Caviar Emptor

"So what's it gonna be?" Kichiruka floated backwards in the stream's current until he reclined against a protruding rock, his arms spread magnanimously. The conch staff dangling loosely from his fingertips, a lazy smile stretched across the demon's face. "Wealth? Power? Immortality?"

"No, no, no." Rin waved her hand as if swatting away the suggestions. Pulling herself together, she tucked a loose lock behind one ear. "I –"

"Hey, nice comb!" Kichiruka brightened as he leaned forward in interest. "Did the priestess give that to you?"

Thrown by the desultory comment, Rin absentmindedly readjusted Sesshomaru's latest gift. "Actually, it's from...my guardian."

"Guardian?"

"When I didn't have any family, he was there," Rin explained. With a warm smile, she spoke more to herself than anyone else. "And he's always been ever since."

Cerulean eyes softened. "That must be nice."

"Yeah…" Guilt suddenly jabbed at Rin as she reconsidered the wish she just had in mind. After he'd finally agreed to a compromise – even if it is a little unrealistic – it almost seemed like betraying Lord Sesshomaru. To him, being independent meant being accountable and proving it. But I am taking matters into my own hands. And Rin still felt like she hadn't earned it.

"You're not having second thoughts again, are you?" Kichiruka groaned in exasperation. "Come on already!"

"Ease up! I do, too, have my wish!" Rin retorted. It's now or never! Lord Sesshomaru will understand. It's not like it's such a big deal anyway. Clearing her throat, she declared in a loud voice, "I want to fly." Sitting up on her knees straighter, Rin bravely lifted her chin, waiting for Kichiruka's magic to take hold and bestow whatever mighty powers it had to offer. Would she notice the change at first? Would it tingle? Would it hurt? She braced herself. And waited. Nothing tingled and nothing hurt. When the girl realized nothing had happened, she looked down.

Kichiruka blinked, the universal huh?

"You know, fly?" Rin fanned her hands, crossing them at the wrists and beating them like wings.

"I know what the word means," the yokai returned with a snort. "I've seen gulls, for cryin' out loud! I just…umm…." His eyes closed, he offered only a toothy grin, showing off pointed rows of small, pearly teeth. As empty palms turn upward Rin got the hint.

"You can't grant that, can you?" she drawled irritably.

The grin widened while skinny eyebrows drew together. "Sorry."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Rin asked aloud, "Then what can you do?"

"Hey, I said it has to be within reason," Kichiruka countered defensively. "I'm a water demon, remember?" He thumped his conch staff against the bank for emphasis. "What makes you think I'm at all familiar with the mechanics of flight? I gotta know how to do something in order to grant it. I mean, let's be real here."

"All right! Fine!" Now how can I actually go anywhere? He's probably not going to give me any extra time… Trying to clear her thoughts, Rin roughly raked her hands through her bangs. Then felt something heavy slide down her arm and plunk in the brook. My comb!

Swept up in the current, it sailed downstream, its carved flower bobbing over and under the surface and getting carried ever closer to the quickening rapids. Rin grabbed uselessly at the water, her arm outstretched. "No!"

As if on cue, Kichiruka popped up in front of the comb, scooping up the tiny treasure. No sooner did Rin see him dive again did the water yokai resurface right beside her, several meters away from his last location a second ago.

"Here ya go!" He presented it from cupped hands.

Stupefied, Rin dumbly reached for the comb. Suddenly, Kichiruka drew it back. "Wait a sec." Waving a hand over the comb, his expression darkened and he muttered a soft incantation. Something glinted between Kichiruka's palm and the ivory hairpiece, then he returned it to Rin. "There. All dry."

"Thank you," Rin managed, still registering everything she'd seen. He said he could do that because he's water. Well, I don't have to travel through the air. When she was done reaffixing the comb, Rin had her amended wish. "Okay, if you can't grant flight, then I want to do what you do. To…teleport, I guess, through water."

