Into the East

Chapter one: Taking the Plunge

Posted: 3 July 2006

Characters originally appearing in the anime/manga Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else is mine

Another dull party. Why do I bother? Vanessa leaned on the balcony, chin propped on her palm. Her fiancée, Bryce, was continually dragging her all over New England to a party here, a gala there, and occasionally to fancy charity functions. Tonight they were on a large estate near Salem, Massachusetts. She couldn't remember the occasion - just that she would rather be any place but there. Having just finished her last semester of medical school before beginning her Residency, Vanessa was eager to let loose and celebrate, but this… was not what she had in mind.

Lately it seemed that the man Vanessa adored was growing more petty and shallow. It used to be that they would attend the parties because they were interested in their community or in meeting new people. Both Vanessa and Bryce came from prominent New England families, but it was that he didn't act like he could own the world – as every one of her other peers had – that had attracted her to him. Now, though, the enchantment seemed to be wearing off and more and more, she noticed that Bryce came to the parties to be seen – and for her to be seen with him. It didn't matter the occasion anymore, if there was an event, he made sure everyone knew that he was there. Bryce was changing, and Vanessa only knew that she didn't like it.

Looking out into the surrounding – surprisingly thick – forest, Vanessa got the sense that it was very old - older than the Union, older even than the colonies. It intrigued her. She loved being out doors and after spending most of her life in big cities or carefully groomed estates, she cherished every opportunity to explore pristine wilderness. That this estate sat so near to the famed and infamous Salem witches only heightened her curiosity in what else lay on the grounds. Despite her high heels and formal attire, Vanessa decided that she wanted to go for a walk; she could see a path that ran along the edge of the tree line and branched occasionally into the forest.

Vanessa turned to the small cluster of men chatting nearby and touched Bryce on the arm. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek, oblivious to his fiancée's boredom. "Bryce, I think I'm going to take a walk." Hoping that he would take the hint and they might actually spend a few moments alone together, she smiled up at him sweetly.

"Why, Ness? This is where the party's at!" He grinned at her.

"I just need to get some air." Disappointed, Vanessa turned and started down the stairs to the lawn.

The sun still shone, just above the trees, for which Vanessa was thankful; she'd left her shawl in the coatroom. Still, the fresh air and cool early summer breeze felt good on her skin. The long ride from the city, not to mention the excessively long driveway, had taken Vanessa far from the sights and sounds – and smells – of Boston. She had to admit that dressing up from time to time and simply feeling like a princess at the ball with her prince was thrilling, but even luxury got old after a while. Part of her desire to become a doctor was her need to feel, to sense, to experience everything. Rather than admire the pretty lilies in the garden, Vanessa would rather be on her knees in the dirt planting them. Despite her mother's objections, her neatly manicured fingernails had found their share of dirt and grime lodged underneath. It wasn't that Vanessa enjoyed being dirty – she could primp and polish with the best of them – she just wanted to enjoy life and everything it threw at her.

Big cities and the life she was raised in would always have a special place in her heart, but she also wanted to explore, to camp out under the stars, ride off into the sunset… An odd sort of romanticism to be sure, but Vanessa always felt that she was missing out on something in her pretty, pampered life. Becoming a doctor was her way of rebelling. Her parents didn't know it yet, but after earning her MD, Vanessa planned to spend a year or more abroad, helping those who couldn't help themselves. She had heard of an organization that sails from port to port in third world countries, bringing much-needed medical supplies, operations, or city planning. She felt drawn to a career of service from the moment the idea first crossed her mind. Perhaps she was naive, sheltered, knowing that she would always have her family's wealth to back her up if she needed it, and she knew it sounded cliché, but she wanted to make a difference – to leave her mark on the world.

