Please give me some constructively-critical reviews! I don't want to only hear how great it is, because I know it's not. At least, well . . . there's always room for improvement right? I don't know why I'm being picky when I don't really have any reviews yet. It would be nice to know that people actually like it. Anyway, Reviews = New Chapters! On with the story!
The three of us turned sharply at the noise. Confirming that it was a cry of pain, I raced over to what was a doorway of the destroyed hut. Two slumped bodies lay sprawled out inside. Fear crept in my veins. No. I know those heartbeats. I've known them since before they were even born. "It's the twins!"
Moriko lifted Kurenai carefully. "Are they okay?" She asked firmly but distractedly, checking for visible signs of damage.
Kagome was at Akane's side putting her hands in certain places on her body to check for likely wounds. "Moriko, check for any lacerations or-"
"She . . . Smells fine." Moriko cocked her head to the right. Inuyasha knew she was sifting through the smells of the singing planks of wood, the trampled earth and human scents. He smiled inside. So she does use her nose once in awhile.
"They just must be unconscious then." Kagome concluded.
"What about Ichirou-San, Sango-chan, and Miroku-sama?"
"Their scents . . ." Inuyasha stood and sniffed the air, "are gone too."
The villagers had been devastated. All their homes were destroyed and nearly irreparable, they're going to have to either make entirely new huts, or pack up and leave. And some did the latter. I watched and followed the family as they carried the twin girls to the forest. They arrived at a hut, bigger than most, and lugged in the unconscious adolescents.
I waited outside after sesshomaru went in. No need to intrude in small rooms. They need their space to work on the injured. What was that earlier? There was a moment that he was sure he'd heard someone's voice, but it was more than that. He leaned back on Rikona's stomach, closing his eyes.
It was almost just like a connection, like what he'd shared with Sesshomaru moments ago. There were no other demons around who could've possibly done such a thing. However, he remembered one thing clearly.
The voice was female.
After some time, Moriko emerged from her home. She appeared to be worried. Her fingers swiveled rhythmically, reminding him of the way Sesshomaru's poison claws moved before he would strike down an enemy. She did not smell of poison however.
"Why did you wish to return?"
His words echoed in her head. At first, she thought of how the jewel had asked Kagome if she wished to return, but Byakko had asked her why. Sure he assumed that she had actually wanted to go back, but he'd still wanted to know the reason. She'd sensed his approach and simply stood on the hill, watching the sun fall to the darkness. She had desperately tried to find something to do as she waited for the twins to wake up. Grandfather knew if he were to tell her about Sesshomaru she would not be able to contain her amusement and she might suffer the consequences. In the end, she'd finished the entire scroll. Now she knew. She knew her parents' story.
I focused on blowing air out my nose. When I began to inhale, I said, "I realized I had been selfish."
He was silent at her words. When she said no more he went to her side, watching the sun with her.
She focused on his presence, surprised that he had moved so close to her. Was it what I said? "Father had let me go and I had not realized that till now."
After a while he commented, "Odd."
Odd? That took me off-guard. What does that mean?
As he spoke, he had this faraway look. "When most creatures come into adulthood, they are already desperate to leave the nest."
"Oh." I thought back to my days of high school. Sure I wanted independence but I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life; have a job of course, go to the movies once in awhile, take jogs through parks everyday while listening to music. A life all my own to share only with the cat.
"Do you know about the sacred jewel and how it ceased to exist?" I asked thoughtfully.
"I know Sesshomaru took part in destroying the evil known as Naraku."
My mouth twitched. That's all? I waited for him to tell me he knew more but he just looked at me blankly. I nearly growled in my frustration.
"What does this have to do with you coming into adulthood?"
"Everything!" My hand flashed beneath my obi behind me to return with the scroll with which I jabbed at him. "Look, it'll take me too long to explain the fact that I've only known what my parents look like for about five days, so start studying."
He took it and as his eyes widened, our fingers touched. It was like an electric jolt ran up my arm and down my spine. I spun, hiding my redness, and headed towards Rikona.
I kneeled in the swaying grass before her giant head, petting her wide cheek. The friction of her fur and my hand reversed the tension in my nerves from my small connection to Byakko.
I devoted myself to petting her until she found it annoying, uncomfortable, or just plain boring. Basically until she decides to push me away, which she never did. I stared into her orange eyes gently. Perhaps her neck was tired from the effort, but she eventually lay her head in the grass.
Her strong deep breaths blowing grass and tickling my knees. Tired of sitting in such a position I lay down in the crook of her neck, propped up by an elbow. I kept petting her but eventually found my hand motionless and my vision darkening.
Rikona. The mare opened one eye and refused to move as so not to disturb the young one. She will always, however, show some physical sign that she was listening to her master.
Watch over her. Should a threat make itself known, you are to leave with her, whether she is willing or not.
The mare closed her eye and snorted. The vibration in the demon mare's neck resulting in a delighted noise from the dreaming girl. An eclipse . . . He thought before lowering to the ground himself. Content, the three fell asleep among the tangles of roots beneath the rustles of the Goshinboku.
Jaken clenched the crisp white fur. He would much rather ride Ah-Un than to be in such close proximity to his lord at this moment. But the dragon was with Rin back at their small castle. No. It is a modest size. The imp would've crossed his arms if he wasn't having to hold on. Sesshomaru-sama has no need of a grand palace like his mother. It is not my lord's style to have more than simple necessities . . . Then again, his extremely custom armor and garments speak otherwise. The only reason Sesshomaru-sama had waited, even after Rin coming of age, was because he needed a fortress for himself to come back to from his travels and a place to keep his wife and other companions safe when he needed to go somewhere they could not. Jaken had realized he was needed to accompany him this time as to act as his records keeper while confronting Umi Byakko.
"Why do we travel so hastily, m'lord? Is- is something the matter with Rin?"
"Heh. A dog knows when his pups are going to be born."
Jaken was startled, "Wait! I know that voice!" A cow mooed in the distance. Sesshomaru glanced back at his trail of flowing youki.
"To-to-sai." He sounded the syllables contemplatively in a dark tone (Author note: I'm imagining his Japanese voice in the final act). Jaken kept quiet. What could the old sword smith want with m'lord?
The old man appeared, sitting back leisurely upon his companion, keeping pace with Sesshomaru's racing speed. "I see you expected me, otherwise you would've taken to your true form by now to make haste."
I don't sense the master here. Was Myoga wrong?
"What do you want, Totosai?" The daiyoukai asked out of boredom. Well he's clearly done with this conversation before it even started.
"Tell me. Have you and Inuyasha decided who gets to inherit your father's fang?" He questioned in his usual raspy voice (like in the dub version of the series).
"She is not ready. My son won't need it for some time either."
Jaken gasped. It took a moment before the statement registered. "Ah so it's a boy then?" Totosai mused without enthusiasm.
The daiyoukai said nothing and eventually Totosai left the two on their way to see a newborn hanyou.