Truth in Blood

A/n :
by the way sweeps were a reality in uk and europe, and it was horrendous child labor with high mortality rates!!

Chapter 3 : Life of a sweep

Life it seemed enjoyed messing up little Inu's life when things seemed to settle. Without Lissa around Inu found that he could actually take care of himself better. He lost the hovel of course, and not wanting to owe anyone, Inu now homeless had been offered a place to sleep on his bosses kitchen floor. But the boy had declined the offer, somehow he knew that living in his bosses home would be a really bad mistake. So on his first night as a homeless boy, he had taken shelter under a bridge, but as midnight approached, the water of the river had begun to boil, and a strange beast had risen from its depths to hunt. Inu had not bothered to try to get a good look at the beast, he had run as fast as his legs could carry him.

He learned that the river and sewers housed such creatures and that some nights if one was unlucky, humans were not the only predators in the dark underbelly of the city. Lissa's hovel, was relatively close to the guards night barracks, and this had meant the area of his early childhood had been free from this menace. Now they were a real threat. Still the little boy was stubborn, he would not owe anyone anything. Then he had a brainstorm, he utilized the skills he had learned in his 8 years on the planet. From his second night onwards the homeless Inu would find high places to sleep, on the side of work building, on bridges and other structures. His climbing skills were matched by less then a handful of people, and the crevices he slept in hid him from the world. Sure it was dangerous, and after he had almost fallen, if he was unsure of the stability of where he slept he would tie himself to it. Inu also realized birds that visited the same place to sleep every night were a good source of meat for a hungry boy, not wanting to be as, well... bird brained as a city cock, Inu did not sleep in the same place every night, instead he rotated in random patterns among 14 different sleeping spots.

And so little Inu was happy. He had relatively safe places to sleep, he had a good job, food and money he carefully hid for emergencies, He had no friends as the boys at work ignored him, and now he hardly spoke because he had no one to talk to. Hey no one would bother if he disappeared or died, but it didn't matter to the child, he didn't need anyone. Also he had discovered something miraculous called reading. Inu was no fool, and he figured that to leave the slums he needed to know reading which all rich kids seemed to know. Determined to learn, when he was not working the little boy spent weeks hiding in the bushes outside the study rooms of rich children listening to the tutors teach. He had flinched a few books from houses during his work, and from his overheard lesson, and sheer stubbornness, the boy thought himself to read and write. This skill was something else he was smart enough to hide from the treacherous world around him. So months passed in this manner, and little Inu was happy, as happy as a lonely, little boy could be.

Then the world decided that they needed to disrupt his happiness.

The boss that had been fair, got sick, real sick. He had to sell of his business and move out of the town. So Inu and the other boys were hired by different outfits, and Inu's reputation as a hard worker, who did not cause problems proceeded him. So he was hired into a new outfit fast, but now he was older, bigger and stronger. The older boys whom had come to initiate him hesitated under the steady golden stare, Inu's eyes had gleamed with a promise of violence. The boys had backed down. The almost 9 year old boy had no access fat, and was lean well developed muscles all the way. 2 weeks after he joined Inu was still quiet and aloof, then something happened to change that.

The youngest child in the group, got lost and stuck in a stack.. It was the kind of job his old boss would never have taken, the house was too badly designed and the chimney stacks were murder on the workers. Inu had not been on the team sent to this house, he had been on another. That evening at the meeting point where they got paid, the team showed up minus one boy. The leader said the boy must have run off, there was a scent, an awkwardness around them, and Inu knew – he knew they lied. Anger like he rarely felt bubbled in his blood, he almost attacked the leader, but finding the lost child was more important. Sure no one would care if he disappeared but Inu would be damned before he allowed someone who was with him to disappear and pretend that nothing had happened. Inu ran and some of the boys followed, shouting that it was useless, he'd probably be dead. Yes, Inu knew he probably was, but it didn't matter, Inu would bring back the child's body, that much he could do.

