East of the Sun, West of the Moon

*Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha. Inuyasha owns me.*

A/N: Thanks for the kind reviews. It makes me want to continue writing.
Here’s the 3rd chapter. Again, please review if you have the time.
It encourages me.


* * * * *


(at the cave)


Sesshoumaru felt well on his way to recovery. He incurred his worst set
of injuries from the previous battle. He hoped that was the last member
of the leopard clan that he has to contend with—not that he minded
fighting. No, he loved the thrill of the kill, but lately, the ongoing battles
have all but drained him. Being on alert night and day has taken its toll
on him. Now, he yearns for peace—the elusive feeling of serenity.


Oddly enough, he has somehow found a certain level of peace laying
there in the cave. ‘This young girl; Rin’s her name. Somehow, she has
given me a feeling of peace?’ Sesshoumaru began to ponder. Never in
Sesshoumaru’s life has someone taken care of him in such a doting
manner. His life has been filled with fighting and fulfilling obligations.
Day after day, all he’s ever felt were wavering levels of unrest. Yet, in
matter of hours, this girl is able suppress his uneasiness. Although he
wishes her to leave, he can’t deny that her presence actually relaxes him
more. He can even hear the innocence in her voice—an innocence that is
lacking in his life.


Despite his expressionless mask and seemingly calm demeanor, inside,
he longs for something…more? He’s unsure. He’s filled with doubt and
confusion. ‘No, this cannot be the peace I’m looking for. These feelings
are…unreal. Illusory. It’s just having been able to rest after a long
absence that I’m feeling this way. It’s not the girl. I must leave as soon
as I can,’ Sesshoumaru thought. Sesshoumaru felt even more youki
regaining. He would be able to leave in an hour or so. Suddenly, he
heard footsteps. ‘She’s here.’


“Fluffy-kun. I’m back with your lunch,” Rin said as she happily skipped
into the cave. She knelt beside Fluffy, her hand petting his fur. “You
look much better. It must have been the brest Ist I made you,” Rin
said grinning proudly. “Well, here’s more of the same thing. Kagome
was too busy to help me prepare anything for you, but she did cook the
rice.”


Sesshoumaru began eating the prepared food. Was he eating it because
he liked it or was it to please her? Or maybe both? He wasn’t sure, but
he didn’t want to think about it. No, he’s just going to eat, wait for her to
leave, and then regain his form and go home.


As Fluffy was eating, Rin noticed he has changed, albeit subtly. The claws
on his paws looked sharper than before. Even as she petted him, she
could feel the muscle underneath getting firmer. She took a closer look
at his face. She saw a faint blue crescent moon forming on his forehead.
As his youki returns, so does Sesshoumaru’s markings. His lineage is
something he cannot hide.


Rin blinked in disbelief. The hand petting Sesshoumaru paused.
Sesshoumaru noticed this interruption and raised his eyes to meet Rin’s.
He noticed her dilated pupils and sensed her quickening heartbeat. ‘She
must be noticing my marks. Enough youki must have returned,’
Sesshoumaru thought, almost regretfully. Regretfully?
Seumarumaru admonished himself for that feeling, even if it was for a
split second. Sesshoumaru continued gazing into her eyes, expecting her
to up and leave as soon as she figured out what he truly was.


* * * * *


(somewhere in the forest)


“Kaede-sama, may I return home to see my sisters?”


“Of course. You may visit them, but it’s not a good idea to stay long.
Let them know what path you’ve chosen so it eases their minds.
Remember, you must try to distance yourself emotionally from your
family, else you risk putting them in danger. Make your visits brief.”


“I understand, Kaede-sama”


Kikyou picked up her bow and arrows and began her journey home. No,
that place is no longer home. ‘I have no home now,’ Kikyou thought.
As she gained quite a distance from Kaede’s hut, she sensed someone
following her—not very close behind, but enough to put her ill at ease.
She gripped the bow in her left had more tightly, getting ready for any
attack that might come. She became increasing aware of the weight of
Shikon around her neck.


Inuyasha began to follow Kikyou. ‘I must find an opportunity to get
close to her.’ Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kikyou from
afar. ‘She’s tensing. She must feel my presence. Hrmph. Not bad.
A formidable miko,’ he thought.


* * * * *


(back at the cave)


Rin continued to look at Fluffy. She hasn’t budged an inch. Then
something struck her. An epiphany. Her eyes softened and regained
her normal size. Her hand continued to pet Fluffy.


Sesshoumaru was surprised. ‘Why has she not run away yet? Does
she not know what I am? Hmph. Humans. Figures,’
Sesshoumaru thought.


Rin smiled, enjoying the feel of Fluffy’s fur. “So, you’re the youkai
Kagome-neechan felt earlier,” Rin said. She could feel Fluffy tense up.
“No, no. Don’t worry. I won’t tell her. She wouldn’t understand. She’s
able to sense youkai, just like Kikyou-nen, bn, but me, I’m able to
sense that you’re good. I knew if from the moment I held you. You
wouldn’t hurt me,” Rin said soothingly.


If Sesshoumaru had been confused by this girl before, he was
thoroughly confused now. ‘She’s not afraid of youkai? Every human is
afraid of youkai—even the mikos who pretend to be fearless. She
must be fearful. It must be my small form right now that fails to illicit
fear in her. Wait until she sees what I truly am,’ Sesshoumaru thought.
But deep in the back of his mind, he doesn’t want her to fear him. He
doesn’t want her to see that which he knows she must fear.


“Fluffy-kun. I gotta go, but I’ll be right back, so don’t go anywhere, ‘kay?
Kagome-neechan said she was going to come here, but I have to get
back to stop her,” Rin said as she quickly ran out of the cave.


* * * * *


(Totousai’s shop)


“Kagome-neechan. Didn’t you say you were going to meet me at the
cave?”


“Gomen, Rin. I don’t think I’ll be able to go. There’s too much to do
here. There’s a big order that chichi has to fill and I need to help him.
So, did you go to the cave yet?” Kagome asked.


“Um,” Rin said as she looked down. She can’t say yes. Kagome-neechan
already told her that she can only see Fluffy one more time.


“From your expression, I can tell you’lrealready seen him. So, how is he
doing?”


Rin continued to look down. “He’s doing much better, but he’s still resting.
He hasn’t gotten up and walked around yet,” Rin answered truthfully. She
could feel tears welling in her eyes. ‘Oh no. Kagome-neechan won’t let
me see him again,’ she thought.


“Rin. Don’t look so gloomy. Since Fluffy seems like he won’t be able to
move around much, I suppose you could go see him for the rest of today.”


Rin looked up with a big grin on her face. “Arigato Kagome-neechan,” Rin
said as she quickly ran back to the cave.


Kagome smiled as she watched Rin take off. “She’s so innocent,” Kagome
whispered to herself.


* * * * *


(back at the cave)


Sesshoumaru’s ears perked up. He sensed another’s youki. ‘I must
resume my form. I cannot fight in this small inu form,’ Sesshoumaru thought.
He heard footsteps coming toward the cave. Quick footsteps. Sesshoumaru
stood upright in his now humanoid form awaiting the intruder. He saw the
form appear at the mouth of the cave. ‘Rin?’


Rin looked into the cave expecting to see Fluffy on the ground. Instead she
saw a nude male form where Fluffy once lay. She looked him over. Starting
from his feet, her gaze ran up his form, skipping the spot where Kagome told
her proper girls shouldn’t look. She noticed his clawed feet and hands.
‘Youkai?’ She noticed his long hair, his bangs covering his forehead. She
looked at his face and noticed a color on his cheeks that looks awfully red from
the cave’s lighting. She saw the same color on his wrists. ‘Blood?’ Her face
washed over in white at the thought.


“Where’s Fluffy?” Rin asked in a firm voice.


Sesshoumauru was on alert. He was sure he had sensed youki, but Rin’s
human. No, the youki did not come from her. Sesshoumaru heard the
question. He did not answer. He made a motion, bringing the tips of the
fingers to his chest.


Rin misinterpreted the signal as she lunged forward toward Sesshoumaru.
With tears in her eyes and fists banging at Sesshoumaru’s chest, Rin yelled,
“You ate him. You ate him you awful youkai. I hate you. I hate you.”


‘It is confirmed,’ Sesshoumaru thought, ‘she really doesn’t fear youkai.’


* * * * *

A/N: okay. I’m going to end it here. Sorry for the long delay. Haven’t
found the time to sit down and write because I’m working on another project.
Nope, not another fic (although there’s ideas constantly running through my
head). I have 3 yahoo groups that I’m working on.


At the risk of sounding like a broken record, please review. I love getting
reviews. =o)


Thanks to reviewers:

Aff.net:

Taiki: lol. I really don’t know if it’s onigiri. I’ve had something similar at a
Japanese noodle house, but I don’t know what it was called. Yes, Inu and
Kiyou will meet, and Kagome will play a role as well, but it won’t be the kind
of love triangle where two girls fight over one guy. Girls have more value
than that—don’t you agree? ;)

marnika: thank you. I’m trying my best to make it a great story.

Cookie6: Inu and Kikyou not do anything bad? LOL. Hey, there’s no fun in
that. If I get my way with them, they’re going to be doing loads of “bad” stuff.
LOL. Thanks for reading.

Morie Perl

anhimals: I’m glad you’re able to read the story again. I hope this chappie had
enuf action for you. But the real “action,” I imagine, would come much later
based on the pace of this story. Third chapter and she’s still a kid. Waahhh!
I want to get to the action too. *sniffles*

FF.net:

MintlovesSR: I love Sess x Rin pairings too! I like your enthusiasm. =o)

NewFan: chicky recently added two new chaps to SS, but I don’t know if that
means she’s continuing them. I need to go to the chat room early enough to
catch her so I can get the latest info regarding her IY hiatus. I’ll let you know as
soon as I find out.

Fantasy Cat: wow, you must know the story like the back of your hand if you’ve been
in a play. That’s awesome. ;)

moongoddess1989: Gomen, but there will be some Inu x Kik, however they’re not
the main pairing. I hope you’ll continue to read for the Rin x Sess story though.

Twilight Kitty: thanks for understanding ;)

Angel64: Yes, Rin is pretty selfless isn’t she? That’s how I imagine her character to
be, based on what I’ve seen from the anime.