Mage: Whoo! I am in such a good mood today! I updated in less than a week, AND I GOT A FLAME! I love flames. Su funneh. X3 They're just... so fricking amusing. This one in particular, which I'm going to reply to right now for you all to read. I hope you all get a good laugh out of the idiocy; I know I did!

"Teh Flamers" writes - "Okay, see normally there are two people who are 'teh flamers'. Currently, only one is present. So...hello. I am Teh Flamer 1, and my friend Person 3 is here with me. You,

You have written a story on the most insane couple okay...sorry, not even that. On a really insane couple.

SESSHOUMARU AND RIN WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

HE IS A FATHER FIGURE TO RIN! FATHER FIGURE! YOU DO NOT DATE YOUR FATHER FIGURE!

Person 3: Besides. She's like 7.

EXACTLY. AND HE'S LIKE...OVER TWO HUNDRED. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU AND ALL THE SESS/RIN FANS?

Now, let's get to the straight facts.

First of all, Sesshoumaru despises all humans. He even hates his own father for getting together with Inuyasha's human mother. He despises Inuyasha for being half-human. He views humans as inferior beings, and readily destroys them when they get in his way.

What's not to say that he wouldn't do the same to Rin if she got in his way? Hmm?

And don't even get me STARTED on the age differences. Kagome/Inuyasha is one thing. BUT SESS/RIN IS WRONG! SICK, WRONG, NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!

Person 3: Exactly.

There.

I feel much better now. Don't you?

Yes I know, we're simply horrible.

Thank you for you're time.

Have a nice, horror-filled day, and please stop trying to escape out of the insane asylum, they're not gonna let you out.

Teh Flamer 1 and Person 3"

Mage Replies - "Okay first off... Why do I care? Secondly, Sess/Rin is not an insane couple. Jaken/Kagura is an insane couple. Inuyasha/Abi-hime is an insane couple. Kouga/His Tail is an insane couple. Sess/Rin however, is widely accepted in both Japan and America. Thirdly, how do you know it isn't going to happen? Have you spoken to Rumiko Takahashi about it? I think not. And if you think you have, then dudes... It should be YOU in this padded room, not me.

Fourthly, what makes you think he's her father figure? Just because he's an adult demon and she a little girl makes him her adopted father? I think not. 'Cause, lemme tell you something, he sure doesn't act like a father. Fifthly, yes, this has merit. He does hate most humans, and does readily destroy them if they get in his way. However, don't you think Rin is a little different? I can cite two or three times in the series where Sesshoumaru goes out of his way to save Rin's life. If he'd kill Rin for getting in his way... Why didn't he just let Naraku kill her? Why didn't he just let her die when she fell off the cliff retrieving medicine for Jaken? Why didn't he just let her stay dead when he found her body torn and bloodied by wolves? And I'd really like to know this... Why exactly in the third movie (I'm assuming you've seen it) did Sesshoumaru see Rin's face when he was thinking about what he had to protect? Doesn't sound like he hates her much to me...

Now to touch on the age difference! Goodie! Firstly, in the series, Rin is more in the 8-10 age group. In the series, mind you. In most fanfiction, she's older, because Sess/Rin fans do not think he's a pedophile, like you seem to imply. What's wrong with us? Nothing at all, really. I mean, sure, we have our individual problems, but as a group we're quite sane I assure you. (And oh yes, using all capital letters is quite childish, and a serious insult to the English language.)

You say those are straight facts? Hm. Weird. Seems like a load of bullshit to me. Nothing is 'straight fact' until you cite examples from the source, like I've done. Now, why is Kagome/Inuyasha okay if Sess/Older Rin isn't? Kagome's 15, and Inuyasha is at least 70. That'd be like dating your grampa! Do you date your grampa? I don't know about YOU personally, but normal people wouldn't dream of it. And oh, you just THINK Sess/Rin is sick, wrong, and never going to happen. And you know what? I don't care. I don't think that, so I'm going to write about the pairings I like. Hee, you're not horrible. You've made my day! I love humiliating idiot flamers where lots of people can see. For yes, lots of people are reading this. I AM on 84 peoples' author alert lists. ...And, hun, you might want to work on your grammar. "Thank you for you're time" is grammatically incorrect, because you're is "you are". So... Thank you for you are time? Hee, imbecile.

