InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in the Past ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi

 

 

Lost in the Past, Chapter 9

 

 

Sango made her way to Rin's village along a familiar path, stopping only briefly to pay her respects to old Kaede as she passed the small marker. The old miko had not wanted any fuss, and she most certainly did not want a shrine as her memorial. Sango was glad, however, to see the unobtrusive marker covered in flowers, a sure sign of how much Kaede had been loved and missed by the villagers.

 

Mayumi craned her neck from side to side trying to see everything at once. Sango kept up a steady chatter to the child as they walked, and Mayumi repeated everything, delighted to be a part of the conversation.

 

“Mistress Sango!” A villager hurried towards her. “How did you get here so quickly? We only just sent out the little youkai,” she said. Then she cocked her head to the side. “Is this your youngest? I'd thought she was older.”

 

Sango smiled. “No, my children are safe at home today. This is Mayumi. I'm taking care of her for a friend.” When the village woman still looked puzzled, Sango added, “She's too little to be left with the others, so I brought her with me.”

 

“Oh, well then, you had no choice,” agreed the woman, peering closely at Mayumi. “She's a pretty child. Unusual eyes.”

 

“Yes, aren't they?” agreed Sango noncommittally. She changed the subject. “You said you were looking for me?”

 

“It's Rin. She's gone into labor.”

 

Sango picked up her pace and followed the woman to her brother's house, suddenly worried. It was too early.

 

Inside the darkened house, Rin walked back and forth, assisted by two women who supported her on each side, clucking disapprovingly on how she should really be lying down. Rin grumbled right back that she felt better walking around. Sango breathed a little easier. If she was walking, then it couldn't be that bad yet. This was her first; it could be a false alarm.

 

Just then, Rin moaned and doubled over, breathing heavily. Sango rushed over and helped the other women prop Rin up so she was half-sitting, half-reclining on the low bed. A trail of clear liquid puddled on the floor. Damn, thought Sango. This was really it.

 

Mayumi was uncharacteristically quiet and watched the proceedings with big eyes. Sango untied the carrying cloth that held Mayumi to her back and lowered her to the floor. “Now you sit right over there and be quiet, all right?” The little girl nodded and crouched down in the corner.

 

Rin, between contractions, smiled. “Whose is she?” she asked.

 

“She belongs to a friend of mine,” Sango said. “Now, can you tell me how long you've been having pains?”

 

“Since yesterday,” Rin replied. Since she'd come back to the village after burying Tetsusaiga. She didn't tell Sango about her long walk. She didn't want the older woman to think she'd somehow caused her labor to start early, although that's exactly what she was afraid of. “At first, they weren't bad. I didn't realize I was in labor until last night when the pains just wouldn't go away. I sent Jaken off looking for you,” Rin admitted. “He didn't want to go at first, then he insisted on looking for Lord Sesshomaru instead, but. . .” Rin giggled weakly, “I think I scared him. I yelled at him that I needed you right now.” She giggled again. “I never yell. He ran out of here and took off on Ah-Un as if a whole horde of youkai were chasing him!” Rin paused, and hissed through another contraction. “He didn't find you, did he?”

 

“No, I was on my way here anyway to check on you. It's lucky I came when I did.”

 

“Poor Jaken.” Rin smiled ruefully. “He's going to be so upset when he reaches your village and finds out you're not there.”

 

Sango smiled back. Then talking became impossible as Rin began the real work of having the baby. Mayumi had to go potty at one point, so Sango had her go out with one of the other women. She really hadn't wanted to let the little hanyou girl out of her sight for fear that someone might notice her sharper-than-usual fingernails, or the precise shade of her wide amber eyes, and realize what she was. At the same time, she didn't want to lose all the ground she had already made. Mayumi hadn't wet herself for the past two days.

 

It turned out fine, however. Mayumi came back and sat quietly in her spot without being told. She only stood up when she heard the first thin wail, and peeked at the tiny baby in Auntie Sango's arms.

 

“It's a boy,” Sango said, expertly cleaning up the babe and presenting him to his mother. He was small, but appeared healthy enough. In any case, he had a healthy set of lungs. She turned to finish the birthing process and was startled to see a second baby. That explained why Rin had gone into labor a few weeks early. “Another boy,” she announced, holding this one up for inspection too.

 

Mayumi covered her ears at the combined wails of the two babies. Sango glanced at her, amused to see the child with both hands clapped down on the top of her head, over her kerchief. Sango took pity on her. “Mayumi, you can go outside, but stay right by the door.”

 

Mayumi bolted for the door, having had enough of babies. She sat in the dirt right outside, exactly where Auntie Sango had told her to go. She had learned that you don't ever disobey Auntie Sango. Idly, she scooped up handfuls of loose dirt and let them trickle through her hands and into her lap. Such disturbing smells inside there. Mayumi liked it better out here.

