A/N: And here's an update!
Taken Eel
Rin pressed a palm to her forehead where her bangs matted with sweat. It had been about a day since Kagome had last checked on her. And I sort of wish she were here now. The spring sunshine was beautiful, but Rin felt strangely ill in its warmth. The ground wouldn't stay level with the sky. It seemed with every passing hour her queasiness increased. She loosened her collar. It was supposed to be a mild day, she could feel the breeze comb through her hair. So why is it so hot?
Maybe I should get some fresh water. Flies had already laid claim to the last bucket. But the nearest well seemed miles away. Rin's fatigue encroached upon her with all the ferocity of a full battalion. But she refused to move.
The same faith Rin had in Sesshomaru when she was a child now worked against her. Just as she remembered that he would always return for her regardless of the circumstances, she was that certain he would kill Kichiruka on sight without a qualm. Sesshomaru never gave his word lightly – Rin had once loved him for it, now she only wanted him to be as pretentious as any other person.
She rubbed her eyes. Her throat burned. She needed something to slake the thirst. She needed water.
I'll get up in a little bit…
Rin never did.
oOo
Nose sniffing quickly for accurate samples, Sesshomaru studied the wind currents like the way most humans read road signs.
"Something the matter, m'lord?" Jaken asked. It looked like a perfectly fine day to him. The imp tried to follow his lordship's line of vision – difficult from his vertically challenged standpoint – but it was no stretch of the imagination to guess who crossed Sesshomaru's mind.
"Do you think it's…?"
"Hang on," came the stern order.
Jaken reacted only in time to grab hold of the tail end of Sesshomaru's great mane. The next second, they flew high above the earth. No more than four heartbeats later, Sesshomaru arrived at a little human village. He found Inuyasha, the miko, and the monk bustled around Rin's still form. For a full second, anxiety arrested the daiyokai's nerves. His worst nightmare coming to fruition. It wasn't a monster or any tangible foe that threatened Rin's life – it was simply a mortal's failing health. A human fault.
"Do we keep her out here?"
"Get her inside!"
"But she's burning up! Shouldn't we stay outdoors?"
"Hey, Sesshomaru, pass us your heart. Rin looks like she could use a block of ice."
Recovering himself, Sesshomaru pushed past Inuyasha and scooped Rin up to take her indoors. She felt featherweight light. It was often said that the body weighed less after the soul had departed. Sesshomaru bit his lip to clear the irrational thought. Rin was still breathing, therefore she was still alive. But for how much longer? Sesshomaru wondered, seeing the feverish blush that turned her cheeks scarlet. Rin groaned in discomfort at the pressure on her hot skin.
The fever is intensifying. Sesshomaru felt a chill go down his spine that he wished could be transferred to Rin. Gently, he laid her down on the wooden planked floor. Hopefully that would be cool enough to start. He reached for where he knew she kept the fans he gave her each year. And tried to ignore that he had to push aside a small collection to seashells to reach them.
"Has any treatment been administered?" Sesshomaru asked, looking at the priestess and incidental medic in their midst, and drawing attention away from his vain attempt to bring down Rin's temperature.
Kagome nodded vigorously, wringing out a towel Inuyasha had brought for cold compress. "I gave her some medicine as soon as we found her. It's meant to bring down fevers. I also brewed some tea for antibodies, but that won't be effective unless we can get her temperature to go down."
"Is it working?" Sesshomaru tried not to growl when he said it.
Trying to avoid the dog-demon's eyes, Kagome mumbled the words she hated telling ailing patients and their family. "I don't know."
About an hour later, everyone was sure the medicine wasn't working. Rin's fever had progressed to the point where she recoiled at the slightest touch. Sesshomaru knew there were many ways to die, but he had never witnessed the toll of an illness in such rapid time. Months and years, yes, for a wasting sickness.
"How?" Sesshomaru demanded.
"Waiting for her boyfriend, duh."
Amber eyes fixed a fiery glare on Inuyasha.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Miroku smoothly intervened, "I think what your little brother is trying to say is that Rin fell ill from natural exposure in waiting to intercept what was to be certain death from your hand upon someone she holds dear."
"Are you insinuating a blame upon me, monk?" Enough yoki rose from the daiyokai to lift the silver bangs on his crown. But when Rin groaned at the heated tension, he immediately recalled it.
With a sigh and a shake of his head, Miroku looked serenely at the addled demon. "It's not blame, my lord. I am simply producing a cause. You did ask for it, didn't you?"
