InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hurtful Words: Past & Present ❯ The Present: Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is Copyright of Takahashi Rumiko

Hurtful Words: The Present
Chapter 9

"Inuyasha! What brings you here? And with Sesshoumaru..." Miroku looked at Inuyasha, hoping for an explanation.

"I'll explain it to you later. But so not to make Sesshoumaru angrier than he already is, I have some questions about an emperor in your area." Inuyasha noticed how Miroku's youngest son Nobu clung to his father. The boy, who was usually glad to see Inuyasha, looked out fearfully from his father’s arms.

"Aah, Nobu let me go." Miroku pried his son from his arm and sent him off to his mother. "Children are such a hassle as I'm sure you know Inuyasha." Trying to lighten the mood, he turned to Sesshoumaru. "And what about you Sesshoumaru? Have you had any children? Rin told me you two weren't on speaking terms let alone those terms, but I doubt even you could resist such a beauty. Any girl at the age of seventeen who could have an entire village of young men wrapped around her finger could surely snag you."

Inuyasha may have been frozen in shock upon hearing Miroku's words, but Sesshoumaru reacted quickly and grabbed Miroku by his collar. "What do you know of Rin?"

More than caught off guard, Miroku could do no more than stutter. Inuyasha snapped back into reality and helped Miroku out of Sesshoumaru's angry hold. "Just wait a damn minute Sesshoumaru. Give him a chance to explain before you start trying to rip his head off."

Miroku straightened his kimono out and tried to regain his dignity. "Perhaps we should go inside. These people can handle you Inuyasha but I think Sesshoumaru is a bit too much. Then I'll tell you everything you want to hear." He led them to his home.

"Where's Sango?"

"She's out training some girls. You know she'll be angry that you came here with out bringing the wife and kids. Kagome will be angry as well."

Inuyasha's ears flattened at the idea of being reprimanded by two emotional females. "You're right." Inuyasha stopped and called for Kirara and sent her off to pick up Kagome and their children.

That out of the way, the three men sat together and Miroku began to tell his story. "Rin was here about a year ago. Apparently she has a good memory since she remembered that Kohaku had a sister who was from an exterminator village. Enough asking and snooping around led her here. She told us that she was no longer traveling with Sesshoumaru so she was looking for more ways to protect herself. I don't see why she came to us though. She was quite good with the bow and arrow and had learned a few techniques using gunpowder from some of the few advanced armies. But I believe with Sango's help she made some pretty powerful gases that are sure to make any youkai that crosses her very regretful. She only stayed for a month."

"That’s it? Did she leave anything here that belonged to her?" Inuyasha was anxious for something more than such useless information. Though now he understood why her gas had such an incredible affect on him.

"No, but I believe we have a picture of her. Ever since Kagome gave Sango that polaroid camera thing, she's gone crazy with taking pictures of the children." Miroku rose and returned shortly with a few pictures. "May I ask why you both seem to have an interest in Rin?"

"She has Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga." Inuyasha held up a hand before Miroku could speak. "Please don't ask."

Sesshoumaru looked through the pictures and saw one that caught his eye. She was standing by herself with the evening casting an orange haze upon her face. Her kimono was a bold purple tied with a red obi. Though she wore her hair in a high ponytail it still waved freely behind her as if refusing to be tamed. He had seen her before, but it was only now that he saw what Miroku meant when he said she was a beauty. Even with his incredible eyesight he had not noticed the intensity in her eyes that was clearly captured by this picture. They were brighter and rounder and nothing like the childish brown eyes he still pictured in his mind. And they were also eyes that showed no emotion, even though she was smiling in the picture. How had Rin become such an emotionless shell?

"She rarely smiled and when she did you could tell she didn't mean it because the smile never quite reached her eyes." Miroku spoke quietly and seriously, meaning every word he said. "It was hard for me to believe at first that you two had truly parted ways. She was so very much like you in the way she carried herself and acted, that I thought it impossible for her to acquire your traits without being around you. But she said she hadn't seen you since she was fourteen."

"Hai. That was about the time she disappeared.."

Wanting to change the subject before Miroku asked too many questions, Inuyasha spoke up. "We've been looking for her for two months and we've finally got a solid trail. I noticed that the army of this Emperor guy seems to be on the same trail. I was thinking that maybe she's trying to stay ahead of them so she won't get caught."

"Hmm." Miroku pondered this for a moment. "Makes sense. A girl as pretty as she is would certainly be taken by Emperor Yoshihisa. From what I've heard he's been gathering women from the countryside to be his concubines and servants. There will be eleven women in total: ten will serve him and one will become his wife. His castle is about a two-day journey from here. From what we have seen from our watch towers he has gathered at least eight women."

"Nine if you count the one I saw today."

Sesshoumaru spoke up finally. "Rin will not be caught by those men."

"She has been able to allude two youkai, of course she won't get caught. But this works to our advantage. She has no choice but to move forward because if she turns back and goes around the Emperor's army, she'll run into us. I'm sure she knows we're hot on her trail."

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet. "Tomorrow we'll make our way to the castle. But we cannot cross the path Rin is taking. She'll end up heading directly towards us." He walked out.

Miroku jumped to his feet and quickly followed after Sesshoumaru. "Oi! Where are you going?"

"What concern is it of yours?" Sesshoumaru stopped and turned slowly. "Inuyasha's wretched family will be here soon and I am sure he'll want to remain here for the night. I've had enough of human company for the day." He walked away.

"He'll scare the villagers."

"Let him be, at least he isn't complaining about me staying for the night." Inuyasha disappeared into Miroku's house, ready for some dinner.

