A/N: Lady Mother shows Sesshomaru has a playful side, if you don't want your mental image of a perfectly Ice-cubed arrogant Sesshomaru who only says "hmm" and only cares of himself and Rin dashed to pieces. Please go back to BLOOD or wait for the next one. If you've read the Manga then this (tries to) build on the more child-like Sesshomaru that Ms Rumiko had the beginning of her wonderful story. Please let me know what you think!
Lady Kiyomi of the West was a person who upheld everything "Ladylike." From her perfectly proper posture, hair, formal manner of speech pattern , etiquette, to the way she dressed, she was the example what every Lady of the West should be. She valued order, and cleanliness and had little patience for anything less than perfect. People say she was a cold distant woman who won't even take the time to care for her son, lest he sullies her image. But that was not true. She was NOT above scolding her son and definitely NOT above giving her daughter in law a piece of her mind. Lady Kiyomi was simply a mother who like many other parents had high expectations for her children. Sesshomaru was born to rule and rule he shall, but not as a spoiled child thinking the world was his. She had gone along with her late mate's plan to hopefully teach Sesshomaru just that. She would not tolerate her son shirking his duty as a ruler to chase a human girl, so she had permitted him to formally wed her. However she had not expected that the girl who had been so docile and sweet tempered could have scared everyone in the palace, just to get some attention from her own mate. Lady Kiyomi took Duty very seriously, that was how Sesshomaru came to be on his knees, head tipped to the side, neck bared to his mother.
"This old Lady demands an explanation, my son!" Exclaimed the Lady Mother "How could you have permitted the palace to fall into such disarray?"
"Mother, this one…
"All she wanted was a little attention from you…I taught you better than to neglect your mate!"
"You said not to let being newly-mated distract this one from his duties…" he muttered
"This one knows exactly what she said, but you have been mated for two human years son! A little attention to your mate is needed. This one would like to be a grandmother soon"
"G-Grandma?! Mother Rin is still playing practical jokes on this one to get her hands on Mokomoko, how is she ready to have a Koinu of her own?" A frustrated Lord retorted…Shoko was the first to mention having pups…that was one thing, Shoko was old, she probably missed the sound of tiny yips and barks, pattering feet around the palace. His own mother however was a different story. Kami knows he's only twenty, spirit-years old, and Rin is 18 human years…
"If she's suddenly obsessing over Mokomoko it means she ready. Tell this old Lady what has Rin done so far?"
"Rin has petted this section" Sesshomaru pointed to the tail that was usually tucked into his armour, "making this one sleepy" and pointing to the one on his shoulder "and here making this one feel funny and leave.
"Hmm…Shoko-san mentioned you letting Rin wear your mokomoko on a few occasions."
"Hai."
"Interesting…and playing practical jokes…Tell this old Lady, why do you think she decided to scare you…"
"For laughs"
"Sesshomaru, this is astounded…the use of real blood and fake blood, just so she can laugh? This one thought she raised a smart child…"
"What do you suppose mother"
"A Lady does not act for no reason, son. You have a brilliant head on those shoulders surely you know how to use it?"
…
A few hours later
…
Shoko was astounded…the entire forest out back was covered with a green mist…each tree was glowing an equally unnerving blue. "Ye boys, what are they up to this time, ye be too old for such tricks" Tsukimaru cleared his throat and said nothing instead he focused on his tea cup. Sesshomaru gave a beautiful smile and said there was nothing to worry about. Contrary to popular belief abroad, those living in the West knew when the current Lord smiled it wasn't a death trap. It was simply…be wary…
"Ye must be careful if ye are about to try yer old haunted forest prank…"
"With all respect Shoko-san we are twenty, why would be try something so childish. This one and his cousin was simply sparring and got a little carried away." Shoko sighed at the two boys. 'Lady Kiyomi better be told, before we have a bigger mess to clean up'
…
Lady Kiyomi was beside herself with glee when Shoko cam and told her that her son and nephew had frozen the forest over and covered it with a poisonous mist…That was only part one. The second part, she'd need the help of the servants. She can't count on Shoko…the old housekeeper was loyal almost to a fault to the current Lady and Lord. Lady Kiyomi suspected it had to do with the elderly woman having a hand in raising Sesshomaru after the death of Toga. She had been swamped with her duties and his, as Sesshomaru at the time had been…unprepared…to take of the position his late father left him, leaving him in Shoko's hands most of the time. There had been no other option. But now that she was retired, Lady Kiyomi wanted to make sure that she got as much "fun" with her family as possible. She would like to be a grandmother.
