Cloud Nine
By: Lehua
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine.
Chapter Four
Several weeks later…
Time doesn't heal wounds; time only dulls the pain. An obsession that consumes your mind will dwindle over time without the source, but it never goes away. A scent on the breeze, a soft whisper, a familiar place, something will always bring the object of your obsession back to mind, and each time its like being punched in the stomach; your breath is sucked out of your lungs and your mind is flooded with images and tactile sensations. Rin was unhappy, but she was pressing on, ever on to the next village and the next one after that, looking for somewhere to settle and live out the rest of her sad existence.
Running footsteps broke her from her melancholy; a man was running toward her, blood streaming down his face in rivers. He fell to his knees before her and cried, "Priestess! Help! A demon in the village!" He collapsed before her in a heap.
She reached down and checked his pulse, one of the many things Kagome had taught her over the years. His pulse was weak and he was too large for her to move on her own. She dragged him over to the side of the road, arranging him as comfortably as she could, and then took off down the road, pacing her run so she wouldn't be short of breath by the time she reached the village. She ditched her belongings before entering the village, only the bow and arrows over her shoulder.
A group of men surrounded a large spider. Flashes of Naraku came to mind but she shoved them away; Naraku was dead. This spider was just large and rather dumb in comparison. The fangs clicked together furiously and it lunged at the men, trying to knock the spears out of their hands with its legs. Anything with more than two legs invariably took longer to move, longer to arrange its legs for any kind of motion.
"A priestess!" someone shrieked as she sheathed an arrow and released it. The arrow hit the spider above its eyes and it screamed, an ungodly high pitch ringing that made the men cower, covering their ears in pain. It saw its chance; one of its legs whipped out to spear a man in the chest. Rin released another arrow and shattered the spiders leg, making it scream again. The men scrambled away from it as it wobbled on it remaining legs, trying to adjust for the deficient. It focused its attention and ran toward her, poison dripping from its fangs which never stopped clicking. She released another arrow, shattering another leg, but forward momentum kept it coming, so she shot it again, this time causing the spider to roll but it was still coming.
She jumped out of the way. Luck halted the spider in the place she had just vacated and it turned its fangs on her. There's no time, she thought, and she closed her eyes as its fangs plunged down on her.
A growl snapped her eyes open to attention and she found the spider several feet away, a large cat mauling it with its large fangs. "Kirara!" a man yelled, and the great cat jumped aside as a blade held on a long chain whipped forward and crushed the skull of the spider. It twitched once, twice, and was still.
The man pulled his blade from the spiders skull and turned, saying, "Priestess."
"Kohaku," she said.
He tilted his masked face and stared at her before coming forward and saying, "Rin?"
She nodded.
He removed his mask and smiled. Kirara padded over and nudged Rin's hand, her chest rumbling in greeting. Rin scratched the fire neko behind the ears.
The villagers were pulling together in the aftermath of the battle, rushing here and there, helping the injured into shelter.
"There's a man," Rin said, pointing along the road, "back there; he needs help."
"Kirara," Kohaku said and they ran off in the direction she'd pointed.
She gathered her things and set to the task of healing those she could and offering comfort to those she couldn't. Most of the injured suffered minor abrasions, but one child was dead. The mother wailed as her husband grasped her firmly by the shoulders, his face stoic but his eyes red and in pain. Kohaku came back with the man on Kirara's back; he shook his head as he placed him on the ground. A woman and child came running, the woman crying as she fell over the man's body; the child stood, mute besides her mother, tears rushing down her cheeks. Rin's heart ached.
The task of healing the injured and burying the dead is quicker when you're the outsider looking in. Rin felt their pain, but time didn't slow for her as it did for those in mourning. The girl child didn't move a foot from her deceased father the whole time, her face closed off and her eyes distant. As the sun went down and the earth covered her father, she just stared and stared, and she wouldn't move even when her mother tried to cajole her into leaving. Despair sent the woman back to her hut, leaving the child alone in the growing darkness. Rin stood beside the child, waiting.
"Daddy isn't coming back, is he?" the child said.
