Disclaimer: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.
Author's note (08.07.2009): Sorry about the later update. I had actually planned on uploading the entire story sooner; however, proofreading and editing seem to be taking a little longer than expected. Additionally, character development is not going the way that I had originally envisioned it, so this story's completion will actually take longer than anticipated. Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the story. I also hope that all of the characters retain their original, portrayed personalities from the manga. If there is someone out-of-character, please inform me in a review! Thank you.
Promise
Fourth
"Sorry to intrude," Miroku called out as he stepped into Kagome and Inuyasha's house. "We've come by for a visit." The priest noticed Keirin sitting in a corner and eating her lunch. "Ah, so you've awoken. How are you feeling?"
Not bothered by the stranger, the girl cheerfully answered, "Fine, thank you."
She's too much like her for it to be coincidence, Miroku reflected. So what does this all mean? Is she a reincarnation like Kagome-dono? Or could it be something sinister at work? Whatever it is, we must keep our guard up, even if it is…Rin-chan. It broke Miroku's heart to think such thoughts about Rin, but he had no choice. His experience with Naraku and various other demons and evil spirits had taught him that the darkness would attack at the most vulnerable places. And this sweet, smiling teenage girl was a soft spot amongst everyone, even the most hard-hearted, such as Sesshoumaru. She'll be the death of us all if she's some sort of trick.
"Ah, Rin-chan, this is Miroku-sama," Kagome introduced while looking up from her work over the cooking fire. Dark-haired baby Yuuma bubbled at Miroku from his place on his mother's back. "He's a priest and a very good friend of ours. He helped bring you back from the forest yesterday with Inuyasha."
Politely and with a kind smile, Keirin bowed her head and greeted, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miroku-sama. I'm Asagao Keirin, but you may call me Rin like Onee-san and Onii-san do."
"Ah, then please, Rin-chan," Miroku nodded while giving the girl a slight nod. Even their names are the same—We'll have to keep our eyes on her.
"Oh, you're awake," Sango smiled as she followed in after her husband. "It's a relief to see you looking healthy. It's a good sign."
"And this is Sango-chan, his wife," Kagome giggled while taking Keirin's dirty dish from the girl. "Ne, where are the children, Sango-chan?"
"Oh, they met up with some friends on our way here, so they'll come in shortly." Turning her attention to the new guest, Sango smiled pleasantly at Keirin.
Bowing her head just as she had done for Miroku, Keirin greeted, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sango-sama."
"You can just call on me informally," the former demon slayer allowed while taking a seat beside the girl. She felt somewhat nostalgic, remembering Rin from the day she died: Sango had just convinced Rin to call her "Sango-san" then. Shaking those sad memories from her thoughts, Sango added, "I'm not that much older than Kagome-chan, and I would like us to be friends."
"Ah, then please call me Rin like everyone else. I would like to be friends with Sango-san as well."
The mat doors then rustled, drawing everyone's attention towards them. Three children stopped at the doorway and with large round eyes stared at Keirin: two five-year old twin girls and a two-year old boy. In unison their brown eyes began welling up with tears as they launched themselves at the girl. "Onee-chan!"
"Neenee." Hiroki began crying as he held onto Keirin. "Neenee back! Neenee back!"
The twins did the same, leaving a puzzled Keirin. "Onee-chan…Onee-chan, it's you…You came back to us, Onee-chan!"
Frazzled and confused, the young lady turned to the three present adults for some sort of explanation. Miroku and Sango tried controlling their children as they sent Keirin a look of sympathy and regret. "A girl, about your age, died recently. She was very special to them," Sango explained apologetically. "You resemble her."
"Oh." And immediately Keirin felt for these children. She understood the feeling of sudden loss when someone close died. Keirin herself had lost one of her older brothers to a motor accident, and she had been about these children's age then. So she knew the stabbing feeling they felt, the emptiness inside their hearts that once had been filled by that special someone.
