"Are you alright Sesshomaru?" Saburo asked. Sesshomaru looked up at him with no emotion. He waited a while before turning away. Sesshomaru shifted as he felt Saburo sit next to him.

"If it's about what Hirato said-" Sesshomaru glared at him until he stopped talking.

"Hello, Saburo," Rin greeted, peeping out her head from behind Sesshomaru.

"Hello, sweetie," Saburo replied. Sesshomaru held his scowl.

"Would you mind leaving us alone for a little while?" Sesshomaru's uncle asked kindly. Unsure, Rin glanced up at Sesshomaru.

"Do as he says, Rin," he confirmed. Rin slowly got up and followed the youkai' instructions. Sesshomaru watched as she walked over to his half-brother. Well, it's better than running to those bastard-

"Don't worry about what he said. He means well. Well, not for you. But for this family, and, himself… That probably didn't help at all… I'm sorry; I'm not very good at this." Sesshomaru listened half-heartedly as the youkai rambled nervously on and on.

"Look, believe it or not you two aren't that different," Saburo replied, making his glare harden.

"Wow, you're scary. Wait, did I just say that out loud?" Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and returned his gaze to Rin, but couldn't find her. Looking frantically around, Sesshomaru's concern became apparent.

"-and that's why he is a lot like you. Sesshomaru? Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say."

"Well, I know I'm not the best at serious moments, but you could at least listen to me. The nerve of some – what's wrong?" Saburo asked, changing his tone drastically.

"Rin-"

"Oh, I believe I saw her go over to Masami. Don't worry she'll be safe with her. You know, your mother is worried that you're getting too close to her. She told me of the time when you ventured into the Underworld. Then she proceed to tell me-" Tired of listening, Sesshomaru quietly rose and swiftly walked over to Saburo's wife. Sure enough, Rin was standing right behind her.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Are you done talking to Saburo?" Rin asked, pleasure beaming on her face.

"Yes, although I'm not quite sure what he wanted in the first place."

"Leave it to Saburo-chan to ramble on about nothing. Don't worry about it; it's an old habit of his. Nēchan, where are you going?" Masami asked as she watched her sister walk away.

"I don't want to babysit more than I have to," she replied. Even though Sesshomaru took no offence to his mother's statement, he could tell Rin did.

"Wait for me!" Masami called, scurrying after InuKimi.

"She doesn't like me, does she?" Rin asked as her eyes started to tear up.

"Who?"

"Both, I guess. I mean they weren't really say anything mean or anything. Well, they didn't really didn't say anything at all." Sesshomaru lowered himself to speak eye-level with Rin. Sorrow was hidden behind the tears formed in her eyes.

"Rin, sometimes people don't like you because you're different than them," Sesshomaru explained, wiping her tears from her face.

"Kind of like how humans don't like you?"

"That's right, but you have to learn to live with it. You will learn that that's just how the world is."

"Yeah, but then there are people who don't care like me and Kagome-san, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so but-"

"Are there any youkai that don't care if someone is human?"

"Well, um, you see, it's a disgrace to even think about helping humans-"

"But you help me all the time, so does that mean you are a disgrace to your family?" Sesshomaru cleared his throat to answer, but no words came out. Rin looked at him attentively with eyes of curiosity. He took a shallow breath and opened his mouth to speak, but Saburo conveniently interrupted him.

"Alright, roll call: Sesshomaru (here…); Rin (HERE!) Enthusiasm, love it; InuYasha (Here); Kogame (Here); InuKimi (…) uh, InuKimi? Oh, ok, I see, raising your hand slightly so little ol' me can't see it, fine, fine; Hirato (…) Hirato! Thank you; Chichi (Why am I even here?) here; Suzume, here; Kimiko, (here) finally, someone else makes it easy for me why do they have to make it so hard for me; InuEuro-sorry, Daichi, Daichi, has anyone seen Daichi-" Sesshomaru was alarmed to find the scent of youkai blood come near him. Suddenly the scent of Rin strengthened itself. And the fragrance also smelt a tad like… his mother?

