InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Exchanged ❯ Connections ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: All I possibly own is the storyline…Takahashi-sama owns the characters!

 

A/N: Miroku & Sango will not be appearing in this fic; they are, ahem, dust & ashes by now…

 

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Exchanged: Part Three

Connections

 

It felt kind of weird to be riding in a car with Sesshomaru. Not because of the way he handled it, but because it was a car. A very, very sexy two-seater, to be sure, but definitely not on the same scale as a two-headed dragon, or a ball of light.

 

After about fifteen minutes of Sunday-in-Tokyo traffic and watching him tap a long slim claw on his knee as we were cut off yet again, I ventured to ask why he subjected himself to this, when he had another method of transport that was far faster and more efficient time-wise.

 

“I do not need to have the air force called out when I simply wish to visit my brother and his family across town, Rin.”

 

“Wow…they pick you up on radar?”

 

“No, but I find this method is less attention-getting during daylight hours.”

 

I smiled coyly. “Really? A fancy imported black sports car with a gorgeous silver-haired guy driving it…nope, definitely not attention-getting at all. Hey… how come you didn't hide your appearance in your apartment building?” We'd gone down to the parkade with full-on markings…

 

“That building is actually our clan's Tokyo base…all the inhabitants are either inu-youkai or our allies, so there is no need to `hide' ourselves.”

 

That stunned me for a moment. A whole building of demons? And it wasn't a small building, either…Just how many of them were around, anyways?

 

“Ummm…I thought you were the Lord of the Western Lands…wouldn't that be on the coast?”

 

“My family's ancestral fortress is indeed located on the Sea of Japan, not far from Niigata. A presence in Tokyo is necessary for security.”

 

Security? For what? Then I remembered the raven-youkai and changed my next question at the last second. “Is that … two-headed dragon still around?”

 

“I assume you mean Ah-Un?” I nodded. “He stays at the fortress…he is getting on in years. He would be most pleased to see you.” Along with the unicorns, no doubt…

 

I held my tongue for a bit, digesting all of this, then ventured another query, since he seemed to be in a chatty mood. “Uh…how do you hide your facial markings, anyways?”

 

He shot a cool look my way, and since we were sitting in traffic behind tinted windows, he showed me. A simple spoken word, and his hair was black, his face was smooth and unmarked, and his claws and stripes were gone. I took his hand into my lap and turned it over, examining it, running my fingers over the clawless tips. I finally looked at him. “Thanks for showing me, Sesshomaru…but I must say, I prefer your natural appearance.” I blinked, and he was back in all his stripey glory. I reached over and tucked a few stray silvery strands behind his re-pointed ear. “Much better…” I almost missed the slight shiver that passed over him when my fingertips brushed his ear. I know my whole hand was tingling.

 

I held onto his hand with both of mine, `forgetting' to give it back; he let me keep it, and seemed mildly amused with the fact that I was playing with it like a kitten investigating a new toy. Traffic was so slow that he was keeping the car in low gear, anyways. I was trying not to think about why I wanted to touch him at all, because quite frankly, the direction my thoughts were going in was scaring the hell out of me.

 

I knew him. The rumble of his purr, the feel of his skin, the colour changes of his eyes depending on his mood…I knew all of this. I also knew that there was no way in hell that I could possibly know all of this…unless I really was a reincarnation of that pony-tailed little girl in the anime, who actually existed as a real person. He didn't seem like the child-molester type, so that left the truth of what he called me last night giving itself some elbow room in my brain…

 

His aisai; his `beloved wife'. Somehow, I was able to twist my head around the idea that just possibly, I was the mate of a creature out of myth…or nightmare. I looked at my reflection in the car's side mirror. Dimly reflected back I saw my own face; blue eyes, golden skin, curly hair, but I didn't feel like myself any more. It was like there was someone else in my skin…someone else who was totally comfortable with all of this.

