A Little Girl's Wish

Sesshy's Mistress

Description: Rin was so full of love and doesn't understand why her Lord is always so cold to others, excluding her. Then, one day, InuYasha tells her it's because he doesn't know how to love. Saddened at this thought, she makes a wish that will change everything…

This is during the time of peace, after Sesshomaru has given Rin over to the attention of Kagome and the other villagers. He still comes to visit her, though.

I have a few things about Katsuro to explain at the end of this chapter. For those that are interested, be sure to read it before you click out of here.


...

Sweat beaded her brow as Cosmos focused the last remnants of her magic into bringing the girl back. She and the others had arrived just as the girl exhaled her last breath, so it was not impossible for Cosmos to latch onto the child's soul and drag it back. Keeping it there was another thing entirely. The poor child's body was beyond wrecked. Her internal organs had been decimated. It had taken a lot of time and energy to repair them enough to stabilize the girl once her soul was returned.

She didn't have enough energy to complete the healing. That would take another session, but at least the girl would survive without too much pain. When the last few bits of her magic finally drained into the girl, Cosmos' form faded away to reveal Serenity. With arms that felt like lead, Serenity let them fall to the ground. For a while, she just sat there trying to gain enough strength to move.

"Serenity?" Kagome called from the doorway. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Serenity sighed and opened her tired eyes. "I've done what I can for now. I will continue in the morning after my energy has had time to return." She was so exhausted; she didn't have energy to move her head to look back at Kagome. All she wanted to do was find some place to lie down. The dry blood and dirt covering her form could wait until the morning. Give her a bed or a corner in a hut and she would be satisfied.

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried over her shoulder. "I need your help!" Kagome rushed forward as Serenity's form began to sway. The woman was no longer conscious. Kagome cradled her closely and waited until InuYasha had arrived before attempting to move her form.

"She okay?" He questioned in concern.

"She's exhausted," Kagome stated. "With the fight, her injury, healing Sesshomaru, and now healing Rin…" Sighing, Kagome motioned for InuYasha to take her. "I'm surprised she managed to stay away for so long."

"How's the kid?" InuYasha cradled the girl carefully and watched as Kagome inspected Rin.

"She still needs to be healed, but Serenity needs to recuperate first. Take her to Kaede and I'll stay by Rin's side," Kagome gave InuYasha a reassuring smile, and only then did he do as she asked. As he walked towards Kaede's hut, InuYasha had to agree that the woman in his arms looked horrible. She had definitely overdid it today.

"Hey Kaede," InuYasha announced himself at the opening of the hut. "Kagome sent me." He slid between the door while being careful of his package. "Do you have a place where I can dump her?"

"Ay," Kaede spoke while slowly standing. Her old bones were growing more weary as the days passed. "Place her here," She pointed with her cane towards the extra futon against the wall." Once InuYasha had delivered his package, he moved to the other side of the hut and sat watching as Kaede approached the woman.

"Ye gods," Kaede gasped while covering her nose. "What is that stench?"

InuYasha sniffed at the air, "Dragon demon blood." He answered with a shrug. He had been exposed to it so much that he no longer noticed the stench. "She's still covered in it from the battle."

"InuYasha leave now," Kaede ordered. "No one should smell like such, and I will not have ye peeping on her." InuYasha's face turned bright red in both embarrassment and indignation. Sputtering at the implied insult to his character, InuYasha stood and made to retort, but a firm glare from Kaede sent him running with his tail between his legs.

Sesshomaru returned to Rin's side the moment he had finished cleaning himself and his kimono. He was shocked and slightly angered to find the woman no longer at Rin's side, but when he caught sight of the child breathing, his anger faded. "Where is the healer?"

"She used the last bit of her energy to stabilize Rin," Kagome spoke while brushing a hand over Rin's brow. "She passed out and I had InuYasha carry her to Kaede. She'll work on Rin some more tomorrow." This brought some peace to Sesshomaru, but he still felt restless.

"I will stay with her," Sesshomaru spoke and it left no room for argument.

Kagome sensed his underlining need to be alone with his ward for the moment and nodded. "I'll be nearby if you need me." She bowed her head to him before slipping through the door and slowly shutting it behind her.

Sesshomaru lowered himself to the floor and next to Rin. For a while, he simply stared at her to ensure that she wouldn't stop breathing. When the girl mumbled in her sleep, Sesshomaru leaned closer and placed his clawed hand over her tiny one. When she squeezed in response, Sesshomaru let a small, almost unnoticeable smile grace his features.

"Never again," He promised her sleeping form before withdrawing his hand. He would never again allow anything bad to befall her.

