There Must Be More to Life Than This Chapter 4: The Dreaming, an inuyasha fanfic

There Must Be More to Life Than This

By Rhinoa Lunar

I have to say I do not own Inuyasha or any of the pre-chapter song lyrics I d be FAR away from Florida if I did.

Sengoku Otogizoshi - Warring States Era Goshinboku - the Sacred Tree

Kazaana - wind void AKA the wind tunnel Osuwari - the Japanese phrase to command a dog to sit the closest thing to sit boy used in the English sit boy

Shikon No Tama - Jewel of Four Souls Hanyo - half demon

Yokai - demon Inu - dog

Okami - wolf Neko - cat

Kitsune - fox Yokai Taijiya - demon slayer

Miko - priestess Shinsen na Yorokobi - Fresh Delights

Soba - buckwheat noodles Magik - the Wiccan way of naming our prayrs to separate them from performing magicians and fantasy characters

Athame Wiccan - ceremonial dagger Lammas - a Wiccan harvest holiday focusing on grains

Lotus Pose - the most basic of yoga poses "telepathic speaking thoughts"

'written in a book or elsewhere as it is read' Dream

Inutaisho I believe is what Inuyasha and Sesshoumeru s father s name was. If I am Bakusaiga the sword that shot out from Sesshomeru s left shoulder as his arm grew back while he fought with

mistaken please let me know. It means dog lord or dog leader. Magatsuhi and thus finally surpassing his father in power

Goraishi -five thunder fingers Kouga s ancestral weapon (He got this weapon during

the manga after the series ends by going into the tomb of his tribe s ancestors.

They re kind of like a supernatural version of wolverine s claws from the X-Men

except he only has them on one hand and while they are imbued with the magic of

his ancestors, it is possible for them to break though it would probably take

someone or something VERY powerful to do so.)

"No matter how far away, no matter how long I stay, I will always love you." Lovesong by the Cure

The Dreaming

That night Rin fell asleep in her own make-shift bed. Sesshomeru was standing in silence. They had followed the river so Rin could continue catching her fresh fish. The river seemed to help him keep calm as he reflected on Rin's recent behavior. Jaken had already been informed to keep his distance from the inu yokai and look after Rin. 'Why is Rin trying so hard to impress me? I am glad she has done well for herself among those humans. Is she showing off because she is proud?' Sesshomeru smiled ever so slightly. 'I suppose she sees me as a kind of father to her. She wants me to be proud of her accomplishments. I think perhaps there is at least one trait shared by yokai and humans alike after all. Though I highly doubt she will ever strive to best me one day in a fight to prove her worth. I suppose I am rather proud of her.' Sesshomeru felt tired rather suddenly. As a full yokai he didn't need sleep as often as humans and had been sure to get enough rest to keep watch over his ward during their visit. 'Why am I tired? I should have another five or so days before I require more sleep. I shall have to trust Jaken to wake me should the need arise.' "Jaken," Sesshomeru said turning back to the camp and bore his eyes into the imp's. "I shall rest a while. Wake me only if needed. If anything happens to Rin, I will not hesitate to kill you."
"Yes, of course, Sesshomeru-sama. Whatever you ask," the nervous imp replied. 'More strange behavior from my lord. I wonder what in the world is he thinking'
Sesshomeru leaned into a sturdy tree and rested his head on the soft tail he had thrown over his right shoulder. As he slowly drifted to sleep he felt a strange pull within his body. No matter how hard he tried he could not escape it's grasp. Without desire, Sesshomeru fell into an incredibly deep sleep.

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Rinji smiled as she placed her newly created dream charm into her pillow case. 'If he is truly real, I will see him in my dream tonight'
Shingi was pretending to sleep across the room on the floor. 'And now that I know who you are, he will not be angered...Irritated yes, but not angered'
Rinji had bathed and cleansed the room with sage in preparation for her dream journey. She had gathered some locally grown flowers. She was still unsure why she had been compelled to do so, but experience and her personality reminded her to trust her instincts. She disrobed and climbed into her bed. The moment she placed her head on to her pillow, Rinji fell into an extremely deep sleep. Her charm had worked.

