So I'm sure there were a few mistakes in the previous chapter. For that I'm sorry, but as I mentioned I'm writing solely on my phone, which isn't the easiest form of typing. With that being said, I'll do my best to go back and correct any mistakes.
I forgot to mention something the last time as well. I've had a couple reviews that have either requested or speculated that Rin has spiritual powers like Kagome. That isn't true and likely won't happen. Rin is a reincarnation of the same little girl from before and she didn't have any powers, only survival skills, so that is how our Rin will eventually be. Now, they questioned how Rin was brought back to the past if she doesn't have powers, well it is said within the first few chapters that she was pulled through by another powerful being; either demon or sorcerer. So I hope that this clears things up.
Happy reading! Please be sure to keep those reviews coming, they are the highlight of my day and everyone makes me smile.
I do not own Inuyasha
Run. She needed to run. Keep moving or the demon chasing her would be on top of her. Her legs burned and so did her lungs, but she knew that if she stopped even for a second, she would be killed.
"Lord Sesshomaru, please help me," Rin thought to herself as she did her best to make it back to the village.
He wouldn't come though, he'd been away for such a long time, it was possible he forgot all about her. Even now when she needed him the most, he wouldn't come. Tears were now trailing down her cheeks.
Her foot catches an uprooted tree root, tripping her and throwing her to the ground, her tear soaked face now plastered with dirt. Scrambling she tries to get to her feet, only to be forced back to the ground, a foot slamming into her back, his claws digging deep into her flesh, a scream ripped from her throat.
She could hear him laughing, her screams spurring him on more. "Yes, scream again, little human." She didn't want to, but she does as he asks when he smashes his foot on her back again. This time there was an audible snap and the scream that followed was one of absolute agony; yet at the same time her entire lower half goes numb. This only makes him laugh more. "I can't wait to see the look on his smug face when he finds your mangled body!"
"No!" She manages to get out. "Please stop!" Rin pleads. "Please don't do this!"
"Oh, it's much too late for that."
A sharp, searing pain goes right through her, and her chest filled with blood, bubbling up out of her mouth. The pain didn't last long, the burning sensation quickly turning cold. Vision tunneling, she felt her life slipping away. Her final thought was her regret of never telling her Lord how much he truly meant to her and how after her birthday celebrations, she wished for nothing more than to be by his side once again.
With an ear piercing scream, Rin suddenly comes awake, sitting up straight, her hand pressed against her chest, the same pain she felt in her dream remained. Breathing heavy, she tries to get her bearings. This last one seemed so much more real than any of the others. Sweat covered her entire body, and though she had been placed right beside a burning fire, she was cold.
The room was dark except, for the fire casting an eerie glow on the room, making shadows of things that didn't exist. Still, she felt someone was watching her. Turning her head this way and that, Rin tries to pinpoint the location of the one doing the watching. There, standing in the far corner, a pair of golden eyes stared back at her. A week ago, those eyes would have scared her into running away, but now they didn't spark any type of fear, replaced by another feeling; one she didn't recognize, but felt familiar.
Shaking her head, she looks away. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough." He said, taking a step forward and coming more fully into the light. "You were having a nightmare again." As they traveled here, Sesshomaru came to realize she had these nightmares often, nearly every night. "What was it about?" He normally wouldn't care one way or another, but he didn't like the smell of her fear.
"I honestly don't remember." She says, placing her hands on her lap. "I never remember them. Maybe bits and pieces, but never full details. Though," Her eyes turn back up to him. "Before I was brought here, my nightmares were centered around a single man. A man with long silver hair and red eyes."
Sesshomaru's mouth tilted into a frown. She dreamed of him long before she came before him. Mentioning they were nightmares meant that he was likely the villain in them. "This explains why she ran upon first meeting me." He thought to himself. Kneeling down beside her, he holds her gaze as he does. "Rin, I make this promise, no matter what happens, I will not hurt you or let harm come to you. Whoever is foolish enough to try, will meet a death unlike any others."
Her brown eyes searched his golden ones, and even though his words were spoken in the same flat tone he seemed to always use, she could feel the truth behind them. Still, was it for her, or for someone else? With a heavy sigh, she shakes her head. "Is that because you care about me, or because you think I'm her?" When he stiffened and pulled away from her, she knew she had her answer. "Yeah, that's what I figured." She wasn't stupid and though it took her a little bit, she was quick to catch on.
Him, as well as everyone else here, thought she was this other Rin, the one who'd been killed all those years ago. Kagome had tried her best to skirt around the truth, but the argument between Sesshomaru and Kohaku made it clear. Apparently she didn't just share the same name, but the exact same features. This explained why Kohaku had mistaken her without ever seeing her before today. Add on the fact that she had been wearing a traditional outfit, it was easy enough to mistake her for a dead girl.
"Rin,"
Before he had the chance to say anything further, she cut him off. "Look, I don't care for an explanation, I've figured out enough on my own already. I'm not this girl, despite sharing her name and possibly her looks. You're all mistaken. I don't know why I'm here, but I want to go home. Since coming here, my headaches are worse and so are my nightmares. I've never blacked out before, and now I've done so twice. Please, I just want to go home."
