Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but I have gone into Rumiko Takahashi's house and had a cup o' tea. Ha-ha, suckers! XP
The Hanyou and the College Girl
By: darkangelprincess24
Chapter 15: My Dead Mate
Special dedication: This chapter is dedicated to Lorelei (you know who you are!) for the suggestions!
WARNING! LONG AND EMOTIONAL CHAPTER!
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Last Time:
"Now, my dear Sango, don't be rash!"
Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer. He had never seen a pregnant woman be this…violent before.
Inuyasha and Kagome walked cautiously to a beaten Miroku.
Inuyasha spoke first. "What did you do now?"
"I-I've never seen Sango like that before. I didn't even do anything!" Miroku started. "She was scared to go to Kaede's for a check-up, so I decided to walk her there. I was guiding her there, and I tripped over a root, and my hand fell a bit. But it was only on her back!" Kagome stood. "And then she just started hitting me!"
Instead of laughing like Miroku thought Inuyasha would, he pulled Kagome swiftly to his chest, growling.
"Let me tell you something," He hissed, "If you even think of pulling that crap on Kagome, you will be in more pain then Sango could ever give you."
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha lovingly. "You wouldn't have to do that. I could do it myself."
He looked back at her and smiled slightly. "I know."
By then, Miroku had stood, and was backing away slowly. "I'll just leave you two alone. You guys are doing a good thing for the population, you know."
Inuyasha growled menacingly. "Shut up, monk!"
This Time:
Things had been quiet for the past week. Kagome had received a phone call while she was back in her time with Inuyasha.
Flashback
"Hello?" Kagome answered the phone.
"Hello, this is an automated voice message sent to the students of Tokyo University. We are to inform you of the disturbances with this new, wonderful, college. We love our students, but we are sorry to inform you that Tokyo University will be shut down until January, due to construction difficulties. You may pick up your things on Monday. We are sorry for the short notice, please enjoy your day. Good-bye."
Kagome hung up the phone and turned, running straight into Inuyasha. "Who was that?" He asked.
"My school…is being shut down for four months!"
End flashback
Inuyasha sat quietly in a tree, watching down upon the sleeping village. He looked up at the moonless sky and sighed. He glanced down at the woman in his arms who had stubbornly stayed with him every new moon since they had met and pushed some hair out of her closed eyes. Kagome shifted slightly and snuggled closer to Inuyasha. He smiled slightly and looked straight ahead. He didn't know why, but he was feeling…different, but it wasn't just that he was human. He sighed onto Kagome's head. She stirred and looked to him.
"Inuyasha, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine." Inuyasha replied after a few moments. Kagome didn't look convinced. She sat up in his lap and stared straight at his eyes.
"I'm staying up with you, and you are going to tell me what's wrong."
One side of Inuyasha's mouth curved up into a smile. "No, you're not. Go to sleep, I'll be fine."
She pouted slightly, but was tired, too tired to yell at him, so she just leaned against her love's chest. She opened her eyes with a realization.
Still leaning against his chest, Kagome said softly, "I've never kissed you in human form."
Inuyasha looked down at her. He thought she had fallen asleep. He swallowed. "No…no, you haven't."
Feeling bold, Kagome smiled but still didn't look at Inuyasha. "You want to try?"
She looked up just as he looked down. They slowly moved closer, until they were about an inch from each other. A shock touched their lips. (You know, static electricity…) Kagome bit her lip in slight pain and pulled back, but it wasn't long before she felt soft lips crashing into hers. Kagome responded instantly and put her hands on his shoulders. Inuyasha put a hand on the back of her head and pulled her closer, making the kiss deeper. A few moments later, they each pulled back, both smiling.
"Mmm…" Kagome grumbled, her eyes still closed. "I like both."
She opened her eyes as Inuyasha smiled a rare smile that he only showed to Kagome. She grinned and settled back onto Inuyasha's chest, quickly falling asleep. Inuyasha's own eyes fluttered shut just as the orange colored sun met the horizon.
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A now seventeen year old Rin sat up and stretched just as the sun was rising. Today was her birthday, and, assuming that it was the same, she would be eighteen! Rin quietly slipped out of Sesshomaru's bed and fetched a bucket. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found a stream to fill the bucket with fresh water. Dipping the old brown bucket into the stream sideways, she waited patiently for it to fill.
A twig snapped from behind her. She turned sharply, the water-filled bucket in hand. A figure emerged from the trees. Rin exhaled the breath she didn't know she had held. It was that old woman who gave her the potion, Kione. Rin stood fully and bowed.
"Hello, miss Kione."
"Oh, shut up with the pleasantries already!" She snapped. Rin stepped back slightly, but raised her head high, nonetheless.
"Fine. If you wish to be unpleasant, than I am afraid that I must leave." Rin replied as evenly and politely as possible.
