Chapter 1: Lights of Introduction
The streets were unusually empty. The entire town had dressed up and congregated in the plaza for the annual winter festival. The loud music and conversations carried through the empty alleyways. Snow had begun to fall along with the descent of the sun into the horizon. He shoved his hands into his pockets and felt shivers as his cold hands met his warm body. One of the street lamps flickered on and seemed to ignite the others into life. A breeze began to pick up and he closed in upon himself, keeping his face to the ground. Soon another set of footsteps joined his own, both slightly muffled by the snow.
"You should know better than to wander out on your own."
They continued walking side by side, neither speaking a word. A figure ahead of them caught their attention. A gril tripping over her long dress, curls in disarray. Her coat covered her from neck to ankles, but she had still managed to catch the attention of a group of misfits. As she came closer he could see her short breaths formalized into smoke in the frozen night.
"Sess-."
They stopped simultaneously, looking at one another.
"Brother," he continued, "that figure is awfully familiar."
"Hn."
"I think that's Rin."
The footsteps grew closer until the body of the girl dropped at their feet. One of them kneeled down and hooked the girl up by the shoulders.
"Oh Kami, Miroku," she breathed. "I-."
"Save it, I've covered for you one too many times."
The group of, now obviously, men came to a stop at the sight of the three. Miroku and Rin looked to the last brother and watched him slowly raise his line of vision. The group of men burst into laughter at the sight.
"Well if it isn't Touga Takahashi's oldest son, Sesshomaru."
"The mute?"
"None other than gentlemen. The great tycoon's greatest shame before our very eyes."
Rin fought against her brother, "He isn't mute!"
"Quiet yourself girl!" they snarled. "This entire bloody town knows he hasn't spoken a word in his life."
A pair of footsteps approached them from the street.
"Boys, lady, is there a problem here?"
Rin looked up at the chubby policeman with a smile, "No officer. Just a minor disagreement that has just been resolved. My brothers and I were about to leave."
In response Rin began to tug at Miroku's black coat. After a bit of resistance he turned and Sesshomaru followed. The cop didn't budge until the headlights of their small car disappeared at a nearby intersection.
"You boys," he began, "should pick your fights with smaller prey. That man's father could have your asses out on the street before you blinked again."
"Keep your thoughts to yourself old man."
They turned and walked away, grumbling among themselves at the loss of a rich girl for the night. They'd try again until Touga Takahashi intervened, his sons weren't threat enough. Not yet.