Demon Nightmares, Demon Dreams
Chapter 3: Tangled Web
Rin knew she had been cold, but what Akina told her spooked her so much that she couldn't manage to say anything nicer. The truth was, Rin had been having similar nightmares for weeks, not in so much detail, but she rarely ever had nightmares, if any. She became more and more worried.
When Rin finally took in her surroundings, she found herself in the court yard. Sighing, she made her way over to sit on the fountain's edge.
"They're just nightmares," She told herself. "Nothing more. There's no reason to be worried."
She frowned. Something she did a lot lately. Maybe something has been wrong for more than just the passed few weeks.
"Do you mind?"
Rin, startled, turned to see where the voice had come from. She leaned over to look around the fountain where she found Ryoko meditating on a tatami mat.
"It was bad enough when your foul stench polluted the air, but I can't deal with you mumbling to yourself."
"Sorry." Rin mumbled. She pushed away from the fountain and turned to look for another corridor to wander down.
Ryoko opened one golden eye to look at her.
"Where did Akina run off to?"
"How should I know?" She answered, turning to look at him.
"She seemed awfully upset. She was saying something about nightmares of Demons?" He closed his eyes again
Rin's eyes narrowed on him. "She spoke of a demon, yes. Why are you so interested?"
"I am not, but. Do you not find it interesting that she goes and sees that witch all the time?"
Rin looked at him for a moment, allowing a silence to come between the two.
"All the time?"
"I think she does it because she believes Maruni will have all the answers and solutions to her woes."
Rin snorted. "She doesn't have any woes."
Ryoko opened his eyes, looking at her as if there was something interesting to contemplate about her.
"But you do, don't you?"
"Well I…" She trailed off, thinking about his question. "I don't really think—"
"You do not sing any more, Rin, Why is that?"
It was like being slapped in the face, and she backed up slightly from the force of it.
"I-I don't know, I guess I didn't really think about it." He was right. She couldn't remember the last time she sang. Rin felt as if a dark cloud started to form above her.
"Akina stole all the attention away from Lord Sesshomaru, didn't she? You had to grow up and be the example sometime. No time for nonsense when you have to take care of your baby sister. Well…I suppose she's not really your sister is she." He chuckled darkly and stood up with ease. He bent over to roll up his mat. "But I'm sure that's a whole other issue entirely."
And with that he was walking away from her, as if he had said nothing at all.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
"Ms. Maruni?" Akina waited for some movement to sound on the other side of the door. "Maruni, are you in there?" She waited again, but no answer came. A sadness welled up inside her as her last solution appeared missing.
She leaned against the door solemnly.
"Maruni, I need you." She pouted, sliding to the floor.
What was she supposed to do now?
"Akina?"
Akina's heart sunk at her mothers voice.
"Akina honey are you okay?" Kagome swiftly walked over to her and placed a hand on her forehead to check for a fever.
"I'm fine mom. Just a little down is all." She pushed her mom's arm away, only to have her kneel next to her.
"Well, what's the matter?" Kagome watched her cautiously, as if, if she breathed to hard her daughter would fly away.
Akina looked away, not sure if she wanted to tell her, then looked over at her mother's warm brown eyes. Her face contorted and she tried not to cry.
"I've been having really bad night mares." She practically wailed, before throwing her face into Kagome's shoulder.
"Oh honey, it's okay." She soothed rubbing her back. "Just tell me about them and maybe I can help."
So she began telling her how it started, "And then there was this demon. With long white hair and glowing read eyes, with emerald." Her eyes grew wide with the memory.
Kagome almost went white. "Oh…really?"
"He had purple markings on his face, and…blood all over his hands...he tried choking mom, and I really thought he was going to kill me!"
'I think I know who you're dreaming about.' Kagome thought over and over but couldn't will the words to come out. She had tried for so long to keep the name of her lips when her daughter was born. 'New beginnings,'Sesshomaru would say…and she believed it was a good idea, then, but now, she realized what a horrible mistake that could turn into. She'd been so stupid! What if Inuyasha came back? What would she tell her! What was she going to tell her now?
"Well… have you had these dreams before?" She wondered.
"…No…" Akina instantly felt stupid.
"Well, I'm sure it was nothing to worry about." Kagome assured.
Akina sat up a little straighter. "You really think so?"
"Of course honey," Kagome's voice came a little shaky, but Akina never noticed.
Maybe she was being stupid. I mean…her mom freaked out about everything. So…if she wasn't even a little worried…she must have been being ridiculous.
"You do seem really shaken up though. How about I make you something to eat." The both stood. "Just tell me if they keep occurring and we'll go from there."
"Okay," Akina pouted childishly.
"How about you go lay down and rest in your room for a little bit, and I'll come back with your favorite!" She smiled widely, and Akina couldn't help smiling just a little.
"Yeah, okay." And she started for her room.
Kagome stood there watching her disappear down the hall. She turned to look up at the door they were so close to, and she soon became even more worried. As soon as she thought her daughter was far enough away, she turned and ran down the hall.
"SESSHOMARU!"
Akina tried to shake the feeling off, and luckily, she did feel better after talking with her mom.
"Uf!" She grunted, "Hey, watch it!" Akina growled after having been rudely shoved to the side of the hall.
"Oh sorry, I didn't see you standing in the middle of the hall, looking like an idiot." Ryoko droned as he walked by.
"Oh of course, I must have been in your way, cause there was no possible way you could have walked around me with all this extra space in the hallway."
"Feeling better now that mommy comforted you?" He sneered.
"A little, yeah." She said honestly, ignoring Ryoko's intended stab.
Ryoko turned to look at her. "Really?" he seemed surprised.
"Uh…yeah, what's it to you."
"I'm just surprised you feel better after she lied to you."
"What? She didn't lie to me. And what were you doing eavesdropping? God, you are just like your mother."
"Thank you." He gave a smile that didn't touch his eyes. "Don't you think keeping the truth from you is the same as lying?"
"I guess so." She said suspiciously, "But she didn't do that either."
Ryoko scoffed, "She didn't even tell you the person you were dreaming about was her beloved Inuyasha."
Akina stared at him blankly. "Inu-who now?"
Ryoko's eyes narrowed and he didn't say anything for long enough that Akina squirmed under his caustic gaze.
"W-what?"
"She really didn't tell you about him?" he waited for her to make the connection. "Her first love?" he prompted.
Akina glared at him, partially in confusion. He wasn't making any sense. "What are you talking about, my mom never loved some 'Inuwasha' guy and if she did she would have told me. She tells Rin and I everything." She added that last part, sounding petulant and unsure.
Ryoko's eyes softened for a moment before he began to laugh.
"What are you laughing at!" She yelled frustrated and confused.
"Your own sister didn't even tell you." He sobered looking at her now with a smirk on his face. "Though…She isn't really your sister is she? She doesn't really owe you anything." He turned away from her.
"What are you talking about?" She demanded.
"Ask Rin who the legendary fuck up, Inuyasha, is. Look in her surprised eyes and know she has been keeping secrets from you. They have all been keeping secrets from you."
