InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reflected Past ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Ten - Awakening

"Agh, Rin! You're so slow!" Kisho called loudly, voice rending the air with shrill complaint. The skinny, dark-haired boy turned to look over his shoulder, his exasperation evident as he watched the older girl make her way down the muddy slope, her sandals caked with enough muck to make her feel like her feet were being weighted down by rocks.

Once she reached the bottom, Rin returned his displeased look, trying to put out an aura of authority. "We shouldn't even be this far, Kisho. Kameko will be very upset, especially since it looks like it's going to start raining again. At this rate, we'll get sick." She looked up at the angry sky, dreading another downpour. She was already soaked, her kimono hanging on her like a sopping wet blanket. And it was such a long ride back...

Kisho waved away her concerns with a careless hand. "I don't need to worry about such petty things. Demons don't get sick," he said, his tone very self-assured.

"Don't be stupid," she replied exasperatedly, shaking her head at his haughtiness. "You are the great grandson of a hanyou. You're as human as me and just as likely to catch whatever I get from being out in this mess."

"If that makes you feel better," he replied in that same superior voice, but then he grinned disarmingly. "Where's your sense of adventure? You're not nearly as much fun as you used to be. Now you're just afraid of getting dirty."

"I'm not afraid of getting dirty...I'm afraid of your grandmother and what she'll have to say when she sees that I've let you go out this far," Rin replied with obvious hesitance, tucking back a stray strand of dark hair. "You're a morbid little boy, Kisho. What could there possibly be about the old exterminators' village that would capture your interest so much?"

"Not the village," Kisho answered with a shake of his head, still grinning mischievously, his black hair tousling in the stormy wind. He pointed ahead of them to the dark opening of a cave not far ahead. "That."

The distant rumble of thunder could be felt underneath her feet as Rin studied the outside of the cave. It unnerved her, the creepy silence that gravitated around this place, very much like the quiet of a graveyard. Kisho apparently shared none of her misgivings. He raced nimbly toward the opening, feet splashing carelessly into puddles of nasty-looking, dark water.

She followed him at a short distance, silently cursing the curiosity of ten-year-old boys. Sudden worry worked itself into her mind as she sidestepped the same puddles that Kisho had just plowed through, a concern that this place could possibly be home to something dangerous, a wild animal's den or....

She pulled up short just outside the hovering entrance as she imagined a pack of wolves lounging inside the deep blackness, just waiting for a meal to happen along...

"Kisho!" she called fearfully, sprinting inside the opening, swiftly enveloped by the dimness that blinded her almost immediately. As her eyes adjusted to the wan light, she could just make out his form ahead, pausing to glance back over his shoulder at her before going further in.

"Get back here!" she hissed at him, the sound echoing resoundingly from the damp cave walls. The humidity inside the place made her feel hot and claustrophobic, her heart pounding steadily against her rib cage as, again, the image of a pouncing, snarling wolf came to mind. Reckless boy! she thought frantically. Growing up in such a secure village had obviously hindered his ability to recognize a dangerous situation. She chased after him, her sandals slapping against the rocky floor far too loudly for her own comfort.

"Rin!" his voice called suddenly from up ahead. She ran faster, certain that he was in the process of meeting some horrible end, but when she found him, he was standing lazily with his arms crossed over his chest, appearing completely relaxed. He looked back at her as she hurried up to him, an expression of glee on his young face.

"Grandmother was serious!" he exclaimed in awe.

"Serious about what?" Rin replied irritably, catching her breath and trying to slow her racing heart. She was securely back to being annoyed with him now that she saw he was not in mortal danger.

"The story she told me. There really is a miko trapped in here. Look!" He pointed upward and Rin followed his index finger, mouth opening in silent surprise as she saw in the scant illumination that he was indeed correct. The bluish filtered light from the opening of the cave highlighted a statue-like rock formation that contained the hardened remains of an uncountable number of demons and, in the middle of them, the form of a human girl...one that did not look to be much older than Rin herself. Horrified, she took a step back, eyes bouncing back and forth between the razor-sharp claws, knife-like teeth, and bulging, angry faces that protruded toward her. She did not doubt this sight would bring her nightmares for several weeks to come.

Even Kisho seemed a little less thrilled by his discovery now that he saw how gruesome it appeared to be. He took a couple of steps back and stood next to Rin, the smile fading slowly.

"We should go," Rin whispered, eyes still locked on the face of the frozen girl, not able to help but wonder how frightening the last moments of her life must have been. She put an arm around Kisho's thin shoulders and started to lead him back toward the mouth of the cave, but, as she turned, a glow near her right foot caused her to look down.

Releasing her hold on Kisho, Rin knelt on the worn rocky ground, inspecting it for what had caught her eye. After only a moment of studying the dimness, she noticed the glint of metal extending from a portion of the rock. How odd, she thought. There is no light in here to cause such a shine...

