Chapter Three: Rin's Request
Kagome walked for what seemed to be only five minutes, but when she stopped to turn around, she didn't recognize anywhere that she was. The sky was growing dark rapidly. Telling herself that she'd find her way back to Kaede's hut in the morning, she climbed up into the nearest tree and went to sleep, but not before putting a spirit shield around herself so she would be protected in her sleep.
When she awoke in the morning, she tried to locate the right path. Which direction was Kaede's village? Why do I want to go back? she asked herself. What is there for me? Just Inuyasha who is with his love and the version of myself that was reincarnated. But what about Sango and Miroku? They are my friends and I can't just leave them. And Shippo. Her heart cracked as she thought about what he would think when she didn't return. Not to mention Kaede. The woman may be old, but she was close to her. Kaede had taught Kagome a great deal about healing herbs. Without her, she wouldn't be as strong as she was now.
"I have to go back," she told herself. Immediately, she began running in the direction she thought was correct. The bright sun of morning would guide her. The warmth it spread throughout her body was a comforting sensation. It was so nice, she didn't spot the danger that was making its way toward her.
A snake demon, easily thirty feet long was curled up in the dark corners of the forest. For many weeks now, he had been waiting for an easy bite of food. His last meal had been a group of reckless Samurai. They had had a rather distasteful flavor, but this girl looked much more appetizing. Smirking to himself, he made his move.
Slinking out of the shadows, the end of his tail flipping from side to side in his joy, Sercee, the snake demon, slithered up behind the girl with the waist length black hair. Expertly, he stuck out his tongue, wrapping it around her wrist and tugging her backwards so she hit the ground.
Startled, Kagome jumped up on her feet. Pulling out an arrow, she aimed it at the threat. A great snake cringed back. He obviously had not been expecting his breakfast to be armed with weapons. Still, he charged, his open mouth with large fangs speeding right for her. Leaping out of the way, Kagome rolled across the ground, dodging his attempts at catching her left and right.
When she had enough time to shot off one of her arrows, it hit the snake, but Sercee wouldn't be slowed down by just one arrow. Cursing from the habit of being around Inuyasha, Kagome shot at him again and again. Once six of her arrows were sticking out of various places, she swore again.
"Why won't you die?!" she screamed, shooting him again. This time her arrow hit right in between the eyes, and punctured through his skull to his brain. Kagome let out a sigh of relief.
She couldn't understand why it had taken so long for her to kill the snake. Any other time her powers were strengthened by the Shikon jewel and she could kill a demon with just one blow. She touched her chest above her heart to hear its beating and feel the warmth of the jewel, only it wasn't there.
"No," she whispered. Pulling her hand back, she saw blood, her blood. "No."
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It was looking like another typically boring day. Rin was running around the palace, trying to avoid Jaken as much as possible. That stupid twit was annoying. He never let her do anything fun. She'd much rather hang out with a girl, but alas, there was no one who wanted to spend time with her around here, except for Lord Sesshomaru.
She decided to venture outdoors in the gardens. When Sess took her there, Sess was her pet name for Sesshomaru since it was such a long name, she often liked to smell the roses. They blossomed so nicely all year round due to the magic that protected them.
Rin headed for the doors. Her tiny hands were reaching up for the knob when one large hand grabbed the extra fabric of her clothing and pulled her up in the air. She giggled as she realized who it was. "Put me down, Sesshomaru-saman!" she yelped, still giggling.
"Now where are you off to, Rin?" he asked in a playful tone, though his face remained like a stone mask. "And where," he growled, "is your babysitter?"
"Master Sesshomaru!" Jaken came running around the corner right on cue, looking like he was out of breath.
"Rin, run off to your room to play while I deal with this naughty toad," Sesshomaru commanded gently. The girl looked at Jaken, then stuck her tongue out at him before running off like she had been told to.
Once she was out of sight, Sesshomaru grew violent with anger. He smacked Jaken to the ground. "How many times have I told you not to turn your back on her? She'll take any chance she's got and run out on you! Haven't you learned anything by now? She's just a child! She could get hurt in a place like this!"
"Then why do you keep her here, my lord?" Jaken shook with fear as he asked.
Ignoring the question, Sesshomaru stepped on the smaller demon's back, hearing a well defined crack as he did. "Do not question my authority," he spoke smoothly. Then he left, failing to notice the young girl who scooted out from behind a large column to run outside.
