14-year-old Rin sat outside in her favorite garden at the northern palace, basking in the warmth of the sunlight. Life was pretty good right now. She had parents, a younger sister, several aunts and uncles, and even though none of them were related to her by blood, they were still her family. And her family was about to have another addition.

She grinned at that bit of information. It was so soon that not even Kagome or Sesshomaru knew Kagome was pregnant again. But Rin knew. She always had a gift for such things. She would keep it to herself, however. She wanted to see how long it'll take for either one of them to realize it.

It had been a very long road for all of them, but her parents especially. She'd been told the story of how they met, how on the outside they hated each other but, on the inside, they spent decades pining for each other. It was actually pretty romantic. But of course it ended so soon and so badly. They'd both suffered so much pain and heartbreak afterwards. Yet when they were reunited and defeated their enemy, they almost immediately became mates.

Even her uncle Inuyasha and Aunt Sango had gotten married and had their own children. Everyone had found love and started families. They were free to live happily. Everyone of them had such tragic backgrounds, and yet in the end there was light on the horizon for them all. It made Rin all the more thankful.

There was a strong, sweet smell that hit her nose and a furry image flashed in her mind. She shook her head roughly. Every time she comes to the northern castle she'd catch a whiff of the scent and the same image would pop in her head. She didn't know what it was, or why it happened. It was almost like the smell brought forth memories she couldn't recall. It always disappeared in a flash, so she could never make out what it was. Then she'd feel such a deep longing in her heart that she never understood. It was actually quite frustrating.

With a grunt, she stood up and stretched, then made her way to the front gate. She knew what she could do to take her mind off of it. Just outside the northern gate wall was a large village that had been built. Hundreds of merchants from all over had come to set up shop, and just as many families had built homes. Ever since Kagome took over and began to reconstruct her lands, people who were dirt-poor and barely able to survive were given funds and tasks to complete. Kagome and her workers had hired several of them for work. Others she had allowed her men to teach them different skill set, like fishing, hunting, sewing, building, etc. Those who had been eager to learn had spread their knowledge and had set up businesses where they could trade with other merchants and make a living. As the news spread, many others in the north and other lands had come start their lives. Now seven years after the war, the village was immense, and was growing bigger each year.

Her father had a village outside of his gates as well, but it was just a small one where many of the soldiers and servants lived with their families. And it was nowhere near as lively as this one.

She smiled as she walked through the open paths. Everyone greeted her as she passed, bowing to her in respect. Though she was a princess, the adopted daughter of the north and west's leaders, she didn't care much for the diplomacy, but she couldn't tell them that. Truthfully, she'd spent the last several years studying herbs and medicine under the lead doctors in the two castles. It was her passion to eventually set out travelling village to village to help those who were sick and injured. Her parents knew it was her dream, but they'd have yet to have a formal talk about it. She knew they'd be worried. Kagome would even cry. But it was her calling. They would sooner or later have to let her go off into the world.

Merchants on both sides of the dirt path called out to her, doing their best to persuade her into buying their items. And she almost always did. Whether it was a piece of jewelry, clothing, a toy, a book or scroll, a hair accessory, or even a snack, she simply loved shopping. So it was no wonder she spent the next few hours going stall to stall.

That familiar sweet smell hit her nose again and she whirled around, looking for the source. However, all she could see was crowds of people shopping. That furry image kept flashing in her mind. A tail? It looked like a thick blond tail. Some kind of animal? But why did she keep seeing it every time she smelled that aroma?

She shook her head again, frustration welling up insider her as she continued walking. Damn. It would help if she could actually find out why this was happening to her. It was a sugary scent, though unlike any of the treats she'd ever eaten. And it was tangy. Sweet and tangy. Was that even a possible combination? If not, then that was the best she could describe it as.

Even with these thoughts she quickly became aware that she was being followed. And the sweet smell wasn't going away. She wasn't nearly as oblivious as people thought her to be. Though she was a human, her senses were as sharp as any youkai. She had her father and mother's training to thank for that. They had taught her how to properly defend herself in the event that she is suddenly attacked, and no one was around to help her.

And so she made her way to the edge of the village, she walked until there were only trees. Close enough to the village to not cause any alarm yet secluded enough to do what she had to do.

