his wide eyes watched the world; Lissa mostly told him to shut up and do his work. Being a good boy that is what he did, he said very little, but he worked and watched.

Somehow he seemed to understand more then what people said, he could tell the subtle stress in voices to see if they were lying, he seemed to be able to read the smell of humans, to almost know what they were feeling. Little Inu was no fool, he kept these observations to himself – and as he watched, he learned.

One big lesson came just when his first milk tooth was loose, just a few weeks before it fell out. Little Inu figured that meant he was a big boy of 7, and was quite pleased when it fell. But his main lesson came just before that. He had been cleaning a house of someone who was rumored to be a celebrity in the slums he was from a few years before. Inu remembered meeting the man, he had been part of a very dangerous and respected gang of 7 youth who had ruled the slums until 2 years ago.

Just before he had started working, on winter's day, the little boy had been hungry. Lissa, low on her medicine had been working extra hours and had forgotten about food in the tiny hovel they lived in. Inu had waited patiently, drinking water when ever he felt hungry. But while Lissa had been at work, a rather vicious snow fall had hit the city, freezing movement. Lissa had been stuck in the Guards quarters, at first she had been worried about Inu, so of course she had taken a little of her medicine to feel better. Then she took a bit more and realised that Inu was a strong kid,, he would be fine while she waited for the snow to melt. What was a few days after all, especially when some of the guards were being kind and generous with her.

On the third day, little Inu was really worried about his 'mother' and though his stomach growled and the air was so cold it burned through his ragged clothing, he went out to look for her. He had walked and walked, getting colder and hungrier, more snow fell and he could recognize nothing around him. Exhausted and hungry, the little boy staggered into an alley, some garbage barrels lined the alley, and little Inu was starving. He made his way to the barrels, when he was pushed from behind.

3 other boys older then him, stood there smirking. They slammed him against the wall, and demanded that he pay for entering their alley. Little Inu said that he had no money, the boys then decided that they would take his clothes as payment. Inu knew he would die without the clothes, and so he began to fight back, but the boys were bigger and one of them picked up a stick and hit the little boy hard. He slammed against the barrels. The boys laughed and circled the child like vultures, Inu had been scared but he refused to cry. Just as they were about to grab him, one of the doors of the alley slammed open. And 7 young men, proud like lions streamed out. They carried themselves with a fierce pride and strength that was anti-thesis to the usual beaten demeanor or addicted stagger of the youth of the slums.

One of the 7, saw the tiny child, and sent the other boys off with swift kicks. Inu wanted t o run but he was too tired. So he shut his eyes and curled into a ball as he waited for then to kick him as well. Instead of the kick he felt a hand stroke his hair. Wide eyes opened and stared in surprise. The leader of the group had dark hair, he was standing and watching, the person second in command who had kicked the boys so fiercely was smiling gently at him. Another youth cooed and fawned and tried to touch Inu in a way that made him very afraid for some reason. The little boy whimpered at the too friendly touch, and the leader had snapped at the female looking male to stop being an ass, and leave the kid alone. The gang dropped a kerchief full of food on the lap of the little boy, and had left the little one to fend for himself, with the words that they would look him up when he was older.

Inu had scrambled out of the alley, found a place to hide and ate the food. Then feeling better, he found his way back to the hovel. The day after he returned, Lissa finally turned up in a happy mood, pretending she had not been gone long at all. After that Inu had started to work, and he had made sure he kept a little money aside for his own food and for emergencies.

As a tiny child the 7 youth had impressed Inu greatly, he would have liked very much to join them when he was older. But that wish was short lived as a few months after there had been rumors that the gang had been betrayed from within and most of them had scattered or had been taken away by the guards.

Inu had not know what to believe until that day before his milk teeth had fallen when he was cleaning the rich man's chimney.

This was a complex chimney to clean as the house was 4 stories high. Little Inu had been sent up the twisted chimney stack. He would clean and move along thetwisted warren, until he found a source of light and another way out. The chimney stacks were long and thin, so the child sweepers usually worked in total darkness, the chimney stacks were very narrow, so there was no place to turn. Sometimes people forgot that they had chimney sweeps working that day and would light up their fire place, generally killing the child inside.

Knowing this children worked fast and tried to get to another exit as soon as they could. Inu was fast and small, and so he was usually given the harder jobs, this was one such job. He cleaned his way from the kitchen fireplace up the stack, turning a number of times, until finally, he saw some light. He hurried towards it, and was horrified to see movement. That usually meant they were preparing to light the fireplace. He yelled and shouted and moved faster. The person lighting the fire, halted and backed away, unsurprised when a small head popped out. (Sometimes rich people were surprised, that the chimney's actually had to be cleaned and would beat the child as a thief)

A man stood there. He was expressionless, there was a dead heavy feel to him. Inu was glad when the man just waved him to go, as Inu was about to go, a memory struck him and he turned, and stared. This man had been one of the 7. One of the proud and strong young men he had seen. Inu was shocked. The man was now rich and successful, while he was egoistical, he was no longer proud – no longer strong – no longer a lion. He seemed to be so much less then Inu remembered. The little boy turned and ran out of the room, out of the house in confusion. What could have happened?

That night Inu visited the house again, he waited for the time the servants finished. And he followed a group which had said they were going for drinks. He followed them and waited until they were drunk enough, then the boy pretended to be a table cleaner, walked up to the table and started talking. He did this a few nights, until finally he was rewarded, the servants finally talked about their master.

He was called Renkotsu, he was a clever man according to the servants. He had in his younger days been a member of a gang, then he had gotten smart. The gang had pulled off a lucrative heist, and a good reward had been posted for them. Renkotsu, had seen his opportunity.

He had cut a deal with the guards, betrayed his gang and collected a substantial reward. The gang had been destroyed, and Renkotsu was now a wealthy and respected man in town. Inu had been silent, and he quickly left the company of the servants. The child was no fool, yes money was important, it made sure you ate, but what Renkotsu had done....

Inu remembered the poor young men he had admired so much, and then compared them to pale almost insignificant rich man he had met. And Inu learned a lesson he would never forget. Money was good, money was nice, but something else was more important. He was too young to actually name what he was feeling and thinking. But he knew that with all the money in the world, you could not buy back what Renkotsu had sold so cheaply. Inu was not quite sure what it was, but the child knew HE would never sell what he could not buy back.

With large eyes and sharp senses Inu watched the world, and it was the world, not a single individual that thought the silent little boy.

About a year after his first permanent teeth grew, Inu returned all grubby and dirty to the hovel, to find Lissa dead on the ground. Her 'medicine' in a heap all around her. In spite of everything, when then lowered her body into the paupers grave, silent tears had run down dirty cheeks. The boy would miss her, he had looked after her much more then she looked after him, it did not matter, he would miss her.

Still he had been silent because of her, because she had preferred not to be disturbed. Without her presence, without having to constantly worry and care for her, in a strange way the boy was free. So by that graveside, the boy wept, when he walked away he left his tears behind, and he left behind the burden of responsibility for the care of an adult that he had not even know he carried.

--tbc--