Rin skipped happily behind her lord and in between Jaken and Ah-Un. She laughed happily and sung a happy song that the children of the village used to sing all the time. A red vain popped out on Jaken's forehead trying very hard not to yell, for he had learned the hard way, several times, just to let the girl be. Sesshomaru walked in front with his normal cold and emotionless face. After some hours of happy, annoying to Jaken, singing, Rin climbed onto the two headed demon and stopped singing. Jaken sighed with relief, but then tripped on a rock and went tumbling down to the ground, "Jaken-sama?" Rin asked as Ah-Un continued walking, "Did you forget how to walk?"
"I did not!" Jaken yelled and ran to catch back up, "I simply tripped on a giant rock."
"Well, giant to you," Rin laughed and the vain reappeared on Jaken.
Sesshomaru stopped walking, "Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken asked quietly.
"Rin," Sesshomaru said with an even, cold, tone, "There's a village nearby," he pulled out a pouch of gold he kept and handed it to her, "Go buy yourself a winter kimono."
Rin smiled happily and slid off the two headed demon and took the pouch handed to her and nodded, "We'll remain here until you return," Sesshomaru stated.
Rin smiled as if saying that she already knew he would. She then ran in a direction, "Rin," Sesshomaru said causing the girl to turn, "The village is that way," he pointed in a direction opposite of where she was heading.
Rin smiled and ran towards where her lord pointed, "Arigato, Sesshomaru-sama," with that said, Rin disappeared into the trees.
Ah-Un laid down in the grass and Jaken fell on the grass laying his back on Ah-Un, exhausted. Ah-Un shook his heads and watched as Sesshomaru sat himself against a tree. Sesshomaru was a demon of…little words, is saying it nicely, but his actions are what tell the two headed demon what he's really like. And, whether he admits it or not, he cares for Rin more than the rest of them…mostly Jaken, but hardly anyone cares about the annoying toad; except for Rin.
Rin walked around the market of the village looking for what her lord wanted her to buy. She smiled brightly when she found the clothing stand. Rin ran up to the young woman, "Oh," the woman said smiling, "Hello, can I help you?"
"Do you have winter kimonos?" Rin asked.
"Yes," the woman said, "Would you like to look?"
Rin nodded and went behind the stand to look at the clothes. Rin smiled widely at all the pretty colors, "So…pretty," she said happily.
The woman chuckled, "Where are your parents little one?" she asked.
Rin got this question a lot when Sesshomaru would send her to villages, so she had the answer ready, "At home," she said, "They said for me to pick a winter kimono that I liked," she held up the pouch.
"Ah, I see," the woman chuckled, "Well, pick one that you like then."
Rin smiled happily and said thank you as she began to look. The woman watched Rin as she looked. Suddenly, the sound of evil laughing and running horses were heard. The woman and Rin turned and the woman gasped, "Bandits…" she said and turned to Rin, "Get home…get to your family, run."
Rin wanted to do so, but the memory of what happened to her parents and brothers made her stay frozen. The woman shook Rin trying to get a reaction from her. Finally, the woman hid Rin inside a rather large box; this caused Rin to snap out of it, "Stay hidden," the woman said and closed the box.
Rin covered her ears as screams of humans were heard. Rin began to tear up when she heard the woman's cry. Suddenly, the box was tipped over and she came tumbling out, "Ah!" she yelled.
Rin looked with fear at the bandits surrounding her, "Look, it's a kid," one said.
"Let's finish her like the rest," another said.
Rin began to tear up again, "Sesshomaru-sama!" she cried into the air.
Suddenly, the bandits' yells were heard and Rin opened her eyes to see her lord standing in front of her with his face emotionless, but his eyes filled with hate and anger, "Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried happily.
"What the heck!" the remaining bandits yelled, "The girl's with a demon!"
"Can we take him?" one asked.
"Are you nuts! He took out half our fleet with one hand!"
"He only has one arm!"
Sesshomaru growled loudly and the remaining bandits ran away with their tails between their legs. Sesshomaru turned to Rin, who shook in slight fear and shock at what just happened. Sesshomaru picked Rin up in his arm and flew back to where Jaken and Ah-Un should be waiting. Sesshomaru cringed inwardly; she smelled like the bandits. Sesshomaru landed and Jaken came running up with his standard what happened, where he went, etc. questions. Sesshomaru set Rin down, "Rin, you should wash the smell off," he said in his standard tone.
Rin nodded, "Yes, my lord," she said and ran towards the creek in the forest.
"Jaken," Jaken stuttered as he turned to his master, "Go to what remains of the village and find Rin a winter kimono without blood."
Jaken was about to argue, but quickly run off after the glare he got from the Daiyokai. Ah-Un gave Sesshomaru a look and the Inu Yokai just stared at him and the two headed demon looked away. Jaken came back with a light blue kimono with white flowers, "This was the only kimono without blood, my lord," Jaken said handing the piece of human clothing to him.
Sesshomaru took the piece of clothing and was gone from Jaken's sight in less than a second. Jaken sighed with relief and fell on his back. Ah-Un sorted in annoyance, but left the toad alone. Sesshomaru arrived at the creek where Rin splashed around, but not in a playful, "Rin," Rin turned to Sesshomaru in shock, "Change into this."
