InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hurtful Words: Past & Present ❯ The Present: Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is Copyright of Takahashi Rumiko

Hurtful Words: The Present
Chapter 10

"Rin."

She stopped abruptly as if her body had been frozen by the tone in his voice. It amazed her that even now, after nearly five years of separation, he still had power over her. She knew a command when she heard one and knew his angry command very well. There would be no running away this time. She knew that one day she would encounter him, would have to face him, but she wasn't sure she was prepared for it. But she had no choice. From this moment on, she would be seeing a lot more of him. So she turned around slowly and locked her eyes with his golden orbs.

"Did you think your little trick would work? Merely switching places with someone will not throw me."

"It did work, even if you did catch me. After all, Inuyasha is chasing after the woman I switched places with. And you even followed after him long enough to give me the opportunity to escape so it seems you were tricked as well."

"You insult my intelligence. Did you really think I wouldn't find you even if you did escape?"

She arched a brow. "I knew you would find me eventually, I never doubted that for a second. But if you are insulted because I was able to predict you, it is not my fault."

He was taken aback by the audacity of her words. He was already frustrated and she was only making it worse. It took all his effort not to snap at her. "Then enough of the games. You will take me to Tenseiga and if you make another attempt to escape, this Sesshoumaru will not be so kind."

Rin bowed deeply and spoke in a somewhat mocking tone. "What ever you say."

His hand twitched and the only thing that saved her from his wrath was the entrance of his brother.

"You!" Inuyasha stomped over to Rin. "You're really starting to annoy me!"

"Yes, I'm sure." Rin linked her arm through Inuyasha's and walked over to Miroku. "It is nice to see you again Miroku. How are the children? I hope we will be returning to the village tonight."

Sesshoumaru stared as the trio walked away, talking as though they had known each other for years. He pinched the bridge of his nose, already foreseeing that he would be put through even more hell until he and Rin parted ways again. It appeared the woman was determined to do everything in her power to push him over the edge. His patience was already running thin and his hormones were trying to break through his control. Yes, hell on earth had just begun.

They left early the next morning. Rin led the way with Sesshoumaru following closely behind her. Kagome and Inuyasha kept their distance behind them, too uncomfortable with the tension to risk being caught in the violence that was sure to erupt. And yet the day ended uneventfully and the only thing they had to deal with was the awkward silence. Rin and Sesshoumaru, however, pretended as though there was nothing wrong. And nothing was wrong until it was time to rest for the night.

"We're wasting time. Are humans so weak that they must rest every night?" Sesshoumaru watched as Rin and Inuyasha prepared a fire. Kagome was setting up her tools to prepare a meal.

"I see you still loathe humans." Once the fire was started Rin rose to her feet and looked over at Sesshoumaru. "I always found it strange considering you look so human. Your eyes and ears may be shaped differently, you may have fangs where we do not, your nails may be longer, but you have human-like hands and feet. You can't hate us to much if you want to look like us." She inclined her head and sent him a mischievous smile. "I'm going to catch some fish." And then she turned and walked away.

Kagome and Inuyasha immediately stopped what they were doing, trying to fully comprehend what they had just heard. Surely Rin had not really just called Sesshoumaru a human and walked away as though she were allowed to insult him without being reprimanded. But when Sesshoumaru growled - something Inuyasha had never heard him do - and followed after her with a dangerous look in his eyes, they knew they heard right. So they both sat there, utterly frozen, trying to decide if they should do something.

Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin's arm roughly and turned her to face him. "I am nothing like a human and if you continue to speak to me as though I am your equal I will make you regret it."

She pulled her arm from his hold and backed away. "You do not own me, so I will speak to you the way I wish. And the only thing I regret is stumbling upon a beaten youkai all those years ago." She hiked up her kimono, stepped into the river and began trying to catch some fish.

"You don't mean that..." Sesshoumaru was taken aback once again. "What is wrong with you? You've become so hateful. You are not the girl I once knew."

"That girl grew up and realized the world isn't as wonderful as she believed it to be. Now if you'll excuse me, I am busy." She tossed one fish out of the water.

Sesshoumaru watched her for a moment before disappearing into the forest.

The tension had eased the next day but the silence remained just the same. Inuyasha seemed not to mind the silence as he had before, but it began to bother Kagome more and more. She was a woman, and as such she knew exactly what was going on. It was clear to her that Rin was still hurting over what Sesshoumaru had said all those years ago. She had closed the wound when she left to live on her own, but seeing Sesshoumaru again reopened it. In her pain and anger she lashed out at Sesshoumaru, seeking to make him understand what she was going through. But Kagome was afraid Sesshoumaru just wasn't getting it and they would continue to bicker more and more. And two people who obviously cared deeply about each other should not bicker. It amused her that they reminded her of her and Inuyasha's past relationship.

Still, she was determined to help put it to an end.

Kagome caught up with Rin and started an innocent conversation. Sure that she would have something nice to say about him, Kagome brought up Sesshoumaru. "I was wondering, how did you and Sesshoumaru meet. If you don't mind me asking that is.."

Rin hated thinking of the past, but she figured the story needed to come out sooner or later. "When I was five I saw my family murdered by bandits. No one would take me in because I had become mute, so I lived on my own. And then one day, when I was six, I found an injured youkai lying in the forest. I felt sorry for him because I knew what it was like to be alone and hurting, so I decided to help him. I brought him fish and water, then plants when he told me he didn't eat human food. Then he said he didn't need anything. Of course by then I was out of ideas, but I still wanted to help. I returned the next day with fresh bruises from a recent beating from the village men, and he asked me what had happened. I was surprised, but happy at the same time because no one had ever cared enough to ask about me..." She paused, remembering the happy smile she had given him.

"I went home after that. There was a man in my little shack, helping himself to my things until a pack of wolves came. Their master came and retrieved a shikon shard from the man. And then he disappeared, leaving his wolves to fill their bellies with as many humans as they liked."

Kagome gasped when she made the connection. "Kouga-kun's wolves? That was your village? We arrived there to late to stop them..." Kagome clearly remembered the scattered and bloody bodies. "How did you escape?"

"Well...I didn't. I made it out of the village, but the wolves still caught up to me before..." She paused, not really wanting to continue. "I was trying to get to the youkai I had found. For some reason I thought I could be safe with him. But I never made it."

Kagome looked at Rin, trying to understand. "...You didn't escape and you didn't make it back to Sesshoumaru?" When Rin shook her head, Kagome recalled what Inuyasha had told her about Tenseiga and Sesshoumaru. "Tenseiga brought you back to life..."

"That is what I learned many years later. Jaken told me that I was only revived to test Tenseiga's powers. Lucky for me the test was a success."

Not knowing what to say, Kagome looked at the ground and thought they had had enough conversation for one day.

Behind them, Sesshoumaru thought the same thing. He was amazed that Rin could find a way to insult him whenever she spoke. In her eyes he was the bad guy and it seemed she was determined to make everyone believe the same. And of course that was an easy effort. Inuyasha detested him, he disgusted Kagome and Rin was the innocent victim of a cruel and selfish inu-youkai. He would not allow the lies to continue and would certainly not allow her to continue disrespecting him. If it was war Rin wanted, then this Sesshoumaru would gladly indulge her.

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