No matter how much I love the Inuyasha series, as do us all, I have no ownership of anything Inuyasha.(sigh)
Chapter Twelve
Rin stands beside Kagome, her hands neatly folded in her kimono's sleeves and stares at the group of young teenagers before her. Kagome is speaking with the teacher, the students staring wide eyed at Rin. Her ears flick slightly as she listens to their conversations, smiling slightly. Many of the children had yet to see a demon, even this close. Especially the girls, many of they eyeing her stomach.
"You should go talk to them." Rin glances at Kagome as she whispers to her and Rin shakes her head.
"They are afraid of me. I'd rather not." Kagome laughs slightly.
"The teacher is going to make her introductions now, so get ready to speak." Rin sighs, watching as the teacher gets everyone's attention.
"All right everyone, listen up. You are to be on your best behavior, like we discussed." She states, her voice slightly threatening. Many nod, a few rolling thier eyes. The teacher ignores them, turning to Rin and Kagome.
"Class, i want you to meet the priestess Kagome Higurashi and demoness..." The teacher stops, looking questioningly at Rin. Rin smiles, stepping forward and bowing as deeply to the class as she can. "I am the demoness Rin." She says quietly. The class stares at her, silent, until one girl steps forward. Slightly smaller than the others, the girls long ebony hair slips over her shoulder as she returns Rin's bow.
"We are honored to be here." Rin smiles widely as Kagome turns to the house.
"May I introduce to you the Daimyou of the Western Lands Lord Inutaisho and his sons Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha." Everyone watches, silent, as the three appear from around the house instead of coming through the front door.
Inutaisho leads, striding confidently across the grounds toward them. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha flank them, one on either side. Kagome smiles slightly at Inuyasha's stern, almost glaring countenace, knowing that it is merely a show to hide the uncertainty beneath. Around his neck are the beads of subjugation. It had taken a long, lengthy arguement and a promise to take them off as soon as the children leave for Kagome to put them on him.
Rin watches Sesshoumaru, staring wide eyed at him.
It as if they had stepped five hundred and ten years into the past. Sesshoumaru's outfit, as she remembered, is spotless, everything in place. The gentle breeze blows through the yard, his loose hair blowing slightly to the side. The very way he carries himself, so gracefully and stealthly, makes her heart beat double time. His golden eyes fix on her and she almost forgets to breathe.
The class behind them are completely silent, staring awed at the trio. When they stop near them they remain unmoving, silent.
The teacher is the first to move, bowing deeply.
"We are deeply honored by your presence, Lord Inutaisho." He studies her a moment, then to everyone's surprise he bows back, though not as deeply as the teacher.
"We thank you for bringing your class." He says simply before turning to the group of teens. "Welcome to the Higurashi shrine. We will guide you through a tour of the grounds then open for question." All the teens stare at him in stunned silence, shocked by the friendly nature of the demon Lord. He laughs. "We demons are not all that you have been taught to believe. Come, let us show you." Inuyasha moves to Kagome's side as Sesshoumaru approaches Rin. As he stands beside her, it is as if the class, the shrine grounds, all is gone as she looks up at him. All she can see is him. His slight smile that graces his face melts her head and she smiles back as he extends his arm. Together they follow behind the group, letting Inutaisho, Kagome, and Inuyasha lead the tour.
"So, where is Shippo? I haven't seen him in a while." Rin comments quietly as they approach the well house. Sesshoumaru stares off into the distance a second before answering.
"We found a few clues as to who that woman was that father saw. Shippo is scouting around to see if he can find anything. He should be returning in a few days." Rin nods, watching as the ebony haired girl whom had returned her greeting glances back at her for the hundredth time. Rin smiles and Sesshoumaru catches this. Studying the girl he crooks a finger at her. Her eyes go wide and she hesitates before letting the group file ahead of her until she is standing near them.
"You wanted me, my Lord?" She says quietly, keeping her head down. He shakes his head slightly.
"You don't need to call me Lord. I am no longer a Lord. What is your name?"
"Mineko." He studies her a moment, then glances at the group.
"Do the others know?" She looks up sharply.
"You can tell?" She asks quietly. He nods, tapping his nose with a finger. The girl sighs slighty and then nods.
"The teacher does but no one else." He nods, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"If you have any problems, you let me know." She nods. "Now you better go on with the group." She nods once more, hurrying forward to join her friends.
"What was that all about?" Rin asks quietly. Sesshoumaru smiles.
"That girl is a hanyou, like Inuyasha." Rin frowns, studying the girl.
"But she appears human." Sesshoumaru nods.
"Her demon blood is almost completely surpressed. She's a hanyou though. From her scent I'd say either dragon or some kind of lizard demon." Rin nods, watching the child. The girl stays with a small group of her friends, clearly seperate from the rest of the class. Even her friends seem slightly detached from her. Seeing Rin's troubled expression Sesshoumaru leans down, his nose brushing against her hair just above her ear.