Without hesitation, Keirin hugged all three children. "It's okay. I'm here, so there's no need to cry." Allowing their tears to soak through her already dirty yukata, she did her best to console them. "Ssh, it's okay. Look, I'm right here, right? I won't go anywhere anytime soon." And that was true: with her feet injured and her not knowing how to return home, Keirin would not be going anywhere in the mean time. Knowing so, she continued to comfort them, patting them each on their backs and assuring them she would not disappear. When the three children finally quieted, Keirin called Ah-Un near. With some trouble, she mounted him with the children. "Miroku-sama, Sango-san, is it all right if we play outside together?"
"Yes, please," Sango said before Miroku could get anything out. "We'll come and get your when we're done with our business."
As Ah-Un flew away towards the direction of the flower field, Miroku turned to his wife and asked, "Do you think that was wise?"
"What are you talking about?"
"This girl, we don't really know anything about her," Miroku reasoned. "Don't you find it odd that of all times, someone who is exactly like Rin-chan has appeared before us? It's been a little more than a moon cycle since Rin-chan has left this world for the next, and a girl that bears all resemblance to her shows up soon after. And now she's alone with our children."
"She's harmless," Sango assured.
"Her timing is too perfect."
"Miroku-sama, there's nothing to fear," Kagome promised as she sat down beside her two friends. "Rin-chan, she won't hurt anyone."
"That girl is completely human through and through," Inuyasha said while entering his home. With his demonic hearing, he had heard the conversation from a distance. The half-demon had just finished his rounds around the village and the forest, checking to be sure that nothing dangerous lurked nearby. "She's like Kagome: a girl from the future that came through the well."
"Eh? How do you know this?"
"Her scent," Inuyasha explained simply as he took Yuuma from Kagome and cradled the baby in the crook of his folded legs. "She's of the living and smells similar to how Kagome smelled when I took her back from her time."
"And I don't sense anything malevolent from her," Kagome quickly added. "At least for now, we don't have to worry about her being someone dangerous. We do have other things to worry over though."
"Such as?"
"It's been two days since she's been here. People, especially her friends and loved ones are going to wonder where she's disappeared to. Her family must be worried sick right now." Shaking her head, the young priestess sighed. "We have to find a way to send her back as soon as possible. But we don't know exactly how she got here in the first place."
Sango placed a finger on her chin as she thought out loud, "I wonder how she traveled between her time and our time."
"Keh, what's there to wonder about?" Inuyasha snorted. "It's just like Kagome: through the well."
Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha, you know better than that. The Shikon Jewel allowed me to travel through time. Maybe with a little help from my spiritual powers, but mostly it was the jewel's doing. Rin-chan doesn't have any of that, so it should have been impossible for her."
"Who exactly is this girl?" Miroku posed the question again. "We've been dancing around the point thus far; so is she really Rin-chan's reincarnation or is she someone that just greatly resembles the girl we once knew?"
"There's no doubt that she's Rin-chan's reincarnation," Kagome assured. "After watching her and talking with her, I know that she's the Rin-chan that we knew. I mean her reasons for falling through the well should be proof more than anything."
"What are her reasons?"
Recalling the younger girl's story, Kagome recounted, "During a festival at my family's shrine, Rin-chan was by the well making a wish. She wished to find someone that she's been searching for. After she made her wish, something grabbed her yukata and pulled her down into the well. She doesn't know what pulled on her because she never saw it." She looked to each of her friends. "Don't you see? Destiny called her here, and it's because she's Rin-chan's reincarnation."
Silence filled the room as everyone pondered over Kagome's words. Delicately, Miroku inquired, "Has anyone told her yet who she was?"
"No." Inuyasha turned his attention towards the window, the direction where Keirin and the children played. "I don't think even Sesshoumaru has done that yet."
"You think Sesshoumaru-sama should be the one to tell her?"
Inuyasha snorted at what he believed to be a ridiculous question. "Shouldn't he be the one if she has to know? Rin loved him more than anyone else." Really, I don't know anyone else who could love that heartless bastard more, the half-demon thought. Not even his own mother could care more about him than Rin. "If she heard it from him, she would understand."
"I don't know if he should be the one to tell her," Miroku remarked.
"But someone should tell her," Kagome stressed. "She needs to know that she's Rin-chan's reincarnation."
"Keh, what's the big deal? Honestly, it's probably better that we don't tell her anything. It's not like she's any different from what she was." Inuyasha looked down at his sleeping black-haired son. "Even though she doesn't remember her past life, she's pretty much the same as she was during her previous life. There's nothing really to tell her."
