Protector

Chapter Four: Sesshoumaru's Vulnerable Spot

Rin rubbed her eyes blearily as she sat up, having just awoken. Sesshoumaru was leaning against a tree trunk, legs crossed neatly and head bowed. Jaken was scrambling about the makeshift campsite, trying to pack up everything and put the saddle and bridle on Aun at the same time.

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin chirped good naturedly. Sesshoumaru winced inwardly. In his personal opinion, Rin was far too cheerful in the morning that it was creepy. It was just – unnatural for a person to be so happy at an unholy hour. He nodded to his ward, raising his head finally.

Sesshoumaru looked at Aun for a moment, and was surprised to find Rin at his side in an instant. She had picked up a few things while traveling with him, and evidently she had learnt how to sneak up on a demon silently. That could be a good thing – or not.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, do you think we can go and visit Kagome-chan today?" she asked, hope shining in her chocolate brown eyes. Sesshoumaru flinched. It was that exact look that worked on him every single time. Why did she want to see the blasted miko anyway? Only three days had passed since they saw her! He hesitated, not wanting to crush his daughter, but not wanting to go back on his word either.

Flashback

"See you next time, Sesshoumaru," Kagome turned to the stoic taiyoukai. "There will be no next time," he replied coldly. Chilly golden eyes met warm cocoa orbs, and Kagome sighed. "Whatever," she waved a hand lazily.

End flashback

Rin's lower lip began to tremble, and Sesshoumaru detected the faint hint of salty tears emanating from her. He was ready to bang his head against the wall and tear out his beautiful silver hair. Rin had asked for the woman every morning since they met her. Every single morning! What was wrong with her? He absolutely hated tears – there was no way he could possibly refuse her this time. Tears reminded him of his mother… the lady Arisa.

Flashback

"Mother, why are you crying? Don't cry, mother," a young silver-haired pup scrambled over the pillows on the bed to reach his mother, the famous beauty Lady Arisa. Her brown eyes were filled with more tears, and the pup's young nose was almost overwhelmed by the strong scent of salt filling the room. Knee-length raven hair cascaded down like a curtain, covering Lady Arisa's face from her young son. Slowly, Arisa raised her head, turning to look at Sesshoumaru. He watched, aghast, as yet another tear slipped down her cheek silently. She was obviously devastated. "Will you remember me, my love, even when I'm gone?" she asked softly, stroking his cheek with one long finger. Sesshoumaru caught a flash of metal in her sleeve, but chose to ignore it. "Of course, mother," he said, gripping her hand tightly. She smiled faintly, and turned away.

It happened that night.

"Mother! May I go out into the gardens – mother?" Sesshoumaru burst into the lady's chambers unannounced. Lady Arisa held a long, sharp dagger in a hand, and her startled eyes met Sesshoumaru's. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," she took a deep breath, and plunged the knife into her heart. She slumped over immediately, as her breathing stopped. With a heartrending cry, Sesshoumaru launched himself across the room, howling for her to come back. When his hands touched the front of her beautifully-patterned kimono, he recoiled in shock. Red liquid dripped from his fingers – his own mother's blood.

End flashback

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin gazed up at him, eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, scrambling onto his lap. He didn't reply, still lost in the sad memories of his childhood.

Flashback

Inutaisho steepled his fingers together in front of his face, regarding his older son solemnly. "Is there something you needed, Sesshoumaru?" he asked finally, after minutes of tense silence. "Why did you bring her here?" he growled out, clenching his fists so hard that his claws bit into his flesh. Blood dripped from the wounds – the same shade of red as his mother's. "Izayoi is my mate, Sesshoumaru," Inutaisho answered evenly. "Mother has not been dead for long," Sesshoumaru stated. "I have to move on, my son. So do you. She is already gone. Accept it," Inutaisho sighed.

Sesshoumaru rose from his seat. "Until the bitch dies, or you do, I will not come back here. If you ever bear a son by her…" he let the threat hang in the stifling air between them, and left in a flash, through the balcony, his pelt trailing behind him.

