InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Concrete Rose ❯ The Lunar Month ( Chapter 3 )

Concrete Rose

 

Chapter 3: The Lunar Month

 

 

 

 

Koga woke up in the tree he was sleeping in. That girl, Rin, was plaguing his dreams. He looked down and saw Hikkaku and Ginta sitting around the fire with their wolves. Sighing, Koga jumped down. Ginta looked over at him.

 

“ Is something wrong, Koga?” He asked. Koga shook his head.

 

“ Do you remember that young girl that used to travel with Inuyasha's brother?” He asked. Hikkaku looked up at the mention of Sesshomaru.

 

“ Yes. What about her?” Hikkaku asked. Koga sighed deeply again.

 

“ I saw her when I visited Kagome. She's grown and a miko now. I'm not sure she remembers who we are. She helped give birth to Inuyasha's pup.”

 

“ You're not thinking of going to see her, are you?” Ginta asked, standing up. Koga glared at him.

 

“ And if I was?”

 

“ Well...I just don't think that Sesshomaru would take too kindly to that. We saw from a while ago that he is very protective of her. What makes you think that has changed?” Hikkaku asked. Koga whirled on him.

 

“ You think that I can't take Inuyasha's brother? If I can beat Inuyasha, then his brother should be no problem.” Koga said arrogantly. Ginta shook his head.

 

“ Technically, you've never beaten Inuyasha fairly...” Koga hit Ginta on the top of his head.

 

“ Shut up, Ginta. I'm going to see her. She intrigues me for some reason. Head back, you two. I'm going to the Western Lands.” Koga said. Ginta and Hikkaku nodded.

 

Elsewhere, Sesshomaru sat in a tree. He stared over the trees at the setting sun. There would be no moon tonight. He smirked inwardly as he thought of how his brother would look without his two ears on top of his head. The price of being a hanyou... Sesshomaru's thoughts ended abruptly by the sound of high-pitched voice that could only belong to one person.

 

“ What the hell are you doing up there?! It's going to get dark soon!” Kimi yelled up at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was determined not look at her.

 

` Do not look at her. If you don't acknowledge her, maybe she'll get bored and go away,' he thought to himself. Kimi smirked and touched the tree when she saw that Sesshomaru was obviously trying to ignore her. She dug her nail into it and shook violently. Sesshomaru cursed under his breath and jumped down. He landed gracefully behind Kimi. She turned and smiled innocently at him.

 

Sesshomaru stared at the arrogant, young youkai. Over the past month, she had done everything short of cutting off his other arm. Kimi was basically the female version of Inuyasha. Kimi was brash, talkative, conceited, and EXTREMELY disrespectful. She and Rin had basically become best friends. Only on Rin's request did Sesshomaru refrain from using Tokujin on her and sending her to hell. She wore his nerves down. He could never get any work done.

 

Normally, it would take a lot to get Sesshomaru to show his anger. He could easily get angry, it was all a matter of showing that he was angry. Kimi had quickly discovered how to get a rise out of him within three minutes of antagonizing him. She was also very creative in the names she chose to call him. These names included “Sessy,” “Sho-Sho,” and his least favorite and most annoying, “Fluffy.” It was like she lived to make his life hell.

 

Only once had Kimi almost made Sesshomaru transform into his dog form. That had happened when she “accidentally” set his own garden on fire and he'd woken up with his hair knotted and braided. Kimi managed to finally get him mad enough to yell at her. The entire time he had yelled into her, she had just looked at him smugly.

 

Now, she stared blankly at him.

 

“ Why are you so content on bothering me?” He said, his voice as placid as ever, although it sounded quite forced. Kimi just smiled at him. Her long white and red hair was in a high ponytail but he left two braids on either side of her head. They fell over her shoulders.

 

“ Because you have an icicle stuck up you ass, Sessy.” She said. Sesshomaru squeezed his fist at her nickname. Kimi noticed this and continued. “ All work and no play makes Fluffy a dull youkai.” Sesshomaru drew in another deep breath. Before he could retaliate, Rin ran up beside him. She was sweating and carrying her sai.

 

“ There you two are. What are you still doing out here? It is getting dark and it is time to eat.” She said. Sesshomaru looked down at the young miko.

 

“ I was resting. SHE started bothering this Sesshomaru.” He said, looking down over at Kimi spitefully. Kimi laughed and crossed her arms.

 

“ I was bothering `that' Sesshomaru because all of the other Sesshomaru's were busy.” She said. Rin tried desperately to stifle her giggles. Sesshomaru glared down at her. She looked up at him and immediately coughed to pretend she was clearing her throat.

