Chapter 2
"Sesshomaru-sama...please don't hate this humble servant from asking, but where are headed milord?" Jaken questioned from his position behind the quiet lord. He held the reins for the two headed beast Ah-Un. A preteen Rin lay against Un's head sleeping calmly.
At first the taiyoukai did not answerand then, "We are to return Rin to Inuyasha's village so that Rin may continue her training with the priestess."
"Oh. Are we to stay for a time then?" Jaken wished to know. Whether he liked to admit or not, he adored Rin and did not wish to stray far from her. She was like a child he never got to have.
"Within the proximity. At best a few nights. This one's lands need patrolling. It has been a month since last ventured." Sesshomaru pointed out.
Jaken's aura reeked of disappointment. Sesshomaru was a bit disgusted by the scent and would rather his servant smell better with a happy or neutral scent said, "If you wish to stay and watch over Rin, you may do as you wish. I shall return within a few days time."
Instantly Jaken perked up. He was elated he was given the opportunity to stay put. Normally he preferred to be with his lord, but he knew his lord could handle himself. Rin was another thing entirely. She was a weak human girl that both he and his lord cherished and he would give his own life to protect her. He nearly has a few times already.
They continued on the path for sometime before the scent of Inuyasha's village started to waft in their breadth. It was not far and should be reached by early noon. Rin stirred from her rest with a grand yawn. She instantly recognized her surroundings and knew that her time with her lord was coming to an end soon. Now that she was older, Sesshomaru left her at the village to train with Kaede-sama and Aunt Kagome which she began calling her upon her and Inuyasha's pairing.
"Lord Sesshomaru-sama, how long will you remain this time?" Rin inquired.
"Worry not Rin. This Sesshomaru will remain a few nights and return soon after. This one must inquire on the state of my lands."
With resign she understood it was his normal routine when they returned to the village. At least she had great company that distracted her and it seemed like her lord was never gone in the first place.
"Jaken, will you be joining our lord?"
Jaken shook his head no to which Rin squealed in delight. Jaken rarely stayed if their lord was not there. Only if their lord demanded he stay put would he do so. "I will remain this time. Lord Sesshomaru will rejoin us soon I am sure of it."
Rin plastered a bright smile on her still childish face that has yet to start changing to her woman child version which will not be too much longer.
They remained quiet for the remainder of the trip with an occasional hum from Rin here and there.
"Gah, why is he back already?" Inuyasha growled out irritably.
Shippo hid his smirk behind his hand. 'It never gets old.' he thought.
Kagome on the other hand was rubbing out her temples before speaking. "Inuyasha,when will you and your brother grow up and get over your petty spats? Is it really necessary to constantly be at each others throats all the time? Someone seriously needs to remove the sticks up both your and Sesshomaru's butts. You two are starting to grate my nerves."
"Miko, I assure you there is no stick lodged in this one's rear." Sesshomaru applied stepping foot into the clearing that held the dual huts belonging to that of the human couple and his brother's family.
"Well you sure act like ya do!" Inuyasha humphed triumphantly.
At Sesshomaru's growled warning, Kagome piped in, "See! This is what I was talking about. When will you both understand you are family and family shouldn't fight. You two are being a bad example for the children I swear!" She threw her hands in the air in frustration.
"Uncle Sesshomaru?" Keiko wanted his attention so she pulled his sleeve. He glared down at her but as he gazed into her innocent eyes his face went back to its neutral stoic state.
He nodded for her to ask her question.
"Why do you hate daddy so much? Do you dislike me as well?" Her eyes began to tear up and no matter which way you look at it, the inu brothers could not bare a crying female. Inuyasha was about to yell at Sesshomaru, yet he was stopped in his tracks by what happened next.
The scene before them had everyone shocked. Sesshomaru had bent down to Keiko's level and was patting her head in attempt to calm her and withdraw her tears. "This Sesshomaru no longer hates Inuyasha. I am merely annoyed at his loud mouth and childish antics. Worry not Keiko. If this one did not care, I may have never saved your mother within the vile hanyou and you would have not come to be. I am not so low to despise a child."
Keiko nodded her head of pearly white locks. Her tears drying nearly a moment sooner. Sesshomaru picked the child up and walked over to Kagome. "I may be proud but I am not a mindless beast. I merely toy with my sibling for fun as you say. I find that dueling with him is quite entertaining at times and useful to reduce the days stress. He, I assure, is the one blowing things out of proportion."
