I Do Not Own InuYasha
Unmei no Akai Ito
運命の赤い糸
The red string or red string of fate.
...
An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance
I: 9
Year 1573...
Tsuzuki Castle, Shikoku InuYōkai Territory, Japan
A lot had happened over the last few months, Rin now found herself travelling with her lord and the Yōkai Taijiya boy who had tried to kill her a little while ago. Summer was dying, she could feel it, it was cooling at nights. Today's adventure though was different from her other adventures.
Sesshōmaru seemed to be seeking out something or someone, she could feel his focus, which was making her curious as to what was going on with her lord. It felt important but she felt the need to confirm this with Master Jaken. Master Jaken, while loud and frequently foolish, was rather attuned to the on goings of their lord.
Kohaku seemed unnerved too, ever since the mysterious, beautiful light, he seemed sad too. Rin knew that the only reason that Kohaku had accompanied her and Sesshōmaru was so they could get him to the strange miko, Kikyō. Not that they had succeeded, she could sense that. There was something about this world which seemed a bit dimmer, less serene, and it was affecting Kohaku.
Rin felt the changes of pressure in the air and looked up in time to see a very large, sleek, beautiful inu, with a fox like tail and furs that were so thick and white they looked like the clouds themselves. Her lord's transformation was swift, his body changing as his human form dropped, Rin watched in awe as her lord's form appeared, he was large and rather thick, his fur was just as soft and cloud like, and even with his fangs bared he was dangerous looking; despite looking like a harmless inu. Her lord went for the other inu in the skies, leaping over as their essences seemed to twine and they struggled before they came hurtling towards the clearing.
Before her lord stood a very tall, beautiful woman with silver hair, and thick furs like the mokomoko wrapped around her shoulders and the edge of her beautiful kimono.
She looked so unreal, her beauty was unlike any other yōkai Rin had seen, almost as bewitching as her lord's handsomeness, but different.
"Sesshōmaru, it has been a long time. You must have questions about the Tenseiga," the woman said thoughtfully. Her voice was as cold and detached as her lord's natural tone. Jaken was squawking indignantly at the woman, but Sesshōmaru did not seem distraught about the lack of respect the woman addressed him with. "I can think of no other reason you would visit your mother," the woman continued.
"Sesshōmaru-sama's mother!" Rin blinked in stunted awe. Never before had she seen a woman as commanding as this woman.
"Mother," he greeted icily.
"Come, we will have tea and continue these discussions at the shiro," his mother decided. Her gaze finally turned upon Rin, and Rin tensed, her lord did too. "Of course the pups should come too," the woman decided.
Sesshōmaru inclined his head at her, and she nodded as she scurried off to find A-Un. They took to the skies as her lord and his mother transformed to their true forms and seemed to race each other, A-Un hurried to keep up.
Sesshōmaru relaxed when Rin passed through the yōkai barrier with ease, a bit surprised when the boy who accompanied them managed it too. It took a few hours of flight but finally they landed on the steps of his father's shiro, he had loathed this place. But it was different in the care of his mother, he could see that, there were more inu about, more care put into the grounds, it was almost pleasant, he could almost want to entrust Rin to the shiro, but he refrained. His mother was eyeing Rin rather curiously which had him growling lowly in warning, his mother didn't comment merely motioned for some inu to come for A-Un, and they followed her. Rin assumed her place at his left side, and kept curiously peeking at his mother, the boy was reluctant to follow, and Jaken brought up the rear, no doubt to keep the children from getting lost.
Many of the inu stared at Rin as they passed, he could hear their delighted whispers, and their curiosity about her being a pup, but he ignored it all. Rin, his woman, had long since earned her spot in the pack. Climbing the mountain of stairs he listened to Rin's inquiries, sending her images as answers, until they reached his mother's throne, then he motioned for her to stay with Kohaku as he walked towards his mother.
Kimi had made herself comfortable, lounging in all her furs, the Meidō Stone proudly displayed. She took a bit of posturing as she arranged her silks.
"Sesshōmaru, as I recall you used to despise human company. And yet, here you are in the company of two pups," she quipped. He frowned a bit at that, especially with how her eyes were wandering towards Rin. He wanted to take Rin from her gaze and hide her, but he refrained. And his mother knew he hated his father, and everyone, not just humans. "Perhaps you intend to eat them?"
He sensed the boy's unease as Rin scoffed indignantly at this.
