Chapter 4: Only Human
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha just the plot and such... and the cliffhangers.
The silence didn't bother him all that much. It was actually comforting to know she wasn't one of those who never stopped talking, even to themselves. Like Jaken, the annoying little toad demon, who never let him be. This was at least a vacation. . .
"What is your name?", a quiet, sweet voice interrupted the demon lord's thoughts, which was more than most men would do. Gold orbs met liquid brown ones, she didn't seem afraid of him, he couldn't smell fear mingled with her scent of wild flowers and fresh rain.
"Sesshoumaru." He gazed at Rin as she opened her mouth to say something, when the voice of thier principal filled the air. "Attention all Students, it seems the 2 hours of finding your partner has passed. If you don't wish to be with the person your with, too bad! Take a good look at the person next to you, you'll be with them for quite sometime. Now we will test you compatibility. Prepare to transfer." Rin looked around the forest in confusion, her gaze turned questinoingly on Sesshoumaru. "If you'd have been here for orintation, things wouldn't be so confusing now." Rin felt his direct cut, but it only succeeded in making her feel defensice, "I didn't even know I was going to be here until I arrived."
Rin kneeled to the ground examining a small bunch of wild flowers, there were wild daisies amoung them, her 2nd favorite. "Do you have a transfer module?" Rin blinked, a flower held at her nose, she was the picture of innocence, even if she didn't know it,"Whatever is that?" Short beeps began to fill the air, as Rin offered Sesshoumaru a flower. "What would I want with that?" "They're more useful, than you think." Sesshoumaru looked at her bright, wasy smile, his cold words didn't seem to have any effect on her. His clawed hand carefully took the flower from her, as the slow beeps grew rapid. Sesshouarmu looked at Rin, his fold eyes were vacant as suual, but Rin could tell he was debating something.
Rin turned to pick another pretty flower it or herself this time. When her arm was grabbed, and seh was pulled quickly into his embrace. "Don't be so shocked. You don't have a transfer module, and if I don't hold you, you'll be left behind, with the wolves." Rin shivered, not only with terror at the thought of wolves, but at this beign the first time since her father was killed, that she'd been held. Just like before she was in a different loacation, it was definitely not the pretty green woods, from before. This was a long winding road, that wound around a moutain, a very scary and creepy mountain. "You can let go now." Rin looked at her hands, which had involuntarily clenched, grasping the cloth of Sesshoumaru's sleeves. Color bloomed on her cheeks, as she thought he must think her a coward for being afraid of what she could not even see.
Rin slowly began to walk toward the mountain, "It would take forever to walk with you." Rin turned around and looked at Sesshoumaru, "What do you suppose we do then?" Sesshoumaru looked at the girl, he could have easily been rid of her. He could ahve left her behind in the forest, but he couldn't. Now he could leave her here, as he made his way up the mountain,but her eyes were so full of trust, he knew, yet again, he couldn't. "Come here." Rin did without question, but gasped as she was pulled on to his back, bridle style.
He gave Rin a moment to settle in as he hooked her knees with his arms, her arms around his neck. Rin clung to him as he launched into the air, jumping from cliff to cliff of the moutain, with clear ease. Rin refused to whimper, after a moment or two she was surprised to find, she'd gotten used to the air rushing around them. Rin felt a smile tug at her l ips, she didn't feel so scared anymore. She looked at Sesshoumaru, his beautiful face black as always, his silver hair mixing with her own in the wind.
Rin slowly began to release her grip on Sesshoumaru, she unhooked her arms from his neck. She put her arm out like a plane, as she felt the air rushing over her, she laughed, like she hadn't in years. The joyful sound spilling from her, and the fact that she was no longer holding on made Sesshoumaru look over his shoulder at her. Sesshoumaru had to stare at the pure bliss on Rin's face, how could someone be so happy over osmething so simple. Foolish Human, Sesshoumaru thought as he looked forward.
About 10 more cliffs later, Sesshoumaru landed at what seemed to be the top of the mountain. He crouched down a moment as Rin climbed off his back. "Finally!" Rin grinned, stretching, when she felt a chill go down her spinek, and a feeling of something evil. She turned around, staring at the huge palace, she couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. Sesshoumaru could feel RIn's surprise, "So you can sense the demonic aura." This was surprising, since the aura was meant to be hidden, he, himself, could barely sense it. Rin just nodded, "It feels evil if that's what you mean."
Then she felt something pull her toward the castle. I was so strong it almost made her physcially fall over. For some unknown reason, she began to run toward the castle, when she'd reached the gate was when something had jumped at her from above. Rin surprised her self by jumping out of the way, as her eyes reaised to see the land explode, where she used to be. Rin wanted to scream, that hole in the fround could have been her! Instead, Rin felt her hands automatically drew her daggers, the blades close to her wrists, hidden behind her arms.
