Welcome to Gaia! ::

Chapter 1: The Awakening


*flashback*


Young Rin knelt next to a wild flower that grew in front of a grave; there were three small headstones.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

"What is it Rin?"

"I was wondering, will you still me remember me even after I die?"

For a brief moment, for the first time in his life, shock played over the features of the usually passive-faced demon lord.

"Don't speak of such nonsence." He replied a moment later, having regained his composure.


*end flashback*


Sesshomaru shook away the memory. Many years had passed since then and Rin was no longer a child, but a young woman; yet, even now she continued to follow him, never once seeking the company of another human. As it was now, she sat in a field of wild flowers; some of them she had picked and held in a colorful aray. Au-Un lay nearby and Jaken was asleep against one side of the faithful dragon demon who was also dozing in the warmth of the sun's rays. As he watched them, the ruleer of the Western Lands, he tried not to think too much ont he fact that the three demons of the group were not so young anymore. For a demon of his strength and blood, time was not yet an issue. The same could not be said of his faithful servants.

Soon ehough I should find a suitable mate for Rin.

The demon lord thought as he watched her set the flowers on her lap even as a gentle breeze teased the locks of her dark hair from the deep pink kimono she wore. Yet, he didn't move to do so; an unknown feeling nagging at him in the back of his mind to put it off just a little longer. Not recognizing the feeling of reluctance, the demon lord had only averted his eyes from his charge when she looked up from the flowers to him. The demon lord picked up the faint scent of humans in the air. For a moment he stood still, ignoring it; then, in a flash, he left his charges as he dashed towards the scent that meant a village was nearby. He stood at the edge of the village only a moment later. No one seemed to take heed of him as he circled the village. The same village he had skirted only a day before; he watched for young men as the sun began to dip low in the sky. He watched to see which went to a home with young children and which did not. He made careful note before heading back to the forest where he knew he would find his charges waiting. The sound of their soft breathing when he arrived let him know that they slept. Jaken was slumped beneath a tree while Rin was curled up next to Au-Un. The dragon demon opened one amber eye lazily before closing it again at the sight of its master.

Sesshomaru settled against a tree and closed his eyes. The demon lord drifted to sleep; unaware that he was being watched by his young charge. She didn't dare move or change her shallow breathing until she was sure he was asleep. She lifted her head to gaze at the demon in the moonlight. Though it was dim, it made his skin seem to glow in the dark as if it had a light all its own. She could clearly make out the marroon stripes beneath his eyes, which she knew were amber and shared only with his half demon brother, Inuyasha. A soft breeze ruffled the fur of his tail that was hanging over his shoulder. As a child, she'd asked him about the "fluffy thing" on his shoulder and Jaken had scolded her for such a silly question. Yet, after a moment of silence the demon lord had told her that it was his tail. There were times in the past that she had remembered sleeping next to him, wrapped in his tail, but once she'd begun to develop into a woman Sesshomaru had insisted that she sleep against the dragon demon and nothing else. She couldn't understand why.

He looks so peaceful and yet... he must be lonely without someone by him like my father had mother.

Rin thought and the longer she stared at him the more she noticed about him that she'd not really noticed before. He looked almost innocent in his sleep, the way he was relaxed, the way his long hair swayed slightly in the breeze and for the first time, Ring felt her heart begin to beat faster as a strange new feeling came over her.

What is this feeling? Why do I feel compelled to look at him? Why does he seem some how different then before?

Confused, Rin tore her eyes from him and curled up even as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. It would be a while before the young woman would dift to sleep once more; comforted by the familiar sound of the dragon demon's breathing, a part of her wishing she could curl up to the demon lord she had followed since her revival. For it had been he, weilding Tenseiga, that had saved her soul from the clutches of the demons from the Netherworld.

[ sorry for not posting more, but I seemed to have lost track of the notebook the story was on. I'll put up another chapter when I find it. ]

[ I found the notebook, I'll post chapter 2 soon ]

Chapter 2: First Spring



The smell of the wild flowers were the first sign that Spring had finally taken root. The days before had been cold though there had been no snow. Nor would there be now. Jaken set out on his yearly trek that would last a month. Before Rin had come along, Sesshomaru had been on his own to deal with any matter he see fit to. Now, with her grown, Sesshomaru could not stray as he had from her when she was a child for now so more then ever she was a target of demons and would be for three months until the end of the third month when Summer began. Sesshomaru's gaze swept over teh clearing in the forest where he had told her to stay within a hallowed out tree. The same tree he had pushed her into the day she'd turned sixteen in the middle of the Spring months; the night she'd first physcially became a woman, a time of "blooming" he'd heard humans refer to it as. For demons, it only meant one thing though, that it was time to seek a worthy mate. It was scarely dawn and already he'd slain three demons who had thought to be her suitor. Her scent drifted to him and he did his best to ignore it as he had that first night she'd "blossomed."

