Hidden, Secret

Sesshoumaru sat quietly resting, waiting for dawn, as Rin snuggled up to him. He looked over to the sleeping toad, who snored, and grunted quite loudly something about stupid humans. But he paid him no mind.

His ears turned to the sound of a thumping, like a heart beat. He looked down to his side, at the Tenseiga, and again he heard the pulse.

He stood with Rin in his arms, and walked over to Jaken waking the little toad from his slumber. Then set the little girl next to him. "I will be back, Jaken. Watch Rin." Before Jaken could protest, Sesshoumaru had taken to the air and was out of sight.

----

Kagome ran to the well tears in her eyes, cursing her heart and Inuyasha. 'How could he? How could he call me that? Call me Kikyou after all this time? Inuyasha you baka how could you just do that?' She stopped in the clearing next to the well. It didn't take her long to feel the presence of a youkai close by.

She started looking about, trying to find it, hoping maybe it would just pass her by. She listened to the light wind blowing the leaves of the trees. Then she heard what sounded like crying of someone near by, she looked about but still saw nothing. She turned back to the well, 'I might as well go home.' She nodded to herself then stepped on the ledge of the well, and froze at what she saw at the bottom.

She saw long silver hair of a small body. He wore a blue and white kimono, which looked worn, as if he had been through a long fight. His body shook as he sobbed with such pain that her heart clutched in her chest. He worked his way to his feet, then she saw he held something that looked like a sword but with the low light she couldn't be sure.

----

He had landed at the bottom of the well with a thump. He looked at his closed hand, then opened it to reveal nothing in it. His eyes filed with tears at the thought that he had lost one of the last things his mother had given him. He looked about the bottom of the well, but found nothing. The shard had just disappeared and now he could never go home never see his mother again. He sat down and hugged the sword and wept.

He stood up when he smelled her, he was sure of it. He could hear the breathing of someone at the top of the well. He looked up and his heart stopped with joy as he saw her, it was his mother. He climbed up the well as fast as he could, then stopped half way remembering that this was not his time, and the woman he saw was not his mother, yet. He continued up with a sadness that filed his being. He reached the top and dropped the sword over the edge as he climbed the rest of the way out. He stood there before the girl who would be his mother one day, and watched the wind blew her hair about her face, and rustled the funny looking green and white kimino. He saw shock fill her blue-grey eyes as she looked at him.

"Inu-yasha??" her voice sounded weak and strange to her, as she stared at the small boy that stood in front of her. She saw he wore not a kimono but a haori, and hakama, which was blue and white with a grey sash that tried around his waist. She looked into his swollen golden eyes, then realized much to her embarrassment that could not be Inuyasha. There were no dog ears on his head, and he had stripes on his cheeks, but other than that he was a spiting image of him.

----

Sesshoumaru followed the Tensaiga's pulse until he came upon a clearing in a forest. He cursed under his breath at the thought that it had brought him to where his brother was. He took in the scent off the air, he could smell his stupid brother, his wench, and the rest of his ragtag group but then he noticed an unfamiliar scent of another youkai, and he could have sworn it smelled like an inu youkai. He headed towards that scent.

He saw the source of the scent and was taken back by its owner. A young boy, who stood next to a beaten up looking well, was looking at Inuyasha's wench. But it wasn't the boy that grabbed his interest as much as what he now held in his hand. The Tetsusaiga, how could his brother have been so dumb as to give it to a mere child? Now he would take it from this boy easily enough.

----

He took up the sword and placed it at his side between his sash, and looked up.

"The Tetsusaiga… but how… Inuyasha has it and…" she was cut short when she heard a small growl from behind her. She turned around and saw that it was not an angry Inuyasha to handle, but an angry Sesshoumaru instead, "Sesshoumaru!" She stepped in front of the young boy in a protective manner, and stared the great youkai lord down.

"Move wench, I mean to take the Tetsusaiga from this child," he glared at her. Yet, she did not move, she would not let him hurt the child that she was trying to protect.

After a short second which seemed like and eternity, Sesshoumaru slapped away the girl who landed unconscious against the well as she hit it. Sesshoumaru drew in a deep breath of surprise when he saw the boy that looked to be not more than seven standing in front of him, but he kept his surprise off his face.

He looked wide eyed at the youkai that struck Kagome down. He ran to her. He had to jump into the air when he saw Sesshoumaru's tail reaching towards him to grab him. He landed gracefully next to her, he drew out the Tetsusaiga, causing it to transform into the fang, as he stood ready to do battle with him.

Sesshoumaru was taken back by the pup's actions and how well he managed to dodge his grab. He heard a low growl come from the boy as he bared his fangs, with the transformed Tetsusaiga, dwarfing him in his hands.

"Oh you plan to fight me pup," Sesshoumaru glanced down his nose at the boy as he cracked his claws, " I take down bigger things that you with out a thought." He watched the boys eyes widen, as he realized that he was going to die.