Sesshomeru took note of his surroundings. This room was strange and filled with objects the likes of which he had never seen. It was larger than the hut of a peasant, but not large enough to be a castle. A merchant's home perhaps. Directly in front of him was a sleeping human woman on a bed that was raised from the floor. On the floor to his left was a sleeping white inu. Something compelled the yokai to take a closer look at theinu. As he knelt down for a closer look a flash shown brightly from the inu's forehead revealing a crescent moon identical to his own violet one. Before he could ponder this fact the human began to awaken. Her scent was vaguely familiar. She donned no oils or perfumes to conceal her scent. It was almost as though she were inviting him to take her in. The woman's scent was different, but had a very distinct underlying odor. This was Rin.
Rinji sat up and observed the regal yokai standing before her. She studied him with her usual casual eyes that so mimicked his own gaze. Not bothering to cover her form, She positioned herself into a deep bow at his feet in a speed that was slightly greater than the yokai had seen in a human...But only slightly. "Sessh...Sesshomeru-sama!"
"Make yourself decent, human, and return. I want to know just what has happened here and where I am," Sesshomeru said in his usual calm fashion. He watched with curiosity as the immodest human opened a door and pulled out a black and violet striped mini dress and a lacy bra and thong set. The girl dressed quickly and bowed again in respect. 'For a human, she is rather pleasant to look at.' "Now then wench, how is it that you know my name?"
"My great lord, you have haunted my dreams for as long as I can remember. All of my life has been dedicated to finding you."
"You...You a mere human brought me here?"
"Yes, I did. It is only in our sleep. Your body remains safe where you fell asleep."
"And just how does a human know such magics? You are by no means a miko."
"You are very correct in that. I am far from a miko, my lord."
"What is your name woman?"
"Rinji." 'He knows me. My scent is familiar to him. Are my dreams a distant reality'
Sesshomeru's eyes flickered a bit at the name, but not enough to be noticed even by Rinji. "Well then, Rinji, if this is indeed all a dream as you say, is that why you hold no fear? Most humans in your position would fear for their very lives if they were in my presence and knew me for who and what I am." Sesshomeru lashed out and slammed Rinji into the nearest wall by her throat. He had her raised and dug his claws into her causing some mild bleeding. He did not use his poison. He was waiting for the arrogant wench to display a taste of fear. Her complete lack of it was insulting. Instead of fear welling in her eyes, the woman began to laugh in amusement. "Do you dare to mock me?"
"No, my lord." Rinji felt the hand release her and met the floor with grace on her feet. The grace was again, greater than a normal human's. "Then again, I know you expected fear because you were insulted by my lack of it. There is nothing that even you can hide from me. Your thoughts scream into my mind." Rinji paused a moment to take in Sesshomeru's reaction to this. A mild confussion seemed to show in his eyes, but it was consumed by his curiosity. "Don't worry, the girl is safe."
'I see she spoke the truth about my thoughts.' He noted the sinister smile on Rinji's face. It was not a threat. She was letting him taste her strengths. "What do you know of Rin?"
"Is that her name? Interesting...I now have another piece of the puzzle." Rinji's mannerisms and face returned to their usual stoic form. "In my dreams where I follow you, I am a small child."
Sesshomeru's eyes twitched again. This time he knew Rinji had noticed.
"I often hear a rather nervous person babbling somewhere nearby. I never see him and do not pay him much mind. All I know is that I follow you and only that matters. I have been isolated my entire life because I use these gifts of mine openly. I grow stronger with study and practice. All of this has been for you. I wish to follow you once more even if it means my death. I am searching for a way to find you."
"And what of your human attachments? Have you nothing and no one to hold you here?"
"There is no one. I have had one true friend my whole life. That is Shingi," Rinji said pointing to the sleeping inu. "I have had one boy who for a short while amused me, but he had to go to England for reasons he could not say. While he was here we would meet for coffee and tea on occassion. He never called me names because of my gifts, nor was he afraid of them."
"Do others have these gifts?"
"I have met many that have them, but are either too afraid, or too disgusted by them believing them to be inhuman to use them. They sicken me. What is the point of having such powers if one does not use them and grow stronger? I have no use for them."
"I see." 'She sounds like a yokai, yet she is not. There is something different about her though'
"As far as any current attachments, I am befriending a true miko named Kagome. I think she may be of use to me in finding my way to your physical self. She lives at the shrine built to honor the Goshinboku. One name is constantly on her mind..."
"Inuyasha," Sesshomeru interrupted.
"Exactly...I found out that he was a hanyo and the son of the great inu yokai Inutaisho. I found out the great lord had another son who was a full-blooded yokai and the older of the two. His name was Sesshomeru. This is all recorded in lore as fairytales, but I know better than to trust it all to the human imagination. There is no fairytale or magical being that does not hold some of the truth within it's pages."
"And you think finding me will be easy even if you manage to come to my world?"
Rinji nodded. "You wander the Western Lands that are your kingdom and birthright. I have historical maps of the Sengoku Otogizoshi where the stories first appeared and were handed down orally by each generation. Some were even scribed by monks of the time. I can conclude likely places for you to be from reading these maps. Eventually, I will find your mind and move toward it."
"And why would I allow you to follow me? I could just as easily kill you instead."
"Either way I win," Rinji stated without fear or hesitation. "To follow you is my dream. To be killed by you would be the most honorable death I could ever imagine. The night is nearly over. The magik is wearing thin. You must return now. I will contact you soon, my lord."
"I see. It would seem you are confident enough. Perhaps another visit would be interesting. You may do as you please." Sesshomeru began to fade into nothingness as Rinji leaned into her bed again.