Kione moved with amazing speed and knocked Rin's bucket out of her hands. Water flew everywhere.
Rin sensed danger coming, but couldn't figure out a way to get back to Sesshomaru. She backed up another step.
"Scared, huh?" Kione hissed. "I would be, too, if I were to die as you are about to right now."
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Inuyasha sniffed. Fear? It was familiar, but not familiar enough for him to recognize. He looked down to wake Kagome, but soon discovered that she had woken up early and snuck out of his grasp. He grunted and hopped out of the tree, following Kagome's scent. It was fresh, so she must have just left. He soon found her in Kaede's hut, eating with Sango.
"…Human kisses better." Inuyasha caught the rest of Kagome's sentence, smiling. So she did like his kisses better in human form…
He decided to barge in right then.
"Kagome, we need to find someone." He said gruffly. She looked up at him, confused.
"Who?"
"I need to track down a scent of someone very familiar. Let's go." With that, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's wrist and slung her onto his back. Her bowl spilled and her soup covered the wooden floor.
"Inuyasha!" She hissed. "You made me spill-"
"I'll clean it up, Kagome, you and Inuyasha go find that scent." Sango piped up, already starting to wipe up the soup with some paper towels Kagome had brought from her time.
Kagome sighed and rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. He had won this time. "Let's go."
Inuyasha nodded and sped off in the direction of the unconfirmed scent.
"Inuyasha…who do you think it is?" Kagome asked softly.
"I don't know, but it's strange. Sesshomaru's scent is mixed with it."
"Maybe Rin?"
"No, but her scent is mixed with it. This scent much older than any seven year olds scent."
"Hm…I wonder."
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"And what makes you think that I am going to die, woman?" Rin asked, hoping her fear wasn't leaking into her voice.
The old woman cackled. "You can never defeat Naraku, child."
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Sesshomaru opened his eyes and looked to his left for Rin. When she wasn't there, and he found that her scent had not been fresh for a while, he sat up.
"Rin?" He asked, leveling his voice.
No answer.
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"But…he's dead, I saw it myself!" Rin said angrily. "You're lying!"
Kione laughed. "Haven't you ever noticed? Every time I get killed, I am somehow brought back to life!"
I…? Rin thought, starting to panic.
"Yes, mortal, I."
With that, Kione's arms and legs transformed into tentacles and sprung towards Rin, pushing her into the water.
"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"
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"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"
Inuyasha's ears swiveled sharply towards the east. "Rin." He whispered. Then he groaned. "It's just that stupid brat. Let's go back, Kagome."
"No! Rin's in trouble!" Kagome yelled almost instantly. "We have to help her!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
With a low growl, Inuyasha speed off towards the voice. He never could deny Kagome anything.
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"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"
Sesshomaru whipped around sharply. "Rin."
He tried to follow her scent, but it was harder to because it was not fresh. He eventually found it and raced off faster than anyone had seen a demon run before. I need to get to Rin… He thought frantically as he jumped over trees and bushes, ignoring the pleading calls of Jaken.
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Help me…Sesshomaru!
I…I can't swim!
Kione cackled as she held down the seventeen year old under the water with her tentacles.
Gathering up the strength and air Rin had, she kicked off the muddy bottom of the ten foot deep stream. "SESSHOMARU!" She shrieked in the one moment she was above water.
She was soon shoved down to the very bottom of the stream, which was now filled with her blood. I can't…hold on…any longer…Sess…
Then everything went dark.
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Meanwhile, with Kagome and Inuyasha
"Inuyasha…oh my god."
"What is it?" He asked, whipping his head around worriedly.
"Rin is…Rin is…gone."
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She screamed again. Sesshomaru was starting to panic now. Rin never…dear god, what's happened to her? Her voice was being thrown all over the forest, making it very difficult to pinpoint her location. This particular forest was a confusing one; make one wrong turn, and you're stuck running in circles for hours.
Sesshomaru turned again, only to be met by endless green trees. He would just have to "wing it", as Inuyasha's wench always said. His clothes whipped in the wind while he sprinted in the direction in which Rin had last screamed for him.
"Rin…stupid girl."
He came to a stream about thirty seconds later. His emotionless eyes widened slightly. Next to the bank, Kione stood, her limbs replaced with long, creaking branch-like appendages. The legs that had transformed into thick branches was holding something- or someone- under the water. Kione whipped around once she sensed a frazzled Sesshomaru. She smiled an evil half-smile. It was familiar to Sesshomaru, but he couldn't place whose it belonged to.
"Ha. You've both fallen straight into my trap."
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With Sango and Miroku
Miroku was not sleeping well, that was an obvious observation that Sango made when he started to toss and turn. She sat up and faced him, putting a hand on his shoulder, shaking him slightly.
