InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In a Different Light ❯ I Never Saw a Goddess Go ( Chapter 32 )

Author's Note: For the purpose of this fic, we'll say that InuYasha's and Kagome's quest began in 1551, which means the current date would be 1562. And, yes, I do know the Japanese use a different calendar than us Westerners, but as I am a Westerner, I will be using the Gregorian calendar as that's what I'm most familiar with. As for the division of the territories, the Western Lands includes the majority of the island of Honshu, which is the largest of the four islands that make up Japan; Toga was supposed to be the greatest demon in all Japan, so, of course, he has the largest territory. The Eastern Lands include Shikoku and the tiny chain of islands between it and Honshu on the Inland Sea. Japan's second largest island, Hokkaido, is the territory of the Northern Lord and Lady, and Kyushu belongs to the South.

In a Different Light

Chapter 31: I Never Saw a Goddess Go

Armor. When Rin stepped out of the bath, not only were her swords waiting for her, there was also a suit of armor and a new outfit neatly laid out on one of the bathhouse's many benches. The armor was of the old style samurai used to wear-not rigid metal and bones like her lord's, but finely crafted strips of wood bound together with silken braids. The wood, lacquered with black varnish, seemed to be giving off a strange, no not strange, familiar but . . .

She reached out and stroked its smooth wood and soft bindings.

Yes, she nodded to herself. A very familiar aura and scent as well. She could feel the power encased within, and she was certain if she looked more closely, reaching out with her recently increased mystic ability, she could see a barrier or shield of some type emanating from the armor, extending a good foot outward from its surface. This armor would move with her, bend with her, stretch with her . . . and, if her instincts were correct, protect her from youki-based attacks. This armor was made from the same materials as her sheath-Bokuseno's wood and fragrant sap-based lacquer.

The breastplate--the dô, she believed it was called-was made of five separate but joined pieces of black-lacquered wood. It sat atop the bench, its two pieces-front and back-loosely laced together with pale blue braids of silk. The same braids were interwoven with bits of the wood to make up the shoulder straps of the armor. The front of the plate was decorated with a highly detailed painting. It depicted a young woman sitting in profile, crouched beneath the spreading branches of an ancient magnolia tree. Fluffy, white clouds were hidden behind its green leaves as a blue crescent moon shone brightly in the black sky. The blue moon rested just above the clouds to the upper left hand corner of the picture plane, closest to the left shoulder strap. To the right of the moon, above the treetop and the clouds, soared a giant, white, demon dog, his front and hind legs extended in opposing directions, as if leaping across something vast and difficult, his fur windswept, his head in a three-quarter view, his jaws open in a somewhat vicious growl, his blazing red eyes focused on the female resting beneath the magnolia tree.

Sesshomaru and she, she mused to herself. And the tree had to be none other than Bokuseno; it was the largest thing represented in the painting, followed by the blue moon, the demon dog, the bank of clouds, and then the young woman. Upon closer inspection, Rin noticed there was a magnolia bloom tucked behind the young woman's right ear, and she was wearing the exact outfit that was currently laid out before her, the colors coordinating with the blue and yellow of her lord's sash-blue roses, in various states of bloom, floating upon a sea of golden yellow silk. At first she thought it was a typical haori and hakama set, as worn by most men in the era, but unlike theirs, her hakama had no split. It had the same deep-set vees on either side, but instead of pants, it was a long, flowing skirt that tied at the waist and fell to her ankles.

Rin smiled. The skirt made the outfit functional, allowing for the free movement of her lower limbs to kick, sweep, lunge and squat (when using the chamber pot), and the flower motif made it quite feminine. There were two kimonos to wear beneath her haori-the undermost white one and one of a muted red. Both layers would show at the neck of her haori, and the red one would show in the vees of her hakama. Her sash, meant to be worn over her armor, was pure white in the middle, graduating to silver, dark grey and finally black as it reached the tie's ends. At the ends were the same cluster of three flowers that adorned the neckline of her lord's haori and the ends of his sleeves.

As she dropped her towel and slipped on the white under kimono, she couldn't help but laugh. Didn't she imagine wearing something very similar to Sesshomaru? Two swords at her hip, a suit of armor and a haori and hakama instead of her usual kimono? Why, the only thing she was missing was a pair of boots and a pelt of fur to wrap around shoulder.

And what was that thing? She still hadn't asked.

She did have a strong dislike of footwear though. She simply wasn't used to wearing it, so whenever she did, she had a tendency to trip over her own feet and fall. It didn't matter if they were those horrible geta with six-inch platforms or a simple pair of house slippers. If they were supposed to be worn on her feet, she always ended up flat on her face. And that's when she caught sight of a pair of golden shoes situated beneath the stone bench just out of her immediate sight.

Rin sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly forward as she tied the red kimono into place then reached for the flower-covered jacket. She supposed it wouldn't do for the mate of a great demon lord to walk around barefoot, especially when in the company of other members of the youkai court.

She pulled on her hakama and tied it around her waist, making sure the flower print up top lined up with the matching print down bottom and there were no noticeable wrinkles in her clothing. If Sesshomaru went through all the trouble of having the garments made, the least she could do was wear them properly.

She folded her arms across her chest, glancing between the armor setting on top of the bench and the footwear resting beneath it. Shoes were a simple matter to figure out, even if they were somewhat uncomfortable to wear; the armor on the other hand . . .

Her face frowned. Come on, Rin. You've seen Sesshomaru take his off enough times that you should know how to put it on. You just pick it up, stick your arms through the shoulder straps, pull it down, and then use the straps and ties to adjust the size.

She took a deep breath and pushed it out, unfolding her arms, willing her facial muscles to relax. Positive attitude, she scolded herself. You can do this.

And after almost an hour of fumbling with the silken ties and fidgeting within the confines of her breastplate, she did. It was a snug but not uncomfortable fit, and as she predicted, it moved quite fluidly with her, not restricting her movements in any way. The skirt of the armor, as she called it, reached to just below her hips, and the blue of the bindings perfectly complemented the blue in her clothing. The only thing she wasn't so sure about was how to tie her sash. Her lord wore his in such an ornate fashion that she knew she wouldn't be able to duplicate the style without instruction, so she tied it into a simple bow and then slid her swords into place. Lastly, she stepped into her new shoes.

They weren't quite as uncomfortable as she remembered them being. They were made out of silk and had yet another floral pattern embroidered on them with silver thread. They were as soft as house slippers, but unlike the slip-on shoe, these shoes had a back and an adjustable strap that fastened about her ankles to help hold the tatami sole in place, thus preventing her from stepping on the backs of the shoes and tripping over her own feet.

She smiled to herself, lifting her leg out in front of her, flexing and bending her feet within the confines of her new footwear. They would take some getting used to-feeling something other than the hardwood floors or the soft, damp earth beneath her feet. But if her memory served correctly, Master Sumida had shoes similar to these, but hers were black and made out of cotton. And if shoes like these aptly served Master Sumida's purposes, they were certainly good enough for her.

She did a few more bends and stretches, getting accustomed to the feel of the of her new attire, and then she headed upstairs to the dojo in the East Wing. On her way she was halfway tempted to stop by Sesshomaru's study and thank him for her "surprise . . ." or, better yet, return to their chambers and make use of her new mating mark, bringing him rushing to her side, so she could show him how much she appreciated his kindness.

But . . . as her lord had said, "The mating mark is not a toy."

She couldn't help feeling that he'd gotten a little . . . annoyed with her "antics" during their third night together.

She giggled slyly to herself. She just couldn't help herself. She did love him, after all, and after four years of repression, she was finally free to express her affection for him openly. He had said he was quite tired and had a lot of work to catch up on in the morning, but she just couldn't resist. She stimulated her mark upon him and left him in such a state that he had no choice but to comply with her wishes and make love with her yet again.

After three more times of her . . . little trick . . .

She recalled being quite sly as to the ways she could reach that particular part of his anatomy-pretending to agree with him and "accidentally" brushing her hand over his chest; claiming she only wanted to sleep on his shoulder and "accidentally" rubbing her cheek against

the little red rose; and lastly, feigning exhaustion and collapsing upon his chest. After that last one, she was certain he was going to "discipline" her again, but instead, he'd quickly grabbed hold of her hands and before she knew what he was doing, he'd bound her hands, loosely but securely, with the sash of his robe and tied them to the left poster at the top of the bed.

