So I have a HC that Shiori comes to the village too and she has been in a couple of my stories on AO3 that are more explicit of SessRin but that she is mentioned in them as being Rin's friend. I think they would be great friends, so I am bringing her into WHGU!
This chapter is mostly Shiori but she gets to witness the interactions between Sesshomaru and Rin who have now been engaged for several months in the timeline of the story.
Enjoy!
Shiori pulled her cloak tighter against her shivering skin. She kept her hood up to hide the dark locks of her hair, it had been her day of when she would lose her powers, but she kept pushing herself forward. She needed to get to them, her ka-san had told her with a raspy cough, to find them. "Do not ...do not stop until you find Inuyasha and the others."
She thought of her mother in her dying moments and bit her lip and slipped on some sleet and took a tumble off the path in the woods and into a gully. She whimpered in pain and held her ankle and grateful it didn't break, but she could see the scrapes, bruises, and the swelling.
"Ka-san…" She whimpered and curled on herself and cried for the loss of her mother.
"Sesshomaru, I promised to look for some herbs in the woods. I traverse them enough to not get lost." A teasing laugh and Shiori felt her heart stammer and halt. She nearly gasped out but covered her mouth and tugged her hood up and prayed they didn't find her.
"Rin, come here. There is a ningen in the woods." The one called Sesshomaru spoke coolly.
"I have my naginata." Rin's voice replied, it was terse and there was a sigh.
Shiori, realizing that they were armed, and one was obviously a youkai, left her with little options. She shakily stood up and clutched her cloak tightly. "Never let a youkai or a ningen know when it is your time. It is when you are most vulnerable." Her mother had ingrained that lesson well when she was young. She cursed herself as she was too ambitious in her travels and didn't hide for the day like she should have.
"Ohayo…" She called out softly and nearly fell backwards as a blade was beside her neck a moment later from behind her. Her chest rose and fell quickly, and she was glad she had voided her bladder earlier or else she would have embarrassed herself. She heard a deep sigh further back in the woods, which was feminine.
"Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked and added, "Why are you in Inuyasha's forest?"
"Sesshomaru! She's shaking!" Rin scolded him and walked around them and stood before Shiori. Shiori studied the brunette before her with deep brown eyes. She looked to be her age of fifteen. Rin looked kind and lavishly rich with the warm fur cloak and boots. Shiori shivered and Rin reached out rubbed her arms. "You're practically frozen, come with me and I'll bring you to Kaede-obaasan." Rin said softly.
"Rin." Sesshomaru pulled back his sword and Shiori heard the sound of a sword being sheathed. "Why is a random ningen in Inuyasha's woods?"
Rin looked past Shiori who dared not look back at the youkai. "Sesshomaru, there is nothing nefarious about her."
"Hn." Then a moment later. "Do as you please but this Sesshomaru will not get you out of your next bind."
Rin nodded and smiled at the youkai before looking back to Shiori. She bowed her head to Shiori, careful with her naginata. "My name is Rin. The grumpy inu daiyoukai behind you is Sesshomaru-sama."
Shiori shakily bowed her head to Rin, "I'm Shiori. My ka…my okasan wanted me to come here to seek Inuyasha's help actually." She licked dry lips and heard a shift in the snow as Sesshomaru moved around and stood before her, close to Rin's side.
"What does a ningen want with this one's younger brother?" Sesshomaru asked.
Shiori gasped and her head shot up and her hood fell back. "B-brother?" She saw the resemblance of the white hair and golden amber eyes, but Sesshomaru was a youkai. She stared at him, the features were also different.
"Half, Sesshomaru has a daiyoukai mother and Inuyasha a ningen mother." Rin said and stared at Shiori. "Why are you here?" There was a slight furrow to Rin's brow.
Shiori realized her hood fell back revealing raven dark locks and chestnut brown eyes. She pulled it back up and dipped her head. "He helped me when I was a child. I…had hoped to find him, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo."
"Hn." Sesshomaru hummed out for a moment, "You are a Hanyou."
Shiori nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. "Ka-san always said to hide for this day, the day after the night of the half moon. I overestimated how long it would take to get here." She whispered.
"Here." Rin said as Shiori felt something warm wrapped around her. "Now you are bundled up and covered. "Inuyasha and Kagome live with me, Kaede-obaasan, and Shippo too when he's around." Rin smiled as Shiori lifted her head.
"Rin, you will catch a cold." Sesshomaru huffed gently.
Rin siddled up beside his armoured side where a large pelt was. "You'll keep me warm, won't you…anata?" Rin whispered sweetly.
