(Author's notes)

Here it is ladies and gentleman! The finale of 'Duties'! Ba-da-da-DAAAA! ^_^

(Story)

In the Temple, Minoru walked inside the Alter Room from his praying sessions outside. It had been twenty-seven years since the day Sesshomaru finalized the Peace Treaties … and twenty-seven years since Rin died. As they were told to do, Rin was buried shorty after her death in the Temple Cemetery, where she could be as close to her mother as she could. Minoru was the one who held the service and blessed Rin's body as she was finally laid to rest. Ever since that day, Minoru had just been growing through the motions of his life, letting himself and his hair grow longer as well as letting it start to be covered with his well-earned grey hair. Of course, life still brought him a few major changes along the way.

Sesshomaru's Peace Treaties had long since taken their effect; and there was not a trace of war anywhere. Sesshomaru had also been named Lord and High Ruler of the United Land. Another major change in Minoru's life was kneeling right in front of him, praying to the Gods.

About seventeen years ago, an infant girl was abandoned at the Temple right on the Alter. Minoru immediately took her into his care and naming her his own daughter, naming her Yurinki. When she was a bit older, Minoru gave her the option of picking a day when she could have her birthday. Rather than pick a specific date, she wanted her birthday to be the first day of spring when the cherry blossoms began to bud on the cherry blossom trees.

She heard the doors slide open and she glanced back at Minoru with her large brown eyes. She wiped her messy side bangs from her face and ran a hand through her messy, layered, wavy, dark-brown hair that reached to just below her shoulders. She smiled softly as she stood up and bowed toward the High Priest.

"Good morning Father!" She sweetly greeted.

"And good morning to you my child. How's my little flower been this morning?" Minoru asked. Yurinki sighed and brought a hand up to rub her eyes.

"Tired…very very tired." She replied.

"Yurinki…you haven't been up on the roof all night long again, have you?" Minoru asked.

"…Maybe." She hesitantly replied. Minoru then shot her a stern look.

"Father, I'm sorry, I truly am! It's just that…there was a lunar eclipse last night and I didn't want to miss it! It's not every day that you get to see a fire colored moon!" Yurinki quickly answered. Minoru just shook his head with a slight smile.

"Whatever you say my child. Go splash some cold water on your face and wake yourself up. We're having a very important visitor coming over here for a short visit to the Temple." He explained. Yurinki shot him a look of excitement.

"Really? Who is he Father?" She anxiously asked.

"You'll see in a little while. Now go." Minoru gently commanded. Yurinki bowed and strolled out of the Temple. She headed for the Temple garden and went straight over toward the water fountain in the middle. She cupped some water in her hands and splashed it all over her face. She got a chill up her spine as the cold water dripped down her neck and goosebumps on her arms as the water chilled even more with the slight wind. She patted herself with her sleeve and quickly made her way back to the Alter Room. When she slid the doors open, she noticed that Minoru was handing a small teabag over to a stranger who stood over next to him at the Alter.

"Here you are my Lord. This tea has a hint of peppermint in it, so it should soothe your cough." Minoru explained as he placed the bag into a clawed hand with magenta marks on its wrists.

"Ugh…thank you Minoru. This damn cough has truly been a nuisance lately." The stranger said. Yurinki instantly perked her head up a bit as she heard the voice.

Wait a moment…that silver hair…those hands…that voice…why do they all seem so familiar? It's like I've seen them and heard him in a dream! Or…is it a memory? But I know that I've never seen him before!

As her mind started racing, Minoru and she stranger bowed and the stranger turned around to start heading out the door. Yurinki's dark-brown eyes instantly met the stranger's golden ones. Suddenly, an invisible force hit Yurinki in the chest, and images flashed in her eyes.

A handsome man with bright green eyes and a beautiful woman were laughing as they played with her as a child. Then, the color of blood flooded her mind and she saw the young couple piled on the floor together. Then a hand quickly approached her, and it struck her when she was a slight older and beaten child. Then, the pain paused for a moment as the stranger entered her mind. She's now older and by his side as they enter a palace of sorts. An overwhelming feeling of bliss and love for the stranger fill her up, and he returns her love. He embraces her when she cries, rubs her back when she's coughing, and kisses her when she dies. She gazes into the stranger's face and feels the sense of grief and regret as she dies…but bliss that she died in his arms and nobody else's.

Yurinki blinked her eyes and her breath is shuddered as the images pass thought her mind. The shock of the moment leaves her placing a hand on the wall behind her for balance, and another hand on her eyes as she rubs them and groans. When the headache finally went away, she glanced up at the stranger, who was now staring at her wide-eyes with shock. As she stared at the demon, she felt the love for him return to her and the warmth from him replenish her soul. Then, a name came to her; a name that she had to fight with her voice to pass though her lips.

"Sess…Sessho-maru…" The stranger heaved a sigh of relief as she said the name, and his lips curved into a smile.

"Rin…it's you! It's really you!" He whispered to her and her alone.

"Rin…yes…yes! That's my name! Not Yurinki, but Rin!" Rin exclaimed. Before she could think this situation through, she sprinted forward. Sesshomaru himself advanced a few paces as he spread his arms out. She flung himself into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, clenching onto his kimono. Sesshomaru returned the embrace with equal intensity and he engulfed the small of her back with his long arms. He felt her, looked at her, and smelt her. The familiar scent of wildflowers entered his nose…and he knew.

"Finally…" he whispered in her ear. Rin backed away and just gazed into his eyes, unsure of what to do or what to say to him first. Sesshomaru could do nothing but hold his breath as he gazed at the beautiful face. Finally, he took a plunge.

He pressed his lisp against hers, surprising her at first. Rin quickly dismissed the shock, and brought her hand up to his neck and returned the kiss, letting the both of them get lost in its sweetness.

"I've missed you…" Rin whispered to him. Sesshomaru smiled and continued the kiss shortly afterwards.

Meanwhile, Minoru was looking on at the sweet reunion. He smiled as he silently said his prayers and blessing for the couple lost in their lovely world. He then chuckled to himself as memories of the past came to him.

Lady Aimi…your duties here have been fulfilled, and Rin can have control of her life again, and truly live it! You told us after Rin died that you told the Demigod prophesy as a story to her when she was a child. Well…look at them! Can you possibly think of a happier ending to a story such as this!

(Author's notes)

I hope that you've all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it! This was a cute story and I'm glad that I was able to create this! Thank you all who've favored and reviewed my story. Look for more stories coming soon from me! ^_^