It only took Rin several minutes to pass through the gardens and then exit the palace boundaries. Once she was out, she saw the tempting sight of the forest, which surrounded the castle. Smiling, she rushing into it, not realizing the danger she was allowing herself to fall peril to.
Demons were everywhere in the Western Lands. They knew nothing and for that matter, cared nothing about Lord Sesshomaru's "pet" of a human girl child. Why would they? They were out for blood and power.
Rin was stumbling through the woods when a hawk demon swooped down. "Hello there, pretty girl," he hissed, a small serpentine tongue flickering from inside his beak. "What a nice lunch you will make me."
Screaming, the girl ran as a fast as she could, not watching where she was going and heading deeper into the dark forest.
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"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru! The girl! She is gone my lord!"
"WHAT?" the demon was furious. His eyes turned their signature blaze of red as he lifted Jaken up by the scruff of his neck. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE IS GONE? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HER!" Throwing the imp aside, the Lord of the Western Lands, hurried off in the direction of the forest, the only place he could think of that she would be.
As he entered the dense woods, he heard an ear-piercing shriek, then the anguished whimpers of a young child. "Rin," he whispered, darting toward the sound.
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"Be gone," Kagome yelled at the hawk demon. She pulled out one of her arrows. "Leave her alone or die," she warned.
The demon didn't even flinch, just gripped the tiny girl harder in his talons. Kagome glared at him then let the first of four hours flying at him. When the final hit him, his body broke into dozens of pieces, and he shattered into nothing more than white light.
Rin when falling through the air. Diving onto the ground, the human miko just barely managed to catch her.
"Are you alright?" Kagome asked her, breathlessly.
"Yes," the girl mumbled, wiping the tears she had cried from her eyes. She had been so frightened, but this young woman had saved her. She had spotted this girl resting by a tree in the middle of the forest and remembered her from the Final Battle of Naraku. This was the all-powerful woman called Kagome-chan. No one held such mystical power like this miko. "Thank you, Kagome."
"Rin?" Kagome looked at the girl. "Rin!" she cried, recognizing her. She hugged her tightly, wondering where Sesshomaru was. Didn't he get awfully protective about this girl? She was wondering about it when the pain in her side erupted again. "Ah," she cried, wincing. She sat back from the girl and looked at her side. Blood was seeping through her shirt yet again. Clenching her jaw, she forced herself to stand. "Rin, what are you doing out here by yourself?" she asked.
"I was bored and wanted to find someone to play with," the girl explained, but her brow furrowed. "Kagome-chan, you're hurt."
"I'll be alright," Kagome reassured her, biting back her bottom lip as she helped the girl stand. "Why don't we get you back to where you belong?" She insisted, starting to lead Rin toward the large castle in the distance. She didn't know how she had missed seeing it before.
"Can't we just use the power of the jewel? You wouldn't have to walk then."
Kagome glanced down at the child's hopeful expression. She didn't have the heart to tell her that she had lost the jewel when the snake demon had attacked her. There was no way she was going to find it now. She had already been searching all day for it. She had only stopped once to rest by a tree because her wound had been acting up. Then she had saved Rin.
"A young thing like you and you can't walk a bit?" Kagome teased, trying to change the subject. Rin smiled up at her, taking her hand. Kagome smiled back, feeling comforted by the girl's immediate trust in her.
They had only gone a short distance when they reached the edge of the forest. A huge clearing opened up in front of them. Now the palace of the Lord of the Western Lands was clearly visible. Kagome grinned, knowing that soon Rin would be safe inside those walls, with nothing more to worry about, except for maybe that annoying toad Jaken.
As if on cue, they both turned, hearing an irritating, "I FOUND HER, LORD SESSHOMARU! I FOUND HER!" The toad came running over to Kagome and Rin. "You, human," he yelled at Kagome. "Unhand my Lord's charge this instant."
"Shut up!" Kagome commanded, backhanding Jaken so he fell face first into the ground. Rin giggled, then clapped her hands together, and cheered.
"Rin," an emotionless voice said from behind the girls.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" the child cried with joy as she left Kagome's side to jump into the arms of the demon.
Kagome could only watch with mixed feelings. She was happy that Rin had someone to look after her, but she didn't fully trust Sesshomaru. After all, the demon had tried to kill her one too many times for her to be completely comfortable with her back to him.