Kagome gave her husband a wry look, knowing very well what he wanted to really say. Keirin wasn't like Kagome, a reincarnation that severely differed from her previous incarnation. Keirin was identical to her former self unlike Kagome who was completely different from Kikyou; the only things that Kagome and Kikyou had in common, according to Inuyasha, was their sex, their soul, their appearance, and their scent. They shared nothing else. It's not like I did that on purpose though, Kagome could not help but to pout somewhat. I don't have control over that. But…in the end, he chose me. So I don't have much to complain about.
With those thoughts in mind, Kagome asserted, "But she should know. She should know that when people here see her they think of the girl in the past. It's not fair to her. She needs to know."
Inuyasha stared at his wife with an incredulous look. Surely she, of all people, would understand where he went with this. Perhaps he would have to remind her. "When you knew that people compared you to Kikyou, did it make you feel better?" Granted, it was usually him that had compared the two women…Guilt pricked at Inuyasha's conscience.
"No."
"So there," the half-demon sniffed in finality. "We're not treating her like Rin simply because she's the girl's reincarnation—we're reacting to her as who she is." He gently touched his son's head and petted him lovingly. "Even though they're similar, they're different. And if she knew, she might get hurt and deal with an unnecessary burden. I'm telling you, it's better if she doesn't know for now."
He really cares about her. Of course, Inuyasha would never admit it out loud, but Kagome knew the truth about her husband: he had been very fond of Rin. Even though the little girl had "reeked of Sesshoumaru's stench" the first year she had stayed in Edo, Rin had become a very good friend to Inuyasha as time passed. He had confessed to his wife that Rin had reminded him of Kagome—the little girl had loved him unconditionally, not caring that he was half-demon. She had little fear for his demonic half, probably from living with Sesshoumaru; and she had loved Inuyasha almost as much as Sesshoumaru: almost. When Rin had died, Inuyasha had hidden his true feelings very well. He had to be strong for Kagome and his son. He could not afford to be weak while his loved ones needed him most.
But Kagome had known. She knew that Inuyasha had suffered because he could not have saved Rin…and now, he did not want to hurt this girl, Rin's reincarnation.
Kagome smiled at the little secret. "Who would have thought that you were so attentive, Inuyasha?"
Resting against Ah-Un's side, Keirin happily watched the twin girls and Hiroki run around excitedly after butterflies. As she did that, she weaved two flower collars for Ah-Un's separate heads. Unfortunately, the dragon had greater interest in eating his gifts than wearing them. "Hey, stop that," Keirin scolded while pushing Ah's head from her hands. "I need those! Stop eating these—go eat the ones in front of you." The young lady turned a sharp eye towards Un. "And don't you think about it, either!"
When both heads decided that the grass would be a safer option for consumption, Keirin returned to her work. She looked up again to check on the suddenly silent children, only to seem them frozen in place. Following their frightened gazes, the young lady noticed a figure emerging from the forest.
The three children trembled as they saw Sesshoumaru approaching, remembering how terribly frightening he had been a month ago. Sensing their fear, Keirin told them to stay put as she struggled to stand up on her feet to meet the demon lord. Before she could stand, Sesshoumaru appeared beside her with a commanding look on his face, one that ordered her to sit back down.
"You should not walk. Give your feet time to heal properly…Be obedient and let yourself heal."
Remembering his command from the day before, Keirin settled herself once more in the crook of Ah-Un's body and bowed as politely as she could while seated. "I'm happy to see you again, Sesshoumaru-sama. I was afraid we would never meet again."
A very subtle look of surprise registered in the pair of golden eyes. "You recall my name?"
"Ah, Onee-san told me." Shyly Keirin looked down at her hands and admitted, "I know I should have asked you, Sesshoumaru-sama, but I thought it would be best if I learned it as soon as I could. I hope that you're not angry."
Sesshoumaru wondered at the sinking feeling he felt in his heart when the girl told him that she had not remembered his name herself. Was this disappointment? Disappointment over what? Why did he feel disappointment that this human girl did not recall his name?
