Rin was now four months into her pregnancy. Time had done nothing but flown by ever since she learned that she had a legit 'bun in the oven'. She was grateful to be past the vomiting stage, but she couldn't say the same for all the weight she had gained. It's the wobble walking for her. Who would've known that you transform into a penguin mid pregnancy. It couldn't be helped though. Food tasted even better when you're eating for two.
The inevitable weight gain was the least extreme change compared to her anger being worse than usual and very easy to trigger, her feet and ankles swelling to the point where she could no longer walk, and her newfound strength which was charged further by her easily triggered anger. But with each con, came a new pro that made the cons easier to tolerate. Like her hair, which had grown past her calves and adopted platinum blonde streaks along with it. Her eyesight, sense of smell, and hearing were the best they had ever been in her entire life. Not to mention, that extra strength did come in handy whenever her mate wasn't around to open up her jars of pickles.
Rin rubbed her fast growing belly as she sat on her favorite couch in Kagome and Inuyasha's home. Thanks to Kagome and her many connections, their home had the best furniture in all of Japan. That came in handy whenever Rin decided to redecorate the different rooms in the manor she shared with Sesshomaru. Which was pretty often. Sadly, her loving but sometimes oblivious husband, before they were married and when he first purchased the substantial manor, appointed Jaken as the official interior designer. Jaken, an obnoxious squawking toad demon, who was under the impression that he knew everything, especially when it came to her Sesshomaru. News flash Jaken! No one likes furniture that feels like concrete or decor that matched the decor in an evil coroner's home.
She laid her head back against the soft cushions and began to drift to sleep.
"Almost ready Rin!" Kagome called out,
"Okay! Take your time!" she yelled back, trying to not sound as tired as she felt.
Today was 'Baby Shower Planning Day'. Unfortunately, the time Kagome asked her to come by her house was the same time of her daily nap. So she would definitely take advantage of whatever leisure time was available. Rin was the kind of girl that could care less about where she was, if she was tired then a nap would soon commence.
Her mind finally calmed and she was fast asleep. Twenty minutes later, Kagome pranced into the room prepared to start the planning for what she deemed would be one of the greatest events she's ever had the honor of planning. She could only smile and shake her head at the sight of Rin snoring with her mouth wide open. Demon pregnancies could be strenuous on a human body. Even with half-demons, there were still many factors that made it feel almost impossible. The end results though, made the journey more than worth it.
Kagome pouted, plopping on the couch opposite of Rin. She had a whole afternoon planned out for them starting with a late lunch at one of Rin's favorite restaurants, followed by a small shopping spree for decorations and party favors, and finishing the day off back at Kagome's for dinner, 'Top Chef' style, to determine the chef for the shower. And finally, tea and cake in her study to finalize the plans and choose a follow up 'planning day'. She was looking forward to their girls day, but she knew what it was like being pregnant with an inu. A girl has got to get her rest!
"Lightbulb!" Rin shifted and muttered something Kagome couldn't quite understand.
"Oops! Sorry Rin." she whispered before placing her hands over her mouth and tiptoeing out. Luckily, Rin was a very deep sleeper.
Seeing as how the soon to be mommy would more than likely be too tired to do a full blown outing, Kagome would just bring all the planning activities to the manor. Which reminded her that Rin hadn't even chosen a theme yet!
"It'll be like luxurious online shopping, but instead everything is right there in your face! Who's got two thumbs and a master plan? This girl!"
Kagome let out a small happy cackle. Boy was Rin going to be surprised when she woke up from her nap. Surprises and planning were something that Kagome perfected. Not to toot her horn, because she definitely would, she was the absolute best at it. She whipped out her phone as she headed to one of the many vacant parlors in the manor. Deciding that the first one she came across was the best for executing her plan, she had the maids quickly clean and dust the room while the butlers moved in the appropriate furniture. Food from the restaurant had been ordered, presentations for styles and decor were set along with presenters, the fluffiest body pillows on the couch, and to top it off she had the room cleansed and made it smell of lavender and chamomile to keep Rin calm during the entire planning process. Was she perfect or was she perfect?
Everything was in order in under two hours. Almost beating her own personal record. Yup, perfect… It wasn't long before she heard her name being called. Rin was finally awake & on the verge of panicking. Seems panicking was another con Rin was unaware of that came along with being pregnant. At least for her anyways. She had slept far longer than she wanted to and hoped that Kagome hadn't started planning without her. But she highly doubted that Kagome would leave her out of it. Rin knew that if anything she was off planning some other major event or taking a nap herself.
