Chapter 20: Festivals
"Sesshomaru-sama!"
Sitting atop a great boulder, Sesshomaru gazed up at the sky, his mind wandering while he tried to make sense of his life. Hearing his name being called repeatedly, the demon turned his head and with a vacant stare, watched as the little human girl ran towards him as fast as she could; a bewildered Kagome nearly being dragged behind her.
"Rin, slow down!" the demoness called out, finally pulling her wrist away when the little girl stopped.
Seeing the excitement in the young child's eyes, Sesshomaru considered her behavior before he asked, "What is it?"
"Guess what?"
Resisting the urge to sigh, Sesshomaru stiffly inquired, "What?"
"Kagome-chan said I get to go to the festival!"
"Festival?" he repeated confused. Looking to Kagome who gave him a pointed look, Sesshomaru closed his eyes and openly groaned in vexation, now knowing what she was talking about. "You told her she could go to that?"
Rin was speaking of the celebration that was to take place in honor of his upcoming mating that would be upon them in less than a season. Kagome herself was being forced to attend, and though he would have to spend the entire night with his soon to be bride, Sesshomaru had assured her that he would make time for them.
Seeing the look of irritation on his face, Kagome tried to explain. "I told her she could come with us to a festival, I didn't say this one specifically!"
"Aww but Kagome-chan, you said the next one wouldn't happen until spring!"
"I know Rin, but this particular festival…." she trailed off unsure of how to finish.
"This festival is not celebrating anything worthwhile," Sesshomaru said, stone-faced.
"Really?" her innocent brown eyes stared up at the two demons curiously. "Then what is it celebrating?"
"It's celebrating…." Kagome said, her mind drawing a blank. She had no idea how to tell Rin Sesshomaru was becoming joined to another. "Well, Rin you see..."
"You wish to go to this festival?" he suddenly asked the little girl, interrupting Kagome's explanation.
"Yes!" Rin replied happily.
Making a rash decision, Sesshomaru told the girl, "Then you will go, but not to the one at the palace. There is a smaller one taking place in the village of Mihama. We will attend it together."
Kagome's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at his words. Placing a comforting hand on Rin's shoulder she asked the stoic man, "Sesshomaru, what about….your special role at your own ceremony?"
"I will attend it and then accompany you at the street festival."
"Are you sure you can do that? What about your father?"
He gave her an even look and restated his affirmation. "I will meet you there."
Adjusting the purple kimono she wore, Rin glanced up at Kagome and asked, "Kagome-chan, when is Sesshomaru-sama gonna be here?"
Shaking her head at the girl's excitement, she answered her softly. "I don't know Rin, we just have to keep waiting."
Her tresses half-tied up with a ribbon, Kagome absently tapped a fan against her chin, contemplating what she was about to do. Her own blue and gold kimono shimmered in the dark, the light from the golden koi fish flashing under the village lanterns. All around them, the sounds of celebration could be heard, though Kagome and Rin remained in place next to a trinket stand, waiting for a man who would probably never come. Seeing a skewer stall bustling across the street, the demoness's stomach growled as the smell of cooking meat and spices wafted delicately around her nose.
Seeing the famished slant in her eye, Rin gently pulled on the demoness's sleeve and said, "Kagome-chan...I'm hungry too…."
"I brought Sekihan, but if you prefer beef I can get that too."
Whirling around, Kagome and Rin stared surprised and delighted at Sesshomaru who stood in front of them without his armor, three bowls of red rice balanced in his hands. Dressed in a simple white kimono that was dyed blue at the sleeves, his white hair pulled back in a low ponytail blew up slightly with the breeze. Confused at the way they were looking at him, the dog demon shifted before demanding to know, "What?"
"Sesshomaru-sama, you came!" Rin called out happily, reaching up to take the food from his hands.
He scoffed in reply. "Of course I came, I said I would." Holding his own bowl of rice, he glanced over at Kagome who continued to look at him wide eyed as though she still couldn't believe he was here either. "Aren't you going to eat?"
Changing her expression to one of happiness, she told him her thoughts, "You actually showed up…"
"I told you I was coming…."
"Yes...but…"
"But you thought I wouldn't right?" He snorted at her nod. "I told you she doesn't matter to me, you do. You should learn to trust me."
"I…" not knowing what to say she merely looked at his angry expression. He looked so offended. "Uh…" taking the second bowl of rice from Rin, Kagome sheepishly tried to change the subject. "I'm starving…Cheers" holding up the bowl in a simple salute, the demoness began to dig in, peeking up at the dog demon once in awhile who continued to watch her with a vaguely puzzled expression.