The instant Sesshomaru dropped his gaze from Miroku's jet black eyes to Rin he could feel his crutch of pride crumble. Only the final splinters would keep him from admitting: I suppose I did.
oOo
The runes on the alabaster floor still held a faint glow from their earlier use. Spells usually weren't supposed to be canted for days on end. It was exhausting. But Tensai only half-dozed on one end of the room, stubbornly fending off sleep. He didn't like dreaming.
After a handful of hours, Kichiruka stirred. He yawned. "Still awake?"
"Now I am," the swordfish snapped, though he hadn't slept a wink.
And Kichiruka knew better. "Y'know, that might explain why you're so cranky, master. They say if you don't maintain personal care—"
"Oh, shut it."
Kichiruka did as told. For about two minutes. "Was wondering…"
"Hrm?"
"How is it that someone like Ichikawa, a greater demon, is able to make use our power?" Kichiruka tugged on a top spike. "I thought he has at most just control over water."
"We are water," Tensai said matter-of-factly. "Our very bodies are conduits for many elements."
"Oh." Kichiruka had heard his fellow sea yokai claim to be water and he always understood it to be a statement among brethren, but Tensai meant it in the literal sense. While humans liked to think they were the spitting image of the gods themselves – "More like the spit than the image," many demons guffawed – yokai, in the broad sense, were manifestations of nature. They prided themselves in their affiliation to the natural world of raw power, with everything from an earth-bound monster to a soul-sucking spirit.
"So," Kichiruka said, "as water some things transfer more easily through us?"
"Yes; such as how you use your own life substance to bring forth material water." The swordfish spoke with pronounced irritation.
They had been through this before. Kichiruka sighed. "I had to make sure she was okay."
Tensai growled and looked like he wanted to say something insulting; instead he made only a frustrated gesture. "I'm going to check in with Ichikawa." Swishing out through the central exit, Tensai left in a huff.
Alone in his instructor's study, Kichiruka's attention drifted to the "spy" sphere. Running his fingertips over the glowing surface, he asked to see Rin. For a moment the colors swam then cleared to reveal a bird's eye view of their subject's exact location. But much to Kichiruka's horror she wasn't nearly in the condition he had hoped. Her face might have been flushed, but the color of her wrist was a pallor Kichiruka only saw on the underbellies of fish. It certainly wasn't a shade meant for humans.
Kichiruka's brow knit in concern. Rin must have been neglecting herself to get to such a stage. She really hadn't moved since I last saw her?
His heart pounded, Kichiruka was dimly aware he was wasting time trying to figure out just how Rin could have gotten so sick so quickly. "Humans are vulnerable creatures…" And what can I do now?
"Kichi…ruka." The water demon's ears flexed at the sound his name falling from Rin's lips. Then he saw that Sesshomaru was right beside her, and the way his face tightened at the raspy, unconscious request. He wasn't pleased her selection of bedside visitors.
But she wants me there.
And come hell, high water, or Sesshomaru, Kichiruka knew he would never forgive himself if he ignored this last wish.
oOo
His tiny claws working the grooves on the Staff of Two Heads, Jaken watched from his place across the room. Lord Sesshomaru had already reprimanded him once for pacing and warned that the next admonition would set him outside. Jaken sat still. He had seen Rin dead before and while he didn't know if he could bear to watch her die permanently, he would not miss being there when the moment came. But it won't! Lord Sesshomaru will fix it. But when the daiyokai tried to touch his fingers to her forehead, Rin moaned in distress. And only repeated that damnable name again.
"Hey, Sesshomaru?"
Amber eyes slanted Inuyasha's way.
"Worst case scenario, can't you just use Tenseiga and bring her back?"
Sesshomaru gave his best effort to quell his demonic energy, but he still had to speak around elongated fangs. "'Just use Tenseiga,' huh? What, Inuyasha? You think I can simply kill and revive at whim like a god?" he spat, remembering the harshest lecture his mother had ever delivered. "The Tenseiga is limited to one revival per life."
Inuyasha blinked. "Oh, so you already screwed up once before."
Eyes flashing crimson, Sesshomaru struck his sibling with a blow that would have broken a human's jaw. Inuyasha pressed a hand to his busted lip. "Asshole!" he barked at his elder half-brother. "I'm trying to figure out ways to help Rin here!"
"You have no idea" – claws convulsed at their sides – "what it is like to see your…child suffer while you are unable to offer comfort, even with a simple touch."
Inuyasha's ears flattened. But he didn't have much ammo for that last part. He had to remember that the lump of ice in Sesshomaru's chest melted for this one girl. While Inuyasha's heart didn't exactly go out to the selective, finicky bastard, it did sympathize for Rin's sake. And because it was Rin – forget Sesshomaru altogether – Inuyasha didn't want to see her die. He had seen "the kid" grow up, protected her in his home, and even though the ties were strong with Sango's family that never kept Kagome from treating Rin like a kid sister. You see, brat, it ain't just Sesshomaru's heartstrings you've got tangled in a bunch. Inuyasha ground his fangs. So don't you die on us!