Inuyasha went slack jaw. He didn't believe a word his brother said. "You are such a liar! You've always hated me and still do. Heck you even despised me as a child. You'd prefer me dead."
"This Sesshomaru does not lie. I ceased to dislike you years ago when you proven your strength time and again between our tiffs to the battles with seemingly unbeatable demons. You never give this one a chance to accompany without out an argument prior. As to when you were a child, I didn't care to acknowledge you since father chose to give his life for you. It was weakness to me at the time. Since having Rin as my charge, I have learned why father has done so. We are not exempt to a caring nature. Even mother has taken to Rin as of lately and she was one to completely despise humans."
Kagome and Sango stood staring at him in awe. They were both thinking, 'When did he start talking so much?' and,'Wow he has changed quite a bit!'
Miroku was surprised as much as the rest, yet he retained his composure. He noted Inuyasha's lack of response and utter confusion. "Well with that out of the way, how long will you be accompanying us Sesshomaru-sama?"
"That's Lord Sessho..oof" jaken was interrupted by Sesshomaru with a foot to his head.
"Jaken, these humans have earned the respect to call this one without title. In the fight with Naraku, they were a great aide. Respect them and they will you in turn." Sesshomaru disciplined the toad demon.
"Yes milord." Jaken bowed to his master in acceptance.
"As for your inquiry, a few night as I must scout my lands." he answered.
"Shippo-chan!" Rin woke from the cat nap she had fallen into on the way to the village. She got sleepy from both the quiet of her group and the swaying movement of riding on Ah-Un's back.
"Hello Rin. H-How have you been?" Shippo stammered nervously. He was in the beginning stages of liking girls and this one in particular he liked the most but feared Sesshomaru would never permit such a union.
Said taiyoukai noticed the kit's excited mix of uncertainty, adoration, and disappointment. The kitsune teen wished to have his ward as his own. "Kit."
"Y-Yes Sesshomaru-sama?" Shippo answered back with a quake in his tone.
"You wish to court this one's ward? She is still young to become a mate, yet until she becomes of age I will permit a courtship." The kit was no longer a child and has grown quite stronger over the years. He would permit their union because he trusted the boy and she would share his span of life. He would not lose her to her human nature.
Shippo and Rin both brightened up with cheeky smiles. They both had liked each other for some time, but even Rin doubted her father figure would allow any male to eventually take her. She believed every male would be too inferior and ultimately unworthy. The teens weren't the only ones shocked by this either. All adults in the party couldn't believe what they heard. It would most definitely be very logical to note that Sesshomaru changed his personality greatly. Now if only he would show it on his face...yeah right.
Kagome stepped forward and chanced, "Sesshomaru, may we discuss a very important matter with you?"
At his nod to go on Sango related her plans and Kagome backed up her notion of the seemingly non existing demons in her time. He wasn't too thrilled with them saying he would have to go on living appearing to be human, yet he understood that they wanted protect demon lineage from annihilation.
"I will agree to this, but in order for this to work fully, some humans need to know we still exist to make sure other humans never stumble upon us by chance when we expose our true selves in our own domain."
Kagome piped in on this, "The slayers Sango and Miroku train will become a secret organization that we hope to continue on through the generations to protect the demons and hanyou that are peaceful and would aide said demons when a rouge demon that wishes to disrupt their lives through exposure, judge and sentence them accordingly to their crimes. We will be discussing this with Sango's brother's village so they will also aide in saving the demon population."
Sesshomaru acknowledged what she said knew it could work. They would be extinct without actually being so. If they were to be exposed, the slayer organization would find a way to correct it. "You will need great expertise in herbal medication. If a human were to know of our existence, they will require a short term memory loss. I will send word to search down a specialist to train you miko and monk."
Both nodded in turn. At that moment a sudden feeling over came a portion of the group. Something was wrong, very wrong.
"Did you feel that?" Shippo was the first to open up.
"This is different then a demon this feeling is giving. What is it?" Kagome put in.
Sesshomaru was the one to answer, "That is foreboding. This is no demon. It is something entirely different. I have a feeling you may need to work quick with your plans. Something is coming and there is no telling how much longer we have."
A/N: so here we start. The next chapter will contain my OC. She will be hidden beauty. Like the greater evil, she is hidden somewhere.