She'd thought it was amusing at first, thinking this might be some new . . . game he was playing. But when he'd stretched himself out on his side of the bed and rolled onto his side, tossing the coverlet over her and telling her to "sleep well . . ."

Well, at first she'd laughed and asked him what he was doing. Then she'd laughed again and told him to release her. When he stretched out on his side, seemingly making himself quite comfortable, a satisfied smirk creeping across his face, she reverted to a childish whine, begging him to untie her, promising that she'd behave. And when that didn't work and he'd rolled over telling her to "sleep well," she went from pleading to downright demanding. She delivered her commands calmly and cooly in the beginning, but when he ignored her, her voice increased in volume, and she was anything but polite. She repeated every bad word she'd ever heard Jakken utter and made up a few new ones of her own.

Rin sighed, a bemused expression crossing her face. As the night wore on, her voice died down and she gave up her ranting and futile attempts at escape. And when she finally fell completely silent, her shoulders slumping, her eyes drooping, the side of her head propped up against the left poster, Sesshomaru sat up and released her, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

"Perhaps next time you will abide by the wishes of this Sesshomaru, and I will not have to resort to such . . . unconventional methods."

The fire had burned out, leaving their chamber dark and slightly cold, but his eyes were so warm and bright, Rin barely noticed.

She was glad to see him at ease again. Whatever had been bothering him previously, seemed to be forgotten.

He gave a slight sniff at the base of her neck, then nuzzled his nose against her. "I do believe my lady is in need of another bath."

And so, before she made her way to the bathhouse, her mate made sure she was licked quite clean from the crown of her head to the tips of her big toes, making sure to reach deeply within those hard to reach places.

She felt her breath quicken slightly at the recollection, and then she pushed the memory back down. Yes, her lord taught her the mating mark and he were nothing to be toyed with. And, on top of that, she knew he didn't like to be disturbed when the door was closed. He kept

all his important papers and effects in his study, and it's where he went to be alone and gather his thoughts-be they on affairs of state or matters of a more personal nature.

Besides, they'd spent the past three nights and four days together, and he'd impressed upon her how important it was that he properly prepare for the council meeting. In fact, messengers had been coming and going from the castle all morning, her lord sending and receiving word from all the other lords and ladies, no doubt. Though she hadn't seen him since they'd departed their chamber that morning, she knew he must be hard at work, and as the morning wore on, she could sense a growing agitation from his end of their connection. Whatever these messengers were telling him wasn't any good.

And so she decided. Her lord needed to concentrate and focus, not be bothered by her idle chatter and words of thanks. A sly smile crossed her pink lips. She would save them for later, if and when he returned their chamber that night. It wasn't uncommon for him to spend days at a time locked in his study . . . doing whatever he did in there, so while she would be

disappointed if she didn't see him that night, she wouldn't be entirely surprised if she didn't see him again until their guests began to arrive.

"You're late," the seiyuuki youkai declared as Rin stepped into the second level dojo.

Just as Rin was about to reply to her master who was currently performing a Supported Headstand in the center of the training room, her brain processed what her eyes were seeing and her jaw dropped. The master's toes were slightly pointed; her calves, thighs, buttocks and back formed a straight line; her shoulders were relaxed, and her arms were bent so the palms of her hands could cradle the back of her head-the back of her . . . clean-shaven head. "Master Sumida, y-your hair . . .Y-you're bald!"

The monkey demon remained in her inverted position, her black eyes fixed forward, her facial muscles relaxed. "That does not change the fact that you are late. Two days late, as a matter of fact. I didn't expect to see you the morning after, but skipping the next morning and the morning after that . . ."

Rin bowed to the elder youkai. "I do apologize, Master Sumida. I promise I won't let myself be swayed from my studies again, but--"

"You'd better not," she replied evenly. "With your new abilities, I expect you to advance quite quickly, and I won't tolerate anything less than perfection from you from now on."

"I understand, master, but it was a special occasion. It won't happen again."

A small smile graced the master's face. "Believe it or not, I know what it is like to be young and in love, little sister, but you still have duties to attend to. I did not slack in training my students simply because I had a male to warm my bed."

Rin nodded her understanding, feeling it was best to drop the subject. She knew this would be Master Sumida's position from the beginning. Nothing was more important than her

studies, and Rin was apt to agree. She couldn't disagree that her yoga studies had made her a better person.

She pushed all other thoughts from her head and focused on the moment at hand. The dojo in the East Wing was very much like Master Li's except instead of rice paper, its walls were made of wood. The entire interior was white save for the wooden floors and the occasional splash of dull color as provided by the various weapons mounted on the walls. There were

blades of all types-assorted swords, daggers and throwing knives; tessen, which were metal fans used in place of a sword in some duels when facing a less-than-worthy adversary; hachiwari-an

iron bar used for parrying in swordplay; two bo staffs; and a manriki gasari, which was a long chain with weights on both ends. If her memory served correctly, Kohaku, the brother of the monk's wife, used a weapon similar to that. There was a weight on one end and a scythe on the other. He'd very nearly killed her with that scythe.

Rin frowned, her jaw set in determination. Those days were over. No one would ever get that close to taking her life again. As Master Sumida had said, with her new abilities-whatever they may be-there was no excuse for anything less than perfection. Not only could her incompetence lead to her death, but to his, as well. She could not die without him, and he could not die without her, but if she proved incapable of defending herself and he was injured or . . . killed coming to her aid . . . That would mean the death of both of them.

And she simply couldn't allow that.

Though it was hours past dawn, Rin removed her swords, laying the blades on the dojo floor just inside the doorway and took a standing position a few feet away from the yogi master. As she began her Sun Salutation in Mountain Pose, she made notice of another change in Master Sumida's appearance. She was wearing white instead of her normal black training uniform. She wore shoes similar to hers, only instead of gold and silver, Master Sumida's were a plain and

unadorned white. The ankles of her loose-fitting pants pooled around her bare knees, the sash of her tunic keeping the hem of the shirt from exposing more than the bronze skin of her midriff

and lower back. "Master, perhaps it's none of my business, but why are you bald? And . . . what happened to you regular training attire?"

"I am in mourning," she said simply. "In the Hindu culture, females shave their heads at the loss of their mate. And in China white is the color of withdrawal from the world. A woman is not female without her male counterpart, and therefore, she has no place in the world."

Rin considered the master's words. "I can understand wanting to withdraw from the world for awhile after a loved one's death, but shaving your head . . ." She took a brief moment to imagine herself without a hair on her head and shuddered inwardly. She never thought of herself as a vain person, but to be as bald as Jakken ... "Isn't that a little extreme?"

"One year is the proper period of mourning for a deceased mate. As for Hindu widows, shaving your head is the common practice. A female's hair is said to be her crowning glory, one of the many decorations she can use to obtain a male. Once you are married, you are forbidden to have close contact with any other man. Your beauty is meant for your husband's eyes and his alone. And even after your husband's death, a proper female would never let another man touch her; Hindu women are forbidden to be remarried. It used to be that widows were thrown onto their husbands funeral pyres to prevent that from happening. There is only one man for any woman, while males may take as many mates as they can support.

"But once your male dies, your life as a female is over. You have no reason to decorate yourself and put yourself on display for the world to see, so to prevent unwanted advances, the head is shaved."

Rin blinked at the female youkai who was still standing on her head. "They used to throw them on their husband's funeral pyre?"

Master Sumida nodded as best as she could in her inverted position.

"Unbelievable," she finally said. "You don't believe that's okay, do you? Killing a woman simply because her husband has died?"

"Of course not," she replied. "Killing is wrong on all fronts, and the belief that a female has no purpose without a male is preposterous. Females are valuable in of themselves; they do not need a male to give them worth, give them purpose. But, at the same time, there is the least practical part of myself that does wish someone would be kind enough to kill me and put me out of this . . . miserable state. But," she added quickly, "life isn't always moonlight and roses. Suffering is part of existence on this plane, and that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger."

Rin nodded. "Master, may I ask you a question?" She still stood in Mountain Pose, her head facing forward, her back straight, her hands resting at her sides. It seemed as if she could feel something . . . swirling in her midsection, growing and expanding, something just beneath her lungs and just above her stomach. What was that thing called?

Oh yes. The tantien.

"Go ahead."

"If you don't believe in any of these religions, why do you follow their practices?"

"For the same reason humans do. I find some of their practices comforting, and they suit me. Yoga has its base in Hinduism, you know, and being a master of yoga, I have quite a firm grasp on some of the concepts of Hinduism. Some of the poses are named after Hindu deities."

