“Rin.” A teenage girl yelled as she ran by the raven haired woman.
Kagome looked up to see who was yelling as the girl ran past. Their umbrellas nearly collided as she sprinted past. The rain was falling steadily but not hard. The girl ran past the woman to someone in front of them both. Kagome had not heard that name in such a long time and she suddenly felt sorrow in her heart. When the jewel was completed and time to make the wish had come, she had prepared for the fact that she would mostly likely be sent back to her own time. The day before she had said goodbye to all of her friends; in the event that she would be thrust back into her modern life. It was a good thing too. Once the wish was made she was ripped from her friends and the feudal era, and landed at the bottom of the well.
When she had realized her worst nightmare had come true, she sat at the bottom of the well sobbing uncontrollably for several hours before coming out and crying to her mother some more. Now she was considering something else. She had never gone to say goodbye to the sweet little girl that traveled with Inuyasha’s half brother. The pain stabbed her deep in the heart at that moment. She had spent six years in the feudal era killing demons, hunting Naraku and finding the shards of the sacred jewel. Once it was all done she left unexpectedly, and eight months had pasted since that terrible day. Kagome had started to come to terms with the whole ordeal, and now to have a reminder was painful. The woman watched as the racing girl slowed in front of another young woman that looked about the same age with dark brown hair and large brown eyes. If she didn’t know any better Kagome would say that it could have truly been Rin as a teenager.
“I can’t believe he is your guardian. He is so hot.” The girl squealed to Rin.
“He is family. Don’t talk like that Miyumi.” Rin squinted to her friend as they both turned around to the object of their conversation.
Rin waved with the sweet smile that Kagome would expect from the girl, and the other girl grinned absurdly. They both turned to walk across the street toward their school, and Kagome looked up to the person they had waved to. Kagome stopped in her tracks. The man they were talking about was Sesshoumaru. It was really him, her mind gasped. She had stopped a mere five feet from him, and was gaping at him. He stood stoic as he ever did, although with a white button up shirt with sleeves rolled to three quarter length and simple khakis; and holding a dark blue umbrella over his head. He still had his long silver hair, but kept it neatly pulled back. He slid his eyes sideways at her, and she jumped. A small smirk crossed his face as he turned to face her.
“Miko.” His eyes were glistening in the dim light of the cloudy day.
“Lord Sesshoumaru.” She chocked out at him.
“It has been a while.” He continued. “What brings you to this side of town?”
“Oh, well. I, ah. I had to go to a specialty bookstore to find a book for one of my classes.” Her nerves were prickling.
“I see.” His eyes cast about her form “May I accompany you?”
“Ah, sure.” She was surprised at his inquiry.
The two walked together silently. He was still unapproachable like when she first know him, although he did not seem as rough as before. Then she thought about something to ask him.
“So, is that girl Rin your new ward.” She smiled slightly.
“She always has been miko, you know this.” His answer was cool and concise.
“What? Are you telling me that that girl I just saw is the same Rin that I knew five hundred years ago?” Her voice almost laughing at the thought.
“That is what I am telling you.” The words still smooth as silk.
“That’s not possible. She was a human girl. She was what about twelve or thirteen by the time I left.” She scoffed.
“That would be about right.” He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “For some reason she is aging considerably slower then other humans.”
“Wow, so that really is Rin.” Kagome placed a finger to her chin as she contemplated the odd situation.
“What about you, Lord Sesshoumaru.” She asked with more enthusiasm.
“What about me, miko?” He kept his gazed focused ahead.
“Have you ever married? Do you have children? Did you ever find the power that you were looking for? That kind of thing.”
“No.”
“No.” She repeated.
“No.” He reiterated, and looked at her again.
“No to everything. No wife, no kids, no power.” Her face grew suspicious.
“No.” Was still his one word answer.
“O’kay. Well, do you want to get married and have kids? Or are you not interested in woman?” He snapped his head away from her and into the air.
“I like woman fine. I have not found one that pleases me. That is all.” He really emphasized the last part for her.
“I can understand that. You have always been picky.” He gave her a small sideways glare. “What about Rin? Why wouldn’t you have Rin as a wife. She does seem to be immortal like you, and you have been together forever.”
“That is not possible.” His voice regained it’s former coolness.
“Why?” This answer would be interesting she assured herself.
“She is my daughter. At least that is the relationship that we have. I could not see her in that light.” These thoughts softened his eyes and his face slightly.
“Oh.” Kagome felt bad now. “So you have been alone all this time.”
“Not alone.” He smiled. “Rin has stayed with me all these years, even though she knows that she could leave.”
“That’s sweet. She always had a kind heart.” The two smiled together at the thought.
“What about you miko? Have you taken anyone? How long has it been for you since returning to your time?” He looked quizzically at her, and the woman blushed.
“Well, I managed to graduate from junior high and high school after everything that happened. I’ve started college now. That is why I am looking for this bookstore.” She said with negligible pride.
“That is impressive.”
“You think so.” Her voice was doubtful.
“You spent a considerable amount of time in the past. That had to hinder your studies.” He continued to look ahead.
“Yeah, and Inuyasha’s constant moaning about me not going home made that even harder.”
“Inuyasha was a fool.” He hissed.
“Was?” She looked up tentatively.
“He was a half demon. He lived for another four hundred years after you left. Six hundred is a long life for one such as him. I’m sure that it was the strength of my fathers blood that sustained him for that long.”
“What about you Lord Sesshoumaru? You look the same as always. Your what one thousand, or something like that?” She huffed.
“Something like that.” He looked down at her with a small smirk. “I believe we have arrived at the store that you were looking for.” He stopped in front of the door and turned toward her.
“It was nice to see a familiar face, Lord Sesshoumaru. Say hi to Rin for me, and thanks for walking me.” They bowed to each other and Kagome went inside.
Sesshoumaru stood outside looking in after her for a moment. Once she was engaged with the shop keeper he turned back the way they had come. There was no doubt that he had been lonely over the years, but such things did not bother youkai in the same way that it does humans. He contemplated the little miko for a while and the change that he sensed in her. Her scent had definitely changed although he could not directly place what it was. She had changed.