 

The air around Mayumi tingled and she looked up, breathing lightly through her nose and mouth to process this new scent which had snuck up on her. In front of her stood a tall being in flowing white robes. Mayumi blinked. He smelled familiar. Her face creased into a smile and she held up her arms to him. “Uncle!”

 

The shining man took no notice of the dirty little girl sitting almost at his feet. His eyes were trained on the door directly in front of him. He slid it aside and entered. Mayumi followed behind him.

 

“Rin.”

 

“Lord Sesshomaru!” Rin smiled up at the tall youkai. “You came!” She peeked around him. “Is Kohaku with you?”

 

“He is coming, with Jaken,” replied Sesshomaru, gazing down at the two tiny bundles in Rin's arms.

 

Sango, who had been straightening up, felt her heart drop when the youkai lord walked into the room. Had he seen Mayumi? At that moment, she noticed the little girl standing directly behind Sesshomaru. Oh, no! She rushed forward and grabbed Mayumi, sheltering her as well as she could with her body. “I'll give you some privacy,” she murmured quietly as she left. She had to get Mayumi as far away from the youkai as possible before he detected her scent and recognized his brother's in it.

 

“Uncle!” called Mayumi forlornly as they ran out of the house. Sango covered her mouth, sincerely hoping that the little hanyou wouldn't bite her. Fortunately for both of them, Sesshomaru was too preoccupied with the new babies to pay attention to anything else.

 

 

 

Kazuki picked up the trail almost immediately, and discovered that Tetsusaiga was no longer where he had hidden it, now that the hole was dug open. He smelled the human female who had taken it and began to follow her very clear trail back the way she came. If he could find the human, he would find Tetsusaiga.

 

“A woman? Are you sure?” Miroku was relieved and disturbed at the same time. At least they weren't dealing with youkai. However, what were the odds that a human had stumbled across the hidden Tetsusaiga. There was more going on here than they were seeing. It hadn't escaped his notice that the trail Kazuki was following led straight back to Kaede's old village. They would have to be very careful.

 

Tell that to Kazuki, who was currently zipping along ahead of them directly towards the village. Miroku and Hiroshi both pushed themselves to try to keep up. Suddenly, Kazuki skidded to a stop, giving the two humans a few precious seconds to catch up with him again.

 

“What is it, Kazuki?” asked Miroku.

 

“I smelled—I thought—Auntie Sango and Mayumi are coming this way,” he said at last, a puzzled look on his face. “But I thought I felt someone else, too.”

 

“Felt?”

 

“Yeah, you know, like my Dad.”

 

“Is it your father?” asked Miroku. He wouldn't put it past Inuyasha to have figured out a way to get back here, with or without Tetsusaiga.

 

“No. . . not my father,” mused Kazuki. “It's more like. . .my Uncle Sesshomaru!”

 

Miroku blanched.

 

“Lord Sesshomaru is your uncle?” asked Hiroshi, impressed.

 

Miroku was going to kill Inuyasha for not having sat his kid down and explained a few things to him. Well, neither had he, but then again, Inuyasha had asked him not to reveal his secret, even to his children. How was he supposed to control the damage on this one? “It's not the same `Sesshomaru,' he said, thinking quickly. Well, he wasn't the same youkai, according to Inuyasha. Future Sesshomaru had mellowed considerably. Kazuki wouldn't recognize this Sesshomaru at all, apart from his scent, that is.

 

Kazuki looked like he was going to argue, but he let out his breath with a sigh and turned to face the path instead. Sango and Mayumi were walking swiftly towards them.

 

“Sesshomaru showed up,” she explained to Miroku.

 

Kazuki's eyes lit up hopefully.

 

“A different `Sesshomaru,'” Miroku said sharply to the boy.

 

“Can you keep Mayumi with you for a while?” she asked. “I have to go back and help with the babies.”

 

“Babies?”

 

Sango explained what had happened. “Then Sesshomaru showed up. He was so distracted that he didn't even notice Mayumi. Kohaku and Jaken are on their way back, too. You have to keep Mayumi and Kazuki away from the village while they are there. It's too dangerous now.”

 

“What about Tetsusaiga?” asked Kazuki. They were so close!

 

“You have the scent now, right?” asked Miroku. “Now that we know where the person who took Tetsusaiga lives, we can come back later.”

 

“Person who took Tetsusaiga?” asked Sango, and the boys took turns explaining how Kazuki had tracked the sword to this point. She shook her head. This was not getting any easier. Now Sesshomaru was in the village with some unsuspecting human who had Tetsusaiga.

 

“I'll find it,” she told them. She had to go back anyway—she couldn't leave Rin alone at a time like this. She would take care of Rin, and hopefully find the human who had the sword. Then all she had to do was spirit it away before Sesshomaru was any wiser. “You take the kids back to our village. Send Kirara back for me. I'll find Tetsusaiga and meet you in a few days.”