Seemingly of their own accord, her fingers reached out toward the object, fingertips running alongside the edge of what looked to be the hilt of a sword. Upon contact with the weapon, a thrilling energy shot through her fingertips and up her arm, prompting her to pull back in stunned surprise.

"Rin?" Kisho questioned nervously.

Heart thumping even louder now, Rin waited for the strange feeling to abate. For several long seconds, her mind debated with itself as to what she should do. Logically-speaking, she knew without a doubt that the smartest course of action would be to grab Kisho by the hand and never enter this place again, but...something else, something whispered to her to take it, to make use of it... Unable to take her eyes from the sword or find a thought sufficient enough to argue against this desire to hold it, she reached toward it again. Thin fingers grasped around the leathery hilt, locking onto it with a grip that felt as though her hand had been suddenly welded. She pulled.

One would not have thought that this sword had been buried within this place for over three centuries, so smoothly did it slide out from its hiding place, as though slickened with oil. Rin had only an instant to wonder at the lightness of it, her heart strangely buoyant, as though she had never made a better decision in her life...before it began to shake violently.

Shocked out of her strange behavior by the sword's sudden uninitiated movements, Rin tried to drop the weapon but found that she was unable to unclench her fist. The vibrations extended up her arm, causing the entire appendage to throb along with the sword. A low whine began then, growing in pitch and intensity until it was nearly painful to hear.

"Rin!" Kisho yelled over the racket, shoving his hands over his ears.

Rin turned to look back at him, intending to order him outside, but before she could form the words something unseen physically picked the boy up and hurled him from the cave. In the next instant, an explosion of light rocked the darkness, surrounding Rin with a brilliance that forced her to close her eyes. She collapsed to the rock, still gripping the sword...or, more accurately, completely unable to loosen herself from the hold it had on her. The whine became a roar and all around her, Rin could hear the sounds of destruction, rock being separated from rock, loud groans as though the place was pulling itself apart from sides to ceiling.

She was unaware of how long it was before she opened her eyes, but when she did, the eerie, deceptive silence had blanketed everything once more. A haze of brightness clouded her vision until she managed to blink it away, her sight clearing to find stormy grayness instead of blue-black walls of rock.

Outside? she wondered disjointedly.

Pulling herself up to her knees, Rin looked around her in awestruck silence. The cave no longer existed; not even dust littered the landscape where it had been so physically present just moments earlier. It was simply gone. Throat constricting with fear as she remembered Kisho, she lurched to her feet and began screaming his name, but her worry was quickly put to rest when she heard her own name and looked behind her to find the boy running toward her with a frightened urgency.

"Riiiiin!" he called, crashing into her and clinging with a desperate embrace. "I thought you would be dead....," he gasped breathlessly, eyes wide with terror, as though not completely convinced he wasn't holding onto a ghost.

Catching her own breath, Rin draped her arm around him in a gesture of comfort, glancing behind her at the empty space where the cave had been. Only a sunken area of land completely devoid of grass suggested where tons of rock might have once stood, and she realized Kisho was right. She should be dead and perhaps him as well. What on earth had happened? And how had they survived?

"It was so strange, Rin," Kisho babbled excitedly, swiftly recovering from the fright as his hands made descriptive gestures. "One minute I was in there with you and the next I was on the other side of the hill. I don't even have a scratch on me! Look!"

Barely hearing him, Rin noticed the steady weight in her right hand and looked down to see that she was still clutching the sword. It was silent now, lying still and cold as though nothing had even happened. What sort of incredible being would possess such a powerful weapon? she wondered, unable to ignore the clammy feeling of worry that was frozen in her stomach. It would have to be brought to Kameko, Rin decided. She would know what to do with something so obviously dangerous.



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The ocean waves struck against the craggy cliffs of the eastern lands, beating at the thick layers of rock until they finally gave way piece by piece to tumble into the depths, no doubt beginning a journey that would eventually find them washed up on some distant shore. Even the enormous castle-like structure that was built into the cliff side was in danger from this erosive enemy. One day it too would find itself tumbling into the ocean, but until then its sharply erect spires pierced the sky like needles.

Though the permanence of a demon's existence rivaled almost that of the sea itself, possessions did not. Isamu, the lord of the east, was discovering this as the centuries wore away at his home.

Sesshoumaru stood beside the much older water demon, the pair contemplatively watching as the tides rolled steadily in. Though Sesshoumaru was unaware of Isamu's exact age, he knew that it must be excessive. Isamu had been in control of the east since before even Inutaisho's birth.

And with age, Sesshoumaru thought, came complacency, which was why the sudden request for a meeting had struck him as strange. Isamu generally kept to himself, but something serious had obviously inspired him to decide that a discussion with the western lord had become a necessity.

"Surely you have noticed, Sesshoumaru..." Isamu began in his slow, hypnotic voice, "...what has been occurring..."

