Author's note: I own none of the characters but my own original characters, which are so far, Kali. Please, review. But hey, my sister said no one would review, but I got one review! Yes! Aha, yet again my sister is wrong.
Chapter 2: The Fallen and the Fair
Lord Sesshoumaru fell through wind and fire, earth and water, unconscious. The world passed him by in glimmers of memories, from both his time and beyond. He passed through the stories of the great ones who were long ago real, but now legend. He fell on through the future of his own kind, nearly forgotten in centuries to come. Such are the path of the great heroes, enemies, and personas of the past; doomed to be naught but myths told by the fireside.
His great body, after what was seconds or eternity, fell into darkness. The only real light came from the radiance of his gleaming fur. It was soon joined by the red gleam of his eyes, wide and searching. Sesshoumaru did not know where he was, who had brought him, or where Rin was. The little girl was constant in his mind, setting off anger at the creature that stole her, and frustration at himself for even caring. In this darkness, there was no way to tell how fast he was falling, how long his body had been moving, and if he would remain like this to the very end of everything. He could not move, some unseen force paralyzed his body, and his tail dragged above him as he watched it trailing from a position where his back was downwards. If there is a downward at all.
He did not know how, but Sesshoumaru came to the realization that he was falling slower, rapidly decreasing in pace. With a sudden jerk, the youkai broke free of his frozen body.
Sesshoumaru watched his true form fall into the abyss, until even his eyes could not see it. And he was alone, without a body. Pure spirit, the youkai realized, as he tried to find the rest of himself, but seeing nothing and feeling nothing but an uncanny loss for the physical world. He had always believed that death would be something like this, fitting his personality just to become nothing, no reincarnation, no hell, and no heaven. Just consciousness.
He was everywhere and everything, though there was nothing to be felt. No sun filtering through the leaves of his forests, no scent of river, bark, or grass, no reassuring soil beneath his paws. He wanted to be alive. The craving was more instinct than intelligent thought as he lifted back his non-existent head and let out a silent mournful howl.
And he realized, that (though it was impossible in his new state), he had stopped falling.
There was a voice, as soft and silent as Sesshoumaru's cry, but the youkai heard it nonetheless and listened intently to the thing that had brought him here.
About time, you cried out. I thought it would be hard for you, and I was right. I needed you in this state to communicate with you. But look Youkai! What do you see?
I see nothing. He replied. Nothing at all. It surprised Sesshoumaru greatly that he was not attempting to rip this "thing" apart, he supposed that his calm, careless persona had returned with the absence of his toxic claws and fangs.
LOOK CLOSER, LORD OF THE WESTERN LANDS, FOR ONE WHO IS OLD BY THE STANDERDS OF YOUR WORLD, YOU FAIL TO SEE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT! The voice was neither angry, nor demanding; just powerful enough that Lord Sesshoumaru was forced to focus.
He saw everything. Not so much in a sense that human, youkai, hanyou, and other creatures see, but in the way the Rifter saw it. The beauty was not wasted on Sesshoumaru; there had always been something alluring about the night sky for him. He saw the stars, oh the exquisite fragile beauty they held! They were not the balls of glowing that humans in the future would see with their telescopes, but something more. The stars themselves were hard to define, at best Sesshoumaru thought they were like the gleaming of stars he had seen from his home, but larger. They were in constant movement, slow, but not deliberate. Little orbs of the most fantastic colors, shimmering blues, and greens, subtle whites and pinks, iridescent like the scales of fish, or feathery and soft like his now gone fur. The stars (for he was certain that was what they were) moved in a random pattern, forming ribbons of glowing light. It was greater than an aurora, though even in his far travels, Sesshoumaru had never witnessed one. He longed for a body, to pull one of those immortal lights from their river, and give it to Rin. Though, I will never see her again.
There was yet again silence, for what felt like eternity and more.
You are not dead Youkai. I merely needed to show you this.
Who are you? Several thoughts filtered in his being, all, which the Rifter could see.