 

I stole a look at Sesshomaru, who seemed completely absorbed in the traffic, but I knew the way I was stroking his hand had a good part of his attention. “Sesshomaru, did Inuyasha mention…children?”

 

“Yes. He and Kagome have two pups; a boy, Inutai, known as Tai, and a younger girl, named Tsuki.”

 

“How old are they?”

 

“Tai is six years, and Tsuki is almost four.”

 

“What are they like?”

 

He chuckled. “Tai is exactly like his father at the same age…full of bounce and mischief. He gets into everything, and then tries to bluff his way out of the mess he's made. Tsuki, on the other hand, is a darling… but watch out for her temper. She can pitch a fit that her grandfather would have been proud of.”

 

“Er…at what point did you and Inuyasha…start not liking each other?”

 

“He had the appearance of a ten year old human when we parted ways.” That word `appearance' stuck in my brain; Sesshomaru obviously picked up on the clogged gears, and took pity on me. “Demons age much slower than humans; Inuyasha was a few decades old by that time, and a strong fighter. It was much later that he met the priestess, and was pinned to the tree.”

 

Several questions were racing around madly in my brain, questions based on my peeks at Hiromi's manga. I took a deep breath, and grabbed one. “Naraku really did exist?”

 

“Yes. The completion of the Jewel, and his destruction allowed Inuyasha and Kagome to return to this time through the well and begin their lives together without fear. That was about eight years ago.”

 

“Wait, how did you…did you have to wait until time caught up with itself again?” He nodded. “So you didn't come through the well with them…” My voice trailed off as I did a quick calculation to come up with a best-guess at Sesshomaru's age.

 

Holy crap. Talk about an older man. He was smirking at the expression on my face. I popped my jaw back into place.

 

“How did Inuyasha take it, when he ran into you again in this time?”

 

He looked out the window; his mouth twitched. “Not well, as may be expected… we managed to sort out our differences, however, and now we are each other's main ally.”

 

Ally against what? Right, the `wind witch'…

 

“I-I guess…the first Rin…already knew all this…I'm sorry if you feel like you're repeating yourself…”

 

“She knew the politics of our kind, but she did not know that I had reconciled with my brother. She was…already gone.”

 

I hesitated, my mouth dry, before I carefully asked my next question. “Ummm…Sesshomaru? Did you and… the other Rin… have any children?”

 

The hand I held twitched, and then he laced his fingers with mine. “No. It was not our destiny.” His voice held old pain; I lightly stroked the stripes around his wrist with my thumb.

 

“I'm sorry.” The words sounded so inadequate; he squeezed my hand gently. There was silence for a few minutes, while I gathered my courage for another question.

 

“Sesshomaru…how did…you lose…your other Rin?” I saw his throat working; he pulled his hand away from mine and ran it briefly over his face. It took him a long time to answer me.

 

“We will speak of that another time…when it is right.” There was such finality and darkness in his voice that I shivered, and watched traffic for the rest of the trip. Fortunately, it wasn't too long before we were pulling through the gates of an old-fashioned shrine, and parking next to a very nice SUV in front of a modern home. I hopped out, looking around me with curiosity. An older house stood across the way, and the shrine itself backed against a slight incline. Flowers were everywhere, in pots, in planters and growing wild anywhere there was a patch of damp earth.

 

Sesshomaru came around the back of the car and waited for me to stop gawking. He held out his hand to me; I smiled braver than I was feeling, and walked over to take it. He stepped close in and murmured in my ear, “Forgive me for not answering you right away; I promise I will tell you, soon…but for now let us enjoy this evening…” It was a gently proffered peace offering; I smiled into his eyes.

 

“I understand…I will wait, Sesshomaru.” He opened his mouth, as if to say something more, but then raised my hand to his lips instead. We turned towards the house, and walked up the flower-bordered cement pathway to the door.

 

The door slammed open, and a squealing streak of lightening bolted out, attaching itself to Sesshomaru's leg. It was a small boy; from the look on my escort's face, I was strongly and hilariously reminded of a cartoon featuring a very large white rooster being assailed by a very small chicken hawk…except this chicken hawk was growling happily.