Shiori watched as the pelt curled around Rin out of its own volition. She sighed in relief at the extra layer and that she came across a youkai that was clearly involved with a ningen. They will have a Hanyou themselves.
She watched as Sesshomaru looked at Rin for a moment, his expression softening just a bit before glancing back at Shiori. "Do not loose that cloak, it is made of the finest furs and this Sesshomaru does not intend to kill anymore beasts to obtain their pelts." He started to walk with Rin being forced to walk with him.
Rin glanced back as Shiori hobbled behind them, trying not to make any whimpering noises of her pain. It hurt to walk, and she just wanted to sit, standing had been taxing enough. "Sesshomaru, slow down. She's injured." Rin spoke up moments later after looking back to her.
"You will get sick again."
"That was when I was eight!" Rin huffed and uncoiled the pelt around her and ran back to Shiori. Rin stabbed her naginata into the ground and knelt down at Shiori's feet. Rin had a simple but warm and thick yukata on. "Here, I am going to check your ankle, it is the right one, correct?" Rin looked up at her.
"Hai." Shiori nodded and Rin lifted the bottom of Shiori's yukata to reveal the ankle.
Rin gingerly touched it and Shiori let out a sharp gasp. "It's not broken, just tender. Something that will heal quickly once you are back to yourself." Rin stood up and tapped her chin for a moment before nodding to herself. "Hop on my back. A-Un is in hibernation since he is a dragon sort of beast and Kirara is with Kohaku right now." Rin turned around and bent her knees with her arms ready to hold under Shiori's knees.
"Umm…" Shiori cast a wary glance at the daiyoukai but he was gone from his spot. "Where did…"
"He probably went to find Inuyasha. Their relationship is much better these days, they can have a conversation without Inuyasha getting a fist to his face." Rin laughed softly. "Now come on Shiori, I'm getting cold now."
Shiori apologized quickly and clambered onto Rin's back. The slender woman seemed to be stronger than she appeared.
"Grab my naginata and lay it across my back horizontally, we don't want any accidents on the way back to the village." Rin giggled.
"Mhm!" Shiori hummed out and yanked the weapon out from the semi-frozen ground.
Rin carried her with ease through the woods. Not even breathing hard.
"You must train lots." Shiori said softly after what felt like forever in silence.
"Inuyasha and Sango train me. The naginata is my new weapon. Toutousai made it for me. Bokuseno was kind enough to give a bough for the staff part to give it some magical property. Bokuseno said he doesn't want to see me until Sesshomaru and I are married, so I can't visit him again for another two years." Rin stepped over a fallen branch heavy laden with snow and had obviously snapped off its tree.
Shiori watched the steady stream of cold breath leave Rin. It wasn't laboured, but it was as gentle as Shiori's. "He sounds like a kind man."
"Kind tree youkai. He knew Touga-sama and was one of his closest friends and confidants." Rin said softly.
"Is Toutousai a youkai too?" Shiori asked quietly.
"Hai, he is the one who forged Tenseiga and Tessaiga. The fang swords from Touga-sama. Toutousai even knew the name of Sesshomaru's second blade before it even appeared, Bakusaiga, Touga-sama apparently knew it was always within Sesshomaru. He is very kind too and he is protective of young souls, including ningen children. He forged Kohaku's weapon too." Rin glanced back at her. "This village…you will be safe here, Shiori. Your ka-san," Shiori saw Rin's eyes mist up, "Your ka-san was right to send you to Inuyasha-nii."
Shiori nodded and as Rin turned back around and continued traversing in the woods, Shiro curled up and rested her cheek against Rin's back, keeping the naginata safe on her thighs. "Arigato, Rin."
"There is another half-youkai here. His name is Jinenji. His father was a horse youkai. He has this garden during the spring and summer months. It is a great garden, but it doesn't grow all of the herbs we need, especially in the winter months, so I venture out here. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, or Kohaku usually accompany, but Sesshomaru was visiting for a few days." Rin chattered away and Shiori liked that Rin easily filled in the silence for her.
"Rin!" A male voice called out and Shiori recognized the tone and heard bells jangle before familiar black and purple robes appeared on the path. "Sesshomaru-sama said you were carrying back Shiori."
"Hai, Miroku-sama." Rin called out happily, "I can keep carrying her since we are not far now."
Miroku sighed and shook his head and blinked at Shiori, "Ah…I see why you needed to be carried. It is that time."
Shiroi nodded and tried to pull the hood over more, "Ohayo Miroku-sama."
