Run

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the other amazing characters!

Inuyasha’s ears twitched indicating his unease. The day, though beautiful, was much too quiet. Even the birds had ceased their relentless chatter. Then he heard it, the bone-chilling voice of his half-brother. He wheeled around Tetsusaiga drawn and ready before Sesshoumaru could even finish his sentence.


“Little brother, it’s been far too long.” A slight smirk graced his otherwise glacial face. He needed to release his pent up emotion, and a bout with his brother would be just the thing to fix it.

“What the hell do you want?” Inuyasha spat venom seeping into his words. He had never been fond of his half-brother, but after hearing Rin’s forlorn tale he felt nothing but rage directed towards his kin.

“Dear brother, when was the last time you bathed? You scent is perhaps more detestable than usual.” It was only then that Sesshoumaru truly lifted his nose and inhaled his brother’s scent. However, he did not like what he found. Not only Inuyasha, but the rest of his traveling party, they all held the faint scent of Rin. A red haze began to cloud his vision.

“Where is she?” he snarled.

“I don’t know who the hell you’re talking about.” Inuyasha countered.

“Rin!” barked Sesshoumaru “Tell me where she is.” There was deadly force behind each of his words.

“Damn if I know.” His little brother thundered back “And even if I did know, why the hell should I help you?”


Sesshoumaru felt the last of his self control slip away at his kin’s stubborn words. Not a single coherent thought reached its way to his head. Through the red fog that blurred his eyes he could see his target. He stood still for a moment, trembling with rage before something in his brain snapped.

‘Attack!’ his inner voice urged him.

He needed no second bidding. In a blind furry he darted forward slashing Inuyasha with his lethal claws. His dagger like nails shredding anything they came in contact with like paper. Inuyasha swung his cumbersome sword which Sesshoumaru dodged easily earning him a clear shot of his opponent’s back. This time his slice was rewarded with a cry of pain. Inuyasha tumbled forward, skidding about ten feet before coming to a stop.


“Last chance,” Sesshoumaru growled “tell me where she is and you can walk away with your worthless life!”


However, much to his dismay, Inuyasha struggled silently to his feet wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. “Not a chance.” Inuyasha chuckled dryly “You don’t deserve them.”


Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side. ‘Them’? Just as he was about to pursue the topic further, it happened. The demon slayer and the monk dashed forward. The monk threw his arms around Inuyasha, covering his mouth and nose with his ample sleeve as the slayer jumped into the air and threw a misshapen orb onto the ground. As soon as the orb hit the earth a large amount of foul smelling smoke encased the demon lord.


The stench was unbearable. Darkness began to veil his eyes as he fell to the ground. He threw his hand over his nose, yet it was too late. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was the retreating form of his brother, the question still buzzing about his brain. ‘Them’?


***


Several excruciating years passed Lord Sesshoumau’s life without hope or trace of his beloved Rin. Finally he grudgingly gave up his relentless searching and headed towards his home feeling alone and defeated. How could this have happened? How could he have lost his one true love? He decided to send out his best trackers to help aid his cause. He would find her. She could not escape the Lord of the Western and Southern Lands. He would be certain of that.


***


Rin giggled as she chased Yasuo and Kaori about. The little family of three had decided to have a picnic while the weather was still fair. The two were now the mischievous age of six, full of life and eagerness. As the years had progressed their personalities became much more prominent. Yasuo, who now looked strikingly like his father, was shy and eager to learn. Kaori was not nearly as quiet as her brother. However, she, like him, was always eager to please.


Rin had taught them to focus their energy through meditation when they were four, and they had been meditating every day since. In Rin’s eyes, they were the most perfect children to grace the earth.


As Rin bent over the fire, turning their freshly caught fish. She didn’t see her children tense at the scent of approaching strangers, nor did she see Kaori dart forward to protect her mother.


“Kaori, wait!” Yasuo called quietly “You should stay here!”

“Don’t be such a scaredy-cat.” Kaori retaliated before disappearing over the hill.


Kaori gave a high-pitched growl as she leapt onto the demon before her, effectively knocking him to the ground. She slashed at him with tiny claws until something bonked her on the head. She looked about the ground curiously. When she finally spotted the foreign object that had hit her, what appeared to be a weeping mushroom, her prey was out from under her.


Her minute ears twitched in frustration as she wiped damp hair from her brow. Before her stood an equally frustrated demon. He was much taller than her, with russet colored hair lazily pulled back into a ponytail. In each clawed hand green flames danced about ominously, his bushy tail keeping time with the flickering fires.


Green eyes locked with golden brown for a brief moment before they charged each other. Just as they were about to collide each opponent’s eyes widened. A strong arm wrapped around Kaori’s torso, pulling her backwards as an equally strong hand latched onto her adversary’s tail. These actions quickly rendered the two to an abrupt halt.


“Let go, Miroku.” The demon seethed “I’ve got to protect you all from this half demon!”

“I’m afraid not Shippo, she’s one of the ones we’re here to train.” The monk replied light heartedly.

Meanwhile Kaori was giving her mother a run for her money. “Let go Mama!” The tiny half demon raged “He was gonna hurt you! Let go. Let go.”