No, I am not one of the higher beings, I am a creature, like you, but very, very different.
Why did you bring me here?
To tell you of your path.
Sesshoumaru felt something of his famous anger blare up, I, Sesshoumaru, choose my own path!
This is not something you can help! You can choose to ignore it, though I do not know what will come of it. For that matter, I do not know what will happen if you do follow what is at your feet! But you will know of it Sesshoumaru, that I will make sure of!
For a long time, Sesshoumaru was quiet. He mulled this over in his thoughts, knowing that even this knowledge would probably be consequential for him to know. I am Sesshoumaru, I fear no path.
The human Rin is safe.
The Rifter received no reply, and purposely chose to block the youkai's thoughts about this.
You are heading for a new time, Sesshoumaru. It is the same one your half-brother's companion, the Shikon Shard detector, lives in. You shall be there for a short time. However, Sesshoumaru did not know how "short" was thought as by something infinently old.
Why? The Lord of the Western Lands had no desire to go to Inu Yasha's wench's time.
I have already set you on the path; to tell you why would be directing you. That is something I can not do. To do that would be to influence, which was against the Change. It had to be natural, it had to be based on what the followers of the paths chose to do.
Leave me to go now, so I can get this done quickly.
You can never finish your path, not before your final death.
Lord Sesshoumaru growled inwardly at this, wanting to question what a "final" death meant. Suddenly, he felt the tug, as he began to fall again, back into time. He looked up at the stars, and with a mental hand he reached up and felt an icy blue one. It shimmered softly, feeling both cold and warm to his mind. A smaller, pinkish one, warm and feathery accompanied it. Rin, he thought, able to recognize her in no matter what the form. The stars, were more than they seemed. He wondered where he was in that glittering sky, wondering if he was even granted a light. As much as he could, he clenched the two stars, willing them to guide him.
I am giving you a gift Sesshoumaru, to aid you. It is not a major benefit, nothing too truly….affect…well…maybe not…but it will aid you.
Sesshoumaru looked for the voice, his mental self still clutching the blue and pink stars. He began to fall faster, still finding no source.
Sesshoumaru, the voice said softly. There is one who will help you, this creature is essential. IT MUST NOT BE DESTROYED. It is your way back home.
The Rifter saw him fall, unsure if he had heard its last comment.
Rin was busy picking the flowers around the bus stop, as Kali watched her in the predawn gloom. Everything was a haze of grays and purples. Far off, the skyscrapers of her city looked like the great trees that had once dominated this area. Kali leaned back, closing her eyes.
The little girl in front of her was teaming with curiosity. She wanted to know everything. What was this strange place? Surely, Sesshoumaru-sama would know why there were the long stretches of dark stone, flat and smooth as glass. Rin had taken notice of them, for they were sitting by one right now. She wanted to know where the trees had gone too, why the homes were so oddly shaped, and where the animals had hidden. Indeed, the wind monster had dropped her off in a strange and distant place. For now though, she was content to pick the dainty purple flowers growing by the continuous gray stone.
"Why are we going to take a moving box on wheels to the city?" Rin asked, trying her best to imagine what Kali had explained to her as a bus.
She must be from a rural fishing village, though they are getting rare these days. Kali had thought, trying to rationalize the girl. And the "monster" might have been a train, or a ship, or something coming to bring her family to the festival. She is pretty young, and might not have seen the outside world before. Kali had studied about these villages before, the last remaining shreds of the ancient world that was quickly being forced to become modern. With luck, I'll help her find this thing, or her family that she's looking for. "Because it is to far to walk," she replied in a tired voice. "And I'd be late." Kali was too tired to speak, and she looked over to the city with heavy eyes.
Something was coming up the road, the bus, Kali thought. She got up and Rin took her hand, looking somewhat scared at the steel behemoth that was approaching. "Rin, that's a bus. It will take us to the city, just make sure you are very quiet, we don't want to disturb anyone."
The girl nodded her eyes very wide.