Rin looked at her attacker, it was a female wolf demon, with red hair in pigtails and her lively green eyes glaring. The two females ran to meet each other, fists flying as the wolf attacked, Rin blocked. Then she thrust her fist forward aiming slightly away from the demon's face, then jumped back. The wolf was about to laugh at Rin's pitiful aim when a gash appeared on her cheek, the demon fasped touching her bloodied cheek. "How did you-" Rin didn't hear the rest, she was too busy staring at her hands, did she just do that?
Sesshoumaru, who was no standing on the roof of the entrance, had seen teh attck, he couldn't have been more shocked that this human girl, Rin, could go against the speed of the wolf demon, who he knew as a student, Ayame. A moment ago he was prepared to have to save the human girl. But now who needed to be saved? "Ayame?", a vioce that he recognized as that of the wolf prince, Koga. Koga jumped to Ayame's side examining her cut, Ayame glared at him,"I'm fine. I can take care of myself!" "Obviously." Koga said sarcastically, Ayame growled, pulling away, "Leave me be!"
Koga's ice blue eyes turned to Rin, he sniffed the air. "But your human!" Rin blinked at him, she knew if they planned to turn on her, she'd be doomed. She was able to take the female, but that'd surprised her, more than it surprised anyone else. But both? The man took a step toward her, his hand reahcing for her. Rin was prepared to step back, when soft, silvery hair brushed against her. She looked to see Sesshoumaru standing boredly between her and the male, his hand grasping the one Koga had extended toward her.
Koga was staring,"Sesshoumaru? What are you doing here?" "What I do is none of your concern, wolf. Thought, Obviously, I'm here for the same reason you are." "Partner Testing? But you've never found one..." Koga paused, his eyes shifting from Sesshoumaru to Rin, then to Sesshoumaru."... Her! But She's Only A Human!" "A weak, defenseless human!" Ayame growled, her pride wounded more than anything. Sesshoumaru's amber eyes gazed at her cheek, "No so defenseless." Ayame visiblely tensed at his implied insult. Rin looked at the three demons, talking about her as if she wasn't standing here not even five feet away.
"Hey I'm sorry for being human, but it's really something I had no control of!" Sesshoumaru looked at her, she was either brave or foolish to stand up to three demons by herself. He saw her eyes had a flicker of anger in them. Kofa seemed to notice a change in the girl's face too, for her whole face was lite. He took her chin in his hand, moing her head side-to-side, and up-and-down, examining her carefully.
"Quite pretty for a human girl, her eyes are abnormally big though, her mouth too..." Rin could only stare and blsuh, she'd never thought anything wrong with her face before! She looked helplessly to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru's eyes brow wanted badly to twitch. It was when Kofa moved on from her face to her body, when Sesshoumaru had to speak,"Kindly, keepyourhands off."
Sesshoumaru's cold eyes eyes bore into Kofa as Koga's hand went quickly from Rin's arms to his sides. "Sorry, I didn't know it was like that. "It's not. The woman just does not wish to be touched." Rin was the one who'd blushed at the inplication, 'Me and Sesshoumaru?' Rin looked at the handsome beautiful demon who'd saved her life and blushed more at the thought. ' Oh, Goddess, I must look like a tomato!'
Rin looked at Ayame, as she walked to ehr, looking at6 the damage she'd caused, "I'm really, really sorry I hurt you! But you attacked me and I..." RIn looked so worried and sincere, Ayame's heart couldn't help but forgibe her. Ayame smiled,"It's all right. I did Iattackyou, Sorry for it, I thought you were one of the minons here." By now Sesshoumaru adn Kofa were watching the two, neither seemed to notice as Rin continued,"I've never hurt anyone in my life! I can't believe I did that!" Ayame looked at her, as if she'd grown a third head, but looking at her she couldn't doubt that she, indeed, had never hurt anyone.
Ayame looked at Sesshoumaru, "She's cute, and as innocent as they come. Better watch over this one." The tone she'd ended the sentence with made it clear, she meant if he didn't, he'd answer to her. So he wasn't the only one who the girl inspired protective feelings in, that comforted him a bit. Rin didn't know what it was, but she could feel something change in the air. It was a wary feeling, that made the little hairs stand up on the back of her neck. She knew this feeling well, she'd had it constantly throughout her life, and each time something horrible had happened, or almost happened. Rin looked around carefully, 'What could it be?' Sesshoumaru's nose picked up Rin's sudden change in emotion, he saw her standing rigid, looking around, the look on her face bordered on fear.
