Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. This is only a fanfiction for the enjoyment of Sess/Rin fans.
A/N: This story is written per Reading Pixie's idea. I hope everyone will drop a review for our friend Pixie. That would be so very kind of you. Thank you.
Chapter 1: A Note From Rin
The evening was gentle with cool breezes weaving through the air. The pale silver crescent hung in a far corner of the sky, smiling.
From a distance, a sentimental sound of a flute drifted lazily through the village.
Sesshomaru sauntered from the village gate towards Kaede's house.
A blink of a human eye was enough time for him to zip from the gate to his destination, but strolling through the village had become his favorite pastime.
The evening was full of human activities - a glimpse into Rin's life at the village: the appetizing aroma of the evening meals seeping through the kitchen windows; people gathering in their front yards, talking, playing instruments, singing; the ladies floundering in the river, enjoying their bath; wide-eyed children frolicking around, giggling while chasing each other in a game of tag.
At times, the children had boldly run up to him, touched him and laughed. "We tagged Sesshomaru-sama. Yay!"
Perhaps there was some truth to what little brother had said. "...I'm part human too, which is why I refuse to give up…"
Sesshomaru smirked. The human was an amazing creature. The achievement of their short lifetime was astounding. Despite their weak abilities, they had survived and flourished, unlike his powerful demon kind. Their endeavor was admirable.
He had been visiting Rin almost daily since that night a month ago.
It had been unforgettable: the feel of her silky skin through his hands tracing the curves of her body, the caress of her lips across his chest, her soft whispers of pleasure when he made love to her.
It was not a doubt that she had chosen him. The question that remained was the arrangement of their union.
She didn't want to stay at his castle, neither did he, really. The enclosed atmosphere was stifling.
Yet, she had been silent when he asked her to join him in his nomadic style, and she had been silent when he suggested he would stay with her at the village.
She had been chillingly silent in the recent days.
For the time being, he would just visit her daily during the evening, and stayed by her side during the nights.
At some point, the arrangement had to be made, but he would leave it to her decision when she felt more comfortable to do so.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken screamed, "you're passing Rin's house."
'Hah?!'
"We're not there yet, Jaken."
"Lord Sesshomaru, open your eyes and look."
Opening his eyes, he halted his strides. Jaken was right about him passing Rin's house.
Of course, it was strange for him to have passed Rin's house without noticing it. Her scent would never elude his detection.
Yet, her scent was nowhere in the vicinity.
"Where's Rin?"
She should be home by that time.
"HAH?! Yes, where is Rin?"
Sesshomaru turned and walked back towards Rin's house when Inuyasha came out.
"Inuyasha, where is Rin?"
"What, I thought she's with you?"
Usually, Sesshomaru would start a duel with his brother. They liked to test each other to see if they had improved in their training. Sometimes, they racked their brain to come up with a condescending comment to egg the other on for an excuse to fight.
But at the moment, Sesshomaru was not in the mood.
Rin was nowhere to be found.
Nobody knew where Rin was, even Kaede.
"I haven't seen her anywhere," said Kaede.
Sango didn't know, neither did Kagome, nor Miroku.
If anyone should know where Rin was, it would be the kids, but they were clueless too.
Inuyasha dashed cross the yard, leaping on treetops, leaping away from the village. The whole time, Inuyasha continuously screamed, "RIN...RIN...RIN…"
Sesshomaru glided in the air in a manner more gentle than Inuyasha, and his mental state might also be more composed.
If it was a demon who had taken Rin, Inuyasha would've known about it.
It must be a human who could pass Inuyasha's detection as harmless.
But who?
Maybe she went with Kokaku to visit Totosai.
Sesshomaru landed in front of Totosai's armory.
Kohaku swooshed down on Kirara's back with a warm greeting. But Rin wasn't there, and Kohaku didn't have a clue about where Rin would be.
Sesshomaru traced back through all the paths they traveled together as much as he could remember them.
Nowhere.
Miroku ransacked the whole entire village and the next several neighboring villages.
Nowhere.
At midnight, the three gathered back at Kaede's with no optimistic results.
They had long discussions and arguments among themselves as to where Rin might be and came up with no satisfactory agreement.
When the gang retired to their beds, planning to resume the search in the morning, Sesshomaru went to Rin's room.
He reclined on her bed, the place he had been spending his nights in, to calm himself from his chaotic thoughts.
In the silence, his mind ran even wilder.
He sat up, his heart fidgeting, his eyes inching from one direction to another, unrest. He got up, mindlessly combing through Rin's room, hoping for nothing much.
He even lifted the mattress as if Rin was hiding under there to surprise him, a wistful thought.
While looking out the window hoping to see a shadow of Rin coming home, he rested his hand on top of Rin's dresser. Instead of feeling the hard wood of the dresser surface, his hand touched upon an object like that of a scroll.
Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru picked it up.
There was writings on it.
'Damn it, Rin.'
...