Author's Notes: Well, here it is, Chapter 13! I just hope I can keep this up… Anyways, I personally think this chapter is kinda boring, but oh well. It was necessary. Enjoy, everyone!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me.
Title: Fragile Heart
Chapter 13: A Few Questions Answered
With a stifled gasp, Rin exclaimed, "This place is beautiful!"
The interior of the mansion was simply stunning. To the left was the sunroom with its numerous windows overlooking the garden, and beyond that was most likely the kitchen if the aroma of baked goods indicated anything. To the right was the living room, where the fireplace was already alive with its dancing flames. In front of Rin was a grand staircase and on the ceiling above the staircase hung a beautiful chandelier, its crystals twinkling in the light. At the very bottom of those stairs was…
…a short, ugly looking toad man… Rin thought, bitterly.
"Sesshoumaru-sama. Wu-sama," Jaken said, as he bowed respectfully at the two men.
"Jaken. Have all the preparations been arranged accordingly?"
"Yes, of course, Sesshoumaru-sama. Everything has been arranged. The paper work is already set on your desk, ready for you to examine."
"Good. Take these bags to my room."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said pleased with the praise he had been given as he scurried to complete his next task.
"Took you guys long enough to get here."
Rin turned to look at the owner of the voice. Her eyes met the group that had been previously situated in the living room. When they heard Sesshoumaru's voice at the door, Asakura, Miroku, and Shippo had come to greet them.
Rin bowed her head in apology. "Gomen-nasai! It was all my fault to begin with."
"Of course, it was," Asakura replied coldly. Rin's head lowered several inches more in guilt.
"Hey, give her a break, Asakura." Rin's head was still bowed, but by the sound of the voice, she could tell that it was Miroku who was defending her. "Rin."
At the sound of her name, Rin's head shot up. "Yes?"
"Do you want us to give you a tour of the place? It's kinda big, so it's better if you familiarize yourself with it incase you get lost."
"But I don't want to inconvenience anyone…" Rin argued.
"We're not tired yet. Besides, we've been here so many times before we can even tell you a bit about its history," Shippo said.
"Sorry, but I won't be joining you," Asakura said suddenly. "I'm tired, so I think I'll retire early for the evening. Wu-sama…" Asakura bowed to the old man, but as she looked towards the man beside him… "Sesshoumaru-sama…" …her eyes gleamed like a predator, as she bowed. "I will be in my room if you need me."
"Well, Rin…" Miroku said, offering her his hand when Asakura left. "Shall we?"
Rin smiled. Well, what do you know? He can be a gentleman when he wants to be… Rin's train of thought was quickly interrupted by something rubbing against her bottom… In the end, after saying good-night to both Wu-sama and Sesshoumaru, Rin had stayed beside Shippo for the remainder of the tour… while Miroku had supported a black eye and a red handprint on the face.
Asakura had looked steadily at him when she had uttered those words. The message was clear: Do you want to spend the night in my room, Sesshoumaru? He had every intention of answering her call… with a cold shoulder of indifference.
After Rin had left with Miroku and Shippo, he and Wu-sama decided to go to his private study. Sesshoumaru had believed that they were going to talk about Wu-sama's current situation with the company, but apparently Wu-sama had other things on his mind…
"Sesshoumaru, would you care for a game of Go? It has been quite a few years since you last defeated me, and I have to admit I have gotten much stronger since then."
"As you wish, Wu-sama."
They approached the Go board in the middle of the study and after nigiri and other such formalities, started playing… 1
"…and this is an imperial enamel famille-rose vase bearing a four-character red-on-gold seal mark of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong, who reigned from 1736 to 1795. This vase can even compare in its refined workmanship to that of two smaller vases in Beijing's Palace Museum. I believe Wu-sama bought this piece at an auction some time ago. The starting price, I think, was 10 million Hong Kong dollars, or 1.28 million American dollars." 2
Rin was starting to get dizzy with the numbers Shippo was throwing at her. If it wasn't in the millions or billions department, then it wouldn't be found inside this house… which was why Rin felt reluctant to touch anything.
Sensing Rin's distress, Shippo decided to try to distract her and, while he was at it, try to get a few of his questions answered. "Hey, Rin, I'm kinda getting tired from all this talking, so why don't you talk from now on."
"Umm… okay. What do you want to talk about?"
Trying to act casual, Shippo discreetly suggested, "How about your family?"
"Well… I have an older sister, Kagome, and an older brother, Souta. My Mom and Grandpa, along with the rest of my family, have lived in an old shrine for generations. My sister got married over ten years ago to a guy named Inuyasha. They have a son now, named Keichi, my nephew. Souta, Mom, and Grandpa are away, so the only people looking after the shrine right now are sister and brother-in-law." Rin couldn't help but laugh, as she thought about the couple. "Inuyasha can be really foul tempered at times, but his bark is worse than his bite, as the saying goes. I guess that's why he and my sister make such a good couple. They can both be really sweet at times, but when one or the other is angry, you better get out of the way."