"Ah!" He yelled, turning over to face her. She put a hand to his sleeping face. He was running a fever. Miroku yelled again, louder this time, clutching his left hand. Soon, his eyes popped opened and he sat up, this time screaming in pain.
"San…go." He whimpered, clutching his hand tighter. His face contorted into a look of atrocious pain.
"Miroku, what's wrong?" He didn't answer her. He just rocked back and forth slightly. "Miroku, answer me!"
Slowly and shakily, Miroku raised his left hand to her face. Her heart skipped a beat.
There was a large black hole in the middle of Miroku's hand.
(Here's the deal: I follow the manga, and in the manga, Miroku's Wind Tunnel was in his left hand.)
With Inuyasha and Kagome
"What'd you say!"
"Rin…" Kagome started.
"How do you know?" Inuyasha interrupted sharply.
"I…just do, Inuyasha." She answered quietly. When no answer came, she sighed. "You don't believe me?"
"No, I believe you. I'm just thinking. I mean, where's Sesshomaru. He never let's that girl out of his sight."
"Inuyasha…" Kagome gasped as a familiar presence made itself known. "Oh my. Naraku."
"What?" Inuyasha asked sharply upon hearing his old enemy's name. Kagome wasn't listening to him.
"How did you find your way back?" She mumbled.
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"Kione, let Rin up!" Sesshomaru yelled in an uncharacteristically worried tone. "Let her breathe!"
"Fool." Kione chuckled. "Are you that blind now that this mere mortal has weaseled her way into your heart? I am not Kione. Kione was murdered a week ago. I-" 'Kione' smirked- "-am Naraku."
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"Inuyasha, run! We need to get to Rin!"
Inuyasha nodded and speed up, keeping one hand ready on his sword's sheath. A million questions whirled in his head.
Does Sesshomaru know? Is Rin alright? What about Naraku? Will there be a battle coming up?
Will they die fighting in it?
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Sesshomaru looked past Naraku and to the water, which held Rin on the bottom. He couldn't move; Naraku would attack him. Then, two new scents came to his nose.
Inuyasha and his wench.
Inuyasha quickly slid Kagome off his back and pushed her behind her, pulling out Tetsusaiga (Someone tell me if I spelled that right). "Naraku! Prepare to die-again!"
With no plan, Inuyasha glanced to Sesshomaru, then leaped at Naraku, who had reverted back to his true form, a spider.
Kagome ran into the freezing cold stream silently, trying to sense Rin. She looked worriedly to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. If they couldn't defeat him before, with five people, how can they now, with only three people?
She felt something slightly squishy. She gasped and stopped treading water, diving into the water as quietly as she could.
Inuyasha had glanced over to Kagome, only to find her trying to find Rin in the water. Naraku caught his glance and looked just in time to see Kagome dive under.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha bellowed. While he was distracted, Naraku took this as an opportunity, grabbing Inuyasha's arms and legs and wrapping them in his branch-like limbs. "No!" Inuyasha whispered, watching Naraku advance on the stream, specifically where Kagome had gone underwater. Inuyasha struggled to get out of Naraku's vice grip, but every time he moved, the limbs tightened on him.
Sesshomaru poised his claws and leaped at Naraku. I will be damned if another person that deserves to live dies just because this Sesshomaru stood back and watched!
He sunk his claws deep into Naraku's back, then all the way through. He stayed there for a moment before pulling out his hand slowly.
The limbs loosened slightly, and Inuyasha ripped out of Naraku's grasp, racing quickly to the stream, peering down into the blood red water. There was no trace of Kagome in the water. Her scent was there, he just couldn't see her.
Underwater, Kagome grabbed a cold hand whose she assumed to be Rin's and pushed up off of the bottom of the stream, carrying the deadweight body with her.
She emerged from the water, gasping heavily for air. In an instant, she was picked up and carried to land quickly. She was set down and looked up at her rescuer, throwing her arms around him.
"She…she's gone, Sesshomaru." She whispered into his chest. When Kagome pulled away, she set Rin down before Sesshomaru and walked unsteadily to Inuyasha, collapsing into him.
Kagome's school uniform was ripped in various places. Her normally white shirt was now soaked to a red color, and her skirt was tainted pink. Her hair was knotted and had some mud and twigs in it from the water. She had lost one of her shoes in the water and her socks were torn to pieces. (Sorry to interrupt, but can you imagine this as a fan art!)
Inuyasha hugged her to his chest firmly, looking at his brother, who was trying to take steady deep breaths. His gaze moved to Rin's body.