That was right, wasn't it? During her travels she'd kept up with the physical part of her training, but she completely neglected her other studies-even though Master Sumida had scrolls made up specifically for that purpose. The master was teaching her philosophy-Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Confucius--as well as the written and spoken languages of Sanskrit and Mandarin Chinese. Warrior II Pose was named after Virabhadra, a fierce warrior who was an incarnation of Shiva. Shiva, as Master Sumida had taught her, was one of the main deities of Hinduism. He had six arms and was regarded as both the restorer and the destroyer of life. He was a great ascetic, yet he was the symbol of sensuality. He was a benevolent guide for lost souls, yet he was also a wrathful avenger.

Rin hid a thoughtful frown. Now that she thought of it, her Lord Sesshomaru seemed to share a great deal with the Hindus' Lord Shiva . . . except for the part about having six arms; her lord didn't even have two . . .

Master Sumida removed herself from the Supported Headstand and assumed Corpse Pose, her now bald head laying flat against the hardwood floor. "You seem to be troubled, little sister. Tell me what's on your mind."

"It's nothing," she shook her head. "I do have another question, though."

"Ask."

"I'm curious as to the extent of my new abilities. I . . . believe I have enhanced healing abilities and . . . increased . . . stamina?"

"Increased stamina?" the master repeated. Her black eyes all the more noticeable due to her lack of black hair.

"I . . . When . . . I don't seem to be tired when I should be."

"And when should you be tired?" she asked.

"Well," she couldn't help the color that rose in her cheeks, "after . . . certain . . . strenuous activities."

The master was not stupid. She knew precisely which "strenuous activities" her young student was referring to. But, she did hope to teach her not to be embarrassed by such natural

things. "Hmm, I'm afraid if you want the most accurate answer, you're going to have to be a bit more specific about these 'strenuous activities.'"

Her pink cheeks flamed bright red, breaking what was left of her divided concentration. The . . . swirling in her tantiem. "Well, I . . . we . . . I . . ."

"Do you have a question or not?"

"I . . . am not . . . tired after . . . after . . ." Should she even be telling her this? Wasn't this a private matter discussed only between mates? But she did want to know what was wrong with her. Even Sesshomaru had commented on her . . . odd behavior.

"After what?" the master asked, feigning ignorance.

"Mating," she finally spat out.

The master chuckled lightly, causing creases to form on her now prominent brow line. "Those who practice the internal arts and completely embrace the Way will never tire from an act of sex. As long as both partners reach completion, energies are exchanged, not lost. I thought we covered that already."

"But my lord was . . ." No, she certainly shouldn't finish that statement. If anyone knew how ragged she'd worn her lord, his reputation, not to mention his male pride would be irrevocably damaged.

The master smirked inwardly. Males never liked it if a female outlasted them, and with one as proud as Lord Sesshomaru . . . To be brought to his knees by a simple, mortal girl . . .

The seiyuuki youkai sat up from her recovery posture and rose to her feet. "That reminds me. I have a present for you."

"A present?" Rin asked. But before she could complete her question, the master had already ran across the hall and returned with a scroll wrapped in red ribbon in her hand.

Rin groaned inwardly. Not another lesson plan. She hadn't even made it through the ones she'd given her before she left to travel with Sesshomaru.

"Take it," the master said.

Rin accepted the parchment and bowed politely. "I do apologize, Master Sumida, but I haven't kept up on my lessons at all. We traveled all day, then it was too dark to see at night and

when I did have time, I just completely forgot and . . . I'm really sorry. I promise I'll be a better student from now on."

The master gave her a gentle smile. "This is not a study scroll, little sister. It is a sacred text."

She raised an eyebrow at the master. A sacred text? What would she need a sacred text for? Hadn't she already learned everything Master Li wanted to teach her?

"Have a look at it."

Rin cautiously slipped the scroll from the confines of the red ribbon and unrolled it.

"Unfortunately, the text is in Sanskrit," Master Sumida said, "but I think you'll be able to get the gist of some of the poses by the illustrations."

She continued to unroll the scroll. Poses? Illustrations? Hentai!

Rin blushed furiously and re-rolled the scroll. "What is this!"

"The Kama Sutra," she said simply. "'Aphorisms on Love.'"

"This is a holy text?"

"It is a sacred text based on holy writings. I don't know why you find that so surprising, especially after familiarizing yourself with Taoist philosophy."

"It's . . ." Rin found herself at a loss for words. "If my lord knew I was reading something like this . . ."

"You are meant to read it together and then put the writings to good use." She gave her student a knowing grin. "It will help level the playing field with you and your new mate. He won't tire as quickly, and you won't be so overzealous."

Rin's blush spread to her neck and chest.

"Really. After everything you've doubtless been through over the past few days, you still act so awkward. I'm only trying to help."

Rin nodded. "I know. But the other scrolls didn't have pictures. These pictures are . . ." The red heat spread to her ears.

"Are for instructional purposes. Just like the scrolls on yoga. Sometimes words alone or pictures by themselves are insufficient to truly convey the intended meaning. With words and pictures, there's little room for mistake."

She unfurled the scroll and took a few surreptitious glances at the illustrations, pretending to focus on the text. "By the gods . . . I don't think I can . . . read much of this."

The master gave her a disapproving frown. "If you had kept current with your studies..."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"Still, I can't reprimand you too severely. There is something to be said for real life experience. And from the healthy glow of your aura, I can tell it's done you a world of good. You look like a different person from the one I met four years ago . . . Not to mention this new armor and . . . shoes?" the master questioned.

"They were a gift. I can't not wear them. And they're surprisingly comfortable."

"I agree," the master nodded, drawing Rin's attention to the youkai's feet. "Unfortunately, this type of shoe isn't very practical for the cold, snowy weather, so when I go outside, I go barefoot. And you might want to do the same. I think the snow would just ruin those shoes."

Again, Rin found herself nodding. "I do have another question, though."

The master nodded for her to continue.

"Is there any way to test my abilities? Is there a way to measure my new powers? I mean, just a few moments ago, I felt something . . . swirling inside me . . . growing, expanding."

"Your chi," the master replied. "Your life force. Tai Chi is an internal art meant to foster the flow of your chi throughout your body."

"Yes, I know, but . . . I never felt it before. I mean, I did-little flutters or a twinge every now and then . . . But this was bigger than a twinge, stronger than a little flutter. It felt like . . . like . . ."

"A pebble dropped in a stream? Concentric circles of energy flowing out from one, central location."

"Well, yes, I suppose you could say that. Swirling, rippling-they're basically the same thing, right?"

The master nodded. "What you're feeling is nothing new. Your chi moves every time you practice your Tai Chi forms or your yoga postures. It's simply that your senses are more keen now. Just as you recently developed the ability to detect the life forces of others-like your lord and myself-you can now detect your own life force, your own aura."

"My lord says he can see my aura. He can sense me just as he could sense a monk or a miko or someone else with enhanced mystical abilities."

"Yes," the master nodded. "Your aura is blue and green. The aura of your armor is purple, and," she threw a glance over her shoulder at Rin's two swords, "the aura of that sheath is also predominately purple, but it also contains a tinge of blue and green at its core."

"Blue? Green? My lord said it was pink."

"Perhaps it was at that time. The color of your aura can shift with your mood."

"I know pink is health, happiness and love, but isn't blue depression and green illness?"

"Those colors can signify those things; it depends on how clear or murky the colors are. Bright blue, like the one you currently have, is the color the spirit, meditation and truth. A bright green signifies that you are a good listener who focuses on healing the self and others."

Rin's eyes widened in wonder. "Really?"

Master Sumida nodded. "And purple is the most mystical of all colors. It deals with spirituality and intuitive nature."

"It's from a 2000-year-old magnolia tree demon. Bokuseno."

"Oh?" the master raised an eyebrow at her, and at that point she realized that Master Sumida didn't have any eyebrows. Though, Rin supposed it would make her look rather

odd-two thin lines of hair on an otherwise smooth surface. "He must be quite powerful to have such an unusual aura. The color purple is quite rare and never lingers very long, but this one," she reached out a delicately clawed hand as if caressing the air just in front of Rin's breastplate. "It shows no indication of fading."

"Bokuseno is quite ancient, and I'm told that his power is superior to my lord's."

"I believe you," she replied, somewhat awe-stricken. "It's no longer a part of him, but it still exhibits quite a great deal of highly-refined power. You will be well-protected in this armor. I think only the Buddha himself would be able to overcome such a potent magic."

Rin merely nodded. "My lord is concerned about my well-being."

"As any good mate should be. Now, as for testing these new powers of yours, I was thinking of doing just that. But . . . inside the castle is a bad place for such things. We should go to Shen's dojo. It shouldn't matter if things get a little out of hand there."

"A little out of hand?" Rin questioned.

Master Sumida met her question with a mysterious smile.

8 8 8

For the second time that morning, Sesshomaru found himself distracted from the grim business before him by the amorous introspections of his mate. The first time he could clearly sense her just outside the study doors, and now she seemed to be near the East Wing, more than likely training with Master Sumida. As she had passed the door of his study, the slight scent of her arousal filtering its way into his sensitive nostrils, he was more than tempted to put this bloody business off for yet another day and go give his mate what she apparently needed . . .

But no. It could be dangerous to put this off a moment longer.

He sighed inwardly and shifted his position on the floor cushion, forcing his demon blood to settle and the tightness in his groin to relax. Again, he lifted the papers from the low table and sifted through them. His study was where he came to settle his mind and center his thoughts . . . which were unfortunately rather scattered at the moment. It was a rather small room, slightly longer than it was wide. Three of its four walls were lined with bookshelves, and the one that wasn't contained the room's only entrance and exit. There was no natural light in the room, nor a fireplace, so he kept a lantern burning at all times when the room was in use. The shelves and the low table were made of cherry wood, and his cushion was constructed of royal blue satin and the softest goose down. The floor, as were most floors in the castle was

made of oak, the light wood contrasting nicely with the dark wood of the furniture and the colorful print of the rug beneath him.

His mother, the Lady Sora, was the one responsible for all the colorful rugs in the castle. Every time she traveled to see Master Sumida she brought one back with her. The one in his chambers was before she and his father were mated. This one, with its bright hues of red, orange, gold and a deep shade of black was the last one she returned with. He had wanted the one she'd had with her on the day she was killed, but his father had said it was too blood-stained and laced with unfamiliar scents. They had burned that rug with what they'd found of her body.

He remembered how . . . happy he had been when he'd detected the return of his mother's scent. She'd been gone so long, and he'd had so many sleepless nights. Of course, at the time, he was too old to share his mother's chambers, but her scent alone was enough to lull him into the most comfortable of sleeps. He knew it was her . . . but it was . . . different, somehow, and his father wouldn't let him see her.

Dead.

He had smelled death before, but to know it was coming from . . . someone he knew . . .

He quietly huffed. Such strange memories seemed to haunt him whenever he entered this room. The memories were . . . unpleasant at times, but they helped to keep him focused. They reminded him of who he was, what he was and why it was so important to watch over the things you claimed.

You never knew when it could all be taken away.

The roof collapsed in upon itself, shaking the ground he stood on with the force of the implosion.

"No more," he commanded himself. You have current business to attend to.

Part of the current pile of parchment on his low table were maps drawn up by his father. They showed the gradual expansion of the Western Lands in great detail. His father began with nothing. Sesshomaru was not aware of this while his father lived, but Lord Toga had kept a

journal detailing even the most minor events in his long life, and he kept that journal here in what used to be his study.

Quite honestly, in the past he'd had far too much respect for his father to pry too deeply into his personal effects, but after Rin's little talk about family and how they intended to raise their own pups, he thought his father's journal might offer some helpful advice. And, if Lord Toga hadn't wanted anyone to rifle through these particular pieces of parchment, surely he would've had Myoga destroy them.

According to his scrolls, his father was the only son of Hideaki and Aya. Hideaki was a general in the Western Lord's army and Aya was the eldest daughter of a well-landed noble in what used to be part of the Eastern Lands. As Aya's father produced no male heirs, he wanted a

strong male to protect her inheritance and provide for her. Hideaki was the natural choice. He had no lands of his own, but he was young, ambitious, fearless, cunning and was one of the more

powerful inu youkai of the time. His skills on the battlefield were equally matched with his wit, intellect and, as it seemed to run in the family, "good looks."

Aya, for her part, was slim, graceful, good-humored, and well-mannered. But, according to his father's scrolls, Hideaki was most enraptured with her almost . . . unearthly beauty and her love of the outdoors. Aya was a batafurai taiyoukai, a great butterfly demon, and an elemental, on top of that. She was gifted with the ability of flight even in her human-like form, and she passed that ability on to her son, Toga, who in turn passed it on to Sesshomaru. She was also capable of producing a most toxic poison that had a surprisingly aromatic smell. Toga did not inherit this ability, but his son did. The skies were Lady Aya's domain and the wind was hers to command.

Despite Hideaki's finer qualities, he was a harsh man. Sesshomaru's father relayed several tales through his journal of what a stern and unrelenting master his father had been. Both mate and son were expected to call him "lord" at all times. He ran his family the way he ran his military battalions-with an iron fist. His mother cried constantly, having received numerous beatings from his father for "straying too far from home," and his father never permitted the young lord to play with pups his own age. And in spite of Toga's diligent service to his father-following his most stringent training regimens, working out from sunup to sundown, eating only what he hunted and killed, drinking only what he could find; obeying his father's every command regardless of how degrading, immoral or . . . ridiculous it may have been; fighting his father's battles expanding the territories he had "won" only through his union with

Aya; and striking down anyone who would speak out against his lord father, unintentionally distancing both the few friends he had and foe alike.

Despite all this when his father came of age at 25, Hideaki tossed him out with nothing more than the clothes on his back, telling him to make his own way in the world. Twenty-five was the age of physical adulthood for youkai, but they often stayed under their parents' roof till at least one hundred when they'd gained more practical experience. Aya, being the gentle soul that she was and fearing for the safety of her only son, tried to object on her son's behalf. These were her lands, after all, and she had a say in who got what and when. But her objections quickly died when Hideaki grasped her about the throat and ripped out her, so-called "traitorous" tongue. Toga had wanted to stop this particular assault on his mother, but, being the ever-obedient son, when his father commanded him to "stay out of this," he did. By his own admission, he was quite young at the time and wasn't aware of the varying degrees between right

and wrong. He didn't know why his father was so rough with such a delicate thing, but it didn't matter. The lord of the estate was the lord of the estate, and he had to be obeyed.

His mother refused to play the role of helpless victim that time, though. When he grasped her about the throat and clawed his way into her mouth, she dug her thumbs into his eye sockets, sending her poison out, permanently blinding the inu youkai. Aya's tongue regenerated, but Hideaki's eyes never did. Sesshomaru's father left his parents to settle their own affairs and began to wander.

He wandered across all the islands of Japan. He ventured into China and India and into the lands of the Middle East. In his travels, he discoursed with humans and demons alike, learning what he could from whom he could. Along the way, he was not sure where or when, he acquired his retainer, Myoga. Apparently, the flea demon latched onto him sometime during his

journey across Japan and accompanied him throughout his wanderings. Myoga first made himself known when Toga was invited to stay in the palace with one of the demon lords of China. Apparently this "lord" thought his father was quite . . . attractive and wanted to make him one of his . . . pleasure slaves. Myoga, feeding off the young lord's blood, noticed a change in it after he had ingested some of the foreign lord's food. The flea advised him that the food was drugged, and he shouldn't eat any more of it if he had any love of his freedom. His father was at first stunned by the appearance of the miniature man, but upon closer inspection of the meal, he noted the wisdom of the little insect's words.

All the incense and the heavy scent of arousal from the females in the lord's court had distracted him from any unusual smells coming from the food, and as for the taste-there were far too many spices in the food to discern one taste from another. On top of that, the future Lord of the Western Lands had no experience with opium, and that was what the little flea said the drug was.

His father demanded to know what was in the food and what the lord's plans towards him were. The lord, undoubtedly thinking the pup had ingested more than enough of the sedative to be rendered harmless, openly revealed his intentions. Disgusted by the "lord's" deceit, and revolted by his proposal, his young father quickly transformed and demolished the palace and all those in it . . . save for Myoga. His father was 92 at the time.

The little flea was uncumbersome and proved to be quite knowledgeable in some respects. He was also an excellent conversationalist and proved to be an adequate distraction when settlements became few and far in between. Lord Toga noticed the farther he traveled from the East, the fewer youkai he encountered. There were many humans and many animals,

but the youkai population was next to nothing. At first he didn't understand. Youkai were immortal, nearly ageless creatures. They couldn't all just . . . disappear. No monk or miko was powerful enough to purify them all in one fell swoop.