"What's wrong?" Rin sighs, her hands smoothing over the smooth cloth over her stomach.
"Is this the future our child has? He will eventually have to be taught. Will he be an outcast from the rest of the children like Mineko?" Sesshoumaru and Rin both study her and Mineko catches them watching her and meets thier gazes steadily. As if sensing thier thoughts Mineko loses her smile and sighs, forcing a smile before looking away.
As the tour concludes Kagome escorts Rin toward a bench in the garden as the group all settles on the lawn near the garden. Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru, and Inuyasha all remain standing, the teacher close to them.
"All right class, this is your chance to ask your questions. Remember, keep them sensible and polite...Mike." The teacher states, pointing out one of the kids that had rolled his eyes earlier. The class chuckles as Mike makes an indignant sound then grins sheepishly. For a moment, the entire class is silent, then one of the boys in the back rises to his feet.
"If i may ask, how old are you?" Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha share a glance.
"Which one of us?" Inutaisho asks.
"All of you." The boy states before sitting. Inutaisho chuckles.
"Well, that's kind of a hard question. I have been reincarnated, but right now, i'm only about three hundred." Several of the kids now, one of the boys slipping the other, Mike, a ten behind his back. Inutaisho stifles a grin before turning.
Inuyasha shuffles his feet, glaring as his father before heaving a sigh.
"I'm over five hundred, that's all i'll say." He grumbles. Several of the kids laugh and he can't help but grin. All eyes turn to Sesshoumaru and he stares back a moment before answering.
"I will be passing my century mark in about ten years." Several of the kids exclaim and when they settle down one girl stands.
"Why do you say about?" Sesshoumaru chuckles.
"Once you pass a few hundred years old, your birthday and exactly how old you are doesn't really matter any more." Several laugh, then the teacher glances at Sesshoumaru pointedly as Mineko rises sheepishly.
"Do you have any children?" She asks before hurriedly sitting.
"These are my two sons, like i've said before." Inutaisho states. He glances back at Sesshoumaru and winks. Sesshoumaru leaves the group, walking over to where Rin and Kagome sit.
"They wish to meet our child." He says quietly. Rin smiles and takes his extended hand, rising slowly and letting him guide her back to stand before the group.
"This is my first child." He states, wrapping an arm around Rin's shoulders as he lays a hand on her stomach. She smiles at him as another child speaks.
"So it's a full demon, right?" A boy asks. Beside them they see Inuyasha tense. Inutaisho nods.
"Yes. because my son is a full demon and his mate is, their child will be a full demon." Several glances slide between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru and then one boy stands. The teacher glares threateningly at him and he nods once.
"I hope i do not offend, and i mean no offense by it, but isn't Inuyasha a hanyou?" The boy braces himself but nothing happens. Inuyasha simply stares at him a moment then comes forward to stand beside his father.
"I have a different mother than my brother. My mother was human." The class is silent a second then Inutaisho speaks up.
"I met Inuyasha's mother long after Sesshoumaru was born. That's why he's so much younger than his older brother. Though in our time hanyou's were looked down upon..." at this point Inuyasha snorts, his ears pinning back, "...I had no doubt in my mind that i loved Izaoi the moment i saw her."
"So..." The teacher breaks in, sensing it is time to break the tense atmosphere, "could you tell us a bit about your swords?" Sesshoumaru shrugs, pulling Tenseiga from its place at his waist as Inuyasha grips Tetsuiga's sheath, keeping it at his waist. Inutaisho, to everyone's surprise, sits on the ground cross legged.
"These two swords were forged by my fangs that i gave to a swordsmith." He says, glancing back at his sons. "They can tell you the rest. I wasn't really around." Several kids frown and one in front speaks up.
"Why weren't you around? What happened?" Inutaisho chuckles.
"I died." The kid's eyes go round.
"Oh...i'm sorry." Inutaisho chuckles.
"To tell you the truth, i'm not. These two sons of mine caused so much trouble after i died i don't think i wanted to be around, chasing them all over the lands cleaning up after them." Everyone laughs except the two brothers, the sons of the dog demon merely sharing bored looks.k
"Why don't you go first." Inuyasha says quietly, tapping Tetsuiga's sheath with a nasty grin. Sesshoumaru glares at him before stepping forward.
"This is Tenseiga." He draws it, holding it out parallel for all to see. "It is a sword of healing."
"I heard tell that you can actually bring people back from the dead with your sword." He nods, turning to Rin. She nods slightly and he continues.
"It is true, i have brought people back. That is how i first met my mate." All the children look at her but she remains silent, staring off into the distance as Sesshoumaro continues.
"I was struck down by Inuyasha's sword once, long ago. So badly that only Tenseiga saved me. Rin found me, unable to move, alone in the woods. Even though i almost attacked her she came to me, every day, bringing me food and water. Nothing i could say would make her leave me alone." He says with a slight chuckle, glancing back at her before continuing.