"Miko," he nodded to her, putting Rin back on the ground. Kagome nodded back, but even that slight motion sent her head spinning from loss of blood, and she swayed on her unsteady feet. Sesshomaru cocked his head to the side, watching her silently.
"Kagome!" Rin ran over, as Kagome collapsed to the ground. "Kagome-chan, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kagome tried to shake her off. "I'm fine, really."
"You do not look very well, human," Sesshomaru commented, still standing where he had been the entire time.
"Nice to know someone cares," she hissed as she attempted to stand.
"Lost something, did you?" he asked, holding out a glowing pink orb. Kagome gasped. The Shikon jewel was in his hands. Before she could demand that it be returned to her, Rin had jumped up and stolen it.
"Here," she said, throwing it into Kagome's hand.
Smiling weakly, Kagome touched the jewel to her side. She expected it to mend her wounds and go back inside her body. Instead it just became bloody. "What?" she breathed, confused.
"As I was saying," the Lord of the Western Lands continued, "you lost something because you were attacked, as I can see by the blood. I give you back the Shikon Jewel because you saved Rin twice, and I am in debt. But I happen to know that that jewel will not be safe inside you mortal body," he told her. "You would be better off wearing it on a spelled necklace."
He handed something to Rin. The girl brought it over to Kagome. It was a brother leather necklace. With the small, speedy hands of the child, it was tied around Kagome's neck. "Put it on," Sesshomaru directed. Kagome looked at him, then placed the jewel against the leather. The necklace seemed to suck it in, so that the jewel stuck out in the middle. Immediately, she felt all her wounds disappear with its power. "Wear it with pride," the demon with the silver hair told her, then taking Rin's hand, he began to leave.
"NO!" Rin screamed, making him drag her away. "I want Kagome to stay with me!"
"WHAT?!" Jaken demanded. "HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR YOUR LORD?" He rose his staff to strike her, but Kagome and Sesshomaru were both by the girl child's side before it could hit her. Unfortunately, Kagome took the full brunt of the action. The staff hit her on the shoulder.
"JAKEN!" Sesshomaru's voice rumbled like thunder in the air around them. "You will never strike a lady either in or out of my presence," he ordered, kicking Jaken roughly.
"Yes m'lord," the imp bowed, the scurried ahead to the palace.
"Rin," Sesshomaru spoke in a serious voice. "What do you want with her?"
"I need a play mate," she complained, crossing her arms over her chest. "Jaken always locks me up in a closet, or forgets about me, and he's boring. I want a girl around for a while," she pleaded. "Please let Kagome-chan come home with us!"
"Rin," Sesshomaru began again.
"Rin," Kagome interrupted, making the slightest eye contact with Sesshomaru, as she squatted down by the girl's side, "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't want to be bothered by having to take care of someone like me. I'll tell you what, you can come visit me whenever you are permitted, alright?"
"It's not the same," the girl whined.
"Rin," Sesshomaru put his foot down, "stop crying. Kagome can not drop everything to come play with you," he grumbled.
Kagome thought of what she'd be dropping. Nothing that she wouldn't be glad to be rid of. She couldn't stand to see Inuyasha with Kikyo anymore. It pained her enough to know she had given them that chance, but as if that wasn't a sufficient amount of pain to endure, she also had to watch them and how they acted when they were around one another.
Sango and Miroku could always visit her if she started to live in the palace and Shippo could come live with her. She was sure he'd love to play with Rin. Together, they might just tire one another out. If she was lucky they would get along perfectly, they both had enough energy.
"Actually," she said slowly, "I don't want to go back." Sesshomaru raised a brow and she explained further. "Inuyasha has Kikyo now. Sango and Miroku are getting married. I feel like I'm in the way, if you know what I mean. So, if it wouldn't be a problem, I'd love to stay for a while. I wouldn't mind taking care of Rin. She's a joy."
Rin's face brightened up in an instant and she started hugging Kagome like she would never let go. "Can she stay with us? Can she? Can she?"
"I suppose," groaned the demon.
"Yay!"
As he flew them back to his castle his mind kept thinking over and over about how beautiful Kagome looked and how torturous it was going to be for him to see that kind of beauty everyday when he knew he could never allow himself to partake in it.
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A/N: Uh-oh! Someone has a crush! Hehe, just kidding. Fluffy's one tough cookie to crack, but then again, that's why Kagome, the stubborn human she is, is going to win him over. How do you like it so far? Not too soft of a Sesshomaru? I hope not. R/R! ~ Nev