That definitely sounds like Inuyasha and Kagome, Shippo thought, as he silently laughed at the pair. I wonder how Inuyasha will react when he sees me all grown up… I know what I'll do; I'll probably laugh it down his face now that I'm taller and he can't hit me like he used to anymore. Shippo smirked at the thought, but then he sighed. I really want to see them again… Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru gave him explicit instructions not to contact either Inuyasha or Kagome for the past few years. Shippo understood Sesshoumaru's concern however – the whole time line could be disturbed if he made an early appearance to either Kagome or Inuyasha. Now, though, he had to keep his distance for Sesshoumaru and Rin's sakes. Shippo can only imagine what Inuyasha's reaction might be when he finds out that his sister-in-law is dating his older brother. Things will get really ugly… Shippo sighed again.
"AAAHHHHHH!"
Both Shippo and Miroku turned. "What's wrong, Rin?" they asked simultaneously.
"I forgot to call Inuyasha and Kagome! They're going to kill me!" Rin said, as she raced down the stairs to the phone in the living room.
Halfway through the game it was already clear who the winner was going to be. Although Sesshoumaru had played calmly and carefully, it seemed that his practice had paid off. Wu-sama looked up to watch his opponent carefully. Even in the face of an impending defeat, Sesshoumaru still looked as cool and collected as ever. Wu-sama placed another black stone on the board…
Pachi
Let's see if I can rattle his posture a bit…
"She's still as beautiful as I remember her to be, Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru declined to comment, opting to concentrate hard on the board. "I would have thought that her reincarnation would bear some of the scars her previous life had endured… when she fell off that cliff and died."
At this, the white stone Sesshoumaru had in his hand stopped, hovering just above the board. His hand retreated, and Sesshoumaru faced the old man in front of him, his indifferent façade firmly in place. "You didn't just call me in here for a rematch, did you… Wu-sama?"
Wu-sama's old face turned stern and serious in a blink of an eye. "In a demon to human population ratio, the percentage is almost slim to none. You are a full-fledged demon, and a pure breed at that, and as such you are obligated to continue the demon line." Wu-sama watched for a reaction – any reaction – that Sesshoumaru might be willing to show, but there was none – only a rather annoying attitude of apathy.
Wu-sama smiled. "Of course, that was something I was supposed to say by demon law. However, personally, as an old friend of your father, I would be more than happy to welcome Rin into the family. I have known your father for countless centuries Sesshoumaru… and I know that he would be very proud of you." Still, Sesshoumaru refused to concede to a response.
"As I'm sure you are aware, taking on a human mate can pose quite a few problems. Any possible future offspring you may have will be hanyou. Although hanyou children are more accepted now than before, they are still being discriminated. Of course, although I doubt you will, you can always turn to your brother for advice." At this, Sesshoumaru gave an uncharacteristic snort. "Speaking about your brother, there is also another problem. If memory serves me, didn't Inuyasha marry a Kagome Higurashi?" Again, Sesshoumaru reclined to answer. "Well, if he did, then sooner or later you will have meet your brother face to face, whether you want to or not. Another possible setback could come from your many… admirers. Your enemies, in other words, will hunt Rin down and kill her just to spite you."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "They would have to get past me first," he quietly vowed.
Wu-sama watched Sesshoumaru warily. "Let's just say that you do fend them off, who will protect her from the cruel fate of time then?" Sesshoumaru eyed Wu-sama steadfastly. "You are in your prime Sesshoumaru, and will be still for quite a few centuries, but Rin will be an old woman long before you even have your first wrinkle." He sighed, as he said, "She will die as she has lived – as a mortal."
Sesshoumaru eyed Wu-sama for a long moment until he turned to the goke. His hand reached for the white stone again, and with conviction he slammed the stone onto the board…
PACHI
Wu-sama drifted out of his own thoughts, started by the unexpected sound. When Sesshoumaru made no comment, he stared at the board… and stifled a gasp. This is… This is… Sesshoumaru had played that stone at exactly the right moment. As the board stands now, there is a possibility that Sesshoumaru could still win… by three and a half moku. There were no mistakes in either of the players' styles, but Sesshoumaru, it seems, had acquired a more subtle finesse in technique. When the true meaning behind each and every one of his moves has been revealed, he will leave his opponent in awe. Wu-sama smirked. As can be expected from the son of the Great Demon of the West… Then, Wu-sama noticed something… A crack on the board…? …beneath the stone Sesshoumaru placed…
"She will stay with me for as long as I will live." Sesshoumaru's tone was final and left no room for doubt.
Wu-sama smiled. Interesting…
"AAAHHHHHH!"
"Who was that?"
"Rin…"
Wu-sama turned from the door to Sesshoumaru. "Rin?" But Sesshoumaru was gone, and the door, which he was sure had been closed, had opened.