Sesshoumaru went to the top of the mountain and sat under the sky until the moon was high above him. He pulled Rin's picture from his sleeve and stared at her sad face, trying to understand what had happened to the happy girl that had been his Rin.

She ran, cursing under her breath at her luck. It never failed. She always seemed to get into trouble no matter how good things were going. If she had known she would regret staying in the village an extra day, she would have left when she had originally planned. But she should have known something was wrong. The family she had been staying with was too nice to her. Still, she hadn't realized it until it was too late. Until Emperor Yoshihisa's army had arrived.

Rin had been avoiding them with ease this entire time, always staying two steps ahead of them. But they had advanced faster than they usually did and the entire village was eager to give a stranger instead of one of their own. Now she was running desperately towards the river to make her escape. And there it was, the glorious river with the moon glistening on its surface. She was close, but not nearly close enough. An arrow pierced her arm and as she damned the men for their impeccable aim, she pulled it out. It was smaller than most arrows and only sharp enough to pierce through the top level of her flesh. Still, it hurt like hell. Her body froze as if refusing to move from the pain. She felt herself getting heavier and heavier as everything around her became a blur.

She tossed the arrow aside with all her remaining strength. She realized now that there was some type of substance on the arrow that would sedate her long enough for the men to come take her away. But with her blood and scent lingering around the area, she knew, as she slipped into unconsciousness, that Inuyasha and his brother were her only hope.

It was early in the afternoon when Sesshoumaru returned the next day and he wasted no time. He had been exploring the forest surrounding the village the entire morning. Something had called to him, awakening him from the sleep that he rarely indulged in. He sensed that something was not right and guided by it, he found Rin's scent. And mixed with it was the scent of the men from Yoshihisa's army. Rin had been captured. Her blood on the arrow proved it. And if the strange scent lingering on the arrow killed her, there would a world of pain to pay.

"Inuyasha." He tossed the arrow to his brother who immediately picked up on its scent. "Let's go."

Inuyasha rose to his feet quickly, full of excitement. "We've got her now! I have to go Kagome. We should be back by tomorrow."

"I'll go with you." Miroku quickly followed after the two inu-youkai.

They raced quickly across the empty field, night slowly approaching. Miroku kept up as best he could but noted Inuyasha's complaints that Sesshoumaru was going to fast. Obviously ignoring them, Sesshoumaru soon disappeared into the distance. Frustrated, Inuyasha stopped and allowed Miroku to climb upon his back. But by the time he had caught up with Sesshoumaru, he was already on the castle grounds in hot pursuit of Rin.

Two guards burst through the screen door, quickly putting a halt to the ceremony. Emperor Yoshihisa turned with his wife to be leaning on his arm. The other women, obviously drugged with something, gave the creature that walked over the guards the most attention they could. Sesshoumaru glanced over the women quickly as he walked towards Yoshihisa and froze when he realized the girl on his arm was Rin.

No, it was no girl; it was a woman. A very beautiful woman that sent a strange sensation up his spine and nearly all his blood to his loins. He of course, gained control of himself before he lost it to his most primal instincts. But the way she looked at him made it difficult to gain control. Mouth slightly open, eyes soft with..with pleasure...as if he had touched her in the most intimate of places. Surely the look was a result of the strange substance he had smelled on the arrow. She wore a white silk kimono decorated with gold stitching of a blooming flower. It was tied so tightly with her gold sash that it showed the curves of her hips. Her hair cascaded freely down her back in what appeared to be endless waves. Her face had been dusted with some sort of gold substance that made her cheekbones stand out and her eyes appear fuller. She looked like a goddess just begging to be taken and if they had been alone, he was convinced he would have had his way with her regardless of whether she was human or youkai.

"What is the meaning of this? What do you think you are doing, interrupting my marriage ceremony like this? Guards! Guards! Get this creature out of my presence!" Yoshihisa stared over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, expecting his men to come at any moment. But instead another white haired creature and a monk appeared.

"I have heard enough." Sesshoumaru moved quickly, seemingly disappearing for a split second before appearing in front of Yoshihisa. With one swift punch the Emperor was sent flying into the wall. Sesshoumaru knelt down as Rin fell and caught her with his arm before she hit the ground. He laid her down gently, unable to tear his eyes from hers.

Inuyasha stared, quickly growing uncomfortable by the moment. He cleared his throat and let go of Miroku. "Wait until I tell Sango."

Miroku froze, his outstretched hand, before he could touch the closest woman. "Inuyasha, you wouldn't!"

"I will unless you get it together and help me get these women out to a room. They need something to get rid of whatever drug is in their body. But if I see you grope ONE girl, I'm telling Sango."

Soon order once again fell upon the castle. To their surprise the top army general had overthrown the emperor. The general had wanted the emperors powers simply because he could have many wives. But power was restored to the true Yoshihisa and he quickly ordered an antidote for the women. The women were quickly dressed in their own clothing and would depart in the morning for their villages in the morning. They would rest until then.

Sesshoumaru returned to the room where the ceremony had been taking place only moments ago. What he had felt plagued him like a flea on a cat. He didn't understand it and didn't like it, but he could not doubt that at that moment, everything between he and Rin had changed once again. It was then that he realized that the woman he had locked eyes with was not the girl he had once considered his daughter. That girl had disappeared years ago. He was dealing with a different Rin. He was dealing with a woman, a woman, he admitted reluctantly, that he was attracted to.

A bell went off, as if warning him against such thoughts. But it wasn't just a bell in his head, it was a bell being rang by one of the castle guards. He walked as quickly as he would allow himself to where all the noise was being made. As he approached, he realized it was the room where the women had been staying for the night. And as he watched Inuyasha and Miroku dash off, he already knew what he was to expect when he stepped into the room.

Rin was gone.

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