End flashback

Sesshoumaru shook his head hard, and focused on the little girl staring up at him. "We will go later in the afternoon, Rin," he said. "Yay!" Rin stood and jumped about the clearing, cheering and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Jaken squawked as she danced past him, and 'accidentally' squashed him flat. Aun huffed in amusement, exhaling a breath of warm air at the little girl who laughed and tugged on his rough mane.

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"I know you're there. Come on out," Kagome sighed wearily, plucking an arrow from her bow and nocking it lazily. Pairs of freakishly glowing crimson eyes blinked in the semi-darkness, and Kagome sent out a burst of light, blinding the demons lying in wait for her. Directly after the flash of light, she shot the arrow, trailing an arc of pink sparkles behind it as it flashed past three demons, purifying them to ash instantly. Kagome found that this method, letting the arrow go near but not hit the demon was very effective when fighting against numbers. If the arrow hit, it could only kill one – going past them worked much better and could kill more.

Kirara transformed in a swirl of flames, unloosing an unearthly roar that echoed off the trees. Kagome sat astride her, and they soared upwards, the pink transparency of a barrier surrounding them. Kagome held her hands out together. Fire and lightning lashed out alternately at the demons surging after the demon fire cat and the miko girl. The screams of incinerating demons pierced Kagome's and Kirara's ears, and both winced at the same time.

The flames and lightning stopped. Two globes of pink purification power formed in Kagome's hands, and she lobbed them out. One soared further away, and the other burst as it came into contact with a demon, sparking a giant explosion of purification waves. When one hit the other orb of power, another explosion began, effectively destroying all the demons that had wanted to ambush her. Faraway, she picked up the aura of a certain dog demon and his companions… and cursed. They would be in range of her purification waves. With an outstretched hand, she set up a barrier haphazardly, not very sure whether it would work. It was rather hard to set up a barrier around something you couldn't even see. Hopefully it would – otherwise she would have to do some serious explaining to Rin why she had purified her guardian to the depths of hell.

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Sesshoumaru cursed silently as he spotted the miko's purification power flowing towards him. Barrier-making was not his forte, and his weren't very strong anyway. Before he could react, one snapped up around him, a little irregular-shaped, but strong. Rin sat atop Aun, gaping at the shield around them. The barrier had been created just in time. Waves of power crashed onto the surface of the shield, and Sesshoumaru flinched at the strength of the attack… well, sort of attack. It held strong, and only faded away when the attack ceased.

Rin caught a glimpse of red, blue and black coming nearer and squealed in excitement. "Is that Kagome-chan, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked, bouncing up and down on the stoic double headed dragon's back. "Hai, that's the miko," he replied. Squinting, he could just make out her face.

Kirara soared towards the group Kagome had spotted and protected just in time. "Rin-chan!" she called, waving a hand in welcome. "Kagome-chan!" Rin squealed happily.

Sesshoumaru looked closer at the girl, not daring to believe in the similarities he saw between the human girl… and his long deceased mother. Black hair flowed behind her in the wind caused by the fire cat's fast flight – hair the same shade of blueish black as his mother. He could remember the way her hair covered her face at that moment – would it look exactly the same if Kagome were to imitate her? The warm brown eyes, dancing with laughter and the joy of being alive – exactly identical to his mother's before she had learnt of Inutaisho's dalliance with the human princess Izayoi and her marking. Their build, petite and small, were the same. They had the same slender figure and hands, and the weapon of their choice, the bow and arrow… that was the same too. It was coincidence. It had to be. Right?

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A/N: Yeah right, Sesshy. Coincidence, I'm sure. Maybe. Hehe. Okay… this chapter was supposed to be dedicated to two different people. However, I've forgotten their usernames, and my Gmail is being stubborn and refusing to load. So, reviewer responses will be done next chapter, and the chapter dedication will also be pushed back. Sorry.

This time's question : What was the name of that weird centipede creature who pulled Kagome through the well?

Same prize goes – chapter dedication. Have fun!

Have a good week, minna-san. I'm happy! My exams are ending tomorrow, and this is my way of giving you all a present. Hehe. Just kidding. I'd update today anyway. Even if my exams just started. Wish me luck for my science exam, okay? Thanks! 'Til next update then…

kyasarinyume07 signing off. Bye everyone! Have a good week.