The tension came to a brief interruption at the soft tap of someone at the entrance. Then Inuyasha's mane bristled at the abrupt rise in yoki emanating from his brother.
"What do you want?" Sesshomaru flung his words like stones at the visitor.
"Please…Lord Sesshomaru, I can help." Kichiruka took one step forward, trying not to cringe at the mounting aura. Inuyasha, Kagome, and Miroku were gathered inside, too, and he took a small boost of confidence from that. He wasn't entirely sure if what he had planned would even work. He'd just wind up ticking off Sesshomaru. Like I haven't done that a million times by now. "My lord, I implore you: let me pass."
"To Rin?"
"Yes." Kichiruka thought about taking another advancing step, it was a short set of paces to Rin. But wisely he didn't. Sesshomaru was actually considering.
The dog-demon gritted his fangs. Rin's breathing grew more labored and it became difficult to make a decision as precious time was lost. "Help how?"
Kichiruka presented his empty hands as if in there lay the answer. "I will take the fever," he broadly explained.
Golden eyes narrowed. How was that supposed to work? Sesshomaru looked at Rin. He could wonder later. In sharp military movements, Sesshomaru stood straight up then stepped aside. His head humbly down, Kichiruka slipped past the daiyokai, so now he knelt next to Rin. Even though she was clad in only the simple, white undergarment, Rin radiated a high temperature. I have to work quickly, otherwise even if she does make it out she might not be all there.
First he placed one cool hand under her chin. Then another at her cheek. She grimaced at first, but slowly relaxed. Sesshomaru watched the other demon's hands intently, not missing a single motion. It wasn't until his gaze returned to Kichiruka's face that he truly understood what was going on.
The water demon panted, sweat trickled from his brow, slicking the sides of his face to his throat, and a red flush colored his cheeks. He pulled back for a moment to catch his breath.
He is taking the fever into himself. Sesshomaru said nothing as Kichiruka reached for Rin again. His hands didn't stay as long this time. Finally, he drew away altogether.
"And you're lesser yokai?" Inuyasha stared at sea yokai. "How'd you pull that one off?"
Kichiruka swayed on his knees, azure eyes glazing over. "I am water," he mumbled. Then collapsed at Rin's side.
oOo
Five hard knocks rapped on the door. Inuyasha slid it open. An older man, lithe with a long nose reminiscent of tengu, stood in the threshold, arms tucked into his sleeves and a firm frown in place. Inuyasha registered black hair and, if his canine senses hadn't cued him in otherwise, he would've thought human.
"And you are…?"
"Important," Tensai snipped. "Move." Not about to wait for an invitation, Tensai flowed around Inuyasha's guarded stance. In one scan around the single-room home, Tensai picked out his student and rushed to his side.
He smoothed a hand over Kichiruka's forehead. He's warm. By virtue of his subspecies, Kichiruka's body temperature was naturally greater than most sea demons. And Tensai knew what a slight fever felt like. But yokai weren't like humans. They didn't die half as easily. And they weren't supposed to take ill. But Kichiruka had been whittling his own life's energy away. So what did that do to his immunity? The thought that Kichiruka had acquired any symptoms of illness unnerved Tensai. The idiot was supposed to take better care of himself than this. How stupid could Kichiruka get? Tensai wanted to be furious, but his short-fused ire snuffed out at the sight of Kichiruka helpless and unconscious.
My boy…
Kichiruka's eyes opened at the familiar yoki coming in tendrils. He never knew it could carry a comforting lilt. "Master…"
Tensai exhaled a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "You're all right."
"Um…excuse me?" Kagome scooted on her knees closer to the stranger who had suddenly charged inside. There was only the tiniest wolfish point to his ears, but she noticed the gills on his neck. He's a water demon, too. "Are you Kichiruka's…?"
"I'm his instructor," Tensai clarified curtly, schooling his expression as he swiveled his torso to look at…a priestess?
"Are those fins? Your guise is well crafted," Miroku complimented.
And a monk? Tensai clenched his jaw to keep it from dropping. Kichiruka, we must work on your one-dimensional sense of fear. "I'm obligated to check on him if there is a concern for his life," Tensai stated blandly. "I'd rather not lose something my position in the court depends upon."
Now listening with half an ear, Kichiruka chuckled softly. "Of course not."
"Shut up and sleep," Tensai snapped.