"Tenseiga can be used to open a path to the netherworld; father must have told you about it at some point," he stated. His sires might not have been True Mates, but they were a unit and they lead the Shikoku InuYōkai Pack as one. So his father had no doubt shared this with Kimi, Tōga only really trusted Kimi; outside of Myōga and Tōtōsai.
"Oh," she pondered playfully. "Your father never spoke of it, he merely gave me this Meidō Stone," she mused as she held it up for them to see.
Sesshōmaru tensed seeing that accursed stone.
"He said to use it if you ever came to me," she mused. There was nothing lethal about her and the way she was eyeing Rin, he didn't like it. Now his mother seemed to be using her forgetful façade, the one she used before she unleashed some sort of chaos which would destroy everything and everyone. "That's right, he mentioned something else," she chuckled, and her tone took a lethal edge of ice. "He said that using the Meidō Stone would place you in grave danger, but that I should not worry."
"She doesn't seem that worried," he heard Rin whisper.
Of course Kimi wasn't worried, whatever was coming would endanger him, not her, and nothing had ever had the gall to harm Kimi. She was the strongest Inu Daiyōkai next to Tōga, or her own sire, Shikoku, she was also a revered warrior and lethal assassin in her own right.
"Like mother, like son," he heard Jaken hiss nervously.
Sesshōmaru had stuck closer to his mother's temperament, he knew that; having it pointed out was not helping his foul mood though.
"Well Sesshōmaru? Your mother is terribly distressed."
He scoffed. "Hollow words, mother."
Her lips curved dangerously as her gold eyes were alight with challenge before she held up the Meidō Stone. "Then I shall have you entertain me!" she purred.
Before he could know what his mother was doing a large beast was barreling for him, springing to life from the Meidō Stone, he drew Tenseiga as he summoned the Meidō Zangetsuha, tearing a void through the beast.
It did nothing to the beast as he beast went over him for Rin, he heard her yelp of shock as she was snatched up, her emotions were overwhelming and he was forced to shut the bond as he tore after her. He had to focus, her emotions were too much right now. Chasing the beast into the Meidō Zangetsuha that he had just summoned he was halted by his mother's call.
"Sesshōmaru!" now he heard real worry and panic in her tone. "You intend to step into the Netherworld! For the sake of saving humans!?"
She seemed so genuinely worried and concerned for the first time in his life that he could remember.
"I'm going to cut down that hound," he stated. It had taken Rin, and it was Rin he would rescue, the boy was merely a part of that quest.
She had been stunned to see her son travelling with human pups, so small and defenseless, more surprising was the girl dressed in a bright kimono. Kimi had fully expected in time for the woman to reappear, but she hadn't expected the pup in place of the woman.
The woman had never been very tall, looking at this tiny pup she saw that there was no hope for the pup to gain that slender height of traditional females. Her hair was still that wild black that could not seem to stay down, or straight, her hair was swept up in her preferred style, though it was merely a tuff of excess bangs. The girl's large bright brown eyes were very lively, almost mischievous and all knowing, like the woman's had been. She did not need the name for that pup, she knew the name of the woman.
Rin.
That was Rin.
Praise Kami!
Kimi wanted to leap over her son, gather the pup in her arms and never let the girl out of her sight again, and where Rin was, Sesshōmaru was bound to be, and with both of them safe in her shiro…
Still, Tōga's orders on this test were clear, and she dreaded it. The little soothsayer had no wisdom in her eyes yet, merely unconditional love and curiosity. Kimi cursed Tōga's plans again, but she still did it, having heard the tale from Rin herself.
Damn them all and the fates, she dreaded this.
She watched her son chase his mate again and collapsed in the throne behind her. Already she could feel Rin's soul leaving her body, and already she could feel Tōga reaching for Rin's soul from within the netherworld.
"Sesshōmaru-sama," the boy called out for him.
"It's Rin," he stopped then. "I don't think she's breathing."
And just like that his world came crashing down, all of it was destroyed dead, damaged beyond repair as he turned slowly to look at Kohaku. She couldn't be dead! Not again! She was just a pup and she had died once. Rin had to be asleep, yes, asleep, she couldn't be dead. But as he stared at the two children he knew, because even in sleep, Rin was never this still.
"You're sure Rin is dead?" he said this carefully as he watched every minute expression of the boy. If this boy was lying to him then he'd destroy the boy take the jewel shard to InuYasha's pack and take Rin far away, somewhere where she would be safe no matter what.
"She isn't breathing, and I can feel her body getting colder and colder," Kohaku defended. Sesshōmaru just stared at Rin's small form on the back of the boy.