 

“ I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. You did kind of set yourself up for that one. To avoid that, do not refer to yourself like that.” Rin said innocently. Sesshomaru merely stared at her in his analyzing manner. Neither noticed that Kimi had stopped laughing. The last sliver of sunlight disappeared. A cold wind blew around them. Rin shivered and looked over at Kimi.

 

“ Aaah!!” Kimi screamed and fell to the ground, holding her head. Sesshomaru followed Rin's gaze to Kimi. Kimi looked up. Her normally two-toned hair was now red and it had broken the band that was holding it up. Sesshomaru looked up and noticed how the sky had gotten completely black. He stepped protectively in front of Rin. Rin peered around his side at Kimi.

 

“ Get back.” He said to her. Rin nodded just as a lightning bolt struck the tree to their left. Kimi slowly stood up. Her dog ears had disappeared. Her normally green eyes were now completely white with no pupils. Her claws were gone.

 

“ Sesshomaru, what's going on?” A new voice asked. Kai had walked beside them. She examined Kim's new appearance. “ What happened to her?”

 

“ It seems that she changes, like a hanyou, on the night of the new moon. Her thunder youkai blood takes over. Let's see if she can control it.” Sesshomaru said, putting his hand on Tokujin. Rin noticed this.

 

“ You can't use Tokujin on her! You'll kill her!” She exclaimed. Kai looked at Sesshomaru.

 

“ She's right. Can't you find another way to defend yourself without using that blasted sword?” Kai asked. Sesshomaru glared at her and released Tokujin. He looked back at Kimi. She'd been standing there, silent for once. She held out her hand and smirked. A bolt of lighting flew towards them. Sesshomaru grabbed Rin and jumped to the nearest tree. Kai jumped in the opposite direction. Kimi looked at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru sat Rin down in the tree.

 

“ Stay here. It appears that she cannot control it. Kai, protect Rin.” Sesshomaru said to Kai as she jumped to the tree they were in. Kai nodded and looked back down at Kimi. Kimi was just watching them, unblinking. Sesshomaru jumped back down and landed gracefully. Kimi smirked and flew towards Sesshomaru at amazing speed. Her strength and speed were amazing. Sesshomaru tried desperately not to hit her too hard.

 

Rin, realizing that she still had her sai with her, looked at them. She got an idea just has Sesshomaru was blasted backwards. Kimi had struck him and now his armor was gone. His arm was bleeding. Sesshomaru caught himself before he hit the ground and bounced back up. Too hurt to stand, he watched as Kimi sauntered up to him. Kai squeezed her hands together.

 

“ I'm going to help him. I don't care what he says.” Kai got ready to jump down. Rin stopped her by jumping first. “ RIN!!” Kai yelled. Rin shook her head. Sesshomaru looked past Kimi's head and saw Rin holding her sai.

 

` What the hell does she think she's doing,' he thought. Apparently, Kimi's senses had decreased since she was a full thunder youkai now. She didn't hear Rin behind her.

 

Meanwhile, Rin charged her sai with her miko energy.

 

“ Hey Kimi!!” Rin yelled. Kimi turned around to look at Rin. Rin aimed at Kimi and threw them. The sai hit Kimi in the chest. Sesshomaru and Kai watched as Kimi screamed in what seemed like agonizing pain. Suddenly, her screaming stopped. Kimi fell back. She reverted back to her regular form. Sesshomaru stood up and popped his shoulder back into place. He limped over to Kimi's body. Kai jumped down from the tree.

 

“ Well, she'll be pleasantly pissed when she wakes up.” Kai said, crossing her arms.

 

“ That's if she remembers anything. She's going to have to learn to control that.” Rin said.

 

“ I'm not too keen on losing my life to a hybrid youkai.” Kai said.

 

“ Especially a female one.” Sesshomaru said. Kai and Rin glared at him. Sesshomaru flexed his fingers, cracking them.

 

“ You can be such a sexist sometimes, Sesshomaru. Just get her to her room.” Kai said. Rin nodded and picked up her weapons. Sesshomaru, wondering about their curtness, looked down at Kimi. She was actually quite pretty when she wasn't popping off at the mouth. He managed to pick her up.

 

After putting her on her futon, Sesshomaru looked at her. There was a minor cut on her cheek. He watched as the cut healed itself quickly. He smirked and turned to leave. Before he closed the door, he heard her say something.

