InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lavender Flower ❯ The Young Man Katuru ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: sinful innocence 
A young man from Rin's past appears.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.15.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 296 | Status: Work In Progress
A young man from Rin's past appears.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.15.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 296 | Status: Work In Progress
Sesshomaru landed with ease on the bank across the stream. He surveyed the area with only his eyes. He lightly sniffed, then started to walk forwards. Once he came in front of a bush he stopped. He stood silent for a moment, just looking at the bush. Then suddenly, he lashed out his arm and grabbed something. A loud whaling noise was heard from the bush. Sesshomaru pulled his arm back out, and with it, was a young man, with short, shaggy hair that was pulled back in a tail, and wore rags very similar to that Rin was wearing.
Sesshomaru hand gripped the young man by his throat, with his feet nearly a yard off the ground. “ What is your purpose here?” Sesshomaru asked, his voice still calm and even despite the events.
Rin had now dressed herself in her new kimono and watched the scene from afar. She looked closer to try and figure out what the being was he was holding. Then she knew who it was and she gasped and ran towards them.
The young man gasped for air and tried to kick the demon with his feet, which he of course failed. When he felt the grip around his neck tighten he gasped and struggled even more. He then caught a glimpse of something in the corner of his eye and he directed his eyes in the direction. He there saw Rin who had stopped at the bank of the water and was desperately seeking a way across it. “ …Rin” The young man groaned out the words as best he could.
When Sesshomaru heard the man call Rin his grip lessened a little out of surprise. The man took the opportunity. “ Rin! Run! Get away from here! I’ll hold hi, hi, him…!” He grunted with pain when Sesshomaru’s hand grabbed him harder than ever.
Sesshomaru was angry as his eyes narrowed, fangs showed, and started to growl. ‘ This vile human thinks he has a chance against me?’ He thought, and was insulted by it. He growled louder and began to speak. “ YOU…”
“ Lord Sesshomaru! Please don’t!” Rin’s cry interrupted Sesshomaru . He did not turn to her, he only kept his eyes on the one he was holding, but Rin knew he was listening, and waiting for a good reason to release him. “ Please Lord Sesshomaru. He comes from the same place I have been! Please don’t kill him! I owe Katuru my life!” She was crying now, her emotions overwhelming her and the tears making her too weak to stand as she fell to her knees in exhaustion.
Sesshomaru did not move, in fact, he seemed as if he had not heard a word, and Rin knew that he was contemplating the reason. After a dreadful moment of silence, he made his decision. The one Rin called Katuru fell roughly on the ground as Sesshomaru dropped him carelessly. Katuru coughed and choked on the air that now flew into in lungs. He gasped and turned towards Rin, who still sat on the bank across from them. “ Rin.” He called over to her and she lifted her head to meet him. “ Do you…do you know this demon?” He asked.
Her tear-filled eyes spoke with several emotions as she weakly answered him. “ Yes…this is my Lord.”
The boys eyes widened at this and he quickly turned his head back to the demon. Sesshomaru was no longer looking at him, instead, his eyes were half-lidded with no emotion and staring far off. Katuru gulped.
“ Forgive me.” Katuru began, then lowered his head in shame. “ I did not know it was you. I though Rin was under attack by a demon.”
“ Fool.” Sesshomaru said with pure hatred in his voice and staring straight into Katuru‘s eyes. Katuru could feel a shiver of fear run down his spine. “ Don’t think so highly of yourself to think that you could have done anything to harm me.” With that, Sesshomaru easily jumped back over to Rin and started walking away. “ We’re leaving.” He said to Rin.
Rin slowly stood. “ Katuru…” She whispered as they looked at each other.
When Sesshomaru noticed she was not following, he paused and turned his head to the side so his eyes could see her. “ We’re leaving.” He repeated. Knowing for sure she heard him this time, he continued to walk again. Rin started to turn and with one last glance at Katuru, she turned completely and began to follow Sesshomaru.
