I'M SOO SORRY YOU GUYS! It became finals, and I said to myself, "As soon as school is out, you have to write another chapter", and then it was the end of school, and I was sitting on my butt thinking, I should write that next chapter! And now I have! You have no idea how much all the reviews mean to me, and now that Ihave more chapters out, I need more reviews! Hooray! I have a cold in summer! Not cool!

Chapter 7: A Kimono For A Flower

Jaken turned, still bouncing, to watch while Rin burned, but when he turned, she was nowhere to be seen. He bumped into a fluffy something, and looked up hesitantly. There was Sesshomaru, his eyes flared with hate, pure hate, and his face hardened, looking as one of the demonic creatures of the desert. Evil could not even begin to describe it. Rin was in his shoulders, still unconscious while draping her arms around his flurry neck, smoke rising from her back. Sesshomaru gazed furiously at him, and said in a soft voice, "I warned you."

Then he tore the toad to pieces, rage over pressing him, as the blood spurted everywhere, mostly on his paws. He took a piece of flesh out of his paw, and then sat quietly. Un and On quietly peeked their heads into the room, to see that it was over.

"Go get my sword!"

Un nodded, but On was confused, "Why? He's already dead."

Sesshomaru whipped his head around, barely keeping the young woman around his neck, "JUST DO IT!"

UN and ON cowered immediately, and left to get his sword. Sesshomaru pulled off the unconscious Rin from his back, and set her gently on the floor, black ashes falling from his fur, from her kimono. Sesshomaru's giant paw grazed her cheek, causing a line of dying blood to mark his path, but when hearing the dragon, he quickly wiped it off, and turned.

"Well?" He said as quiet as he could, for he did not want to awaken the girl.

They produced a long sword in its heath, and slid it to him along the ground. Sesshomaru picked it up silently, and held it like a sword, silently standing above the blood and flesh of the toad. He knew he could not bring it back to life as he had once been, so he aimed for another purpose. He saw the creatures from the other world, and slit their heads from their wrinkled bodies.

Parts of the flesh started moving about, wiggling furiously, like it was trying to find the other masses of flesh.

"Ah! It's alive!" On screamed, ducking his brown dragons head behind his brother's.

Un whispered to On, 'Why did he bring him to life again?"

On just quivered. Seeing the dead flesh moving around was really revolting, even for demons.

With the knife/sword in his left paw, he slashed the meat again with his right, and immediately the flesh parted, and stopped. Sesshomaru did this several times, bringing it back to life, only to kill them once again. His face was severe, as he killed Jaken again and again.

He never lost his focus, that was, until Rin stirred. Then he sheathed the sword, and lay it down against the wall.

To the dragon, he said, "GET THE KIMONO." And then padded back to her.

Her eyes fluttered open, and saw her master staring down at her. Just like a dream… She tried to get up, but her back screamed in pain, as she felt the ashes around her. Sesshomaru gently pushed her back down again.

"YOU WERE IN DANGER. DON'T MOVE."

She stared at him, dazed, "What... happened? I was reading, and then… Jaken… he went crazy…"

"HE'S DEAD." Sesshomaru said bluntly.

Rin was shocked for a moment, and the relaxed.

"I warned him." The dog growled softly.

She nodded, and looked behind him, top find a mess of blood and globs of fresh flesh flung around the room. She turned away quickly.

On "ahem" ed, and Sesshomaru turned. On the dragons back was his old kimono. Rin thought it was beautiful.

It was snow white with red decoration about the shoulders. Sesshomaru picked it up gently, and then lay it down in front of her. Rin's eyes sparkled, as she sat up quickly, her back crying, but she did not hear its call.

"Whose is this?" she breathed, reaching to touch it.

"It's yours."

Rin stopped, and diverted her eyes away from the kimono, and at the massive demon, "What?"

"It's yours. Take it. Yours in ashes and you have nothing else."

Rin hesitated, "But who's was it?"

"IT'S YOURS!" Sesshomaru temper had come back.