In the tree, Rin watched Sesshomaru as she had year after year. He was a white blur as he moved to take down yet another demon. She remembered her first night spent in this very same tree; she'd been terffied and at the same time had marveled at his speed to protect her.I've been with him so long that I scarecly remember a time I wasn't with him; I barely remember my own family, my human family. A streak of red caught her attention, breaking into her thoughts; she peered out and saw the young half demon she knew to be Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's younger half brother.

"What are you doing here little brother?" Sesshomaru's cool tone was icier then usual; causing the hanyou to smirk as he knew what troubled his elder sibling.

"Just looking for a nice spot. I could ask you the same question."

Spot? Rin wondered and then she noticed that next to the half demon was Kagome, but none of the others of Inuyasha's friends seemed to be with them. Inuyasha sniffed the air then spun around; spotting Rin's hiding place.

"I get it. You're guarding the brat. That ain't like you." Sesshomaru said nothing; if looks could kill, Inuyasha would have been frozen to death on the spot.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed.

"What? It's either that or he's waitin' for her to come out." Inuyasha snorted even as Kagome turned red. Rin wondered what Inuyasha had meant by that and why it had caused the young woman to blush.

"Inuyasha you-"

"Forget it Kagome, Sesshomaru would never touch a human even if he ever let "Spring" get to him; which he doesn't, don't forget that he hates humans." The two brothers stared at each other, the unspoken words hanging between them. Inuyasha didn't have to say it, Sesshomaru was or rather, had been, the least like their father. Sesshomaru knew that Inuyasha would scoff more if he knew the truth; if he knew that the demon lord had been haunted by dreams of such liberty for the past two years. Dreams, he knew, that would come again this night. Three months worth of dreams that he told himself were just because of the fever of Spring.

"Feh. Let's get out of here. There's something I want to show you that I found last year Kagome."

"Okay. " Rin watched the hanyou pick up his mate before heading off deeper into the forest. Long after they had gone, Inuyasha's words still ran in Rin's mind. As she thought back through the years she wondered if he hadn't been right. Lord Sesshomaru never asked anything of her; yet, he'd rescued her time and again. Rin shook the thoughts away. Mabye he'd never asked anything of her, but he'd done so much for her since he'd revived her the day her village had been slaughtered. She'd learned to speak up again, to express herself; she'd not known joy until she had crossed paths with him the very first day, some time before her village had been attacked. She'd done her best to care for him despite that he was a demon and had tried to refuse her care.

She'd been beaten because she'd taken fish from the village supply to feed him. She'd known that, before he'd left, he had taken her offer of food though he had verbally refused the offer. It was that day that her village had been attacked and she had discovered the wolves on her way back to the village after finding a strange demon in her home. The strange demon had been killed by the wolf demon leader who had then let his wolves have the village. She'd run, but had still fell pray to three of the wolves. She was uncertain how long she'd been dead before Sesshomaru had revived her with the Tensiega.

Lord Sesshomaru saved me then and many times since. Maybe he doesn't like other humans, but I know my lord doesn't hate me! Rin began to drift off, comforted by her own thoughts; even as she did she felt something fuzzy drift over her and imagined that she was curled up next to the demon lord. Sesshomaru sat in front of the opening of the hallowed tree; his tail had fallen off his shoulder and onto Rin who slept behind him. He was too preoccupied to notice as he struggled with the feelings he knew he could never express; the same desires he protected her from when he killed other demons. As he settled himself, he did his best to stay awake, but he eventually sucombed to sleep; knowing that the dreams that would haunt him would only serve to sharpen his desire in the morning, which would be why he would wake well before her and before the sun's first rays.

[ I donno how popular this story is... but here's the next chapter. some comments would be nice... ]


Chapter Four: Only Love


Rin sat in the field, waiting for Sesshomaru's return. The first months of Spring had passed seven days ago. She had not seen him since.

I wonder where my lord has gone this time.

She thought with a sigh as she felt, since he'd left, a keen longing to see him that filled her from head to toe. She had thought to ask Jaken about it, but doubted that the toad demon would understand her feelings.

Perhaps Kagome would know. After all, she's like me in ways!

Rin stood up and walked over to a tree where Au-Un stood with Jaken.

"Master Jaken, I need to take Au-Un."

"Whatever for?"

"There's someone I have to talk to before Lord Sesshomaru returns." Rin replied as she picked up the reins of the dragon demon. One of the heads turned to look at her.

"Wait Rin! Lord Sesshomaru left Au-Un's care to me!" Jake protested as she climbed onto the dragon demon's back.

"Oh, I won't be gone long. The village isn't too far Jaken, besides didn't our lord say he'd be gone a long while? It's only been two seven days. I should be back in two days."

Before Jaken could protest more she gently flicked the reins and the dragon demon ascended into the air and they were off. The frustrated toad demon could only watch them disappeare from sight. Rin deftly steered the demon towards the village she knew was a day's ride away. It was dark when she arrived in the village and several of the villagers eyed her warily as she led Au-Un through the village, but none of them stopped her as they saw the reins. They were use to demons that worked woth humans as the demon slalyer, Sango, went to battle with a twin tailed demon cat. There was also the young fox demon, Shippo, who lived in the village with Kagome and Inuyasha. Rin felt slightly nerouvs, she'd not really spoken to Inuyasha or anyone other then Kohaku without Lord Sesshomaru near.