"Yessir." Kichiruka made a show of squeezing his eyes shut.
Technique transfer, quick-freeze from his own content, and now this. Tensai didn't know if there was anything else to go by, but that alone was nearly a century of Kichiruka's life. Idiot.
Kichiruka's eyes popped open suddenly. "Where's Rin?" He vaguely remembered being beside her before crashing out. He sat up with only some difficulty. The room spun as he moved too quickly, but Kichiruka planted his hands on the floor panels and made an effort to remain sitting erect. If he couldn't walk, the water demon swore he'd crawl to her if it were his only means.
"Down." A large hand abruptly covered Kichiruka's face and shoved him back to lie down. Sesshomaru completed the motion without breaking his stride as he crossed the small room to where Rin slept on the opposite end.
"Well, I'm glad I'm not only one with common sense around here," Tensai quipped, smirking at Sesshomaru. Now him Tensai had expected. Somewhat.
The daiyokai only nodded. He could smell the unease that seasoned the swordfish's aura. He settled down on his knees, decreasing his height and trying to look a little less threatening.
"What about Rin?" Kichiruka piped.
Sesshomaru huffed irritably. "She's at peace."
Kichiruka freaked. "You mean she's dead?"
Sesshomaru scowled and Inuyasha interpreted it. "Pal, if Rin had kicked it what makes you think you'd even be breathing right now?"
Miroku coughed into his fist and Kichiruka distinguished a stifled laugh.
Kagome moved in closer. "She's sleeping peacefully thanks to you." Laughing, Kagome patted his chest reassuringly, getting him to lie down again.
"Can I stick around 'til she wakes up?" Kichiruka asked, looking Sesshomaru's way for permission.
"I'm not going anywhere until she does." Ruffling Rin's bangs with just the tips of his fingers, the dog-demon leaned in just enough that when he blew on her forehead the motion went almost undetected.
Rin rolled over to her back. Eyes fluttering, she dragged herself out of a groggy dream – or maybe a nightmare. Sesshomaru's calm, reassuring face stared back at her.
"You little guppy came," he said blandly.
Rin sat up with a jolt, moving fast enough to catch Sesshomaru unawares and clunk her head against his. The daiyokai hissed, rubbing his forehead, but Rin immediately demanded, "Did you kill him?"
Kagome leaned over to whisper to Inuyasha, "Maybe Lord Sesshomaru might not be the best choice to deliver news and bedside manners."
But for Kichiruka the sound of his favorite voice was strength enough. He sat up with a shout.
"Rin!"
"Kichiruka!"
"Inuyasha! Kagome!" Miroku laughed into his fist again.
As Kichiruka staggered, stumbled, then crawled his way to Rin, Tensai unobtrusively scooted out of the way, hauling the little green turkey with his staff along. Jaken snapped at the swordfish, but Tensai let his guise slip just enough for his eyes to return to their full jaundice color and size for a terrifying leer at Jaken. The imp quickly shut up.
"You're alive!" Kichiruka's blue eyes brimmed with joy. Rin was awake and moving and she recognized him. She was okay. The water demon knew that if he dropped dead now it would be from happiness.
In spite of the pounding headache she still had, Rin smiled. Her perfect panacea already sat before her, his bright white grin wide. "I could say the same about you." Her expression dampened as she put a hand on the thick, shiny scar tissue that puckered in three ragged rows across Kichiruka's left cheek. Sesshomaru's swing had caught him low on the jaw and one claw mark fractured the smile Rin had loved since day one. If it had already been several days and still hadn't healed completely, the scars were permanent. An everlasting souvenir of Sesshomaru's prejudice.
"I'm sorry."
The water demon laughed. "Actually, I think it makes me look tough, don't you?" he joked, stroking his chin and striking a pose.
Rin giggled.
Sesshomaru suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Perhaps the injurious thing about this prawn was that he made Rin's intelligence drop several points. For shame it wasn't because of any demonic power.
Recovering himself, Kichiruka remembered exactly where he was. "Well, you're awake…" He looked uncertainly at Sesshomaru. "Guess I'll go now."
"Do you have to?" Rin's soft, brown eyes pleaded for him to stay.
But Kichiruka hummed his assent. "I said I would only stay until you woke."
"There is no cause for haste." Sesshomaru shifted where he sat, but didn't bother getting up. "When I see you next, I'd much prefer a healthy and alert specimen."
When he sees me next? Kichiruka broke out into a renewed grin.
"Why that's very kind of you, Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome beamed.
