InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagura's resolution, Sesshoumaru's heart ❯ White knight ( Chapter 4 )

Sesshoumaru made his unceremonious entrance into the compound as a peal of sonorous thunder diminished gradually into a low hoarse rumble. A quick surveillance around has intuited him that something was amiss. Everywhere was way too quiet, except the battling weather.

 

Where are his two bubbly companions?

 

Before he could finish his own query, a set of hurried shuffling of feet was heard gradually approaching. Soon, he made out the silhouette of his toady servant, not that hard though because of his short stumpy build.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama! Something terrible has happened. Rin! She's missing. Gone! I can't seem to find her anywhere. When I woke up in the morning, she was already not here,” Jakan blurted out in an immense anxiety, flinging his greenish webbed arms wildly in the air. In a split second, Sesshoumaru's powers built and in the next, he was gone.

 

Rin was missing? And since morning? He mused as he made his swift flight round the region, inhaling deeply and desperately for her scent. The girl was gone for such a long period, the whole DAMNED day! If something were to happen to her, it would already have been done, finished.

 

What if? Sesshoumaru paused as an unfamiliar sting hit at something in his chest. What if he was just too late to save her, even with his reviving sword? He vividly pictured himself in front of her lifeless body and no matter how hard he shook the Tenseiga, it did not respond to his calling.

 

The thought of Rin's death, her leaving him forever brought to him a whole new meaning to the word fear. He sensed an uncontrollable tremble graze through his whole being as his mind turned into a frenzied whirl. He blamed himself bitterly for taking leaving at such felicitous timing, not that it had done any good in helping him reach a conclusion about this new unfamiliar emotion stirring up within him recently.

 

Damn the weather and the rain, he snarled frantically as he was struck with the realization that the moisture had effectively washed away all the possible lingering of Rin's scent. He was absolutely unable to tell her whereabouts, no matter how sensitive his youkai nose.

 

Could she have mischievously gone to the spring yet again, thinking that he was not around to check her? At that suspicion, he instantly disappeared into thin air and shortly after, rematerializing at the spring, only to find to his dismay that his little companion was not there.

 

Sesshoumaru could stand his jittery self no more. His mind was stuck in an entangled mess, searching out all possible places he could look, while he stood there pointing and swearing to the heavens. Slapping furiously at his forehead, he cursed himself for his indecision.

 

He loved her. In fact, he had loved her for a long, long time.

 

He should have admitted to that way before this little mysterious disappearance. His hand reached frustratingly to clear the moisture that blurred his vision. The girl was not the least proficient in combating skills. She would never be able to protect herself from even the weakest youkais, not mentioning what a most enticing prey she would make, so innocent, young and pure. She could easily be taken as a delicious and tender meal OR worse, to satisfy the perverted lust common among the demonic realm.

 

To add to that, he shook his head wildly, she was always so trusting, so caring, always the first to spin to calls for help, even to a possible foe. Sesshoumaru recalled how the girl as a child had attempted to pull the gravely wounded wind witch from the rapidly flowing river, not caring or considering her own strength and capabilities.

 

Yes, that was the Rin he had come to know. Any demon that feigned a helpless cry would certainly draw her attention and assistance. Yes, he agreed sadly. She would be an easy victim to such surreptitious attempts.

 

Why didn't I think of that? Sesshoumaru's amber eyes lit as a familiar spot hit him abruptly. She could be up and early picking flowers again. He has come to discover that the girl would visit the meadow on both joyous and melancholic occasions. He concluded that she might not be there but no matter what, it was still an evident spot to continue his hunt.

 

Sesshoumaru coursed through the forest with great agility and as he approached his desired destination, he began to pick up the all too telling scent. Though it was faint, thanks to the downpour, he was sure that the girl was there. And what was that? Blood? Rin's blood? He distinctly felt his heart beat cease for a second after which he regained himself and hastily made the final sprint.

 

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A shadowy crouched figure began to take shape before his wild and unnerved eyes. Sesshoumaru found himself instantly feeling a strange sense of relief after detecting the undeniable pulse rate of his companion, only to discover shortly that things were not as conclusive as they seemed. Sesshoumaru's spirit dampened significantly as he observed that the girl was not her usual chirpy self and most definitely not in the pink of health.

 

Rin was squatting there motionless; her arms wrapped tautly round herself, her mood one of pure dejection. She seemed completely numbed and oblivious to the consuming rain even as they pelted brutally on her, the occasional flashes of lightning casting a ghostly halo lighting her form. Her body reeked heavily of a mixture of blood, moisture and……TEARS? Sesshoumaru's nose twitched as he came into contact with her at last.

 

“Rin, what has happened?” He exploded in desperation.

 

There was no response.

 

The girl's shoulders were lowered in the most crestfallen manner as she continued to direct her gaze downward as though she had not heard a single word of his all-too-deafening roar.

 

Sesshoumaru hastily did a thorough inspection of her body, his brows twisted to a sinister frown as he focused on the deep gashes marring her petite arms. Blood was still trickling relentlessly from them but the girl was simply unaware of it. It was obvious to him that she did not make even a slightest attempt to tend to her wounds.

 

“Rin. Who did this to you? What happened? ANSWER ME!” Sesshoumaru thundered as he pulled the girl up to her feet, close to his body shaking her forcefully.

 

What? What was that? Sesshoumaru felt his body flare intently with outrage. The scent was hushed, muffled, but it was most indisputable. Kagura. Her presence there was distastefully evident. So, SHE was the one behind Rin's disposition. But why? He found that he was becoming gradually impatient and aggravated by the girl's ghastly silence.

 

“Kagura. Was it her? Why did she do this?” Sesshoumaru's clawed fingers searched out the outlines of Rin's chin as it lightly clenched it and brought her eyes to meet his. Though their distance closed, her thick lashed eyelids were still inclined severely as if she was trying to shun away from his apprehensive gaze.

 

An unfamiliar emotional panic stirred up within him when Rin's sorrowful eyes eventually reached up to search his. Her vision appeared immensely blurred by the unholy gathering of tears and rain but an obvious perception of despondence was apparent.

 

“Rin, could you tell me what's wrong? Please?” Sesshoumaru's voice softened significantly as he pleaded with genuine sincerity, after catching her low-spirited expression.

 

The silence was at last broken.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama….” Rin began with an obvious stammer in her voice. “Am I…….. Am I really that useless to you? Redundant?”

 

Sesshoumaru's expression darkened instantly at her dissuading words. Usually, he would have brushed away haughtily such absurd questions, if not for her present bizarre and self punishing behaviour and the poignantly loss look in her eyes. He tried to hide his face from her, not knowing how to answer that sensitive question, answers which even he did not have.

 

“Who dares say that you were useless to me? Was it Kagura?” Sesshoumaru implored earnestly with a clear look of concern, his voice still reasonably collected. “What else did she say? I want to know everything in details.”

 

“She only spoke the truth, my lord,” Rin sobbed as she choked out her response.

 

Taken aback by her self-devaluing reply, Sesshoumaru could no longer mask his frustration and wrath about this whole antagonizing and guilt pricking event.

 

“Wait till I get my hands on her, that Kagura. Then, she'll fully understand the true meaning of PAIN!”

 

His last words were left stuck in his throat as he felt the girl collapse weakly in his arms. With prodigious agility, he caught her just in the nick of time and proceeded to cradle her in his embrace. The girl had apparently lost consciousness. Sesshoumaru noted worriedly that her heart rate had drastically fallen, and her face taken on a pale deathly white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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