Shards of Destiny

I do not own Inuyasha! Rumiko Takahashi does and she is brilliant for creating it!

---

The phone rang and Seresute picked it up.

"Hello? Higurashi residence?" she said.

"Hello Seresute, school has been cancelled and so has the dance," Eri's voice came over the other line.

Seresute sighed. "Thanks Eri." She hung up and faced Sesshomaru.

"The dance has been cancelled. Let's go back," she said.

---

"Master Jaken, do you think Lord Sesshomaru and Seresute will come back soon?" Rin was picking flowers as she talked with Jaken.

"Uhhhhhh, I don't know if I want that horrid female back yet," Jaken said, lying on his back on Ah-Un, his arm over his eyes.

"Care to repeat that again?" a woman's voice rang out.

Jaken leapt up upon hearing that voice and noticed his lord and Seresute walking toward them. Rin giggled and ran toward the two.

"Seresute! Lord Sesshomaru! I'm glad you're back!" Rin's tiny little arms tried to go around Seresute, but couldn't. Seresute laughed and hugged Rin back. "So am I," she said quietly. The only person who heard her was Sesshomaru.

"Jaken!"

"Y-yes, mi'lord?"

"Let's go." Sesshomaru turned and began walking in some random direction. "Yes, my lord. Rin, come on!"

Rin smiled and began to walk away. Seresute stood there, just gazing out beyond the hills into the sky. 'Ryoko, I wish you were here to see this.'

"Seresute! Are you coming?" Rin had turned to see that she had not moved. Seresute snapped out of her thoughts and turned to gaze at the child.

"Yes, I'm coming Rin."

'You haven't changed from the moment you were born, angelic child.' she thought.

As they walked, Rin sidled up next to Seresute and looked up at her face. She could tell Seresute was troubled. She would talk to her later.

---

It was twilight and a camp had been set up. Jaken had just finished gathering wood for the fire and Rin was eating quietly. Sesshomaru sat against a tree, gazing at nothing.

Seresute watched all of them and then shifted her gaze to the full moon. A gentle breeze came and her long brown hair was blown from her face lightly. She hadn't felt it, but a small tear had fallen from her eye.

"Seresute?" Seresute quickly turned to see Rin, who worn a concerned look on her face.

"Rin! I'm sorry, but I..." She quickly brushed the tear from her eye, but Rin had already seen it. She sat down next to her.

"Seresute, I know something has been troubling you. Can you tell me?"

Seresute gazed down at her, the child who had been so dear to her for years. She sighed. She was going to have to tell someone eventually. She looked behind her to make sure that the others weren't listening, then turned back.

"Before you were born and before I knew Sesshomaru, I...loved someone. I didn't think he loved me, but when he died, he told me he did love me. I've been haunted by his death ever since. I never told you because I didn't want you to feel the suffering and anguish I have borne for a long time. I guess I should tell you what happened."

---

It was pitch black and Seresute could hardly see. Then she saw a white shape ahead. Moving towards it, she was shocked to see who it was. "Ryoko!" He looked up into her face. "Seresute! Help me, please!"

She ran up to him and tried to remove the bonds, but to no avail. "Who did this to you?" "I-it was that horrid demon. He planned on turning me into a monster like he did everyone else." A loud heartbeat suddenly sounded from him and he began to groan and yell.

"Seresute, get out of here quick!" he yelled. "What's wrong?" Before she could say anything else, he was changing before her very eyes. His neck was disappearing and his body was growing and distorting. A long tentacle was growing from his side. "Run!" he yelled, then it turned into a growl. With a roar, he broke his bonds and grabbed a large nearby axe.

Seresute didn't stop to think. She ran. The monster, formerly Ryoko, ran after her, brandishing the axe. There was a cell up ahead. She ran into it and closed the door quickly. She flattened herself against the back wall, as far away from the door as possible. The thing began hitting the door with its body and the axe, trying to break it open. Seresute watched with glistening eyes, moving slowly towards the door. Just as she took her first step, the door just broke and the tentacle slid in, ramming her and slamming her into the wall. A scream escaped her as she hit the wall hard and she groaned from the pain. The tentacle wrapped around her and lifted her up, constricting her breath. She struggled to free herself, but she couldn't. The monster slowly lumbered into the cell and watched as she struggled. Then it lifted the axe and prepared to strike. As it swung, it stopped mere inches from her neck.

"S-Seresute!" Ryoko's voice escaped the thing. She lifted her head, seeing the axe and his face. It swung the weapon down toward the tentacle and sliced it off. It screamed momentarily before it fell against the wall. Slowly, it turned back into the form of Ryoko, wearing his ragged pants, but no shirt.

She ran to him. "Oh Ryoko..." She fell to her knees next to him. Then she felt his hand take ahold of hers and begin to lead it to his cheek. As her hand touched his cheek gently, he leaned into it slightly.

"You're...warm," he whispered in a soft voice.

"Ryoko, you've got to hang in there, okay? My friend's come to save us, we're getting out of here."

"Your...friend kept his promise...I'm sorry, I cannot," he choked.

"What? What are you saying?" She was desperate now. She knew he was dying.

"I'm glad that I met you. I...I love you...Seresute." With the sound of her name from his lips, a breath of air escaped him and he died, his head hanging limp and his hand falling from hers.

"Ryoko...Ryoko...RYOKO!" She shook him as she said his name and when he didn't move, she began to sob. She leaned her head into the crook of his throat and sobbed.

---

Rin stared straight ahead, her mind filled with images of Seresute and this Ryoko. Suddenly she heard quiet sobs and turned to see Seresute. Her nose was red, and tears were running down her cheeks.

"Seresute, I'm sorry," she said. "No, it't not your fault Rin. I should've been strong enough to save him, but it was just like the time Sesshomaru saved you and I couldn't. My powers were depleted and I couldn't save any of you."

Rin patted Seresute's arm in an attempt to comfort her. It didn't work. Seresute sobbed harder.

'She really did care for Ryoko. And for me,' Rin thought.

"All that time, I loved Ryoko and I never thought he could love me back. But when he told me, I thought my heart was being torn into two. I can never tell him of my feelings now. I just wish...I could see him one last time, and tell him," Seresute choked, her voice hoarse with tears.

Rin put her arm around her. Behind them, Sesshomaru watched with thoughtful eyes. He had heard what she had said and was in deep thought about it. He would speak of it to her later when she wasn't choked up about it.