InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pinkie Swear ❯ Word of Mouth ( Chapter 15 )

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

=#= Word of Mouth =#=

 

The first time Jaken read a story to Rin from the book of fairytales that had been a holiday gift from Kagome, he was as eager—impatient even—to find out what happened on the next page as Rin. The seventh time he had completed reading to Rin every story within its worn cover, he regretted having so loudly boasted that he could read the book to the illiterate Rin.

Her favorite story was the “Nutcracker.”

So of course, when it came time for Jaken to watch after his master's ward while he was away, she again requested to hear the story.

“Enough!” Jaken snarled irritably at last. “You've heard it six times today!”

“But—” Rin started.

“No!” Jaken snapped; relieved when she finally fell silent.

For a moment.

“Then, can we play pretend?” Rin asked.

Jaken puzzled that over. That seemed innocent enough.

“Okay,” he agreed cautiously.

“Good!” Rin piped happily, her face lighting up. “Then you can be the Nutcracker, and I'll be Clare and Ahun will be the Mouse King and you'll have to come rescue me!”

“That's not the way the story—” Jaken started to protest, only to watch with dismay as Rin mounted Ahun and urged him into the sky.

“Come find me!” she called merrily as she and Ahun shrank into nothing more than a dark spot in the sky.

Jaken gave a strangled squawk and dashed after them as fast as his little legs could carry him.

 

Bored, bored, bored!

Kagura was not one to thrive on idle waiting. Her master was annoyingly absent and without any mischief for her to do.

So, like any good zephyr, she set out to make a little of her own.

She spotted the tousle headed little orphan astride the back of a dragon by sheer chance and decided to have a little fun with her at Sesshoumaru's expense.

 

Jaken spotted the pale feather closing in on Rin and Ahun, and could do nothing more than watch helplessly as the wind witch snatched the girl off the dragon's back and whisk away in a thunderous burst of torrent winds. It was a matter of moments before he tracked down the windblown Ahun and soothed the beast enough it would fly for him. High-tailing it off to find Sesshoumaru, Jaken prayed that his master would be lenient in his punishment.

 

“…And so the clock chimed midnight and Clare awoke to the sound of mice on the floor…”

The sweet, high pitch of Rin's voice reached Sesshoumaru's ears as he assessed it for either stress or fear. Hearing neither, having expected to hear both, he paused long enough to send a scathing look at a cowering, agitated Jaken as he entered the high mountain cave.

He frowned with stern disbelief down at the pair of dark heads as Rin turned the page and continued the story by rote. With captivated intensity, Kagura waved her fan dismissively at Sesshoumaru as she bent her head closer to peer at the pictures in the book.

“…Clare and the prince entered the land of the Sugar Plum Fairies…” Rin continued with single minded concentration, oblivious to her enlarged audience.

Jaken opened his mouth to deliver a scolding worthy of Rin's trespass; but a cryptic look from Sesshoumaru quieted him as the pale dog demon selected a spot against the cavern wall and settled himself for a long wait. Jaken might of said that he was listening to the story with an attentive ear, but it was like Sesshoumaru to always be aware of his surroundings, so he couldn't say for sure whether his master was merely indulging Rin or not. Out of other options, Jaken also sat down to wait, finding himself caught up in the story despite himself…

 

“…and this is how the Snowflake Fairies danced for Clare and the prince…” Kagura explained as she made her dead puppets mimic the story for a passive, attentive Kanna. And for once, the pale child seemed to smile…

 

It was a weak dawn that greeted a sleek, extremely pleased Naraku as he shed a disguise that looked disturbingly like the Drosselmeyer from Rin's picture book…

 

…And it was left for Kagome to wonder how Naraku knew of the Nutcracker as she soothed away Shippo's troubled nightmares…

 

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