What's going on? Will Kagura and Kikyo come up with a brilliant plan? Or a Clever Scheme? Will Kouga survive traveling with the Inuyasha tachi? Will Ginta get himself smacked because of his endless Ayame teasing? Will Miroku get himself smacked because of his endless Sango groping? Will Kouga be subjected to further Ayame love confessions? Does anyone feel bad for Ayame? I mean, isn't it just kinda sad? Does anyone really deserve the horrible pain of unrequited Kouga love? Will Kohaku and Kanna make a clean escape? Will they be able to find their sisters? Will Kohaku remember more of his past? Will Naraku screw everyone over? Will Naraku die? And where's Sesshoumaru during all of this? Grooming, perhaps? Who knows what illusions await, but just hold on and remember that…
*****
Something Is Real
Part 9
*****
"Don't wander too far." The voice of the little toad youkai reached Rin's ears as she bent to pluck a daisy from it's stem, working carefully to weave it in with the others she had gathered.
"I won't!" she assured him with a sunny grin and a flash of her grey eyes before skipping over to another patch of daisies she had yet to root through. "Jaken-sama?"
"What?" the youkai was just as grumpy as usual, but Rin didn't mind. He was a good friend of hers.
"Do you want some flowers too? You can pick some…" she offered, sweeping her arm around to indicate the field that surrounded them. "Or you could give some to Sesshoumaru-sama! That's what I'm doing!"
"I don't think so." Jaken snorted slightly and shifted the position where he was sitting on a fallen log.
"Sesshoumaru-sama is so pretty…it's hard to find flowers that are good enough." Rin explained to Jaken as she skipped past him to examine another patch of daisies. The small youkai snorted and rolled his eyes. He could remember a time when Sesshoumaru had been a fearful youkai lord who would have terrified any small children foolish enough to ever seek him out or stumble across his presence. But now…Jaken couldn't help but be a bit disappointed with his newly appointed role as nanny. What could Sesshoumaru want with a little human girl? It wasn't as though she could do anything remotely useful. All she ever did was eat and sleep and sing songs and try to get Jaken to play games and pick flowers and get kidnapped. She seemed like a liability…but Jaken understood that she was extremely important to Sesshoumaru. He wondered if somehow there could have been something about how they met that he didn't really know. Something that would make Sesshoumaru feel as if he somehow was obliged to let the little girl follow him around. It was a mystery, that was for sure.
Although, Jaken had to admit, for a human she had surprisingly little fear and was willing to do just about anything that Sesshoumaru commanded. And he had accrued a certain fondness for her despite his initial jealousy that Sesshoumaru should indulge her so much. She was somewhat endearing, Jaken had to admit. But he would never admit it out loud. It somewhat softened the realization to know that Sesshoumaru was just as weak to the little girl as Jaken was, if not moreso.
And in the end, it boiled down to Jaken being her babysitter. Not that he was proud of this position, but at least he could fool himself into thinking that Sesshoumaru was the only one who cared what happened to the little girl. And speaking of little girls…
"Rin?" Jaken stood up with a squawk. "Rin, where did you go?"
She had wandered off.
Again.
"Worthless." Jaken grumbled before suppressing the panic. He could find her soon enough. If she hadn't been kidnapped.
Again.
----------
"Oh! Purple flowers are the best!" Rin squealed in delight as she scrambled over to the patch of flowers that was growing just to the side of a tree trunk. "Maybe if I weave them through the sides…"
"Rin?" the voice was familiar, but there was no one nearby that Rin could see. It seemed that she had wandered away from Jaken again, but he would catch up soon enough. She frowned slightly before a boy that she knew stepped out from behind a tree, looking at her with wide brown eyes.
"Kohaku!" she was so happy to see him, she almost crushed her flower crown, but she managed to stop herself at the last moment, instead smiling brilliantly and running up to the older boy. She stopped when she noticed that there was a shy looking little girl about three feet behind Kohaku, looking at her in curiosity. "Who's your friend?" The idea of another little girl to play with was almost more joy than Rin could comprehend. Jaken was fun, but he wasn't very good at being a girl.