Rin, however, remained holding her daughter with all her might. “Kaori, stop. Shippo is a friend.”

“Yeah?” he daughter shot back “Then why did he try to hurt us?”

“Hey!” Shippo cried indignantly “You jumped me, remember?”


Yasuo was clinging to his mother’s kimono during all of this, every once and a while chancing a frightened glance towards his sister then the two strangers. By the time Miroku and Rin had calmed down the two raging demons the rest of Miroku and Shippo’s traveling party had arrived.


“Rin!” Kagome exclaimed as she embraced her friend. “How have you been doing? Oh look at them! They’re so big! It seems like just yesterday they were babies.”

“Tell me about it!” Rin replied sounding rather exasperated.


Rin looked down when she felt the oh so familiar tugging on her kimono. Yasuo looked up at her, worry and concern mixed about his features as he watched Kaori play with the demon who had been her mortal enemy just a few short moments ago. “Mama, who are these people? Why are they here?”


Rin knelt down so that her tawny eyes met his strikingly golden ones. She smiled reassuringly as she began to explain in a voice loud enough for Kaori to hear as well. She knew the girl would hear her, even if she didn’t let on to the fact that she did, she was always listening. “Well darling, they are here to train you. They promised they would when you were just a baby. This is Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha. They want to help you learn to fight, so you can always protect yourself.”

“From the people who call us half-breeds?” Yasuo asked looking innocently up at his mother.

“Yes,” Rin said clearly looking pained “from those people.”

“Mama, why don’t the villagers like us? What did we do wrong?” Yasuo asked for what seemed like the hundredth time, yet each time felt more painful than the last.

“Because,” Rin began as she stroked his waist-length shadowy hair “they just don’t understand us, and humans fear what they do not understand.” She gazed into his eyes silently begging him to stop questioning it. Yet Yasuo still had one more question to ask.

“But you’re human, are you afraid of us too?”

Kaori stopped her play to devote her full attention to her mother. She wanted to know as well.

“No.” Rin said “I’m not afraid of you; I love you, both of you.”


These answers seemed to satisfy the children because Kaori resumed her playful activities with Shippo and Yasuo hesitantly chased after them. Shippo, Rin noticed, had gotten much taller. He no longer was small enough to be carried over long distances, and it seemed the group was treating him with more respect.


That evening as the children slept the adults sat around the fire laughing and telling stories of their lives and adventures. As Inuyasha gulped down yet another bowl of stew Rin looked about the group. Sango and Miroku were sitting quite close together as they laughed merrily at the story Kagome was telling about when she and Inuyasha first met. Inuyasha cast his companion angered looks every once and a while when she made him out to be, in his opinion, too dim.


Rin sighed mentally as Miroku grabbed Sango’s hand. As the slayer blushed Rin was left to wonder about her own life. Gods she missed him, everything about him. His voice, his smell, and especially the rare smiles he reserved just for her. Here she was, a mother of two, missing him every second of the day, while he, she was quite certain, was lounging about his castle with his lovely mate. Who knows, perhaps he really did love Kimiko after all.


She sighed once again. What she wouldn’t give to be holding Lord Sesshoumaru’s hand right now, the demon of her heart.


“Rin?” Inuyasha’s voice cut through Rin’s thoughts, bringing her back to reality.

“Huh? What?”

“Will the two be ready to begin training tomorrow?” He repeated.

“Yes,” she said with a smile “yes, I believe they will be ready to train.”

“Good” grunted Inuyasha “I figure, before we start teaching them anything, swordsmanship, archery, hand to hand combat, anything, they need to work on their footing. They can throw all the punches they want, it won’t do them a bit of good if they can’t get out of the way before their opponent throws a punch.”


Rin nodded, that made sense.


“But,” Inuyasha continued grudgingly “Shippo wants to train with them…and the wench here,” he said as he indicated to Kagome “insists that it’s only fair.”

Rin laughed merrily “Of course, he needs to fight too you know!”

“You see?” Laughed Shippo jumping up “Even Rin thinks I should be trained!”

“Oi, Runt, I thought you were asleep!” Inuyasha cried angrily


Rin hid her amusement behind her hand. She noticed the others were doing much the same. When the two had finished their spat the group settled down for some sleep. Inuyasha and Miroku sat reclined against the wall as the others fell asleep on bedrolls. When all the humans had fallen asleep Inuyasha spoke up.


“Oi, it’s alright, you two can go to sleep now, I’ll make sure your mom is safe.”


Kaori and Yasuo’s eyes flew open and rested upon the hanyou against the far wall. Even though his eyes were closed he seemed to see every move they made. How had he known they were awake? The two grudgingly fell into a light sleep after about an hour of watching Inuyasha to make sure he wasn’t up to anything.


The twins were still suspicious of the new comers. Why did their mother trust them so? And why did Kaori bear a slight resemblance to the stubborn hanyou, Inuyasha? They still had no idea that Inuyasha was their uncle, just as Rin had no idea her guests had run into her lord and love. It seemed that each was trying to protect the other from the harsh truth.