Rin had retreated, and then he left, ashamed of his outburst. Un looked after Sesshomaru, and On headed towards Rin. The result: Un got his head smashed into the wall. On didn't notice, and galloped happily towards the confused Rin.

Rin shakily picked up the kimono, and held it against her, in attempt to leave. On intruded, and ran up to her, Un bumping along side him.

"It's Lord Sesshomaru's!"

Rin looked at him now, beyond confused, "What? How could this be his?"

Un finally had gained control of the situation, and said, "It just is. Go to bed. Then tomorrow you can go try it on. I'm sure you'll look lovely."

He pushed her out the door, and then went back inside to clean up.

Rin stared back into the room for a minute and the headed back to her room.

!

Rin had shedded her charred kimono, and clothed herself in Sesshomaru's. It was a bit big on her; the shoulders slightly drooping, wide sleeves, and the bottom fell to the floor, which set behind her as a short train. Who ever had it last wore it had been mighty tall. She loved it nonetheless. She danced around in it, until her foot got caught in the train, and she fell on her bottom. Well, nothing was ever perfect

Wishing she had a mirror, she gathered up the remains of her kimono, and set it beneath her bed. It was a memory keepsake, of everything that had happened it. Picking up the light blue ribbon from the wooden dresser that she had found while in the common room, (full of books and furniture) and pulled a hand through her hair to untangle it. When she had finished, she began to gather her hair in a ponytail. Her thought strayed to the kimono.

Sesshomaru had gotten cross, and never told her anything, and On said it belonged to him, before he was silenced. Why would Sesshomaru have such a beautiful kimono? He wasn't human… not even human-like. She could have thought that it was his mother's, but she must have been a dog as well, and wouldn't own a human's kimono. Sesshomaru made it clear he didn't like humans when she first arrived, but there was so much mystery to him, he was more like the shadow then the dog. Or at least, what she knew of him. The entire castle was a secret being kept, hiding deep within each one of their souls, afraid to surface the memory.

Yet, he had become her friend, or at least cared about her well-being. Hey, he had saved her from Jaken, killing his own trusted servant for her, and had put himself in danger to protect her from the bear demons. She knew Naraku would never do that to herm no matter how much he liked to pretend. On said he did like her, and although he was not the brightest, he often told the truth more than anyone else had. Perhaps On knew more than she gave him credit for.

Rin had finally tied her hair in place, and felt along her head for any loose hair. There was nothing as far as she knew, and looked towards her door. She felt like sitting in that window seat, and reaching at the flowers. It was as close to going outside as she would have. So, she drifted through her door, and made it her to her favorite spot in the house, and pushed opened the window. She looked out to see if any flowered were near enough to the window to reach, but after a quick glance, she relaxed her head against the painted wall, and stuck her arm out the window, to catch the morning breeze. In her mind, she tried to figure out what the secret was, as she absent-mindless stuck her arm out the window, reaching further and further. She was awoken of her thoughts when she felt something slippery brush her fingers. She looked out, and found a beautifully exotic flower. Reaching out the window with both hands, she grabbed the flower, and plucked it delicately from the ground, and retreated back into the castle.

She twirled it around in her fingers, admiring the fading and vibrant white, blue, and slightly purple petals. A dragon's head nudged her, and her eyes were pulled away from the flower.

"Do you like it?"

Rin nodded eagerly, "You have such beautiful plants and flowers here, amazing me every time I wish I could touch them. Just to go outside, and dance around in them… to see the outside of this enchanting castle."

Then she turned quickly, "I don't want to leave or anything, I mean I do, but I wouldn't leave without Master Sesshomaru's consent, ever. I promise!"

Un simply nodded, and On said, "That's a pretty flower! It matches your kimono! Hey, did you know that Lord Sesshomaru has one just like that?"

Un sighed, and dragged him and his brother's body away from Rin and her flower, eager to find Sesshomaru.

!