"Sesshoumaru! Get way from her you bastard," he heard Inuyasha pull his Tetsusaiga now standing in the clearing behind him. As he suddenly attacked Sesshoumaru, who easily jump clear from the attack.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped to the ground when he saw what was behind his brother. Sesshoumaru wore his normally mask of indifference, but shock and surprise filed him as well, when he saw two Tetsusaiga before him.

The boy growled deep in his chest at the two before him. He was determined that he would protect his mother at any cost. He stepped towards the hanyou, and suddenly attacked him. While Inuyasha now had his attention on the youkai he was attacking. He breathed in and rushed forward hefting the huge sword back as he swung it at the hanyou, slicing his arm and knocking him back before he jumped back to his position next to Kagome.

Inuyasha fell back in surprise at the sudden attack he received from the boy. He cursed himself for not paying attention to him. No sooner than he had started to recover from the attack, did Sesshoumaru attack him sending him flying back, with a large slash across his chest.

The boy watched as the two went at it for nearly two minutes. He saw the hanyou receive many wounds at the hands of this unknown youkai that had appeared. Though the name he knew. He watched as the sword flipped end over end as the hanyou was slammed into a tree and sat there in a slump on the ground.

Sesshoumaru stalked back to where the boy stood over the stirring Kagome. Who upon waking up grabbed the boy up in her arms, but he still held the sword up despite him being picked up.

He didn't want to hang around any longer, because his stupid brother might start to interfere again. Now knowing that the kid could no longer dodge the way he had before he went and wrapped his tail around Kagome and the boy pulling them close, and grabbed the boy's hands to stop him from swinging the sword. He took to the air.

Kagome let out a scream and started yelling for Inuyasha the moment he left the ground. He took his other hand and struck the back of her neck causing her head to slump as she fell to unconsciousness.



The boy how ever didn't say a word or make a noise, but Sesshoumaru could smell the feeling of fear and worry pouring off the kid, and well as the pain of sadness, and anger. Sesshoumaru held the kid's hands making sure that he was unable to swing the sword, when he felt a twinge of pain in his hand as he looked down he saw that this brat was biting him. He shook off the bite and popped the kid in the mouth with his other hand. The then started forcing the child's hands to re-sheath the sword. When that was done, he pulled the boy out of the sleeping girl's arms and held him so he couldn't cause more trouble. The boy growled at him, 'He had to admit the kid had courage'. He turned his attention back to where he was going, leaving the boy to fume.

---

Sesshoumaru sat there staring at the Tetsusaiga sitting on the table in front of him. He sat in silent wonder as to how the boy had been able to wield it, while he could still not even touch the blade. He had to have Rin pick it up and sit it where it sat now.

He looked over to the boy who sat unconscious on the floor next to him. He ran his claw along one of the stripes on his face. He remarked to himself at how he looked like his stupid brother. But he couldn't be the hanyou's child because this kid was full youkai.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," a quiet voice broke his thought. He turned to look at Rin who was peaking in the door.

"Yes, Rin," he stood as he watched her finish coming in the room.

"Can Rin play with them when they wake up," she looked up at Sesshoumaru with large eyes filled with the hope that he would let her.

"I don't know Rin. We will see." He looked down at his young ward who smiled.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama" she squealed as she ran from the room.

After she closed the door, he looked down to the whimpering child on the floor. He was still asleep but he must have been having something happen to him in his dream because Sesshoumaru could smell the salty tears, as the boy whimpered in his sleep.

"Who are you boy," Sesshoumaru whisper to quiet for anyone to hear but himself, "and why did you have the Tetsusaiga?"

-----

The sunlight peered in the window onto the sleeping boy's face. He rolled over away from it and then jumped with a start and a low growl in his throat. He looked about taking in the room. There was nothing in the room other than a bed, there was a small window up too high for him to look out and a door which he guessed led to a hall. He noticed that he was missing the Tetsusaiga which sent him in to a panic and he knew he would have to find it.

He went to the door and tried to open it then frowned when he found it would not. He figured he could claw his way out but that would cause too much noise. He put his hand on the door, and it started to glow green and the door started melting away. After a short moment there was a hole big enough to fit through and he did so quickly.

He stood out side the door and took in the scents of this place. He found the fresh scent of the forest and flowers, he then smelled the sweet scent of cherry blossoms, and jasmine, his future mother, then found another scent of roses in full bloom with the sweet scent of melon, He wasn't sure who that was just that they were human. He continued to find two more scents that he found was like sage, and a full musk, the last scent he found took his nose for a loop, it smell like a swamp, and dirty wet cloths. After he found the scent he headed towards where his mother was. He quickly turned the corners of the huge palace with out looking at anything around him. He turned a corner and let out a muffled growl, when he hit something and fell backwards from the force.

He looked up and girl a little girl stared back at him rubbing her head. She looked at him with a wide smile on her face. She stood up and held out her hand to him to help him up. He looked at it and huffed it off and stood on his own.