***


What no one told Lord Sesshoumaru was that the first thing you forget when a loved one leaves you is their voice. The sweet comforting caress of a voice vanishes one day without a trace or hope of recovery. For Lord Sesshoumaru it took 2460 days. Two thousand four hundred and sixty days since he last heard her tinkling laughter, and it was gone, lost in the deep abyss of his memory.


Everything he was supposed to be doing came to an abrupt halt when he realized this. Frantically he searched his memory trying to hear her voice once more, yet he could not. He could remember her words verbatim, but not her voice. He let out a long low sorrowful howl to the moon, his silent companion. Why was she doing this to him? What had he done wrong? Didn’t she know he wanted to be with her and her alone, no matter what?


***


As the sun peeked over the horizon the group began to arise to meet the day. They were surprised to find that the twins were already awake and meditating outside, just as their mother had taught them. Unlike most children their age, they did not rush through their daily routine, they realized it was important and devoted themselves to their cause entirely. When they finally came in for breakfast they were greeted by their mother with two bowls which they accepted with thanks.


“Well, it’s about time we got started.” Inuyasha said as he stretched.

“Time? Time for what?” questioned Yasuo.

“Your training, that’s what.” Shippo replied before Inuyasha could even open his mouth.


With that the group left the hut and proceeded to a nearby field, they would need the open space. All day Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku taught the children to dodge attacks. Kaori seemed especially tickled when they began working on back hand springs. By the end of the day they couldn’t get them to stop working on their back hand springs and finally gave up, allowing them to flip nimbly all the way back home.


Night fell once more around the pack. However, this evening’s conversations were not nearly as pleasant as the previous night.


“So” Rin began as soon as the children were thought to be asleep. “Last time you were here you had to leave because of a villain; did you kill him as you planed?”

“No” Kagome responded “We have not yet defeated him.”

“Yet we were so close.” Miroku mused.

Rin, whom had always been rather curious, spoke once more “What has he done to spark such a vicious hate in all of you?”

“Naraku has betrayed all of us.” Sango began “He created a wind tunnel in Miroku’s hand, tricked Inuyasha and his first love, ultimately resulting in her demise, slaughtered my entire village and is using my brother as a mindless puppet.”


Miroku rubbed her back in a soothing manner. He hated what Naraku had done to her. Inuyasha continued the tale when Sango stopped, recounting their last battle. As he described unleashing the wind scar upon Naraku Kaori and Yasuo listened fascinated. Whoever these strangers were they certainly knew what they were doing by the sound of it. Long after the others had all drifted into sleep the twins sat up gazing at Inuyasha. The two decided to listen to their new teacher; they knew there was much to learn.


Alrighty then. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter to you all! I took a holiday for a week and then I had serious writers block. Not even kidding, I felt really guilty every time I got on the computer, like I was betraying all of you by not writing. I finally had to resort to my 8th grade teacher’s advice. Make a list. It’s what I do every time I get confused. I think part of my serious lack of creativity for this chapter is due to the fact that I am out of coffee drinks. *GASP* calm down my friends, it will be alright, I promise *sobs into hand*.


.:.My Dazzling, Classy, Alluring Readers.:.


Vanessa- Haha, I really did have to add Inuyasha in…it just worked out so well! And furthermore, woo hoo for adventures! I do so look forward to seeing your drawings of Kaori and Yasuo! Thank you so much for reading!

Hiro- Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh….the whole kool-aid thing really didn’t work out so hot! And don’t worry; I’m never, NEVER, listening to their hair dying tips again! Yay for maternal instincts!

Roushijin- awww! Sorry I made you feel like crying! Haha, I really didn’t intend for it to be a tear jerker…oh well! I know this is kind of mean, but, that review made me laugh! Oh my! *hug* sorry it took so long to update!

Inu-Luva- Once more, I’m sorry it took so long to update! What with the block and all…anywiggle, keep reading, I LUUUUUURVE the reviews!

LordFluffysMate- haha that name made me laugh so hard, I about wet myself! And to be completely honest, I really never did like the Rin Sesshoumaru pairing either. I’m so glad you like it though, I really am! It’s moments like this I wish I was a good chef so I could bake you something delicious…I express thanks and love through food…bear with me!

New Fan- Yeah…Jaken ended up giving me the creeps too…so I killed him off! Yeah, so thanks, that last comment really saved my ass when it came to writing this chapter. I didn’t even think about them meeting up with Sesshoumaru, but that does seem to happen quite often doesn’t it? So…what I guess I’m saying here is…THANK YOU SOOOO VERY MUCH!

Animegirl007- You’ll just have to read and find out then, won’t you? HaHA I’m so evil! Uh-oh, this calls for the EEEEEEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIILLLLLLL Laugh MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Shina- I’m so very glad you like it! I read some of your work by the by, very awesome! I especially liked Werewolf Chaos.

REadER- Isn’t it just a yay moment though?

Ren- Ahhh Ren, how are you doing? I know what you mean about both the computer and the sisters…mine are the same! I laughed so hard while I was reading that! Well, give your sisters my regards…even though that’s kind of weird…but I’m a weird person, so it all works out!

Rawben- hehe, thanks for the review!