"I'm here! I'm here!" Sesshomaru assumed it was Daichi who spoke. But, as he turned his head to see the youkai, he was shocked to see the overwhelming amount of blood on his green-and-blue-flowered-Kimono. His reaction was to cover Rin's eyes, but as soon as he did she just pushed his hand away.

"Where have you been all day?" InuKimi asked, sounding surprisingly worried.

"First I killed one of the human's goats, I hope she didn't mind, and then I fed it to the Volcano youkai of that volcano right there in the horizon, you'll thank me later. Next I meet a youkai at the foot, while we talked I saw her true desire, she was going to try to seduce me, I was honored but she hoped I would bring her home and bring her to humans? I guess she smelled the human goat on me. I mean, it's not like I was rolling around in it or anything. Anyways I knew she was going to kill me afterwards so I chopped her head off and climbed up to the submit and then fed her body, head and all, to the Volcano youkai and now he's full; You are welcome. Then I felt the need to go youkai huntin', even though there haven't been any problems since, what, four years ago? Anyways, I'm glad I did because you would not believe the amount of youkai surrounding this place. I can't imagine why-" He stopped as he caught sight of Rin. Sesshomaru quickly moved in front of her. "It could be the human. So you know, it was a pretty normal day," Daichi explained as a matter-of-factly.

"Well, that explains the, uh, blood, but why exactly do you smell like Masami?" Saburo questioned in curiosity. Masami? Sesshomaru questioned to himself.

"Huh? Oh, well I suppose everyone here smells something different. So if that's what you smell then-"

"What do you mean 'everyone here smells something different'?" Hirato questioned skeptically.

"Well, what do you smell?" Daichi answered in suspicion.

"I taste and smell InuKimi, but she's right in front of me," Hirato replied. Sesshomaru observed his mother walk over to… him? What, why was she? Glancing back at Hirato he noticed his eldest uncle slightly shake his head.

"I'm interested, you, young youkai! What do you-" Saburo leaned over and whispered some information in his ear. "No, it can't be! Sesshomaru? I haven't seen you since you were a small, itsy-bity, wittle bawbay! Oh, but you're all grown up now. I'm sorry. Anyways, Sesshomaru, what do you smell?" Daichi asked as he came over to squeeze Sesshomaru.

"Does it matter?" Sesshomaru answered coldly, giving the bloody youkai his glare.

"Yikes," Daichi replied as he backed away from him, "well as a matter of fact, yes. It does matter. The blood stains on my, beautiful, kimono, are from a very rare type of youkai that call themselves Sairen. They mask-"

"They mask all the nearby scents with the fragrance of those you love or those you desire, we know," InuYasha explained, "it's not like we've defeated tons of them or anything."

"T-T-Tons? I hardly believe that much boy," the crazy Daichi said nervously.

"I'm not a boy," InuYasha grumbled.

"Actually, he over exaggerated a bit. We've only really defeated about four of them," Kagome clarified.

"F-F-F-F-FOUR?" Daichi exclaimed. Gaining his cool he wiped some dust off of his kimono and said:

"Four is nothing. I mean I've come across, like, eight."

"Boys, if you're done fighting, I believe we have something to do," Saburo declared, cracking a smile. Both grumbling, the youkai and hanyou kept quiet so Saburo could finish. "Masami?"

"Are we still doing this?" Masami asked in annoyance. Seeing the pout on her husband's face, she sighed and added, "Yes, I am here."

"And Saburo, oh well I'm pretty sure I'm here," Saburo chuckled. Sesshomaru heard the slightest giggle form Rin. But when he turned his head, she ceased immediately.

"Well that's everyone," Saburo stated happily.

"You never said my name," Hiyato mumbled. His twin sister, Suzume, hugged him gently in hopes he would cheer up a little.

"Who said that?" Saburo asked, searching the field.

"Never mind."

"What was that?"

"I said never mind!" Hiyato shouted, forcing everyone to turn to him.

