/Me: Okay, so since this is the very first chapter, it's going to be the chapter that gets all the boring crap that starts the story off out of the way. Sesshy will come in the next chapter followed by a special appearance by *drum roll* Naraku! Sesshy and Naraku are my fav inuyasha characters, so they're like a package deal. If one's in the story I'm working on, the other one will be in it too most likely. Ugh, enough of my idle chatter! Enjoy! Plz review constructed feedback is appreciated :3/
Chapter 1 Hill-Billy Hell
Her parents were supposed to have returned two days ago, but seeing as though it was already Thursday, Rin had her doubts if they'd be back before the week was out. She knew her parent's habits better than anyone, and one of them was going away and never coming back on the designated date and time. Rin didn't mind though, because their delayed absence gave her the time to think that she normally wouldn't have. To tell the truth, words couldn't describe her excitement that for once, she was all alone in the cramped, overly-cluttered shack she-and the other five members of her family-called home. Although there was still no room for the countless piles of shit that her pack-rat of a mother held onto, at least some empty space for breathing was available. Some, but not enough for Rin to take her first breath of unpolluted air in twenty-four years.
The fact that two old-as-dirt dogs left their scent of decay on everything in sight didn't help Rin with her already troubled breathing. They always seemed to look at her with that pleading "Please kill me" expression in their glassy bloodshot eyes. Rin would be happy to oblige(It's not that she didn't care for the animals, it's just that she seemed to be the only one who saw that they were in great pain and needed to be put out of their misery, instead of letting them suffer) but like the boxes of junk cluttering every room in the house, her family refused to let the dogs go. Ever. They planned to stuff them after their death, and keep them always. Rin cast a sad glance at the miserable creatures, and shivered at the thought of having to see them frozen in some idiotic stance, with their eyes replaced by black marbles, for all of eternity. She shook her head, and pinched the bridge of her nose out of frustration. As if the dogs weren't aggravating enough, her siblings made her want to take a gallon of gasoline, spread it over every last item in the house, thrust out a match and light this mother fucker on fire and just watch. It. BURN.
The three little monsters known as Rin's siblings-all younger than her-were spoiled beyond belief. The money her family had was very limited, but whatever earnings her parents brought home were spent on the brat's demands. 'I wanna new Barbie, I wanna PlayStation, I wanna T.V. in my room,... GIMME GIMME GIMME!'This was the basic routine and the only way Rin's pathetic parents knew how to shut them up was by giving in to their outrageous requests. Either that, or deny their demands and watch them scream...and scream...and SCREAM. Her parents had to find out the cost of ever denying the trio something the hard way.
Rin could count on one hand how many times she asked her parents for something over the span of her life and instead of receiving what she wanted, her response was 'Sorry honey, money's kinda tight now-and-days. Maybe some other time, though.' I guess if she didn't throw a tantrum then they wouldn't bother to get her anything. It was all about the three little nightmares. One thing Rin knew for certain, was that by any way possible, she was going to leave hill-billy hell once and for all someday. "Someday..." she sighed mournfully as she did her best to hide the couch's hideous odor with a bottle of fa-breeze.
Rin had a plan. She'd been working long and hard on it for the past four years, and was pretty sure of it's success. After she had finished high school, her parents turned down her request to go to college so that she could stay and support the family. Rin loathed them for that decision and plotted her escape for quite some time. For the past four years she had used up all of her spare time-time she didn't spend working her fingers to the bone- to create a portfolio for the college of her dreams: The Luna College of Art. As a young girl, Rin was constantly sketching in her little red book, which she kept with her always, and loved to show them to her parents.
Once the pages were full, she asked her parents for another, but again she received the same excuse like she always did. Now that she thought about it, the only thing Rin ever wanted from her parents...was a new sketch book. They couldn't turn their attention away from bratzillas numbers one two and three, and give their eldest child something she wanted for once?
Rin narrowed her eyes and clutched the fa-breeze bottle so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her parents really must despise her for them to treat her so poorly. Once they stooped so low as to ask her for money, but it wasn't going towards the whole family. It was going to her siblings and their silly wishes. Rin was appalled. Simply appalled. Her blood boiled at the idea of her giving them some of her well earned minimum wages, so that they could purchase some meaningless plastic play-thing for the trio to throw away like yesterday's news the moment they got it. That's what always happened, why should that time be any different?
Rin released the bottle of cleaning detergent and growled angrily. "Calm down Rin" she assured herself giving the bridge of her nose a sharp pinch. "It'll all be over soon enough. One more paycheck, and I'll finally leave hill-billy hell. I'll leave those little brats, my pathetic excuse for parents, and this goddamn claustrophobic house."