"HI, I am Rin who are you?" She beamed back at his cold gaze, which shocked the young youkai, into silence, "You want to go play? We could go play in the garden." He looked at her in the most dumbfounded manner, 'didn't she know he was a youkai', if she did, she didn't care. She went and grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the garden.

----

Sesshoumaru listened to Rin laughing out in the garden as he looked at a frightened Kagome on her bed that he had given her. The fear that poured off her, pleased him, 'At least she knows her place,' he thought idly to himself.

"What do you know of the boy," he broke the silence between them trying to find answers before he went to question the child.

Kagome stared at him blankly for a minute then raised her eyes and met his gaze. "I don't know anything other than he was at the bottom of the well." She replayed last night in her mind trying to see if there was something else that would please the demon lord, so that he wouldn't kill her but she couldn't think of anything else. "He looks a lot like Inuyasha though don't you think?" her voice cracked in her nervousness.

He looked down at her and simply nodded not showing any sign that he even cared. He turn away from her and went to the window, his stoic mask was broken with shock as he looked out of her window. Curiosity got the better of Kagome and she went to look out as well.

The two stood there in shock watching the two children play; Kagome because Sesshoumaru had a little girl running about his castle, and Sesshoumaru because he had locked that boy up till he could figure out what to do with him. Kagome jump back from the demon lord when she heard a low growl escape his throat. He turned from her and left in her room staring out at the two children at play.

---

"Hey Kisho," The little girl ran up to the boy who had sat on the ground, "what are you looking at?" She sat down next to him and smiled.

He looked down at the paper in his hands and folded it in half and smiled back at her, "A letter from my mother."

"Oh, Rin lost her mother and father, and brother too, but Rin has Sesshoumaru-sama now. He makes Rin very happy." He watched and her face went from a longing look to that of great joy.

"Sesshoumaru must be like a father to you then," he looked at the ground now, "I wish I had known my father." He pulled his knees up to his chin and hugged himself.

"Uh, did you father die," Rin look at her new friend in silent concern.

He nodded, "Yeah, he was killed by the same thing that killed my mother."

"Oh, Rin is sorry Kisho. Maybe Sesshoumaru-sama will let you stay here with Rin and be like Rin's new brother." Her sad eyes turned back into happy orbs of light.

"Rin," a deep male voice broke into the conversation. She looked up and ran over to Sesshoumaru who was standing just behind them, and hugged him around the knees, and look up at him with adoring eyes, "go inside, it is time for your bath."

She looked back at her new friend, and waved, "See you later." She then ran for the house disappearing through the door.

He stood and looked at the tall man standing in front of him, his golden eyes burned with a dull hated towards him, as he put the folded note into a pocket in his haori.

Sesshoumaru took a step towards the boy, then looked at him when he heard a small growl from him. The boy wore a mask of indifference on him, the only hint of emotion on him was in his eyes and in his scent.

Sesshoumaru took in the child's scent, and found that he was angry, and yet he was sad.

"How is it that you where given the Tetsusaiga child?" his voice rough and cold.

"I don't have to tell you anything," he snapped as he stepped back at the Taiyoukai being so close.

Sesshoumaru hardened his gaze on the child, at his disrespectful tone towards him. Then with a speed that the boy was not expecting, Sesshoumaru hit him causing him to tumble end over end away from the him. Sesshoumaru heard Kagome gasp from her window but he paid no attention to her.

"You will be more respectful to me or next time I will not be so nice." Sesshoumaru said as he again closed the gap between him and the boy. 'hmph stubborn pup should learn who he is talking to.'

Kisho laid there a minute cursing Sesshoumaru, before he worked himself to his feet and wiped the blood from his lip, and glared back up at him. "My mother." He looked down on the ground, "Why did you hit her last night?" as he finished he looked up.

"Hit who? Inuyasha's human wench?" Sesshoumaru spoke coldly as he smirked at this child's concern for the human woman.

His eyes widened and his temper flared, when he heard those words spoken so plainly. His eye began to redden, and he shook with anger at Sesshoumaru.

"Oh you mean to fight me with your true power then. You shouldn't waste your energy on such a trifle thing as that human bitch" he poked at the boys anger to see how far he would go.

"Stop it," he said low with a growl as he glared at Sesshoumaru.

"Stop what?" Sesshoumaru was musing at how angry the boy had gotten.

"Stop saying such things," his words more clear this time.

"She is only a human wench, so I will not," he inwardly scowled at the child for having such feelings.

"STOP saying such horrible things about Mother! FATHER!!!" he eyes where wide and the anger poured off him as he screamed out.



Kagome fell to her knees at Sesshoumaru's feet, and her mouth hung open, her eyes as wide as pool balls. 'Did she just hear right? Her and Sesshoumaru, a child, it can't be.'

Sesshoumaru hear the woman drop at his feet when the boy screamed out his answer, and even he lost his stoic mask at what the boy said. 'He had to be wrong though for this boy was not hanyou which certainly an offspring between him and Inuyasha's woman would produce. Yet the similarities could not be denied but how was this child here and now.'