"How was your nap mi'lady?"
Kagome mocked a Victorian accent while bowing. Rin couldn't contain the laughter that filled her chest. Their equally corny behavior was why they got along so well. It made being herself a breeze whenever she was with Kagome.
"I'm so glad you're finally awake! I figured everything out while you were sleeping."
Rin's smile dropped for a moment. "What exactly do you mean by "figured everything out" exactly?"
She was worried that Kagome really did go ahead and plan the whole baby shower on her own. Event planning was her thing, hell her occupation! No exaggeration, she was one of the most sought out after event planners in all of Asia, Europe, & even parts of Canada as well as America! So it wouldn't surprise Rin if she did already have everything planned, but it would've disappointed her greatly. It was her baby shower, therefore she should be a part of the planning.
"Well, I figured you would be too tired to be out and about for our planning day so, I brought everything here! Come with me, I'll show you. Eeep! You're going to love this and ME!"
Rin giggled letting Kagome drag her to the parlor where they would spend the rest of the evening planning the event of the century. Just as she predicted, Rin was definitely loving what she saw. The food was still hot as if it was freshly made thanks to Kagome's always pleasant staff, the presenters were patiently waiting with their presentations ready, and the room itself smelled magnificent. Her sister was the best in the game, no doubt about it! Rin sat on the plush cushions of the loveseat and immediately dived into the plate of food that was placed in front of her. Kagome could only chuckle and shake her head at her dear sister and friend. Seeing her chow down the way she was almost made Kagome long for the days where she had her own bun in the oven. As they ate, the first presenter began.
A respectful bow and smile.
"Good evening ladies, tonight I will be presenting to you a "Bumblebee Honeypot" theme. "You", he gestured to Rin. " The Queen Bee, shall be seated on a golden throne, adorned with rubies and realistic honeycomb designs. Assortments of spring flowers that signify growth, love, and rebirth will fill the manor. A specially designed line of fine china will be flown in from Paris as well as one of the finest Parisian chefs to prepare the meal for you and your guest. There will be 3 chefs for you to choose from at a later date should you choose this theme. Pale blue tablecloths will adorn each table, and jars of real honeycomb shall be the centerpiece accompanied by several small rubies. All invitations, party favors, and thank you cards will be ordered with the "Bumblebee Honeypot" theme in mind."
"I love honeycomb! It would be great to have some now actually." she giggled as she rubbed her belly once again.
"Hmm. My little honeypot."
"Well if you like that one, just wait until you see the others!" a smug Kagome sat proudly as she sipped her homemade Sangria. Yet another thing she specialized in.
She waved for the next presenter to step forward. It was a woman this time and she was enchanting in Rin's eyes. Her energy felt kind and sincere. She immediately had Rin's attention.
"Good evening my ladies."
Her voice. Smooth like velvet. It reminded Rin of her sweet mate and the way he would comfort her when she was upset. Or like butter sliding on newly installed, freshly polished marble. As you can see, Rin's imagination could be descriptive and a bit odd at times, but moving forward.
"For you, I will be presenting a 'Greek God' theme. You and your mate will be dressed as the mighty God and Goddess 'Zeus and Athena'. The manor will be decorated as if the Heavens and Earth have finally met. Clouds, believable and realistic clouds, will grace the floors, walls, and ceiling. The furniture will also be made to look like clouds and will be just as fluffy and comfortable. You will be given two top chefs from Greece to choose from to cater your shower. Vegan and vegetarian options will be kept in mind for your guest who may have allergies or specific taste as well. Your guest will also be enjoying their meal using traditional Greek place settings. White magnolias, which symbolize purity, will grace each table & chair. White and gold shall be the color scheme, so you can expect those to be the colors of the table clothes as well, along with any cutlery."
That caused Rin's eyes to light up.
"Your guest will be asked to dress as a God or Goddess of their choice, excluding Zeus and Athena of course."
Impressed. No more than just impressed. She was inspired and... touched. Each theme that was being presented was centered around something that Rin loved. The thought and care that went into putting this planning party together for her, overwhelmed her heart. Her dear sister-in-law, no. Her dear sister truly was a gift. There was no wonder why she was so good at event planning. Her focus was purely on what her client would want. Rin was more than appreciative of everything that was being done to accommodate her. It was enough to bring her to tears.
After much indecisiveness, four plates of food, a mini panic attack, lots of cake, and a bit of crying, Rin had finally chosen a theme.
"We're going with the 'Greek Gods' theme!." she announced proudly speaking for not only herself, but her sweet baby too.
