InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Protectors of the Four Winds ❯ Chapter 1

Protectors of the Four Winds

By: Water Phoenix

Chapter 1

The next day Shinju got up before dawn and started making boxed lunches for herself and Sesshoumaru unaware of the plans her family had made for her that day. About an hour after she got up Kenshin and Kiyoshi walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast and the lunches for the day trip.

They were surprised to see Shinju was already there cooking.

"Good morning guys." She greeted quietly not turning from her task.

"Good morning." Kenshin greeted with a small smile.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Kiyoshi asked as he looked over her shoulder.

"Cooking." Was her only answer.

"But what are you cooking?" Kenshin asked her calmly.

"I'm making lunch." She said quietly, never once looking up at them.

Kenshin and Kiyoshi looked at each other and shrugged before searching the kitchen for the ingredients to make a nice breakfast. When she finished she walked out the kitchen leaving them to their own devices. They watched her walk out step for step. When they heard her footsteps disappear down the hall they hurried over to the lunch boxes she had been making earlier. They lifted the lids and found that she had made just enough food for two maybe three people.

Kiyoshi looked at Kenshin. "This is not enough food for all of us to go on this outing that father had planned." Kiyoshi said sounding a little disappointed.

"Maybe she doesn't know about the trip. But then that means that she was planning to something without us knowing." Kenshin contemplated out loud before waving the thought away.

"In any case we need to make breakfast and the enough lunch boxes for all of us." Kiyoshi said before replacing the lid and turning to start on breakfast. Kenshin followed suite only wondering who Shinju made the other lunch box for.

They searched the kitchen for the ingredients to make both breakfast and lunch. Kenshin took care of breakfast making rice, miso soup, grilled fish and pickles. While Kenshin was putting the finishing touches on breakfast Kiyoshi was working lunch. Making omelet, oniigiri, sliced lotus root, grilled chicken, sliced sausage, and grilled vegetables.

When everything for the lunches were packed and ready to go they walked out into the dinning room and where their sibling were sitting and waiting for them. They set the food on the table. Kenshin was passing around bowels of rice around the table and Kiyoshi was sitting out bowels of red miso soup. When everyone was had their food they blessed their food before starting their meal. A little bit into the meal Kiyoshi interrupted the meal.

"Shinju, what do you have planned for today?" He asked. She looked up from her meal meeting Kiyoshi's eyes.

"I was going to go down to Earth." She said quietly not looking away from him.

"Why?" Kenshin asked violet eyes looking at calmly. When he didn't receive an answer he said what he was thinking.

"Does it have something to do with the incident from three years ago?" He asked softly. She only nodded slightly and continued eating. They all just looked at her and then at each other. Worry clear on their faces. After that breakfast went on quietly.

When they had all finished eating and the table was cleared and the dishes washed. Shinju picked up her lunch and started headed for the Gateway to Earth. She was surprised to find her brothers all there waiting on her. She raised an eyebrow at them slightly in an unspoken question. Yin decided to speak up when the silence seemed to wear on.

"We were actually going to take you down to Earth today."

"Yeah, father gave us permission." Kiyoshi finished.

Shinju looked at them and just shrugged nonchalantly as she stepped up to the control panel and selected Japan's Western Lands as her destination. When they saw her selection they were all surprised to see her choice and looked at each other in wonder. When she stepped through the doorway and didn't notice any of them following she turned and glanced at them as though saying `hurry up.' They all got the message because they rushed after her.

When they reached the surface they all looked around trying to get their bearings and noticed Pearl heading into the deeper into the Western Lands.

"Where are you going?" Kenshin asked.

"I'm going to the Western Palace to visit a friend." She said without missing a stride.

They all just shrugged it off after a minute deciding to save their questions for later.

They were traveling at a leisurely pace but their speed eventually increased so they could keep up with Shinju.

After a hour of walking they could see the western castle in the distance. They walked about half the distance before she veered off to the right.

"Where are you going?" Kiyoshi asked as they all stopped to look at her.

I'm going to go meet a friend." She explained without missing a stride. They all just looked at each other.

"Meet us at the palace when you're finished." Yin called before she got out of earshot. She only waved her hand to acknowledge that she had heard him. They watched her disappear over the horizon before continuing their trek to the palace.

The four brothers continued their way to the palace. Once at the gate a servant greeted them.

"We request an audience with Lord Inutaisho." Kiyoshi in formed the servant as he bowed and lead them to a sitting room with the promise of informing the Lord of the Western Lands. They all took a seat as the door was closed behind them. Each lost in there own thoughts.

::Lake just over the Northern Wall::

Sesshoumaru sat at the edge of the lake lost in thought. "I wonder if I'll ever see her again." He thought to himself as he felt a presence close behind him. He turned his head quickly to view the threat and was surprised to find that Shinju, the one he was just thinking about.

"Hey, Sesshou I'm sorry I took so long to come back." She said with a bright smile on her face.