Her gaze settled on Kofa, her eyes widened, then she'd jumped at him,"Look out!" She knocked both him and herself to the ground, as an arrow struck the ground so close to them it still cut Rin's thigh enough to draw blood. This didn't have chance to register to anyone as several more arrows were shot in thier direction. Rin and Kofa were on thier feet, as all four of them dodged arrows. RIn really wanted to know what kind of school gave thier students test like this! Just when RIn thought it was over, she looked up to see the hugest cloud of arrows, she could barely see through them! Rin opened her mouth in a silent scream, 'Oh dear Goddess, we're gonna die!'
To Rin's surprise, there was a flash of yellow before her as all the arrows fell to the ground before they reached them. Rin looked to see Sesshoumaru holding a ship that looked like it was made of electricity. Rin gasped as she hurried to Sesshoumaru. Sesshouarmu looked at Rin, who was now standing in front of him, her eyes full with worry. His cool amber eyes followed her gaze to his shoulder, an arrow lodged there. Funny, how he didn't even notice it. "Are you OK? Does it hurt? Do you need help? I'll go get help!" Rin practically babbled in her worry.
Sesshoumaru just looked at her, She hadn't even known him for a whole day, yet she was almsot beside herself over a minor arrow wound. She'd also willingly risked her safety over that wolf, who seh didn't even know the anme of. Sesshoumaru's long graceful fingers wrapped around the sheath of the wrrow, pulling it out in one quick movement, no even flinching. Rin, on the other hand, looked at him, then to the arrow, her hands went quickly to his wound, she was closer to the demon lord than anyone had dared to be in years.
Sesshoumaru stared at the girl, who was plastered to him her head only reached to his chest. She oozed the scent of the wild flowers she'd earlier picked, and the scent of fresh rain consumed him, for that moment. Sesshoumaru sensed it then as his arm went behind the girl, as he grasped an arrow between his fingertips, an arrow that was meant to hit Rin in the back.
Sesshoumaru's gaze looked up at the roof at the last of the archers, his faze turning faintly red, as his fingertips glowed freen, melting the arrow into nothing. His threat was apparent as he wrapped his arm around the girl, easily handling her, placing her at his side. Rin blinked, for she'd been examining Sesshouarmu's wound and knew not of what'd happened, "What's wrong?" Rin asked him, worriedly. "Nothing you have to worry about."
Rin accepted this as she went to make sure the two wolf demons were all right. She learned thier names were Koga and Ayame, when she noticed Sesshoumaru walking toward the castle doors. Rin ran after him taking her place at his side, she followed him into the massive palace, from which she got a bad feeling from. Rin waved bye cheerfully to Ayame and Koga, as she blindly followed Sesshoumaru.
Rin looked around,"Do you think we'll run into any of those people again?" Sesshoumaru knew she refered to the archers, Sesshoumaru saw how cowardly they'd ran when they'd seen what he could do,"No, They wouldn't dare." Rin just nodded, as they walked into the darkness in silence for several minutes.
"I really am sorry you know, for being... Only Human.." Rin sounded sad, as she spoke the words. Sesshoumaru looked at her out of the corner of his eye,"Like you said, you can't help it." Rin nodded, looking at the ground,"What's so bad with being human anyway?" "Thier weak, and cowardly. They run from battle. The woman usually cry and faint easily." Seshoumaru said this so coldly, Rin felt teh insult run deep. She stopped her footsteps, as it took Sesshoumaru only two steps to realize she wasn't following him.
He looked over his shoulder at her. "Have you ever seen me ever seen me cry or faint?"
"No."
"Then please explain your reason for insulting me? I'm most curious to hear it.
He didn't answer her.
If he wouldn't explain, the least he could do was apologize. But proving him wrong would be enough to repair the damage he'd done to her pride. Rin then hurried after him, that was it, she'd just prove him wrong. Up ahead there were two glowing lights, as Rin headed toward them, she felt the worst chill dow n her spine as she heard her name called... Rin... Erin... Erin Elizabeth Lei... Rin swung around looking behind her, she almost shook, but she continued walking.
Sesshoumaru smelled a change in the air, it was a scent that made him angery for some reason, it turned out to be Rin's fear. He looked at her, she looked calm except for the wariness around her eyes, and her hands were clutched together tightly. Sesshoumaru looked at what they finally reached, his hand carefully reaching for the glowing necklaces, that looked very much like dog tags. Sesshoumaru took one and red letter began to glow, RIN. Was all it seemed to say, except on teh back it said human female. So it was his partnering tags. Maybe he was stuck with this girl.
Rin took hers looking at Sesshoumaru's name, she looked at Sesshoumaru and held her hand out,"Partner?" Sesshoumaru eyed her hand oddly, after a moment his larger clawed hand, that could break her smaller one without even trying, took her hand gentlely, they shook hands. Rin seemed satisfied as she flashed Sesshoumaru a right smile putting on her necklace. Sesshoumaru put on his. They were transported back to school, so they didn't hear the words whispered behind them... I've looked for you so long little Rin... Now I've found you.. You are mine.. The words were lost in the darkness.