“Seeker of the Sacred Pearl” Part 1

“Ineiyasha! Your highness!” Miroku called from outside the prince's door.

His fist thumping anxiously on the stone surface. “Your father and brother would like to speak with you, urgently.” When no answer came from the room, he took out the keys strapped to his hip. Trying to still his shaking hand as the lock clicked. Recently the youngest of the kingdom's two princes had developed a blood lust for violence uncharacteristic of your typical merman, even a pure blooded royal.

Once his anger is spiked He begins to transform. His eyes glow a terrifying red, reminiscent of nothing but a mindless demon. His only thought seemingly on causing death and destruction all around him any one who even came close in this state would be torn to shreds by his terrible claws. Even laughing with delight at those begging for mercy.

Noone knows why this has begun to happen to their beloved prince but the King and his eldest son have been searching the seas for anyone who can help him, anything to tame this beast inside him. Until a cure could be found, the young prince has been confined to his room. Metal bars were placed over his window and was locked behind the huge stone door and left under the care his personal guard, Miroku.

“I'm coming in alright? You ok?” The door grinded against the floor horribly. Once there was enough room the merman began to squeeze his purple tail into the extravagant room. His eyes widening at the carnage around him. All the fine bedding had been torn beyond repair, his mirrors shattered and all his belongings thrown and scattered about. The room lay eerily silent with no sign on the demonic prince.

Miroku lay a cautious hand on his sword. Meant to protect the prince, It now may serve to protect his guard. “Ineiyasha?”

Following the various claw marks along the floor and walls he glanced at the prince's window. Its thick metal bars meant to contain him ripped out and bent. All around the windows edges were countless scratches in the stone. “Oh gods.. He's loose”

As quick as his tail could carry him the guard flew from the room, dashing for the king and eldest son for help.

Aimlessly Ineiyasha flew through the water. His white hair flowing elegantly behind him. His glowing red eyes illuminated the dark water, searching for any creature that moved. Something, anything he could dig his claws into.

Deep from his throat a growl emerged as he spotted something. After sniffing the waters a moment he smiled. A great white shark. It swam quietly a ways off, searching for its next prey. Unaware of its tragic fate. Ineiyasha laughed to himself and cracked his claws, In preparation, hungry to be surrounded by the creature's blood. He darted for it. With a shout he slashed at the creatures side, its tail thrashed in a panic as it turned to bite at its attacker. The rows of teeth sank into the prince's left arm. But in this state the demon felt no pain, no fear. Any other merman would have fled and so would he, were he in his right mind but he only growled at the pathetic attempt to survive and sank his fangs into the creatures gills. Ripping them from its flesh with ease.

Blood surrounded them in a cloud of red. Ineiyasha reveled in it, drunk with the addictive scent but his body craved more. The shark stopped its thrashing as it continued to be torn open more and more. The demonic merman frowned. “Pathetic..” He growled. Glancing about for anything else, he saw yet another victim.This one far more interesting. A huge humpback whale approached them from afar, its calf swimming happily by her side. With his powerful crimson tail the prince swam for his prey. Fangs bared and claws ready to strike its tender belly.

When from behind a glowing green whip instantly wrapped around his wrist. Stopping the assault. “Ineiyasha!” the eldest prince called out furiously. Disgusted with his brother's behavior he dragged the demon by his wrist. “That's enough!”

The interruption only fueled the demon's rage further, now with a new target sesshomaru faced the wrath of his brother's claws. Golden eyes steady and determined he watched his mindless brother with fascination. Wondering what causes him to become like this.

“Get a hold of yourself!” he demanded, easily moving himself from the deadly path. Ineiyasha turned around and immediately struck at his brother again. Claws hitting nothing but empty water. The older brother couldn't help his slight grin, amused by the attempt. His younger brother has never managed to land a blow on him, even through all their years of training together. He simply was never quite fast enough. “Too slow”

Furiously Ineiyasha sank his claws into the gaping wound on his arm, the red substance hardened into deadly blades as he hurled them through the water, an attack the elder brother had never seen before. “What the-” Most missed their target but one managed to strike his brother's blue tail. “Ineiyasha!” Sesshomaru shouted, returning the assault with another of his glowing whips. Extending from his own claws, the energy whip wrapped around the demon's torso. Strapping his arms to his sides. The young prince struggled furiously against his hold. “Father, now!” Sesshomaru called out. The king flew from behind the prince placing an enchanted necklace around his neck. Given to them by the old enchantress, Kaede. The ring of amethyst coloured pearls and cursed shark's teeth began to glow.

This seal would hold the prince's spirit and body, rendering him completely paralized and soon unconscious. Completely at the mercy of its caster.

Seshomaru approched as he held his brother in place the best he could. Placing two elegant fingers on his chest the crown prince began to chant the binding spell.

Ineiyashas threw his head back with a shout as the beads began to sting his skin, the pain unlike anything he'd ever felt. “Makeru!” Shesshomaru commanded. The word now locked onto this new seal.