Sesshomaru was moping about his room, pacing back and forth in the semi dark. He was angry with himself for getting so worked up over a little thing. All she did was ask him a simple question. She only wanted to know. She was a curious child, and did not know when she needed to stop. Perhaps there was little where she could keep asking, without running into a wall of information she could not get.

Sesshomaru sighed, and gently smashed his head against his darkened and tattered walls, trying to let the thoughts escape him. If only he could do something for her…

His sensitive ears picked up a quiet knock on the door, and he growled at it.

"Master Sesshomaru! We have some news for you!"

"Good news!"

Hearing the dragon's voices, he growled again, only softer this time, "What is it?"

One of his rusted doors opened, making a creaking noise, and the dragon's footsteps came closer.

"Do you want to give Lady Rin something she truly wants?" Un asked smiling.

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow.

"Show her the garden. That's all she wants. To go outside. She promised me she would not leave, and I believe her. Do you?"

Sesshomaru thought it over, and slowly nodded his head, and left the eerie room.

On called out after him, "Go get her!!"

A large smashing noise was heard following, but Sesshomaru brushed it aside.

He followed her scent, and found her in her window seat once again, still twirling it around in her fingers. His heart skipped a beat, but he trotted closer to her anyways. He partly fell ashamed that he had fallen for her so easily, but as much as he tried not to love her, the more he became enveloped in the feeling.

She heard him, and slowly set down the flower, and looked away from him, and out the window. She wasn't sure what he'd do, and she wasn't sure she was ready to find out.

He sighed, and said gently, "I have something to show you."

Rin turned, and stared at his warm face and caring eyes.

"What is it?" She asked, scooting off the window seat.

"Follow me."

He turned, and waited until she was at his feet, and then led her through the halls. Glancing at her, he felt like picking her up and running, but he maintained his posture, although his speed had increased.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I cannot keep up with you. Might I… be carried instead?" Rin asked, struggling to find her voice.

Sesshomaru stopped at once, and leaned down, as to invite her onto his back. She heaved herself onto his shoulders, and found black ashes still hidden beneath his fur. She was curios, but just brushed her thoughts away. Sesshomaru started running, faster and faster, as the wind blew her ebony hair behind him, flowing with his fur. She was riding him…

Sesshomaru looked back only once, before stopping slowly in front of a large steel door with a pointed top, and gently sloping sides. He bent down to let the young woman off his back. She scrambled off, and then looked between the door and the dog. He nodded, and nudged the air, as to tell her to open the door. She stumbled a little as she walked towards it, and put her hand on the doorknob that looked like bursts of wind. Rin tugged it, and felt the heat from the other side of the door, and pulled it open, letting it swung into the wall.

Before her, was the most magnificent garden she had ever seen. Acre upon acre of flowers expanded before her, trees with large juicy leaves looming over them. Her eyes were wide, and sparkled in the sun. Rin turned, and smiled almost dazed at her master.

"DO YOU LIKE IT?" He asked, trying to retain a smile.

"Like it? I love it! This is so beautiful… I can't even begin to describe it!" She said, turning to the marvel all around her.

"YOU MAY COME HERE WHENEVER YOU PLEASE."

Rin's eyes went wider, if that was possible, too speechless to do anything.

"IF YOU WANT." Sesshomaru said quickly, once again in his nonchalant state.

Rin squealed, and hugged his leg, blushing, and then started laughing into the flower garden, playing games with in her mind. Sesshomaru stared at his right leg, and briefly let a smile cross his face. He watched her till sunset. With the vibrant colors of the sun leaving the sky, and the colorful flowers on the earth, Rin just seemed to gather the center of attention every moment.

Her eyes grew heavy, and she carefully collapsed to the ground, using the flowers as her cushions. Immediately Sesshomaru leapt up, but when he found she was only asleep, he gently swept her up on top his back, and ran back to her room.

Alrighty then. Cute. I really like this chapter. But the next one is very dark and mysterious, co it's my absolute favorite! Review, and you get another chapter! Actually, you'll get another chapter in about 5 minutes. Miaa