Hey guys. I know it's been forever since I updated, but here's the next chapter. The one after should be up by the 4th, too. Now, this chapter isn't as great as I was hoping, so I suppose it would be considered a filler.
I've had a lot to do recently. I just joined a gym due to my being a bit on the large side, I only get 2, maybe 3 days off, I hurt my lower back pretty nicely, and I am now happily single. Now that I have had the time, here you go.
By the way. Due to the author's stupidity, Rin is now 2 years older than previously stated, making her nearly 8. I messed up when I stated her age before.
Chapter Nine
"W-what do you mean, you're blind?" the miko stammered.
"Exactly what I said, Woman."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
Rin slid off the bed and walked carefully to the Demon Lord's side. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what exactly does blind mean?"
"It means that his eyes aren't working right now," Kagome slowly explained as to not frighten the child.
"Can we fix them?"
"We can try, Rin, but they will probably fix themselves. Given time, that is."
A deep, angry growl startled all but Rin as Inuyasha tried to get another look at his elder brother's eyes.
"Touch me and die, Half-Breed."
"Back off, Inuyasha!" the priestess cried. "Can't you tell that it hurts him to open his eyes?" She sighed. "Uncle, can you see if you can find anything on curses involving blindness, or loss of senses?"
"I shall try, Lady Kagome." He left.
"Sango? There's a garden just outside. Could you and Miroku bring Shippo there?"
"Sure." They went on their way.
"Kira, just take Inuyasha anywhere but here."
"And what of Rin?"
She looked at the girl's crestfallen expression and smiled. "Actually, I need her help here for a bit."
Rin brightened considerably. "Can I really help?"
"You sure can." Once the rest were gone, Kagome let out an exasperated sigh. "Sometimes I really regret pulling out that stupid arrow."
"As do I, Miko."
Kagome turned at the comment to see the Taiyoukai sitting up straight, cloth in hand and eyes closed. Rin climbed up the chair and situated herself on the arm, facing the demon.
"Are your eyes still broken, Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"They are, Rin."
"Will they get better?"
"I do not know."
"Um, Sesshoumaru? Do they still burn?" He slowly shook his head in response. "May I take a look at them? Maybe I can figure out what's wrong."
"Do what you will."
Slowly, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, drawing quiet gasps from the two.
The Great demon's normally vibrant gilded orbs were now a much duller shade of yellow, as light seemed to neither enter nor reflect.
"Rin," Kagome stated suddenly, getting the girl's attention, "Could you go to my room and bring me my backpack? It's bright yellow and quite hard to miss."
"Okay."
Mere moments after she ran out of the room, Rin reentered, dragging the significantly lighter, yet no less monstrous bag behind her.
"Sister, your pack is really heavy," she whined.
"I'm sorry, Rin."
Kneeling in front of the bag, Kagome began searching. Items were being tossed about until she gave a curt cry of success.
"Woman, I hope that you plan on cleaning up the mess that you're making in my chamber," Sesshoumaru stated, again closing his eyes." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Didn't I threaten to rip that tongue of yours out the next time you did that?"
"H'w da heck d'd oo kn'w?" she asked, tongue still out.
"You have a tendency to do that quite frequently, now what exactly are you looking for?"
"My penlight."
His eyes opened in her general direction, confusion swimming in them. "Pen, light?"
"Yeah. It's a small, fireless light that can be held in the palm of my hand." She clicked it on. "I'm gonna shine it into your eyes to see if there's a reaction. Tell me if you see anything, okay?"
The young miko moved closer to the Inuyoukai and lifted the light, directing it into his eyes. Seeing no reaction, she turned it off and returned it to her bag.
"Shoot, this is so completely infuriating," she mumbled. To Sesshoumaru, she asked, "Nothing?"
"Nothing."
She sighed and turned toward Rin. "Stay here, okay? I need to check with Uncle."
"Okay!" the child chirped. Kagome mussed her hair causing her to giggle at the touch.
'Oh, how absolutely adorable is she? I guess even the Great and Mighty Sesshoumaru couldn't resist her cuteness,' she thought as she left in search of Rojin.