…
Later that evening Rin went on a walk with her Lady Mother, firing numerous questions about Sesshomaru in his youth, and receiving many stories.
"His favourite thing to do back then was hide in the forest where he would scare unsuspecting humans. His father greatly disapproved but it was just harmless fun at the time. As he got older it was a way to vent his frustration at those human officials using his father's compassionate heart for their own gain. He would scare those officials badly enough that they give the money back to his father for protection against what they called the "Forest Ghost." After his father's death, Sesshomaru found that these corrupt human officials kept sending their daughters to him seeking for them to mate. They had thought that Sesshomaru, being a child back then, was gullible and easily manipulated. But instead he sent them to the Forest, saying if they can survive a night out there alone with no protection, he would consider their value. Many did, but Sesshomaru and Tsukimaru would team up and scared them all away. Some were better and try to talk to the "Ghost" But as soon as two pairs of red eyes appeared they'd run"
"Sesshomaru-sama and Rin met in a forest. He made his eyes redden then too and snarled at Rin." A bright smile on her face, showing that somehow it was one of her favourite memories. Lady Kiyomi smiled at the girl, glad that her son had chosen her rather than one of the rich daughters of officials who loved his money, not one of those bumpkins he met on his travels that loved his power, or those that loved his looks. Now she just wanted to know if the girl can pass one more test, before she can tell her son to go ahead and complete the Mating Bond. From what she had been told it seems like the girl is ready, and her son's Mokomoko recently starting to randomly wrap around her, indicated he was too despite himself not knowing.
'Girl, you better not disappoint this one' "Rin would you like to try Sesshomaru's "rite of passage"'?
"Can this Rin try? She is already mated to Sesshomaru-sama." Lady Kiyomi was wondering why she asked when she heard this responds…of course she forgot Rin was a very inquisitive creature, after hearing such a story of course she would want to try it.
"This one can arrange it. Be ready in an hour" The Lady mother left feeling rather proud of her daughter in Law.
…
One Hour Later
…
Rin was ready, dressed in a pair of trousers and a yukata with her hair tied in a high simple bun. She two daggers strapped to her waist and carried a naginata. Lady Kiyomi hiding in the shadows was impressed. Giving the signal for Rin's haunted tour to start she sat back to watch the show from a special mirror given to her by a visiting Kami centuries ago.
…
The palace was pitch black lit only by the moon, all the windows and doors were open. The eery blue/green glow of the forest added to the over all affect. Pink and green mist flowed throughout the grounds of the palace and deep into the glowing Forest. Bats flew around the corridors as Rin walked through holding a torch she had to light herself. Spiders scuttled and mice squeaked. A few items that looked like it may have been from Shippo's bag of tricks laid scattered around, but they were too damaged to tell. Rin moved towards one of these, a rocking horse that as she came closer started to move and a small laughter was heard…But the light of the torch showed nothing…Instead of screaming as Lady Kiyomi had expected Rin simply was mystified. She closed her eyes and reached out a hand to touch the horse and the area around the horse she felt something causing her to gasp eyes flying open in fear. 'She failed…' Was the thought Lady Kiyomi had running in her head as she watched her daughter in law.
…
Rin stared at absolutely nothing….but she was also certain she had felt something…that wasn't really supposed to be there…it felt slimy…exactly how she imaged the rotting flesh of a person dying from being poisoned by her mate would feel…
Feeling suddenly very sick to the stomach Rin lurched away from the Horse…and soldiered on. The palace looked different in the dark she was certain someone redecorated because she recognized nothing. Finding a door Rin slid it open a giant spider falling onto face HYAAAAA~! EW EW EW!" She wildly swatted at the offending bug as she staggered into the room. If she had been looking…she might have thought twice about entering that room…because as soon as she did the temperature dropped and it was deathly silent…she saw nothing, the light of her torch not helping her situation at all.
"you ssseeeekk pppooowweeer yesss? Ssspeeaak and you may receive." A disembodied voice hissed.
"N-nani? Are you a Youkai? This…This one is the Lady of the West…a region ruled by Youkai why are you terrorizing this palace…S-surely you k-know who rules here right?"