Sesshomeru awoke to the breaking of day and a Rin who had combed out her hair neatly and put away her blanket. She was seated on the rocks overlooking the river eating some of the dried meats that Sango had provided. The scent of Rin only confirmed it. The scent of that woman was really a transformed version of Rin's. The similarity in their eyes had only added to his conclusion. Rinji was indeed Rin's reincarnation just as Kagome was Kikyo's. Rinji was only a reminder that his Rin, his sweet little girl, would die long before he would even begin to age. As much as he wanted to hate Rinji for this, Sesshomeru could not bring himself to do so. 'As her reincarnation, she carries a part of the Rin I know within her. It would seem they share an undying loyalty to me. Why?' Sesshomeru's thoughts were interrupted when Rin came and hugged his leg smiling brightly. She twirled her fingers gently in the fur of his tail. Painfully reminded of her mortality, Sesshomeru lifted the child into a hug. He did not even care that Jaken was staring at him in shock. He didn't know why, he just knew that he could never handle losing the little girl. It was while he embraced the young child that he noticed the scent of blood. It was embedded under his claws. 'That girl...What did she do'

Rinji awoke to find herself dressed as she had for Sesshomeru. "Shingi, what is the meaning of this? I thought I was just inducing a dream summons."
Shingi seemed to smile at his companion. "It would appear that you have outdone yourself and managed something a bit more...Complex. I suggest you wash your neck."
The puzzled look on Rinji's face disappeared when she saw herself in the mirror. Several small puncture wounds were sending blood trickling down her throat. Shinji observed in shock as Rinji ran her fingers across her neck and licked the blood clean from her fingers. 'Still no fear...And she is tapping into something new. No fear and my mark pulsed. Moreover, he was not angered by her presence, nor did he argue about meeting with her that way again.'