"Winner!" the sukui turtle vendor cried, pointing to Sesshomaru who had managed to get a turtle successfully into his net. Next to him, an ecstatic Rin cheered, while Kagome, on the other hand, looked miserable, glaring at her own chewed through net.
Moving back to look at the demoness, Rin asked curiously. "Kagome-chan, What happened to your net?"
"The turtle bit through it…."
"Really?" the sukui vendor said, going over to the woman who was busy glaring at the offending reptile. "Forgive me, they've never done that before. I get em from the mainland as eggs, they shouldn't be able to do that miss…."
"Then I must be special…"
"What is that thing?!" Rin asked surprised, pointing at a rather large creature at the edge of the festival.
"It's an elephant," Sesshomaru explained briefly. "They imported it from the country of India."
"Wow….Can we touch it?"
Grabbing the little girl's hand, Kagome made her way over to the handler who was busy trying to keep the animal calm. "I don't see why not."
Seeing the three come up to him, the Indian trainer smiled and greeted them in Hindi, causing Kagome and Rin to look at him oddly.
"What did he say?"
"He said hello, and asked if we would like to pet him." Sesshomaru said in Japanese before replying to the man in Hindi that they would.
When Kagome gave him an even weirder look, the dog demon shrugged and said, "My third nursemaid was from Noida."
"Third? What happened to the first two?"
"They couldn't handle me."
Kagome rolled her eyes.
"Coffee?"
"It's good!" Kagome insisted, taking her own first sips of the black drink. Peeking down at Rin who was busy on her third cup, the demoness pointed her thumb back towards the vendor. "She knows how to make a good cup of coffee!"
"Hn, do you think Rin should be drinking this?"
"Of course, it's okay for her to drink!"
"It's good Sesshomaru-sama!" finishing the last of the brew, Rin thanked the tiger demoness and gave her back the cup. "Nothing bad's gonna happen!"
Later, after they had managed to catch the hyperactive girl who had run off the minute the coffee kicked in, in his true form Sesshomaru flew threw the air at top speed, Kagome situated on his back while she cradled a now sleeping Rin in her arms. Stopping just outside of a village, he pressed his belly to the ground, allowing the woman and girl to carefully slide off his body.
Touching the grass, Kagome adjusted Rin so that she was holding the girl more securely and after whispering to Sesshomaru that she would return in a moment, took off with a rush of air towards the village of Aya. Nearly flying over the ground, the demoness noted the quietness of settlement and sighed when she realized they had kept the human girl out way past her bedtime. Rubbing her back when she began to stir, Kagome soon arrived at the largest house in the village and slipping past the gates, paused when she came to the mansion's front door.
The wooden tatami screens slid open immediately, revealing a rather handsome looking man, looking no older than thirty. Narrowing his eyes at Kagome who smiled, he teasingly told her, "You're late."
"I know," Kagome said, another sheepish smile on her face. Handing over the girl into her father's strong arms, the demoness stepped back and offered a smile bow. "Forgive me, we lost track of time at the festival."
"You lost track of time? Just what goes on at these festivals?"
"Oh nothing more or less than at a human one." Kagome assured the man. "Oh! I forgot though." reaching into her sleeve, she quickly withdrew a small creature and holding it up for the man to see, explained when she saw his questioning glance. "It's a turtle, Sesshomaru won it for her at a stall."
"A turtle?"
"Yes. She named it Hairbrush…."
"Hairbrush…."
"That's what I said."
"Ah. Well, Rin has always had her whims."
"Indeed, I wonder where she gets it from Onigumo-san." a giggle escaped her at the joke.
Turning to look behind him, he sneakily bent over the best he could "From her mother." he whispered, giving her a wink.
"Hahaha." she began to laugh, only to halt when a voice declared.
"I heard that Onigumo!"
The man stiffened considerably at the sound of his pregnant wife. Seeing this Kagome covered her mouth to stifle her laughs before placing the turtle in his hand and bidding him goodnight.
Rolling his eyes at his wife's increasing pitch, Onigumo merely sighed and went back into his home, intending to put Rin to bed before hitting the hay himself.
A/N: That was just a little scene where you see before his little murderous streak, Onigumo was a decent enough father and husband. Kagome and Sesshomaru had a pretty good relationship with the man, which is why he allowed his daughter to go with two demons out to a demonic festival. Anyway please review! -Theores