Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha, but I do own the plotline of this story and Kaori. That's right, Kaori. (AKA: Me. Or at least, my nickname.)
Notes: OK, this thought was bugging me for a while so I decided to post it. It just kept nagging at me forever! Then, (It was just my luck) my computer's modem died and I had to install the new one because my mom didn't know how to take the computer apart and my dad wasn't home. When I got it in and turned it back on to use the Internet, the hard-drive died. That SUCKS. So as I write this new story, until further notice, I will be writing it from the Public Library. (And I can't go there every day, so don't expect the chapters to be out quickly.)
"What? I said no such thing!" a taiyoukai told his father.
"Sesshomaru, you said that you would protect her, and now you must. Do you not know that the woman you love is in danger?"
"Father, that was so long ago! We were children, and it was an innocent case of puppy-love! I didn't think we would ever see each other again; that's the only reason I made that promise." Sesshomaru argued.
"Puppy-love? You call constant staring, blushing, and daydreaming puppy-love? I doubt that." Inutaisho shot back, beginning to get irritated with his son, "So what if you were a five-year-old? A promise is a promise and you WILL go through with it! I'm not saying you have to fall in love with her all over again, but you WILL protect her until the danger has past! Do you understand?"
Sesshomaru stared long and hard at his father, looking for a way to get around it, but he couldn't find one. "Yes, Father, but only until the danger is past."
"Good," Inutaisho said, turning around and smirking as Sesshomaru left the palace.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" a sweet voice asked.
Sesshomaru couldn't open his eyes, but something about the voice intrigued him. "Kaori?"
"The little girl hanging above him was shocked. "No, I'm Rin, remember?"
He finally managed to open his golden eyes and sit up. "You were unconscious for a little while, Sesshomaru-sama. Are you alright?"
He nodded once and remembered what happened. He, Jaken, Rin, and the dragon, Aun, had stopped for a rest on their journey to find Naraku. Then he had found a spot under a cherry tree and laid down against it, not expecting to actually fall asleep.
"Who is Kaori?" Rin asked.
Sesshomaru stood up. "Nobody... Just a childhood friend..."
"What was she like?"
He stopped walking for a moment to remember. "She smelled of cherry blossoms and her hair was long and raven, like yours. You would have liked her, Rin,"
She ran to keep up with him as he began walking again. "Was she pretty?"
Sesshomaru sighed before answering. "Yes, she was very pretty... but we were only children then,"
"Where is she now?"
"I don't honestly know, Rin," he replied, remembering the dream he had while unconscious, "I know she's alive, though, or else... I'd know."
"How would you know?" she asked, another question from a never-ending chain of them.
"I have this necklace, it tells me how she feels and what sort of condition she is in. I don't really have the choice to take it off because I am unable, as is she."
Rin's face somewhat softened more, if possible, and her eyes got glossy. "Did you love Kaori, Sesshomaru-sama?"
He was taken aback by her question and stopped so suddenly that she almost ran into him. "Rin, go take a bath."
"Okay!" she yelled happily as she ran to the river.
The truth was, yes, he did love her, but that was then.
As Rin ran off, Sesshomaru wondered why he had bothered to answer all of her questions. He hadn't spoken that much in a long time... Since Kaori disappeared.
And what was up with that dream? All he knew was that he was supposed to find her and protect her from something or someone, not because of the dream, but because the necklace that is not jewelery, but branded into his skin like a tatoo, was colored black, a sign that she was in danger.
Sesshomaru brought his hand up and touched the mark, whispering, "Kaori, what is after you? Where are you?"
-SIGH- It's so short...