Chapter 18 is up! 4 more to go!
Thanks to SessRinLover and Angel-92 to always commenting. If you two had accounts, I could easily reply to every comment. But you can go to AO3 and leave comments as guests still and I can reply, because I always wish I could thank you both and chat. But, nope.
Thanks to everyone else who diligently comments and has supported this story since the beginning. The end is coming soon and we'll move onto the next story.
Shippo walked through the village, glad to be back where everyone he considered family lived. It's good to be home!
"Shippo!" He turned to see Kagome and Rin walking with a basket each on their hips. He ran to them and looked up at them. As much as he had grown in the past seven years, it was still not as much as the fifteen year old Rin. At least he was up to Inuyasha's mid-chest point and not his knee anymore.
"Hey, Shippo, you came home for a visit?" Rin called out.
He nodded, "Hai. I got fifteen on this exam, I am still working really hard and I am going to be the best kitsune youkai ever!"
"Come with us. We're going to the woods to look for some wild herbs and you can tell us more." Kagome smiled and nodded before adding, "Congrats on your new placement. You did very well."
Rin nodded in agreement as Shippo grinned as he watched the two women turn and led the way out of town. "Hai, we hope to bring them to Jinenji, and he can help us domesticate them in his garden."
Shippo nodded. "Yeah, I will tag along."
The three spent the morning searching for various herbs in the woods. Shippo quickly digging up herbs and tossing them into the basket with his better sense of smell as fox. Shippo found that Rin was quieter than usual, Kagome filling in the silence with him.
By midday they slowly they made their way to the river to wash their hands.
"So, Rin. When is Sesshomaru coming around for a visit? It's spring." Shippo asked.
Rin bit her lip and turned her face away from Shippo. "Sesshomaru-sama will not be coming around for a while." She hissed out softly.
Shippo looked to Kagome who was sighing softly and giving him a look that told him he had unintentionally upset Rin. He frowned and crossed his arms. "Gomen, Rin. Did you two have a fight?"
He watched as she stood up and lifted her basket onto her hip. She turned around and held it out to Kagome. "Please place your herbs here, I will go on to Jinenji's alone. I wish to walk in peace." Rin huffed out and Shippo could see tears brimming and the scent of salt rising in the air.
Kagome nodded and placed her herbs onto Rin's own collection. "Go straight there and back home, okay?"
"Hai." Rin said softly and turned away and marched off quickly.
Shippo shook his head, "What the hell was that all about?" He asked Kagome.
Kagome sighed again and folded her hands on her lap. "They had an argument two days ago. It was also when a local village boy grabbed Rin and kissed her. It did not go over well with Sesshomaru."
Shippo grabbed his hair. "A village boy grabbed Rin and kissed her and Sesshomaru saw that? Did that boy meet Bakusaiga?"
Kagome giggled and shook her head. "Iie. But he was so angry at Rin for kissing another that he said he would not return to the village ever. Jaken is quite distraught as Sesshomaru took off without him on A-Un. Kohaku happened to be a witness to the events with Inuyasha as they were walking behind Sesshomaru. They both think Sesshomaru will calm down and come back." Kagome frowned as she finished. "It wasn't her fault that a boy just grabbed her!"
Shippo sighed, "Sesshomaru really does care about Rin if he just got upset like that because of a kiss. Poor Rin."
Kagome smirked, "Sesshomaru hadn't even gotten a chance to see Rin knee the boy in the groin and tossing him over her shoulder. Kohaku and Inuyasha said it was quite impressive. Sesshomaru came back to the house to speak to Kaede, and that's when I saw Inuyasha running with Rin on his back. Rin shouted at him, but he told her to never speak to him again and that he was not returning. She called him a baka and his lips downturned and leapt up into the air and took off on A-Un. Jaken would've torn his hair…if he had any."
"But everyone knows how much Rin cares for him. He left Jaken here, he'll come back." Shippo stood up and stretched his legs out. "Does jealous run in their veins? He and Inuyasha sure are jealous."
Kagome stood up too, "Maybe and I hope he'll come back. Rin's cried herself to sleep every night and she tries her best to smile during the days. Just don't mention his name to her and she'll be okay." Kagome said hopefully.
