-Destroying Her Mind-
Sesshomaru sat at his desk in the library his eyes on the stack of papers in front of him, Jaken stood next to the desk unusually silent.
"He has her," Sesshomaru mutters looking at Jaken, Jaken gasps saying: the lady Demon…is…gone, Sesshomaru growls saying: not gone…she went with him, he looks at the stack of papers again saying: I was too late…but…she had changed…she was like him. Jaken walks around the desk saying: what will you do Mi'lord, Sesshomaru shakes his head saying: I don't know yet…I don't want to walk around in circles…but I can't stay here.
Jaken sighs when Sesshomaru closes his eyes saying: I have to find her…I've no choice…but where to start.
"Mi'lord what will we do with Rin? She's become so attached to the lady Demon when she finds out-."
"She won't"
Jaken closes his eyes saying: I will not tell a soul, Sesshomaru glares at the papers again no longer speaking. Jaken raises his hand saying: Mi'lord if I may offer a suggestion, Sesshomaru looks at him saying: go on, Jaken scratches the side of his head saying: uh really, Sesshomaru narrows his eyes and Jaken jumps into his suggestion.
"How about you call Lady Inukimi perhaps she can help?"
Sesshomaru frowns saying: with what, Jaken shrugs saying: according to the Miko woman her brother should be dead…maybe that stone is a dud or maybe it doesn't just kill hoards of people…maybe it can be controlled…but the one person who knew anything is dead…you'd be able to find out how to stop the Uryen Stone and see if that's really the lady Demon's brother at all. Sesshomaru looks at the papers again.
"For once Jaken…you've said something smart. Go…call to her from the tower."
Jaken rubs the back of his head saying: I am so happy that you are happy Mi'lord…I will go now, he turns running out of the room. Sesshomaru leans back in his seat glaring at the ceiling; if she could not help…he'd have to start searching on his own. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud he wanted her around, for Rin of course. Sesshomaru brings his hand to his chest, he had a heart, perhaps not the dark evil one that she had spoken of but he…loved…maybe. Jaken reenters the room.
"Mi'lord she said she will be here before you can say-."
"Before you can even relay the message," a woman's voice says above Jaken's, Jaken gasps saying: Lady Inukimi, Sesshomaru sighs not getting up to greet her, Inukimi smirks saying: son, Sesshomaru nods saying: mother.
She enters the room saying: on my way here I could smell the scent of another female dog demon…where is she, Sesshomaru sits up saying: that's why I needed your help, Inukimi frowns saying: yes I'm sure…you don't ever come to visit me and when you need mother's assistance you get the help to call for me…how disrespectful. Sesshomaru looks her in the eye and she does the same but her hardened look soon softens and her lips curl in a sly smile.
"Why Sesshomaru what bother's you, mate left you. One that I never met but I digress."
"She's not my mate, she's…she's an acquaintance."
"See that is why she left you, Sesshomaru you have no tact. Such a handsome young man with such an ugly attitude."
Sesshomaru glares at her but she returns it with twice the ferocity, he looks away saying: she's…important to Rin, Inukimi nods saying: your human.
"Sesshomaru there has to more to this story, you keep a female dog demon here with you and she just leaves one day. She's attached to Rin and yet she's an acquaintance…."
"It would make sense if you allowed me to speak," he growls, she gasps bringing a hand to her chest.
"Well how disrespectful no wonder she left you."
"She didn't leave she was taken."
"Taken. Oh so she left you for another man."
"No, her brother took her."
"Her brother, he does not approve? Some families are so strange. Why are you not good enough, you're a handsome young demon lord. Also one of the better breeds of dog demon, she smells like a Kai-Inu which you know is fine but their features are so dark compared to ours. Your children are going to look nothing like you-."
"Mother!"
Inukimi sighs saying: tell me the story.
"Her brother murdered their entire family and now he carries the Uryen stone…. For some reason he's interested in having Aya with him. Somehow he tricked her today and now she's following him."
"Uryen…oh I knew him…such a dog. Well he wasn't a dog he was a Shadow Demon…but ugh no one wanted him."
Sesshomaru quirks a brow saying: you knew Uryen, she nods saying: of course…I was so happy when Hiro and that Miko put him away for good, Sesshomaru's eyes widen, perhaps this was going to be more beneficial than he'd thought. If only he could cut the babble and get straight to the point with her.
"His very soul was placed in that stone and hidden in that mountain in the Northern lands I think…yes the Northern lands…hm…and you say some dog demon has it…that's surprising your father couldn't even handle that stone, Hiro had a special way with it."
Sesshomaru nods trying to take in only the needed details.