Her sweet baby who was aggressively rolling on her bladder. Knowing full well she was in no condition to wait any longer, she politely excused herself and waddled into the first bathroom she could find in the long corridor. Tilting her head back as she sat on the unusually comfortable commode, she sighed in relief with her release.
"Why does peeing always take longer when you're pregnant? If someone decided to kidnap me while I was peeing, I'd be done for." she laughed a bit while she flushed the toilet and adjusted her clothes. "Nah you know what little one? They would simply have to wait until our bladder is completely empty because I simply refuse."
Her reflection caught her attention when she went to dry her hands. Shadow Rin came to mind, but the thought was quickly pushed to the deeps ends of her mind. That's been her defense mechanism, her way of fighting back. So far it seemed to be working. She never had any nightmares anymore. Then it dawned on her, she never dreamed anymore. She shuddered, shakily breathing out. Chills crept up her spine and neck. Her cheeks flushed and cold. Why was she so cold all of a sudden? The all too familiar feelings of fear and anxiety began to wash over her.
' I gotta get back to Kagome…'
The moment her uneasy hand touched the doorknob, those familiar feelings intensified.
Breathe. Four counts in. Eight counts out.
Four counts in. Eight counts out.
Four counts in. Eight counts out.
She slowly pulled the door open. First shock, then despair. She was no longer at Kagome's. She was...at home? But how? And was this even really her house?
There was no way this was the home she shared with her love. It couldn't be denied though, it was their home. Only everything was gloomy, dreary, and dusty. One would think this home belonged to the Addams Family instead. But the energy, just from the hallway, screamed at her with malicious intent. So, definitely not the Addams Family. The only light came from black Victorian lanterns that had a questionable amount of space between them. They gave you just enough light to see in front of you. Okay so maybe it wasn't their home, because she certainly wouldn't choose such ghastly lighting for the halls.
It felt nothing like home. Her slow tread down the ominous corridor was dreadful. Some of the portraits on the walls were close enough to a lantern to be seen clearly when walking by. They were only further confirmation that this was indeed their home.
She stopped and examined one photo closely. Her body was completely unmoving, as she took in the state of her family. Not just hers, but Sesshomaru's also.
Their eyes…
In every photo, everything and everyone looked normal, except for their eyes. They had been scratched out with red X's. Blood red. Was that blood though? Dripping from those same X's was a red substance. She couldn't be sure just from looking at it. Or rather, she didn't want to be, not fully anyways. Blood wasn't something that was foreign to her. After all, she did see the bodies of her biological family covered in their own blood that night so many years ago. Her time in the foster care system taught her everything she knew about blood. So could she tell by seeing? No doubt. But today, she chose to be a skeptic. Meaning the only way she was going to believe that it truly was blood dripping fresh from her loved ones eyes, she would have to touch it. Unsure of what she wanted to do next, she attempted to will her continuously buckling legs to move. An internal battle was roaring within her. In her current state, finding out the truth about the unidentified substance would be far too much for her to handle. She was suffering enough as it was. Why let it continue? But alas, the side of her that just had to know, despite the inevitable consequences, was much stronger. Call it her pride.
So now, here she was, swiping her index finger along the unusually warm substance, rubbing said index finger against her thumb, and once again she's still. Did someone, something have it out for her? Had to. Otherwise, why would she be suffering from such a cruel and sickening illusion? Unless she's sick and has been completely oblivious of it up until now. She made a mental note to go and get herself thoroughly checked once she escaped this hell.
'We HAVE to find Kagome. NOW!'
She quickly returned her focus to her now quivering down completely was her only option. Otherwise, there was no way she'd be moving from that spot. Screaming out for help was a last resort in a time like this for her. If this truly was just an illusion or let's say if she's unknowingly ill which is affecting her state of mind, then everyone in the house would surely believe that she had lost her mind. There's no telling who all is around either, which can easily lead to word getting out. The whole thing would just be an ongoing downfall from there. With that in consideration, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
Four counts in. Eight counts out.
Four counts in. Eight counts out.
Slow, steady movements. Baby steps. Any faster and she would get to find out if the rug that stretched down the lengthy hall, was as dirty as it looked. Five minutes. Five minutes had passed by exactly before she saw a room off to the left that was filled with light. As if it were being occupied. Perhaps these twin doors, that stood just barely cracked open before her, led to the parlor where Kagome was. She prayed that it did. Once she realized that the doors looked familiar not because they were Kagome's but her own, those prayers died down. They were the doors to one of the many guest bedchambers in her home. Rooms that were hardly ever used, but always kept nice and clean.