"Human, you sssppeak sssuch bold words…Are you ssure there isss not sssomething you dessssire…"
"…" Rin's mind was boggled who would dare terrorize this palace? "I can grant you your deepesst wiissshh…" That got her thinking…anything? Well she would love to touch the Mokomoko and find out what it was…maybe the spirit could be useful.
Rin put the torch into its holder…and went feeling around trying to find the spirit. Her hands came in contact with a solid body…that felt eerily cold and not at all real. "KYAA~! SESSHOMARU SAMA!"
…
Lady Kiyomi watched as her daughter in law had a mini-heart attack the voice, impressed that she didn't give in to the dark temptations… 'This girl is truly something, lets see how she handles the forest…'
…
Rin ran through the rest of the palace dodging bats and screaming as random human skulls came flying her way, the smell of blood permeated the palace as she went and the halls got darker as the moon was covered. Rin was running in the general direction of the garden gate, leading to the forest…only heading there on the slim chance of finding her mate. A maniacal laughter sounded as she ran through the garden "Liiitttle girrrrl where are you gooooiiing, sssstttay, I caaan make your dreeeaammss come true…"
Shaking her head Rin ran faster towards the forest.
…
Lady Kiyomi watched as her daughter in law ran straight into the frozen toxic forest. She wasn't worried…Rin had been exposed to Sesshomaru's poison since a very young age, and developed somewhat of a resistance to it…it will still make her feel sick, but it won't burn her skin into slime unless it was the condensed, directly from his claws or fangs.
…
Rin ran into the forest and promptly fell on her bottom, the shock of the fall forcing her to realize just how silent the forest was…no owls hooted and no squirrels scuttled it was just dead silence…the sound of her breathing ringing in her ears 'well it' better than disembodied voices…who knew that ghosts weren't scared of Youkai…I'll have Sesshomaru-sama deal with tomorrow night, no way am I living in a haunted palace.'
Sliding through the forest from tree to tree Rin looked around her, finally noticing the blue glow of every tree, the green mist surrounding the entire forest, looking up Rin saw a large billowing pink cloud that made her think of her mate's energy during his transformation into True form… 'Maybe they're on their nightly flight again, and set up the forest this way as a safe zone to just relax later…I'll go find them' Rin smiled at that thought. The smile stayed until from nowhere a skull flew past her a green glow coming from it. Followed by another glowing blue 'then again…maybe this forest isn't their handiwork….!' Rin started running again forgetting about the frozen floor falling down again Rin screamed as a branch broke of with a loud crack close by her, and bats flew.
Deciding she wanted out as soon as possible. Rin ran in the direction of a cave…She often visited…That cave Kagome had sealed off to ghosts a long time ago…she had to get there….a tickling feeling on her back altered her that something was coming along for the ride. Glancing back at a tarantula Rin shrieked and fell all but rolling down the patch she was headed. That was when two glowing green hands with floating red eyes appeared….no body was seen nor face, as Rin desperately looked for that familiar crescent moon….a sniffle came, as she pushed herself up and tried to continue to her cave…the green floating hands following and a croaked voice said "Whyyyy are you Ruuuunnning girrrrlll?"
Rin doesn't know how but she managed to answer "because I have to find my mate!" That answer rewarded her such an ear piercing laughter that Rin cried. The night turning out to be quite long…Why did she agree to try this again?
Rin stumbled through the forest as lighting flashed above the pink clouds no longer looking friendly and familiar, the green mist her worst nightmare and the blue the stuff hell was made off. When she finally reached her cave Rin sighed in relief. She was never doing something like this again, if the Lady mother said it was scary, she will take the Lady's word for it…
A/N: Lol I'll have to edit this a lot, the haunted house just didn't play out the way I wanted... I'm never writing at such a busy time again. For other holidays I'll write beforehand so I have time to edit.
Anyways before you all kill me over the story that Lady Mother told please let me explain it: I'm having a hard time believing Sesshomaru was always the stoic guy we all know, especially after reading the Manga and seeing how he was at the beginning vs the end. Everyone's been a child at one point, and in canon-verse Sesshomaru is barely out of his teens. My brother is still very mischievous and he's only 2yrs younger than Sesshomaru.
Just to be clear, I didn't age Sesshomaru up, because A: Ms Rumiko already explained, B researching Shinto and Tao does weird things to your head. Rin is the only character who I changed a bit. Hopefully it wasn't too much of a change?
To that one person who left, thank you for having followed up to this point I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough writer to keep you on board.