"You shouldn't be wandering around by yourself, Rin." Kohaku scolded her lightly. "This is Kanna."
"Kanna? My name is Rin!" Rin stepped forward and held her hand out while smiling brightly so that the other girl would like her.
"Hello." Kanna took a step back, a bit unsure of what Rin wanted from her, and a little intimidated by the girl's outgoing behavior.
"Are you shy?" Rin's smile slipped slightly as she tried to think of a solution. She couldn't let such a good opportunity for a playmate slip by. After a moment, her eyes lit up and she closed the weave on her daisy chain hurriedly before thrusting it forward. "Here! I was gonna give it to Sesshoumaru-sama, but you can have it." Kanna looked at Kohaku as though she was utterly dumbfounded, and he nodded at her. She finally stepped forward and took the daisy crown, hooking her mirror through her obi before turning the flowers over in her hands gingerly. At length, she sent Kohaku another searching look.
"You put it on your head." He told her, feeling a bit embarrassed. It wasn't like Rin would really think any less of him…and what did that matter anyway? It didn't stop him from flushing as he placed the crown on Kanna's head for her. She blinked at him expectantly, and he indicated her mirror. "Look and see."
"It's very pretty! It goes with your hair!" Rin obviously admired her handiwork and had no compunctions about saying so. Kanna was just unhooking her mirror when Jaken leapt into the path, brandishing the Staff of Heads as though against an army of assaulters. Rin's hands flew to her mouth as Kohaku immediately pushed Kanna behind him and reached for his sickle.
"It's you again!" Jaken was in triumph at having averted another kidnapping. He really hated telling Sesshoumaru when he failed at his job as caretaker. "You thought you'd take Rin away again? Doesn't Naraku ever learn any new tricks!"
"Jaken-sama…Kohaku's nice." Rin reached for the toad's shoulder, but he swept her hand away dismissively.
"Don't worry, I'm here now Rin." Jaken was feeling extremely heroic. He could hardly wait to see how grateful Sesshoumaru would be when he told him all about how faithfully he had protected the little girl. Granted, he had let her wander off in the first place, but he could definitely embroider that bit of the story a little. "Just stay back there and I'll get rid of this trash."
"They're not trash! Kohaku's my friend! And I gave Kanna my flowers!" Rin obviously thought this settled the matter.
"Stupid girl, don't you remember when this brat tried to kill you before?" Jaken reminded her.
"But that was a mistake! Kohaku's nice on the inside, I know he is!" Rin insisted, attempting to pull the staff out of Jaken's hands, much to the toad's irritation and embarrassment.
"We aren't here for Rin, if that's what you think." Kohaku finally spoke up. He was having a hard time getting Kanna to stay behind him, and she had pulled out her mirror like she thought it was time for a battle. She was not helping calm the situation down, that was for sure. Although it was odd to think of Kanna as much of an instigator, he was pretty sure she mainly was attempting to protect him from the magical staff that the toad was trying to aim at them. "And we don't serve Naraku anymore."
"No we do not." Kanna verified, finally ceasing her insistent attempts to move in front of Kohaku. He understood that she was designed as a shield, but what kind of man let's a girl take his hits?
"See?" Rin was refusing to give up the point, and Jaken was starting to have his doubts. It wasn't as though the brat and his little shadow would be a real danger to him, but the problem was Rin. The problem was always Rin. He wondered when Sesshoumaru would get back. He would take care of these two without a second thought.
"It doesn't matter what they want now! They've insulted Sesshoumaru-sama and now they're enemies." Jaken insisted, amazed at the hold Rin had on the Staff of Heads. She may only be a human girl, but she didn't seem to care that he should be stronger than her.
"No! They're my friends! If I tell Sesshoumaru-sama, he won't wanna kill them anymore, I know." Rin was desperate, and tears were building in her eyes, much to Jaken's dismay.
"Rin…don't cry!" he was terrified. If he made the little girl cry, he didn't want to think of the consequences.