 

“Hiya, Unca Sess! Wanna sword fight?”

 

“Not right now, Tai…I have brought a guest I'd like you to meet…” Tai dislodged himself from Sesshomaru's leg and stood in front of me, wide stance, arms akimbo. His formerly white, now very dirty, t-shirt looked like he'd been climbing trees in it; half of it was untucked from his red pants. I crouched down to eye-level with him. Tai's hair was long, pewter-coloured and full of leaves and twigs; he had human ears with the slightest suggestion of a pointed tip, and dark golden eyes above very smutty cheeks and nose. He eyed me critically. I grinned at him.

 

“Hello, Tai. My name's Rin. Would you show me how to sword fight later?”

 

He disdainfully crinkled his nose. “Nope. You're a girl…you can only shoot arrows…hey! I'm supposed to help Daddy an' Unca Sess protect you…wait there…” He turned and raced back into the house, yelling at the top of his lungs, “Daddy! Daddy! I need the Sa'Saiga to protect Rin!”

 

He nearly knocked over a wee person who could only be his little sister. Dressed in dark red, she stood shyly in the doorway, her finger in her mouth, peeping around the frame at me. Standing up, I smiled at her; she ducked her dark head.

 

If your image of `Lord Sesshomaru' does not include him being a doting uncle, you're in for a shock. I know I was startled, and I was standing right there.

 

Sesshomaru dropped to one knee, holding out his arms to her. “Come, Tsuki-chan…uncle needs a hug…” he wheedled. She giggled, and ran lightly to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He stood up, hugging her tightly. Her hair had the shimmering quality of a black pearl; her dainty ears were slightly pointed, like her brother's. When she let go of Sesshomaru's neck and looked at me directly, I could see her eyes were liquid silver. She fluttered her eyelashes…what a little minx! It was obvious she was uncle's favourite. “Tsuki, this is Rin…can you say hello?”

 

“ `lo, Win.” She shamelessly cuddled into Sesshomaru's shoulder, looking very pleased with herself.

 

“Hello, Tsuki. I'm glad to meet you.” A tremendous clattering that sounded like nothing less than a whole cupboard of pots and pans on the loose sped towards us.

 

“Oi, squirt…bring that back, you little terror!” I heard Inuyasha's unmistakeable shout, but it was too late.

 

“No, Daddy…I needs it for Rin!” Tai came flying out the door, with his father's sword bounding and clashing along the ground behind him. He tripped over it, and would have taken a nasty tumble, except Sesshomaru demonstrated his demonic speed and caught him over his arm. “Put me down, Unca Sess, gotta a job t' do…” The small warrior straightened himself, and stalked over to me, the sword's scabbard taking a beating on the cement pathway. Tai reached up to grab my hand tightly. “ C'mon, Rin, Mommy's waitin'.” He swung the sword around behind him, taking out a whole swathe of petunias.

 

Inuyasha appeared in the foyer, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He rolled his eyes, and sighed heavily, then grinned at me. “Welcome to the jungle, Rin…” I laughed, and obediently followed my small-but-fierce escort into the house, shucking my shoes on the way.

 

Inside, he towed me directly to the kitchen at the back, where dinner preparations were in full swing. Kagome laughed when she saw her son determinedly hauling in me in, and came forward, her beautiful grey eyes sparkling. “Thank you, Tai…I can take it from here.” She reached for my hands and squeezed them between her own. “It is so lovely to have you here, Rin…I've never seen Sesshomaru so animated as when he told us he'd found you.”