He set the new kimono next to her bloodied one then took the bloodied one, "Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama," Rin said softly.
Sesshomaru looked at the little human girl, "Rin, is something troubling you?" he asked, his voice never changing.
Rin shook her head, "Rin is fine, my lord," she said softly again.
Sesshomaru looked at Rin, but decided against forcing her to say. Sesshomaru left, taking the old kimono with him. That night, Sesshomaru leaned against a tree looking at the night sky as Rin, Ah-Un, and Jaken slept. Sesshomaru turned from the sky towards his little group. Rin slept close to the fire, but not too close that Sesshomaru had to move her, again. Jaken slept flat on his back with a snot bubble over him and Ah-Un just slept on the ground. Sesshomaru stared at the only human in the group why is it that I care for this human? This one human…she screams and it's like my body acts on its own. Is this the feeling father had with the hanyou's mother? Sesshomaru shook his and continued to rest against the tree without actually sleeping.
Suddenly, a whimper came to Sesshomaru's ears. He turned and saw Rin turn towards the fire and her face was twisted with discomfort. Sesshomaru concluded that she was having a nightmare. Although he didn't care of nightmare he stood up to move the girl away from the fire. As he reached Rin and bent down to move her she whimpered again, but this time words left her mouth, "Mama…papa…" Sesshomaru's body froze as he heard this, "Nii-sans…"
She's dreaming of the death of her family? Sesshomaru thought. Rin whimpered again and got into a tighter ball. Sesshomaru had an unknown emotion suddenly spring up in his chest what is this feeling? Worry? Concern? Rin turned towards the fire again, but Sesshomaru stopped her mid turn so she wouldn't burn herself. Sesshomaru began to shake the girl, "Rin," he stated.
When Rin continued to whimper and made no signs of waking up, he tried again, "Rin," his voice more commanding, "Rin, wake up."
Rin's eyes snapped open and she stared at Sesshomaru's emotionless face for a while, "Sesshomaru…sama?" she asked uncertain.
Sesshomaru helped Rin sit up. Sesshomaru began to smell salt and when he looked at Rin he saw tears start to form in her brown eyes, "Rin, why do you cry?" he asked.
Rin wiped her eyes quickly, "Rin didn't mean to cry, my lord," she said softly, "Rin is sorry."
Sesshomaru sighed inwardly, "Rin, I only asked why you cry, I never said anything about it being wrong," he said, "Now, tell Sesshomaru why you shed tears."
Rin looked down, but answered her lord, "Rin misses her family," she said, "Today reminded Rin of how they died."
Sesshomaru felt confusion wasn't her village attacked by wolves? Rin messed with the bottom of her kimono and looked at Sesshomaru with fear. Sesshomaru picked Rin up in his arm and went back over to the tree and sat down, "Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked confused.
"Do you miss living with humans?" Sesshomaru asked.
Rin shook her head, "No, Rin likes traveling with Sesshomaru-sama and Jaken-sama," she said, "The humans in the village were never nice to Rin after Rin's family were killed by bandits," Sesshomaru froze and his emotionless face turned to one of shock, "Then Rin found Sesshomaru-sama in the forest," Rin smiled at Sesshomaru, "Sesshomaru-sama didn't scare Rin that much and then when Sesshomaru-sama saved Rin…he reminded Rin of papa," Sesshomaru's look of shock returned to his face, "But Rin knows Sesshomaru-sama isn't her papa. Rin just misses her family, my lord."
When Rin looked at Sesshomaru, his face had returned to its emotionless form. Sesshomaru moved Rin so she was lying on his mokomoko, "Sleep, Rin," he said in his usually tone.
Rin snuggled her face in his mokomoko and fell asleep. Sesshomaru leaned back against the tree do you have something to protect? His father's last question rang in his mind. Sesshomaru looked at Rin, now sound asleep. Sesshomaru closed his eyes yes…I do, father. Rin buried her face into his mokomoko, "…Papa…" Rin whispered.
Sesshomaru unconsciously pulled Rin closer to him and Rin moaned happily.
The Next Day…
"Whoa…" Inuyasha said when he came to a stop at a village, "Looks like we're late, guys."
Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kagome came up beside Inuyasha and went wide eyed, "What happened here?" Sango asked.
"Bandits," Miroku said as he stood by the dead bodies of at least ten bandits.
Everyone came over, "But…if they killed the villagers…" Kagome said.
"Who killed them?" Shippo finished.
Inuyasha sniffed the air, "Eh?" he said out loud in shock, "Sesshomaru?"
"Huh?" everyone said confused.
"Why would Sesshomaru kill bandits, human bandits?" Sango asked.
"Maybe they were in his way?" Miroku tried.
"No, he wouldn't come through a human village," Inuyasha said then sniffed again and went wide eyed.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, "Something wrong?"
Inuyasha shook his head, "Well, then let's give the villagers a decent burial," Miroku said.
Everyone nodded and moved to help, except for Inuyasha who stared at a tipped over box behind one of the stands I smell the scent of a human girl, but also Sesshomaru…did Sesshomaru actually kill the bandits to save the girl? Inuyasha shook his head, "Yeah…the day that Sesshomaru cares for a human is the day I cut off my own ears," he then followed his friends and helped bury the dead.
A/N I don't own Inuyasha! And I hope you all enjoyed this ONE-SHOT! Please R&R!