When Serenity woke up, she was disoriented. She half expected everything to have been a dream. With caution, she glanced down and sighed in relief when she found no chain ensnaring her ankle. Several minutes passed by as she took the time to run over the events from the battle. It was just so much to take in to account. So much pain and so much suffering for something so petty as revenge?

"Good, ye are awake," An unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Huh?" Serenity responded eloquently. She sat up and groaned as her head began to spin. When a cold draft washed over her, Serenity looked down to find herself naked with only a blanket to cover herself. Her sudden move caused the blanket to fall and now her breasts were exposed to the old woman.

"Sorry!" Serenity squeaked as she quickly covered her breasts. "Um..uh, who are you?"

"Kaede, priestess of this village," the old woman cracked a smile and stood to approach the girl. "Ye are the healer InuYasha and Kagome went to search for with Sesshomaru, ne?" Kaede questioned while giving the girl an appraising look. When the girl nodded, Kaede's smile grew wider. "Thank ye for coming."

"You're welcome," Serenity spoke as she fidgeted in spot. "Um, where are my clothes?"

"I burned them," Kaede grinned without faltering.

"You what?!" Serenity screeched as she struggled to keep her composure.

"They were covered in blood," Kaede defended herself. "I bathed ye, too, but ye need to soak or that stench will never be gone." Kaede leaned forward and sniffed. A sneeze tore through her as the stench continued to hoover over the girl. "Tis late, but ye are welcome to the springs."

"O…kay?" Serenity spoke as Kaede handed her some soap.

"Kagome is awake, I will get her to guide ye," Kaede chirped as she hobbled out of the hut to find Kaede. With little else to do, Serenity stood and used the blanket to wrap her body and keep her from exposing herself.

It didn't take long for Kaede to hunt down Kagome, and when the girl learned that Serenity was awake, she rushed to meet her. "Are you ready?" Kagome was all but dragging Serenity towards the path of the hot springs. "Lord knows I am!"

"Don't come back till ye rid yerselves of that stench!" Kaede ordered as she waved her cane in the air and towards the retreating figures of the two girls.

"So, tell me about yourself," Kagome urged as she sunk into the water. She melted immediately into the warm bath, and a sigh of contentment escaped her. "I know that you're a healer and a really good fighter, but that's it."

Serenity lowered herself into the water a good distance away from Kagome, but not far enough to seem rude. "There isn't much to tell," She stated while submersing herself up to her chin. "I arrived here one day with no memory of who I really was. A village took me in and until a demon tried to attack, I didn't know that I had any powers. That was when word spread of me, apparently, and Katsuro learned of me. He kidnapped me and until he brought me a child and forced me to watch him die, I didn't know the full extent of my powers."

"Oh my God," Kagome gasped in horror. "He made you watch a child die?"

"The boy that was in the cave," Serenity nodded. "Katsuro threw him out of the castle once I finished healing the child. I jumped after the boy and managed to save him before he hit the ground."

"That's horrible," Kagome whispered and, for a while, silence reigned. "What about before you came to the village?"

"Before?" Serenity questioned while rubbing her arms and legs with the soap Kaede had given to her. "Before there was nothing."

"What do you mean?" Kagome questioned as she moved closer to reach for the soap Serenity offered to her.

"There was nothing," Serenity repeated. "My home was destroyed. Everyone was dead, and my purpose was to suffer in the solitude that my cowardice had brought me." Her words seemed hollow, but Kagome could sense the great sadness and self-hate that filled her heart.

"I don't understand," Kagome moved until she was floating in front of the girl. Truly she didn't. It was obvious that the girl was compassionate. Why else would she exhaust herself on healing so many people that she didn't know? Why would she urge the demon child—Izumi—to come with them when they left the cast? Why would she beat herself up over the events that were not her fault?

"Trust me when I say that no one should know the sorrows I faced," Serenity stated and it was in a tone that left no room for argument. Indeed, since returning to her time after traveling to the past to help Sailor Moon stop Chaos, Cosmos had kept her word and defeated the Chaos of her own time. It was too late, though, as he had destroyed everything in her absence. There had been nothing but emptiness and darkness to keep Cosmos company; it was maddening.

"Well," Kagome spoke softly. She didn't know how to respond to her last comment. "Why not start over here?" The question caused Serenity to stop and think. If there was nothing left for her back in her home, then maybe she could begin again here.

"Maybe…" Serenity offered without promise.

Kagome smiled knowingly and decided a change of subject might be well suited. After all, this girl didn't really know her, and she had just gotten free from a psycho demon. If Kagome had been in her place, she wouldn't want to be hounded too much either.

"Well, you have to tell me, how on earth do you manage that hair of yours?"

Serenity could not help but burst out in laughter.