 

“ S-S-Sesshomaru...” Kimi whispered. Sesshomaru turned to see that she wasn't even awake. She shifted a little. He raised an eyebrow.

 

` Why did she say my name,' he wondered to himself. Brushing it off, he turned and left the room.

 

The next day, Rin went down to the village to get some new kimonos for herself and Kimi. Koga entered the village marketplace. Sniffing the air, he caught a whiff of Rin's scent.

 

“ This is it.” He said. Looking around, he saw her examining some cloth. Her black hair was tied back loosely in a braid down her back. Koga blinked, he had not realized that it was so long. He a deep breath and walked over to her. Just as he walked up to her, she turned around to face him. Rin dropped everything she was holding.

 

“ Oh, I'm so sorry.” She said. She kneeled to get it, but Koga stopped her. Rin looked up at him and noticed who it was. “ Hi, Koga. What are you doing here?” She asked. Koga picked up her things and handed them back to her. Rin smiled and wiped a lock of hair out of her face.

 

“ Well, I just passing through and caught your scent. I just came to say hi. This is the village you serve?” He asked. Rin nodded.

 

“ I live in the castle on the hill, though.” She said, looking off into the horizon. “ Koga?” She asked, looking back at him.

 

“ Yes?”

 

“ Would you like to walk me back up there. It is a long walk up those stone steps. Plus, it gets lonely walking up them.” Rin asked, smiling. Koga stare at her with wide eyes.

 

` That was easier than I thought,' he mused to himself. Rin furrowed her eyebrows.

 

“ Koga?”

 

“ Oh, yes. I'll walk you back.” He stammered quickly. Rin smiled sweetly. “ Which way is the castle?” He asked. Rin pointed to the trees at some stone steps.

 

“ Follow me.” She said.

 

Kimi's eyes popped open. Turning her head to the side, she saw Suki opening the curtains. The bright sun blared in Kimi's face. She squinted and sat up slowly. Suki turned around to face her.

 

“ Thanks a bunch, Suki. I really needed that.” Kimi grumbled sarcastically. She rubbed her eyes furiously. They were burning for some reason. Every muscle in her body ached. She felt as if she'd just been through hell and back. There was constant banging in her head that was killing her. Rubbing it, she noticed that her hair was down.

 

“ I shall return with Lord Sesshomaru.” Suki said. Kimi looked up at the sound of his name. He was the LAST person she wanted to see right now.

 

“ No. I have no desire to see him right now.” Kimi said quickly. Suki turned to look at her.

 

“ I'm sorry, Kimi. His word overrules yours. He said that he wanted to be informed the moment you awoke. I shall be back with him.” With that, Suki left. Kimi sighed.

 

` Great! Now I have to face Fluffy in this weakened state,' she thought angrily. Kimi tried to stand, but it appeared that it required a vast amount of energy. She sighed again and sat down. Closing her eyes, she seemed to fall asleep.

 

ENTER FLASHBACK

 

Sesshomaru was kneeling on the grass, staring at her. He was covered in blood. Kimi raised her hand to blast him again.

 

“ Hey Kimi!!” Rin's voice said from behind her. Kimi turned around and saw Rin holding her sai. Rin threw them at her. They impaled her in the chest. She began screaming as pain raced through her veins.

 

END FLASHBACK

 

“ No, no, no, no...!!” Kimi yelled over and over.

 

“ KIMI!!” A familiar voice yelled. Kimi opened her eyes. Suki was kneeling in front of her. Kimi stared at her for a moment, then noticed Sesshomaru's cold stare at her. Kimi sat up.

 

“ Suki.” Sesshomaru said. Suki turned to face her master.

 

“ Yes, my lord?” She asked.

 

“ Leave us.” He said. Suki nodded and left the room, sliding the door shut as she was gone. Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kimi. Kimi shifted uncomfortably under his docile stare. She sighed and ended up breaking the uneasy silence.

 

“ Why the fuck are you staring at me like that? Were you a vulture in another life?” She asked, sounding quite annoyed with him. Sesshomaru raised an inquiring eyebrow.

 

“ Like what?” He asked, his expression remaining unreadable. Kimi stared maliciously back at him.

 

“ Like…” She realized that he really had no expression on his face. Kimi gave up and turned away from him. She looked out at the trees.

 

“ How do you feel?” Sesshomaru asked. Kimi nearly choked on her own saliva. After a violent coughing fit, she looked up at him with a confused expression on her face.

 

“ What?” She croaked.

