InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Allies I: How to Train a Taiyoukai ❯ Sesshoumaru Explains It All ( Chapter 8 )

{Disclaimer: See Chapter One.}

Chapter Eight: Sesshoumaru Explains It All

>Knock-Knock<

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome yawned and opened her eyes. "Where am I?"

"On me. Get off."

>Knock-Knock<

"Kagome-sama, are you alright?"

Kagome looked up. Sesshoumaru stared at her, his eyes twinkling in amusement as she turned twelve shades of red.

"Kagome-sama? Yukio? Are you o. k.?"

"We're fine!" Kagome called, scrambling off Sesshoumaru. Or at least she would have scrambled off Sesshoumaru, except he decided that he rather liked his human blanket. He pulled her closer to him, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed. Sesshoumaru shrugged as Sumi's voice called again.

"Just wanted to let you know that breakfast was ready."

"Thank you!"

Kagome tried to get up again, and again Sesshoumaru held her down. Kagome sighed in defeat and wrapped her arms around him, trying to find a more dignified place for her legs than around his waist. Sesshoumaru moved her legs back to his waist, and growled when she tried to move again.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked again.

"I have something to tell you."

"Can't you tell me without me wrapped around you?"

"I want you close, in case you laugh. That way I do not have to go far to behead you."

"Ha, ha. Very funny. Tell me then so I can get up."

Sesshoumaru waited for her to get comfortable before pulling the covers over them. She blushed again, and Sesshoumaru shook his head in amusement.

"It's about my ring," he told her. Kagome stopped squirming.

"How did you lose it?"

"I can get to that, if you'd be quiet."

"I knew you wouldn't be nice long."

"Nice?" Sesshoumaru snorted. "Have I been NICE?"

"No, Yukio, if it will make you feel better."

"I gave it to a ward of mine to hold when I sensed another youkai a month ago. I followed it, but found nothing. When I returned, Jaken was hurt and my ward was gone. I followed the scent back here, and could not get in. I realized I needed a miko, and you were the only one I could think of."

Kagome sat up and twirled her hair, the light dancing on the golden strands. "O. k., so they have someone you know as well. What do they look like?"

"She is six years old, brown eyes, short, blackish hair, gap-toothed, human, goes by the name of Rin…"

"It's a girl!" Kagome gasped, feeling a tad jealous. Then she remembered the girl's age. "It's a little girl!"

Kagome blinked again, coming to an impossible conclusion. "It's a little HUMAN girl!"

Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome lowered her head, her shoulders shaking.

"Are you laughing?"

Kagome shook her head as her shoulders shook harder.

"You are laughing!"

Kagome shook her head again, curls spilling on Sesshoumaru's chest.

"Yes you are! You are laughing!"

Kagome burst into giggles, falling off Sesshoumaru to the futon with a thump. Sesshoumaru stood up and removed the shirt she gave him. He dug in her pack until he found another gi, put it on and watched her from the other edge of the room.

"I'm sorry!" Kagome wheezed. "I didn't think you liked humans!"

"You are human."

"You like me?" Kagome asked, suddenly serious. Sesshoumaru walked to the door and turned around.

"Get dressed," he said over his shoulder. Kagome huffed and stalked to her bag. She tossed her shirt at him, it hanging off his head. He sniffed it delicately before tossing it back to her.

"Are you not going to tell me if you like me or not?" Kagome asked as she stepped in her slippers. She tied her cape and handed him his.

"For laughing at me, you will have to wait."

"Aw!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head and opened the door. His stoic expression remained as they walked to breakfast, but his tail twitched in amusement against her skin every now and then.

+++++++

Rei stopped in front of a small house. "Yukio will have to wait here."

"Why?" Kagome asked, feeling Sesshoumaru's tail tighten around her hand.

"This is an orphanage. Some of the parents of the children here were killed by youkai. Yukio would only scare them."

Kagome nodded and patted Sesshoumaru's tail. "Would you stay here, Yukio? I'll be back soon, I promise."

"If it pleases you, Kagome-sama."

Sesshoumaru leaned against the side of the orphanage, arms crossed and his eyes closed. Kagome patted his shoulder and followed Rei into the building. All around her were children of various ages, running, playing or just plain being kids. Kagome smiled as one ran into her leg.

"Forgive me, miko-sama," the little girl chirped. Kagome ruffled her hair affectionately and followed Rei through the house.

"You're so good with children," Rei observed. Kagome blushed.

"Thank you."

"No really. Maybe you could be of some help." Rei lead Kagome down a hallway, opening the last door. Kagome and Rei stepped inside and closed the door. Inside was a little girl with short black hair; dressed in a white kimono. She sat on the edge of her futon, her hands clasped tightly to her neck.

"This is Rin," Rei whispered to Kagome. "She believes that the Western Demon will come and take her away from here. She believes he protects her. We have to keep her away from the other children because they tease her. She sits here all day, and doesn't say a word." Rei turned to Rin. "Rin, will you talk to Kagome-sama, please?"

Rin nodded and smiled at Kagome. Kagome smiled back, noticing her gap-toothed smile.