Thankfully Kagome had remembered to bring a spare set of clothes for Serenity. The two had enjoyed their bath and now returned to the village smelling clean and fresh. "Is the child still in the same place?" Serenity questioned Kagome as the two drew closer to the heart of the village.

"Yes," Kagome nodded. "She is stable and Sesshomaru is staying with her in case she wakes."

"I want to try another healing session," Serenity spoke after several moments of silence. "Would it be okay if I tried again?"

"Do you feel up to it?" Kagome questioned in concern. Serenity had only had eight hours of sleep at the most. With all she had been through, Kagome was sure Serenity would have slept through most of the day.

"It is a full moon," Serenity raised her head to look at the sky. "The moon has always been a comfort to me. It helps me to bask under its glow."

"Are you sure?" Kagome questioned as she stopped to place a hand on Serenity's shoulder. "It wouldn't do you any good to exhaust yourself again."

"I'm not at full capacity, but I want to rid the child of the last remnants of the infection," Serenity spoke passionately. Kagome couldn't argue with that and led Serenity to the hut. She did not enter with her, and instead decided to find InuYasha.

"I'm sorry to bother you," Serenity spoke as she entered the room and immediately drew the attention of Sesshomaru. "I came to continue the healing session." She held up her hands which began to slowly glow silver. "If that is okay?"

Sesshomaru nodded but did not move from his position. Serenity didn't mind and instead towards the foot of the futon. She placed one glowing hand on Rin's ankle, letting the magic work its way up her small body.

Sesshomaru watched in fascination as the light from Serenity flooded into Rin, making the girl glow. The change was subtle but noticeable as the healing continued once more. Slowly but surely Rin's heart rate grew stronger and her breathing more regular. Color returned to her cheeks, and even then, Serenity continued to heal any damage left over or that could cause problems in the future.

"She should wake in the morning," Serenity spoke softly while slowly taking back her magic. When the light show had died down, she stood and Sesshomaru followed suit. "I'm sorry that she had to go through this. If you want, I can erase the memories from her mind."

"That won't be necessary," Sesshomaru stated even though he was conflicted.

"I will leave then," Serenity stated while bowing to show her respect towards him. Thank you again for your part in freeing me."

She had been standing close to him as is, but when she bowed, the shift in the air around her caused her scent to float to Sesshomaru. His nostril's flared as his beast rose from the recesses of his mind. Her scent was unlike anything he had ever been exposed to, and he found it enjoyable.

In a move that was unlike him, Sesshomaru took her hand in his once she had risen from her bow. Bending into his own bow, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Her scent flooded his system and she tasted sweet on his lips.

"I-I'll be going now," She stammered in embarrassment. A heated blush was flooding her cheeks and she felt her heart rate speed up suddenly. She tugged at his hand but he did not release it until he had straightened and gazed into her eyes. The move made her squirm in place.

She hadn't had time during their first meeting to take note of his appearance. Now as she looked at him, she could not help but notice how handsome he was. Everything about him reeked of masculinity and strength. Mentally she chided herself. She was no longer a teenager who swooned over cute boys, or demon men in his case.

Bidding him another goodnight, she swiftly made her exit in hopes that some space between them would calm her fluttering heart.

"Mind telling me what that was about?" InuYasha questioned as he entered shortly after Serenity had left. He had come to check on his brother and was surprised to see the girl leaving. Kagome had mentioned that Serenity had awoken, but he doubted that she'd be up to another healing session.

"It is no concern of yours," Sesshomaru stated in a tone that was his norm.

Yep, InuYasha thought. He's fine.

"Why are you here?" Sesshomaru questioned as he noticed how disgruntled InuYasha looked.

"Kagome kicked me out of the house," He grumbled. When Sesshomaru raised a brow at that statement, InuYasha growled under his breath. "She said I stunk and didn't want me stinking up the place!"

Several minutes passed in silence.

"Your stench is repulsive…"

"Fuck you!"


...

Dun Dun DUN!

Are ya'll happy? He got a sniff of her and she now feels awkward around him! The stage is set and soon the two will have to confront the inevitable. Like… beginning next chapter, soon!

Note: In Japan, Dragons are portrayed in a serpentine manner with arms feet and no wings. I prefer the version of a dragon as serpentine with wings and only arms. Don't ask me why, but I do. So, for this reason, Katsuro had wings! Don't like it, oh well!

Thanks to my lovely reviewers! You guys are amazing. I wasn't going to update this until this weekend, but I had an amazing response to the last chapter. So… here is your reward!

Can you believe that I did three updates in one day? I can't!

No more for tonight, but leave me some love and I will see what I can do tomorrow!

RxR

Sesshy's Mistress