"Then don't hurt my friends!" Rin burst into tears, letting go of the staff and moving herself between Jaken and Kohaku, who looked very upset with this new arrangement.
"Don't, Rin!" Kohaku warned her.
"Jaken-sama won't hurt me, he's my friend!" Rin explained through her tears, sniffling loudly just as Sesshoumaru stepped into the clearing they were all gathered in.
"Rin, why are you crying?" Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he took in the situation one piece at a time. Rin was crying and standing between Jaken and Naraku's puppets, all of whom were looking at him in fear. "What is going on here?"
"That brat was going to kidnap Rin again, but I stopped him!" Jaken attempted.
"No he wasn't! And his name's Kohaku!" Rin shot back.
"We were just out here and we ran into her!" Kohaku tried to be heard at the same time.
"Silence." Sesshoumaru did not have to raise his voice to be obeyed. He never had. "One at a time. Jaken, you may go first."
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama, as I was saying." Jaken cleared his throat nervously now that everyone was listening to him. "I was watching Rin, as you told me, and then she ran off. I chased after her and then this brat and the girl had come to kidnap her. I saw them clearly, so I immediately moved to attack them, but Rin seems to be upset by the fighting, so she told me to stop. However, it seems to me that—"
"Very well, next." Sesshoumaru cut Jaken off impatiently. "Rin?"
"Oooookay!" Rin seemed very pleased to have everyone's complete attention. "Sesshoumaru-sama left to go do important Sesshoumaru-sama stuff like he always does and so then it was just Jaken-sama and Rin. And Jaken-sama was being grumpy and boring, but Rin still likes him anyway because she knows that he really is a nice Jaken-sama on the inside and one time when she lost her pretty red flowers that she had picked for Sesshoumaru-sama he found her some more and told her he had just seen them and that he picked them up but Rin could tell they were different and only nice people can find the really pretty flowers like that, so Jaken-sama's not as mean as he tries to be. But this time he wouldn't help Rin pick the flowers for the pretty crown she was going to make for Sesshoumaru-sama because sometimes he's in a bad mood when Sesshoumaru-sama is gone and he thinks it makes him like a little kid to be left with Rin but it's not bad to be a little kid because it's fun and you can play all day! And then Rin wanted different flowers so she ran to find those purple ones that sometimes grow just under the trees, and she found some, and she was really proud and picking them all, but then Kohaku-kun came! And he was with another little girl and Rin wanted to meet her and so Kohaku-kun told her that the girl was named Kanna, but Kanna was shy so even though the flowers were supposed to be for Sesshoumaru-sama, she gave them to Kanna so maybe she would smile and also be Rin's friend and pick flowers with her and make up songs and things like that, and Rin was happy. But then Jaken-sama came and he didn't even ask what was going on and he tried to kill them both, but Rin saved the day and then Sesshoumaru-sama came and saved the day even more. That's all."
"And you?" Sesshoumaru turned a demanding look on Kohaku, who licked his lips and coughed slightly.
"Uh…see, Kanna and I…this is Kanna." He indicated the girl behind him. "We were um…we left Naraku's castle to um…look for our sisters, and we were just out here walking. And then I heard someone coming, so I told Kanna to hide and it was Rin. And so I said hello to her, and then that guy tried to attack us. And then you got here." Kohaku finished, looking as though the telling of his story had been extremely demanding.
"You're dangerous." Sesshoumaru decided after a moment. "Naraku can still control you."
"He's not dangerous, he's my friend, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin had tears in her eyes once more as she rushed over to stomp her foot emphatically while clenching her fists at the vaguely surprised youkai. "And…I like him!"
"Do you?" Sesshoumaru blinked at Kohaku in a way that made the boy feel extremely threatened. Before he met Sesshoumaru, he had no idea that blinking could be done in a threatening fashion.
"Yes! And if Sesshoumaru-sama hurts him…or Kanna, Rin will be sad!" Rin threatened, obviously feeling this would get her point across efficiently.