"Very well, set her down." Tenseiga would save her. It had to save her, after all it had brought her to him again. It would simply have to bring her back to him again. Else There'd Be Hell To Pay And He'd Damn The Whole World To Get Her Back.
Kohaku did as he was ordered and softly lay Rin out on the ground.
Sesshomaru drew Tenseiga and stared down at Rin. Where were they? Where were the Izanami's minions? They should be here, where was Rin's soul if they weren't here? And no one could convince him that this little human did not have a soul when she smiled like a kami herself. A beast of darkness sprung for her, and before he could think about actions, he chased her into the darkness.
There was no hesitation to leave the opening his mother had given him because it was Rin he was after, until he had her in his arm, he was not leaving.
He'd rather perish with her this time than endure another lifetime without.
It was a pathetic truth about himself he didn't like but he knew he could never again live a life without Rin in it; centuries without her, he couldn't bear the thought again. Especially not after this short period with her, and getting to meet the pup who had saved his sanity.
He couldn't live another lifetime without her, he had missed Rin.
The kind woman, the fearless warrior, the compassionate healer, the witty companion, the wise general, the inquisitive mind, the loving equal, the sole female to endear herself to all the yōkai and humans, he could bear the idea of her wanting nothing to do with him. But he couldn't live without her in this world.
The only reason he had made it as far in life as he had was her last words to him.
He couldn't let this be her end!
So, he raced after her, he raced through the darkness and he ignored the boy behind him. Rin, she was it, she was all he wanted and all he needed in life. He couldn't let this cold, nothingness of darkness steal her away.
It was later he learned he hadn't hesitated to run after her, draw Tenseiga and cut the netherworld's undertaker down to hold her in his arm. All he remembered was that she was suddenly in his arms, so small, so fragile, and so still. Tenseiga was in his grasp as well.
"Please Rin, you're safe now. Wake up," he ordered her to wake up. She had to wake up, he couldn't lose her. Not again.
'That's odd, his mother's voice rang in his head through Tenseiga. The guardian of the underworld has been cut down, and yet she remains lifeless.'
His mother was just noticing this now! He stared at Rin's little body then, she needed to wake up!
'Little demon, tell me is it possible the human girl has been revived by Tenseiga once before?'
Why would it matter if she had? He wondered as he stared at Tenseiga and listened to his mother's calm, cold voice through the accursed blade. Was Tenseiga linked to the Meidō Stone and his mother somehow for him to hear her as he did now? There were so many things he wondered about but mostly he feared his mother being able to see in his head. Able to see all he hid from everyone, even when Sō'unga had attacked.
'Then she cannot be brought back to life.'
The words shattered him as Tenseiga fell from his limp fingers, he didn't want to hear what else his mother had to say then as he held the girl tightly against his chest.
She couldn't be saved! He felt like crying, he felt like screaming, he felt like destroying the world around him because of all the creatures in the world she was the only one truly worthy of living! He hugged her small body to him hoping she'd wake and tell him he was holding her too tightly.
This was the third time he couldn't save her, and it was killing him as he held her against him fighting back his sorrow, his pain and his grief.
He wanted her back! He wanted her to stand by his side and smile at him again, he wanted her small hand to take his and hold one with a strength he didn't know a human pup could have. He wanted her to laugh, he wanted her to sing, he wanted her to play with flowers and to bring him a bouquet of flowers to tuck into his sash for luck, he wanted her to tease Jaken again, he wanted her to race him on A-Un, and he wanted her to tell him she loved him one last time.
Just one last time.
He'd give up everything, every year to come, every tomorrow his future held, every century he'd live for one last yesterday with the girl. It was all he wanted, it was all he needed, it was all he craved. And in that one yesterday he'd tell her, he'd find the words, he'd find a way to express what he felt for her rather than stand there impassively while she smiled.
He regretted that, he regretted not telling the girl and never telling the woman.
Nothing had been worth the cost of Rin. Nothing.
He'd already paid this price twice, now thrice for his foolishness, and he cursed himself as he clung to the tiny body hoping for her to say he was holding too tightly.
He noticed the corpses then, perhaps in saving them he could save Rin…
"What's wrong Sesshōmaru?" she asked her son, he looked so indifferent to the world, but she sensed it. Despite her callous attitude and cold demeanor, she did care about her son, she cared about him deeply and she wanted him happy. She looked at her son who was looking indifferently at everything, but he carefully avoided looking at Rin. Her heart ached for the pair again.