Sesshomaru stares back at her. Of course she had figured it out. Just like the real Rin, she was smart enough to pick up on things like that. Though, this wasn't the Rin he knew, and it didn't help that he continued to compare the two. She may be regaining memories of her previous life, but that wouldn't make her as she use to be. The female before him wouldn't disappear, her personality and stubbornness would remain regardless. No matter how much he may wish, nothing and no one would bring back the girl he desperately found himself wanting.
"You're right." Standing once more, he takes a step back. He needed to continue reminding himself of this fact. "I'm certain you were brought here because of your likeness to Rin, in order to weaken me." "And it had almost worked." He would distance himself from the girl before him. Doing so would allow him to think without any distraction. "Once I find the one who did this, I'll make him return you, and then I will kill him." Turning from her, he exits the room. As he did so, the little green imp quickly jumped to his feet. "Jaken,"
"Y-yes M'Lord!" He bows his head.
"Watch over the girl." His eyes narrowed threateningly. "If any harm comes to her, I will end your life." He doesn't wait for a reply, but judging by the way he pales, Jaken understand completely.
No matter how hard she tried, Rin just couldn't get back to sleep. When Sesshomaru left her room, anything she felt remotely close to caring seemed to vanish in almost an instant. It left her feeling bereft and depressed. Maybe she should have just kept her mouth shut? Now instead of referring to her by name, he resumed to calling her "girl". While she disliked this coldness he had towards her now, it also might be for the best. She wasn't the girl he saw each time he looked at her and someone needed to remind him before it became too complicated.
When nothing worked, she makes the decision to get up and leave; a refreshing walk outside might let her think more clearly. Except, as she cracked open the door, she found Sesshomaru's faithful servant on guard. His two-headed staff held firmly in both hands. "So now he doesn't trust me again." She thinks to herself with a shake of her head.
Quietly, she closes the door and takes a step back, looking around for another possible exit. Spotting the window, it was just big enough for her to squeeze through. Making sure to keep her footsteps silent, Rin makes her escape; grateful that it wasn't all that common for the Japanese to build more than a one-story home, unless you were wealthy. Now that she was outside, she slips her shoes on and sneaks away.
She was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't too hot, nor too cold. The weather in this place and time period seemed to agree with her. It felt amazing out here and she was glad now that she made the decision to get out for a little bit. She would only leave for an hour at the longest. Then she'd sneak back in and no one would be the wiser. On top of the weather being perfect, the night scenery was beautiful. There weren't any blinding lights, or cars whizzing passed her, making it safe to let her guard down. She would easily hear all the crickets singing, and spot the fireflies as they twinkled in the darkness. It was the greatest thing she's ever seen, having never been camping, but didn't think even then she'd see anything like this. This was unique only to a time before overpopulation and human engineering.
A feeling of sadness came over her as she thought about never seeing this again when she returned home.
"Rin?" Someone called her name from behind. Recognizing that voice, even though she just met him, Rin immediately tenses. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Kohaku standing there, appearing more relaxed and not so crazy. He must have noticed her tension, because he throws out his hands and shakes his head. "I won't freak out on her this time, I promise. I just noticed that you were by yourself and thought that maybe you could use some company. Nothing more, I swear."
She doesn't say or do anything for a good minute, trying to judge his words and sincerity. He didn't have the same craziness in his eyes as he had and appeared genuine. If she didn't feel completely alone, she may have refused his offer, but after what happened with Sesshomaru, she didn't mind. With a nod, she answers him. "Alright, as long as you promise not to go pyscho."
He chuckles nervously a hand reaching back to rub at the nape of his neck. "I promise. I'm also sorry about that. You resemble her so much that I couldn't help myself."
Not saying anything, Rin nods a second time.
Walking closer, Kohaku steps up beside her. Now that she wasn't scared he might attack her, she could tell that he was much taller than she had first suspected. Standing this close to him, she could also pick up the spicy scent of sandalwood coming off of him. It wasn't overwhelming and made him smell quite nice.
"I know a nice place beside a beautiful waterfall if you're interested." He tilts his head down to smile at her. When he wasn't being scary crazy, he actually seemed like a decent human being.
"Alright then, lead the way." She found herself saying.
It only took them about fifteen minutes to reach the waterfall, or at least, for them to hear the waterfall, and once there, Rin finds a smooth rock to sit upon. With the moonlight glowing off the moving water, Rin started to calm down. Briefly, she closes her eyes, listening to the roaring sound of the water coming off the cliff above. She always wanted to visit a waterfall, but never realized that when she did finally get the chance, that it would be in Feudal Era Japan.
From her left side, Kohaku's eyes intently looked over her features. The female at his side resembled the girl he once knew so much that it was hard to make out the subtle differences, but they were there; setting her apart from her previous self. After she blacked out and Kagome saw to her, his sisters friend came to see him next. Comforting him the best she could and for the millionth time, explained that the Rin they all knew, was dead. That the girl inside was only her reincarnation, much like she had been Kikiyo's. At first, he still wouldn't believe her, but the more she explained and the more he thought about it, he finally realizes that everyone had been right all along and he'd been fooling himself into believing his own lies.