Rin placed her hand on the girls shoulder. The child began to cry, bitter tears falling into the newly turned earth; she fell to her knees and wailed, her small hand digging into the earth. Rin gathered her into her arms and rocked back and forth, remembering a time long ago when she stood as this child stood, but instead of one there were two graves. This was what she wanted someone to do for her when she was young, and so she did it now, hoping that this action would save the child some pain in the future. The girl clutched Rin's kimono, her dirty hands soiling the white fabric. Her high pitched keening hurt Rin's ears but she didn't push the child away, only held her tighter as tears began to course down her own cheeks, the tears she should have shed so many years ago. They cried together for a long time.
The girl quieted and fell asleep, her breath moist and heavy on Rin's neck. Rin stood, shifting the girl so she wouldn't fall, and walked to her mother's hut. The woman peeked out at Rin's soft call and gathered the girl into her arms, fresh tears falling on the sleeping child. The woman nodded her gratitude and disappeared into the hut.
A man came forward, wringing his hands in front of him. "Priestess, we have heated a bath and prepared a place for you to rest. We would be honored if you stayed tonight."
Rin followed the man to the bath house and submerged herself in the hot water as a village woman took away her soiled clothing. The day replayed in her head. She recalled the moment she expected to die. If Kohaku hadn't come she would have let death take her away. Did she have a death wish? Perhaps. Life didn't seem worth all the trouble.
It had been a long time since she'd seen Kohaku. He disappeared after Naraku was killed and rarely ever returned to the village. She couldn't blame him; he had all his memories back, all the memories of killing his family with his weapon, even if he was possessed. He'd killed hundreds of people when he was under Naraku's sway, some without his consent and others because he was unable to do anything else. And he remembered everything. He would spend the rest of his life trying to do penance for the sins of his past.
Rin sat for a long while, letting the hot water soften her sore muscles. It had been awhile since she'd taken a bath in a tub; she hadn't come across many hot springs either in her travels. She let the heat seep into her body and relax her tired mind.
A woman interrupted her small doze. "Your supper is ready, Priestess."
Rin dragged her body from the water and dressed in the yukata provided for her comfort. She followed the woman to a large hut, obviously the headmen's hut, and was greeted by Kohaku who stood when she enter the dining chamber.
"The demon slayer said he was a childhood friend of yours," the woman said, looking between Rin and Kohaku.
Rin nodded. "Yes, we know each other."
The woman bowed out and Rin was left alone with Kohaku. She knelt and picked up a plate and began to eat.
He mirrored her. The silence stretched on; Rin was tired but not uncomfortable.
"How are you, Rin?" he said.
She mustered a small smile. "Fine. I've been traveling for a few months now."
"Alone?" he said, sipping his soup.
She nodded. "Sango and the children are well."
He coughed. "That's good. I should really get back more."
"Yes, you should."
Kirara bounded into the room and rubbed herself against Rin's side, mewling softly. Rin sat and gathered the neko into her arms, petting the silky fur softly until Kirara fell asleep, her nose hidden beneath her tail.
Kohaku watched them for a moment before saying, "Why are you here, Rin?"
Rin knew he wasn't asking why she was here in this village; he was asking why she was here in this village without Sesshomaru. Kohaku knew how close she was to Sesshomaru; they'd traveled together for a short time; Sesshomaru even risked his life to save him once.
"I chose this life," she said.
She shifted, waking Kirara. The neko yawned and jumped off of her lap, walking over to Kohaku and curling up beside him, falling back to sleep again. Rin stood. "I shall retire."
She followed the woman waiting outside for her to her bedchambers and lay awake for a long time, old memories plaguing her.
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Sesshomaru looked out his bedroom window and stared at the moon. He recalled a story Rin had told him once, about monsters that changed under the full moon.
"You will protect Rin if such a monster appears?" she said, clinging to his neck as she sat in his lap.
He had looked at her, perplexed. She'd been living in this village for only a few weeks and she was asking him these ridiculous questions. He would have to speak to the old woman and little miko before he left; Rin shouldn't be worried about these fictional monsters. "Of course," he replied, and she had smiled at him, resting her head on his armor-less shoulder.