"I'll say!" Jaken added. Then he pointed his staff at Kichiruka. "You better prostrate yourself straightaway if you understand the magnanimity of m'lord's –"
"I've promised nothing," Sesshomaru speedily interrupted. "It's merely apparent that he'll be back."
"And that you intend to tolerate his return," Miroku observed.
For what it was worth, Jaken waved his staff threateningly. "Don't put words in Lord Sesshomaru's mouth, monk!"
"Pfft!" Inuyasha spluttered. "Half the crap Sesshomaru means to say isn't said."
As the cluster broke out into good-natured caviling and Rin mumbled something to Kichiruka about ruined recovery time, Kagome caught a faint smile flicker across the old demon's face before he looked away. Shortly thereafter, Tensai excused himself outside.
It had been many, many years since Tensai remembered setting foot or fin in a human settlement – be it an inland village or a harbor town. Frequently, it made him feel self-conscious because no matter the extent of the effort, he didn't look like everyone else. If not his yoki, then his gills, his eyes, even the nearly imperceptible points on his ears would betray him. Assimilation into a human setting was a confounding thing. Mostly because it didn't work. But as he stepped outside and strolled to a nearby tree, Tensai noticed that he went …unnoticed. Or at least without comment. That alone was remarkable. Perhaps they're used to seeing Sesshomaru about and Kichiruka, of course. But that didn't account for strange yokai. How could anyone ignore him if they didn't recognize him among the usuals? Leaning in the tree's shade, Tensai took a moment to idly adjust his sandals. Kichiruka might not mind traipsing around barefoot, but the older demon liked to think he had standards. And only at his leisure did he finally glance up to acknowledge the pair that had been trailing him since he went out. Everyone ignored him save for a young kitsune and a small twin-tailed mountain cat.
Shippo tilted his head, his nose quivering as he tried to make heads or tails of the demonic scent that was at odds with the man's appearance. Upon closer inspection it was clear this person was entirely yokai, not at all hanyo. Either which way, his piercing eyes and black robe gave Shippo the creeps. "Are you the undertaker?"
Tensai smirked. "No, but I do have a habit of winding up at people's deathbeds." Seeing the troubled look cross the fox-child's face, Tensai quickly amended, "Kichiruka and Rin are fine. Tell me, are yokai common to this village?"
Shippo shrugged. "Sorta. The people here know us, so they're okay with it. I'm Shippo, and it's thanks to my stellar diplomacy that—"
"What of the half-demon?" Tensai cut him off.
"Y'mean Inuyasha? Well, considering that he saved the village after Naraku got hold of the Shikon Jewel, I'd say they all, uh, know him. It's a little hard to get used to liking Inuyasha." Shippo laughed. "But Kagome does. She married him."
"The miko?" Tensai's mind reeled. He had assumed that the monk was her husband. But a shrine priestess and a half-demon couple? That made about as much sense as…. "Wow."
"Yeah, that's what I thought at first. 'Cause Inuyasha's usually pretty clueless and has a lousy temper. Who'd wanna get hitched to him?" Shippo laughed.
What an odd and backward little community this is, Tensai thought. He knelt to scratch the twin-tail behind the ears. And how refreshing, too.
"So, Kichiruka's here?" Shippo piped.
"Mm-hm."
"In one piece?"
That got Tensai to chuckle. "Indeed."
"Woot!" Shippo pumped a little fist in the air. "Inuyasha can't hit me for a year!" With that, the kit raced off with Kilala at his heels, ready to lord it over the hanyo back home.
Tensai was left alone for only a minute, though. Feeling the strong aura of the Western Lord thrum closer, the swordfish opened one eye in his direction. "And a good afternoon to you as well, Lord Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru afforded little care toward any deference made and simply proceeded with what he wanted to ascertain. "You are exceptionally fond of your student."
Although he didn't go as far as to swing his whole body around in a direct challenge, Tensai nonetheless glared head-on at Sesshomaru for the presumption.
Sesshomaru stared back blankly. "Is it untrue?"
"It's a strange question." Faltering, the yellow gaze dropped. Tensai huffed and re-crossed his arms. "…It was once said to me that family is where you find it." His expression lightening somewhat, Tensai laughed in short, jerky gasps. "What say you, Lord of the West?"
With a wrinkle in his nose, the dog-demon looked off. And, much to Tensai's surprise, he agreed.
"Yes. So it is."
.
A/N: So this chapter took a while to post, mostly because I was working on a sister chapter for our "deleted" scenes of Hooked: fanfiction. net/s/6913863/2/Catch_and_Release. (Please remove spaces before entering link.) This is the story of Kichiruka, Ichikawa's brilliant plan, and an irritable instructor who wanted to make things otherwise. Thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated.