Chapter Ten

Another week has gone by since Rin and I have started dating. Later today we had another date, but it was for a long weekend getaway from Friday to next Sunday. I was taking her back to Yakushima, and it would be just the two of us. No disturbance from anyone. This trip I planned to take her mountain climbing and possibly more hiking along the different trails they had.

School was canceled for a whole week, starting today, due to a bad water main break caused by a few old pipes. The cafeteria, gym, and several classrooms were slightly damaged. It would take a few days to repair the damage, replace the walls, and repaint. Plus, bleaching the floors to prevent mold build up.

I packed my duffle bag with all that I would need for the next week and the large two-person tent that I now own. It had a separate zipper divider in the middle to give us privacy for when we slept or got changed. My old sleeping bag was now replaced with a self-pump air mattress. No more sleeping on the hard ground. Thankfully it had a pillow that came with it and all I needed now was my mokomoko blanket. It was still in the dryer.

I placed all the stuff that was ready by my bedroom door. Since I still had time, I decided to finish a little project I had been doing since that first trip when we came back from Yakushima. I managed to create a Leo symbol, Rin's zodiac, on the silver bracelet that was connected to a ring. On the ring held a light pink medium sized pearl. I have a feeling she would like this gift. My kind, especially the males, are known to give a special gift when we are ready to ask the one, we officially want to be our significant other.

As I was in the process of putting the final touches to Rin's gift, I caught my father's scent just before he reached my door. "Come in, father." He didn't have a chance to knock.

He came in, shut the door, and took the extra seat near my desk. "I see you have created a special piece for a special occasion." He knows I'm seeing someone, but not who I'm seeing. "Who is the lucky girl? Or should I say demon? Haha."

I guess I better tell him, "This special someone I'm seeing is human." I don't like telling anyone about my personal life, but since I still live under my father's roof, I have to be honest with certain things. Dating was one of them, no matter if they were human or demon.

"What!" I knew he was shocked. "My son, when did you meet this girl?"

"A few months ago," I need to tell him who it is before he spits out more questions. "You've met her before. It's Rin, the girl I saved from that near fatal hit and run."

I watched his golden eyes become shocked. "What! I thought you wanted nothing to do with dating anyone at this time. I thought your focus was still on school?"

"At that time, after with Sara, I wanted nothing to do with dating, but… Rin's different. She's not demanding, but more reserved. She doesn't ask to do this or that. She's… very mysterious in a good way." I better stop where I'm at now, so I won't spill her secret she told me not long ago. I do hope she comes around and lets my father help find her birth mother. "I still have my focus on school and university."

"Are you two going away together this whole week?" He looked at my stuff by my door. "Do I need to give you the talk?"

I'm too old for that. "No! I know better and Rin is very mature and reserved towards that subject." The way she dresses is a girly tomboy way. Her clothes never hugged her body tightly, always wore loose fitting shirts and she never wore any make-up.

"I see. What do you have planned for your long weekend getaway with, Rin?" He gave me that awkward father grin.

"Mountain climbing, hiking, and whatever else we can find to enjoy." It's like he thinks I'm taking Rin on a long-extended honeymoon when we are not even married. I haven't even asked her to make it official in the first stage as a couple.

"Haha, well don't do anything too reckless when you're away." He placed a hand to my shoulder and let out a huff, "anyways, Sesshomaru, I actually came up here to tell you that your mother called."

"What does she want?" Over ten years I haven't heard from her or seen her, and she decides to call now! "Why after a decade does she decide to call now?"

"Just to say she has found her one and only true love and that she will be married next summer."

"Is that all? Is she insisting that I attend? Because I won't!" I want nothing to do with her. She made father's life a living hell because she wanted to spend a great deal of money on useless stuff. When father put his foot down and laid down the law, she left in the middle of the night without saying goodbye. I found out when I was a lot older that she never loved him, but only for his money.

"Yeah, she didn't ask about you and I informed her that you possibly will not attend. She ranted and I explained that you are an adult, eighteen, and getting ready to head off to university very soon. It pissed her off that she hung up the phone immediately."

"Maybe she'll get the picture and never contact us again." I will have no problem with that.

"Possibly, but anyways I'll leave you alone to do your craft project for Rin." I gave him a nod and he left.

I got my mind off of my deadbeat mother quickly and I finally finished the ring bracelet for Rin. I placed it in a gold box to keep it safe. When I checked the time, I had twenty minutes before I needed to leave. So, I took that time gathering my belongings and brought them to my car. My car was parked along the street, in front of my motorcycle. As I organized my belongings into the trunk, I heard the front door open and soft foot falls coming towards me, along with the sound of a rolling cooler. I already knew who it was, "Sesshomaru!" Izayoi came to stand before me with that same smile. I have known that smile all too well for the last several years since I've met her. "I packed several meals for you and Rin to cook while you are away, including some water bottles and soda." Father must have told her who I was going with. "Including your favorite snacks."

I took the cooler from her, "thanks," and placed it behind the passenger seat.

"Anytime and enjoy your long week." She smiled and went back into the house.

Izayoi is okay now, but in the beginning, I disliked her. I wasn't ready to accept a new woman in my father's life after my mother left me at such a young age. I wasn't happy when Izayoi became pregnant with my now half-brother, Inuyasha. My kind, when we are young, we are used to our mother's scent. When Izayoi came into the picture, she smelt of vinegar and it repulsed me that I wore a handkerchief for years. She thought I made fun of her because I disliked her scent, but father had to explain that it takes years for a young demon to accept someone new into their life. In time, the smell of vinegar faded away to a mix of honey and clover. A week after not wearing a handkerchief, I apologized to her for my actions, and she laughed it off like it never happened.

Now that my car was packed to go, I left and headed for Rin's apartment. I sent her a text that I was on my way.

I can't believe my parents are being so open and allowing me to go on a long week trip with just Sesshomaru. Why are they so lenient and not strict like most parents? But I'm grateful for them allowing me to be freer. We were headed to the same island four hours away. I believe we were staying at the same campsite as before. I like the location. It was wonderful and had a beautiful scenery all around.

My large duffle bag was all packed and ready to go and my pump-up air mattress too. I was informed, by Sesshomaru, that he has an extra-large tent that we both could share. At first, I was hesitant, but then he explained that it has a divider within the middle to give us privacy. I'm still bringing mine, just so my parents don't overreact if they found out.

Sesshomaru had just sent me a text that he was on his way, so I brought everything out into the living room. Mother and Tashi were sitting at the kitchen table, having a snack together, and father had already left for work. Tashi's recovery from his surgery went very well, but he needed a week of rest. Mom was taking her vacation time now and father would take his next week, so Tashi wasn't home alone while I'm away. I still can't believe the high school flooded!

"Hi dear, all ready to go? Do you need any more food to eat while you are away?"

"No but thank you. What you made will be plenty." I already knew Sesshomaru was bringing food as well. It would be enough to last us the whole week. "Thank you anyways, mom… ahh!" A sharp pain shot through my right arm. Crap! No! Why today? Why not next weekend when I am home?

"Rin!" Mom came dashing over and she knew why. "Is it that time, sweety?"

"Yes, why this week?" I slumped onto the couch and gripped my right arm more. The pain was heading towards my elbow. Sooner or later, it will affect my left arm.

"Remember what the doctor told you, it's just one of those things that… Have you told Sesshomaru about this?" What the doctors said can't be explained at all.

"No! I haven't." He doesn't need to know. "How am I going to hide this news from him?"

"Hey, Rin?" Tashi came over and gently placed his little hand against mine. "I don't think you should hide behind yourself. You are still you and Sesshomaru won't care." I don't want him to know.

"Thanks, Tashi." I wish I could cancel this trip, but my ticket had already been bought, and refunds are non-dissociable.

"My baby girl don't let this affect you, and I think you should tell Sesshomaru more about yourself. Just with this news, not the other." I don't want anyone to know anything about my real personal life. Though Sesshomaru is the only one I talked about my adoption story. "Just give yourself some time and think about it before…"

I had to get up from the couch, "I'm going to grab my sunglasses." I will need them no matter if it happens now or later. In my room, I placed my back against the door, and took slow even breaths. The pain was getting worse and worse. "Please! Not today!" I wanted to scream this pain away, but I didn't want the neighbors to think something was happening, and for them to call the police to do a wellness check.

When I had them in hand a knock came at the front door. I already knew that it was him. With another couple of deep breaths, I went back up front and opened up the heavy metal door. "Hello, Rin. Are you ready to go?"

"Hello, and yes," no I wasn't. I opened the door more and allowed him inside. "I just need to grab a few things from the fridge."

"Take your time."

As I walked into the kitchen, I heard mom talk with him. Please don't tell him about me! "Hello, Sesshomaru. It's good to see you again. How are you?"

