Chapter One
The day was warm as young Rin wandered through the flower fields. A brilliant sun shinned radiantly across the mountains and valleys that surrounded her, but she ignored them as she lowered her hands to feel the tall and gentle blossoms caress the inside of her palms. She giggled at the tickling sensation that radiated through her arms from the long grass as she cupped her hand to pluck a rather big rose blossom. Its yellow hue reminded her of her lord's honey gold eyes. "I wonder if Lord Sesshoumaru would like this as a welcoming present when he arrives today."
With her right hand, she held onto the golden flower in a gentle yet determined grip and with her left, she caught a strand of her midnight black hair and tucked it behind her ear to keep it from her eyes. "Child, are yee alright?"
Rin nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Lady Kaede's voice. She spun around fast and found the old woman near the base of one of the many trees that inhabited the Forest of Inuyasha. "Hello, Kaede! Yes, I'm alright." While cradling the rose blossom, she walked toward the priestess with a soft smile. "I was just in the middle of acquiring a gift for Lord Sesshoumaru on his visit this afternoon."
Kaede, who was dressed in the traditional garbs of a powerful priestess with a white kimono and fire red hakama pants, was nodding at the thirteen year old as she found herself in front of her. "I think yee had better clean up, if yee wish to present it to Sesshoumaru." Kaede nodded at Rin's attire and dirt covered hands.
Rin glanced down at herself and pursed her lips. The kimono she was sporting could be considered pretty if it was clean. Under smudges of soot and fresh soil was a beautiful linen robe in sea green with a soft pink sash. "I suppose you are right, Kaede. I cannot allow Lord Sesshoumaru to see what has become of the kimono that he had given me on his last visit. Do you think it can be cleaned before he arrives?"
Kaede studied her for a moment and contemplated while focusing on the dirty kimono. "Yes, it can be cleaned, but I am afraid that it would not be ready by the time Sesshoumaru comes."
Rin sighed grimly. "I was afraid of that. Would you mind greatly if I should borrow a pair of robes?"
The old priestess shook her head and smiled sweetly. "I believe Kagome might have something. Yee shall have to wait for her to return from her world, but it should not be long. Kagome promised to return within the hour. Come, child. We shall find a jar in which to put that blossom in while yee wait."
"Alright!" Rin followed the miko through the dense forest with little else to say as they stumbled over large tree roots and tore through thick vines until they reached the top of a steep hill that led to the village. "Kaede?"
"Hmm?" The elder priestess turned her head as they made their way down toward their village.
"I think I would like to wash up a little right now. May I borrow a set of robes from you instead?"
Kaede nodded with a kind smile. "Of course. Just gather what yee need from my hut while I visit one of the villagers. I understand that one of the children has caught a nasty cold and I need to administer some healing herbs so feel free to find a vase if yee wish, also while I am gone."
"Thank you Kaede!" Rin left the woman to her business and sprinted past several houses. Various voices called out from window panes and gardens in greeting. "Hello, Rin!"
"Hi!" Rin called back in mid stride and offered a kindly wave as she arrived at Kaede's door. "Time to clean up!"
About an hour passed when Rin emerged from Kaede's home. She had pulled her long hair back and tied it securely with a white ribbon, and had changed from her original kimono to a priestess one that resembled Kaede's. "Hello, Rin." A gruff and familiar voice offered from her left side.
The thirteen year old turned and smiled. "Hello, Inuyasha!" She walked over to the tall, silver haired half demon. "What brings you here?"
The half demon Inuyasha had his arms folded, and was wearing his usual robes of the fire rat. He focused on her with honey gold eyes. "I ran into Kaede a few minutes ago. She tells me you needed Kagome for some clothes. I was coming to bring you some, but I see you're already dressed." He didn't seem angry…just annoyed as he realized the outfit that Rin had chosen to wear.
Rin cocked her head to the side when she realized that in Inuyasha's folded grip was a set of clothes that belonged to her older friend. "Oh!" She smiled brightly. "Forgive me, Inuyasha. I'm thankful that you took the time to bring me something to wear, but Kaede had already given me permission to find some of Kikyo's robes." She thought for a moment. "But I will change if these clothes bother you." She added, realizing that she must look like a much younger version of his lost love.
Inuyasha huffed and shrugged. "Nah, that's alright. You look more like Kagome to me." He paused as he noticed the look of sympathy radiating from Rin's dark brown stare. "No need to get all worried about my feelings! It's okay!"
"Are you sure? Because I will change! Honestly, if it bothers you, I'll wear Kagome's clothes instead until my kimono is cleaned!"
Inuyasha raised a quizzical brow. "Don't you have other robes?"
Rin nodded. "Yes, I do. But Kagome decided to do laundry before she left. My green kimono was the only thing I had to wear today because my other things were being washed."
"Then just keep the clothes you're wearing now, on." He paused again and half smiled, which revealed a single pearl white fang. "My brother will sure be surprised to see you dressed as a priestess."