"Shippo, have Kagome or Rin said anything to you about what's wrong with him?" Miroku asked the kit as he sat on a patch of grass next to Sango.
"No, not really," he replied. "All I know is that it's serious. I guess he almost died the day we got here."
"You mean when Inuyasha said that he and Kouga were kicked out of the Great Hall?" Sango added.
"Yup."
"Miroku, any ideas of what it could be?"
"I don't know what type of curse it could be, but I suspect that the caster is someone in the castle."
"What do you mean? Don't you think that Sesshoumaru would notice someone like that?" Shippo asked.
"Not necessarily. Curses involving the senses are extremely difficult to cast and usually have to be recast multiple times, due to demonic healing abilities."
"And a demon as powerful as Sesshoumaru must have considerably stronger healing skills, right?" Sango guessed.
"Right, and I'm also confident that Sesshoumaru knows it."
The journey through the near-empty hallways was an awkwardly silent one, with Kira shooting side-glances at her perturbed companion.
"Where are we going, Inuyasha?"
"Don't know, really. Guess we'll know when we get there, huh?"
Ten minutes more into the walk, the hanyou stopped in front of a pair of dark mahogany doors. Slowly, he placed his hand against the door.
"I know this room," he muttered. "Father's study." Pushing the doors open, the two entered the long-since vacant room. "I used to play in here when he was doing his work. He never seemed to mind having me in there."
"I remember," Kira stated as she watched her old friend sit at the massive desk. "I also remember thinking that this room was huge."
"Well, yeah. That was because we were both so little the last time that we were in here."
She laughed. "Heh. True enough." Kira took a seat in front of the desk before continuing. "So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
He sighed, putting down the paperweight that he had been playing with. "Why am I worried?"
"What do you mean?"
"We're supposed to hate each other, so why the hell is it that I'm so damned worried about his ass!"
"You mean Sessh, don't you?"
"Who else could I be talking about?" He calmed down before going on. "That stupid monk just had to get me thinking."
"What did he say?"
"He said that I'm worried because he's my brother. Half or full, the arrogant prick's the only family I got left."
"You two may not be the most ideal brothers, but the fact that you worry about him shows how compassionate you are, Inuyasha."
The half-demon's eyes widened as the demoness reached across the desk and took his hand. It took a moment before he was able to react.
"F-feh!" he snorted, yanking his hand from hers. "Compassion, my ass! That ain't got nothin' to do with it!"
At first, the demoness was hurt by his actions, until she saw the deep crimson staining his cheeks.
'Still as shy as ever,' she thought before laughing slightly. "What am I gonna do with you?"
"Wuddaya mean by that? And it ain't funny!" The outburst only made her laughter more outright. "Quit it already, Kira!" he yelled, jumping from his seat. The demoness continued laughing until she was playfully tackled to the ground and her 'attacker' began tickling her mercilessly.
"AH! In-Inuyasha! Stop-Stop that!"
"Say Uncle," he demanded.
"Ne-never!"
The next thing he knew, the hanyou was on his back, trying to regain his breath.
"Wh-what just happened?"
Kira grinned at him as she pinned his shoulders to the marble floor. "I've been practicing."
"I can see that, but why?"
"Because you always used to tickle me until I cried. Now, I'm strong enough to stop you."
"You're right, Kir. You have gotten stronger."
"Thank you very much."
Suddenly, Inuyasha flipped her over onto her back and was once again the victor.
Leaning close to her, he grinned evilly. "But so did I."
"A slight pink tinged her cheeks at their closeness. "I really hate you."
He sobered, as he took in her slightly flushed-yet no less beautiful-appearance.
"Liar." With that, he closed the distance between them.
"The Kitsune's eyes grew at the touch, then slowly closed, enjoying every moment. Before she had a chance to respond, however, Inuyasha's eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet, blushing furiously.
"I-I'm sorry, b-but, I need to, go." He practically ran to the door, opening it.
"Y-Yasha?" she forced out.
Turning his head a fraction in her direction, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Kira," and left the room.