InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret Key to the Meidou-Seki ❯ Race to Rin ( Chapter 3 )

Sesshomaru raced against the wind to the village of Edo where Rin lived, Jaken clinging for dear life to the mokomoko-sama all the while. He visited her every three months, more often if he could, but lately the matter of unlocking the secret of the Meidou-seki had occupied much of his time. He knew if he kept Rin waiting much longer, she would worry. Usually he arrived on the night of the new moon, that one night of the month when his stupid brother was more useless than usual at protecting the village from outside threats. But that night had already passed, and Sesshomaru couldn't help but worry about what condition he would find the village—and Rin—in.

 

 

 

As dawn arose, Sesshomaru could see the village of Edo on the horizon. He inhaled once, sharply, and then let the breath slowly out. There was no scent of destruction or bloodshed.

 

As he passed over the village, Rin's safety was confirmed when he spotted his brother's wife picking medicinal herbs in the fields. Soon Inuyasha's ugly dog ears poked up above a patch of tall grass and he came bursting out of the brush triumphantly holding up an unusual looking plant to add to Kagome's basket. Kagome looked cheery and threw her arms around his neck in an embrace. Their private moment was interrupted when apparently Inuyasha scented Sesshomaru on the breeze and released Kagome to look up to the sky.

 

As Sesshomaru passed overhead, Inuyasha had a sour expression on his face and his arms crossed stiffly. But Kagome waved up at him, calling out the familiar “Brother-in-law!” greeting he had yet to grow accustomed to over the past year. A slight wave of nausea passed over him and disappeared as he flew on, disgusted by their romantic display.

 

Sesshomaru was soon greeted by another familiar sight. Two little twin girls were chasing a kitsune outside their hut, giggling hysterically every time they caught him and he seemingly disappeared in a puff of blue smoke, only to turn out to be that rock or statue or mushroom on the ground. Their mother and father watched and laughed along with them, Miroku calling out, “You'll have to do better than that, Shippo!” and taking the opportunity to rub his wife's rear end while the kids were distracted. Sango blushed, but was no longer spurning Miroku's advances, as was evidenced by her already swelling belly despite the fact that their son, sitting on top of Miroku's shoulders, was hardly one year old. Sesshomaru looked at the couple's lovesick smiles and almost sneered.

 

Thank goodness Rin lived on the other side of the village. Sesshomaru didn't think he could stand seeing them up close.

 

He landed and gave the wrinkled old miko woman a terse, formal greeting, and she told him that Rin was making tea in their hut. To Jaken's dismay, Sesshomaru told him to stay with the miko, and he spluttered in useless protest when Kaede greeted him, “Ah, little youkai! You can come down to the river and help me wash linens!” As Kaede and Jaken left, Sesshomaru went in to see Rin alone.

 

“Lord Sesshomaru!” Rin cried when she saw him. “I had a feeling you were coming today. Sit down, please. I've made you some tea…”

 

“I can't stay long, Rin. I have matters to attend to.”

 

“I understand. I'm just happy to see you, even if it is only for a little while.” Rin looked up at him with big brown eyes. “I'm so sorry that I am not with you all the time, Lord Sesshomaru.”

 

“Do not spare my feelings, Rin. The old miko takes good care of you and you have many humans your age to play with. You are perfectly content here.”

 

Rin hesitated. “I am,” she said finally, “but I am sorry that you are lonely.”

 

“I am not alone,” Sesshomaru scoffed. “Jaken is always around, whether I want him to be or not.”

 

“Oh, I know you have Master Jaken, Lord Sesshomaru, and I am grateful for it. But I know how hard it can be to adjust to change. When my family was killed, I was still surrounded by people everyday, and I never felt more lonely in my life.”

 

“Such a foolish thing…” Sesshomaru said. Rin looked down at the floor, so he continued. “I miss your company, but I am not sentimental. It is enough for me to know that you are safe.”