The day for shopping had finally arrived. Kagome dressed herself in low-rise blue jeans and a snug white shirt with mid-sleeves. She faithfully donned Inuyasha's baseball cap and reached for her purse. Before leaving the shrine to meet Rinji, Kagome entered the well house and sat on the wooden edge of the ancient well. Longingly she leaned her head over and gazed into the blackness. "I'm going shopping, Inuyasha," Kagome said as though her beloved hanyo could hear her somehow. "I've met a really nice girl. She's a little strange but...But I feel I need to trust her completely. I'm scared, Inuyasha. I think I'm supposed to share my times with you with her. I wish you were here with me." Kagome blew a kiss into the abyss before leaving to meet Rinji for lunch. 'It feels nice to talk to him...Even if he can't hear me, it feels comforting somehow'

Inuyasha was sitting on the edge of the well. His mind was almost as emty as his eyes. A small whisp of wind blew up from within the well and brushed across his cheek. The moment the breeze hit him it stopped altogether. Inuyasha felt something comforting in this wind. He even smiled slightly. The comfort he felt...The faint scent in the breeze..."Kagome," he whispered. Facing the well, he looked down. "I really miss you." 'This is dumb...Why am I talking to a dried up old well?' The hanyo turned defiantly away and plopped cross-legged onto the ground with his arms folded. "There is no way I smelled her. I just imagined it." 'But I really do miss you, Kagome'

