Well, I'll be gone this next week. I'm parents are going on vacation and I'm going to stay with my grandparents for this week. Anyway, that should give you time to digest this chappie. LOL. :)

Chapter 12

As the two children became teenagers their love grew, but not for their son. Miroku left school after high school, deciding that college wasn't as important as supporting his family. He got a satisfying job in a factory, finally working his way up to assistant manager. Satsuki grew more beautiful every day and he was surprised at the rate she had matured and developed. She was a vision. She never returned to school but it didn't make her any less educated. She seemed smarter than him at times. Sorrow filled his heart when he though of this lovely woman being the mother of a dragon. He never forgave himself for it, though she assured him that it wasn't his fault; how were they to know? As for the boy known as Hatori Sohma, his parents provided for him, barely. They kept him alive, housed him, and sent him to school. Usually they sent him over to the houses of the other cursed Zodiac members. They were not "inside" and hated it. Hatori spent his time with the dog and the snake, Shigure and Ayame. Because of his experience with his parents he matured at a much faster rate then the other two. He became the unofficial guardian of the group. They were like the three musketeers, inseparable. Satsuki had vowed that her children would never be forced into a marriage, especially not at age twelve. Though she loved Miroku dearly, she hadn't at the time. She hadn't known what true love was, and she still didn't completely. Now she stuck to her vow even more; what woman would want a husband who couldn't even hold her? Nine years later they tried again to have a child.

"Miroku!" Satsuki cried happily as the tiny girl was placed in her arms.

"What shall we name her?" Miroku asked.

"Isuzu," she decided. She handed the baby to her husband but immediately it vanished.

"Oh, Miroku!" Satsuki shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "What is wrong with us? We went from a seahorse to a real one!" Miroku held her in his arms as they stared at the small foal struggling to stand.

"If I were to name this child, Satsuki, I would name her Rin," Miroku said bitterly.

"You're quite right, Miroku," Satsuki nodded. The name "Rin" meant "great suffering."

"H-how could you do this?" Hatori shouted, tears streaming down his cheeks as his mother shoved the infant Rin into his arms.

"You're old enough to care for her on your own, we want nothing more to do with either of you," Satsuki said sternly. She squatted down to his level, Miroku standing over them. "We tried to love you, Hatori, but, really, who could love someone who changes into an animal?" She touched his face more tenderly than she ever had. The boy ripped away scornfully, why shouldn't he? His parents were sending him away to take care of and raise his younger sister. Tears poured from his eyes as he turned and exited the small house with his sister beginning to scream in his arms. Shigure and Ayame looked sadly from Hatori to his parents and finally trudged out after him, carrying the boy's luggage.

In the years that followed Rin was raised by Kagura's parents since they had not scorned her and were also raising Kagura who was only a few months older than Rin. Hatori lived with Shigure but would be given his own house for him and Rin to live in once she was old enough to attend school. They would be provided for by Kagura's parents. However, two years later Hatori learned that his parents had had another child. Her name was Saki and she was "normal." The doctors did saw that she had something of a mind alteration but that was the only explanation they could come up with. Of course they had said that about him too but it was only a special ability he had, the ability to erase memories. Apparently Saki looked just like the last two, sleek black hair and dark eyes. Her last name, however, was "Hanajima." His parents had decided to "start over" and use Satsuki's maiden name as the family name. For some reason the hatred he should have felt for this child never rose within his heart. He loved her deeply, even at the small age of eleven. Due to his past, however, Hatori grew up silent and solemn, never wanting charity from anyone. Once he was old enough he swore he would find a job to support himself and Rin.
"A call came for you, Hatori, it was from your mother," Shigure's mother said, pulling him away from Shigure and Ayame, an element of sheer terror evident n her features.

"My, my mother?" the thirteen-year-old stuttered. She nodded slowly. "W-what did she want?"

"She wishes you to come to her house, to look at Saki, for some reason she thinks that you will be able to determine what's wrong with her since you were born with the ability to erase memories," she replied. Hatori just stood there, not knowing what to say. "Dear, is you just can't go I'll call her and-"

"No, I need to. I think it's about time I faced her and my father. Besides, I want to see my sister because I have no scorn for her as I know Rin will as she gets older. Saki can't help how she was born or how we were born, I can't hate her," Hatori explained, walking away. Shigure's mother looked after him sadly but yet amazed. He talked as if he was twice his age and meant every word her uttered. She knew this was going to take all of his courage.

"Hatori," Satsuki said crossly as she opened the door and he stepped into the house he had once lived in. The horrible memories invaded his brain even though the place was completely different. He hardly recognized the house that had never been a home.

"Mother," he replied expressionlessly. His mother hadn't changed a bit, on the inside at least. She was still cold and hard but he saw a hint of joy he had never seen as long as he had lived there. It was Saki's doing; he knew it. On the outside, however, Satsuki was an angel. If beauty was a sin then hell was looming before her. She was gorgeous. As the boy spoke the word "mother" she cringed, so ashamed that she was the mother of such a thing.

"I assume you know why you're here," she said finally. He nodded gently, not in the mood to fight with her. She led him to the crib in which Saki lay, sleeping soundly.

"I don't know why you think I'll be able to give you a diagnosis; I'm only thirteen," he said finally.

"You've always been incredibly smart, Hatori, I'll give you that, although I was foolish to ash you to come since you can't even hold her," she said coldly. He should have known her compliment would be drowned out by the string of an insult. God forbid she give Hatori, her son, the dragon of the Zodiac, a compliment. He stared down at the child in the crib, so small and unaware that she was the cause of so much bitterness and pain, especially to little Rin. He could feel a connection between them, something more than just the fact that they were siblings.

"She has an ability to sense waves, feelings. I don't know everything exactly but I feel a connection between us," Hatori said.

"There is no connection between you two, Hatori Sohma; do you hear me?" Satsuki cried defensively, almost afraid of there being a connection between her loved child and the one she had scorned.