And then he met the cause for the dwindling demon population. Humans. Not just any humans, foreign humans. They spoke a language he had never heard and wore clothing he had never seen. Even the little flea who seemed to know so much was at a loss. There were those who were clearly native of the land with dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin and long beards that peaked out beneath their headcoverings and long, billowy garments. Then there were the others.

Men on horses, pale men on horses. Some had dark hair and dark eyes, some had light hair and light eyes, others had light hair and dark eyes and still others had dark hair and light eyes. Some wore the robes of a monk, while others were covered from head to foot in a shiny, metal outer covering, but all traveled under the banner of a red cross. They were hairy, dirty and they smelled horrible.

When his father asked some of the local humans who these men were, they replied, "They are Christian conquerors from the West."

Lord Toga had no clue what these "Christians" were, but there message was simple: convert or be killed. Sesshomaru's father observed these strange men for several decades, and he soon learned why there were so few youkai in those parts. These "Christians" were holy men. Honestly, his father had never heard of a "holy" war, assuming that holy men were automatically men of peace and detested bloodshed in all its forms. But these strange men declared they were on a mission from their god to spread his word and take back these lands from the "godless barbarians," the spawn of some beast of some sort.

But that simply wasn't true. The native humans were just as human as these "Christians." One only had to have eyes to see and a nose to smell that they all were in fact human. But these foreign humans were unreasonable. They killed the old and the young, the weak and the strong, males and females alike all in the name of their god.

His father wrote, "Do these men not know that all gods are creators and do not delight in senseless destruction?" If this was how the "holy" men of this human society behaved, one could only imagine the lawlessness of the common man from their lands.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but agree with his young father's logic.

But most appalling about these foreign conquerors were their powers of exorcism. These humans did not possess the mystical abilities of the mikos and monks. They, themselves, did not have the power to purify or harm a demon in any way . . . but the implements they carried-their rosaries and crosses, their texts and the garments of their robed-ones, even the tiny flasks of water they carried were capable of expelling a demon spirit and sending it to the next world. Now, exorcism in of itself isn't particularly harmful to lower-class demons who have to "possess" others in order to subsist; they merely have to find a new host. But to exorcize a taiyoukai, to expel his spirit from his own body, his own physical form . . . Well, being an inu youkai deprived of his youki, Sesshomaru would revert to an ordinary inu, a cross-breed between his mother's Chin heritage and his father's Shikoku lineage. His consciousness would remain, but being deprived of his demonic life force, he would be unable to assume a human-like form nor perform any of his signature attacks. Not only that, but he would be greatly reduced in size.

Sesshomaru scoffed inwardly. Him. Reduced to a "fluffy" companion for humans, slightly larger than a lap dog. Tokijin and Tenseiga would rust with disuse. The Western Lands would fall to his foes and Rin . . .

No. He would not think of that.

Not feeling secure enough in his own abilities, his young father observed the humans a little longer, and then continued upon his travels. Lord Toga returned to his "home" a few centuries later to find that it was gone. His mother, his father, even the very foundation of the manor house was gone-the main house, the stables, the bathhouse and servant quarters . . . not a speck, not a scent, not a trace of them remained. It was as if they never existed. In their place stood pure, untouched woodland-thick bushes, tall trees, willowy grass. The only thing that led his father to believe that he had in fact lived in the space several centuries ago was his mother's flower garden. There, mixed among the wildflowers, were his mother's lilies that she'd transplanted from all over Japan-rifle lilies, bamboo lilies, the "maiden" lilies with their tiny, pink blooms, mountain lilies, star lilies, princess lilies standing proud despite their small size

with their miniature orange blooms, wheel lilies, baby deer lilies, tiger lilies, pampas grass lilies and six other varieties varying in color, shape and size.

It was then that his father decided that land was the only thing worth holding on to. The buildings were meaningless; it was the land you would be remembered for. He remembered his mother Aya because of the flowers she'd planted on the land. He could clearly see her standing amid the mixed flower bed, her black hair flowing, her golden eyes gleaming, a gentle smile curling her delicate lips, adding inner light to her otherwise dark features . . . but he couldn't recall a single, cohesive image of his father. Any mental image of Hideaki escaped him completely. Certainly, he could recall his father's behavior, his attitude, his demeanor, but if not for his previous written accounts of his father's physical features, his face would have slipped into oblivion along with the manor house.

Not knowing where else to turn, Lord Toga sought out an old friend of his mother's family, the magnolia boku youkai, Bokuseno. Perhaps his parents had changed location, moving

beyond his sensory range, but Bokuseno was rooted to the spot. The young lord would always know where to find the old tree. His father learned that in his absence his mother and father began to war with one another. The house was divided into those loyal to his mother and those too fearful to make a stand against his father. It was not simply a battle for dominance between two mates, armies were involved, and eventually the Lord of the Western Lands got involved to settle their strife and cease the destruction of his lands. Aya conceded to the noble lord's wishes; Hideaki refused and was eventually killed for defying the Western lord's command.

Aya now resided within the Western lord's court where Toga went to join her. Through his travels the young lord greatly increased his demonic abilities, his battle skills and his keen mind. He soon rose to his father's former position and greatly expanded the Western territories.

The Western Lord, a fellow inu taiyoukai by the name of Masuyo, had a daughter by the name of Sora. To secure Toga's continued allegiance, a mating was arranged between the Western Lord's household and that of Lady Aya's.

When Masuyo fell in battle, his father was quick to assume the reign of the lands. No one knew the newly expanded territories better than he, and no one could match his might in order to dispute his claim.

Of course, his mate being the former lord's daughter helped smooth the transition of power, considerably. Sora's strength was diplomacy, and Lord Toga was quite content to let his lady talk their way into power. Like Aya's father, Masuyo had no male heirs. The two that had been produced fell in battle long before their father's demise, and so the princess became the Lady of the Western Lands and with his new title, land holdings and unmatched power, speed and skill, General Toga became InuTaisho of all Japan.

"Why?" a young Sesshomaru had asked his father. "Why are these lands so important?"

The young prince expected his father to say something along the lines of "land equals power. The more land you own, the more powerful you are."

But, instead, his father replied, "The land will remain long after we have faded from memory. People may forget, but the land will remember."

Sesshomaru again shuffled the papers on his desk and turned his attention to the recent reports he had received from the Southern lands. His father had intended to unify all the demon clans in Japan under one, mutually agreed upon ruler. If they continued to fight amongst themselves, he believed they would soon go the way of the youkai in the Middle East. Unable to

stand together against the human threat of these foreign invaders, they would all meet their demise separately. Humanity was not the true enemy; ignorance was.

These foreign humans, these "Christians," the very ones his father had encountered in his travels, were currently making themselves quite comfortable in Lord Hiroshi's territories. They had already erected a mission in Kagoshima at the southern end of Lord Hiroshi's lands, and since then, according to accounts, their influence has steadily spread throughout the third largest island of Japan. At first, Lord Hiroshi thought the foreign humans were quite harmless. They had only come to trade and learn of the Japanese people and their way of life, but-

THWOOM!

Sesshomaru rose to his feet as the sound of a deafening explosion carried throughout the castle's hallways and reverberated within the recesses of his sensitive ears.

How? He asked himself. How is this . . . possible?

He effortlessly eased his way out into the hallway and made his way to the castle gates, undeterred by the loud ringing in his ears, the repeated clanging of the warning bell and the sound of hurried footsteps and shouted commands as guards and servants confidently raced to their assigned details. Even among the most dire catastrophe, Sesshomaru insisted that order and proper form prevail. All guards were to report to their posts, servants were to return to their quarters, and Jakken was to ensure that all members of his staff were present and accounted for.

It would take a few minutes for accurate counts to be taken and an oral report to reach him, but from what he could sense among the somewhat organized chaos, no one was harmed in the explosion and everyone of his staff was present and accounted for . . . except for Rin and Master Sumida . . .

8 8 8

"Gods . . ." Rin pushed herself out from under the collapsed thatch and dusted off the splintered wood and clumps of dirt and straw from her hair and clothing, her armor falling off her.

Master Sumida rose to a crouching position, following Rin's suit, attempting to cleanse herself of the building's debris. Blood trickled down the corners of her mouth and ears and out her flared nostrils. She was basically unharmed, and Rin was completely untouched, but Master Li's dojo laid in ruins. The dojo, the garden, the trees, the grass-everything that had been Master Li's-was completely obliterated. Only remnants of the roof remained scattered about them as Rin stood in the center of a two-feet deep, several yards wide crater, and the yogi master forced herself to a standing position a few feet away from the smoking crater's outskirts. Snow flurries evaporated off the two as they continued to survey the damage.

