Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
CHAPTER 3 – The Night Out I – Rin's tactics.
Twenty minutes later everyone was at a restaurant. They had decided to dine out, and afterwards those who were old enough, and yet still young enough, were going out to have some fun. Miroku Watanabe and Sango Ikeda, Kagome's two oldest friends, along with Sango's younger brother Kohaku had met them there. Rin, who was picked up by Sesshoumaru on the way was also in attendance.
The joy Kagome felt at seeing her two friends for the first time in over a year resulted in an aura spike so strong that the entire restaurant was suddenly giddy with happiness, and everyone was either laughing or gazing dreamily around. Once again Kikyou began kissing Inuyasha, while Souta and Kohaku burst out laughing at nothing, and Kagome had to catch Miroku's hand when he practically plowed her over in a hug. Meanwhile Rin started asking questions.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, who are these people? Do you know who that lady that looks like Kikyou-san is? How old is that kitsune? Is he my age? What's his name? Do you think he wants to play? Can I play?" her girlish voice spilled out.
"Kagome dear, I suggest you, ah, reign it in, as your sensei would say," Mia said. The phrase registered in Sesshoumaru's mind a being familiar, as if he'd heard it used before, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Hmm?" Kagome said through happy tears. "Oh! Right!" She calmed herself and people started to snap out of the happy stupor, though there was still more than the average amount of smiling going on.
Sesshoumaru approached Kagome with Rin in tow after having answered her questions, Kagome's aura having relaxed him enough to be compliant. When she withdrew it he could feel the warmth of it leave him. He wasn't sure which he disliked more, the fact that it so easily affected him, or the fact that it left. Most likely the former. Most likely. "May I introduce my ward?" Kagome nodded. "This is Rin. Rin, this is Hando Kagome, Kikyou's younger sister."
"Konichiwa, Rin-chan," Kagome beamed at the adorable little girl.
"Konichiwa, Kagome-san!" she chirped in return. "You are very pretty."
"Thank you," Kagome chuckled. "You are lovely yourself, as well as acutely observant. I mean, you notice things well," she added when the little girl looked confused.
Kikyou chuckled. "Kagome can't resist a compliment."
"I just appreciate the truth is all," Kagome sighed with feigned modesty.
This last statement caught Sesshoumaru's attention as he only to easily remembered how the girl bristled at having her fighting skills praised. He decided he'd keep a close eye on her throughout the night to see just what her deal was.
Dinner was a pleasant affair with everyone chattering away, sharing funny anecdotes, embarrassing Kagome, discussing wedding plans, and reminiscing over the past. Well, almost everyone. Sesshoumaru sat at the end of the table next to Rin and across from Kagome and Shippou, the latter of which needed thorough looking after. He observed as throughout the meal Kagome would put Shippou back in his chair, keep him from knocking over the candles, eating the flowers, biting Inuyasha, transforming into various things, and causing mayhem in general. He wondered at the patience the human had for the reckless and tiring kitsune cub.
"Hey Mom I need to run to the loo," he informed Kagome. When she looked at him to see if he was being serious he put on his most adorable face and said, "I'll go straight there and come straight back."
"Without doing a single action that I would not approve of?" Kagome asked.
Shippou didn't like having to promise, but urgency required it. "Yes, on my honor, or may I be skinned and made into some loony old lady's wrap!"
"Fine, be quick though," Kagome laughed.
Her mirth seemed to bolster Rin who began asking questions now that Shippou was not there to distract his mother. "Kagome-chan what is a loo?"
"It's another name for the restroom dear," she explained. "Sometimes you may hear Shippou and I use funny words, but it's because we've been living in America for a while and people over there love to use slang, and I confess it's rubbed off. So, if there's anything you don't understand you can go ahead and ask me, okay?"
Rin's eyes gleamed with excitement and for a moment Sesshoumaru almost pitied the poor woman. "Anything, Kagome-chan?" the younger girl asked, her tone indicating she was looking for a promise.
'The woman has no idea what she is getting herself into,' thought Sesshoumaru.
"Anything, Rin-chan…and if I can I'll answer it." She added the last when she noticed a too-eager glint in the young girl's eyes. She had almost walked into a trap where before she knew it Rin would be asking her something like 'Where do babies come from?' She dreaded Shippou's curiosity and she was not wholly eager for another little kid's inquisitiveness.
"Yay! Okay, so I have a question!" the girl beamed.
"Shoot…that means go ahead," Kagome replied.
Sesshoumaru knew exactly what the girl was up to. A few years of trying to get information out of Jaken, and even Inuyasha, had refined the child's technique to near perfection.