Lastly, I'll sure have a nice horror-filled day if you give me five bucks to rent The Grudge! :3 And I'm not trying to escape from the insane asylum; I rather enjoy bouncing around in my happy padded room. :3 So, I'll end this with "Thank you for you're time". –snickers- Idiots."

Whoo. I feel good. Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed! But this author's note is long enough, so I'm just going to reply to those that have questions or to those that I really have something to say to. Oo;

Puppet-cat – Maa! No hablo espanol muy bien, pero gracias por sus comentarios:3 (ph33r my not-so-1337 Spanish skillz.)

Liz.Q – oo; I am not a freeloader! You're mean. But I still lurve you. X3

Mad4Manga – Err. Yes, Jakotsu is gay. –blink- I take it you haven't seen the Shichinin-tai episodes of Inuyasha yet? That's okay if you haven't, its just people usually aren't surprised. Oo; But anyway, yeah, he's gay in the series, so he's gay in here! 'Cause straight Jakotsu scares me...

Now on to the chapter!

The ride downtown was a quiet one; neither Rin nor Sesshoumaru seemed to have much to say to the other. I mean, it was a strange situation: a big rich businessman taking a lower middle-class daycare worker who watched his twins during the day out to a fancy restaurant, just to ask her something. Thinking back, Sesshoumaru wasn't even quite sure WHY he was taking her out... It would have been just as easy to speak with her in her office at the SCCC.

If she were any other woman, he would have done just that.

But she wasn't.

She was Miyazawa Rin, a woman unlike any he had ever known. Rin wasn't a gold digger wanting to woo him for his money like Aikou and Koushi's previous nanny Kagura. She wasn't a fangirl who jumped and screamed and begged for his autograph. She wasn't a vicious business woman like his acquaintance Gekkabajin Hidenka and her daughters Koneko and Ai, whom his company had dealings with on occasion.

And she wasn't a money-grubbing slut like his ex-wife.

Rin was... Rin. That was the only way to describe her, really. Especially since he didn't know her well enough to say for sure what she WAS like.

The sleek black limousine pulled up in front of the restaurant, a modernly designed circular building rotating oh-so-slowly on an axis. Sesshoumaru stepped out and politely opened the door for Rin, who thanked him with impersonal, unconditional courtesy, something alien to the silver-haired businessman. They walked into the restaurant amidst stares and whispers from the patrons and passersby.

"Iizuki-sama!" The attendant at the podium at the entrance bowed with reverence, recognizing him by sight. "Do you have reservations tonight? Oh well, it doesn't matter! Table for two?" The young man glanced to Rin, picking up two menus.

"Yes, thank you." Sesshoumaru replied with a slight nod.

"I'll show you to your table, sir, madam." The attendant bowed again and wove through the tables where beautiful, rich women in fancy dresses and men in suits and tuxedos sat drinking champagne.

Rin looked around, trying in vain to mask her awe. The Skylight was a glamorous restaurant where movie stars and rich celebrities gathered for dinner, and was renowned as one of the finest eateries in Japan. It was most definitely not the place Miyazawa Rin ever expected to be, much less with Japan's richest man on a business dinner.

Crystal chandeliers glittered over head, sending patterns of light dancing across the crimson and cream tablecloths and silk-backed cherry wood chairs. The silverware was real, polished silver, and the wine glasses were faceted crystal that glimmered like diamonds. It was all so beautiful and magnificent, including the rich men and women who ate and danced there...

Rin felt so out of place, like something small and ugly amongst the tides of glamour.

The attendant stopped at a small round table near a window, away from the noise and bustle. Three milk-white candles were lit and rested in a silver-white candleholder shaped like a great dog, a demon of old.

Sesshoumaru pulled out her chair for her, and she sat down gingerly. He sat across from her and picked up the menu, glancing over the wine list. "A bottle of red, your finest vintage." The young man nodded and went to fetch the wine. The white-haired male continued to read over the menu, and Rin took it as a sign to pick up her own.