In the corridor the imp paced back and forth, dragging his little feet every step. Sesshomaru had thought the imp depressed before; apparently the imp's mood had sunk to a new low: Jaken was barely eating and never complained. If Sesshomaru had known it would take Rin's complete absence to make the imp shut up, he would have…done nothing. He wasn't fool enough to dismiss that he did miss Rin.
He knew where she was. He was lord over these lands; he had spies everywhere. He knew her every move, knew the dangers she faced before she encountered them. He waited now for one of his servants to come back with the days report.
A knock sounded on the door. "Come," he said, not turning around.
A lesser dog demon entered. "My Lord, today Rin battled a spider demon."
Sesshomaru's ire rose but he said, "I see." If she had been hurt it would have been the first thing out of the demon's mouth.
"The demon slayer, Kohaku, defeated the demon. She rests now in the village."
Kohaku. "She did not defeat the demon herself."
"No, my Lord." The demon paused. "She hesitated when the demon came at her."
She hesitated. Sesshomaru flicked his claws in dismissal and the demon bowed out.
She hesitated. She hesitated. If Kohaku hadn't come along she would be dead. Dead. She hesitated.
He snapped his jaws and removed himself from the window. Jaken scurried into the room and said, "What news, my Lord?" The little demon looked up at him, hope blossoming in his eyes.
"She hesitated and could have died," he replied, pacing pass his vassal.
Jaken sputtered. "Then we must go and get her, My Lord. She cannot care for herself."
Sesshomaru returned to the window. He transformed into a phantom dog and jumped.
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"My Lord," a voice said as Sesshomaru landed, his tongue lolling out. He snapped in the direction of the voice and was greeted with a growl by a small fire neko; well, small in comparison to him.
He transformed back into his human form. "Kohaku."
The demon slayer was bowed on one knee. He removed his mask and stood. "Rin is asleep."
Sesshomaru moved into the village, scaring the old men who were talking quietly in front of a fire. Kohaku nodded reassuringly to them, but they scattered anyway. Sesshomaru found Rin's chamber and stepped inside, leaving Kohaku outside.
She continued to sleep, the covers twisted around her body, exposing long lengths of her legs. She dreamed of something dark, her brow furrow. He ran a claw along her brow and it smoothed immediately. "Sesshomaru," she murmured, turning in her sleep and sighing. He watched her for a long time; the dark dreams didn't return while he waited.
As her heartbeat began to pick up, he left. Kohaku followed him to the outskirts of the village. "I will stay with her, my Lord," Kohaku said.
Sesshomaru left as the sun was peeking over the horizon.
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She was lost. She cried and cried, but no one came to get her. Where was she? Where was everyone? A growl rumbled behind her and she ran. Why was she so slow? She looked down and found she was running on short chubby legs, and she was dressed in not better than rags, her eye black and blue. The wolves were coming to get her. They were gaining. She had to run faster. Faster. Faster. He was just around the bend, waiting for her, waiting for her offering, just waiting. If she made it, he would protect her. He would always protect her. He was a god.
Oh god she wasn't going to make it. They were coming for her. They were gaining, getting closer, closer. She tried to scream but nothing came out, her voice gone from disuse; a raspy rattling came from her throat, nothing louder than a breath. Don't look, don't look; keep running, faster.
She tripped and fell, bringing her hands up to protect her face as the wolves launched their muscled bodies in the air. No! No! No!
A white light blinded the wolves and they faltered in mid-air, trying to rear back on nothing. A green whip flashed in the air and the wolves were shred to pieces. She turned, looking up, and saw her savior. He leaned down and she took his hand, his face unsmiling as he lifted her to her feet. She barely reached his shoulder in height; she was dressed in priestess robes and he looked down at her, his face impassive in the light. He traced a talon along her jaw and leaned down, sniffing the hollow of her neck were her pulse beat erratically. She closed her eyes…
And opened them to the morning light spreading across her futon. She sat up, disappointed. It was just a dream.
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