With a sharp hiss, the bus stopped in front of them and lowered itself. The doors opened revealing a man who looked as if he had accidentally forgotten to drink his coffee. From a sleepless night, Kali too was beginning to look similar. She deposited the bus fare into the machine, when the man seemed to click awake at the sound of the change.
"Only needed to put in half of that," he eyed her costume. "Going to the fare, right?"
Discount for children her age, forgot about it. She nodded, and took a seat in the back with Rin.
The bus was totally vacant, and Rin had a full view of the inside of what she thought was more of the decorated insides of a monster than anything else was. Incredibly realistic paintings of what seemed to be men and women in weird clothes holding up items were on the sides. She bounced for a moment on the uncomftorble hard vinyl seats and felt the cold arm rests with her tiny hands. Rin kept quiet as she saw Kali lean her head against a window and half close her eyes.
There was something falling towards her. She stood on the edge of something, but could not look down, could not even feel the ground beneath her feet. But she heard the sound of something fluttering, something that felt massive in her mind. In a flash of white and fire red, she saw the thing fall past her, its eyes gleaming with something like curiosity. She followed it, not sure of her body and reached out a hand, extending her fingers--
"Miss, this is your stop!" A crackling electronic voice jolted Kali awake, and she was aware of the man talking on the intercom. She also noted that Rin's hands were attached to her arm, clamping harder then steel. The child's brown eyes were wide and afraid. "It's just a microphone, helps his voice to become louder." She whispered quietly as she gathered her things, the child still attached to her arm. "Thank you, sir." Kali said quietly to the man, not looking to see if he had heard, edging off with the bus with Rin. The doors shut behind her, with a hiss that made Rin jump and hide behind her. As the car drove off, Kali looked down at Rin. "See, you should not be afraid of a bus." Kali said in a mock superior tone.
"Rin is…not afraid." The girl mumbled.
"Look up Rin, I don't think you've ever seen a city before!" Kali said, almost laughing at the girl's brave front. Bold for a little kid.
As Rin looked from the sidewalk to the scenery spreading before her, she indeed had her first glance at a city. Too her eyes, it was all gleaming and beautiful, reflecting the morning reds and oranges. Like any child who encounters a city, her eyes wandered up the towering skyscrapers, giant boxes that reached the sky, some topped with spikes or domes, gleaming with glass or silvery light. She saw people. Oh so many people! All walking around in weird clothes, talking, eating from odd little food stands, going into the large boxes, and generally running around at a fast pace. Rin saw more of the long gray pathways, which were busy with more of those "busses" she had been in. They were all different shapes, sizes and colors and they kept making weird growls and barking noises at each other.
Kali had already begun to walk towards the park, unimpressed by the sight she had seen many times. Rin ran up to her, afraid to be left behind in this new environment and firmly clamped to her arm again. As she (Kali) walked, she explained to Rin that the city would get more crowded later, and that it would be very bad if she were to wander off on her own. The girl nodded visibly, her little ponytail quivering. The few people that they did pass generally ignored them, which after years of being unnoticed did not bother Kali. Yet, she longed to try out her voice on someone. Maybe Sanchi when I get back home? Call her a baka to her face! No, to long to wait. She smirked wildly as they entered the park. She would find her chance soon.
The park itself was familiar to Rin. There were the small types of homes she had grown in as a very young child settled on the hills of finely cut grass. Pens were standing, holding chickens, cows, and pigs all squabbling or mooing at each other in a random melody of jeering noises. They stopped walking as a noble crossed their path, seated on a beautiful horse with armor just like himself. Kali led her through rows of teaming stalls, held up by poles and fabric where the shopkeepers were setting up their fare to sell for the oncoming crowds. Probably looks nothing like what it did ages ago, thought Kali.
As Rin watched in eased awe, Kali wondered where the actor's stations were, following a crudely drawn map. Her station was close by, but her eyes could not follow the badly drawn lines of ink on her scrap. She turned to a station, where an old woman was beginning to act out the part of a noisy merchant.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but do you know where the actor's station is?" Kali asked kindly as Rin tried to look at the things on the shelf.