The doors opened with every step she took towards them. Another wave of shock overcame her as she took in the face of each person and where they stood in the room. Shadow Rin in the center of the king size bed in labor, Sesshomaru at her side comforting her, a midwife at her feet, her personal handmaid Suzuki and a nurse on standby. The further she walked in the room the more she realized that no one could see her. No one except, Shadow RIn. As Rin reached the midwife a tiny cry filled the room.
"Congratulations! It's a _!" the midwife exclaimed as she handed Shadow Rin the tiny bundle.
Rin was having a hard time catching a glimpse of the baby. And an even harder time hearing the gender of the baby. Anytime it was about to be said her ears rang, and she wasn't able to hear until the next word was said. Since no one could see her, she decided to move to the left side of the bed. She was unsure if it was a good idea to stand next to the illusion of Sesshomaru even though he looked just as handsome and regal as her sweet love.
Turns out choosing to see the face of what may or may not be her unborn child, was not in her best interest. Those precious cries had stopped. Rin wasn't sure when they had stopped, but once she noticed they had, the silence in the room became the loudest sound. Her eyes, filled with terror. Her heart shattered entirely. Her body, growing increasingly taxed.
The baby was dead.
It's small body began rotting at an increasingly fast rate. Rin couldn't bear to watch. Her attention was then drawn to the pool of blood that filled the bed and was now pouring over onto the carpet. The carpet would soon be soaked with Shadow Rin's blood if nothing was done!
She panicked.
Forgetting that the others were unable to see her. she urgently screamed at them to help her. To stop the bleeding before Shadow Rin… before she dies! Anxiety was taking over faster than she could chant..
Four counts in. Eight counts out.
No one moved. Everyone had only surrounded the bed, smiles plastered on their they stared at the now very dead baby held in Shadow Rins arms. Rin was certain she was losing her mind. Just as she was about to place her hands on her head, fall to her knees, and scream with all of her might, someone grabbed her wrist.
"Isn't _ wonderful. Better than anything we could have hoped for." Shadow Rin smiled deeply at a mortified RIn. All she could do was stare in fear of what was to come next. How was she to respond to herself? She had seen way more than she could handle.
"I said…" her icy hand gripped tighter around Rin's wrist. Her tone was no longer sweet, but harsh and hostile. Without warning her face began to change just as it did before, but only on a larger scale. There was only pure rage as her porcelain skin turned a deadly blue and black. Eyes pitch black, her mouth opened widely, jaw completely slack in a ghoulish manner, and an agonizing, mortifying scream was released, shooting right through Rin's body.
That had done it. Rin snatched her wrist away, dashing back into the hallway she was once eager to escape. Despite how quickly she fled the room, she was able to catch a final glimpse of everyone else in the room. The sight of them only made her grateful even further that she returned to the hall. Much like the portraits in the hall, each and every one of them had their eyes sloppily gouged out. Blood covered their faces, but their smiles stayed in tact. Although they no longer had their eyes, their focus was centered on her Rin. Were they able to see her the whole time?
Arms protectively covering her round belly to protect her little one, her legs moved as fast as she could force them too. Just when she thought she was far enough to begin screaming her head off for Kagome or anyone for that matter, to snap her out of this deranged illusion, Shadow Rin appeared. Jaw hanging slack as if it were broken in more ways than one. The inside of her mouth resembling a black inescapable abyss. Rin gave up. She dropped to her knees with tears falling down her deeply, she let out a blood curdling scream. She screamed for any and everyone that she thought could save her. Oh, how she wished it was all a dream, but there was just no way it could be. Shadow Rin had grabbed her! Literally grabbed her! Even spoke to her when no one else in the room could even see her. Or at least she incorrectly assumed they couldn't.
"Rin! Rin! I'm here Rin! I'm here!"
She was wrapped in someone's warm embrace causing an abrupt stop to her screaming.
'Kagome.'
Kagome shushed her and cradled Rin in her chest. Rubbing her back and hair soothingly.
"Everything is alright now. You're safe. I'm here. You're safe, I promise." She could feel Rin trembling and squeezing her shirt tightly with her small hands.
"I'm not going anywhere Rin. I won't leave your side."