Rinji was waiting right outside of Shinsen na Yorokobi for Kagome. She had been more than a little nervous about spending half a day alone with the miko. Shingi had instructed her to follow her instincts whatever they may be...Even if it meant exposing some of her darker side. Specifically, if the miko was really asking for it by allowing even her mind to play dumb or reveal something key to the mission, Rinji was to blatently hurl Kagome's thoughts back at her revealing her mind reading ability. As shocking as this was to Rinji, it still shocked her even more that she was suppoed to trust the miko to the fullest extent. Sure she knew she needed Kagome's trust, but what on earth would make her trust Kagome in return? The only other soul Rinji had ever trusted was Shingi...Well, now that she had met her Sesshomeru-sama she trusted him as well. 'Wait, why am I calling him mine'
Rinji's phone went off indicating she had received a text message. 'Rinji at corner cu soon.' Rinji rolled her eyes. She loathed texting. She felt that it was foolosh to type at someone on a phone when you could just call them instead. Without pausing Rinji decided to play along and texted Kagome back. 'Kags getting table cu inside'
Rinji sauntered into the restaurant and requested a table for two. The tea was brought before Kagome arrived, but not long before. As the waitress walked away Kagome made her way to the table. For once Kagome seemed almost happy for some reason.
"Rinji, are you into lolita cosplay?"
Rinji suddenly remembered what she was wearing along with her combat boots and almost laughed. "I just throw on whatever I feel like I guess."
"Ah, Kagome said as she finished pouring herself some tea.
"What can I get you ladies for lunch today," a cheerful voice asked.
"Oh, I'll have the roasted fish with the brown rice and mushrooms please," Rinji said.
"And I'll have the grilled vegetables with shrimp and soba please," Kagome said.
Lunch was overal a pleasant experience for both girls. It had Rinji feeling closer to Kagome. She was begining to feel she had a connection to the miko that had yet to reveal itself. She was unsure what to make of it, but was quite happy in the girl's company. She even found herself smiling some here and there. 'Kagome may have a different kind of power, but at least she embraced it unlike other humans. She deserves a little credit for that at the very least.'
Kagome did not dwell much on the hanyo this day. 'Does she suspect I can read her thoughts? I think I'll have to pull Shingi's stunt the moment she slips...Unless she happens to let something out that yeilds more than a direct confrontation would bring me'
The office supply shop was next on the agenda. Together the pair of new high school students gathered pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. Kagome spent some time picking out a new backpack...That was when Rinji had the hit of a lifetime.
'Inuyasha has my old bag in the Sengoku Otogizoshi. I bet he's devoured all of the ramen by now.' Kagome smiled softly at her thoughts.
'I knew that's when the hanyo and yokai appeared in lore...But how the hell did she...Has she already made a portal? It must have sealed itself already. I WILL confront her today. This is too good an opportunity to pass up. I will just need to time it well'
The wait wasn't too bad at the school registration office. It was early for most students to be picking up their uniforms by a week or so. The over-achievers were there of course. Aside from them there were very few students around. As they were leaving Kagome breathed a sigh of relief...But it was a moment too soon.
"Kagome I'm so glad to see you out and about. I heard you took ill again over the summer with severe anxiety attacks and depression."
Kagome did not need to look up to know who the voice belonged to. "Hi, Hojo," she sighed. 'At least grandpa isn't making strange things up this time. Still, now everyone will think I'm crazy. I guess they'd be right'
"I'm glad I ran into you. I had hoped you'd be here so I brought some herbal tea and aromatherapy candles to help with your anxiety and depression. They relax you to help clear your mind so you can cheer up." Hojo smiled cluelessly as he handed Kagome the bag of new age health supplies. "Who's your friend, Kagome? I don't think I've met her before."
"Oh, right," Kagome said as she accepted the bag. "Hojo, this is Rinji. Rinji this is Hojo. Rinji was in my class last year. We're going to be in the same class again this year."
Hojo extended his hand to Rinji politely. Rinji was unsure what to make of this but decided to meet his hand with her own in a weak shake. 'This poor sap really hasn't got a clue does he? I don't even have to look into his mind to know his heart. Its strange how he's not like the others. Then again, I've never noticed him before. Maybe he wasn't in our class last year'
"I saw the class registries, Kagome. We're going to be in the same class this year," Hojo said with enthusiasm. "Say, Kagome..."
'Oh great,' Kagome thought. 'Now I really wish I could go back to the Sengoku Otogizoshi'
Rinji laughed on the inside a little, but her stoic face did not falter.
"Would you like to go to the movies with me tomorrow? There's a new comedy playing and I thought what with your depression and all, a comedy would be the perfect thing for you," Hojo asked hopefully. 'Please say yes, Kagome. I know I've been persistant, but I really like you and I hope you can see that's the reason'
"Uh...Erm...I guess there's no harm in hanging out with an old friend," Kagome answered hoping Hojo would get the message that this would not be a date.
"Its a date then, Kagome," Hojo said with a huge smile on his face. "I'll come by your place at eleven so we can grab a bite to eat before the movie. See you later," he said as he turned and walked away.
'This is the perfect opportunity. We're alone and she just accepted a date from a boy who is not Inuyasha. I have her now,' Rinji thought with excitement gleaming in her eyes. "Won't Inuyasha be upset?"
"I told you he moved away. Besides, despite what Hojo might think, I told him we were going as friends."
"I'm just curious, Kagome. Why won't you at least try mailing Inuyasha a letter." Rinji saw the look of loss wash over Kagome's face and revelled in it deep within. "Or is it because the inu hanyo can't get letters forwarded to the Sengoku Otogizoshi?" Rinji allowed a devilish grin to form on her lips.
Kagome's jaw dropped in disbelief. 'How could she know about that'
"Because, Kagome," Rinji said directly into the miko's mind. "I told you the rumors of my gifts were all true. Don't you worry. Your secrets are safe with me. Who would believe them anyway? Now then, I would like to talk openly about Sesshomeru-sama. I am quite interested in the inu yokai I have chased after in my dreams all these years. You know exactly of whom I speak."

A/N I know this was a shorter chapter but I not only felt this was a good place to end, but my fiancee broke up with me and I will be moving so I am not sure when my next update will be. The move is this weekend but I will need to set up my computer and I can't find my wifi jack which could prove difficult. Rest assured I will continue to pen down and type up this story sor there will probably be a series of updates all at once. I just know it might take some time so I'm warning everyone. I'm sorry for the unavoidable delay, but I appreciate your understanding in the matter.
Thank you all for your reviews and I hope you enjoyed this chapter,
Rhinoa