Still, I must speak with her... Rin thought, and faultered when she saw Kagome ni a light green Kimono and red hakamas, standing near a hut; she looked very much like the priestees that a passing villager called her.

"Good day Priestess Kagome." It was a young boy, Kagome smiled at him. Older, thought Rin didn't notice, Kagome now very much resembled Kikyo, her feudal ages counterpart that she was the reincarnation of; despite her resemblence her nature was nothing like that of the dead priestess whose clay body had been destroyed sometime after the defeat of Naraku. Kagome felt someone watching her and glanced around a moment before her gaze found Rin's uncertain one.

As soon as Kagome smiled, Rin felt slightly better. Kagome moved over to the younger woman; it was only then that Rin noticed that a pair of soft brown ears poked through the other woman's hair just as they did on Inuyasha.

"You're Rin right?" Kagome asked, it had been many years since she'd seen the young girl she knew followed Sesshomaru around, but she was sure the young woman before her was none other then that young child. Rin nodded nervously, affirming Kagome's assumption.

"It's good to see you, if you would follow me, I know of a place where we can speak without being interupted." Rin nodded and followed Kagome a moment before stopping.

"Um... what about Au-Un?" Kagome stopped and turned to the girl. She smiled when she saw the young woman's concern.

"Just leave him here by the hut if you wish. No one will bother him and Kirara will likely keep him company while we talk." Rin nodded and left the dragon demon near the hut where a two tailed demon was just coming out.

"Be good. I'll be back soon." She told the dragon demon who just snorted. She let the reins go slack before she followed Kagome. There were few people out now as most were hurrying home. Kagome led Rin deep into the forest, in the pale moonlight she could barely make out the priestess' form aside from the light cast by the lanturn she carried. It was only when they stopped that Rin saw where they were; next to the Sacred Tree of Ages.

"This is..." Rin began, only to trail off even as Kagome turned.

"Yes, this is the tree Inuyasha was pinned to; the very same one that has been in my life and was my guide to Inuyasha. I came to this time through the well that isn't far from here. The first person I saw was Inuyasha; I didn't know he was a half demon then or that he was bound by a spell. His first act of kindess to me wouldn't be until some time later, but once we started our journey together there was no stopping us. This tree means the world to me. It was here, in the time that I came from, that my father proposed to my mother and where Inuyasha asked the same of me years ago."


Sort of like with me and Sesshomaru. I first laid eyes on him as a child just outside my village, leaning against a tree. It wasn't until his eyes changed that I realized he wasn't human, but I didn't care then... I don't regret it. Rin thought.

"Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Rin nodded, searching for the right words.

"Lady Kagome... did... did you ever feel pain when you were away from Lord Inuyasha? Like a pain that doesn't go away until you see him again?"

"Yes, and I still feel it sometimes. It's a feeling of yearning and is only naturaly when you fall in love with someone." Kagome paused a moment before asking.

"Is there someone you love Rin?" Sesshomaru came to Rin's mind instantly and her cheeks redened to the shade of cherries.

"I... I think so... I'm always so happy when he's around..." Rin began.

"I want to be with him always... to be at his side... to be there for him if he needs me... and something.." Rin hesistated as she struggled to put to words what her heart had been feeling.

"Something else too... something... so much more."

"It sounds like you love him very much." Kagome said after a moment of silence. Rin suddenly grabbed Kagome's hand that wasn't holding the lanturn.

"Lady Kagome... what do I do?!" Kagome smiled at her reassuringly.

"The only thing you can do is tell him how you feel. If nothing else, be happy to be with him. That's how I was able to stay with Inuyasha before he chose me over Kikyo."

"Thank you Lady Kagome, for... everything." Kagome gave the young girl a kind smile even as she ran off back to the village. Kagome wasn't startled when a figure dropped from the shadows of the tree behind her and moved to her side. She'd known her mate was nearby; watching over her as always.

"What was that all about?"

"She's in love."

"And she came to you?"

"Who else? She's had little human influence since she followed Sesshomaru around as a child. I suspect it's him."

"Really? Not much of a chance."

"Maybe not from your point of view, but it's not impossible. After all, he's kept her safe all these years as you have me and she's not his daughter. No, I think that if anyone could ever get close to Sesshomaru it would be her."

"Well, I can't argue with that." Inuyasha replied as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked after only a moment's silence. Kagome smiled and placed one hand over her stomach; her clothes were so large that it was not yet apparent that she was once again with child.

"I'm fine. So far junior hasn't given me any trouble." Inuyasha chuckled softly and muttered.

"I was hoping for a girl this time, one that would be as beautiful as her mother... "

[I've fixed what errors I saw, I need to find the notebook again as well as some time... so plz bear with me here. sweatdrop ]