Before she knew it, Vanessa had reached the trees. The cool, relative darkness seemed so inviting that she didn't hesitate to take the branch of the path that lead deep into the forest. Nightfall was still an hour away or more, and besides, they wouldn't have groomed walking paths through the forest if it were dangerous. She only hoped that she wouldn't stumble across a couple enjoying the seclusion for… other reasons. Vanessa grinned mischievously as she thought back on all the times she and Bryce had pounced on unsuspecting friends and classmates in the parks and hidden places of their university campus. Bryce had always respected her wishes of not finding their own secluded place; she had too much going on in her life at the moment to even think about the possibility of bringing a baby into the world, and Vanessa loved him more than he could know for his respect. He was so much happier then… The politics of life and state seemed to be weighing heavily on the young lawyer. It seemed that by coming to parties and feigning happiness, he felt he could actually trick himself into being happy. They were drifting apart, and Vanessa didn't know what to do.

Vanessa was shaken from her reverie by the presence of an odd structure. She took a few steps back to fully absorb her surroundings. The path had lead her to a small clearing, though the trees surrounding were so dense and tall that there was not much to be seen of the sky. Still, dim rays of dusky sunlight filtered through the leaves and left the clearing looking as though it belonged in an enchanted forest of a fairy tale.

In the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone arch. It didn't look as though it had ever been attached to a building, but then again, Vanessa was no expert on architecture, ancient or otherwise. She approached again slowly, admiring the sturdy grace of the structure. Upon closer inspection, she saw the faint outlines of runes carved in the stones, the language long ago forgotten by the masters of the estate. Idly, she wondered if anyone knew the story behind such a piece. Clearly it held some significance – or was it simply the beauty of it? – that the path lead to this place. Vanessa reached out a slender finger and traced the outline of one of the runes. "Hn, I wish I knew what these meant." She muttered to no one but herself. The stones were unnaturally warm. Already the dim light was fading quickly to night, but even in full daylight, the sun could not have warmed the stones so well through the tree cover.

Fascinated, Vanessa walked slowly around the arch, occasionally brushing her fingers against the stone. It was set upon a low, circular platform, two steps leading up. At the top of the arch, perhaps 10 feet high was flat slab of rock. The width of the arch was nearly five feet with another foot of stone on either side. It reminded Vanessa faintly of Stonehenge, but at the same time, it was very different. As she continued circling the arch, she noticed a soft sound, something like a murmur of crystal wind chimes and rushing water. It was a soothing sound, though notably unnatural and slightly eerie. And it was growing louder.

As Vanessa came around to path-side of the arch, she noticed slight movement out of the corner of her eye – a sort of ripple in the air, like the heat over a fire. The stones were growing warmer and the runes began to glow very softly, almost unnoticeably but for the ever-increasing darkness surrounding the clearing. If Vanessa had had any sense, she would have turned and run back to the house, but her curiosity overthrew any inkling of fear; she even giggled at a stray thought that crossed her mind. She imagined herself a princess in an enchanted wood, facing a magic portal to take her where her dreams would come true. There was that silly romanticism of hers, but then again, she did look the part.

Suddenly the space between the legs of the arch flickered and an alien landscape showed itself to Vanessa. She gasped and ran to the side of the arch to peer around at what she knew should lie on the other side. It looked back through the center of the arch and her eyes grew wide. It wasn't at all the scene that she should be seeing. First, it was still dusk, dim light filtering to the forest floor, and second, there were flowers everywhere. She stood in a typical New England forest: lots of green with the occasional flowering shrub – except when the fall turned the leaves to a sea of orange and yellow. However, through the arch, she saw an absolute abundance of color: soft pink flowering trees, tiny flowers, large flowers, flowering shrubs and bushes. There was color everywhere!

Amazing… Cautiously, she reached out to the center of the arch, thinking it must be some sort of projection screen. It would have been quite a trick. It had certainly looked like nothing more than an empty arch before.