"My, my…I was rude…ohayo Shiori-chan." He patted her shoulder and looked to Rin, "Let's go through the back ways then, Rin."
"Hai." Rin nodded and continued on after Miroku grabbed the naginata from Shiori.
Miroku and Rin chatted easily and comfortably with each other and then Miroku laughed and looked back to Shiori, "In the years we haven't seen each other, I married Sango. We have three children now. We are hoping for a fourth by the summer."
"Wow!" Shiori smiled and then it faltered, and she ducked her head down.
"They love their Inuyasha-oji-san very much." Rin piped up after Shiori remained silent as they exited the woods and walked on a path that Miroku cleared with his staff.
"Hai, intolerance is taught not inherited. My children love Jinenji-oji-san scars and all." Miroku huffed as he cleared the path, "The snow is much thicker here." Shiori wondered if Jinenji was a refugee from ningens like she was.
"This is when I wish A-Un didn't hibernate." Rin sighed softly.
"Or Kohaku hogging Kirara." Miroku sighed heavily.
"Gomen, I'm making more trouble because I don't want to be seen as a ningen." Shiori apologized.
"I have an idea." Rin chirped out.
"Ah, hai." Miroku turned back and nodded at Rin with a knowing smile and a wink.
"Sesshomaru!" Rin shouted up into the sky and then whistled between her fingers, Shiori holding on tight around Rin's neck as Rin let go under right knee for a moment.
Moments later Sesshomaru landed on the ground before them. "Rin, you did as you pleased and now you are calling me here?"
"Sesshomaru, we need to go through the back ways of the village. You don't want me to stay out in the cold longer than I have to, right?" Rin asked sweetly.
Sesshomaru's amber gaze looked unmoved by the sweet words.
"She could become violently ill like when she was eight. What a tragedy it would be if Rin became ill and…" Miroku trailed off and Sesshomaru huffed and walked past Rin and Miroku and made a path quicker than Miroku could without tiring.
What Shiori learned that morning was that Sesshomaru, despite his aloof and cold exterior, was warm and caring when it came to Rin. Miroku was pretty much the same as he was when she met him years ago but was now married with three children.
Then there was Rin, a girl her age, who was in love with a youkai and was the polar opposite of Sesshomaru. Where he was a blade, she was the whetstone there to hone the blade and make it perfect. Rin was to bring out all of his fine qualities and make him sharper and brighter.
Rin finally knelt down shakily inside the hut and an old miko and Kagome shook their heads at Rin.
"Rin-chan, you are so stubborn." Kagome sighed and pushed a bowl of warm broth toward Rin's shaking hands. "Be glad Inuyasha was dealing with Kouga. He may have punished you."
"This Sesshomaru will be the only one to punish Rin and this occasion does not call for it." Sesshomaru stated as Shiori watched him sit down, his pelt relaxed against the wall behind him, a space for Rin to crawl in and sit beside him. She watched as Kagome helped Rin to sit with Sesshomaru and the pelt curled around her again as she sipped the broth.
"Well, I am glad Sesshomaru had found me to accompany you this far into the village. I will see if Inuyasha and Kouga are done their sparring." Miroku said from the doorway and smiling at Shiori, "You're in good hands and you can tell us why you came here later when you are ready."
"H-hai. Arigato Miroku-sama…and Rin-chan!" Shiori turned around and saw Rin sleeping against Sesshomaru's side with Sesshomaru holding the empty bowl of broth.
"How far in the forest were you? Rin doesn't get tired easily." Kaede stated softly.
"Near the gully." Sesshomaru stated flatly.
Kagome gasped and leaned forward. "Really? Onii-san! You should've carried Shiori-chan! Poor Rin-chan!" Kagome sighed and got up and took the bowl of broth and set it by the ledge around the cooking fire. Shiori watched Kagome go to a chest of drawers and open it and pulled out a blanket and returned and knelt down and draped it over Rin, tucking the edges in, "Now keep her there and nice and warm." Kagome chided Sesshomaru and pulled off Rin's boots.
"Gomen…I knew I shouldn't have let her carry me." Shiori apologized again.
"Iie, this Sesshomaru's Rin does as she pleases. If it made her happy to carry you, there is nothing Inuyasha nor even I could have done to persuade her otherwise." Sesshomaru explained looking at the fire.
"He's right. He's also said a lot of words today! Seems Rin was right to tell you her nee-san's great advice on communication." Kagome laughed softly.
"Hn."
"You made such progress!" Kagome sighed and turned back to Shiori. "Alright, let's check the ankle. When does your time end?"
"Sunset. It begins at sunrise…." Shiori explained.