Shippo nodded, "You can count on me!"
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By the next afternoon, Shippo had made Rin cry a total of five times and had to listen to her cry herself to sleep at night.
He tried to run after her after the fifth time and Inuyasha grabbed the back of his haori, Kagome taking off after Rin. Kaede shaking her head as she stirred some stew. Jaken shook his head glumly.
"Shippo…what the hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha growled out dangerously.
"I didn't mean to mention him honestly! I was talking to Jaken and then it just slipped out. I'm sorry!" Shippo pleaded.
"Inuyasha, let Shippo go. This is Rin and Sesshomaru-sama's test of faith in one another. If they can't come together now and talk about it, they will never work together as a couple." Kaede said gently.
Inuyasha let go of Shippo and sat down and folded his arms into his sleeves. "Sesshomaru is being an ass." He growled out.
"Don't talk badly about my lord!" Jaken squawked out with less zeal than usual. "Though he is acting like an overgrown child." Jaken muttered quietly.
Shippo sat down and crossed his arms thinking of how to fix the situation and making everyone, including Rin, happy again.
An idea flashed in his mind and he stood up quickly, "I have to talk to Kohaku and Kirara! I'll be back by tomorrow!" He shouted as he ran out of the house to find the pair at Sango and Miroku's.
"Shippo! Don't you dare get involved!" Inuyasha roared out from the doorway of the house.
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"I can't believe you talked me into this!" Kohaku shook his head and glanced back to Shippo on Kirara's back. Kirara huffed as well in agreement.
"I've made Rin cry five times; I can't do it again! Inuyasha will kill me." Shippo tried to reason with Kohaku.
"I know, I know. I don't like seeing her upset either. But, can't you just try a little harder to not say Sesshomaru-sama's name?" Kohaku frowned at Shippo. Kirara chuffed in agreement.
Shippo leaned out and glared at the back of Kirara's head. "We used to be friends! Now you only side with Kohaku?!"
Kirara glanced back and huffed again.
"This could be a death sentence. There was one time when I travelled with Sesshomaru-sama when Naraku was around still, Sesshomaru-sama was so pissed off he used his fists to pummel a demon to death." Kohaku sighed heavily.
"What pissed him off?" Shippo warily asked.
Kohaku was looking ahead. "He, Jaken, and I went ahead with A-Un. We left Rin behind in a little cave thinking she was safe there. She was still holding onto Tenseiga since Sesshomaru-sama was refusing to take it back and she refused to let go of it. She even disobeyed him when he told her to throw into the river. She held onto it so tightly." Kohaku shook his head, "She got tired and Jaken suggested we let her rest. Shortly afterwards, Sesshomaru-sama's stopped suddenly and turned back to fly to Rin. When we came back there were a couple demons attacking a crevice in the cave. His eyes flashed red when he realized Tenseiga was creating a barrier at the crevice, Rin was inside it and shouting at the youkai to leave her alone and that Tenseiga was Sesshomaru-sama's. He killed them with his bare hands, brutally." Kohaku finished.
Shippo shuddered as an image of Sesshomaru cracking his knuckles appeared behind his eyelids. "I really don't feel like dying."
Kirara snorted and Kohaku nodded. "She's just as stubborn as him. That's the problem. Neither will budge. Rin still held onto Tenseiga even when those demons were trying to steal it from her. Sesshomaru-sama has always favoured Rin, he always will. He's only grown to love her and now his jealously is at the comparison level of Inuyasha's, from what Miroku thinks anyways." Kohaku explained with a shrug.
Shippo thought of all the times Inuyasha got jealous and how moody he was, he dreaded to see Sesshomaru jealous and petty over his friend Rin and a village boy that forced his unwanted kiss onto Rin.
Kirara made a noise and descended to the edge of a cliff. Shippo and Kohaku jumped off of her back and looked down into the ravine. There was Sesshomaru swinging Bakusaiga and destroying a dozen demons in one stroke of his blade.
Shippo took a step back and Kohaku grabbed his haori front. "He already knows we're here." Kohaku stated flatly and stared down at Sesshomaru. "Don't say anything until I prompt you to."
Shippo nodded.