Katuru stood abruptly. “ Rin! Don’t go! Rin!” He screamed at her, but it did no good. Rin started to weep again as she tried to ignore him. “ Rin!” He shouted again, and when she heard a splash in the water she turned sharply and gasped.
“ Katuru! What are you doing?!” She shouted as she saw he had jumped into the stream and was struggling to swim towards her. Sesshomaru paused once again when he noticed she was running back towards Katuru, but he did not turn nor chase her. Rin ran to the bank without hesitation and reached her arm out to him. His breath was ragged as his arms flailed through the water. After struggling the best he could he finally reached out and took Rin’s hand. She pulled as much as she could as he gripped onto her and the bank in an attempt to get out. When he made it, he was pulled atop Rin and they both laid there gasping for air. “ Why…” Rin began to talk, but stopped to gain breath. “ Why did you do that?” She panted.
“ I thought I had lost you when the demons attacked us as we reached the surface…I don’t want to lose you Rin.” He said with sorrow at the thought of losing her. After a moment, Rin became aware that Sesshomaru had started walking again and she blushed slightly when she realized he had just witnessed the entire scene. She shoved Katuru off of her and stood up.
“ Hurry up. Milord does not like it when people fall behind.” She said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her. It was obvious he wanted to say something, but he was just so shocked that words failed him.
When they arrived back at the camp, Sesshomaru was already there, standing with his back to them. When Jaken noticed the young man behind Rin, he jumped. “ What? Who? Rin! What have you done?! Why did you bring that thing with you?! You know Lord Sesshomaru hates humans! I don’t even know why he is so kind to you! But you bringing another human is just disrespectful!” He panted for air after his long-winded argument.
Rin only ignored him and looked over to Sesshomaru. “ Milord, I know I have no right to request anything…but,” she bit her lower lip nervously, “ but would you allow Katuru to travel with us? Only until the next village.”
When Katuru heard the last line he looked over to Rin with happiness. “ Rin…does this mean you want to live with me?” A wide smiled came across his face.
Rin’s eyes widened on Sesshomaru’s back, and for some reason, she really wished she could’ve seen his face at that moment. The then looked shamefully over to Katuru. “ That’s not quite what I meant.” She then looked down at her feet.
He looked back at her with confusion. “ Then, what…” He stopped when he realized what she meant, then looked down at his own feet. “ Oh…” After a while, he looked to Sesshomaru and gritted his teeth. “ Sess…I mean, Lord Sesshomaru, I do not want anything from you, I can take care of myself, but I would be very grateful if you allow me to accompany Rin for as long I can before we depart.” Rin looked up to Katuru, but did not look back.
Sesshomaru stood silently. “ We’re moving on.” He said, the walked into the forest. Jaken grumbled, then quickly followed.
Rin only smiled. “ His answer is yes!” She said with glee.”
“ Eh? How do you know that?” Katuru furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
Rin looked after them. “ I just do.” She stared for a moment, then smiled and ran over to Ah-Un and hopped on his back. “ Come on!” She shouted back to him. When he arrived in front of Ah-Un, the beast snorted at him and gave him a ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look.
Katuru smiled nervously then backed away. “ That’s okay, I think I’ll walk.”
They had walked all day, they finally stopped when the moon reached to the top of the sky. They now all sat around a campfire, and Rin noticed that Sesshomaru was keeping a further distance from them than normal. “ Just who are you human?” Rin turned sharply to the shrill voice and narrowed her eyes at the little green creature.
“ His name is Katuru.” She told him. “ He looked after me while we worked in the caves.” She said, then went back to eating her fish.
Jaken glowered back at her. “ What? Can he not talk for himself?”
Before had time to retort, Katuru interrupted. “ I can talk plenty for myself. After growing up around many fierce demons, a little toad doesn’t bother me.” He said calmly, keeping his eyes on his food.
Jaken’s head was boiling with anger. “ You little twerp!” He shouted back and he chomped viciously on his own fish. After he cooled off a bit he started talking again. “ So…Just where were you?”
Rin stopped eating her fish and tears rose to her eyes again. She tried to talk, but knew if she did, she would only start to cry. “ We don’t know exactly what it was, just that it was someplace underground.” Katuru spoke, and Rin was relieved when he did. “ We only know that the way we got there was the same, we were near water when we were pulled into a whirlpool. After we arrived, they gave us tools and picks and told us to start working. Some dug as others tore away at the walls. None of us knew what we were looking for, we were only told that if we found any jewels or a shard of one, to report it immediately. The only time they talked was when they ordering us. There were many demons, each controlling a group of people. We were allowed to eat, drink, and sleep, that was all.”
Rin brought her knees to her body and wrapped her arms around them. “ I would not have made it if it weren’t for Katuru.” She said as she stared into the flames of the fire. Katuru turned to her in shock. “ When I first arrived, my ankle was broken, and I think one of my ribs were as well. I could barely move, let alone work. I was being…punished by a demon for not being able to work when Katuru came to my side. He grabbed the demons hand when he went to hit me again. He told him if he would not harm me, then he would work my shift until I got better. And the demon allowed it. So Katuru worked so very hard just for me. And whenever I did not do something right, Katuru would take the blame, and the punishment. I begged him not to, but he would act before I could do anything.”
Katuru stared into the fire as well now. “ Those damn demons, they are all scum!” He shouted and the fire cackled. When he looked up he saw Sesshomaru standing in front of the fire across from him. He felt the same shiver run up his spine as Sesshomaru glared down at him. “ You should learn your place…human.” Sesshomaru said in a low voice with the hint of a growl.
Rin watched worriedly as Katuru stood and looked back at Sesshomaru challengingly. “ I know it. And I meant what I said.” He scorned.
Sesshomaru’s body language was calm, but his eyes burned with rage. Katuru did not notice it, but Rin did. She quickly got up and stepped in front of Katuru, then bowed to Sesshomaru. “ Please forgive him milord! He really doesn’t mean it! I do not ask you to understand, but please know that we have been through so much.” Katuru looked down at her with mixed emotions. However, Sesshomaru continue to glare at Katuru. His eyes became calm once again, and he appeared emotionless as always. He then turned and walked off into the forest. Rin watched him leave with concern.
“ You fools! Look what you have done! You’ve made our Lord angry! How dare you?!” Jaken shouted at them. Both ignored him, as Rin continued to watch Sesshomaru, and Katuru watched her, then looked at Sesshomaru, then back at her. His eyes then widened.
Sesshomaru hand gripped the young man by his throat, with his feet nearly a yard off the ground. “ What is your purpose here?” Sesshomaru asked, his voice still calm and even despite the events.
Rin had now dressed herself in her new kimono and watched the scene from afar. She looked closer to try and figure out what the being was he was holding. Then she knew who it was and she gasped and ran towards them.
The young man gasped for air and tried to kick the demon with his feet, which he of course failed. When he felt the grip around his neck tighten he gasped and struggled even more. He then caught a glimpse of something in the corner of his eye and he directed his eyes in the direction. He there saw Rin who had stopped at the bank of the water and was desperately seeking a way across it. “ …Rin” The young man groaned out the words as best he could.
When Sesshomaru heard the man call Rin his grip lessened a little out of surprise. The man took the opportunity. “ Rin! Run! Get away from here! I’ll hold hi, hi, him…!” He grunted with pain when Sesshomaru’s hand grabbed him harder than ever.
Sesshomaru was angry as his eyes narrowed, fangs showed, and started to growl. ‘ This vile human thinks he has a chance against me?’ He thought, and was insulted by it. He growled louder and began to speak. “ YOU…”
“ Lord Sesshomaru! Please don’t!” Rin’s cry interrupted Sesshomaru . He did not turn to her, he only kept his eyes on the one he was holding, but Rin knew he was listening, and waiting for a good reason to release him. “ Please Lord Sesshomaru. He comes from the same place I have been! Please don’t kill him! I owe Katuru my life!” She was crying now, her emotions overwhelming her and the tears making her too weak to stand as she fell to her knees in exhaustion.
Sesshomaru did not move, in fact, he seemed as if he had not heard a word, and Rin knew that he was contemplating the reason. After a dreadful moment of silence, he made his decision. The one Rin called Katuru fell roughly on the ground as Sesshomaru dropped him carelessly. Katuru coughed and choked on the air that now flew into in lungs. He gasped and turned towards Rin, who still sat on the bank across from them. “ Rin.” He called over to her and she lifted her head to meet him. “ Do you…do you know this demon?” He asked.
Her tear-filled eyes spoke with several emotions as she weakly answered him. “ Yes…this is my Lord.”
The boys eyes widened at this and he quickly turned his head back to the demon. Sesshomaru was no longer looking at him, instead, his eyes were half-lidded with no emotion and staring far off. Katuru gulped.
“ Forgive me.” Katuru began, then lowered his head in shame. “ I did not know it was you. I though Rin was under attack by a demon.”
“ Fool.” Sesshomaru said with pure hatred in his voice and staring straight into Katuru‘s eyes. Katuru could feel a shiver of fear run down his spine. “ Don’t think so highly of yourself to think that you could have done anything to harm me.” With that, Sesshomaru easily jumped back over to Rin and started walking away. “ We’re leaving.” He said to Rin.
Rin slowly stood. “ Katuru…” She whispered as they looked at each other.
When Sesshomaru noticed she was not following, he paused and turned his head to the side so his eyes could see her. “ We’re leaving.” He repeated. Knowing for sure she heard him this time, he continued to walk again. Rin started to turn and with one last glance at Katuru, she turned completely and began to follow Sesshomaru.
Katuru stood abruptly. “ Rin! Don’t go! Rin!” He screamed at her, but it did no good. Rin started to weep again as she tried to ignore him. “ Rin!” He shouted again, and when she heard a splash in the water she turned sharply and gasped.
“ Katuru! What are you doing?!” She shouted as she saw he had jumped into the stream and was struggling to swim towards her. Sesshomaru paused once again when he noticed she was running back towards Katuru, but he did not turn nor chase her. Rin ran to the bank without hesitation and reached her arm out to him. His breath was ragged as his arms flailed through the water. After struggling the best he could he finally reached out and took Rin’s hand. She pulled as much as she could as he gripped onto her and the bank in an attempt to get out. When he made it, he was pulled atop Rin and they both laid there gasping for air. “ Why…” Rin began to talk, but stopped to gain breath. “ Why did you do that?” She panted.
“ I thought I had lost you when the demons attacked us as we reached the surface…I don’t want to lose you Rin.” He said with sorrow at the thought of losing her. After a moment, Rin became aware that Sesshomaru had started walking again and she blushed slightly when she realized he had just witnessed the entire scene. She shoved Katuru off of her and stood up.
“ Hurry up. Milord does not like it when people fall behind.” She said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her. It was obvious he wanted to say something, but he was just so shocked that words failed him.
When they arrived back at the camp, Sesshomaru was already there, standing with his back to them. When Jaken noticed the young man behind Rin, he jumped. “ What? Who? Rin! What have you done?! Why did you bring that thing with you?! You know Lord Sesshomaru hates humans! I don’t even know why he is so kind to you! But you bringing another human is just disrespectful!” He panted for air after his long-winded argument.
Rin only ignored him and looked over to Sesshomaru. “ Milord, I know I have no right to request anything…but,” she bit her lower lip nervously, “ but would you allow Katuru to travel with us? Only until the next village.”
When Katuru heard the last line he looked over to Rin with happiness. “ Rin…does this mean you want to live with me?” A wide smiled came across his face.
Rin’s eyes widened on Sesshomaru’s back, and for some reason, she really wished she could’ve seen his face at that moment. The then looked shamefully over to Katuru. “ That’s not quite what I meant.” She then looked down at her feet.
He looked back at her with confusion. “ Then, what…” He stopped when he realized what she meant, then looked down at his own feet. “ Oh…” After a while, he looked to Sesshomaru and gritted his teeth. “ Sess…I mean, Lord Sesshomaru, I do not want anything from you, I can take care of myself, but I would be very grateful if you allow me to accompany Rin for as long I can before we depart.” Rin looked up to Katuru, but did not look back.