"Eh? I can't hear you darling, my ears are a little bit deaf." The woman leaned over, rubbing her weathered ears.
"I said, 'do you know where the-" Suddenly, her throat seemed to seize up, frozen. What the hell!?!? Then something familiar happened, she felt the pain. It happened in the past, when she had been young enough to think her voice would come if she tried. It ripped her throat in half, a searing fire that burned from the back of her mouth through her whole body. She felt herself wave, and had to grab onto the shelf to hold herself up as her body was racked with a fit of hoarse coughs that only made her double over in pain. What's going on? Why can't I speak? Rin was sitting besides her, in shock at what had happened.
"Oh, dear! Someone get the girl a glass of water," the woman managed to produce a bottle herself from her bags and handed it to Kali. "Nasty business, those winter coughs, eh?" However, Kali was unaware of her, as an awful realization hit her.
I'm still a mute. The world crumbled around her, somewhat like a brick wall crashing over her body. She felt herself ripping at the edges as the world blurred around her, and to top it all off, I've officially lost my mind. The final brick fell on her. Rin doesn't exist. The busman did not see her, nor did this old woman! I am completely out of my mind…
Kali got up suddenly, not looking back at the questioning woman. She just wanted to keep moving; though her feet dragged from the added weight of her realization. Somewhere, a little voice was calling her, and she tried to ignore it, trying to impose on her mind that it was not there.
"Kali-chan! Don't leave me here!" There was a weight on her arm again, as Rin looked at her with deep concern. Of course, I made her up, what kind of child would trust a stranger so much?
"Rin, you're not real." She replied in a blank voice. It was odd, she heard her voice. No coughing, but no one around her acted as if they heard. It was like thinking in a way. A person hears their voice inside their minds, but they know that no one else could follow it.
The child looked up with confusion in her eyes. After a second or two, she shook her head. "No, Rin thinks this is not a dream!" She took of one of her hands, and pinched her own arm and winced slightly. "See? Rin goes 'ow!' but does not wake!"
"No." Kali said, staring blankly ahead. She continued in that same grim voice. "My mind made you up Rin, now leave."
The girl did not leave, but clung to Kali's arm even harder. A bold spark came to her eyes, just the same look that would come before a child demands for a toy. "Rin is not made up! Rin is Rin! You will see when you see Sesshoumaru-sama!"
"I'll probably make him up too."
"How can Kali make up something she before?" The girl looked up at her, giving her own version of the sad child face as tears threatened to leak from her eyes. "Please don't leave me here, it is very scary and you promised to help me find Sesshoumaru-sama!"
Kali considered her with darkened eyes as she rolled this thought in her head. She had no idea why, but it was impossible to just say no to this imaginary girl. Even if she did not exist. The quicker I can do what she wants, and I can't believe I'd give in to the demands of an imaginary girl, the quick she'll let me get back to my silent life. Though, I will miss it! Better than being a schizo, though. "Somehow, I doubt you would leave me! Fine Rin, stay with me if you want." She tried to sound bitter, but it was incredibly hard and her untrained voice cracked. "Okay, it hurt like hell when I coughed back there, so this obviously isn't a dream. And," she said. "I cannot break my first promise." That statement felt cold and final as it left her stubborn mouth.
Rin could hardly contain herself; she jumped and leaped about like a demented rabbit. "Rin and Kali-chan will find Sesshoumaru-sama, and Rin will be very happy to see him!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Find Sesshoumaru-sama, and then you can cling to him." She said in a grumpy, yet kind voice to the girl before she started walking ahead to what seemed to be her station.
Lord Sesshoumaru was not entirely sure how it was possible, but he landed softly on his feet in his non-demon form in the mock feudal age fair at the park. Before, he could register what that thing he had met had told him or where in hell he was; a human walked through the youkai.
On a reaction born from a long-standing hatred for humans, he immediately felt his claws grow painfully sharp as he proceeded to try to slash the human in half.