"Did Jaken-san not come with you?" Keirin asked as she checked the sides of Sesshoumaru's legs. One usually found the little toad hovering about his master's feet or at least heard him squawking about one thing or another.
"He has other business to attend to." Sesshoumaru's deep voice hinted at a growl as he asked, "Do you wish to see him?"
"Ah, I just wondered where he was—Jaken-san told me about how long he has served you and stayed by your side, so I thought naturally he would follow you everywhere. But I see that it isn't the case." Keirin smiled pleasantly, taking no notice of the earlier growl. "But I did want to see you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Last time I couldn't express my gratefulness to you properly. You saved my life and you left Ah-Un with me. And he's been a great help, especially since I can't walk on my own."
Unfolding her wrapped feet in front of her, the human wiggled her toes as if to prove something. "I've listened to what you said, Sesshoumaru-sama, and I'm letting my feet heal. They've already gotten much better. Very soon I'll be able to return Ah-Un to you." As Keirin said this, she fondly petted the beast behind her. "Oh, and thank you again for finding my shoes, Sesshoumaru-sama. I don't think I would have found them on my own after I threw them like that."
Incessant chatter: that much has not changed, Sesshoumaru decided. Pulling a long box from underneath his arm, he held it out to the young teenage girl. "This is for you."
"Me?" Keirin accepted the gift and opened the box just a bit. "A new kimono?"
The demon lord understood all of the questions she asked with that one phrase. But he would only answer one—for now. "To replace the one you ruined," Sesshoumaru said while turning away to leave.
Keirin grabbed the edge of his sleeve. "Are you leaving already?"
He turned and looked down at her.
"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama." She quickly dropped his sleeve and gazed downwards in submission. "I did not mean for that. It's not my place to question anything that you do. Please forgive me."
Her manner is ever the same. "This Sesshoumaru will return in three days. There will be more time for a longer visit then."
"And I will patiently await your return!" Keirin smiled.
With a small nod, Sesshoumaru took flight and disappeared into the sky. Once he left, the three children rushed to Keirin with relief all over their faces. "Are you okay, Onee-chan?" they demanded together.
"What did he give you, Onee-chan?" Haruna asked.
"Something for me to change into when we return home," Keirin replied with the largest grin. "Now, run a little more. I'll be done with these flowers in a little bit, and your parents should be coming soon." Listening to their "big sister," the three children freely ran amok in the field, already having forgotten Sesshoumaru's threatening aura.
Keirin, on the other hand, tried to keep the feeling alive in her heart.
She did not want to forget how her heart stopped whenever Sesshoumaru looked at her.
"Anee-ue!" Kohaku called out as Kirara landed on the ground. "Anee-ue, is everyone all right? I returned as soon as I heard the news that you were attacked. There were stories going around that the village burned downed."
"Ne, everything is all right now, Kohaku," Sango assured her little brother as she embraced him in greeting. "There was a fire, but it didn't destroy too much. And since the incident, we've been able to rebuild and fix most of the damage. A number of people were hurt and a few died, but the children and I are fine. The others are all right as well."
Seeing his elder sister in fit condition, the young man relaxed in her arms. "That's good." Pulling back from her, Kohaku looked around. "Speaking of the others, where is everyone?"
"Ah, a village over the mountain called for Miroku and Inuyasha's help, so they left yesterday," Sango informed while she invited her brother inside her home. "It's a little difficult for Kagome-chan to take care of everything alone while keeping an eye on Yuuma so she'll be coming over soon. She'll be staying with me until Inuyasha returns." Giving Kohaku a quick up-down, Sango noticed how much taller her younger sibling had grown; he also traded his boyish figure for something more manly and mature, his body squaring out and filling out. He was now a handsome young man, a more-than capable demon slayer that would have made their parents and fellow clan members proud.
Taking a seat beside the cooking fire, Kohaku asked, "Where is Shippou-kun?"
"When he had the chance, he left to do some more training." Sango continued her earlier job of arranging things so that there would be ample room for Kagome and Yuuma's stay. "He said that he would be back when he passes the next level of the exam."
"Anee-ue, I heard that Sesshoumaru-sama stayed here in this village for a long time," Kohaku started with a serious expression. "Sesshoumaru-sama detests human villages. So why was he here? What happened?"