Kichiruka tugged at one of the fin-like tines on his head. "You sure?"

Rin sighed. "Is that too much for you?"

The yokai tilted his head, looking at Rin askance. Then, before she could do anything, Kichiruka reached out a finger over the bank and poked her stomach. "Hm…squishy…"

"What the hell?" Rin whacked away his intrusion lest he prod any higher.

His hand retracted, but the blue eyes remained clear and unabashed. "It feels like you're part water, too," he announced. "I guess I could make it work." Kichiruka pulled the short conch staff from his side and tapped the shell thoughtfully against his chin. Rin watched his eyes stare skyward, then roll back and forth to either corner like he was calculating something. Finally, after a miniature eternity, Kichiruka gave her his full attention again. "If anything goes wrong, are you going to come back and haunt me afterwards?"

Rin's jaw dropped into her chest. "What?"

"Hey! It's just a caveat. Ne'r mind. I think I can pull it off. All right, hold out your hands like this." Slipping the staff back into his sash, under his short jacket, he demonstrated by reaching out and fanning his own fingers. Rin looked at him funny. "Something wrong?" Kichiruka examined his own hands, then glanced back at Rin. She eyed the webbing between his fingers. It wasn't that bad, really, it didn't even go past his first finger joint anymore. "I'm working on it, okay?"

"Oh!" Rin gasped, shaken from her study. "No, I didn't mean to offend you. I've just never seen a water demon up-close before. I didn't think there would be different…designs." Gently, she laced her small hands with his larger ones. "Please, continue."

In a rare moment of solemnity, Kichiruka nodded and, with Rin's permission, proceeded to grant her wish.

A soft sigh and eyelids that fluttered shut were Rin's only warnings. Suddenly, relaxed claws that were intertwined with her little human fingers clamped into a vice grip. She wasn't going anywhere. Kichiruka's voice dropped into a strange baritone as he droned out a chant that didn't quite sound like any language Rin had heard but a weird series of clicks and gurgles. Rin knew that when yokai straddled the point of transformation it was rarely a pretty sight. Lord Sesshomaru had never been an exception, but at least she knew what to expect and when. She hadn't planned on watching Kichiruka's face split from the corners of his mouth up to his ears, giving her a panoramic view of how far back those sharp, little teeth ran. Then, eyes snapping open, his pupils were lost in a sea of blue so he looked blind. And feral.

The chant picked up pace and claws squeezed tighter; not quite painful, but the motion was unnerving. A chill raced up Rin's back, wracking her shoulders and rising off her scalp. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. What if Kichiruka really was some kind of soul-devouring river monster in disguise?

His gaze unwavering, a high cackle scaled its way out of the demon's throat.

Rin wanted to scream, but her voice wasn't working anymore. And it felt like every joint in her body had been frozen in place. She couldn't run. Lord Sesshomaru…?

Totally oblivious to the young woman mutely freaking out in his grip, Kichiruka kept his focus very well. His master would've been proud to see such concentration with this particularly complicated incantation. He hadn't missed a syllable yet, even in the gaze of Rin's pretty, brown eyes. Actually, they reminded him a lot of silt at the bottom of creeks. The kind you could run your hands through and know it wouldn't cake and crust like mud. Soft, cool, and welcoming…

"Uh-oh…"

Rin felt the webbed claws suddenly go lax. She exhaled in relief as Kichiruka's face flickered back to its usual countenance. Then she processed what her spellcaster had just murmured. "Whaddya mean 'uh-oh'?"

Kichiruka chuckled, drawing away and distancing himself somewhat. "I just forgot where I left off." He laughed idiotically. "Do over!"

If you want something done right…Rin wished she could reach over and smack the water yokai. Instead, she slapped a hand over her eyes. Much to her chagrin, Lord Sesshomaru was being proved correct.

Like always.

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A/N: More to come! Reviews always appreciated!