 

I suddenly felt really shy. This was the girl who had actually experienced all of those wild adventures…and here I was in her kitchen, filled with delicious smells and children's laughter. Things felt like they were tilting dangerously…she obviously caught my look, because she gave my hands another comforting squeeze. “It's pretty overwhelming when you meet one of them, isn't it?” she asked quietly, indicating her husband and his brother, talking in the middle of the passage between the kitchen and the living room. Tsuki was still snuggled in Sesshomaru's arms, twirling a lock of his silver hair. Tai was trying to sneak past his dad, probably with designs on trying the Tetsusaiga out on the trees in the back yard, but Inuyasha foiled him, scooping him up and hanging him upside down over his arm, ignoring the resulting loud complaints and thrashing.

 

I nodded, still unable to speak. She winked, and leaned in to whisper, “Sesshomaru is a lot of bark…he's been alone for so long, and he is so happy to have you with him. If he seems distant at any point, it's probably because he's afraid he's pushing you too hard to remember. You should have seen him this morning when we came over…he could have had any of his people guard you, but he insisted that we come out. He's very protective…”

 

“Thank you, Kagome-san…oh, and thanks for the supplies you brought this morning for me.”

 

“No problem…please, call me Kagome…we will be sisters, after all.”

 

I gulped. Sisters?! She had turned away towards the stove, and an older dark-haired lady who was supervising. “Rin, this is my mother, Asako Higurashi. She's still the best cook in the family, and I'm still learning…” A pair of gentle dark eyes took me in and assessed me at a glance; Mrs. Higurashi stepped forward, smiling, wiping her hands on her apron, and took mine, just like her daughter.

 

“Pleased to meet you, Rin…welcome to our home.”

 

“Thank you, Higurashi-san…it is all a little, um, all at once, you know?…”

 

“Good…we'll give you a job to do to settle your nerves…” She handed me a spoon with instructions to keep an eye on a pot of dashi, and to tell her when it boiled, so she could add the vegetables. It was almost like home, when all of my dad's brothers and their families came over for a potluck; that was reinforced when two young men came in the front door, from the direction of the other house. They were both about twenty years old, or so; one was dark and the other had bright auburn hair, held in a long ponytail…and a bushy tail swishing along behind.

 

I nearly dropped the spoon, when the red-head broke off his conversation with the other boy, started sniffing the air and turned brilliant green eyes on me. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stopped talking, and watched him closely. The dark haired youth rescued Tai from turning as red as his pants and paused to watch the show.

 

The red-head walked right up to me. He barely came up to my chest; I definitely had a height advantage. His ears were as pointed as Sesshomaru's; I suddenly realized that this must be `Shippo'…not so little and but still pretty cute. He sniffed really hard, his eyes never leaving my face, and then he relaxed and grinned a huge, dazzling, fangy grin, shaking his head.

 

“It sure is you, Rin, but holy smoke, could you get any taller?”

 

I arched my eyebrows at him. “I dunno…could you get any shorter?” He chortled, and reached for my hand, which he shook heartily.

 

“It's really good to see you again, Rin…maybe the Big Dog over there will stop being so grouchy now that you're back.” On cue, Sesshomaru growled; Tsuki giggled, and patted his chest with a tiny hand.

 

Mrs. Higurashi shooed Shippo firmly out of the cooking area, and beckoned the dark haired boy, who handed Tai off to Shippo, and came forward. He smiled at me from under his bangs, and offered his hand. I shook it. “I'm Sota, Miss Rin…pleased to meet you.”

 

“Likewise, I'm sure…just Rin is fine.” He swiped a few shredded carrots and backed out, eyeing his mother, who was advancing wielding a colander.

 

“Out, all of you…dinner will be ready in a few minutes…somebody take custody of my grandson and clean him up, please.” Shippo and Sota took a grubby little hand apiece; Tai was relieved of his purloined weaponry and he was whisked towards what I presumed was the bathroom, despite his howls of protest. Kagome handed me a pile of bowls and plates, while balancing chopsticks and glassware herself; we proceeded to set the large low table surrounded by cushions. I followed her lead; my family wasn't exactly traditional at home, so I was curious how it was done. I also wasn't sure how I was going to fold myself up in a skirt to sit gracefully; then I looked over at Sesshomaru. Well, if he could do it…minus the skirt, of course.