Ah, of course Kohaku would have heard. But for him to ask, it means he doesn't know about Rin-chan. "Well, you see—"
"Oji-san! Oji-san is here!" Haruna and Hina squealed as the twins leapt onto Kohaku's back.
"Ochi," Hiroki shouted excitedly as he ran as fast as his little legs could take him. He almost tripped, but his uncle deftly scooped the little toddler up before he could hit the ground. "Ochi is here," Hiroki laughed while hugging his uncle. Grinning fondly at his only nephew, Kohaku snuggled the little boy in return.
"Ah, you have a guest, Sango-san. I guess we should have taken a little longer." Keirin smiled from the window. She still sat on top of Ah-Un, having decided to stay mounted when she heard the children exclaiming over their uncle.
"Onee-chan, it's Oji-san!" the twins said from their new places attached to Kohaku's legs. "Oji-san came to visit us!"
Kohaku looked away from his nieces and nephew and almost let his mouth drop to the ground. However, he quickly regained control over himself and said and did nothing. She looks like Rin, but…something is different about her.
"Ah, you must be Kohaku-san. Sango-san and Haruna-chan and Hina-chan talk about you a lot. Thanks to them, I feel like I've known you for a long time already." Keirin bowed with a friendly laugh. "I'm Asagao Keirin. It's good to finally meet you."
"Ah, likewise," Kohaku nodded towards her politely. Her name is different…and she has a family name. Who is this girl?
Sensing that the new young man and Sango had much to talk about, Keirin clapped her hands together and prompted to the children, "Hey, everyone, why don't we go visit Kagome 'nee-san? I'm sure she could use some help when she comes over to your house. We should go see if we can do anything for her." Collecting the three little ones, Keirin again expressed her joy to finally meeting the favorite uncle and led the children towards Kagome's home.
When the group had finally left, Kohaku turned towards his sister and asked, "What happened to Rin?"
Biting her lower lip, Sango looked for something to occupy her time. When she found nothing, with reluctance and a heavy sigh, she confessed to her younger brother, "Rin-chan and the children were playing in the fields when the bandits attacked the village. We didn't know where they were until it was too late. A bandit had killed her."
Kohaku felt his heart sink at the tale. With fear and trepidation he asked his next question, "And Sesshoumaru-sama?" If bandits were attacking Edo, then he wouldn't have been too far away, the young demon slayer thought. He wouldn't be so far away if Rin was in danger.
"In his anger, he killed the remaining bandits for us and drove all the danger away from the village. Then he took Rin-chan's body and buried in beneath the thousand-year old tree in Inuyasha's forest. He stayed there for a moon cycle before coming back out. No one, human or demon, could get through the forest without fear of dying by Sesshoumaru-sama's hand while he stayed in the forest."
"So who is that girl?"
"We think she's Rin-chan's reincarnation by her behavior and personality—not to mention her appearance," Sango answered. "She came through the well the day Sesshoumaru-sama left the forest."
Carefully reading his sister's expressions, Kohaku then inquired, "How has Sesshoumaru-sama reacted to her?"
"Well…it's hard to describe." Sango sat for a moment, thinking cautiously about how she should describe Sesshoumaru's behavior towards the girl from the future. "He saved her life when she first arrived. An ogre had been near, and Sesshoumaru-sama killed it before it could eat Rin-chan. Since then he's been visiting her regularly for the moon cycle that she's been here. Every three days or so he comes to see her."
"I see." This is bad, Kohaku thought. I better leave here before anything happens. It'd be nice to become friends with this Keirin, but Sesshoumaru-sama will be wary of anyone getting to close to her. If anything, Sesshoumaru-sama is the most protective and the most dangerous at this point. Remembering the time when he had traveled with Sesshoumaru in the past, Kohaku knew from experience that the demon lord was wary of strangers, especially human males that showed any interest for or received intrest from Rin. Back then, Sesshoumaru had allowed Kohaku near Rin only after long, careful observation and clarifying that the nobleman could snap Kohaku's neck with little effort at any given moment. How much more extreme would Sesshoumaru be with what had recently happened?