Her eyes nearly bugged out at the prices. Maa, everything was so expensive! He must have sensed her distress, because he peeked over the wall of her menu, a tiny smirk on his stoic features.

"Order whatever you like. The last thing I am is low on funds."

"Who said I was going to let you pay for my meal?" She replied, a surprising calmness in her voice. "This is a business dinner, not a date."

"I'm a gentleman. I insist."

"I insist you don't. I feel uncomfortable letting someone else pay for me."

"Stubborn woman." He leaned back in his chair, that tiny smirk remaining. There was another reason Rin wasn't like every other woman he had had dealings with. She wasn't the rude type who would order the most expensive thing on the menu as soon as he offered to pay, and then pick at it.

"Thank you." The dark haired woman laid down her menu. It was then the waiter came back, carrying a bucket containing ice and a bottle of fine red wine. He opened the bottle and poured them each a glass, waiting anxiously as Sesshoumaru sipped it.

"Is the wine to your liking, sir?" The waiter said, hesitantly, as if afraid to speak to someone of such a high social status.

Rin's 'date' seemed to think for a moment before setting his glass down. "It's horrible. You call this -wine?" Golden eyes narrowed into an intimidating glare. The waiter seemed to shake in his dress shoes.

"I... I'll bring another bottle sir, I... I'm very s-sorry...!"

Rin glared at the businessman before smiling at the waiter. "Don't listen to him. The wine is fine, thank you. Now I believe we're ready to order..." She told him kindly; he seemed relieved.

"Yes ma'am! What can I get you?"

A glowering Sesshoumaru ordered steak, Rin a fairly inexpensive salad. The waiter very nearly ran off, so eager was he to escape the white-haired Iizuki's wrath.

"Why'd you do that?" Sesshoumaru muttered quietly, adding on to his mental list of "Reasons Why Rin Is Different".

"You were scaring the poor boy. The wine tastes just fine; you were being a stuck-up brat." The woman replied, taking a sip of said liquor. There was no malice or conviction in her voice; she was just being honest.

Iizuki Sesshoumaru was quiet, but smiling on the inside, glad Rin wasn't a spineless, timid little woman. She would be helping to raise his children for a time, and for that task he wanted someone strong, someone he wouldn't mind his little ones looking up to... someone like her.

Rin was a good person, he could tell.

The two were quiet, listening to the clinking of crystal glasses and the soft conversation around them. Rin noticed classical music filtering from the center stage, where a string quartet played a waltz. A few couples, including one or two movie stars, were out on the clear area of floor, dancing gracefully, the women's dresses swirling like banners of blue and red and green and gold. She watched the dancers for a while, how they glided and spun along the floor as if choreographed. If Sesshoumaru had been some other man, and this a date, it would be just like one of the fairy tales she read to wide-eyed little girls at the daycare...

Sesshoumaru glanced to Rin, and then followed her line of sight to the dance floor. Did she want to dance? Personally, he couldn't stand the activity. Where was the magic in doing some fancy walk set to music with another person? It made absolutely no sense to the businessman, which was a first. He understood a lot of things.

He pondered for a moment, brushing white bangs out of his eyes. Perhaps he should ask her to dance... Females always wanted to do silly things like that, for some reason he couldn't quite grasp.

The silence was growing uncomfortable quickly, so the businessman stood, pushing back his chair, and held a hand out to the dark-haired woman. "Would you care to dance?"

Rin blinked honey brown eyes in surprise. He wanted... to dance? It wasn't as if Rin couldn't; she had taken lessons in preparation for her and Jakotsu's mutual friend Renkotsu's wedding to hair stylist Yura "Of the Hair" Takashi a couple years back. It was just... she disliked dancing. It was always nice to watch, but the young woman absolutely hated to be out there on the floor, hated the steps, hated everything about it.

Yet here was Iizuki Sesshoumaru, a man she did NOT want to offend by refusing, asking her to go out and waltz with him. In front of people. Rich, sophisticated people.