She entered a small clearing and set her bagged treasures on the ground. She feigned a yawn and stretch. As expected, her stalker made its presence known. The sweet smell was so strong, and there was a sudden puff of smoke surrounding her. Then, rustling. Something bumped her and though she couldn't see, she grabbed a fistful of the other person's hair and slammed them to the ground. She then produced a hidden blade and touched the cold metal to the attacker's neck.

When the smoke cleared, wide green eyes blinked up at her in surprise. She also felt shock run through her. Her attacker was just a boy! Though he was a youkai, he was no older than her. He was wearing dark blue hakamas with a lighter blue kimono with white feathers decorated on it. Over his top he wore a light brown fur vest. His orange hair was secured by a blue-green ribbon. And a thick fluffy blond tail thumped in annoyance on the ground. His mouth was dropped open in surprise and two sharp fangs could be seen.

Wait a minute…the sweet smell was coming from him. And…he had a blond fluffy tail. Like the one in the image in her mind.

Nonetheless she held her blade steady as she glared down at him. "Why are you following me?"

He blinked again, his brows crinkling in confusion. "Eh?"

She pressed the blade closer to his neck, the tip touching the skin. "You've been following me all throughout the village. And then that smoke bomb…are you trying to attack me?"

Genuine confusion was written all over his face. "W-whoa, wait a minute! I wasn't following you!"

She rolled her eyes. "You can't lie to me, baka. I felt your presence following me the whole time, and then you just tried to attack me."

"Well, yeah!" He blurted out. "I wasn't following you, but I did throw the smoke bomb because I thought you were trying to steal from me!"

She raised a disbelieving brow. "How could I possibly be trying to steal from you way out here?"

He pointed a finger to the left. Making sure to keep her attention on him lest he makes a sudden move, she glanced up in the direction he pointed in. Then did a double take. Between two mossy trees was a small hut that was covered in moss and leaves. It blended into its surrounding in such a way the Rin hadn't even noticed it until just now.

"I live there," the boy said, this time annoyed. "I was on my way home from the village. No one ever comes out here, and when I saw you heading this way, I thought you were trying to rob my home. So I threw a smoke bomb to try and scare you away as a warning."

Belatedly Rin sensed he was telling the truth. She blushed deeply. She sheathed her weapon and stood to her feet, thoroughly embarrassed. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't know… I just thought someone was following me and trying to attack me."

He stood up as well, brushing dirt off his clothes. His tail was just a few inches from the ground, still twitching in annoyance. "I don't attack girls unless they're evil," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at her. "And your aura is as pure as they come."

Rin's face heated even more. "Um…Thank you?"

Seeing her bewildered expression, his own cheeks turned bright pink. "D-don't look at me like that! I didn't mean it in a bad way. Don't go catching any funny ideas." He rolled his shoulders, avoiding looking her in the eyes.

Rin covered her smile with the sleeve of her kimono. He was actually kind of…cute. "I really am sorry about this misunderstanding. I hope you can forgive me."

Still blushing, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever. Just don't go around telling anyone about this. I don't need anyone knowing I let some ningen girl beat me up. Don't need you ruining my tough reputation, you know."

She giggled, then slapped a hand over her mouth at his glare. "Sorry. You have my word."

He paused, his gaze suddenly turning quizzical. When he didn't respond for several moments, she became uneasy. The feeling increased when he swiftly moved to stand before her. He raised her hand to his nose and inhaled deeply. He was sniffing her. Sniffing her!

Having lived in a house full of inuyoukai, not once has anyone ever done such a thing. It felt…invasive.

Before she could yank her hand away, he grinned in delight. "Rin-chan!"

She took a huge step back. Here in the north, while people tended to recognize her as Sesshomaru and Kagome's daughter, no one outside of her family added chan to her name in such familiar way. "Rin-san, to you."

He only continued to smile. "No, I mean you're Rin-chan. It's really you, isn't it? You don't remember?"

Rin was definitely perplexed, and about two seconds away form dashing off from this weirdo. "Nai, I'm s-sorry… I believe you have the wrong person."

His face fell a bit. "But…I could have sworn…" he shook his head slightly, frowning. "Rin-chan…was girl who was an orphan like me from the village Taki. We played together all the time."

Another image flashed in her mind. Thick, fluffy tail. Bright green eyes. Orange hair. "Wait a minute…Shippo?"

He perked up again. "So it is you!"

Rin thought it over. Taki was indeed the name of her old village, but she hardly remembered it. It was all so long ago. But that image she kept seeing…it was a kitsune boy named Shippo whom she was close friends with. They did everything together. He was her best friend.

