InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Short Tails ❯ Faint Praise ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, nor do I make any money from them. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and anyone else she had legally sold the rights to. I just like to play with them sometimes.

 

This drabble was written in response to iyfic-contest's "Praise" theme over at that LiveJournal community. It was originally posted on 2/9/07.

 

 

Faint Praise

 

Rin sat in a field of flowers and watched as her lord fought with his brother. Her companion picked listlessly at the grass at his webbed feet and sighed for perhaps the thousandth time since sitting down.

"Master Jaken," Rin asked thoughtfully. "Why does Lord Sessomaru fight with his brother?"

Jaken drew himself up self-importantly, as she knew he would. Jaken just loved to dispel her ignorance. "Milord seeks to train his worthless brother, to make him worthy of the sword left him by their great father."

Rin watched as the brothers locked swords, neither one seeming to her untrained eye to have any advantage over the other. The deadlock ended when Inuyasha drew back and then punched his brother, raking his claws down Sesshomaru's cheek and leaving four long, bloody welts.

For a moment, Rin thought she saw faint approval in her lord's eyes as Inuyasha danced away back but then it was gone and she couldn't be sure. Turning to Jaken, she asked, "Why doesn't Lord Sesshomaru tell Master Inuyasha if he's done well? Wouldn't Master Inuyasha try to get better if he knew he had done something right?"

Jaken just stared at her a moment and then shook his head. Obviously, there were some things she was just no meant to understand. Jaken's matter-of-fact reply seemed to confirm that. "Milord does tell Inuyasha when he's done well."

Jaken sighed exasperatedly as Rin looked at him quizzically. "The hanyou still lives. What other encouragement does he need?"

 

Word Count: 249