1. Go is a game that I'm currently enjoying greatly. The rules are few and simple, but the complexity of the game is unrivaled. I should know since I've played a number of board games – chess, Chinese chess, checkers, etc. It's a strategic board game, where the object of the game is to surround more territory than your opponent.
Before you begin, it is usually polite to indicate to a higher player to sit at the best seat – perhaps someplace where there is a nice scenery.
To decide who gets to go first, you have to nigiri. To nigiri, the player with the white stones in his/her goke, a wooden bowl, grabs a handful of stones, and the other player with the black stones has to guess if there is an even or odd number of white stones. If s/he thinks it's an even number, then s/he will place two stones on the goban, the go board; otherwise, for an odd number, s/he will put one black stone. If s/he is right, then s/he keeps the black stones and gets to go first; if not, the two players will switch stones.
It is also polite to say, "Onegaishimasu," before the game begins. "Onegaishimasu" basically means, "Please do your best," "Please have a good game," "Please begin," or "Do me this favor." The two players say this to each other as they bow.
Pachi is simply a sound that the board makes when you place a stone resolutely (i.e. with force) on top of it. The best go boards, producing such a pleasant and "live" sound, are made from the wood of a 700 to 1,000 year old Japanese kaya tree (it's more scientific name is torrea nucifera). These boards are resistant to decay, and the color of wood becomes deeper and richer with age.
Some of this information was taken from the book, GO: A Complete Introduction to the Game by Cho Chikun, and a website called Sensei's Library: Hikaru no Go http :senseis. xmp. net? HikaruNoGo
For anyone who is interested, I suggest you watch the anime and/or read the manga Hikaru no Go. Personally, I loved it! It's what got me into go in the first place. I even bought over 200 dollars worth of go equipment and books right after I saw the anime. Yep, I was hooked. I really encourage you to give this anime a chance.
2. To be completely honest, I copied that stuff about the vase. I don't know squat about vases or porcelain or anything like that. Here's the website: http :www. china. org. cn/ english/ travel/ 61782. htm The title of the article is called Hammer to Come Down on Ancient Treasures.
Well, that's it for the footnotes! I was planning to make this chapter longer, but then I realized that the due date I had set for myself was coming up, so it's a bit shorter than I had planned. Oh well. If you take out the footnotes, author's notes, etc., you still get around 4 pages of decent reading material. The next chapter will (hopefully) be out by Friday, January 14th. Until then folks!
Recommended Sess/Rin Stories:
Silk by Tears of Amethyst
Story ID #: 1339137
Summary: A short and simple, but beautifully done one-shot. Sesshoumaru is very in character in this fic, but the author still manages to put in that little sweet moment with Sess and Rin in the end. If I give anymore away it will ruin the story, so just go read it!
Trapped in This Thing Called Love by ElectricRain
Story ID #: 1446891
Summary: Here's a little twist to the normal Sess/Rin stories. Rin is not (at least in the beginning) in love with Sess but with Inuyasha! Some parts to this story are very funny, but in all seriousness, it's about a guy and girl trying to figure out their own emotions toward each other (at least that's what I get out of this fic). I just wish the author would update sooner…
Speaking about updating, for those of you who are waiting for prettywithapistol to update her fic Underneath It All, she emailed me saying that she does plan on updating. So, I guess, we just have to sit back and wait; of course, we, as fanfic readers, could give her a little push by emailing her… (hint hint)
Review Responses:
Celtickitty89 (blush) Thanks!
novasenshi It must be exiting for you! Just remember: College is hard work… but a lot of fun! I hope you'll enjoy college life and this chapter.
Vikki I don't think you're an idiot at all, and I completely agree with what you're saying. I wouldn't mind telling you about my trip, but it might take a while before I can get back to you. Don't worry about what to major in – you have plenty of time to figure all that stuff out.
tiff I hope you've enjoyed this chapter as much as the last!
VoodooPriestess Well, this time it only took one week! I hope you enjoyed it!
yumise-lunar Really! You live in Hong Kong! That's great! The food is definitely better where you are than here in America.
Sesshy81 Sorry about being so late, and you're right! As you can see from this chapter, Wu-sama does know Rin.
Hitokiri-Sesshoumaru I guess it's a good thing that I kept up with my resolution after all then. It would have been scary to have youkai stalking you… but then again, if they're as handsome as Sess, I wouldn't mind…
amy I hope you enjoyed this chapter then!
JadeGoddess So it was you! I'm still not sure yet, but it's a possibility.
Princess Chihiro Sorry about that. It's supposed to be Asakura. I really hope you'll read Sess/Rin stories I recommend and review. They really are very good!
Inuyasha's Princess17 :) Don't worry I plan on having Sess and Inu meet soon… or at least talk. Inu and Kag do realize that Rin is Rin's reincarnation (try to say that three times fast), which is part of reason why they named her that. Info about Sess and Rin's previous lives will come later, so don't worry about it yet. I'm purposely leaving some things in the dark, but they'll all come into light in due time. Thanks for reviewing!