She looked back up at the boy in front of her. Same wide green eyes. Same orange hair, though it was in a ponytail reach the middle of his back. His blond fluffy tail was much longer as well, swaying back and forth. And he smelled the exact same way as her childhood friend.

With a smile, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. It was coming back to her now. He was teased a lot as a kid for his features, but she had befriended him nonetheless. The two of them got into a lot of trouble and mischief together. "Hai, I remember now," she said softly. She pulled back and his cheeks were flaming red. She only smiled. "I can't believe…how…what…"

Even as he blushed he continued to smile down at her. "We have so much to catch up on."

She nodded in agreement. "Hai."

Shippo invited her into his small hut and they spent the next several hours chitchatting and catching up on old times. As it turns out, Shippo had survived that ogre attack on their village when they were kids. After searching he hadn't seen anyone alive, and so he was on his own again. He spent weeks travelling the forest before coming across a youkai/ningen couple. They were both travelling merchants and had taken him in. When he became old enough, he left on his own to find his own way in life, though oftentimes he would visit them. A few years ago he'd heard the stories of the village Kagome had allowed outside the castle walls and had come to seek it out on his own. But he'd fallen in love with the place and had gotten Kagome's permission to build a hut. It was his choice to live just on the outskirts, however. Though he enjoyed the festivities, he preferred the quietness of the forest. Something about his kitsune roots.

It explained why every time Rin came to the northern castle she would get a faint whiff of his scent. It would bring just a flash of a memory, but she was pleased now that she knew what it meant.

The sun was beginning to set, and Shippo insisted on walking her the northern gate, even though she was capable of defending herself. The vendors and people in the streets had dwindled as people began to settle in for the day. When she made it to the gate Kagome was waiting for her, holding onto Shizuka's hand, a curious look in her eyes.

Rin turned to Shippo. "Gosh, it was really nice talking with you, Shippo. I wish today didn't end."

He gave a small smile. "Me too."

"Are you busy tomorrow? Maybe after my classes we can-"

"I'll be running a few errands for some of the merchants here, but afterwards, maybe we can meet up again?"

Rin nodded. They both said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Rin couldn't contain her happiness as she approached her mom. "Rin, who was that boy?" Kagome asked curiously.

Rin smiled. She knew fully well Kagome's superior hearing had heard their conversation. "He's a friend of mine from my old village."

Kagome's eyes widened as they made their way indoors. "Really? Before you met Sesshomaru?" Rin nodded. "What a small world."

Rin nodded again, eagerly. "If you don't mind, okaa-san, tomorrow when my classes are done, can we see each other again?"

Kagome gave a low whistle. "Love, you know fully well I don't mind, so long as you stay within the limits of the village. However…it's your father you may want to speak to."

"Speak to me about what?" a deep voice called out.

Her father rounded a corner and stood before them. Shizuka ran up to hug his leg. "Papa-san! Rin has a date!" the girl blurted.

Kagome covered her mouth. Rin blushed deeply, and Sesshomaru turned a shade whiter. "A date? I think not! Who dare-"

"It's not a date!" Rin said hurriedly, her face still heated. "Shippo is my old friend from Taki, and-"

"Taki?!" Sesshomaru and Kagome's eyes met. His eyes were wide while Kagome's were more nonchalant. They seemed to be communicating silently. It was something they did often nowadays. "I do not approve of this date. This Shippo is someone I have never met before. Furthermore, you are not old enough to-"

"She is old enough," Kagome cut in. "She's almost 15, which in the ningen world is completely appropriate to have such thoughts about boy."

He glared at her. "How so? I was 101 years old when I started thinking such things."

Kagome raised a brow. "Sesshomaru, you and I know that is the equivalent of 13 years old in the human world. Which is younger than what she is now."

Sesshomaru's mouth snapped shut, though he looked pretty mad. Even as a small child Rin was never afraid of him, but she did admit she felt nervous. "Papa-san, it's not a date," she said gently. "We just want to hang out together like we use to as kids. It's been years. Pleeeeease?" She gave him her best puppy look. While on the outside he looked completely unaffected, she knew she had him wrapped around her finger. All of them did.