"Well even here in 'hill-billy hell', we have feelings and aren't too happy to be thought so little of." A deep voice spoke just behind Rin.
She felt her eyes widen with shock as she spun on her heel to face the speaker. "Dad.." 'Of course' she cursed mentally. Her parent's picked the PERFECT time to come home, just when she was talking about a way to escape. That's always a great thing to come home to.
"I didn't hear you guys come in..." Rin mumbled, her back turned, not even bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice. "It's about time you got back. I was ready to send a search party."
Her father rolled his eyes. "You know how we are better than anyone, Rin. We lost track of time-again- and ended up two days later than we planned to. Yada yada, same story you've heard a billion times..." He chuckled.
"Uh...how long have you been standing there?" Rin muttered, not making eye contact with her father.
"Long enough. So...you really are leaving after all. I didn't want to believe it when your mother told me. I had to see it for myself." He sighed, scratching his filthy head. Rin fought the urge to vomit on the spot when her eyes caught a glimpse of white flakes falling from his hair to the ground. 'The man takes the title of "slob" to a new level.' She thought as she did her best not to stare.
"I'm surprised it took you this long to figure out that I wanted to leave. You didn't think I'd stay forever, did you? I mean, a bird has to leave the nest...-" Rin chuckled saying the last sentence in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I suppose. And I guess we don't blame you for wanting to leave. I certainly don't." He smiled sadly.
"Dad...You don't have to live this way." Rin said, every word she spoke dripped with concern. "You don't have to deal with all the filth, all the unecessary clutter, using every paycheck you get to buy meaningless shit for those...those monsters! How are they ever going to fend for themselves one day if they expect mommy and daddy to prepare everything for them on a sliver platter? You have to stop this madness soon before it's too late." She pleaded, placing her delicate hands on her father's broad shoulders.
"It is too late, Rin. They completely control our lives now, and there's not much we can do about that..." He said shaking his head sadly. He hung his head for a moment before he lifted it once more, and stared at his daughter with eyes full of hope.
"They don't control you, though. I don't want you to stay around until they do. Although I'm sad to see you go, I know that you'll be able to live the life you've always wanted. But you need to get out of this house first." He spoke truthfully.
"I don't know if I can yet. I still need a bit more money before I can even think about leaving, and if it took me this long to earn this much, who knows how long it'll be before I have enough to actually leave?" Rin was on the verge of crying, and dabbed at the tears beading in the corners of her eyes.
A firm hand squeezed her shoulder assuringly as an envelope was shoved into Rin's arms. Rin blinked the water out of her eyes, and stared at the envelope now in her hands. She looked to her father for an answer, but all she got was a smile and a nod of his head. She slide one thin digit underneath the seal, and broke it instantly. A feeling of anxiety swept over Rin as she pulled out the envelope's contents. She froze when her eyes scanned the documents. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she struggled to piece together the right words. Not sure of what else to do, she began reading one of the documents aloud.
"It is our pleasure to present you, Rin Ashita, with a fully paid four year scholarship to 'The Luna College of Art'. We were highly impressed with the portfolio we recieved-" Rin paused mid-sentence and shot her head up to gape at her father.
"Y-you...sent them my portfolio? W-when was this?" She stammered still not believing what the document before her stated.
"It took me until recently to realize just how talented you are, Rin. I came into your room the other day to ask a favor of you, when I saw your portfolio spread open across your bed. Honey, the things you've created are some of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I'd be a terrible father if I didn't encourage your talent." He smiled at his daughter, admiration dancing in his foggy hazel eyes.
"Next to the portfolio, I saw an application form to the college. I knew then that you planned on leaving, so...I thought I'd give you the extra push you needed." He lifted his hand from it's position on Rin's shoulder, and softly caressed her face.
Rin lost all control, and the dam finally burst. Tears of joy trickled down her face as she buried her face in her father's chest, and sobbed loudly. He just smiled, as he wrapped his arms around her in a protective hug. Rin couldn't believe it. She got in. She was going to make all her dreams come true and for once, she got something from her parents. Not a toy, not a video game, or a bright shiny ball. She got a full scholarship to the college of her dreams. All of those years of torture, hard work, neglect, and patience finally paid off. She was going to college. Rin smiled brightly as she repeated the same two word's over and over again. 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.'
She was going to college, and the best part is...
She didn't have to pay for any of it. For once.