"After i had healed and was leaving the woods i found her." His voice grows quite, the two dog demons lost in their memories as Sesshoumaru speaks. "She had been killed by wolves. I was about to leave her there when i felt Tenseiga call to me, asking to be released. On a whim i drew the sword and i could see them, the messangers from the underworld. I used Tenseiga to slay them. That brought her back." He says, glancing back at Rin. She is staring off into the distance still, her eyes looking haunted with old nightmares. After he had brought her back it had taken her weeks to stop having nightmares about the wolves.
Silence reigns for a time before another child asks a question.
"Why were you about to leave her?" Seshoumaru, snapped out of his reverie, sighs.
"At that time i did not know that Tenseiga could do that." Several children nod as Inuyasha steps forward.
"You talk to much." He growls. Many children laugh as Sesshoumaru bounces his fist off the top of Inuyasha's head.
"So in the past you two brothers did not get along?" A boy asks. Sesshoumaru shakes his head as Inuyasha breaks in.
"Hardly. Every time we saw each other we ended up fighting, though we never did manage to kill each other." He says thoughtfully. Across the lawn they hear a snort and they see Kagome lean forward, her elbows on her knees.
"Its not for a lack of trying." She states. "I've lost count of how many times i had to drag you back to Kaede's village half dead cause you picked a fight with your brother." Inuyasha turns on Kagome, his hands balling up into fists.
"I never picked fights!" He exclaims angrily though his eyes are humorous. Kagome rises, stalking across the lawn to him. She grips the necklace around his neck, pulling him toward her slightly.
"This is what i'm talking about! You pick fights all the time!"
As if on cue the teacher breaks in.
"Are those the beads we have heard about?" Kagome releases them and nods.
"Yes. It allows me to keep Inuyasha from doing something stupid." She says flatly. Several children laugh and behind her Inuyasha mumbles something rude. She turns on him, backing up a step.
"What was that?" She asks flatly. Inuyasha immediately holds up his hands, his eyes wide and ears back against his head.
"Nothing." She glares at him, her hands on her hips.
"What did you say?" She asks again. Inuyasha keeps his mouth shut,shaking his head. "Inuyasha..." Recognizing the growl in her voice Inuyasha tenses.
"SIT!" Instantly Inuyasha slams into the ground. Several children stare, gawking at him, as he pulls himself off the ground.
"Why you..."
"Sit!" Again he hits the ground. He remains there, glaring up at her before she leans down, patting his head lightly.
"Stay." Several kids laugh but Kagome turns to them. "This isn't funny." She says sternly. All the laughing stops. "There is a reason for this necklace that you could not possibly understand." They all stare at her as she turns back, lifting the necklace off Inuyasha's neck and slipping it into the hidden pocket up her sleeve.
"When a half demon is in fear of his life, when he feels he is about to die, his demonic blood can take over." She explains. Inuyasha rises, slipping his hands up his sleeves and staring solemnly at them. "There were times when i had to use this to stop him." Sesshoumaru steps forward, patting his brother's shoulder lightly.
"Even then he was strong enough to beat me." The kids stare at Inuyasha in awe before he shifts his feet slightly.
"If it weren't for Tetsuiga, i would be like that all the time."
"What does Tetsuiga do?" A kid asks.
"It supresses his demonic blood. As long as he has Tetsuiga with him, he won't transform like that." Kagome explains.
"May we see it?" The teacher asks. Inuyasha smiles slightly and Kagome and Sesshoumaru automatically step back.
Several of the kids cry out, many in the front of the group ducking down as Tetsuiga is released. The blade is easily taller than Inuyasha, but he holds it up easily, as if it is weightless. Inutaisho rolls his eyes at his son's rather cocky grin and sighs, slapping a hand atop the blade and pushing it to the ground.
"Would you stop trying to scare them already? And sheath that thing, we've got a guest coming." All three tense, Sesshoumaru shifting in front of Rin slightly as a demon appears from around the house. They relax when they recognize the kitsune in his full fox form. Several of the female students scream and cower when they see him and Shippo quickly changes, ignoring the group as he walks swiftly around them and up to Inutaisho. He whispers to him a moment and Inutaisho's once light expression suddenly darkens. He glances over at Rin and Sesshoumaru before nodding. As Shippo steps back Inutaisho turns to the group.
"I am afraid something has come up and we have to cut this short. Please feel free to come back again." The teacher rises, gathering her students and ushering them toward the shrine entrance.
As soon as the area is clear, the kids all grouped near the shrine entrance, Inutaisho, with out a word to the others, changes into his full demon form and leaps to the sky. Everyone on the ground watches with mixed emotions as the demon lord disappears into the clouds.
As Inutaisho leaves, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Kagome, and Rin all turn to look at him. He grins sheepishly before nodding toward the house.
"We better get inside."
Sorry for the extra long chapter this time. I know it's probably a lot of stuff you already know. If i got anything wrong (since i'm going off my memory here) please feel free to let me know and i will make the appropriate corrections. Hope you enjoyed!