"I am well, Mrs. Agawa and hello to you. Tashi, feeling any better?"

"Hey, Sessh! Yeah, I'm doing great! I can go back to school next week."

"Glad to hear." I had a feeling he brought his attention back to mom, "I promise to have Rin back sometime in the afternoon that Sunday."

"It's all good, Sesshomaru. I hope you both have a marvelous time and that the weather holds out for you both." It should be for a few days… I really don't want to go now, but I would be wasting my parent's money if I didn't go.

"I hope so too," I could feel his eyes on me. "Rin, do you need any help?"

All I was grabbing were the homemade sushi to eat on the jetfoil, a few meals to heat on the fire, plus mom's homemade treats. "No, I got it." Another round of pain shot through my arm, so I hid it. It lasted a few seconds. I took some quiet breaths and made my way back into the living room. "I'm ready!" I hugged my mom and Tashi goodbye, "I'll see you both that Sunday."

"Have a good time, Rin. Take lots of pictures."

"I plan too, mom."

"Bye, Rin." I could hear the sadness within Tashi's voice.

"Take care, Tashi." I gave him the biggest hug I could. I then bopped his little nose, leaned into his ear and whispered to him, "have dad take you out for ice cream one night." He held up a thumb. Mom still doesn't know dad does this.

With that, Sesshomaru helped me bring everything out to his car. "How much time do we have till the ferry leaves?"

"We have plenty of time. Do you have everything?" He placed all that I brought into the trunk and the backseat.

"Yeah," I'm so nervous now with the pain I'm having. I had to grip my hand into a fist to ease the pain. Why? Why couldn't this happen next week? I could feel the pain starting in my left hand, at my fingertips. I knew what was coming with that.

"Are you okay, Rin?"

Crap! I was hoping he didn't see. "I am. I did a lot of lifting and may have pulled a few muscles in the process." Will he buy it?

"Oh! Well… if you're sure, then we can head out."

We made it to the docks within an hour of departure and boarded the jetfoil. "Are we sitting upstairs again?"

"If you'd like too? We did bring quite a bit with us again." True and there's enough room to store our stuff with us.

"I don't mind." It wasn't too crowded when we got up there. At least no one we know was here. We took our seats in the same place as last time. I looked around and it made me wonder, "I guess there's some type of festival of some sort going on this weekend?"

"Probably. If there is, do you want to check it out?" All depends on… I need to stop thinking about it.

"Sure."

Within the hour, we finally departed towards Yakushima. Four hours inside a closed cabin which to my surprise I found to be kind of cold, but for how long though. Sesshomaru released his mokomoko and wrapped it around me. "Kind of chilly, isn't it?

Before I answered, I let out a yawn, and laid my head against his shoulder, "yes. You would think they would turn the heat on." Before I knew it I felt my eyelids close.

I had a feeling Rin would fall asleep again. I won't disturb her and let her rest. I grabbed the blanket that was stuffed in a cubby hole beside me and wrapped it around her. I wasn't cold for being warm blooded, but I knew she had to be. But after a few minutes, she threw the blanket off and my mokomoko. Strange? She was cold not long ago. I put it off as nothing and pulled out a book I brought to read.

An hour into the trip, I began to eavesdrop on a conversation of a group of older male tourists in the same cabin as Rin and I. "Hey, tonight's the night, isn't it?" The night for what?

"Yes! The night for a rare demon nightbird, yori no tori, to come about. I have never seen one in person. I wonder if we'll see anyone transform tonight. What an epic payout if we were to capture a photo."

"Totally! I heard that skeletal demon birds come to them when called. But I also heard they come to them without being called." I saw stars gleam in his brown eyes. "I wonder how much they would pay for the capture of a real life and in person, yori no tori?" What low lives.

"Who knows? But it would be impossible to prove that one can transform if we were to capture one. Damn I can't wait to see either. I pray one or both show up tonight."

I got tired of their idiotic conversation and tuned them out. What makes them think one will show up tonight? I personally have not seen one, nor do I want to myself. I've heard rumors that the yori no tori actually go by the name phoenix daiyoukai. The birds that come to them, from what I've heard, are shaped like the extinct dinosaur, pterodactyl. They are known to be vicious creatures and must not be approached at all costs. They are known to suck one's blood from human bodies. They were also known to set fires with their own bodies. If any appear, I'll keep Rin and myself out of their way.