"He's a Hanyou actually."
Inukimi's eyes widen, she sneers saying: no!
"Yes."
She sighs saying: what has this world come to…huh…well he should be dead…is he losing limbs or anything.
"No."
She frowns saying: then…what?
"That is why I asked you come here, I need you to use the Meido Stone to see if Kize and Hiro are in hell."
Inukimi's eyes glaze over.
"It is always so hard for me to do that, what with your father being down there. He's still so handsome."
Sesshomaru sighs leaning back in his seat, she holds up the stone saying: I will look on one condition, Sesshomaru nods.
"Tell me…is she your mate."
"No!"
Inukimi frowns saying: hmm.
She holds the stone up and a pale blue circle appears before her, she closes her eyes saying: you say Kize and Hiro Yuta, she opens her eyes and the circle fills with images of two men and two females, she shakes her head saying: they are there, she looks at Sesshomaru saying: the whole family. Sesshomaru sits up saying: so who is Aya with, Inukimi's eyes widen and she sneers saying: why couldn't he just die….
"So you're saying that Aya is not with her brother."
Inukimi shakes her head saying: he's with his family…not something I'd expect of someone who killed them…Uryen walks the earth once more.
"He's a shadow Demon and so he's able to call forth the shadows to do his bidding."
Sesshomaru frowns saying: tell me more.
"Shadow Demons are solitary demons because the shadows are all they need. They generally avoid daylight for that is when their true forms become visible; Uryen is of a special kind. He can steal your shadow which can kill you…it's almost like taking a soul."
Sesshomaru glares at the door saying: so what does he want with Aya, Inukimi sighs saying: who can say, she drops the stone onto her chest and the circle disappears, he looks at her saying: where did he live in life. Inukimi shrugs saying: it's said to be castle similar to mine except it's only visible at certain times of the day…when the sun sets and begins to rise…it's almost a shadow itself so to see it you'd have to be at the right place and the right time to see it. Sesshomaru sighs, that was good information but he wasn't sure of how he'd use it.
Rin gasps moving away from the library door, so that's where Lady Ay had gone. How could Lord Sesshomaru not tell her this? She presses against the door again to listen to more of the conversation.
"So when will you go for her?"
"I don't know where to start."
"Well I can smell her all over you…track her scent"
"But for how long before it fades."
"You are right."
Sesshomaru clenches his fist in anger, how could he allow something like this to happen on his lands, not far from him.
"Let me go with you Sesshomaru, I can be of help I'm sure," Inukimi says leaning toward him, he looks at her. Maybe….
"Rin!"
Rin turns to Mikado who looked at her with scornful eyes, Rin smiles nervously.
"Time for bed," Mikado says leaning toward Rin, Rin glances back at the door.
"Rin…."
She sighs begin trudging over to Mikado who prepares her for bed.
After bathing and dressing Rin is tucked into bed wordlessly, it hurt her that everyone just pretended that nothing was wrong.
Mikado strokes Rin's hair with a troubled expression on her face, Rin lay in bed with Mikado sitting next to her. Usually Rin was all smiles and yawns before bed but tonight she looked unhappy, Mikado glances back at the door. She'd figured that something bad had happened but Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't tell anyone what it was.
"Would you like for me to tell you a bedtime story?"
Rin shakes her head burying deeper into her pillow, Mikado's eyes widen. Rin almost always wanted a story, she sighs saying: Rin Lady Ay-, Rin frowns saying: she's not coming back right…and Lord Sesshomaru isn't going to get her? Mikado frowns.
"We do not know that."
Rin sighs turning away, Mikado stands. It was strange to her that Rin had clung to Aya that way but she had no other choice but to accept it, Mikado sighs saying: good night Rin, Rin nods saying: good night Mikado. Mikado turns leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
Rin shudders letting out the tears she'd been holding in.
"Even if they don't care…I do."
"What if he hurts her…or kills her. What if…I never see her again? No-no not Lady Ay!"