So when Kagome joined in, giving him an innocent look as well, he finally sighed softly. "Enough of that. You may go to see this boy. However, I will need to meet him first to assure he is a good fit to claim-"

Kagome slapped a hand over his mouth. She just smiled at Rin. "Go and wash up for dinner, Rin. You are free to spend time with this Shippo. In fact, why don't you invite him over for dinner soon? Find out his favorite meals and we will have the chef cook up something delicious for him. That way your father and I can get to know him."

Rin thought it over for a moment. The she nodded eagerly. "Okay!" With that, she took Shizuka by the hand and the two went to clean up for dinner.

…

'This was a mistake. This was a very big mistake.' Rin repeated the words over and over again, as she sat mortified in the family room. It was almost two weeks later when Rin asked Shippo to join them for dinner. He had been nervous about meeting the royal family but delighted at the same time. This was a treat not many people outside the castle grounds were given.

And yet it was a total disaster. He'd met her family, alright. During dinner, while Kagome smiled and greeted him warmly, Sesshomaru, on the other hand, had glared daggers at the poor boy the whole time. Every time he spoke, Sesshomaru had something derisive to say, in which Kagome would scold him. Even her uncle Inuyasha had glared at him. He'd even inappropriately challenged him to a duel, and when Shippo politely declined, Inuyasha, obnoxious as ever, had claimed Shippo was too scared.

In the family room afterwards, the kids were running around chasing each other, screaming with laughter. Inuyasha was yelling at them, though they didn't listen and attacked him. Kikyo only laughed and Kagome shook her head in exasperation. But Sesshomaru…He continued glaring at Shippo and showing off his sword collection as a silent threat. Shippo merely sat quietly with a wavering smile and an animated sweat drop on his forehead. Rin blushed all night. She was so used to her family's rowdiness that she'd never thought she could be so embarrassed.

So when she and Shippo finally had went outside to the private gardens near the front gate for some privacy, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm…really, really, sorry about tonight. I know it was pretty hectic. I understand if you don't ever want to come back."

Shippo's eyes widened. "Are you kidding? This was the most fun I'd had in years!"

Rin blinked in surprise. "It was?"

He nodded eagerly. "Hai. Though those two merchants took me in as a child, I've never had a real family or anything near what was going on back there. Even though it was crazy, there was so much energy and love. That's the type of family I always dreamed of having."

Rin tilted her head to the side, smiling. Huh. Who would've guessed her wacky family was actually seen that way. It actually made her feel even happier to have them.

The sun had set a little over an hour ago, and the near full moon was casting a light over the garden. For some reason, being here next to Shippo, it felt…right. She was at peace.

She looked up at him and blushed when she saw him staring at her. "W-what is it?"

He blushed as well, scratching the back of his head. "N-nothing. I-I was just thinking…"

"Thinking about what?"

His eyes darted to the side and his blush deepened. "Erm…well…the moonlight…It makes you look…beautiful." He held his hands up in defense. "N-no, I mean you're always looking beautiful, b-but…right now… the moon… ugh!" He slapped the side of his head in frustration.

But his words made her heart beat madly in her chest. What is this feeling? She'd never felt such a way. His words made her…Well, they excited her. She was so happy she felt she would burst. Without thinking twice, she rose up to her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

He stopped. Both of their faces were a really deep red as they looked at each other. Long silent seconds ticked by. The moment had turned so…awkward.

But then Shippo let out a long breath, smiling softly. "Arigatou for inviting me over today, Rin-chan."

She smiled shyly. "You're welcome. Be safe going home, okay?"

He gave an energetic nod. "I will." He picked up her hand and kissed it. He then gave it a small squeeze before stepping back. "Thank your parents for me, okay? I'll see you later."

While he began to walk off, Rin gave a small wave, before clutching her hand to her chest. The spot where he kissed it felt tingly. Her heart was pounding so loud it was all she could hear. Even long after Shippo disappeared down the dirt path, she continued to watch him. 'What…is this feeling?' she wondered.

She thought about the story of her parent's childhood and wondered if they had felt the same way then she was feeling now. If so… 'Is this…love?'

(A/N: Okay, okay, this time I'm really done. I had wanted to include Shippo in this story for a long time but I could never find the right time. But anyways, thank you everyone who read this story all the way until the end! I started this way back in 2013 and have been working on and off to finish it. And thanks to all the reviews, I found the motivation to finally finish. Though it is only a fanfic, this was the very first story I've ever completed and allowed anyone to read. So for all of you who stuck with me from the beginning, and those of you who joined the story along the way, thank you so much! If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or just want to chat, feel free to message me at any time. Until next time!)