Chapter 4-12/18/11

A/N: Hey, it's been awhile. As I said on my profile page, I'm probably gonna update my stories on the weekends. But for this upcoming Christmas break, I'll be out for a couple of weeks, so I'll be publishing fairly irregularly.

And yes, I know, I just asked a question in my last chapter's A/N, but didn't give y'all time to respond. Get over it. Just answer me after you read this chapter!

No, I'm not going to take down this chapter after people answer my question to fix the reference to Hell (or whatever it is), 'cause I think all the reviews for this chapter would be gone, and I'm SUPER proud of the three reviews I get per chapter. So...

And yeah, I coulda said the whole '...It's been awhile' thing at the beginning of the last chapter, but I'm too lazy to do that.

Disclaimer: I own this strange plot and Eran. That's it. Everyone and everything else belong to mega-awesome Rumiko Takahashi. Who needs to come out with another cool show for all her fans! (Preferably in English!) *HINT HINT, WINK WINK, NOD NOD*

End A/N.

Lady Mother snorted in a very unsophiscated manner at her son's fawning over the dead human. But when Sesshomaru turned his head to glare at her, she mentally scolded herself. Good job, Inukimi! You've pissed him off! In an attempt to distract him and the others in the room (a female rat yokai servant had entered the room behind them) from her, she ignored the twitch in her eye from her son's stare and stated, "Well, let us begin the preparations for helping the hum-I mean, Rin."

Inukimi quickly turned to Jaken and commanded the toad demon, "Hand me my satchel. And someone bring me a chair, for goodness' sake." Jaken rushed out of the room, presumably for the chair, and the other demon servant hurried over to Inukimi with the inu yokai's bag. (*A/N: In case you're wondering when the hell the satchel was put over by the wall, pretend that Inukimi set it over there when Sesshomaru was sitting down beside Rin's dead body. I don't know why Lady Mother would put it over there if she was going to need it, but apparently she's going to be weird that way.*)

The female inu demon eyed the rat demon. Such a strange-looking creature, she noted. "Servant, what is your name?"

The rat yokai's eyes widened at being addressed by the lord's mother. "Me, m'lady?" she asked in a raspy voice. Inukimi simply arched a brow, much like her son was fond of doing. "I-I am Eran, my lady."

Lady Mother stared at her for a moment. Eventually, she stated, "I suppose she will do." Inukimi turned her attention to the doorway when she heard Jaken shuffling into the room. Eran visibly relaxed as the inu demon's attention was diverted from her. She began scooting towards the wall when Sesshomaru's mother's hand shot out and grabbed Eran's wrist.

She turned her attention upon the rat yokai. "You were not dismissed. Stay. I will let you know when you may leave." Eran nodded shakily. Inukimi released the demon's arm and directed Jaken as to where to set the chair. Eran rubbed where her wrist had been held in the silver-haired demon's iron grip. Unsure of where to go, the rat yokai decided to simply stand where she was until directed otherwise.

Inukimi had Jaken place the chair on the other side of Rin's bed. She shooed the toad away from her before sliding into the seat. She let out a mental groan before saying, "Son, honestly, do you not own a comfortable piece of furniture?"

Not looking away from Rin's slack face, Sesshomaru replied in a monotone voice. "I own several fairly comfortable pieces of furniture. You simply were not lucky enough to sit on one."

Lady Mother turned to face Jaken with a rather blank face, but the demon was not fooled. He spotted and recognized the anger blazing in her amber eyes. Jaken slowly began to shuffle out of hitting distance when she asked, "Toad, why did you bring me this if there is furniture more deserving of me than this awful chair?"

He feebly protested in a stuttering manner. "M-my lady, there are only cou-couches and futons! How am I suppose to ca-carry one up th-the-"

Jaken was interuppted by her complaining, "Will you spit it out already? You sound as though you have the hiccups. And why is it my problem how you get a futon up the stairs?" She turned back to her son and continued. "I thought the head servant was suppose to be intelligent. Why have you appointed such a fool?" Jaken was unsure whether to preen at hearing he was the head servant or to be insulted by being called names.

Sesshomaru growled, "Mother, I do not care." With his attention still fixated on Rin, the inu demon pointed to the toad youkai and asked in a weary tone, "Jaken, will you bring her a futon to stop her whining?" He held up a finger to the green demon, who had opened his mouth. "I understand a demon of your stature cannot do it alone, so have one of the other servants help you."

Jaken sent a poisonous look at Inukimi's back before scuttling back out of the depressing room. Lady Mother, quite aware of what Jaken had just done, simply rolled her eyes. She glanced around the room and noted that the rat demon...What was her name?...was hiding in the shadows.

"What was your name, demon?" Inukimi questioned the rat youkai.

"Eran, my la-."

"That was it!" Lady Mother exclaimed, interrupting the demon. "Eran-what a strange name, really-go stand outside the door until you are called back in." When Eran simply stood there stupidly, Inukimi became impatient and stated in a forceful tone, "I said, leave this room, demon. Listen to your betters." Eran's eyes widened. She nodded, but halfway out the room, turned around, gave a bow in the vague direction of Sesshomaru and his mother, and took long steps out the doorway.

"Now, my son, that we are alone, I will explain to you what we are going to do. But first, will...Rin as a rat demon be acceptable to you? I would imagine you would prefer her as an inu-"

Her son interrupted with, "What do you mean?"

Sending Sesshomaru a glare, she said, "If you let me finish, you wouldn't need to ask." She paused, making sure Sesshomaru understood, before continuing. "While you are in the underworld, I will be here, working on Rin's body. What kind of demon would you like Rin to be? Rat? Badger? Wolf?"

Mouth slightly agape, Sesshomaru looked up to his mother. After a few moments, he replied, "Can we not keep her human?"

Giving the male demon a disappointed look, Inukimi told him, "No. Her body must change. She has died thrice, so now her body and soul cannot become one again. Rin must gain demonic powers. Besides, maybe that will increase her chances of not dying. Now, I will ask you once more, and if you dodge the question again, I will make a decision on the matter. What kind of demonic abilities should she gain?"

Sesshomaru alternated between looking at his mother and his dead mate. After several seconds of silent thinking, he turned to give his full attention to Inukimi. He said, "I wish for her to be of our kind. But how will you get the demonic powers needed to make her an inu demon?"

A/N: Eran. Real Japanese, right?

What's gonna happen?

Ya know what'd be funny? If Koga had to die for Rin to be a wolf demon. I mean, that's not really funny, but it'd be...I don't know what I'm trying to say. My brain's being weird. I'm kinda depressed because no one in the real world got me a birthday present and/or Christmas present. Anyway...

Tell me whatcha think. Review. Ja ne (See ya)

End A/N.