She just KNEW the Keepers of Fate were laughing their asses off at her predicament, up there in the Great Beyond.

"I would love to Iizuki-san." She said politely, taking the proffered hand and letting him lead her out onto the dance floor amongst the waltzing couples. She and Sesshoumaru settled into the proper position; one of his arms around her waist, one of her hands on his shoulder, other two hands clasping each other. Sesshoumaru lead in the steps; he was quite good at this, Rin noticed. She simply followed, listened to the lovely music, and tried to ignore how warm his hand was holding hers.

Sesshoumaru loathed dancing, it was a fact. But for some reason... Tonight, he didn't loath it quite as much. His mind wasn't on the steps, or the music; he was trying his best not to notice how nice she smelled, but it was quite difficult not to register the cool, fresh scent of her perfume. Cassia and ginger flower, he believed. A light, airy fragrance somewhere on the spectrum between fruity and flowery. It was nice, nothing like his ex-wife's heavy vanilla scent.

"It's a nice night," Rin murmured as they passed a window; she seemed distracted.

"It is." As did he.

When the song ended, the two went back to their table. Sesshoumaru once again pulled out her chair for her, like a gentleman.

"So chivalry isn't dead." Rin joked, with a tiny smile upon her pretty features. Not that Sesshoumaru noticed how her rich, dark hair shone in the candle light, or how she looked oh-so-innocent when she smiled.

"Of course not."

Neither had much to say after that; the silence was almost tangible within the area, like a dark spot on the tapestry of clinking glasses, music, and laughter. Finally, unable to bear the uncomfortable air for much longer, Rin spoke.

"So you said you had a proposition for me, Iizuki-san?"

"Ah, yes... I do." The other nodded. Well here goes... He was a bit unsure now that he was about to ask. Would she really leave the daycare she co-owned with her cousin behind to work for him? Before he thought without a doubt that the amount of money he would offer as salary was nearly triple what she got running the SCCC, but now he didn't know if money would tempt her... "Rin-san, I am looking to hire a personal nanny for the twins, someone that will be there all the time when I can't be. I would pay you triple what you earn running that daycare of yours, and of course you would have to move into the mansion with the twins and I."

A stunned silence ensued. Rin was sure she was going to faint. Iizuki Sesshoumaru, richest man in Japan, wanted to hire her to be his kids' live-in nanny. Live-in nanny. The words flashed in her mind like a big neon sign, and she struggled to keep her jaw from dropping open. Triple what she earned now. That big mental sign turned to green yen symbols. Room and board at Iizuki's own mansion. She wouldn't have to keep paying the ridiculously high rent on her apartment...

At first, she thought immediately, of course. But then she bit her bottom lip, her cousin's pale, made up face stopping all other trains of thought. Could she really leave Jakotsu like that? He'd have to hire someone else to take her place... But she could use the money she made with Iizuki to help the daycare out financially.

But could she do that? Would she? The Shikon Child Care Center was her legacy, her cousin's legacy. They had started it together from scratch, with nothing more than a bank loan, a rented building and two community college degrees in child care. Could Rin really leave all that behind?...

"Iizuki-san... I..." She said hesitantly, cringing under his waiting glance. "I don't know... I'd have to talk it over with Jakotsu..."

Hard golden eyes studied her coolly. "I see. You can get back to me in a week then, with your answer."

"Yes, of course."

"I just want you to know Rin-san, this is a good opportunity for you. And Aikou and Koushi already like you so well, I'd hate to have to find someone else and then wait for them to get used to the new person..."

"Of course. I'll get back to you on the whole matter." She was anxious to leave now, eager to go home, relax with a fragrant cup of hot tea, and think this whole mess through. Her life was changing rapidly, and it was all because of this man and his two kids. Whether these were good changes or bad she didn't know; her mind swam and suddenly she felt a creeping ache make its way into her temples. Making big decisions, even thinking about them, had always given her a headache.

The waiter returned with the food, and both Rin and Sesshoumaru ate silently. When they finished, Sesshoumaru paid the full bill, amidst complaints from Rin, and she was driven home beneath the white-blue crescent moon in the sky.