Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Inuyasha.
Rin had only been gone for two days, but everyone in the castle had already noticed a horrible change in Sesshomaru. It was almost as if he was back to the way he was before he met Rin, ten years ago. Even Jaken hadn't noticed over the years how much the little girl was changing his master, but he could see it clearly now. Sesshomaru found everything and everyone completely intolerable, and he could not even comprehend how he could have allowed so much foolishness and incompetence, from those who served him, for so long. For this reason, he kept himself locked in his bedroom as much as possible, and only left when it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. Sesshomaru had more important things on his mind.
Rin had been walking for a long time and her feet were killing her! She had not realized how hard just, walking could be, she was so spoiled to traveling with Sesshomaru. Whenever she traveled anywhere with him, Ah and Un were with them and she could just hop on their back whenever she got the slightest bit tired. "Oh! There he is again in my thoughts. Why can't I get him off my mind for more than two minutes?" Rin thought as she continued.
Just then she heard a man yelling, in the distance. Without even a second thought, Rin bolted in the direction of the cry. Moments later, with her sword already drawn, she found herself face to face with a ferocious looking demon. This particular demon was a good three times the size of Rin, and its eyes were each as tall as Master Jaken. It was about the color of sand, but its huge eyes were completely black. The site of such a demon would put most anyone, demon or human, in a frenzy or panic, but even though Rin was scared, she refused to show any sign of the fear she felt. That was one of the first things that Sesshomaru had taught her, because, he had reasoned, that any sign of weakness will give your opponent an edge. Clutched in the demon's smallish hands was a man, no more than twenty years old. The demon was nearly using the man as a shield, holding him directly beneath his eyes. Rin swung her sword at the demon and demanded he let the man go, but when the demon didn't oblige, she decided to wait and see what it's next move would be. Then the monstrous black eyes began to glow a faint pinkish color, and instantly out shot a thin, stringy light from where the pupils should have been. Rin had no trouble avoiding it, however, because she had been prepared for a much larger attack. Before the demon could lash out at Rin for a second time, though, she was already running straight at it. This horrified the young man who believed she was going to finish him and the demon off, but as soon as Rin got close enough she swung her sword directly above the man's head, missing him by only an inch, and slicing both of the demon's eyes in half. As soon as she did, the demon released the man and fell to the ground, dead.
Rin knelt by the man now covered in blood, and asked him, "Are you all right?"
He looked at the woman, amazed that someone who had just fought so ferociously in one instant, could be so kind and caring in the next. "Uh . . . Yes I am fine now! All thanks to you, young lady. I owe you my life! My name is Daisuke. Would you mind telling me what your name might be?"
Rin gave a hint of a smile and said, "My name is Rin. I think I saw a lake pretty close to here. I will take you there so you can get washed off."
Daisuke just nodded, and followed Rin into a small clearing where there was in the center of it a peaceful little lake, perfectly suited to his needs. When he was done washing the blood out of his hair, and off of his face, he noticed Rin sitting nearby staring off into space. So he went over to her and sat down. A couple of awkward minutes had passed when Daisuke finally poked Rin in the arm to try and get her attention.
Rin jumped at the sudden contact and said, "Sorry about that. I hope I wasn't out too long. I just have a lot on my mind right now."
Daisuke smiled and said, "Oh, that's okay Rin. So tell me, why are you out here all by yourself?"
"I am doing some traveling." Rin replied.
Daisuke found this very interesting, so he asked, "Where are you going and where do you come from?"
"Right now I am heading to the Eastern lands, but I don't have a particular destination in mind." Then Rin looked troubled and said, "I originally came from a place far south of here, but for the past ten years I have been living with friends, in the west." It had hurt Rin to refer to Sesshomaru as simply one of her friends, but she didn't know Daisuke well enough to explain to him how she felt about Sesshomaru.
Daisuke didn't understand what was troubling Rin, but he decided not to ask, because he didn't want to upset her more. "Rin, I myself live in the Eastern lands, but I have been visiting my aunt and uncle in a nearby village. I am sure they wouldn't mind if you lodged with us for the night, if you have no other place to stay."
Rin was a little uncertain, but decided it would be okay to stay one night. Daisuke led her to the village and then to his uncle's home. When they arrived, they were greeted by Daisuke's uncle and aunt, and when Daisuke told them about how Rin had saved his life, they happily welcomed Rin into their home, just as Daisuke had predicted they would. Rin ate well that night and slept on soft mats in a spacious guest room, but it still took her many hours to finally drift off to sleep.
Sesshomaru was in his room once again, peering out the window, in the direction she had gone, when he heard someone at his door. A few minutes passed, and Sesshomaru finally said, "You might as well come in, Jaken."
Jaken crept into his room, and told his master, "Pardon me, Lord Sesshomaru, but dinner is ready to be served."
Sesshomaru just kept staring out the window, saying nothing as if deep in thought. Then he turned to the nervous toad demon and asked with absolutely no emotion, "Jaken, what do you think I should do to get Rin back?"
Jaken just stared at his master, completely shocked. For one reason, Sesshomaru had never acted like he cared in the slightest what Jaken thought about anything, and because he had never imagined that Sesshomaru would have any desire to get Rin back. "You could demand she come back."
Sesshomaru had already thought about that. But would it actually work? He wasn't sure. "She would ask why." Sesshomaru said more to himself than to Jaken.
Jaken sighed, she was a very curious girl, and she always did ask too many questions. "Maybe you could just tell her that you want her to, and that she wouldn't be safe in a human village." Jaken suggested anxiously.
Sesshomaru then turned back to the window and said, "I will not be eating tonight. Now leave, Jaken." He was acting as if the conversation had never happened.
Jaken knew better than to say anything more to Sesshomaru, with the mood he had been in lately, and quickly replied, "Yes, Milord!" and departed leaving Sesshomaru once again, alone with his thoughts.
The next morning, Jaken was surprised to find Sesshomaru packing the things he took whenever he went on a journey.
"Are we going somewhere, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked curiously.
Sesshomaru didn't stop what he was doing, he just replied, "No, we are not, but I am."
Jaken must have realized where Sesshomaru was going because he just nodded, and went back to doing what he had been doing previously. An hour later, Sesshomaru was gone, heading in the direction that he had seen Rin take only a few days earlier. He still didn't know exactly what he would say to her, but he couldn't stand just sitting around and doing nothing any longer.
Rin woke up, stretched, and was about to gather her belongings and leave when she heard someone at her door.
"Rin, are you awake?" said the familiar voice of Daisuke.
"Yes, I just woke up a few minutes ago, actually. Come in." Rin replied.
Daisuke came in carrying a tray filled with an array of delicious things for her to eat for breakfast. He handed the tray to Rin and then sat down beside her while she ate. When she was done, he said, "Rin, I have a proposition for you. It is about time for me to go back to my own village, and I assume you will be leaving today. I thought that since neither of us has any traveling companions, perhaps we could travel together."
Rin was surprised by this, and so she sat there for awhile thinking over all the pros and cons, "I could certainly use the company, and Daisuke seems to be a friendly man. Then again I don't know him very well, and he might try to do me some type of harm while I'm asleep. I am sure that I am too alert to let that happen, and I could easily defend myself if he did try anything."
Rin was taking a long time to decide, and Daisuke took that as a bad sign, so he said, "You know Rin, I have a strong horse, and we could take turns riding her so that our feet wouldn't get too sore."
"In that case, I would be honored to travel with you, Daisuke." Rin answered, with a small smile.
That is the end of chapter two. I didn't focus quite as much on Sesshomaru this time, but I will try and make up for it in chapter three. I really hope you liked it! Please Review!