 

“ I dislike repeating myself, Kimi. By your reaction to my question, I think you heard me just fine.” Sesshomaru replied in a dull, impassive tone. Kimi's eye narrowed.

 

“ Why must you always be an asshole?”

 

“ Answer the damn question, girl.” Sesshomaru said, sighing and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Kimi raised an eyebrow.

 

“ Such foul language...”

 

“ Say it and I will cut off all your hair in the middle of the night.” He said. Kimi smiled.

 

“ I feel like total shit, if you must know. Since when do you give a fuck about how I feel?” Kimi asked, crossing her arms. Sesshomaru chose to ignore her last question.

 

“ I take it you are sore. I also think that you don't remember anything.” Sesshomaru looked thoughtful. Kimi looked confused.

 

“ Do you mind telling me what the hell this conversation is about?” Kimi asked. Sesshomaru looked back down at her. Kimi ran a hand through her hair. Sesshomaru sighed.

 

“ You are a hybrid...”

 

“ Tell me something I don't know.” Kimi said sullenly, cracking her neck. She pulled her hair around her left shoulder and began braiding it. Sesshomaru squeezed his fist together. His hand was itching to just use Tokujin on her.

 

“ My brother is a hanyou. Every new moon, he changes into his human form. It only last for that night. Last night, you also experienced a change. The thunder youkai blood in you took over and tried to kill me.” Sesshomaru said. Kimi nodded.

 

“ It's a damn shame that I failed.” She muttered under her breath while looking out of the window. She knew that Sesshomaru had heard her, given his rather acute senses.

 

“ I will disregard that particular comment. The problem with your change is that you cannot control yourself in that form. The only reason you changed back before the night was over is because Rin used her miko powers. If not, you would've done serious damage to her and Kai.”

 

“ What about you? Weren't you the least bit scared of me?” Kimi asked, looking at him smugly. Sesshomaru glowered down at her. Kimi rolled her eyes and turned back away from him. “ Is that all you have to say to me?” She asked.

 

“ No. were you ever given a weapon to keep your thunder youkai blood in check? Inuyasha has the Tetsusaiga to do that for him. Our father made had it made by Toutousai from one of his fangs, just like my sword, the Tenseiga. If Inuyasha is away from the Tetsusaiga for too long, his inu-youkai blood will take over and he will become a mindless killing machine. So, do you or do you not have a weapon of some sort?” Sesshomaru asked. Kimi turned back to look at him. His face showed no outward emotion.

 

“ Why do you care if I do or if I don't?”

 

“ I do not want Rin getting hurt because of one of your transformations that you cannot control.” He answered coldly. He was getting tired of her avoiding his questions with a question of her own. Kimi stood up and walked closer to him. The long braid of hair touched the ground over her left shoulder. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he noticed just how long her hair had become. Kimi noticed his interest in it.

 

“ It grows longer after every transformation. I'll have to cut it later on. If not, I'll step on it and end up tripping. That trait comes with being a thunder youkai.” Kimi said, looking down at her immense braid of thick hair, the end of which coiled by the side of her foot.

 

“ I will send someone to cut it. I cannot have you breaking bones because you tripped over your hair.” He said calmly. Kimi nearly choked on her own saliva again.

 

“ You actually care if I do?”

 

“ I do not want to hear you moan and groan about it. Now, are you going to answer my question about the weapon or not?” Sesshomaru said without any feeling. Kimi's face dropped and she turned her back on him. She walked to the balcony and looked down at the garden below her.

 

“ I...don't remember if I do or if I don't. Something tells me at one point I did. I honestly cannot remember, though.” Kimi said. Sesshomaru nodded. He turned on his heel. Before he left he stopped and looked over his shoulder. Kimi was looking over hers.

 

“ We will soon find out. Tomorrow we leave for Toutousai's place.”

 

“ And what exactly is this Toutousai going to tell me?”

 

“ He knows a lot about different weapons. Maybe he knows if any were made for you.” Sesshomaru walked out before Kimi could say something else.

 

Kai leaned against the gate at the top of the stone staircase leading to Sesshomaru's palace. She smirked and crossed her arms when she saw Rin coming up with Koga. Koga stopped in his tracks when he saw Kai. For a moment, he thought she was Sesshomaru. Then he noticed she had no markings and two arms instead of one.

 

“ Hello, Kai. Do you know if Kimi is awake?” Rin asked, taking a break from walking. Koga stopped beside her, still eyeing Kai. Kai nodded her head.