'Blackish hair, a gap toothed smile. Six years old.' Sesshoumaru's voice reminded her from memory. 'Could this be the little girl he's looking for?'

"Hi, Rin," Kagome said as she kneeled down. She had her back to Rei, allowing her to watch. Rin smiled down at her.

"How are you?"

"Rin is fine, miko-sama."

"Please, call me Kagome."

Rin's smile became an ecstatic grin. "O. k., Kagome!" Kagome smiled back.

"I hear that the other children tease you. Why?"

Rin frowned. "I miss Sesshoumaru-sama."

"The Taiyoukai of the West?"

Rin nodded. "But Rin knows he'll come for me!"

"Why is that?"

"Because Rin has this!" Rin held up a small ring on a dark gray ribbon. It was tied around her neck. Kagome smiled and reached for it.

"May I see it, Rin?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama said for no one to touch it."

"I don't think he'll mind, if it gets you back to him, do you?"

Rin shook her head and handed Kagome the ring. It was made of a golden band, with a crescent-shaped sapphire in the center of the band. Beside the crescent was a small diamond, with Sesshoumaru's name etched in kanji. On the inside of the band were the words

Guardian and Ruler of the West, its Lands and All Who Reside in its Borders.

Kagome nearly cried in relief. 'We found her!' Kagome schooled her face to a small smile.

"It's lovely, Rin," she said as she gave the ring back. Rin nodded. "Rin can't wait for Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin is lonely."

Kagome pulled Rin into her lap, giving her a big hug. "I'm sorry you're so lonely. How about I show you something?"

Rin nodded and Kagome put her back down. She tapped under her right eye, motioning for Rin to watch. Rin stared in amazement as Kagome's blue eyes flashed gold. It shimmered for a moment, then turned into a miniature picture of Sesshoumaru and herself as they were in her dream. Rin gasped and the picture faded away. Kagome put a finger to her lips.

"Now don't tell the other children I did that. They would be jealous."

Rin nodded and ran toward the door. "Can Rin go play, miko-sama?"

Rei nodded and Rin left the room. Kagome stood up and dusted herself off.

"What did you do?" Rei asked. Kagome blinked, then shrugged.

"A simple illusion. I'll show you." She tapped the same eye and it glimmered a deep blue. Instead of the picture Rin received, Rei saw a school of dolphins leaping over the water.

"Beautiful, Kagome-sama! No wonder she's so happy. Come, we must return to Yukio."

Rei lead Kagome out of the orphanage. Sesshoumaru wrapped his tail around Kagome's hand, sniffing delicately.

"No danger, Yukio. Just a very cute little girl I met inside."

Concern flickered in Sesshoumaru's eyes before they returned to the emotionless, now-green gaze. Kagome sighed and patted his tail affectionately.

"Now, now. Don't be jealous."

Sesshoumaru didn't bother to make a remark as Rei spoke.

"We're having our annual cleansing ceremony tomorrow. The whole town, including the children will be there. Will you be there, too?"

Kagome nodded. "I don't see why not."

"Good. See you there."

Rei departed, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome to walk by themselves. They went down a dark alley away from the busy street. Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, sniffing Kagome's clothes.

"I take it you found her?" he asked. Kagome swatted his head away from her legs.

"Move! Stop! Yes I found her, hentai!"

Sesshoumaru glared at her, but stopped sniffing. "I am not a hentai."

"Whatever. Anyway, I think we should wait until during the cleansing ceremony to leave. That way everyone else will be distracted."

"Agreed."

Sesshoumaru followed Kagome out of the alley to the hot springs nearby. As he waited for her to finish her bath, he reflected on last night and Kagome's dream.

'When did I become so soft?' he asked himself, disgusted. 'Why didn't I leave when the dream ended? So what if she's stupid enough to still love Inuyasha after the way he treats her? Why do I care?' Sesshoumaru stopped, eyes wide.

'I do care, don't I? Well, this is an interesting turn of developments. Still, she is intriguing. I suppose I will do as Aniki asked and let her live. Then I can see what it is that fascinates me about her and put a stop to it.' Sesshoumaru wrapped his tail around her hand when she tapped his shoulder and they left for the inn, waiting for tomorrow when he could claim his property and leave.

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SF: Everyone's go-carting this time. I swear, I never get to have any fun! Oh well. Anywho, to all who care, I received my first flame today. I don't know what to say. I mean, I want to be nasty, but I could be wrong about this person. Plus no one wants a full out war over ff.net. No one tell Sesshou, he gets mad about that kind of thing.

Sesshou: {::offstage::} Mad about what?

SF: Oh crap! Anywho, check out the preview and the responses.

Chapter Nine: Sesshoumaru's Emotions Unleashed

"What do you plan to do about it? You are only a defenseless miko, who has a weak inu youkai protector. He can't defeat all of us."

Kagome started to laugh, startling the others as she moved toward one of the statues. She grabbed one of its swords and stood in the clearing between Sesshoumaru and Rei.

"I tried to make this easier on you," she said, giving Rei a piteous look. "But you have made it difficult for yourselves." She turned and bowed to Sesshoumaru, a evil glint in her eye.

"You may lay waste to them now, Lord Sesshoumaru."