Kohaku felt safer leaving now and returning later once matters had settled and stabilized; he could be friends afterwards. Until then, he would trouble Sesshoumaru as little as possible. "Since I know that you're all fine, I'm afraid that I have to get going now, Anee-ue. I need lots of training, and there are many villages that need a demon slayer."
The young man summoned Kirara and swung himself easily onto her back. "Perhaps I'll see Anii-ue over the mountain with Inuyasha-dono. But if we don't meet, please tell them I'm sorry that I couldn't stay long enough to see them."
With an appreciative smile, Sango nodded, "I will."
"Ah, and please tell Kagome-sama congratulations. Maybe next time I'll get to meet her child." Kohaku left a few more messages with his sister, knowing that his nieces and nephew would be disappointed if he did not bid them farewell somehow.
Knowing that her brother sensed danger by staying, Sango hugged him and wished him safe traveling. She fought back her urges to plead with him to stay a bit longer—even she sensed the folly in asking that. "Please come by more often, Kohaku," she simply compromised. "I worry about you so. Miroku does too. We would all like to see you more, especially the children."
"I will come by more, Anee-ue," the younger brother grinned while kissing her on the cheek. "Good bye, now." With that, he and Kirara took off into the air and over the mountain, towards their next commission. Sango watched them until they faded away against the bright blue, all the while wondering about the situation in Edo.
If Kohaku is afraid to stay because of Sesshoumaru-sama and Rin-chan, I wonder exactly how safe it is for any of us.
Keirin awoke with a large smile on her face. Today, Sesshoumaru would be coming.
"Ne, you're up early today, Rin-chan," Kagome greeted as she walked into the house. She put down the basket of herbs and vegetables she had collected for breakfast and went to check Yuuma sleeping peacefully. In the shadows of dawn, the sky just beginning to hint at sun, the baby's hair remained white as snow: like his father. However, as soon as the smallest glint of gold peeked over the horizon, the fair hair disappeared into jet black. "Heh," his mother giggled. "It's daylight now, isn't it, Yuuma-chan?"
"Do you need me to do anything, Onee-san?" Keirin asked as she sat up and straightened herself somewhat. She fixed her sleeping yukata and straightened out her bed hair.
"No, not really," Kagome grinned. "You should just get ready. Isn't Sesshoumaru due to visit today?"
Keirin blushed. Was she so apparent?
"Well, you better hurry," Inuyasha muttered while walking in. He shook off the morning's dew from himself before he passed the threshold. "He's already near. I can smell him just beyond the forest." He sniffed the air again with an irritated frown. "Never mind, he's here."
Heeding Inuyasha's orders, Keirin quickly went to the water basin, washed her face and scrubbed her teeth. She brushed her hair with an ivory comb and put it up with some simple jade hairpins; she then put on a black yukata with pink flower prints and embroidered blue and gold butterflies. All of these things had been given to her by Kaede-sama, the old priestess saying these things were unfit for an elderly woman such as herself. They better suited a young lady such as Keirin—that and she needed them more than the old priestess did. At one point or another, Keirin wondered where Kaede had gotten so many fine things that fit the young lady perfectly, as if they had been made for her; but she never found the time or courage to ask. So she left well enough alone.
"Do I look presentable?"
Kagome and Inuyasha admired Keirin's appearance. "Keh, I don't see why you're trying so hard for the bastard," the half-demon blushed while glaring towards the side. "It's not like he deserves it or really takes any notice."
"Thank you, Onii-san," Keirin smiled at the compliment. After spending so many days in the feudal era, she had learned how to understand and translate Inuyasha's kindness beneath his gruff exterior and harsh words. Of course, Kagome had helped a bit with that knowledge.
"Please call for me if you need me," she said while running out the doorway. After staying for over a month, her feet had made a complete recovery with only a few minor scars. Keirin could now frolic and prance wherever and whenever she so pleased. "I have to earn my keep, so please don't hesitate to call!"
"Feh, as if that possessive bastard would let anyone interrupt their alone time," Inuyasha muttered while he cradled his son in his arms.
His memories went back to the conversation he had earlier with his elder brother.
"She doesn't know that she's the reincarnation of Rin. And I don't think you should tell her."
"Who are you to order this Sesshoumaru?"