Sesshomaru stood silently. “ We’re moving on.” He said, the walked into the forest. Jaken grumbled, then quickly followed.
Rin only smiled. “ His answer is yes!” She said with glee.”
“ Eh? How do you know that?” Katuru furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
Rin looked after them. “ I just do.” She stared for a moment, then smiled and ran over to Ah-Un and hopped on his back. “ Come on!” She shouted back to him. When he arrived in front of Ah-Un, the beast snorted at him and gave him a ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look.
Katuru smiled nervously then backed away. “ That’s okay, I think I’ll walk.”
They had walked all day, they finally stopped when the moon reached to the top of the sky. They now all sat around a campfire, and Rin noticed that Sesshomaru was keeping a further distance from them than normal. “ Just who are you human?” Rin turned sharply to the shrill voice and narrowed her eyes at the little green creature.
“ His name is Katuru.” She told him. “ He looked after me while we worked in the caves.” She said, then went back to eating her fish.
Jaken glowered back at her. “ What? Can he not talk for himself?”
Before had time to retort, Katuru interrupted. “ I can talk plenty for myself. After growing up around many fierce demons, a little toad doesn’t bother me.” He said calmly, keeping his eyes on his food.
Jaken’s head was boiling with anger. “ You little twerp!” He shouted back and he chomped viciously on his own fish. After he cooled off a bit he started talking again. “ So…Just where were you?”
Rin stopped eating her fish and tears rose to her eyes again. She tried to talk, but knew if she did, she would only start to cry. “ We don’t know exactly what it was, just that it was someplace underground.” Katuru spoke, and Rin was relieved when he did. “ We only know that the way we got there was the same, we were near water when we were pulled into a whirlpool. After we arrived, they gave us tools and picks and told us to start working. Some dug as others tore away at the walls. None of us knew what we were looking for, we were only told that if we found any jewels or a shard of one, to report it immediately. The only time they talked was when they ordering us. There were many demons, each controlling a group of people. We were allowed to eat, drink, and sleep, that was all.”
Rin brought her knees to her body and wrapped her arms around them. “ I would not have made it if it weren’t for Katuru.” She said as she stared into the flames of the fire. Katuru turned to her in shock. “ When I first arrived, my ankle was broken, and I think one of my ribs were as well. I could barely move, let alone work. I was being…punished by a demon for not being able to work when Katuru came to my side. He grabbed the demons hand when he went to hit me again. He told him if he would not harm me, then he would work my shift until I got better. And the demon allowed it. So Katuru worked so very hard just for me. And whenever I did not do something right, Katuru would take the blame, and the punishment. I begged him not to, but he would act before I could do anything.”
Katuru stared into the fire as well now. “ Those damn demons, they are all scum!” He shouted and the fire cackled. When he looked up he saw Sesshomaru standing in front of the fire across from him. He felt the same shiver run up his spine as Sesshomaru glared down at him. “ You should learn your place…human.” Sesshomaru said in a low voice with the hint of a growl.
Rin watched worriedly as Katuru stood and looked back at Sesshomaru challengingly. “ I know it. And I meant what I said.” He scorned.
Sesshomaru’s body language was calm, but his eyes burned with rage. Katuru did not notice it, but Rin did. She quickly got up and stepped in front of Katuru, then bowed to Sesshomaru. “ Please forgive him milord! He really doesn’t mean it! I do not ask you to understand, but please know that we have been through so much.” Katuru looked down at her with mixed emotions. However, Sesshomaru continue to glare at Katuru. His eyes became calm once again, and he appeared emotionless as always. He then turned and walked off into the forest. Rin watched him leave with concern.
“ You fools! Look what you have done! You’ve made our Lord angry! How dare you?!” Jaken shouted at them. Both ignored him, as Rin continued to watch Sesshomaru, and Katuru watched her, then looked at Sesshomaru, then back at her. His eyes then widened.