"What's your favorite color?"
"Green."
"What's your favorite food?"
"Tuna sashimi."
"How old are you?"
"21."
"How old is Shippou?"
"He's seven."
"I'm eight," Rin declared, holding up the appropriate number of fingers.
"Good for you!"
"Where did you live in America?"
"In the mid-Atlantic region of the east coast."
"Where did you find Shippou?" Sesshoumaru knew that his was what Rin really wanted to know, but she had held out, trying to get the adult's guard down and used to answering her questions so they wouldn't think twice about it. She was good.
"He was an orphan in the same city where I lived. One day he tried to steal my wallet because he was hungry and wanted money for food. I took him out lunch and he was so cute I couldn't let him go. That was three years ago."
Sesshoumaru normally would have stopped Rin from being such a pest, but his curiosity about the woman instead earned his gratitude to the small girl who was asking questions for him. He'd have to think of a suitable reward. Now Rin moved into her second phase of simple questions, gearing up for the next big one. He learned that Kagome liked almost all kinds of music, that she didn't like to paint her fingernails, preferring pedicures instead, that she still liked to watch cartoons, liked hiking and camping and did not like pickled peas, rattlesnakes, or ledges. 'She must have a big question ahead' thought Sesshoumaru. Finally, Rin seemed ready to ask her real question. She took a deep breath and then spoke very quickly, barraging Kagome with several at once.
"How come you have a different last name from Kikyou-san? Are you married? If you're married then why don't you have a ring? Did you have a ring? Is that why you now have that red scar on your left ring finger?"
"Wow," said Kagome as her smile faltered a little, "I was definitely correct in labeling you as acutely observant."
Sesshoumaru knew he should reprimand Rin for her audacity, but he attributed her pernicious questioning and his own lack of discipline to the woman's aura. It was her fault, she could deal with the consequences. Besides, Rin had just asked what had been bothering him the most about the younger miko.
Luckily for Kagome, who looked as though this was the last thing she wanted to discuss with Rin, she was saved by the reappearance of Shippou who returned to his seat by way of Mia's, Inuyasha's, Sango's and Miroku's heads, bouncing on each before sitting down. (A/N: Hahaha! You thought I was going to explain, but no! Just wait though, it's coming...)
"Shippou! What did I tell you?" Kagome scolded, her attention leaving Rin. Sesshoumaru heard a soft "Ah nuts, I nearly had her!" come from his ward when the woman began talking to her kit.
"I did what you said, Mum. I went to the loo and came back without causing any trouble!" Shippou defended himself.
"Oh I see, you just waited till you got back then, right?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowed.
Shippou knew he was in trouble now. "Well, uh…yeah. You didn't say anything about being good once I was back."
"Baka," Kagome muttered. She placed a hand on the kits head and Sesshoumaru saw a bit of light. Immediately the boy's eyes began to droop and he visibly relaxed, slumping in his chair.
"Nice trick, Kagome," Miroku commented.
"Thanks, it has definitely come in handy quite a few times, I can tell you that," she replied with a knowing look.
"Yes and I'm sure on more than just Shippou," Miroku teased, hoping to get his friend to blush. To his surprise, she grinned wickedly.
"Of course Miroku, you'd be scandalized by how I have put that trick to use." She winked at Sango and Kikyou who suddenly became very interested in finishing their desserts.
"Oh, do tell!" Miroku encouraged. "What has little miss innocence been up to?"
Kikyou suddenly spoke up. "Well that was lovely! But I can see the children are tired and I don't know about you but I'm anxious to get going." Sango readily agreed and Miroku, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha all wondered what they were hiding.
Mia undertook the responsibility of getting the boys home so that the young adults could make their way to a club Sango and Miroku swore by. "Kagome darling," she called before everyone left. "Don't forget you said you'd help out with the shrine visitors tomorrow. So that means no..."
"No staying out all night and coming home too tired to work," Kagome finished. "Mother I am an adult remember, I have my own child to say things like that to now!"
"Well dear after you put that hole in the floor earlier this evening I wasn't so sure," Mia teased back. "In fact it rather reminded of the time you came home at four in the morning with Sango and crashed right through..."
She never got to finish as Kagome shoved her into her car and shut to door. "By Mother, see you in the morning!" she growled as Mia merely snickered and drove away.
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A/N: Thanks to all my fine, fantastic and fabulous reviewers. Special thanks to xmiahimex who was good enough to point out a few things I hadn't thought of, and have begun to fix! Much love!