"Master . . . you're bleeding."

"It's nothing," the elder female waved her away as Rin attempted to approach. "Even now my body is healing itself."

Heeding the master's words, she remained where she was, untouched by the falling flakes of snow from the wintery gray sky. "S-Sesshomaru's going to kill me!"

"Nonsense," the master replied. "I think he'll be quite pleased." She fought the urge to hug herself against the pain of her internal injuries.

"Pleased! I leveled Master Li's dojo!"

"That's why I wanted us to move out here. No manmade structure can stand against a chi attack from a master of the internal arts."

"I'm no master!" She still couldn't believe it. The two of them were standing in the center of the training room, and Master Sumida told her that she was going to push her, and she should only try to push back. She stood stationary as she felt the master's powers flare, then an unseen force began to shove her backwards. She then felt her armor constrict slightly and . . . she saw the purple aura Master Sumida had been talking about. The armor was attempting to protect her from the seiyuuki youkai's "attack."

Rin reacted, assuming the "push" posture of Tai Chi. Again, she felt the swirling sensation in her tantiem, only this time the waves were larger, stronger. She could feel the energy moving about her body as she redirected its flow, some sinking down to stabilize her feet, which were currently being pushed backwards along the hardwood floor, and the rest radiating upwards and outwards through her chest and shoulders, down her slightly bent arms to pool in the palms of her hands and around the tips of her fingers.

Not only could she feel the build up of energy, she could see it as well. Blue. Her aura came out as a projection of blue light, causing her hands to glow with its intensity.

The purple aura of the armor expanded as Master Sumida increased the amount of power she channeled into her youki-based attack. Rin drew in a measured breath, forcing her weight back on her right leg. As she exhaled, she pushed forward, shifting her weight from her right leg to her left. She felt the energy flow out from her body and rush against Master Sumida's, her blue aura crashing against the demon's brown one.

Master Sumida, again, increased the power of her attack. Rin's armor reacted, shielding her from the blow's full effect, and she increased the power of her own attack.

It continued that way for several minutes, each female's power level slowly climbing, the shield effect of the armor amplifying. And then Master Sumida's youki flared dramatically. She was no longer trying to "push" her; it felt as if she were going to "crush" her. The armor responded, effectively protecting her torso and upper thighs . . . but her head, her arms and the lower half of her legs . . . All of her bones wanted to fold in on each other, unable to bend with the force of Master Sumida's attack, they wanted to break.

"Make me stop," the master commanded. "I know you can. I can feel a huge block of untapped power within you."

The torchlight and the flames of the fireplace flickered and danced within the, now, inhospitable environment of the dojo. The walls shook and the floorboards trembled.

"If you must pull back to push me further, then do it."

Rin frowned. What kind of "test" was this? Her head hurt, her hands ached, and her knees were about to give out on her. The armor's aura was holding, but she was surrounded by brown and was quite certain Master Sumida wouldn't hesitate to crush her . . . Perhaps she was more deeply affected by Master Li's death than even she was willing to admit, and instead of

"testing" her as she intended, her grief was getting the better of her, inhibiting the complete control of her powers and she . . . Master Sumida was actually going to kill her.

"Is that fear I smell?" the master asked. "Tell me, little sister, what is it that you fear most?"

Her frown deepened. Was the master . . . taunting her?

"Is it death? Is it failure? Or is it rejection?"

Focus, Rin commanded herself. Does the master really know what she's doing? Does she know how badly she's hurting you? If I asked her to stop, would she do it?

"You would die for him. You would kill for him. But can you live for him? Can you live through the pain? Can you break through the self-imposed barriers? Can you let go of everything you know and hold dear to be born again?" Her youki flared again.

"Wh-what're you talking about? What are you doing? Stop this. It hurts!"

"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Even now, after everything you've been through, after everything you've done for yourself, you're still looking for him to come save you."

"No!"

"You are! You can stop me at any time you please, and yet you don't. Why?"

"I can't!" she declared. "I need him."

"And he needs you. He needs you to not need him so much. He needs you to be strong for yourself and not just for him. No inu youkai wants a weak mate. They want someone who will defy them, test them, dare them to become better people."

"I've already done that!"

"But you can do better," the master insisted. "Nothing less than perfection. I will accept nothing less than perfection from you from now on."

The armor again adjusted to interfere with the master's increased attack.

"He protects you too much, guards you too closely, tells you only what you want to hear. What can you learn of the world that way?"

"He loves me!" she fired back. "He wants to keep me safe. He doesn't want to live without me!"

Again, the master's powers flared.

Rin gasped at the sickening crunch of her own bones. Why wasn't he coming for her? Couldn't he sense her distress? Wasn't the mating mark working?

"What about you?" Master Sumida asked. "Don't you love yourself? Can't you live just for yourself?"

"Why should I have to? You're just jealous!" she yelled. "You're jealous I still have my mate, and you lost yours!"

All the air in the dojo was charged. The torches had been blown out, and the flames in the fireplace angrily licked at its confinement behind the iron grate.

"Perhaps," the master calmly conceded. "But I am strong enough to admit my weakness. Are you?"

This time it was Rin's powers that flared. "I. Am. Not. Weak!"

"'Why isn't he coming? Why isn't the mark working? How much more can the armor take?'" The master scoffed. "This battle is between you and myself. Do you think I'll let him interfere?"

Rin paled slightly, the impact of Master Sumida's words at last hitting home. She was blocking their connection. The same field that was crushing her was also binding the youki of the mating mark. If she didn't stop her, herself, there would be nothing for Sesshomaru to save.

Her skull would be crushed beneath the pressure of the elder female's attack and her bones would be ground to dust. But why the master was doing this, she still wasn't sure.

Maybe because she was inferior. Maybe because she was weak. Maybe Master Sumida realized how unworthy she really was of Master Li's teachings, and now she intended to take her life to protect her mate's integrity.

But no. Master Li had chosen her, himself. And these were her powers, not his. Master Sumida had no right to judge her, no right to "test" her, no right to doubt her abilities at all.

Master Li chose her because of her strength, her commitment, her character. It had nothing to do with Sesshomaru at all. She didn't need his protection; she now had the power to protect herself. She didn't need him to tell her everything would be all right; she had the ability to make everything be all right. And this armor, though pretty, was almost completely useless!

Her head was caving in, her arms felt like lead, and she could hear the crunch of her own bones as Master Sumida continued to attack her uncovered areas.

"If you must pull back to push me further, then do it."

And so she did. Rin reached down deep, calling upon the tightly coiled power circling in her mid-section. She momentarily relaxed her form, allowing the master to push her back, her bare feet sliding across the highly polished pine floor, so she could make the necessary readjustments. As Master Sumida's youki moved her, she moved with it. She shifted her weight to her back leg, then in a series of fluid motion, lowering her left arm while bending her right, she wrapped Master Sumida's energy in her own chi and gathered it to her in the shape of a ball.

The ball of blue energy vibrated between the open palms of her two hands. She then shifted her weight forward again, extending both arms while rotating her palms so that they and the ball faced Master Sumida. As she completed her exhale and 60 percent of her weight now

rested on her left leg, the ball released of its own accord and went hurdling towards the seiyuuki youkai. A bright light flared as Rin's blue light went crashing through the master's barrier and sent her flying through the back wall of the dojo, the energy release triggering an explosion within the fireplace. The walls of the one-story building were instantly blown apart, leaving the roof to collapse on her head.

The next thing Rin recalled was pushing herself free of the pieces of the thatched roof and marveling at the way the snow dissolved before it touched it her. She then noticed the huge crater, Master Sumida's bloody form and all the destruction around her.

"No," the master agreed. "You are not a master; you are a god."

"G-god?"

"With your awakened powers and Sesshomaru's longevity . . . There is no reason you shouldn't attain that status. If you are this strong, now, imagine your power a year from now, a decade from now, a century from now."

"Several centuries from now . . ."

The master nodded. "Do not feel the need to limit yourself simply because of your formerly mortal existence. You are still human, but you're capable of so much more."

Rin slowly let this new information sink in. "B-but . . . can a goddess be mated to a demon?"