 

Rin smiled at him warmly. “Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru.” His back went rigid as she embraced him, but he put a hand on her head lightly. Rin's cheek came to rest against his chest, and suddenly she pulled away. “What's this?” she said, pointing to his heart. She had felt something round and metallic against his chest under his robes.

 

“I didn't mean to show you this,” Sesshomaru said, taking out the medallion for her to see.

 

“Oh,” Rin gasped. “The Meidou-seki. I haven't seen that since your mother…”

 

“Yes,” Sesshomaru said, putting it away again. “The memory is painful for both of us.”

 

“Why do you have it with you now?”

 

Sesshomaru sighed lightly. “Because Mother thinks I will have some use for it. But it is not mine to keep. I have had it for months and have yet to find the so-called key that will unlock its secret.”

 

“A key?”

 

“Yes. And without it, this thing is as useless to me as a piece of junk.”

 

“Forgive me, my lord, but you once thought Tenseiga was useless as well. Whatever it is that this treasure is supposed to do for you, I believe you'll find it. Your mother said so, after all!”

 

“Hn. Yes. I suppose that is true.” Sesshomaru took one last look at her to make sure she was well. “Goodbye, Rin.”

 

“Goodbye, Lord Sesshomaru.”

 

 

 

Three days later, Sesshomaru found himself and Jaken once again wandering aimlessly across the countryside. The Meidou-seki was clenched angrily in his fist. Even with Rin's encouragement, he was no closer to finding the key.

 

Suddenly his anger boiled over and he threw the medallion as far as he could. Jaken yelped in surprise. The Meidou-seki landed quite some distance away in the grass. Sesshomaru glared at Jaken foully. “What are you waiting for, fool? Go get it!”

 

“Oh, yes, right away, Lord Sesshomaru!” And Jaken scurried off, huffing and puffing, to retrieve the medallion.

 

Sesshomaru scowled in disgust. How dare Rin suggest that he was lonely? And how dare Inuyasha and his stupid friends pair up so conveniently and constantly display their affection for one another? It was sickening.

 

Suddenly Sesshomaru heard a melodious note on the wind. A white phoenix swooped down out of the sky and dropped a scroll at his feet. Then, just as quickly as it had arrived, the phoenix swept back up into the sky and disappeared into the distance.

 

My mother's bird again, Sesshomaru thought. He picked up the scroll and read his mother's handwriting:

 

My dear Sesshomaru,

 

I do hope you've found the key to the Meidou-seki by now. I've given you more than enough time, and I am convinced that if you haven't found it by now, you never will. I require the Meidou-seki's return in no more than three days. Remember, I hate to be kept waiting.

 

Sesshomaru stopped reading and frowned. He knew there was no way around his mother's wishes. If he didn't return the Meidou-seki to her in three days, he knew she would have some way of finding him or dispatching some horrible servant of hers to reclaim it. There was no point in trying to hold onto it any longer. He knew she was right. There was no way he would find the key now. He had failed.

 

The idea of failure looming over him, marring his stature in some way was more discouraging than the idea of not using the Meidou-seki to do… whatever it was supposed to do. His father had wanted him to have the Meidou-seki for a reason. And now he would never know what that reason was.

 

Sesshomaru was ready to tear up the scroll and toss it away, but almost absentmindedly he looked at the rest of his mother's letter.

 

Oh, also, I have heard reports of a powerful demonic spirit traveling across the land, leaving human villages decimated in its wake. My scouts have told me that they found entire populations of paralyzed villagers, frozen like stone by some sort of demonic spell. They estimate that the spirit is moving toward the southeastern lands.

 

Say, isn't that where your little human pet lives?

 

“Lord Sesshomaru,” Jaken cried, running up to him. “I've retrieved the Meidou-seki for you—ahhh!”

 

Sesshomaru had snatched Jaken up and flown into the air, heading back in the direction of Rin's village. He only hoped he would make it in time. The Meidou-seki and his failure to find the key were completely forgotten.

 

Hold on, Rin!