Between Borders
"I'm sorry we still haven't found any evidence of your daughter whereabouts."
Tadao had to fight the urge from wanting to strangle this incompetent man. A whole day has pass since Rin disappearance, and now the entire village is trying to search for her. No one knew where she was. If she had been taken from the village it would've been obvious, but he knew his daughter well to know she probably venture away from the village even after she had been told many times that it was dangerous and now she was nowhere to be found. Before he could make his anger known, someone he didn't want to see arrived. Jiro barged into the council building which was one of the bigger buildings in the village though not by much.
Tadao gave Jiro a harsh look, "You are not wanted here."
"Trust me when I say this "father" that I do not want to be here, but I hear that Rin is missing," Jiro said this with the utmost malice he could manage.
"This is not your concern."
"I don't care what you think of me, but Rin is my sister! I do care for her!"
"She is no more of your concern than you are to me. I already sent letters to Shuichi and Takemaru."
Jiro glared, "I do not care about you either, but my sister is another matter. You may have disown me, but my feelings for Rin will never change. Like it or not she IS my sister as much as Shuichi is her brother and Takemaru does not care for her, his arrangement with her is more beneficial than love."
"And still you show disrespect…"
"Tadao there is no time to limit help, whatever disagreement you have with him is of no importance if it means that Rin is found from harm," The elder of the village reason.
"I may not like it, but Rin life could be at stake, for now let's agree on a truce," Jiro said.
Tadao was silence, for Rin he will do this, "Only for now."
And the tense truce was set.
"What is that thing doing here?" Inuyasha voice out.
His irritated grumble woke Rin. Her eyes slowly opened to Inuyasha ready for a fight. A-Un was staring intently at Inuyasha, both look ready to pounce at each other. Rin slowly rise from her sleeping position.
"Inuyasha, what are you doing?"
Inuyasha swiftly glance at the young woman before glaring at the two headed dragon again, "This thing never like me and the feeling is mutual, when I first met him he nip me and rip my kimono!"
Rn stared at the half demon incredulously, "You cannot seriously hold a grudge against something so trivial. Isn't that's right?' The last part was meant for the dragon as she walked up to him and stroke both muzzles. A-Un growled in content.
Inuyasha was dumbstruck, "Look I don't care how 'adorable' he may look to you he is dangerous."
"Oh Inuyasha, I'm pretty sure he likes you. He was just showing you in his own way."
Inuyasha grumbled, "Yea I was six when he showed his 'love'."
Rin couldn't help but laugh, for a demon, even if he was only half he was acting like a child. She looked around and notice something was missing, "Ah, where is Jaken?"
Inuyasha crossed his arms as he replied, "That green imp couldn't stand being near tainted blood. He left waiting for Sesshomaru."
Rin crossed her arms and scoff, "How rude."
"Tsk, believe me you'll get use to it," he said distastefully.
Rin notice Inuyasha staring at her, contemplating it seems, "What?"
Inuyasha blushed as he realized he was absentmindedly staring, he quickly looked away, "Nothing."
She haven't been with the half-demon long, but she already could tell that he wasn't a very good liar. Before she could ask more a noise brought the duo attention to the forest.
Inuyasha sighed, "It's about time he came back."
Just as he finish speaking Sesshomaru and Jaken both entered the clearing. Jaken fumed at Inuyasha lack of respect, "You insolent whelp, how dare you show lack of respect to Lord Sesshomaru."
Before Inuyasha could retorted, Sesshomaru spoke, "Enough."
A-Un grunted in agreement, Rin smiled at the two-headed dragon. She then notice Sesshomaru glaring at her. Great what did I do this time? She wondered. She thought last night would at least have him become more respectful towards her. Apparently that wasn't going to happen.
"The girl stays here," Sesshomaru stated which brought her into a shock.
"What!? Why!?" She was able to voice out.
"She can't survive here on her own," Inuyasha stated.
"She will not survive where we are going. Humans are not welcome there," Sesshomaru simply stated.
"That's right a human girl should not even be in the presence of the great Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken stated smugly.
Inuyasha stomp his foot on top of Jaken's head, which made the little imp squealed as he hit the forest floor.
"How dare you!?" Jaken screamed.
"The girl will stay with the dragon. We will return once my business is done."
"What?" The other three said at the same time. Everyone was shock at Sesshomaru statement.
Sesshomaru didn't answer to his reason as to why he would return. He just started walking away, Jakan obediently following and Inuyasha being a bit reluctant until Rin nodded encouragingly.
Rin was now alone wondering if Sesshomaru would keep his word.
Inuyasha was not at all please about leaving Rin, a part of him felt like his brother did it to give her less of a chance for survival, No. No matter how much of a bastard my brother is, he holds honor above all else. Kill by abandonment is beneath him, he would prefer to do it himself. Inuyasha try to reason with himself, but no matter how much he try, defending his brother's honor just felt wrong.
The ominous feeling brought Inuyasha back from his mind. The mountain was shrouded with a red mist. Inuyasha knew where they were, "You gotta be kidding me. Coming here without an army is suicide."