The younger prince gasped as he suddenly found his entire body unable to move, vision beginning to fade and a sudden wave of calm fell over him, his mind giving into the lull of unconsciousness. With his tail unable to move, his body began to sink, but did not fall far. Still as stone he was pulled to his brother's bare chest. Groaning quietly at the shockingly gentle contact. Sesshomaru leaned into his brother, nuzzling the soft white hair affectionately as he fell asleep.

“Enough, brother,” he whispered. The king approached. Eyes sullen and saddened by having to do this to his own son but it simply couldn't be helped.

He placed a loving hand on his youngest son's head as his eyes fell closed.

“I'm sorry my boy…”

Ineiyasha lay asleep in his bed, already repaired and ready for them upon their return. His expression was peaceful as his chest rose and fell softly. Sesshomaru sat on his bedside, pulling the cover up to his chin. “How could you have let this happen miroku!’ The king shouted. Forcing the young guard into a corner.

”You were supposed to be watching him! What if some poor soul had crossed his path hm? Their blood would be on your head boy, if you think you can just-”

“This isn't helping father!” Sesshomaru barked. Stroking his brother's hair, his voice grew dark. “Leave us miroku” The guard bowed politely, more than willing to obey the prince's merciful command. Toga sighed, raking a hand through his own white hair he glazed about the remaining destruction in the room.

“What are we going to do? We can't keep that seal on him forever.”

“We don't need to keep it on him forever, we just need it on him for now. Well, find a way to pacify this demon of his. I'm sure of it. I just…I need more time”

“We don't have time. Your coronation is approaching. If word gets out of Ineiyasha's…condition. I fear for not only his safety but our own. Have you found out anything more on those curses you were reading about”

After a moment, Sesshomaru shook his head. “Nothing that will help. There's no curse known to merkind that could do something like this. We need to find out more about what causes this change before we can try to-!”

Ineiyeasha groaned quietly as he dreamed, turning his head unconsciously into his brother's comforting touch. The prince sighed heavily. “Please just go father. Everyone will become suspicious if you don't return soon. I'll talk to him.”

Toga took a breath to protest but knew his son was right and turned to leave. Sesshomaru shoved the heavy door closed behind him with a thud, knocking one of the elegant pots that managed to remain on its shelf to the floor with a crash.

Ineiyashas shot open at the sudden noise. His body heavy as lead and head pounding he groaned in pain as he sat up. Glancing through one eye as his brother was instantly at his side. “How do you feel?”

“Like crap”

“Well that's to be expected this seal is going to take a little getting used to”

Ineiyeasha brows furrowed. “Seal?” He glanced down at the unwelcomed object around his neck. Quickly he grabbed them, pulling with all his might to lift them over his head. The necklace only glowed in offense to the action and refused to budge. “What the hell is this thing?!” He shouted furiously glaring daggers.

“I'm sorry brother, but you simply don't have enough power to remove it.”

“What is it!?” he repeated, pulling at the beads again. Even trying to bite them with his fangs.

Sesshomaru sighed “They're for your own good.”

“Keh! Mine? Or yours? Seems to me all you and father are worried about is our own scaly hides”

“If it makes you feel any better, it's only I who can use them.”

Ineiyasha yanked his arm away. “Oh yeah that makes me feel so much better! God's Sakes you may as well just chain me to a wall like an animal-”

The young prince watched carefully as his brother gently took his wrist, inspecting the bruise he received from the tight grip of his whip. “-Sesshomaru!”

The elder brother licked the injury tenderly. Never breaking his brother's gaze. “Keep acting like one and I just might…” he growled. Ineiyashas cheeks reddened. Merpeople’s saliva holds healing properties for all sorts of injuries, usually one simply does it themselves but family members often licked each other's wounds to heal them as a sign of affection, but the heated look his brother always gave him when he did it was… nothing like he'd recieved from anyone else. The tender action caused his tail to squirm beneath the covers. Sesshomaru kissed the skin, now healed to its original state.

“Why didn't you stay in the room like we told you?”

Ineiyasha turned his head away, hiding his blush from his brother. “I don't… remember what happened.” Sesshomaru frowned, placing more and more kisses up his brother's arm, till he reached the more serious wound of the shark's bite.

“You need to be more careful… You could have killed someone. Or worse…”

Ineiyasha sucked in a breath at his brother's licks, breathing heavily as the pain began to subside, his head swimming. With little resistance the elder brother pinned him back down onto his back.

For a moment sesshomaru simply looked at his sibling. He cant deny his brother's beauty, even riveling that of his own. His thinner frame was lined with well trained muscles from their training together and he held a pale complexion that would make any of the finest mermaids envious. He has their mothers eyes, unlike himself. Made for seeing in the dark, what is usually the white of the eyes are instead a dark red with irises blue as the sea. Brilliant in contrast, they never failed to hold the crown prince's attention. Sesshomaru leaned down, licking at Ineiyasha's tender neck. “...What if something happened to you?” he whispered.

Ineiyasha gasped, placing his hands on his brother's chest in resistance, but couldn't find the will to push him away. “Sesshomaru, what are you- ah!”

“I'm checking for any more injuries of course, now hold still…”