She had been wearing her regular orange and white checkered kimono, but Inuyasha could barely recognize it. Its sleeves were torn so much that it looked like they had never been there at all. The orange was replaced with red, as was the white. The kimono was torn so much that it ended only at Rin's high thighs. Her feet were bare and cut along with her arms and face. Rin's hair had fallen out of her usual style (two tuffs of hair in the front, the rest down), and was much like Kagome's in the way that it had mud and twigs in it. Her hair splattered out around her body.
Sesshomaru stood and took out Tensaiga, scanning Rin's body for the messengers of the Netherworlds. When he couldn't find them, he swallowed. Suddenly, Naraku's voice filled the air, causing Inuyasha to hold onto Kagome tighter and look around frantically.
"I will not die, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, but Rin will. I have already directed her soul to where it needs to be; she is already dead. The messengers are…off duty for her soul, so you cannot bring her to life, now can you?" The voice laughed evilly. "I will not die…"
Inuyasha let Kagome down and walked until he stood before Rin's body. Kagome stood behind him. Inuyasha knelt on his knees and bowed his head, showing the Inu-youkai sign for mourning or respect for someone. Not sure what to do, Kagome just sat next to Rin's head and looked at her. She looked back to Sesshomaru, who was looking with an indescribable face at his brother. He noticed Kagome looking at him and looked to her, surprising her at what she saw.
Sesshomaru had his mask down completely, now showing what he truly felt: pain, sadness. Kagome's lower lip trembled as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru." She said in a raspy voice.
Sesshomaru didn't say anything. He carefully took Rin from Kagome's grasp and pulled his dead mate into his arms. He buried his head into her ebony black hair and whimpered very quietly. A few tears leaked out of his tightly shut eyes.
This…is not fair. Why, Rin? Rin, why did you leave me!
He felt a large hand on his shoulder, but he didn't look up, already knowing who it was.
"Sesshomaru, would you like us to stay?" Inuyasha asked. When no answer came, Inuyasha took his hand off of his brother's shoulder and nodded at Kagome. "Alright."
Kagome walked up to Sesshomaru carefully and put her arms lightly around his shoulders. "It'll be okay, Sesshomaru, I promise."
To her surprise, he nodded slightly. "Just…leave me alone right now."
Kagome nodded and walked to Inuyasha, who scooped her up in his arms bridal style. She buried her head in his chest and grabbed fistfuls of his kimono, sobbing quietly. Inuyasha squeezed her tight to his chest and looked back to Sesshomaru sadly before running towards the village.
-- Listening to Howie Day. Suggested soundtrack while reading.
With Sango and Miroku
"Oh my god, Sango!" Miroku whimpered, looking down at his hand. He was gleamed in sweat from pain, and was rocking back and forth slightly.
Sango bit her lip while hugging her fiancé. Nothing disturbed her more than seeing her loved ones in pain, while she couldn't do anything to help them.
"Oh Miroku," She whispered. Miroku stopped rocking and collapsed into her arms.
"He's back."
Two Days Later
Inuyasha and Kagome had arrived about an hour after they left Sesshomaru, just to find even more tragedy awaiting them. Kagome had fallen asleep against Inuyasha's shoulder about a half an hour after they got to the hut. Inuyasha kept his arm around her protectively. Sango had fallen asleep about an hour ago. Miroku held her hand and kept staring at his new formed Wind Tunnel.
Flashback
Mirokulooked to Inuyasha, who was staring intensely into the small fire they had to keep them warm.
"Inuyasha,"Hebegan. "Do you know what this means?"
Inuyasha moved his intense glare to her. "Yes. We…have to keep them safe. Somehow." He glanced down at Kagome and pulled her a bit closer. "What happened to Rin won't happen to Kagome. Or Sango."
Miroku nodded; Inuyasha had toldsango and himabout what had happened earlier that night. It was horrible to even think how it must've felt to Sesshomaru. He didn't know if he could handle it if Sango died.
Then again, he just might die from his curse first.
End Flashback
With Sesshomaru
Sesshomaru walked calmly through a forest alone. Jaken had respectively stayed away from him since that day.
He had no idea whatsoever why he came to the tree his brother had been sealed to for fifty years. He kept walking until he came to a clearing with an old, cracking well in the middle of it.
A young, black-haired girl of about seven or eight sat against it, picking the petals off of a flower. The girl wore an orange and white checkered kimono. Sesshomaru walked slowly and cautiously to the girl. She had the same scent, but was it really her?
"R-Rin?" The girl looked up with a confused look. He recognized her immediately. Sesshomaru smiled slightly and ran towards her. She backed away from him, frightened. She dropped her flower.
"Who…who are you?"
Sesshomaru stopped. She…doesn't remember me?
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Author's note: Hey, I know that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were a little OOC, but oh well. Please don't flame me! I also think that there was a TON of fan art opportunities in this, so if anyone wants to send me some, then go on and do it!
Review please!