Inu ran to the house, bangged on the kitchen door, and before they could react, as soon as they opened the door, he shot into the fireplace and up the chimney. Inu crawled through the dark hell, it was smaller then most, he scrapped his arms and knees raw. But he never stopped. He crawled for what felt like days, but was about an hour when his sharp ears hear a sound in a side chute that he would never have bothered going in. The child had not know, too young and scared he had crawled the wrong way into a vent, that was too small and led to a crack in the wall. Inu was afraid, but he didn't allow himself to hesitate, he squeezed in and saw small legs. He just managed to grab a still foot and he hauled back. At first nothing happened, then with an audible 'pop' the child came free. Inu was relieved when he saw the child was still alive, but barely conscious. Grabbing the colar he began dragging the child out, smoke wafted into the shaft. It was getting late, so the owners had started to light fires to keep warm. Inu's nose burned he coughed, and choked, but he refused to release the child, refused to stop. Eyes tearing,, lungs burning, Inu refused to die and with superhuman effort, he pulled himself and the child to a chute that dropped to a burning fire place. And damn the consequences , he held the child and jumped feet first into the fire below.

His poorly made shoes burned as his feet hit the fire, his skin and hair shinged by the embers, Inu and the child dropped into the middle of the fire and rolled out. Crashing into the dinning room, with a cloud of soot. The lady of the house screamed and fainted, the other boys, waiting in the kitchen rushed out and chaos ensured. The street kids were no fools, to the house owners it seemed like a war burst into their dining room, and then suddenly just as fast, peace. The boys had used the chaos, to get the hell out of there before they could be caught. The rather embarrassed kitchen staff were left to explain. The thought of a corpse rotting in her walls, had been enough to make the Lady drop any notion of chasing after the mob of chimney sweeps.

They ran back to the meeting point, the boys were sure the kid was dead, had been shocked when that saw a very alive crying boy was carried safely on Inu's back. The boss to everyone's relief had left for the night and only the boys were there. Inu suddenly found himself a small hero to the boys. They cheered him, and Inu felt good. But not all the boys were happy of Inu's success.

The next day Inu got 6 lashes from his boss's whip for disturbing their clients. When that was over the leaders of the group the child was in surrounded him. He had made them look bad, and they weren't having it. 8 boys surrounded Inu, huge eyes narrowed and Inu almost growled in response. He was not going to back down, and he was not going to lose. They attacked him expecting a fast victory, only Inu was faster then them, he slipped out of the circle, and emerged on the outside of the group, fists clenched the boy went for them. His punches were low and aimed for vulnerable spots, no rules governed the fight, and Inu fought with the strength and stamina of a horse that had been stabled for much too long. The 8 boys were losing, so far the fight had been without weapons, frustrated at losing, one boy picked up a piece of wood, Inu was no fool, he kicked out got free of the 8 and ran.

They ran after him and he thought he was dead, as they had picked up more make-shift weapons, Inu ran past a small alley, as the boys ran past, a rope was suddenly pulled taut. The 8 boys crashed to the floor. Out of the shadows of the alley, 3 smaller boys emerged, Inu had saved one of then and they had now returned the favor. Guards were drawn to the commotion and the group scattered.

The incident was over, and now Inu was not alone. He was the leader of the younger boys, and in defending them he found his voice.

Inu was once again responsible for the lives of others, he picked up and bore the responsibility on his thin shoulders, without even acknowledging how heavy it sat. He was not really close with the first members of his group, but they looked to him for protection and guidance. They needed him, and that was enough. So Inu would take the blame when things went wrong, he would bear the whippings for the acts of the younger boys, and share his food with them. Throughout it all, he never ever complained. Not about the whipping at least, he would complain about meaningless things, but not about the serious stuff. So as he led the rag-tag group of chimney sweeps, Inu learned another lesson, when some one in higher position hits you smile, never cry when you are in pain, smile instead, keep smiling. People who counted on him felt better when he smiled, and the people who wanted to hurt him, were never truly satisfied by his smile. So the boy learned not to cry, but to smile instead, to laugh in a reckless manner. But if someone were to look close, if some one care to see beyond the smile, they would realize that though the boy smiled and laughed, the shine never quite reached the center of the golden eyes.

Inu was no longer seen as a boy who did not cause trouble, and after some time, after bearing a terrible whipping for a child that had refused to climb into too thin chimney stacks. After whipping Inu, the boss had seen fit to continue the punishment on the little boy Inu was protecting, and Inu had lost it. For the first time he fought back against an adult, and hit his boss, flooring him. The other children had watched in pleasure, then realizing the consequences as the boss got to his feet scattered in fear. Inu of course had not run, and so had found himself out of a job, on the streets and alone once more.