Rin blushed. She turned away from Inuyasha's probing honey eyes to avoid further embarrassment and focused on the back of a neighbor's head as they plowed the soil in the field a few yards away. "Do you think he would like me in these clothes?"
Inuyasha huffed a second time. "Please! There is no telling what he thinks about anything unless it has to do with demons, battles, our swords, and our parents. Why do you ask?'
Rin shrugged while she kept her eyes locked on the back of her neighbors head as he worked. "I just wondered. No reason." She thought for a moment. "Hey, Inuyasha?"
"What?"
"Is Kagome back yet?"
The half demon raised an eye brow. "Uh…hmm." He focused his nose in the direction of the Bone Eaters well and sniffed the air. He smelled nothing but fresh turned soil, smoke from various fires, and a faint aroma of flowers. Rin was covered in it…but he could smell no Kagome. "Nope. I can't sense her, but I'm sure she's on her way. I bet if you go to the well now, she'll turn up when you get there."
Rin turned back to the half demon and nodded. "Alright. See you later!"
"Hey!" Before Inuyasha knew it, the young teenage girl was running for the trees and was out of sight. "You're welcome…" He muttered to himself as he turned to retreat back to his own home deeper into the village.
Rin had to pick up the hem of her pants as she ran. They were bit longer than she was use to, but they covered her just fine. In minutes, she found herself at the rim of the Bone Eaters will, out of breath but hopeful. She waited.
No Kagome.
Rin waited longer while she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Any minute now." She whispered to herself.
No Kagome.
The teenager pursed her lips. Come on, Kagome! I need you!
No Kagome.
Minutes passed by with no sign of the miko. "Hmm." Rin walked over to the rim of the well and looked down into the blackened pit. She saw only darkness. "Kagome?" She called into the empty space, but she was met with no reply. "I wonder how this thing works." Rin pressed her front into the side of the well and she leaned herself over to get a better look. "I can't even see the bottom of this well. How does Kagome go back and forth?" She lowered her face farther into the heart of the blackness, no realizing that her foot was sliding slowing out from under her. Maybe if I call loud enough, she'll hear me. "Kagome!" She shouted into the nothingness.
Silence.
Rin narrowed her eyes and lowered herself farther. "Kago…!" Her foot slipped on the dirt and she found herself dropping head first into a pit of black. "AH!" She screamed. Rin clenched her eyes and felt her heart leap in fear as she prepared for impact with solid ground.
Nothing.
Rin felt herself slow, but when she reached her hand out to grab a side of the well wall, she found nothing but empty space. She pealed open her eyes.
All around her was violet light mixed in a swirl of black mist. Rin glanced down and felt her heart stop. There was nothing beneath her! No ground, no way of stopping her in her descent farther into the well. She looked up and saw nothing but a sliver of light no bigger than the shimmer of a distant star. Her world was dissolving before her eyes.
"Oh!" The young girl threw her arms upward in hopes of finding something, anything to grab onto to stop herself but there was only vacant mist. Oh no! What do I do? "Help me!" She screamed aloud, praying that someone would come to her aid.
Nothing and no one came to save her…except hard ground. "OW!" In an instant, Rin crashed into not just hard dirt but an army of various rocks and pebbles. "What just happened?" She blinked and looked at her surroundings with a look of confusion. "Did I finally reach the bottom?" She glanced around and noticed that the violet and black mist had vanished. "Where…?" She lifted her deep brown eyes upward and noticed clear sunlight in the center top of the well. It was a lot closer than Rin thought it would be.
It didn't take her more than a few minutes to climb back out, but it took her less than a few seconds to realize that the area she had crawled back into was not the home she dropped into the well from. All around her were the trees she had left, but they were much smaller in size, and the horizon was much more visible. "What the…?" Rin hung onto the brim of the well, unsure of what she was seeing. She was sure that the village in the direction she was focusing on was her current home, but there was only a few small houses instead of many…and the people walking about were not familiar to her in any way.
"Kaede?" Her voice uttered nothing more than a whisper, but she soon gained her confidence as she released the rim of the well and allowed her foot to make contact with the ground. "Kaede!" She yelled as she made her way toward to smaller village.
The snap of a tree branch stopped her instantly. "Human! Halt in the presence of my Lord!" an un familiar voice commanded from behind her.
Rin turned on her feet slowly, and glanced over toward a long, dark haired man with fangs and pointed ears. He was dressed in elegant robes of white and lavender. A demon? "Who are you?" She asked.
The male demon narrowed his violet eyes and snarled. "Such insolence! Bow before my Lord, or I shall feed you to my dogs!" He pointed sharply in the direction of a white blob in the corner of Rin's periphery.
Confused, Rin turned and found herself almost nose to nose with a startlingly familiar pair of honey gold eyes attached to a startlingly familiar face attached to a startlingly familiar flowing silver hair. "Lord Sesshoumaru…?"