She sits up now, Lord Sesshomaru would not be happy with this but Rin was not the same child she used to be when they'd met, she had her own dreams. Aya had been alone just like her, they'd both lost everything and found something to hold onto. She couldn't just let Aya be taken away and for something bad to happen to her, Aya wouldn't allow it to happen to Rin. She gets out of the bed placing her pillows under the bulky blankets on her bed, she nods before grabbing her shoes and pulling them on. She looks at the door, she wanted to get food but that'd be impossible with Lady Inukimi and Lord Sesshomaru still awake. Rin grabs a stool pulling it over to the window, she unlatches the lock and pulls it open. The snow had begun again, she leans forward clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, before she could look away Ah-un was below the window, Rin smiles jumping off the stool and running to her cupboard. She raffles through it looking for a sufficient rope like material, she grabs a long piece of blue fabric pulling it over to the bed where she ties one end to the bars, she takes the end pulling it over to the window. She tosses it out of the window and it tumbles down into the snow, Rin takes a deep breath before grabbing the rope and crawling out of the window, she tries to go down slow but her hands slip and she slides down the fabric landing in the snow with burning hands, she gasps pushing her hands into the snow as she gets to her knees. Ah-un looked puzzled, Rin wipes fresh tears away smiling at him, she stands saying: Ah-un I need your help…we need to find Lady Ay. Ah-un snorts stomping his feet and Rin grabs one of his heads saying: please Ah-un please, he calms slightly.
"Please she needs us."
"Lord Sesshomaru will not be happy but…but…he has to understand…."
Ah-un snorts lowering his heads, Rin sighs saying: please.
He picks up a head to look at her before standing straight and turning his body to her, Rin smiles climbing clumsily onto his back. Ah looks at the castle before taking off into the woods.
They traveled through the cold for what felt like forever but they found nothing, Rin's teeth chattered as she called out for Aya.
"Lady Ay!...Lady Ay where are you!"
Rin sighs feelings tears fill her eyes but she wipes them away taking the snow that had covered her face with them, Ah-un looks back at her as if to say: let's turn back, Rin shakes her head saying: no Ah-un. He turns back to the snow filled wood walking along obediently.
"Lady Ay please!"
Rin shudders wrapping her arms around her body allowing the tears to freeze on her face, she looks back when she hears movement behind her. Her calls had roused the predators of the night.
Home…Home…Home…Home…Home…Home…Home….
Aya hums to herself as she gently picked at the strings of a Koto that Mio had found for her, Mio sat next to her watching her every move.
"That's beautiful Ay."
Aya nods to her continuing her song, it was sad and haunting something that lay within her soul for a long time. She closes her eyes still plucking at the instrument, the room they sat in was filled with other instruments and tools, things that were hard to come by in the modern day. Aya smiles when the song ends. Mio stands saying: do you think brother will be returning soon, Aya looks ahead her eyes on the wall before her.
"I do not know."
Home…Home…Home….
She dusts herself off standing; everything in the castle was dusty and dull. The smell of death lingered in the halls and small demons inhabited its shadows. She moves over to the window, the castle was so far up that she could not see beyond the clouds but…for a moment she could feel something strange.
A part of myself is near…Rin…the bangle.
"The girl she is nearby…."
Mio sits up saying: nearby…what do you mean…what girl?
Aya draws her katana saying: Mio stay, she climbs into the window jumping out, Mio rushes over to the window saying: but brother said-, Aya closes her eyes as she falls, she smiles. This feeling of freeness was amazing, why hadn't she jumped out of more windows in her lifetime. She swings her sword at the ground and the snow whips into a mound, she drops into it onto her feet. The smell of demons filled this forest, no place for a little girl. Aya places her katana over her shoulder wandering almost aimlessly through the snow, the girl was near but the cold dulled Aya's senses.
"Look at the human…well fed is she not!?"
Aya makes a sharp turn toward the voice, she looks at the snow. It sent chills right through her feet and up her legs, if anyone saw her they'd think her crazy, in the cold with no shoes.
"Yes but she smells of demon!"
Foolish.
"Should we boil her or bake her?"
"No please!"
Aya looks up when she hears the child's voice, she was afraid.
Aya could smell the hint of tears in the air.
Aya smirks when she catches the scents of the two demons that held the girl hostage. Wolf demons, she closes her eyes humming again, she feared nothing now…not even death. Her soul was rested, her pains erased and her heart filled. She needed nothing more, but she'd made a promise.
Aya opens her eyes to see the demon's back to her, the girl sat against Ah-un who was being restrained by two other wolf demons, four then….
Rin wipes away her tears when she sees something amazing through her blurred vision.
"Lady Ay!"
Aya nods when the demon's turn her, she brings her katana off her shoulder saying: I will take the girl.
"Well look at what we have here…a new toy."
Aya cocks her head looking the demon in the eye, she smiles saying: one more time…the girl…. The wolf laughs looking back at his friends.
"Listen I don't know who you think you are but we're keeping her and if you don't leave we'll be keeping you as well…except we'll be putting you to different use!"
Aya nods saying: I understand.
She moves forward plunging her katana into the demon's stomach, she yank it out from his side nearly tearing in him two, she frowns when his dark blood hits the white of the snow.
A shame….
"You bitch you'll pay!"