As her fingers touched the would-be surface, she felt a slight tugging and snatched her hand away. "What the –" It was something straight out of the sci-fi movies that she secretly loved. She touched the surface once more, resisting the urge to snatch her hand away from the strange tugging sensation, and watched as the image shimmered slightly. Pulling her hand back, she gazed into the strange landscape before her. Vanessa gasped when a small girl ran across her view. The child paused and looked around as though she had heard the sharp breath, but, apparently seeing no source or danger, she continued on her way, singing to herself and stopping now and again to pluck a flower from its home.

Curiosity began to override rational thought – once again. Vanessa waited for the girl to leave her field of vision and made up her mind. She really wanted to see more of this land-behind-the-looking-glass as it were, and ignored the voice of reason in her head that screamed at her to go back to the house and the security of her fiancée. That idea was quickly losing her interest, as she stood tall on the platform taking a deep breath. Finally, heart pounding, she closed her eyes tight and stepped between the legs of the arch.

It was a rush! Like falling, and yet floating, flying, but standing still, the conflicting sensations sent adrenaline pounding through her veins. In that space between reality, Vanessa felt an eternity slide by in moments. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling, nearly falling to the ground in a very strange, very far from home place. Turning to look back the way she came, Vanessa's heart nearly stopped. There was no arch on this side, no shimmering portal into the world she knew. Suddenly, she felt very foolish, and very alone. There was no going back now.

Always one to laugh in the face of adversity, Vanessa quickly composed herself after the few minutes that she allowed for self-pity. Curiosity and reason were strangely enough working together at the moment. Now that she was here in the strange land, she might as well take a look around. That was Curiosity's stance. Reason, however, told her that since she had already seen one little girl, her parents or town couldn't be far away.

And so, Vanessa set off through the trees, not entirely sure where she was going or what she would do when she got there. As evening began to settle into night, she began to see a bit of the error of her ways. Still dressed in a formal gown and wearing high heels, she felt ridiculous traipsing through the forest. It was a good thing she paid well for those shoes though, they were well made and actually fairly comfortable. As much as she loved the outdoors, she was not thrilled at the idea of stepping barefoot into who-knew-what. Shuddering at the thought, she reflected on the fact that she might be a little rich girl tomboy, but she still hated bugs.

After a short while in the growing darkness, Vanessa noticed the silence. Even the insects she hated so much had grown quiet. She paused, feeling uneasy in the quiet. Something's not right. Suddenly she heard a snuffling sound – and something big coming none too discreetly toward her. Before she could think to move back into the dense foliage, a large bull's head emerged through the trees opposite Vanessa. She almost laughed at her silly fright. It looked like a perfectly normal bull, if not for the slightly reddish tinge to its eyes, but then the rest of the creature emerged and Vanessa took an involuntary step backward.

The beast was huge, probably eight feet tall when it finally stood to its full height. It looked to be half man and half bull. Long curving horns jutted from its head and its neck was as thick as any ox's, but that was where the similarities ended. It stood erect, like a man, with broad shoulders to match its neck and coarse hair covering its arms, hands and chest, fading at its midsection. Loose cropped pants covered its waist and thighs, but then its legs bent backward to end in very large, cloven hooves, much like the rear legs of an actual bull. Clawed hands clenched at its sides as it sniffed the air. Then it snarled. The sound fit Vanessa's mental image of a placid cow nearly as well as the long sharp fangs that filled its mouth. It looked directly at her, and the gleam in those faintly red eyes was enough to set her feet to motion.

She cried out and bolted just as the beast lunged for her, narrowly missing snatching her waist. Heels or no heels, Vanessa ran and prayed that a turned ankle would be the worst of any injuries she might receive. Fueled once again by adrenaline, Vanessa ran harder and faster than she ever thought possible in high heels. Good thing I opted out of stilettos. Her panicked mind thought. Where am I? This is like something straight out of Greek mythology! She could hear the beast lumbering behind her. It was fast, but somehow, it seemed that it was not that agile. Daring a glance over her shoulder, and immediately wishing that she hadn't, she saw trees – trees! – being ripped out of the ground to make way for the large bull-man.