Jaken was too nervous to respond to Inuyasha lack of respect to their lord. Dozens of demons drifted around the mountain, too many to fight off.
"Well, well, this is quite a surprise," the wind quickly appear then disperse to reveal the wind sorceress, her fan was covering her face.
Inuyasha growled ready to strike this annoying woman, though he knew Sesshomaru will intervene which annoyed him, he never understood what his brother saw in her.
"I did not come for idle conversation Kagura," Sesshomaru stated calmly.
Kagura smirk at the demon lord, "I know why you are here. I'm glad you decided to change your mind. Naraku will be please and forgive you for your past refusals."
Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing, even Jaken gaped in shock. Was Sesshomaru planning to team up with Naraku? It just couldn't be, Sesshomaru pride wouldn't allow it, but then why did he decided to show up here?
Kagura folded her fan and started walking towards the mountain, the trio followed her.
"We are here," Kagura announced as they stopped by a shoji, there was an obvious darkness shrouding this particular room, "Only Lord Sesshomaru will enter from this point."
"What!?" Inuyasha and Jaken yelled.
"You gotta be kidding me, there is no way that we are going to trust Naraku from not doing anything sneaky," Inuyasha stated.
"That's right, Lord Sesshomaru this could be a trap."
Sesshomaru glared at his companions in annoyance, how dare they insult him like this? There is no way he will be trick by a filthy half-demon like Naraku. Both became silence at his glare, they knew that argument was over, he will go alone.
"Are you ready Sesshomaru?" Kagura asked.
Without answering Sesshomaru enter the dark room.
Sesshomaru felt the ominous aura as he went through, Naraku was leaning against the wall at the far end of the room, one leg stretched out while the other was prop up where his arm rested on his knee. Naraku coldly smile as he saw the dog demon. Kagura closed the shoji, leaving the two alone.
"Sesshomaru," He started with a sickening sweet tone, "What do I have the honor of your visit today?"
Sesshomaru hated this man, how dare he think that he can outclass the great demon lord of the west. Killing him would be fairly simple, but he knew it would be more hassle than it was worth at the time now. He still has strong allegiance with those fools from the east, south, and north, it isn't worth the effort of slaughtering them all. He surely have no fondness of the fools that would team up with this abomination. Killing the other lords would drive the land into chaos, demons would compete to be the next successors thus giving the humans the opportunity to slay as many as they could while distracted. Sesshomaru may not have any love for the weak minded demons that were dumb enough to die at the hands of a human, but he refuses to let the humans have any sought of advantage.
"Heed me Naraku as I will not repeat myself," Sesshomaru started, earning a cold smirk from the other man, "The demons that are under your command by those fools has been trespassing on my land, if I find any they will die."
"Oh, such big talk and why would trespassing demons bother you so? You do not concern yourself with land growth. So I never thought a few demons would be a problem?"
Sesshomaru gave him a cold stare, "They are trying to best the humans on my land, I will not tolerate human's pollution to spread further."
"So you would kill those that belong to the other lords, they may not be happy with this and try to gain vengeance."
"I have no allegiance with them. They are fools that would ally themselves with you. Their pride as demons are now tainted."
"Ouch, such harsh words Sesshomaru," Naraku touch his chest as if he was truly hurt, though his smile was still plaster on his face.
"My warning is clear Naraku, tell the lords if you wish," Sesshomaru turn to walk away.
"Hear me Sesshomaru, I have many demons that are not under the lord's control many are quiet undetectable even to your sharp nose. You claim to hate humans yet you are traveling with a human woman. Could it be that your brother found another human woman to love, has he not learn his lesson yet or could it possibly be that she interest you."
Sesshomaru stopped for a brief moment, Naraku dare try to consider him weak for a human, he is not and he will make that known to any other demon that tries to consider him weak.
"Heed my warning Naraku," Sesshomaru left the room.
Naraku smirk at Sesshomaru's retreating form. It was so easy to rile him up when his honor and pride is threaten.
"Kanna," he called. A pale girl no older than 12 appeared from the shadow, her hands were carrying a circular mirror, "show me her."
Kanna oblige by turning the mirror slightly revealing an image of a young woman leaning against a two headed dragon. She seem to be talking to it as she pet both heads.
Naraku smirk at the image, even if Sesshomaru held no feelings for this girl his brother might and that is all the leverage require. Inuyasha always wanted Naraku's blood after Kikyo death. Using this girl will get the half demon on edge to the point of losing control. That would be enough to distract Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru you should have accepted my allegiance.
Heyyyyyy everyone :) I am so sorry for the long wait. I started back up in college and I was quiet busy and if that wasn't bad enough I have lost internet for 2 weeks. Now I know there wasn't much in this chapter, but I wanted to introduce the tense situation Rin's family is facing and Naraku himself. I hope you liked it. Thank you all for your support, a special thanks to my reviewers: Taraah36,L.M.T.O.P, Red4Angel,The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, and Mrs. MagnusB, you guys are awesome! I have a small break now so I will try to update one more chapter before school start back up on Jan. 5, though no promises. Trust me I will keep working on this story though fairly slowly. Thank you all and a Merry Christmas! If I do not update before then.