A-Un sent a trail of lightning across the ravine and Sesshomaru walked away and sheathed his blade. Kohaku leapt down the side and slid down it and Shippo followed behind.
"Sesshomaru-sama." Kohaku called out and then ran over to Sesshomaru. Kirara leapt down and gracefully landed in front of Sesshomaru.
Shippo watched as Sesshomaru turned around and glared at Kohaku and him. Shippo faltered in his step but Kohaku kept walking and Shippo caught up. This is for Rin and her happiness! He kept chanting internally.
"What is it?" Sesshomaru flicked some locks back over his shoulder.
"I wanted you to know that Rin has been quite upset since you left her like that in the village." Kohaku said evenly and Shippo nodded mutely.
Sesshomaru frowned, "She had made her decision. She has chosen a ningen. This Sesshomaru would have preferred her rejection to his face. This one would have accepted it better then."
Kohaku shook his head. "That village idiot was dared by another local boy to try and feel her up and kiss her. They wanted to see your reaction; they wanted your attention. They wanted your gifts." Kohaku sighed heavily, "Rin doesn't have friends there, except for us. She spends all of her time with Inuyasha and Kagome, or my sister, Miroku and the kids. As well as Jinenji. That's all she has in the village. She's sad Sesshomaru-sama."
Shippo was grateful that Kohaku was better at dealing with Sesshomaru, he was ready to run. The strength and aura of the daiyoukai before him was immense.
"Rin …Rin has never spoken about these issues. She is bullied?" Sesshomaru asked Kohaku, focussed on only what Kohaku had to say.
"Hai, they mostly ignore her now that she knows self-defence which she used that day. I saw it and then Inuyasha grabbed her and they took off after you because you didn't see that part. She never told you the truth about living in the village, so it was never a lie you could smell. We're friends and I consider her like a little sister, I know these secrets she has kept from you, gomen Sesshomaru-sama. I know you can smell that I am not lying." Kohaku said with a nod. "This the truth that Rin hides from you, to spare you any guilt for leaving her in the village."
Sesshomaru closed his eyes in thought. "This Sesshomaru said things and promised to never return. This one ordered his Rin to never speak to him again."
Shippo's jaw dropped. "Sesshomaru-sama," He knew he had to use the title or risk losing his tail. He watched as amber eyes turned to look down at him. "Rin has been crying herself to sleep every night since you left and sporadically throughout the days! She's miserable and she barely eats. Kaede has to order Rin to eat a minimum of five bites! She takes five and that's it!"
Sesshomaru turned away from them.
Shippo balled up his fists and took a step forward. Kohaku's arm swung out and he silently shook his head with a look that told him to be quiet. "But…" Shippo pointed at Sesshomaru leaping up a side of the cliff and onto A-Un's saddle and taking off into the air.
"Kirara, back to the village." Kohaku ordered as he ran to her and leapt on her back. Shippo ran up to them and hopped on her back behind Kohaku and took off into the air…behind Sesshomaru.
Shippo sighed in relief.
"See, anything about Rin's well being will always have Sesshomaru-sama return to Rin. He would have sensed it if she passed out in the next day or two. But this is better." Kohaku grinned back at Shippo.
Shippo shook his head, "I can't believe you just walked up to him and told him that lie about Rin being bullied and having no friends."
Kohaku frowned at him. "She doesn't. Perhaps she lied to you. I also interrogated that idiot, Matsumae, about the bet. There were several bets to see who could force themselves onto Rin and get a dowry from Sesshomaru-sama. I made sure that won't happen." Kohaku turned back around and patted Kirara's side. "Right Kirara?"
She whined softly.
"Yeah, it wasn't nice to threaten him, but it had to be done. Inuyasha took care of his friends." Kohaku sighed heavily.
Shippo wondered if being around Sesshomaru had any lasting effects on Kohaku. He also wondered why Rin always made it seem like she was happy in the village. Are you just trying to spare Sesshomaru's feelings? Rin your happiness clearly matters to Sesshomaru if he is flying straight back to the village.
You're both so stubborn, just as Kohaku said you were!
I always appreciate comments. I even reply to all comments (unless it's a guest then I can't). Tell me what you think could happen in the next chapter.