"You look so sad. Tenseiga has matured considerably, and your Meidō Zangetsuha has expanded just as you hoped. Isn't that cause for celebration?" she asked carefully. Kimi was carefully analyzing every emotion her son let off through the Meidō Stone; with Tenseiga at his side she would have this link for a moment longer. Just as at this moment she had a link to her dead mate holding onto Rin's soul. Kimi did not sense joy or happiness at what she had pointed out to Sesshōmaru thought. No, the young Inu no Tashio seemed devastated, she feared he would actually follow his human to his death this time, there was no hope this time, nothing keeping him here.
"Did you know this would happen to Rin?" he asked, his voice hard and unfeeling but she heard it. Even if it was well hidden, she heard it. Grief, pain, sorrow, regret, loss, and…loneliness?
"Did you, Mother!?" he demanded in a sharper, harder tone. It was the first display of an emotion from her son she had ever heard in his entire life. Not even the last loss of Rin had left him emotional, he had merely hardened his emotions and became truly indifferent to everyone and every thing. But even as a pup he hid everything he felt or was thinking. Or did he do it to protect himself or did he simply not understand how he was to express it? She wondered. Rin had seemed to believe Sesshōmaru to be a very expressive pup in the short time the pair had been together.
"If I am no mistaken you have already used Tenseiga to revive her once, have you not?" she challenged. "Son, Tenseiga can only call a person back from the dead once," she said softly.
His eyes widened minutely then before he looked down; he still was not looking at Rin. Kimi's heart was breaking for him as she felt everything he was feeling then.
"It only makes sense," she continued. "Life is not supposed to be limitless after all. It is not something that can be renewed over and over again for your own convenience. Sesshomaru, had you come to believe that you were a kami, perhaps? That you did not need to fear death, as long as Tenseiga was in your hands?"
Apparently, he had, she could sense as much, and she felt like chiding him. But the way he was looking so lost and confused was hurting her, so she'd continue with the lesson his father had insisted he always needed.
"You needed to learn two things. The desire to save the life of a loved one taken by death, and the sorrow and fear which accompanies that loss. Your father wanted me to tell you this: 'Tenseiga is a sword for healing. Only a person who values life and possesses a compassionate heart my wield such a weapon and use its power to bury their enemies.'
"That is the requirement of any who wish to be worthy of Tenseiga, a sword that can save lives and condemn others." She stared at her son who was just looking everywhere else but the lifeless little girl. Why was it always Rin to pay her son's price for learning? The young human would not hesitate to take her son's place, and even now, this lesson, the one Tōga had heartlessly designed, only Rin paid a true price. Why did the human do that? Then the most annoying sound filled the air and she looked at the little kappa who always followed her son around, he was wailing up the most annoying storm of tears!
"Little demon, why are you crying?" she asked softly.
"The name's Jaken, my lady. It just that Sesshōmaru-sama by his very nature will never shed tears so I must cry in his stead!" the green creature howled.
"Oh, is that how you feel, Sesshōmaru?" Kimi asked, she sensed her son's dislike of the statement but also sensed its truth. He would never reveal how deeply wounded he was by this, and it would end him this time. Looking at the Meidō Stone sitting on her breast she sighed, she could pay the price it demanded, she could sever her bond with Tōga's spirit and her son if it meant Rin returned to them. Any mother, every mother, only wanted their child's happiness and if that meant giving up the only link to him and Tōga in her possession, then so be it.
"This is her last chance. You understand?" she asked pulling the Meidō Stone from her neck. Walking over to the little girl she bent over the child and went to place the necklace around the girl when she saw it. The mark! It was concealed from all other senses by her son's own essence, but it was there as plain as day all the same. A purple crescent mark was branding the girl and now she smiled softly to herself; it had been a long time since she had seen this member of her house.
Sesshōmaru knelt over his now breathing Rin and only felt relief at seeing her alive again. He was so overcome with relief that before he hadn't really thought about what he was doing or the scene he was giving everyone in the clan as he had cupped the small girl's cheek and waited for her to open her eyes again. Her heartbeat was getting stronger with each beat and her body was warming up. Rin coughed as her lungs filled with her first breath before she scrunched up her face and reluctantly opened her eyes to look around. He kept himself in her line of vision, her bright, lively brown eyes stared at him again with everything he valued. There it was, there was the one thing he had been waiting for since her heart had started beating again.
Love, her love for him.
"Sesshōmaru-sama," she breathed as she brought her small hand up to his and held it. "You're here," she smiled. His heart stopped with joy at her being alive again.
"You're alright now Rin?" he asked coldly.
"I am," she assured him. That was good, that was all that mattered and as he knelt there looking at his human, he was relieved. She'd be alright now.