"I'm not ordering you, bastard! I'm just saying, from experience, it would be best not to tell Keirin that you think she's Rin's reincarnation and that's the only reason you're with her. Human girls tend to be a little sensitive about these things."
"I will tell her what I want when I want."
"Bastard, if you hurt her, then I'll—I don't know what I'll do to you, but you can be sure that it'll hurt!"
"This Sesshoumaru has no intention of hurting Rin."
"But she isn't Rin, that's the thing."
Meanwhile beneath the shadow of the branches in Inuyasha's forest, Sesshoumaru waited. Seated at the base of the tree, the majestic demon lord patiently waited for the human girl. With his eyes closed, he listened to the awakening woods and took in everything with his demonic senses. When he sensed the girl's approach, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked towards her presence. He met her at the edge of Inuyasha's forest, their usual meeting place now whenever he came to visit. Quietly the two walked together through the woods.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, did you know that Yuuma-kun was born on a full moon?" Keirin immediately started the conversation. "Well, actually, he was born at dusk, just as the moon was rising, according to Sango-san. Onee-san told me that when he was born, he had a head full of white hair and yellow eyes with one streak of violet on each cheek. But as soon as the sun rose, his hair melted into black and the streaks disappeared as did the little demonic aura he had. Only his eyes stayed the same, the same eyes that Onii-san and Sesshoumaru-sama have. Onii-san said that during the day when the sun is up, Yuuma-kun is completely human and when the moon is up he's part demon."
So that's his curse, the dog demon thought. As a being with only a fourth of Chichi-ue's blood, he remains vulnerable during the day and only attains the portion of power bestowed to him at night. I wonder if he also has his idiot for a father's condition during the new moon.
"I wonder how it is, to be part demon—to have all of those powers. Onee-san said it could be frightening since demons don't think or feel the same way as humans." Keirin giggled. "Yuuma-kun is such a good and quiet baby that it's funny to think that one day he might become a noisy little troublemaker. Maybe he'll take more after Onee-san."
They walked a little further, Keirin talking about the little infant all the way. She described to Sesshoumaru how Yuuma liked everything at a specific temperature, how he reacted to different people, and how he watched everyone with sharp awareness that she did not expect for a two-month old infant. She talked on and on about the baby until she noticed something.
"You're very quiet today, Sesshoumaru-sama. Is there something bothering you?"
The demon lord found the girl's question alarming at its astuteness. Few people in the World of the Living knew him well enough to read his rather subtle moods; and Rin had been the best of them. But now this girl, barely knowing him for more than a moon cycle, could already sense his minute emotions, if one could even call these bare feelings emotions. "You talk fondly of Inuyasha's son."
Having heard about the history between the two feuding half brothers from Kagome and Sango, Keirin inquired carefully, "Does that displease you?"
She knew that for the longest time the two brothers had hated one another. Sesshoumaru had despised Inuyasha for his human half, and Inuyasha had hated Sesshoumaru for his arrogance and power as a full demon lord. "Sesshoumaru was also bitter because their father left Inuyasha with Tessaiga, a sword that could destroy a hundred enemies in one swing, while he received Tenseiga, a sword that could save a hundred allies with one swing," Kagome had explained. "To a demon lord bent on conquest, Tensaiga was useless to Sesshoumaru. So often enough he would come and attack Inuyasha and try to steal Tessaiga."
"But then after some time, he stopped coming after Tessaiga. He began changing," Sango had cut in. "He started learning to have compassion for people, especially humans, and eventually threw away his desire for Tessaiga altogether. Now, he doesn't fight with Inuyasha unnecessarily and he approaches humans without too much malice."
"But that doesn't mean that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru won't goad each other when they're annoyed," Kagome had laughed.
So perhaps speaking about Sesshoumaru's least favorite person (or his son for that matter) did not sit well with the lord. Did I make Sesshoumaru-sama angry?
"This Sesshoumaru only wonders why when he is not your child." The noble demon kept his gaze forward and did not bother a glance towards the girl. "You have no relation to the child but you regard it almost like your own—even though it is part demon."