However, the dratted thing remained neatly whole and unharmed. For that matter, it didn't even look at the great youkai lord. It was then that sense came to Sesshoumaru, and for the first time in a very long time, his mind went completely blank with confusion.
Did a human just WALK THROUGH ME?
His first emotion was anger at being violated in such a way by a lowly human, the second was frustration at (for the first time it seemed) a creature not feeling his claws when he, Sesshoumaru the great youkai, wished them too. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME! COME AND BATTLE, AND DIE BRAVELY, NOT AS A COWARD WHEN I HUNT YOU DOWN!" He was nearly in his true form, looking for the creature that did this to him. So great was his wrath that, if not for the tiny obstacle of not existing to anyone, he would have massacred this whole weak village of humans. He took no notice of the disgusting reek of so many humans, nor of the city around him. After several moments of raging, his calm state returned. He remembered, Rin was safe. All he had to do was find her, and then…get back home…if it was possible. He blankly remembered the creature shouting down at him about another creature being able to assist him back home, but the details of what this thing may be he could not recall.
Find Rin first. Figure out this strange place later. He focused his mind then, as his lifted his nose and sniffed gently. A thousand unknown things hit his olfactory senses, but he knew the one scent he needed. Like a dog, he could sift through a million different details to find the one thing he needed. There it was! A scent of lilac and grass after rain, Rin's scent! Since there was no scent of blood, she assumed the human child was unharmed. He moved as a blur, turning haphazardly as he neared her.
Sesshoumaru paused before entering, what seemed to be a peasant's hut. He glared at the simple structure, something unusual catching his eye. There were two lights coming from within, one pink, and the other blue. A gift, it said. To see a person's aura? He said, as he realized easily what they were. It was not unheard of to meet youkai who could see the aura of things, but Sesshoumaru could only see two of them, and very dimly (if he loosened his gaze, they would fade away). One of them he was sure was Rin, as her scent was the strongest in this human shelter. He walked up the door, first feeling it with his claws, curious to know why the soft war felt real in his talons, but not the human. There were many things he needed to figure out later. The youkai drew back his talons, intent to rip the away clean.
For the last two hours, Kali had been patiently waiting for a tourist. Well, they wouldn't put me in one of the huts up front. And this person had really left out a lot on the instructions, Kali thought grimly as she smoothed the rumpled paper that clearly expressed for her to 'stay firmly at her post' and nothing else. She watched Rin trying to fold some paper Kali had fetched from pack into decorative flowers. The last few hours had been a barrage of questions about their surroundings, like what the buildings were made of, how the cars worked, and a million other things. For the first few questions, Kali had unsuccessfully tried to answer, but after a while it grew pointless. As a way to keep the child busy, she had tried to show her how she could make things out of paper. What Rin was doing was turning Kali's paper into rumpled paper. But it kept the girl quiet. Its not like I'm hoping for a whole group to come in, just one curious person, that would be good.
She had not expected the door to melt away.
As Sesshoumaru entered, he noticed two things. First, Rin was safe and unharmed. Second, a human promptly jumped up and gleamed with a tiny blue sheen around her. She stared at him, eyes wide with fear; she was the first human that had noticed him so far. Moving swifter than a human could track, he lunged.
Kali found herself being held up by a very tight grip around her throat as she was slammed against the wall. Her back was wracked with pain, as was her throat as she tried to look at what was slowly suffocating her. All she could notice was a face, already growing blurry from her quickly fading vision, but very cold. She noticed, of all things, a pair of stripes on each cheek, and her last thought before receding into the darkness was, so this is Rin's Sesshoumaru.
Author: Okay. Not too good, no real humor, but I think I am learning. In the next chapter, introductions all around. Hostility between Kali and Sesshoumaru, and how a youkai lord reacts to the modern world. A bit more on just why Rin and Sesshoumaru are there, and why Kali is so far the only on to take notice of them. OH and check back to see if this fic becomes illustrated.