 

“ His royal highness is probably still talking to her. We need to find something to control her outburst during the new moon. You know, like Inuyasha has. Who is your friend?” Kai asked, nodding in Koga's direction. Rin turned toward him, smiling.

 

“ This is Koga. I met him at Inuyasha's place. Actually, I met him when I was a little girl, informally. Koga, this is Kai, a friend of Sesshomaru's.” Rin said. Kai made a coughing noise. Rin turned towards her, her hair threatening to become undone. “ What are you laughing at?”

 

“ I wouldn't go as far as to call Sesshomaru and me friends. We inu-youkai do not make `friends,' Rin.”

 

“ So what do you call yourselves?”

 

“ I see Sesshomaru as more of a brother and I'm sure he's sees me as more of a sister. He's not too fond of having a sibling, though. You can probably tell that from Inuyasha.” Kai said. Rin shook her head.

 

“ That's just because Inuyasha is a hanyou.”

 

“ Maybe.” Kai turned her gaze to Koga, who had been silent this whole time.

 

“ You know that Fluffy's going to freak out if he smells another youkai on you.” Kai said. Rin giggled at the nickname.

 

“ I see Kimi's nickname has caught on.”

 

“ Well, I've always dreamed of calling him that because of that thing on his shoulder. I mean, look at it. It's fluffy. He even has it when he's in full youkai form.”

 

“ I don't know why he has it. I've seen him use it as a weapon before.” Rin said, adjusting the cloth she was holding. Kimi laughed outright this time.

 

“ Trust Sesshomaru to find a use for it.” Well, I suggest you get a bath before he sees you. I would hate to find out what he sounds like when he senses another male on you.” Kai said. Rin nodded and turned towards Koga.

 

“ I will see you later, Koga. Maybe I could meet you down at my hut in the village. I need to go check on Inuyasha's pup tomorrow. Will you accompany me?” She asked sweetly. Koga just stared at her for a moment. “ Koga?”

 

“ Oh, yes. I'll go with you.” He said. Rin nodded and smiled. She walked off pass Kai. Koga turned to go. Kai watched Rin. Once she was out of earshot, she looked back at Koga as he descended down the staircase.

 

“ Koga!” She yelled after him. Koga turned around slowly and looked at the female youkai. She walked down the stairs to him, her ponytail blowing behind her. He had to admit, she was almost as intimidating as Sesshomaru. They did look alike after all.

 

“ What is it?” He asked in his arrogant tone. Kai raised an eyebrow at this, then smirked.

 

“ You like her, don't you?” She asked. Koga cocked his head to the side.

 

“ Yes. She's very nice and pleasant to talk to.” He said, almost innocently. Kai shook her head and rolled her eyes.

 

“ That's not what I meant, smart one. You intend on making Rin your mate, do you not?”

 

“ What is it to you if I do?”

 

“ Oh, I wish you luck. But, I'm just saying that Sesshomaru doesn't take kindly to anyone, youkai or human, that comes on to Rin. Believe me, the humans haven't yet come calling, but I see the way they look at her in the village. Plus, I see the way you look at her. You ogle her.”

 

“ I do not `ogle,' as you so erroneously put it...”

 

“ Kai.” She said. Koga nodded.

 

“ ...Kai. Inuyasha said the same thing. What is it about Sesshomaru that has everyone so scared?”

 

“ It is part of being an inu-youkai. They are VERY protective of their young.”

 

“ Rin is not Sesshomaru's pup.” Koga countered. Kai shrugged indifferently.

 

“ That doesn't make a difference. He has raised her for most of her life. Rin would most certainly be dead if it had not been for Sesshomaru. From what she's told me, a pack of wolves killed her when she was six or seven. Sesshomaru revived her for reasons still unknown to Rin and me.”

 

“ A pack of wolves, you say?” Koga asked. Kai looked at him suspiciously.

 

“ Yes. A pack of wolves is what I said. Why has your face suddenly gone pale?”

 

“ No reason.” Koga lied. Kai nodded, still sensing his fear.

 

“ Well, I'm just letting you know that you becoming her mate will be no easy task. Even though she is human, and he despises humans, he still sees her as his daughter. So, be very careful what you do or say around Rin. Especially in Sesshomaru's presence.” Kai said. She turned and walked off, confident that she had just scared Koga shitless. She was sure that Koga was the leader of the wolves that had killed Rin. He probably hadn't even done it intentionally, but it was done nonetheless. Sesshomaru probably knew that, too.

 

` Good luck, wolf youkai. This ought to be very entertaining to witness,' Kai thought as she continued ascending the steps to the castle.