"Rin. I am in charge." Sesshoumaru reminded her calmly. Sometimes he felt that he needed to remind himself of that fact.
"Yeah, I know." She still had wetness in her eyes, as though holding the tears poised threateningly. "But that doesn't mean I can't be sad. And I won't pick you any flowers, cause it would be mean to hurt Rin's friends!" Sesshoumaru turned his eyes down to the little girl and mused over the idea of telling her that he wouldn't exactly suffer just because she stopped picking daisies for him, but the fact of the matter was that her feelings affected him, and he thought that she must know it. Women could be extremely perceptive and manipulative. He remembered his mother well enough, but he had no idea that the qualities could be present in someone so pure and young. It was a bit daunting.
"Rin." He began again. He would make the little girl see sense. He would not be forced to compromise with a ten year old. He wouldn't. "Kohaku is controlled by the shard in his back. It is tainted by Naraku's evil, and if Kohaku were to go on living, he would invariably return into Naraku's service, likely attempting to take your life at some point as well. That is why I cannot let him go."
"Then just take the shard out." Rin made it seem so simple.
"He can't." Kohaku spoke up, stepping toward Rin with a sad smile on his face. "If he does, I'll die. I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble. I don't want to hurt Rin or any of you. If you don't mind, I'd just like to go see my sister before I die."
"Who told you that you could go?" Jaken jabbed an accusatory finger at Jaken. Rin, taking all of this in, turned back to Sesshoumaru and whimpered, her eyes glistening pleadingly. He knew that look. It meant that he was supposed to come up with a solution that would make everything better. He hated that look.
"You, come here." He addressed Kohaku, and the boy stepped forward merely at the force of Sesshoumaru's address. He didn't even realize that he had moved forward until Rin's startled squeak alerted him, and he saw with breathless terror that Sesshoumaru was suddenly holding a sword. Sesshoumaru was scary when he simply standing at his leisure. Sesshoumaru would likely be scary drinking tea and wearing that daisy crown Rin had made. So Sesshoumaru with a sword and a righteous glare was absolutely terrifying. Kohaku suddenly wished that he was taller. Or perhaps somewhere else. Somewhere very far from Sesshoumaru and his scary glare. "Tell me something."
"Uh…" Kohaku was having a hard time forming coherent speech.
"When I last saw you, there was a way about you. You were wishing for your death, I could see that quite clearly." Sesshoumaru was not given to long speeches, but when he deemed it fit, he could speak at length on any subject, and he found this topic to be considerably pressing as it was putting his charge in danger, if only indirectly. "Now you seem intent on survival. Toward what purpose?"
"He wants to see his sister." Rin interjected helpfully after a few moments of Kohaku biting his lip and looking scared. "That's what he said before, right Kohaku?"
"Yeah." He managed, gulping and staring at his feet. It was very hard to think correctly when Sesshoumaru was glaring at you so viciously. "And…Kanna too."
"Kanna's that girl over there, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin added helpfully. "Kohaku's helping her. Cause he's nice."
"That girl is Naraku's detachment." Sesshoumaru observed, narrowing his eyes at the unblinking youkai girl. "I will tell you something. I hate being made a fool. Do not make me regret this, boy." And with that, he lunged forward, swishing his sword through the air and slicing through Kohaku so cleanly and accurately that he managed to dislodge the shard, sending it flying through the air in a wide arc of sparkling pink and dark red splashes that followed it, like some mystical sort of shooting star that twinkled sharply as time seemed to freeze.
But after a moment, it was done, and Kohaku's eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the ground, his body crumpling into a motionless lump. Kanna actually became paler, as impossible as the concept seemed. Jaken made a sound of shock. Sesshoumaru calmly sheathed his sword just as Rin cried out and fell over in a dead faint.
Sesshoumaru caught her before she hit the ground.
*****
The End (Of Part 9, That Is)
And Ayako, of course you can write a fic with that pairing. You have my blessings, and Jade's as well. (check out her stuff, there's total Kouga favoritism)