Chapter 2 Illusions

Birds flew off, foxes, wolves, wild boars ran away, rabbits buried themselves into their holes. They and the other inhabitants of the forest were terrified by the sudden apparition of a frightening aura among them.

The powerful being was furious, and not alone, another demon was with him, less powerful but equally dangerous.

They were both devastating the forest in order to find something, or rather someone.

"I have already said it! I looked through the whole damn forest!. I searched behind every damn tree!" Inuyasha growled. "We have to search elsewhere! Quickly!"

Sesshomaru didn't answer. He was too infuriated to even care about his half-brother's complaints. They had already inspected the forest several times, to no avail. He couldn't smell Rin's scent, nor detected her tracks, as if she had never been there.

"Did you hear me? Rin isn't here! Uprooting all the trees won't solve the matter! We can't detect the bears' tracks either. What do you think? They didn't wait for us!"

"Shut up!" Sesshomaru yelled, pinning the half-breed to a tree. "Shut up!"

The infamous Lord didn't care if he was losing his composure, in front of his brother of all the people! He was on edge. He had been so sure he would be able to find Rin.

"I won't shut up! Be realistic! She isn't here anymore," Inuyasha spat.

He was on edge too. Kagome wouldn't stop crying, Sango wouldn't stop screaming, Miroku wouldn't stop making pessimistic hypothesis. He couldn't take it anymore.

"You need to search elsewhere! And we will help you because Rin is a friend! But you need to move your ass!"

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth then let go of Inuyasha's clothes. He hated to admit it, but the half-breed was right. He had to think. If she wasn't here anymore, he could always search the surroundings of the forest, interrogate the villagers, use other demons to detect her tracks. There were a lot of things he could do, why hadn't he already started them?

"I'll send Jaken to my soldiers, they will help. Go back to your woman and calm her down. It's useless to cry. I'll definitely bring Rin back."

Inuyasha simply nodded. He wasn't surprised by his brother's words about Kagome, even if he usually wouldn't have bothered to mention her, because Sesshomaru wasn't his usual-self. As an evidence, the infamous Lord hadn't beaten him yet in spite of all the times he had been screamed at. Well, Inuyasha wasn't complaining either to be spared, but he doubted it would still be the case after what he was about to say.

"I don't like to say that, but don't... don't be so confident. I mean you can't be sure you will be able to find her. Don't... If Rin is..."

Sesshomaru's glare hushed him. Inuyasha knew better than courting disaster. He wouldn't insist, however he couldn't stop wondering if it wasn't too late. In fact, deep inside him, he had already given up. Soon, he wouldn't be the only one.

As time went by, Kagome stopped crying, giving up, too, the idea of seeing the little girl alive, and soon her resignation overcame the hope brought by Sesshomaru's presence. Even he couldn't do anything more. Rin would soon be a part of their memories, unfortunately, a sad memory.

Sesshomaru couldn't accept that. They were wrong, all of them, totally wrond. He would find her, no matter what, no matter when. He kept on searching, day and night, night and day, alone.

As for Jaken, he was torn between his heart and his duty. Of course, he wanted to see Rin, but the condition in which his Lord was worsened day by day. The great demon didn't eat, sleep, or rest even for a second. He was spending his time looking for the little girl, neglecting his health, and his duty as a leader.

As Rin's friend, Jaken wanted his master to go on with the searches, but as the servant of the Lord of the Western Land he had to put an end to that situation. Well, once he would have gathered up the courage to face him.

It happened five weeks after their arrival to Inuyasha's village – Jaken had never been really quick- when Sesshomaru finally agreed to rest a little. He literally collapsed against a tree trunk, too exhausted to walk to his half-brother's house. He had lost weight and was weakened, in spite of the fact that demons could do without feeding for quite an important amount of time, despair was the only thing keeping him going on.

Seeing his master lowered to such a condition broke Jaken's heart. It was time to act.

Taking a deep inspiration, he carefully walked to the demon, determined to disturb the precious sleep, or so he thought.

"What do you want Jaken?" Sesshomaru asked -startling the little imp- without opening his eyes.

"My... my Lord I..." Jaken took another deep breath, he had to be brave, he had to be honest. "I think... I think it's time to go back to your Land. We can't do anything more here. I'm sure Rin would agree." He saw his master tense. "I mean, she wouldn't want you to neglect your health, or your duty. She would advice you to move on like... like she did when she lost her family and met us."

The end of his sentence was barely audible, but Sesshomaru heard it nonetheless.

"Are you saying that I'm acting like a fool?"

Jaken lowered his gaze to the ground. "Fool is not the word I would use," he whispered. "You..."

"Speak Jaken."

"Rin was important to you my Lord, it's understandable that you want to find her. I also want to see her again, but we have to acknowledge the truth. Rin has... Rin has disappeared. She has... she has left our lives," Jaken slightly sobbed.

Keeping his eyes to the ground, he missed the single tear which rolled on Sesshomaru's cheek.

His servant was right. Rin had left their lives, his life. It had been so long since Sesshomaru had lost something precious to him, so much that he didn't know how to react anymore. He was like one of those stupid humans. Weak. He was weak because Rin was concerned. And now that she had left his life... He clenched his fists.

"We're going back Jaken. Tell Inuyasha."

"Re... really?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "It's time to get everything back in order."

"And for... for Rin?" Jaken asked with hesitation, not very reassured by his master's tone. Too much like in the past. Too much like before they met Rin.

"Forget her," Sesshomaru ordered. It hurt to say it, but it was the only option left. If he kept thinking about her, he would never be able to act like the leader he was supposed to be. He had to pull himself together.

The little imp gaped, unable to speak. That was not what he meant at all! His master didn't have to forget Rin, to forget what she had brought to them, no, he only wanted him to go back to his Land and... and... He didn't know what he exactly wanted, but that reaction was too extreme! His Lord was being too extreme.

"I didn't want him to become withdrawn again!" he whined once Sesshomaru was far enough not to be able to hear him anymore. "Rin, what did you have to disappear you idiot!"

He walked a little before stopping to look at the sky. "Rin," he whispered, his voice shaking a little, "wherever you are, you have to know that we will greatly miss you."

TBC

Well, I hope you enjoy your reading =) Rin will also be older in this story (seventeen I mean) but later. I need to explain some things before, or else I fear you won't understand anything ^^" Don't worry, if there are some strange things, time will little by little explain them (at least I hope)

Thanks for your review =)

And for Critical Thinker: This story is not based on the ending of Inuyasha. I took the world, the characters, but not the plot, so don't be surprised if you don't find any elements of the original plot =)