Kimono in Question

Up until she went to live with Kaede, Rin could count the number of times she went to a human market square on one hand. All of them had been with her mother and those days were ages gone.

This last time, though, when the young girl had been sent to barter with some ground herbs, the old priestess slipped her a few extra coins.

“Buy yourself a little something more,” Kaede whispered conspiratorially with a chuckle.

Rin didn’t need to be told twice. There was a lovely kimono she’d been eyeing for weeks now, and – heart racing nearly as fast as her legs – she hoped it was still there.

And it was!

When she strutted back home, heads actually turned. The child who had traveled with demons was growing up splendidly. She’d matured quite a bit in the past three years. Such a fine, sophisticated taste!

A few lunar phases later, Sesshomaru dropped by. He never tarried long; he wasn’t the one preparing to live among humans. In his hand he carried a small set of writing utensils for the one who was.

“Lord Sesshomaru, look!” Rin spun around in her new outfit as he casually leaned in the threshold.

Scrutinizing eyes narrowed, the demon tapped a talon to his chin.

Those butterflies and intricate patterns…so terribly familiar. It may have fled Rin’s young, fleeting memory, but in Sesshomaru’s lengthy, meticulous retention visions of a bold wind witch valiantly dying for her freedom flooded his mind.

“You bought that at the village market?” was all the daiyokai droned.

“Yes,” Rin beamed. "Don't you like it?"

A distracted "Hmm" was Sesshomaru's only reply. Then he pulled the writing kit from his side. "Make use of this."

A few days later, Rin was gifted with a new garment easily twice more expensive than the one she wore. With the Western Lord's departure, Jaken mentioned there was a fine example of Sesshomaru's calligraphy inside.

Rin took the silky fabric inside and a small slip wafted out of the sleeve. “You can burn the other rag now.”

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A/N: Personally, I don’t have any gripes with Rin’s kimono resembling Kagura’s last. A pattern’s a pattern and who’s to say even Rumiko Takahashi doesn’t run out of ideas every now and again? But some readers were making a big hoopla outta the whole deal, so here’s the fanfic I drew out of it.