"Oh, hello, um, eh, what-" Saburo greeted as he stumbled on Hiyato's name.

"It's Hiyato," he corrected under his breath.

"Right, Hiyato, I knew that. I didn't see you there," Saburo explained with his hand behind his head.

"Of course you-"

"All right, so now that we're all settled, it's time to separate you all into teams!" Saburo announced excitedly.

"Unless you're not already aware, which I don't doubt, there can only be only one who gets everything otouto left behind," Hirato explained obviously annoyed and frustrated with his brother.

"What? Getting what he left behind? But, this is just for fun," Saburo muttered as he put his index finger on his chin and looked up. Everyone groaned.

"Isn't that why we're here?"

"I don't want to be around humans any more than I have to."

"Wait, wait, wait…anyone have any pickles?"

"Shut up, perv!"

"Hey, don't call him that!"

Sesshomaru could care less who was taking and arguing. Taking in the scenery for the first time, he noticed a lonely gravestone in the distance. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his kimono. Glancing down at Rin, he realized her face was nothing but gloomy.

"Sesshomaru-sama, why is everyone fighting just to get what they want?" About to answer, Sesshomaru was interrupted by Saburo once again.

"Calm down, all of you! We'll get to that later, Hirato. I just thought it would be nice to get to know each other first." Did he just wink at Hirato? "Now everyone will be split into teams of three. First group is myself, Masami, and Rin."

Sesshomaru watched as Rin jumped in joy. He, however, would not stand for it. How could that old youkai separate them? Sesshomaru was certain that he was the only one she liked. He decided to have the 'talk' after this whole thing blew over. He was going to do it later, until Rin ran up to her team. His side felt…empty.

"Why would you separate her from me?" Sesshomaru said, trying to remain calm, "I'm the only one who understands her!"

"Don't worry, my boy. I promise her safety; I won't let anything happen to her. Now may I continue?" Saburo asked with a hint of concern in his voice. Sesshomaru only nodded in response.

"Team two consists of InuEuro, Hirato, and…uh…Sesshomaru."

"That's not my name," Daichi muttered under his breath.

"Oh, goodie, I get the human lover," Hirato sneered.

"What did you just call me?" Sesshomaru asked through bared teeth.

"Hu-man lov-er," Hirato repeated, his smirk became wider to see his reaction. Does he take an enjoyment in annoying others?

"I'm sorry, you must be confused. I couldn't care less what happens to them. They could go extinct by a great fire and rot in the Underworld, and I wouldn't give a damn." Why is he saying this? Sure it was true Sesshomaru didn't care what they did, or why, or even how, but he never would have wished them all to die…would he?

"What about the human girl that clings to your side? Are you saying you wish her to be unwell, even dead? Well, that makes two of-"Hirato was, fortunately, interrupted by his own brother.

"TeamnumberthreeisInuFuruiKimikoSuzumefourthteamcontainsInuKimiInuYashaandKagomewe'regoingtotakeashortbreaknowSesshomarucomehereplease." In the confusion and madness, Sesshomaru walked towards (a mad?) Saburo. Sure enough Saburo was standing there and tapping his foot while waiting for him to stand in front of him. When Sesshomaru did, he harshly grabbed his right arm and pulled him away from the crowd. "Are you an idiot?" Saburo questioned when they arrived near the gravestone and he decided they were alone.

"What? I don't-"

"Are your emotions so easily stirred?"

"What? I don't ever show emotion," Sesshomaru explained in irritation.

"You call that no emotion? You were clearly upset," Saburo declared.

"I was not upset-"

"Fine, you weren't upset. But Rin sure was." Saburo's comment altered Sesshomaru's annoyance into a look of shame. The older youkai sighed and continued on. "Look, all I'm saying is you have to learn to control your emotions, especially around Hirato. That's what he feeds off of."

"I've never had a problem with it before. There's something about this place that makes me feel…anxious." Sesshomaru explained.

"That's probably because everyone else is," Saburo guessed.

"Why?"

"This is my mother's burial site."