 

Platters and tureens and loaded plates started arriving in the middle of the table. I helped ferry them; the cushions filled up. Inuyasha took custody of his briefly clean and squirming son, plunking him down on the cushion next to him. Kagome seated herself beside Inuyasha, and Tsuki let go of her uncle to sit beside her mother. Sota, Shippo and Mrs. Higurashi sat down; the only spot left for me was beside Sesshomaru. I sank down as carefully as possible, and managed it fairly well. I hoped I didn't have to get back up any time too soon, though. Sesshomaru smiled at me, and then a small cup of sake appeared in front of me. “A toast to welcome Rin to our family…” I blushed at the banzais, and bravely tossed it down along with everybody else, trying not to shiver.

 

Other than that, the chopsticks and the kneeling, it was like a raucous extended-family dinner at my house in San Jose, with all the aunts and uncles and cousins gathered around the table. My mom would feel right at home; I caught my breath, imagining her sitting over there in conversation with Mrs. Higurashi…my brother Kai trading gaming tips with Sota and Shippo…my dad, well, my dad can talk to anybody about anything. He'd find something to chat to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru about; he wouldn't bat an eyelash over the hair or the facial markings, because he works with street kids back home. All Sesshomaru needed were a couple of piercings…

 

I really missed them. I was going to have to phone home, and soon.

 

The conversation was a bit over my head, so I stayed quiet, listened and ate. Kagome and Inuyasha were fairly well occupied with their children; Tai had to be slowed down, as his appetite was impressive and his manners were atrocious. I felt eyes on me; Mrs. Higurashi smiled kindly, and pushed a dish of pickles my way. “Don't worry, Rin, you'll get the hang of things around here soon enough. This family takes a bit of getting used to.” I mumbled my thanks, and peeked over at Sesshomaru; he was watching Tai's antics with faint amusement.

 

The meal eaten, the boys cleared the table and started washing up. Shippo winked at me. “Special treat for the new family member…you get to scrub the pots next time, and Mrs. Higurashi uses every one in the house when she gets going…” The maligned cook cheerfully smacked him with a wet towel; he chuckled. “However, the results are always delicious, so we don't mind a little extra cleaning up to do!”

 

Tsuki had slipped around the table and onto Sesshomaru's lap again. She was definitely assessing me, wondering how I fit into the scheme of things in her little world. I could have told her that I wasn't sure, either. Tai escaped his dad, and bounced over to me. “Rin, wanna come see my fort?”

 

“Sure, Tai…help me up?”

 

He gave me a distinct hairy eyeball. “You're lots bigger than me…how'm I gonna get you up?” Conceding his point, I started untangling my legs; fortunately, Sesshomaru applied a bit of leverage in the form of his hand against my back, or I never would have made it.

 

I straightened my skirt, and smiling, held out my hand to Tsuki. “Would you like to come too, Tsuki?” She very shyly took my hand and we followed Tai out the front door to retrieve our shoes, and then went around the back of the house.

 

It was kind of like taking a puppy for a walk…you know, when you walk in a more or less straight path, and the dog goes twice the distance while doing laps around you…Tai would have given a Jack Russell a run for its kibbles. He led us in the direction of a massive old tree not far from the shrine. I stopped to crane my neck up at it, and then to admire the solid trunk. There was damage to the bark about twelve feet off the ground.

 

Crap. This was the tree that started the whole thing. Tsuki tugged my hand. “Dis is daddy's twee…mommy unsticked him fwom it…”

 

“Wait up, Rin…” We turned to see Kagome hurrying to catch up with us. Tai scowled when he saw his mother.

 

“I wanna climb up to my fort, mommy…”

 

She shook her finger at him. “Only to the fort, and no higher, mister…your daddy can't spend all his time rescuing you when you get stuck, you know.”