"You already are," she replied evenly. "And I did not mean to be so harsh with you. I see so much of my younger self in you. I know the mistakes I made, and I see the ones you could make. Those six years I spent waiting outside the Lama's temple waiting for Shen to return to me were wasted years. I learned nothing. I accomplished nothing. I merely existed. I did not train my students. I did not further my own studies . . . And I was the greatest of fools to

think Shen would be . . . impressed by my devotion and would simply come running back to me. It is . . . sweet . . . romantic for someone to say they cannot live without you. It is pathetic when you actually cannot live without that specific person. Life goes on, and the world is a vast and ever-changing place."

Rin placed her hands in prayer position and bowed to the elder, bald female. "I thank you, master, for another lesson well-taught."

The master laughed gently to herself, slightly wincing from the pain of her bruised ribs as they shook with the light force of her laughter, several snowflakes alighting on her white clothing and bare head. "I am your master no longer, Lady Rin. Even now, your power

surpasses that of my own. From now on, think of me as less than a teacher and more like an advisor."

"Rin."

She turned at the sound of her mate's voice. She'd been so rapt with Mas-no, Sumida's words, she hadn't sensed his approach at all. He stood on the outskirts of the crater opposite Sumida, the winter wind whipping through his hair and ruffling the fur of his pelt as snowflakes settled themselves in his silvery mane.

She bowed to her lord, who then leapt into the center of the crater with her. "I'm sorry about all this."

"The building was of no use to me. You are not harmed. What is there to be sorry about?"

That was true, wasn't it? Bones that had been breaking mere moments ago were now completely mended.

Rin glanced down at the strips of wood piled at her feet. The wood of the armor was still intact, but all the bindings had been broken, causing the separate sections of the breastplate and the skirt of the armor to go crashing to her feet when she tossed her chi ball at Ma-Sumida. Her sash and clothing remained whole, though. "I'm sorry about the armor," she said. "It was very nice but . . ."

Sesshomaru sank down to one knee and picked up one of the larger pieces. Turning it over, he was surprised to find himself staring at his own demonic form.

"Didn't . . . Wasn't . . . Wasn't the armor part of your surprise for me?"

He rose to his feet. "No. The armor was from Bokuseno; the gi and the shoes were from me. I was told it was the traditional attire for Tai Chi masters."

Sumida cleared her throat. "I beg my lord's pardon, but I also suggested the garments be simple, unadorned and black in color."

All three focused on the fine yellow and blue silk and golden embroidery draped over Rin's form.

"She may be a master of the internal arts, but she is also my mate. This Sesshomaru will not allow his lady to run around in rags."

Sumida huffed quietly from the edge of the crater. "You nobles and your status symbols."

"You have no room to judge, Master Sumida. Your father is the lord of your lands, is he not?"

Sumida? A noble? Rin wondered.

"Among my people noble blood is passed from father to son. I am not worth mentioning."

"Have it your way," Sesshomaru replied. "This Sesshomaru is returning to his study. He still has much business to attend to."

"Wait, my lord," Rin grasped him lightly in the crook of his right arm then released him. "Did you know about this? What Sumida was planning? This 'test' of hers?"

He gave a slight nod, keeping his eyes trained on hers.

"He asked me to do it," Sumida added. "Early this morning before you came to train with me."

"This Sesshomaru was also curious about the integrity of Bokuseno's armor. I had no say in its making and did not know it was coming till it arrived with one of the messengers. It appears it will have to be repaired; the bindings did not hold."

"No, they didn't. But my clothes did." She rubbed the fabric of her sleeve between her thumb and forefinger. "What kind of silk is this?"

"It is produced by batafurai youkai. It is self-repairing and self-cleansing. It is also invulnerable to sword attacks."

"Amazing," Rin said. "And it's so light."

"And warm," Sesshomaru added, glancing up at the quickly darkening skies. "You should come out of the cold, now. There is a snowstorm coming, and this Sesshomaru wishes for everyone under his care to remain within the castle till it passes."

Both females bowed to his authority and accompanied him back inside the castle gates.

"What's that bell that's ringing?" Rin asked.

"It is part of our warning system," her mate replied. "Should the castle security be compromised in any way, someone sounds the bell, signaling all guards to their posts and all servants to their quarters. A count is then taken, making sure everyone is where they should be.

The missing are searched for and then a plan of attack is made. Rin, as lady of the household, all the servants will be reporting to you."

"But isn't that Jakken's job?"

"It is the duty of the lady of the house."

Rin nodded. "Jakken was merely filling in."

Sesshomaru nodded as they continued down the snow-covered, stone walkway.

"Are you sure you're all right, Sumida?" Rin glanced over her shoulder at the limping youkai.

"Better and better every second."

The castle doors swung open at their approach, one guard standing on each side of the heavy, double doors. Two more guards blocked the entrances to the staircases on the left and right. As they left the vestibule and entered the Great Hall, Rin noticed two guards standing in every entryway and the entire second landing was lined with guards. The warning bell continued to sound. Sesshomaru stood just off to her side, and Sumida stood behind them.

"Wow . . ."

Sesshomaru nodded. "That is right. You have never seen the castle at full alert."

"No," she shook her head.

"Let us hope you never have to see it again."

Rin nodded, still awed by the sheer numbers of armed men currently stationed in the castle.

"I will take my leave of you, now," Sesshomaru said softly enough so only she could hear as he inclined his head slightly. "I do hope to see you in our chambers tonight."

"Of course," she nodded yet again.

"Now, this Sesshomaru must go silence the fool who is still pounding away at the bell."

She laughed softly to herself and bowed as he took his leave of her.

"Come, Rin," Sumida said. "You still have much training ahead of you."

8 8 8

After making good use of Sumida's gift, Sesshomaru lay with his head across Rin's lap as she ran her slim fingers through his sweat-dampened hair. The fire crackled quietly in the fireplace, its light tinging the room in muted shades of orange and yellow, its heat filtering through the sheer curtains that enclosed their bed.

"What troubles you, my lord? You seem so far away."

"Much," he replied evenly. Several more messengers came and went from the castle that day, each one that came, bringing more dire news than the one before him.

"Do you care to share with me?"

"I have decided to postpone the council meeting."

"Why?" She was relieved that her cycle would no longer cause any complications with the proceedings, but . . .

"There is much that needs to be settled beforehand."

"Oh?"

"The Lord and Lady of the North have openly declared war upon one another."

"Really?"

He nodded his reply. "Until the winner is determined, there can be no representation from the North."

"I see."

"And Lord Hiroshi of the Southern Lands wishes to declare a war of his own."

"Oh? On whom?"

"Humans."

Her fingers in his hair stilled.

"He seeks my support in this endeavor."

"You won't, will you?"

"I am still undecided."

"Undecided? How can you be undecided? I'm human. Your brother's half human. Your nephews have a human mother."

"It is not that simple."

"Then explain it to me."

"Several . . . foreign humans have settled in the Southern lands and, without regard to the treaties the native humans made with Lord Hiroshi, they have been exorcizing demons right and left in an effort to spread their religion and prove the strength of their god."

"And who are these people? What god do they worship?"

"They are Christians from the West. I . . . know little of their religion. My father met up with them once several centuries ago, and they fought under the banner of a red cross. They killed all those who would not convert to their belief system."

"What . . . what kind of holy man would go out and murder all those who oppose him?"

"I do not know."

"Well, that's just terrible. And our people are just letting them do this?"

The Western Lord nodded. "They have allowed them to construct one of their temples in Kagoshima."

"Why!"

"They are interested in trading with the foreign humans and are willing to risk much in order to do so. It is a win-win situation the way they see it. They get to trade with these . . . foreigners, and rid their lands of any youkai influence. These Christians are exorcizing every demon they happen to come across-hostile and docile alike. If things continue the way they have been, there will be no youkai left in the Southern lands."

"But that would be good for you, wouldn't it? Less competition, right?"

He seemed to consider this. "If the humans take over the Southern lands, what's to stop them from taking over the East or the North."

"Or even our own lands," Rin added.

"Yes."

"Then why not simply war against the foreign humans? Have them evicted from our lands?"

"The native population will not allow that. As I have said, they have a great desire to continue trading with the foreigners."

"But it's rude," Rin said. "It's rude to go to someone else's house and break up everything."

"It is."

"And it's even ruder to stand by and watch them do it. As if I'd invite Kagome over, and she'd start purifying our staff, and I'd just stand there and let her do it. I would be a poor host to allow my guest to act that way."

"Indeed."