"Drink this child, ye look like ye haven't eaten in several days." Kaede said as she handed Shiori a bowl of broth with some vegetables and beef in it.
Shiori closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, "Arigato. It has been a week since I have eaten, maybe nine days. I don't know what is safe or not in the woods to eat, especially in the winter."
Kagome nodded and checked on Shiori's ankle. "Not broken." Kagome smiled at her gently, eyes soft and sad for her. "Your okasan… is she…" Kagome bowed her head.
"Hai, she got sick one day and never recovered." Shiori sniffled and bowed her head. Kagome wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.
"You're safe. It's good you came here. Inuyasha and Jinenji will always be here for you." Kagome rubbed her back. "Now eat the soup and keep Rin's cloak on until you are back to you and can regulate your body temperature better."
"Hai." Shiori said softly and followed orders of the mikos.
Rin slowly woke up a couple hours later and yawned and curled into Sesshomaru's side, arm around his chest. "Sesshomaru…I hate the armour being in the way." She mumbled. "Take it off."
Shiori watched the interaction as she stayed near the cooking fire and kept herself warm. Inuyasha had returned shortly after Shiori had her soup. Shiori blushed in embarrassment for witnessing such an affectionate display.
"Oi, Sesshomaru, what are you doing with Rin that has you without your armour?" Inuyasha stood up and growled at his brother.
Sesshomaru looked down from Rin to Inuyasha, Shiori had observed the two had short conversations that were neither friendly nor hostile. Kagome had promised to explain it later. Sesshomaru smirked and she saw Inuyasha take another step toward Sesshomaru, "What this one does with his betrothed in private is none of your business little brother."
"Teme!" Inuyasha shouted and Rin sat up and blinked her eyes and looked to Inuyasha and then where her arm was. She blushed and pulled her arm back to her chest as if scalded by fire. Inuyasha grabbed Rin by the elbow and yanked her up and pulled her up onto the platform and made her sit beside him, Kagome on his other side. "What did I tell you last time?" Inuyasha hissed at Rin.
"Gomen…Inuyasha-nii." Rin sighed softly.
"'Sesshomaru…I hate the armour being in the way'…What are you two doing?" Inuyasha interrogated Rin. Shiori thought Inuyasha loved Rin more as his sibling than his own brother as Inuyasha gave Rin a pointed look.
"Uh…." Rin hummed out.
"Two years isn't long. Behave until then." Inuyasha growled at her.
Sesshomaru stood up and left the house and Kagome sighed. "You drove onii-san off."
"Don't call him that, it's weird." Inuyasha chided his wife.
Shiori watched everything and Kaede patted her forearm. "Is it always like this?" Shiori asked softly and looked to the old miko.
"Hai, isn't it nice? I was alone for so long but now I have them and the others. Ye are always welcomed to stay as long ye wish Shiori. Those that are like Inuyasha are always welcomed in this quiet village." Kaede smiled at her gently.
"Ehhh?!" Rin gasped out and pointed at Shiori.
"Rin, don't point!" Inuyasha chided her.
"She learned that from you!" Kagome quipped.
"Your hair and eyes changed! You're so pretty!" Rin clapped her hands and got up and ran around and went to her dresser and then sat down behind her. "Let me comb out your hair, this will take awhile. So, keep enjoying your soup." Rin said as she started to work on Shiori's long grey hair.
"You don't have to." Shiori said softly looking back at Rin who looked content.
"Rin is patient enough to comb Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's hair. Just relax and enjoy it. She does such a great job." Kagome waved a hand at her.
"Shiori," Rin said softly. "I know it's hard to trust ningen. If you had a life like Inuyasha-nii or Jinenji, then it wasn't easy. My entire family was murdered by bandits when I was very young. I became a mute until I met Sesshomaru, Jaken-sama and A-Un. I trusted them most in the world. And when I came here to live, I trusted Inuyasha the most. So, I understand if you do not want to trust me right away, but we're all going to be here for you." Rin's words were spoken with confidence and sincerity.
The flap of the door opened and a small youkai entered and shook his head and sat down at the fire. "Rin-chan you are acting like a servant again?" The youkai asked.
Shiori pulled her bowl close to her lips and let it warm her face up. "Arigato, Rin." She glanced at the small youkai.
Rin stopped and addressed the youkai, "Jaken-sama welcome home! I am being hospitable. Kaede-obaasan made soup you can eat once you are warm enough." Rin said cheerfully.