 

Tai sighed heavily, and then took off running again. We three followed at a more sedate pace, Kagome and I swinging a giggling Tsuki between us. The tree with Tai's fort stood at the bottom of the incline beside an ancient building that resembled a miniature version of the shrine. We sat down on the steps; I kept looking over my shoulder at the building. Tsuki skipped off, and came back with handfuls of flowers. I started weaving them into a wreath for the little girl's head, while wondering how to ask Kagome about her life, when she anticipated me.

 

“Yes, it is the well house…the portal sealed itself after Inuyasha and I came through for the last time.”

 

“Sesshomaru said that was about eight years ago?”

 

She nodded her dark head. “I still really miss our friends from there…Sango and Miroku and Kaede, but Shippo and Sesshomaru were able to tell us how they lived out their lives, so it doesn't hurt like it used to. Sango and Miroku finally got married, and made their living as demon-slayers…though business was pretty slow, what with Naraku's demise. I know one of their descendents; she's a police officer, of all things.”

 

“When did you meet Sesshomaru on this side?”

 

“Hmmm…I was pregnant with Tsuki, so almost five years ago? He sent Shippo first, and once we got over that shock, then he came to see us. Inuyasha was…well, just about as thrilled as you may imagine at first, but they've actually become good friends and colleagues…and Uncle Sess adores his Tsuki, doesn't he, my girl?”

 

Tsuki's silver eyes sparkled as I arranged the flowers on her dark tresses; she danced away, laughing, to pick some more. Tai hallooed from the window of his tree fort; Kagome and I waved. I swallowed, and hesitated, but finally asked, “Kagome, what was it really like…being a reincarnation?”

 

Her grey eyes were serious. “Sesshomaru told us that you'd had a dream about the wolves…I never had anything like that, Rin, so I can't help you there. Sesshomaru seems pretty certain that you have memories of your previous life locked away.” She reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. “You look nothing like the other Rin, which is a definite advantage, trust me. There is a photograph of her somewhere at the apartment, taken in the nineteen-twenties, I think. She was dark and petite and brown eyed, and came up to Sesshomaru's elbow…you're very beautiful in your own right. I was an exact double of Kikyo, and that caused a lot of heartache until Inuyasha sorted things out for himself.”

 

Another pile of flowers landed in my lap, and I started weaving another wreath. A cream-coloured cat appeared out of nowhere. It was beautifully marked with black on its ears, paws and… two tails? It was happily rubbing against my dark skirt, leaving light hair everywhere. Kagome chuckled. “Kirara! You naughty girl…you know that Sesshomaru can't abide cat hair…” The cat demon opened her huge glowing red eyes, and winked at me, then emitted a tiny `miaow', before jumping up onto my lap in the middle of the flowers and rubbing her cheek against my chin.

 

I was more than a little surprised. I'm more of a dog person, myself. Kagome slid over beside me and patted my arm before transferring Kirara from my lap to hers; the cat demon curled up, purring. “Trust Sesshomaru, Rin; he will always protect you; when a dog demon loves, it runs deep and true.”

My head shot up, nearly colliding with hers. She chuckled at the expression on my face. I shook my head. “How could he be in…love…with me already? We've only been together for less than eighteen hours!”

 

“Trust me, he is…don't you feel something tingling when he touches you, or holds your hand?”

 

“I thought that was just my overwrought nerves…” I muttered.

 

“No…that is your soul responding to his…I had that experience with Inuyasha right from the first, although I didn't know what it was at the time. It's meant to be, Rin, that's all I can say. You've gone from data entry exchange worker to member of a demonic dynasty…I know it's a bit much all at once, but somewhere inside of you, there is a locked door holding back all this knowledge. You lived a very long life with Sesshomaru the first time; the information you need is there, waiting for you.”