Still, he may finally believe Rin was dead and gone, but it didn't change his mindset on Sesshomaru being behind the cause of Rin's untimely death.
Now that he was sitting here with her, looking at her, shame swept over him. She had been terrified and that had been his fault. Putting all that aside, he vows to win this girls trust and friendship. "I'm sorry, about earlier."
Opening her eyes, she glances over at him, only to shake her head. "No, it's fine, I'm not the type to hold a grudge. I'm sure whatever it was, you had your reason for reacting the way you did." She smiles then, and Kohaku felt his heart nearly stand still within his chest. "Lets put it behind us and start over again. I'm Rin Fukuhara."
Her smile alone alleviated his shame and guilt and he gave her a smile in return. "I'm Kohaku. It's a pleasure to meet you Rin."
With introductions out of the way, silence comes between the two them, the only sounds being that of the insects around them. He was opening his mouth to break the silence, when she beat him to it. "You and Rin were close?" Her question took him by surprise and it must've shown on his face, because she quickly followed up with, "I assumed by the way you went off on Sesshomaru. Your actions made it pretty clear that you cared deeply for her."
He didn't know how to answer that. His outburst unlike him. "Well, you can say we were close. Best friends even." A smile plays at his lips. "Rin was an amazing girl. Smart, funny and tough as nails. She didn't have much choice, traveling beside a demon for as long as she did, especially a demon like Sesshomaru."
Not saying anything to interrupt him, Rin listens, feeling like he needed to have this talk.
"He wasn't the type to take care of others. Sure he would come to her rescue if she was in danger, but he made her learn to feed herself, bathe when needed as well as sleep. She told me once, that if she became hungry, it was solely on her to find food, because Sesshomaru wouldn't do it for her. This gave her exceptional survival skills, outranking most her age."
"That seems like a lot for a child..."
"It was, but Rin didn't mind. No, she wanted nothing more than to please Lord Sesshomaru." He said it mockingly. "She was obsessed with him right up to the end. I just know, that when she died, she was out here somewhere waiting for him to show up." His hands curled into tight fists at his sides and she could sense his anger surfacing again. When he got it under control as quickly as it appeared, she looked on impressed. "Years had passed since the last time he came, but she never lost hope. I loved her with my entire being, but she loved him. I hoped to sway her away from him and become my wife."
"Do you think she really would have?" Something inside told her said she wouldn't have.
He was quiet a moment, before his shoulders sag. "No, I think she would have waited a century for him to come and take her with him again. I never really stood a chance. "
She felt badly for him. He spent 150 years convinced that the woman he loved wasn't really dead, looking for her. And when he did find her, it was only a mere copy. It had to of been a difficult thing for him, coming face to face with a ghost of his former love. Rin felt guilty for the way she acted.
"I'm sorry, Kohaku, for the way that I reacted."
"Don't apologize, I should have come to my senses long ago." He smiles once more, looking over at her. "Besides, now that, that is all over and done with, we can build our own friendship. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to come to me. I'll do everything in my power to help."
"Thank you," She says, feeling a sense of relief. "I'd really like to be able to go home, though. I know my parents and friends are worried to death. The sooner I can get back home the better."
"I see," Turning his eyes to the waterfall, he thinks on what she said. "I'm leaving out in the morning, so I'll do some investigating. Whoever did this will likely be bragging. It shouldn't take long to flush them out and once I do, I'll be sure to make them send you home."
Just beyond the treeline, Sesshomaru watched the human pair as they talked. It seemed that the boy's earlier behavior did nothing to make her truly afraid of him, even accept an apology and welcoming friendship. It took everything he had to keep from bursting from his hiding place and force the pair apart. He hated seeing her so close to him and held back a possessive growl when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. The boy had some nerve, trying to get between them. Offering to find her a way home, even though he had promised her he would do so just moments ago. Was she purposely doing this just to spite him?!
"She's not Rin." He tells himself this one sentence over and over again. Repeating it. He had no right to get between them. She wasn't his and she never would be.
Turning away, he disappears back into the darkness of the forest. Leaving them alone to do whatever they wished, no longer interested in spying. If he stayed any longer, he was liable to rip the boy apart. His instincts screaming at him to get rid of any competition. Not that Kohaku was anywhere near the same level as himself. Still, he couldn't trust himself not to act upon his urges. Leaving was the safest option at that moment.
So this is my longest chapter to date!
Speaking of dates. Seems like Rin is becoming a little more comfortable with Kohaku. Maybe love is blossom? Though I don't think Sesshomaru is happy about her new found friend. Even still, he's the one who no longer wants to get close. His loss right? Well, we're going to have to wait and see what's going to happen next.
I was able to use my husband's computer a little tonight to write. It takes so long to get a chapter out using only my phone. Hopefully by Friday I can get my own computer up and running again, which will mean I'll be able to get out chapters faster again. PLEASE get those reviews in! I'm not talking to my loyal reviewers, you guys are amazing. I hope more of you will send them, I swear they seriously keep me motivated to write! They definitely make my day a little better too!
Until next time~