She was saved. The nightmare had finally come to an end and she was safe again. Rin jumped back from Kagome's arms looking around frantically, scanning their surroundings in search of Shadow Rin. In search of any possible evidence that would prove she wasn't clinically insane. Everything was back to normal and Shadow Rin was nowhere in sight. It was only Kagome and two of the manor's security. Her panicked eyes met Kagome's worried ones. There was no way she'd be able to get away with not telling Kagome what was going on. Not when she had just seen her screaming and crying in the middle of the hallway floor. Wait, this wasn't even the same side of the house they were currently in for planning the shower. Yeah, it was time for some thorough visits with the best doctors she could find.
Yes, she would definitely have to tell Kagome everything. Otherwise, she'd have to deal with Sesshomaru next. The goosebumps on her neck and arms began to disappear as she continued her breathing exercises. Kagome's hands on her back rubbing and comforting her until she was able to regain her composure. Once she was fully calm, Kagome spoke up.
"Rin, what the hell is going on with you?" Concern evident in her voice.
Before Rin could get a word out, tears streamed down her face profusely. The mental walls of iron she built around everything that pertained to Shadow Rin, had finally been destroyed by the severe trauma it caused. She cried for several minutes before finally being able to tell Kagome about each of her encounters with Shadow Rin. A weight was lifted. Not fully but enough to allow her to breathe some. Keeping that information to herself was doing her more harm than good.
"I don't understand why you haven't told Sesshomaru about any of this Rin. He would want to know, especially since it has escalated to this level."
"Yeah I know, but I just can't bring myself to worry him over some silly nightmares and illusions. It's really not as bad as it seems. Honest!"
Kagome glared at her before pointing to Rin's now bruised wrist.
"If it's not as bad as it seems, why is there a bruise where Shadow Rin grabbed you?"
Rin attempted to hide the bruise as it was brought to her attention. She hadn't even realized that Shadow Rin left her with all the evidence she was looking for when Kagome had first found her. It really was as bad as it sounded. There was no telling what would happen the next time or how soon that time will come. Maybe it was time to tell Sesshomaru. She could tell he was starting to suspect something was up after seeing her randomly spaced out multiple times throughout the day. He wasn't going to say anything until she brought it up though, to ensure she was doing it when she was comfortable enough to talk about whatever it was that constantly bothered her. Her love, always doing his best to not make her feel pressured into anything. She wasn't too sure how long that would last. Especially if he sees the bruise on her wrist tonight when she got back home!
"Kagome, promise me that you won't tell him. Or Inuyasha! I will tell him myself."
"Fine. I promise. But don't wait too long Rin. We don't have a full understanding of what's happening to you & I have a feeling it just might get worse."
Rin nodded. She studied her bruised wrist. Images of Shadow Rin's malformed face flashed in her mind when she touched it. She winced. The colors of purple and black were so deep. She has always been one to bruise easily, and it didn't help that her skin was so fair. It was going to be a hassle keeping it hidden. One of the maids who had been with them the whole evening and eventually came on the scene just moments after Kagome and the security, brought her an ice pack and a glass of water.
"I have long lasting make up that will cover that up well, but depending on how long it takes to heal, you won't be able to hide it from Sesshomaru. Plus, considering your current state of mind and the rise in your hormones, you're going to have a hard time keeping something like this a secret from your mate of all people. I understand you want to tell him when you're ready, so I will respect your wishes and keep my promises."
"Thank you Kagome. I really-.."
Kagome raised her index finger to stop her.
"I'm not finished yet." She held Rins clammy hands. "You are my sister and one of my greatest friends. It hurts to see you suffering so much. It hurts even more so to know that you've been suffering alone. So I will not leave your side. Not until we know for sure that that bitch is gone for good! I'll help you with your doctor visits too. But after the appointments are through and your test results have returned, we are telling our family. No matter what the results are, we have to tell them Rin. If it isn't something medical, then we're going to need a bigger and better army."
Rin smiled. Kagome was right. As always.
"Agreed!"
She hugged Kagome tightly. "We will tell them once we've gotten my results back. Thank you Kagome. I'm happy I'm able to share this with you."
She was grateful for her presence and care. Now that she had someone on the outside that knew what was tormenting her internally, she felt more confident about dealing with the matter. With Kagome's help, maybe she would really be able to rid herself of Shadow Rin permanently.
She hoped that this was the beginning of the end of Shadow Rin.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter & I apologize for the wait! I pray everyone of you and your families are safe during these trying times and still have hope for better times to come.
Please be on the lookout for new chapters for 'CORPORATE SECRETARY WANTED!' & 'Friends with Benefits Plus A Baby'! I promise I'll do better about how often I publish new chapters. Pinky promise guys, deadass. Also! I'm working on a special project that I'll be sharing more info on soon! Until next time, stay blessed!