 

I think I must have had that nicely stunned look by now. I dazedly handed the new wreath to Tsuki; she plunked it on my head instead. Kagome straightened it, smiling. “You were the Lady of the Western Lands, and presided over the court, Rin…although I doubt you were ever crowned with daisies and clover.” She cupped her hands around her mouth and called, “Come down, Tai…time to get ready for bed. If I have to send daddy up to fetch you, no story…”

 

The small boy dropped out of the tree and shuffled over, grumbling and kicking stones out of his way. I poked him. “Hey, Tai, want to play follow-the-leader?” At his bright-eyed grin, I took off with him in hot pursuit. I have a couple of small cousins…they all like to play chase.

 

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were standing outside the back door of the house when they spotted us. We were being airplanes at that moment, zipping around in circles with our arms spread out to the side, and making zooming noises. Sesshomaru had the most peculiar expression on his face; he stepped forward to catch my hands while Inuyasha intercepted his son before he crashed into the backs of my legs. He looked into my eyes for a long moment, then brushed a few stray curls away before stooping to lightly kiss my cheek.

 

Kagome was right; my whole body reacted with an electric tingle. I wondered if that's how he felt when I touched his stripes this afternoon. If so…things could be quite interesting to say the least. We were interrupted by a theatrical groan from Shippo. “Geez, you two, quit corrupting the innocent…and in broad daylight, no less.”

 

“Innocent, my ass, Shippo…when are we going to meet this new little vixen of yours, huh? I overheard you bragging to Sota about how hot she is…” The kitsune flushed bright red and glared at a smirking Inuyasha, who was tossing Tai up in the air and catching him, the little boy squealing with delight.

 

“One new girl introduced to this family at a time, dog-breath…I'll see how it goes with Rin before I make up my mind…” Tsuki slipped her little hand into mine. I lifted her to my hip, smiling at her bright face. She reached up and hugged me, then occupied herself by twisting a lock of Sesshomaru's silver hair with a few of my curls. I met his golden eyes over her dark head; he was unreadable for the moment, but he slid his arm around both of us. She was making quite a job out of knotting our hair together; I wondered if we'd have to take scissors to it.

 

“Oh, isn't that a picture…hold it right there, you three.” Mrs. Higurashi aimed a camera and snapped the shutter. Sota peeked over her shoulder at the digital image, and they both grinned. “Lovely…I'll email you a copy, Sesshomaru. Now, you two scallywags…Inuyasha, I dearly wish you would not wind that child up just before bed…off to the bath with you.”

 

Tsuki kissed my cheek, and then gave Sesshomaru a big hug and a kiss, before she would consent to going to her grandmother. Tai, flushed and over-excited, pounced on me. “You gonna come again, Rin? If you don't dress like a girl, you can climb trees with me…”

 

“Sure, Tai…I'll wear jeans next time…” He hugged me with all the fierceness of a little boy and gave me a grubby kiss, then whacked his uncle in the leg before running into the house at full throttle. Sesshomaru pulled the crown of flowers off my head, dangling it from his fingers for a moment, with a crooked grin on his lips. I started working on the knot joining our hair, and managed to undo it without too much damage. His hair was so sleek, it was actually almost slippery in texture.

 

“Cup of tea before you go?” Kagome called cheerily.

 

“I wouldn't last the hour drive if I did…no thank you, but don't let that stop you.”

 

“We should go, Rin, before the hour gets too late…” Or we'll turn into a pumpkin? I wondered giddily. This evening had been so surreally normal, that it was freaking me out a bit. I felt better in some ways after talking to Kagome, and felt more unsettled in others. Everyone here was sure that I was the Rin they knew…Shippo's declaration seemed to confirm it…but if these buried memories resurfaced, would I still remember who I now was? I had a creepy feeling, like a pod-person was going to erupt and wipe away all the memories that Rhiannon Tanaka Johnson had accumulated for the last twenty or so years of her life.

 

I didn't want that to happen, but, like a cat, my curiosity about my `past life' (Shirley Maclaine, eat your heart out!) was possibly going to get out of hand. I hoped I could cope with the potential fall-out…