Already the heady rush of adrenaline was giving way to fatigue, but Vanessa pushed herself harder. Whatever it was that the bull-man wanted, it couldn't be anything pleasant for her. It was dark and she could hardly see where she was going, and was amazed that she hadn't caught her foot or her dress on anything as she raced around trees and under limbs, trying to put some distance between herself and the monster chasing her. Air entered her lungs only with difficulty, and her legs were burning. Heels were not made for running and the snug, corset-like bodice of her dress did nothing to allow a full desperate lung-full of air. Vanessa could feel herself growing weaker with every step she took. How long had she been running? Why won't that thing give up? Of course it knew that it would catch her eventually. It only had to keep her within its sights.

She dared a second glance over her shoulder and saw that the bull-man was indeed gaining, and just as she turned her face back to the forest ahead of her and plunged into the foliage to another clearing, she collided with something solid. The slightest of grunts told her that with wall she hit was alive, but was so unaffected by the collision that it barely took a step back. At some point she had squeezed her eyes shut; now she opened them and saw strange armor before her filling her field of view, covering a beautiful heavy silk fabric. She almost didn't want to look up to find out who or what the owner of such a strange costume was, but, warily, she slid her eyes upward as she clutched his breastplate in fear of what was coming behind her, as well as the stranger before her. He was tall, but as her eyes reached the edge of his collar, she saw skin – smooth, ivory pale skin that drew her eyes further up to a strong jaw and – human? – features. If she could have caught her breath, she would have sighed in relief.

The man to whom Vanessa was currently attached did not look down at her to meet her frightened eyes; instead his calm gaze was fixed on the crashing that headed their way. The bull-man finally reached the edge of the clearing and roared. She cringed and ducked her head into to the hard armor, heedless of the fact that she had no idea who this man was. Vanessa felt a twitch of the man's body beneath the armor and suddenly silence once again reigned in the clearing.

Breath coming painfully into her burning lungs, Vanessa turned her head the slightest bit to look over her shoulder and stared wide-eyed at the remains for her pursuer, neatly sliced in two from shoulder to hip. She quickly turned her face up to the man she was still clinging to and was shocked at his unflinching, intense raptor-like gaze directed at her. His eyes were mesmerizing, a gold so clear there was no way they could be contacts. The color reminded her of a wolf or tiger's eyes. She also noted absently that he sported strange face paint – or tattoos. The lids above his strangely beautiful eyes were a deep reddish hue and when she could finally tear herself away from his gaze to scan the rest of his face she found a deep blue, perfect crescent moon on his forehead and twin pairs of stripes along his high, chiseled cheekbones, the same hue as that on his eyelids.

Completing the odd beauty of this man was his hair. It fell slightly over his eyes and was the purest silver white she had ever seen, though he didn't look a day over 25. If she had had a better view, she would have noticed that the silver hair reached just below his knees and that it was tucked neatly behind pointed elfin ears.

As Vanessa continued to scan the man's face, trying to make sense of what her eyes told her, she saw his nostrils flare, ever so slightly as he inhaled through his nose. His face remained calm, emotionless, stoic, but she felt a rumble erupt from his chest under fingers that still clutched his breastplate, then she heard it. A sound so wild and bestial that immediately she turned back to the bull-man, but he remained still where he lay in pieces. The realization came to her then that this horrifying sound was coming from the man before her.

She jumped back as though burned and took in Sesshoumaru, the great inu youkai, taiyoukai of the Western Lands. Where am I?

A/N: I had to introduce you to Vanessa first! I promise more Sesshoumaru in later chapters. Umm… and more dialogue. At this point, I'm still grappling with how to deal with the language barrier, and, well, since Sesshoumaru is the quiet type anyway, for now we'll let actions speak louder than words.