Shiori sat there for some time as Rin worked out every knot before combing it smooth until the comb ran through it easily. Shiori heard her hum behind her, sometimes singing softly silly songs about Sesshomaru, or Inuyasha, or other things and people that meant something to Rin. Rin would make conversation with her or anyone else, particularly asking how Jaken's travels had been and if he had been successful on the task that Sesshomaru gave him.
"Rin...Rin-chan! You ask so many questions! What Sesshomaru-sama has me doing is secret. Do not pester me!" Jaken said as he stepped up onto the platform and gratefully accepted a bowl of soup from Kaede.
Inuyasha smirked, "It wouldn't happen to be related to the..."
"Osuwari!" Kagome shouted and Jaken nodded as Inuyasha crashed to the floor. "It's a secret!" Kagome growled out.
Shiori liked the interaction, ningen and youkai getting along easily.
Ka-san, I miss you so much. My heart is aching, but it is also bursting with happiness. I am safe and I'm going to stay and be happy with Inuyasha and his entire family.
Shiori felt a tear slip down and Rin wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "You're safe. You can cry here, and no one will say a word."
"No one will judge." Kagome smiled and Kaede patted Shiori's thigh gently, "Shiori, take as much as time as ye need. To have made such a journey after a loss meant that your mother worried about ye."
"H-hai." Shiori let out a cry and leaned into Kaede as she was drawn to maternal figure and cried. Rin patted her back and Inuyasha stood up and headed to the door.
"I'm going to let Miroku and Sango know not to let the kids come by here, not until you are ready to meet more people." Inuyasha called out and then turned his back to her, "I am sorry you had to lose her now in your life, but you had her longer than I had mine. Those memories will become a treasure and she will always be with you in your heart." He flushed red and then whipped out of the house.
"He can be so sweet sometimes." Rin laughed softly.
"Then he turns into such a dork!" Kagome laughed with Rin.
"He sounds like a buffoon most times." Jaken sighed and shook his head.
Shiori smiled gently, "His words are from experience. As hanyous…we are always bound to outlive our mortal parent. I always knew that; I just didn't believe it until it was happening." Shiori whispered.
"Even you one day much, much later will join your ka-san." Rin said softly behind her. "Even youkai aren't immortal. I remember that whenever I think about mine and Sesshomaru's differences. It always seemed so vast, but my heart is his and his is mine. We'll face those challenges together."
"Rin, you're such a romantic!" Kagome squealed and ran over and tackled Rin to the floor. "You're melting his icy heart away with your love!"
"Stop that! Kagome-nee!" Rin shouted.
"Iie! Soon you'll be married, and he'll swoop out of here with you! Just let me hold you!" Kagome complained.
Jaken stood up and ran over to them and complained at them for acting childishly and that if Rin got injured he would be blamed for it.
"Neither of them had a sister, so they don't know how to behave as sisters. Instead they roughhouse like brothers would." Kaede chuckled and reached back and grabbed Kagome's ankle. "That is enough Kagome let Rin rest before Sesshomaru comes inside." Kaede said with a firm voice.
Shiori sensed the youki suddenly and looked up at the roof. "He's sitting up there?"
"He always does when he's visiting." Kagome huffed and stood up, "Onii-san! You can come inside if you want."
"He's not going to; you've embarrassed him enough." Rin sighed softly and Jaken nodded in agreement.
A moment later the curtain pulled back and Sesshomaru sat down quietly by the fire near the entrance. All four stared at him. The pelt uncurled and surprised Shiori as it snatched Rin around her waist, Rin's squeak was sharp in the silent room to Shiori's sensitive hearing. Rin landed at Sesshomaru's side and Shiori noticed that the armour was off, but the swords remained. Rin sat beside him with a soft blush on her cheeks as he raked his claws through her hair.
Kagome and Kaede must've noticed too as they both gasped. Jaken stared at Sesshomaru with his lower beak dropped.
"Onii-san! He's such a big softie when it comes to Rin-chan!" Kagome squealed, pointing at the couple, stomping her feet almost childishly in her excitment.
"Ye will drive him off again." Kaede retorted gruffly and Kagome sat down on her knees and turned away from them.
"Sesshomaru-sama...rarely goes without armour in front of others!" Jaken gasped and shook his head and then stared at his lord again, confirming what he was seeing.
Shiori smiled at the couple and watched them for a moment more before looking away.
Ka-san did you and Chichi-ue look at each other like that? So full of love and trust? They are so happy. I hope their children have a long time with their ka-san, longer than we had together.
Watch over me and Rin and Kagome too. They will be mothers one day to part youkai children and I want their children to know love of their mother, so that they will always cherish those memories even when it's painful.