Chapter 4 : Making his own way

Inu alone on the streets had to find a new job. There were a lot of options, legal and illegal ones, for a smart kid who was willing to take chances. Sitting on the statues in a high building, Inu contemplated the moon, he liked the moon, it cooled him and helped him think.

Frankly if Inu never saw the inside of a chimney again it would be too soon. Shaking down people who were weaker then him was just not his style. Pickpocketing.. Inu was aware he stood out a bit in crowded places, and having to purposely stand in a crowd, was not something Inu would have enjoyed at all. Inu gave himself a few days, and checked out his options, his criteria for the job was simple, he needed to make money and he needed a certain amount of freedom. After a few days Inu found a job that suited him.

He became a runner. He ran messages, items and all kinds of things between people, some of it legal some not so legal. Since Inu preferred evening and night jobs, and he never shyed from danger his jobs tended to be illegal or be legal and dangerous. Inu carried items that would have exploded if he dropped them, carried stolen goods, documents, even pets and strange creatures. The only thing Inu refused to carry was the 'medicine.'

As with his last job, Inu soon earned a reputation of being reliable and smart. The people he worked for never realized he could read, and that gave the boy the edge he needed. Inu could play the stupid boy of the streets with the best of them, and Inu played the fool, hiding his intelligence and ability to read people. First he worked for others, but he slowly over the months and years, found clients coming to him rather then his bosses. So Inu worked more and more on his own, finally breaking away all together, he was an independent entrepreneur at the age of 10. Soon other street kids wanted to work with Inu, and through he didn't form really close relationships with them, for all likes and purposes he became the boss of a small team that did good work, but went their separate ways at nights.

Inu told no one where he slept, never visited anyone's houses as he could never invite the, to his. He filled his days with work, learning to fight, and at nights when the silence was oppressive, he would read. Inu told himself he was lucky and he was happy. But.. sometimes.. on special occasions, on days where others celebrated, if Inu was unlucky enough to not be working or doing something, he would stand on the edges of his high safe perches, and watch as families went by, laughing, holding hands and being together. You cannot miss what you never had.. that was Inu's mantra at these times, and even as he repeated it, his lips would twist into his customary smile, even to himself he could not lie worth a damn.

It was only the silent moon that witnessed the smile fade and the face take on a lost look. It was only the moon that witnessed the growing boy lift his head, square his shoulder, and walk forward into a world that taught him, provided for him, but did not see him.

Inu was 12, and fast asleep in one of his favorite rafters overlooking a small park. He was suddenly wide awake, an alien sound jerked the boy out of sleep. Inu looked down, and saw a woman, carrying something and running for her life. Lumbering behind was a beast. Scales ad clawed it looked like a human sized lizard, with a bony crest on its head, and spikes down its back. As Inu watched too stunned and truth be told, afraid to move, the creature raked at the woman, and the smell of blood filed the air, along side a cry that sounded more like a baby's then a lady's. The smell of blood more then the cry snapped the boy out of his paralysis.

Inu grabbed a long sharpened pipe that he used for defense on jobs. He was strong, but he was not stupid, in a straight fight he had zero chance against the creature, but there was one way he could win.

Inu ran along the edge to the lowest point where he would intercept the monster, that had now cornered the woman and was advancing almost lazily towards her, licking her blood on its claws. From 3 stories up, Inu leapt, the pipe high above his head, held in both hands. If he missed he was dead. But the boy did not miss, with all of his strength and the momentum he got from the 3 storey drop Inu plunged the pipe into the head of the monster, driving the pie through the brain, through the heart and into the stomach of the beast. The creature was dead before it hit the ground. Inu left the pipe in the creature, a little worried if he pulled it out the creature would rise again.

He scrambled to the woman. She was in a bad way the scratches were deep. The woman saw the boy, the maricle that had saved her, she mouthed something, and swayed forward into a faint. The 12 year old caught her, and his eyes met the greenest pair of eyes he had ever seen. Cradled in her arms, swaddled in cloth, only its eyes uncovered. was a small child, of a toddlers size, with huge green eyes that stared in wonder at the person who had saved them.

----tbc