For the next few hours, until we docked on the island of Yakushima, I read another story from a collection of books. Rin slept the whole trip and awoke when she felt me shake her shoulders. "Did I sleep the whole trip?" She rubbed the palm of her hand along her eye.

"You did. Do you want to rest more after we make camp?" It was still early, and the sun hadn't set yet.

"No, I'll be okay."

After we gathered what we had brought with us, we then made our way out onto the island. The sun hid behind a few light puffy clouds and a cool hard breeze from the sea. When the cold wind passed us, I watched as Rin didn't react to the breeze. Strange? Last time we were here she was cold. She must be in several layers of clothes. As we headed towards camp, "are you hungry, Rin?"

"Kind of. Is there anything that was packed that you want to eat?"

"I'm not sure. I'll check after we make camp."

"Okay… ahh!" I watched as she let go of what she had in her hand and gripped her forearm. Did she pull a muscle that bad?

"Do you need pain killers?" I carry everything in my first aid kit.

"No, it'll pass…" she seethed through another pain in her other arm and dropped to her knees "I don't care for pain meds." No pain meds?

I got down to my knees too, "Rin, what did you lift for the pain to be this bad?" I wanted to massage her forearm to ease the pain she was having, but something told me it was too early to comfort her that way.

"Totes that had more of my fall wear." Totes? She massaged her arm till she felt the pain had subsided. "It's okay now."

"Okay, just let me know if you change your mind."

"Mmh." We both got to our feet.

As we continued on towards camp, the group of men from earlier were right up behind us. "It's almost time! Ah, I really hope we see a yori no tori after we make camp." Not that crap talks again.

"Dude! Same here. We have to make sure that we have our camera's out and ready." Rin and I will be avoiding them at all costs during this trip. I also hope they aren't here all week. "Hey, dog demon and human girl, are you here to see the yori no tori tonight?"

I turned on them, disgusted about that damn demon they keep mentioning. "No! We're not here to see that demon you mentioned! If I were you, which I'm glad I am not, I would avoid them at all costs. They're notorious for being highly dangerous, including their demon birds."

"Eh, why did I even ask a dog demon like you in the first place?" I watched his eyes fixated on Rin. He wouldn't dare! "Hey cutie, you want to ditch this demon, and come join us?"

I was shocked with what Sesshomaru had said. If he… wait! What did that random guy just ask me?... I turned to face the random guy, "no, thank you." I just wanted to get to camp and forget this conversation ever existed. He was almost like that one guy from the last time we visited the island.

Sesshomaru got in between us, like he felt threatened by what the dude had said to me. "Leave her alone and be on your way!"

"Eh," I heard one guy gruff as they took their leave ahead of us. I know to avoid them at all costs throughout the night.

After they were out of sight, "Rin?"

I didn't look his way, but kept my eyes forward, "yes?"

"You didn't find his words offensive, did you?"

"No," I all but forgot what he had said. I'm going to have to be extra cautious around these men, "ah!" another sharp pain shot up my whole left arm.

"Rin!" I felt Sesshomaru gently massage my arm where the pain slowed down. It felt good with his hand massaging my arm. "Are you sure you don't want any pain meds? I hate to see you feeling this way."

"I'll be fine." I would rather have my father's homemade remedy for this pain. He knew what would work best. "I think my father made and packed some of his homemade remedies for any type of pain. I'll take some of that. Thank you, though."

"Anytime."

Sometime later, after we made camp, and got a fire going for dinner, Rin and I went for a short walk along the shore. She again, wasn't affected by the cold breeze around us and I had to ask, "Rin, aren't you cold?" I wanted to wrap my jacket around her shoulders.

"No, why do you ask?" Does she not see that she's in a thin long sleeve shirt?

"It's just that you are just wearing a thin long sleeve shirt and it's fall!" I've never seen a human react this way to cold weather. Is Rin warm blooded?

"I promise I'm… ah!" I watched as she gripped her right forearm and darted at a very fast pace for the forest.

"RIN!" I ran after her. Something must be seriously wrong for her to run off like this. I caught her scent several feet down a narrow path. "Rin?" I knew she was right around a large tree.

"Stay back!"?

"Rin, what's wrong?"

"Just stay back! Please!"

What is going on? "Rin, is there anything I can get you?"

"No, please! I just need a minute or…" A loud cry from a bird came above us. I looked up to see a demon bird that I wanted to avoid during this trip.

"Rin, we need to get out of here!" I walked around the tree at a fast pace, "there's a demon bird… Rin?"

What do you think is wrong with Rin? What other secrets is she hiding?