And Sesshoumaru wondered at this. Rin in the past, he knew, did not like interacting with humans because of her unfortunate history and pitiful upbringing. She preferred demonic company only because demons had been far more compassionate towards her than her own kind; her opinion on humans only slightly altered because of his half-brother's rabble. But this Rin, this Keirin from the future, grew up well surrounded only by humans without previous exposure to demons; she had said so herself during one of Sesshoumaru's earlier visits. So then why, when she had little experience with demons, did she not fear them or revile them? Did not typical human behavior dictate to her that she should distance herself from these fearsome creatures?
Why is she so fond of demons, even now? She doesn't even hold any memories from her past life…Inuyasha said that this girl is not Rin. However, if it were not her, then why does she not cringe away? Why is she exactly the same in attitude?
"But he is Sesshoumaru-sama's nephew, isn't he? Being Onii-san's son, Yuuma-kun is related to you. And simply because he is related to Sesshoumaru-sama is enough reason to like him." Keirin's cheeks pinked at the small confession she had just made. To gloss it over, the young lady hastily added, "That and he is such a good baby."
Sesshoumaru pretended not to notice Keirin's display of feelings. "You like children."
"Very much so," Keirin nodded, relieved for the tangent topic. "I hope that one day I may have children of my own. It seems to bring a lot of happiness, being a mother."
"I see."
The teenage girl looked to the great dog demon right then. "Sesshoumaru-sama, will life be difficult for Yuuma-kun?"
At the silence, Sesshoumaru realized that the girl actually expected an answer from him. "As difficult as any half-demon," he answered levelly. He questioned about the direction of the conversation.
"Will he suffer from the same conditions as Onii-san?"
Sesshoumaru regarded her with his trademark expressionless gaze.
"While I was helping Onee-san the other day, she told me that half-demons live difficult lives. They're hated by humans because of their demon blood and they're hated by demons because of their human heritage. It's why Onii-san doesn't trust others so easily," Keirin murmured as an explanation to her questions. Sesshoumaru could hear the tears she tried holding back in front of him, the pity she felt for his half-brother and his offspring. "Onee-san also said that Onii-san, being a half-demon, needed his father's sword to tame the dog demon blood in him. If he didn't have Tessaiga, then he would hurt himself and those around him. Wouldn't it be the same for Yuuma-kun?"
"The little pup's blood is more diluted than his father's." And that most likely meant that his powers would never exceed that of Inuyasha's, if even meet. However, if the demon blood were to awaken, and if Rin were nearby… "He could be a greater danger to himself because of his predominant, weaker human parts."
"Do you think Onii-san would make a sword like Tessaiga for Yuuma-kun?"
Sesshoumaru thought of this. Perhaps Inuyasha's fang would suffice to make a powerful enough weapon to contain his son's blood; after all, his fang merged with their father's helped Tessaiga keep Inuyasha in check. But, Sesshoumaru reminded himself, that's because Chichi-ue's fang is the dominant part of the weapon. The grade of a full, great demon lord's fang greatly differed from the grade of a half-demon's.
"I hope that Yuuma-kun will be all right when he's older. It would break my heart if he were to lose control and destroy himself, especially right now when he's so small. I could never imagine him becoming a killer."
Sesshoumaru gave his walking companion an even stare. "You must kill or be killed in this world."
"Ah, well, I guess so," Keirin admitted with a small smile. "But you only kill to survive, right? I wouldn't want Yuuma-kun to be someone that kills in cold blood. Killing unnecessarily is evil." With admiration glowing from her chocolate eyes, she said with confidence, "I can't imagine Sesshoumaru-sama doing something like that. A dishonorable action like that seems beneath you."
Such high regard and presumption for such a small creature, he thought as he stopped at the edge of the trees. During the course of their walk, Sesshoumaru had led them back towards the village, a pressing matter now urging him to leave. Of course, he had not wanted to leave with Keirin alone in the woods.
Regarding this girl thoughtfully, he told her, "This Sesshoumaru must go."
"Ah, I guess so. I've kept you long enough, Sesshoumaru-sama."
The girl's downcast expression oddly forced him to add, "I will return again in six days."
"Yes, of course." Keirin smiled while she waved farewell and walked back towards Edo. "I'll be here waiting for your return, Sesshoumaru-sama."
Forever and ever.