"But . . . to declare war on the humans . . . even if it's just the ones in the Southern Lands. If . . . if demons go around attacking humans, more so than they already do, humans all over Japan will start hunting you, hunting us, for fear that we'll eventually start hunting them."

"I have thought of that."

"Then what will you do?"

"I will go to the Southern Lands and observe these foreign humans firsthand. If they are what he says they are, we'll have to devise some way to rid ourselves of their presence."

Rin was silent, restarting the motion of her fingers throughout his hair.

"I will not be gone long. If there is a way to stop these humans and restore the Southern Lands, Lord Hiroshi will owe us great debt of gratitude."

"Meaning, if one of the other lords wants to move against you for taking a human mate, Lord Hiroshi will support you, support us."

"Yes."

"And if the Southern Lands cannot be saved?"

"At the very least, I wish to devise some plan to keep their influence from spreading to our lands. I do not wish to make the same mistakes as Lord Hiroshi."

"I see."

They were silent for a moment.

"When will you leave?'

"This matter requires my immediate attention. As I no longer have my hosting duties to keep me at the castle, I should like to leave tomorrow morning."

Rin felt a sudden heaviness settle in her heart. He was going to leave her. He was going to leave her behind. "And how long will you be gone?"

"I am unsure."

"I . . . Can I go with you?"

"No. It would not be safe. I am told these foreign humans enjoy crucifying those who willingly consort with demons. The few villagers who wished to abide by the treaty made with Lord Hiroshi were put on display along the path to the foreign temple."

Again, her hand stilled in his hair.

"You are afraid for me."

"I'm afraid I won't know what to do with myself while you're gone."

He clasped her left hand with his right. "I will return."

"I do not doubt it."

A small smile alighted on his lips. "Then do not look so sad."

She gave him a small smile in reply as a few errant tears fell.

"Rin . . ."

She sniffed back the tears and pushed his hand away. "I want to give you something before you go."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, a mischievous grin spreading across his fine features. "Oh?"

"It's nothing like that," she assured him. "And you call me insatiable."

He chuckled lowly to himself.

"I ran through some more tests with Sumida today. She says I have the gifts of a healer. It turns out I hurt her quite a bit during my first 'test' this morning. Seeing as how I'd already healed myself, she wanted to see if I could heal her as well . . . And I did."

Sesshomaru stared up at her, curiosity reflected in his amber eyes.

"So she wanted to test the extent of that ability. She broke a few of her bones, stabbed herself in non-vital areas and . . . cut off a finger."

Her mate stiffened in her lap, the stump of his left arm resting on her left thigh.

"I mended the bones. I closed the wounds . . . and I regrew the finger."

Sesshomaru was silent.

"I won't do it if you don't want me to. It doesn't matter to me if you have it or not, it just..."

Her lord didn't say a word.

"Just as you want me to be the best I can be, I want you to be the best you can be. I . . . I hope I haven't offended you."

Again, he seemed to be far away from her.

Rin sighed, her shoulders slumping forward as she shook her head. "I knew it was a stupid idea. I never should've said anything. Now, you think I'm a liar. All this time I've been saying you're fine without it, and now I'm trying to grow it back for you." She scoffed to herself. "If you're fine without it, why would I want to regrow it? Stupid girl. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"No," he finally said. "You are not 'stupid.' I . . ." To have his left arm back after all these years. To transform, to have all four limbs. To be whole again. To . . .

He caught Rin's somewhat worried gaze and lightly brushed the claws of his right hand over her left cheek. He gave her a slight smile, and she grinned widely in reply.

To hold his mate as he'd never been able to . . .

"I do not wish you to put your health at risk for vanity's sake."

"There's no risk to me," she said simply. "The first few times I regrew Sumida's finger, she said there was quite a deal of pain. But after the sixth try, I learned to numb the pain while I healed the injury. I . . . I wanted to wait a little longer and get in a little more practice before trying it on you. I don't want to hurt you, after all, but since you're going to be leaving for the gods only know how long . . ."

He glanced down at his left shoulder then up into her face. "Do it," he said softly.

Rin swallowed hard as he sat up. If she were honest with herself, she would openly admit that she had consciously shied away from this particular part of her mate's anatomy. He seemed so . . . protective of that particular part that she feared what his reaction would be if she ever touched it. She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out as she placed the palm of her hand at the end of his shoulder.

He kept his eyes trained on hers.

"Does it ever hurt?" She lightly ran her fingers over the rounded stump. It was soft, smooth, strong.

"Sometimes."

Rin merely nodded. "I'm not going to do anything special," she said. "I'm simply going to give your body the energy it needs to do what is necessary. That's what all healers do. When your body heals itself, it does it slowly so that the pain is present but bearable, or it does it quite quickly, so the pain is gone in an instant."

"How long will this take?"

"At the fastest, it took me just under half an hour to regrow Sumida's index finger. An arm is much more complex than a finger."

Her mate merely nodded. "I am ready."

Rin smiled, maintaining her grip on his left shoulder as she leaned in and softly brushed her lips against his.

"And what is it that you think you are doing?"

She kissed him again, tightening her hold on his shoulder. "Distracting you."

It took six hours to regrow his lost limb. At times, he swore he was blind with pain-bones extending, nerves reconnecting, tissue reforming, tendons reattaching as he silently whimpered into the crook of his mate's neck. And at other times, he was swept up in an odd euphoria he had yet to experience-his mate's warmth wrapped around him, her soft lips pressed to his throat, her free hand caressing his right ear as her power surged through him, filling him, completing him, making him whole once again. His Rin kept his attention focused solely on her, so he was unable to observe the changes in his arm as they took place, but he felt them. Oh yes, he felt them.

"It's done," she whispered softly into his pointed ear, releasing the grip on his arm that she'd held for the past six hours.

He trembled inwardly as he felt her fingers trail down the heated flesh of his left arm for the first time.

"It will be highly sensitive for a while. It has to take its own time to heal now."

He . . . lifted . . . his left arm and turned it over, examining the sharp claws at the tips of his fingers and the two magenta stripes that wound their way around his wrist.

His arm. This was his arm. Not a replacement that would crumble and fall apart in a manner of minutes due to the natural toxins in his body. Not a human arm attached with a sacred jewel shard that would attempt to burn him alive if he kept it too long. His arm. His hand. His claws . . .

"Is it okay?" she asked. "Does it work? Did I--" She suddenly found herself crushed to her lord's chest, her chin on his shoulder, her nose near his ear, two strong arms wrapped tightly around her bare frame.

Rin returned his embrace. "You're welcome."

Morning came too quickly, taking her lord away from her, time and distance denying her his company for the gods only knew how long. She stood silently on the second story balcony, the winter wind whipping through her hair as snow drifted across the castle grounds. There, countless tears slid slowly down her cheeks as she watched Sesshomaru disappear into the stables, the little toad in tow. A few moments later, the stable doors opened, Ah-Un took off and her lord was gone.

"You would die for him. You would kill for him. But can you live for him? Can you live through the pain?"

Yes. Yes, she could.

Two days later her cycle did not start, and two weeks later during her meditations, seated in lotus position, she detected a small . . . fluttering in her stomach that had nothing to do with nervousness or her chi. And if she closed her eyes and listened carefully, not with her ears, but with her soul, her inner senses, she could hear two tiny heartbeats pulsing along with her own.

There were two, small life forms growing inside her.

Rin smiled. Wouldn't Sesshomaru be surprised when he returned . . .

THE END

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Author's Notes: And that's the end of "In a Different Light," and the beginning of "A House Divided." In the meantime, why not check out some more of my fics? There's three more Sess/Rin and a couple of Inu/Kag.

Might I recommend, "Do You Wanna Die? It's a one-shot, songfic set to the Toadies "Possum Kingdom." It's a grittier version of Sess and Rin, and there's lots of good stuff in it for all you hentais ^^

I really wanted to get into the whole council meeting in this fic, but once I visited Sesshomaru in his study, he took me on a different path from what I originally intended . . . naught boy, hehe.

And don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking Christianity or anything, I just believe the Crusades were a really bad idea.

For those of you curious:

Aya means "woven silk"

Hideaki means "excellent and bright"

Masuyo means "to increase the world"

Sora means "of the sky"

Hiroshi means "generous"

And if you'd like to know what a Shikoku looks like, go here:

http://www.jkc.or.jp/japanese dog/j dog6 e.html

If you wanna see a Chin, look here:

http://www.jkc.or.jp/ japanese_dog/j_dog8_e.html

Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I hope I didn't disappoint,

theMaven :)