The one closest to her goes to rush her but she ducks under his arm swinging her katana and decapitating him, Rin screams when his head lands next to her, Aya turns to the other two demons. Rin whimpers looking at Aya, she was covered in blood and her eyes glowed bright red, her skin had paled to an almost white color, she looked like a ghost.
"Lady Ay," Rin whispers fearfully.
Aya drops her katana saying: run away, the two demons still held Ah-un. She takes her steel fans off her sides throwing them at the men, each embeds itself into the skulls of the men, Ah-un growls trampling one of the dying men. Aya picks up her katana putting it on her hip, she walks around Rin taking her steel fans back and putting them in their place. She then drops in front of Rin, she grimaces saying: Rin why do you have no color, Rin looks at herself saying: what do you mean Lady Ay, Aya shakes her head saying: why are you out here alone.
"Looking for you," Rin whispers and tears fill her eyes. She hugs Aya burying her face in her bloody kimono.
"I thought you were gone forever…e-e-especially since Lord Sesshomaru hasn't been out to search for you yet…but I did…I came for you and…here y-you are!"
Rin such a sweet girl you are…searching for me. If only you knew…
I am neither saint nor savior.
You need someone else…I hate to leave you behind.
Aya stands saying: Rin you must forget about me, Rin gasps saying: what!
Aya lifts Rin putting her onto Ah-un's back, she cups Rin's hand in her hands, Rin flinches at the cold of her fingers.
"Find your own happiness Rin."
Rin frowns saying: b-, Aya brings her fist to the back of Rin's head hitting her there, Rin gasps but soon everything begins to turn dark. Ah-un snorts at Aya who looks at him saying: be calm…she is only going to sleep.
"L-Lady Ay?"
Aya sighs watching Rin fall into a deep sleep
"Poor-poor child," Aya whispers stroking Rin's cheek as her eyes close, she walks in front of Ah-un saying: come, he follows her as she leads them through the snow to Yurime.
"Take her to the house at the end of the road…they will care for her there."
Ah-un stomps his feet in protest, Aya looks down at Rin saying: hurry the cold is getting the best of her, she strokes Ah-un's head saying: go. She turns walking away and out of the town, Ah-un uses one head to look at her and the other Rin.
Slowly he begins walking toward the end of the road.
I wish I could take her with me….
But I have my family and she has hers.
Rin do not be angry with me.
Aya wonders through the snow and cold until dawn, she sighs leaning her tired body against a tall snow covered tree, the snow around her glowed in the new sunlight.
Such a confusing time.
So much to be thankful for.
But why?
Am I content to live this life but not know why or how?
She sighs slipping down into the snow putting her hands to her head, it was like all of her own thoughts were being funneled away and blackness filled her mind.
"I ask a question and the answer almost comes and then…"
It's gone.
She looks up when she feels Kize's presence next to her, she turns her head to him, he leaned against the tree next to her.
"Beautiful morning isn't it?"
She nods saying: yes.
"I have a job for you Ay."
She turns to him, he smirks saying: Mio wants a snack…and I know you're not a fan of human food but she likes it.
Oh human foods like…ramen…fish…beef…and…and….
"The live kind," he says as if he'd read her mind, Aya stands saying: a human, he nods. She sighs saying: I don't even like killing them…they live such short lives already. He laughs saying: sometimes you confuse me Ay…do you like them or not, she sighs saying: I am ok with them…their living things just like we are…their just weaker and dumber…I don't hate them but I recognize their weaknesses. She laughs lightly saying: some human's get the Aya special but other's no attention at all. Kize glares at her now. She raises a brow saying: what's wrong.
"You won't be playing with them anymore right?"
The way he asked…he wasn't asking he was demanding.
Who are-….
But….
Is that so much to ask?
"Right," she whispers and he pulls her into him nuzzling his nose into the top of her head, he takes a deep breath saying: I knew you would understand my little Ay. She looks up at him frowning.
Kize?
He smiles kissing her on the cheek, her brow furrows and she looks at his chest, he gently pushes her away saying: now…get Mio her snack…you know how fussy she can get. Aya bites her lip before saying: Kize I have a question, he nods.
"Why does the world have no color?" She turns to the sky saying: it used to be blue right…or grey because of the winter, he steps next to her saying: the world as you knew it before was a lie Ay…, he grabs her arms turning her body to his.
"Why does it matter?"
She shakes her head saying: just curious, he kisses her cheek again saying: there is no need to think about that or anything for that matter, he pushes her along saying: now go…no more words. Aya turns staring at the snow for a while before beginning to walk toward a human village, Kize stares at her with a frown on his face as she goes.
"Something isn't right…."