Sesshoumaru finally turned his attention from the distant horizon to his eastern counterpart. "Could you be more cryptic, Isamu?" he questioned wryly, even though his instincts could soundly guess as to what the elder demon was referring.

Isamu merely stared back at him, his chilly blue eyes boring a hole into the younger demon until Sesshoumaru finally voiced his own thoughts. "Something strange is building. If you called me here to ask for more information than that, I cannot tell you."

"It comes from your lands..."

"I am aware of that," Sesshoumaru replied instantly, a faint note of petulance in the tone.

"Then perhaps you should do something about it?" Isamu suggested with only the slightest hint of sarcasm. "Preferably before it spreads to other areas, as it did with the one called Naraku."

"Old man, it is laughable to have my authority questioned by one who cowers in his ocean until trouble is past," Sesshoumaru said steadily, finding that he was already weary of the discussion. It was for the ancient to sit around and ponder the possibilities and for the young to deal with the realities they brought. That was precisely what he should be doing now, instead of speaking in enigmatic verses with a demon lord whose long life had obviously convinced him to believe that his counsel would actually be worthwhile.

Isamu chuckled at Sesshoumaru's disrespect. "I am no coward. I merely choose my battles, pup."

"Then kindly remove yourself from mine. When a threat reveals itself, I will meet it," Sesshoumaru answered firmly.

"Of course," Isamu replied, bowing his head in mock deference, a thin smile crossing his lips. "You are your grandfather all over again, Sesshoumaru. Stubborn, headstrong, and far too confident in your own abilities. Everyone meets their match one day. I would suggest that, unless you wish to meet an end similar to that of your grandfather, you quell your ego enough to call for help should you need it. There are those who will answer." He held up a hand to head off the retort that was about to come his way. "This is meant with no disrespect. I think as lords we tend to overestimate our abilities, myself included in that. We are not gods, we each have our weaknesses. I am merely offering what your father and grandfather once offered to me...a reminder that friendship has been extended to you by myself and others. That is all. What you do with that is up to you."

"Keep sleeping, Isamu," Sesshoumaru replied quietly, though the ire had left his voice. He blinked against the salty breeze that blew into his face, eyes cast to the distant horizon. "I will require no help."

Another deep silence fell between the two as they watched Jaken on the beach below them waddling about, his flat, clawed feet leaving bird-like tracks across the sand as he bent to inspect various things of interest.

Finally Isamu spoke again, sounding humored as he brought up what he knew to be a sore subject. "You should consider taking a mate. Should something happen to you, a vacuum of power will present itself in the west."

True to Isamu's expectations, Sesshoumaru had to suppress his frustration as this subject was broached. He was weary with how obsessively this old man followed his personal matters. "And I do not doubt that it would suit you and the others to carve up my lands between yourselves. I do not see my death approaching any time soon, old man, but when it does, do not doubt that I will have an heir to take my place."

Isamu smiled again, not daring to look Sesshoumaru in the eye as he added, "I have some great-granddaughters who would be more than happy to fulfill the function of providing you an heir. In fact, several have made it quite clear that---"

"Isamu," Sesshoumaru interrupted, voice icy with displeasure, "I will see to the acquisition of a mate in the same way I see to the security of my lands...on my own, in my own way, and without unsolicited advice."

Isamu's low laugh was cut short by a pained shriek, which was quickly followed by an angry exclamation of "Nintoujou!" Both demon lords looked down at the beach once more, watching as Jaken busily set about roasting an enormous pincered creature with the Staff of Heads.

"Ah, I forgot to warn him...it is mating season for the giant lobsters." Isamu's voice was as lazy and evil as the grin that spread across his face. "Apparently it views your friend as competition."

"It underestimates itself," Sesshoumaru replied with brutal honesty.

No sooner had the words left his mouth when a feeling of threat permeated the air, an expulsion of purification, prompting the youkai lords to turn toward the west, both still and silent as their senses worked to judge the source.

"It's clearly coming from your direction, Sesshoumaru," Isamu finally commented. "I think your threat has decided to reveal itself."



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Kameko was indeed not pleased to see that Rin and Kisho had returned from their adventure soaked to the skin, dirty, and in possession of a weapon that worried her in ways she could not explain. Even before she listened to Rin's tale, there was something about the way the sword glittered with an ominous darkness that made her certain it was likely something that should never have been found. Though it appeared completely ordinary, her hanyou senses desired greatly for her to order the girl to remove it from her home at once. And it was precisely that feeling that made her decide it would be best to carefully guard it instead.

The sword lay on a table in the main living area, untouched, but eyed nervously by Rin who had settled herself in front of the fire in order to dry from her much-needed bath. Kisho had already been sent to bed, exhausted from his excessive adventure. Guilty over the idea that the boy could have easily died while under her supervision, Rin had been avoiding Kameko all night, wondering if the woman held her at all responsible for what could easily, and probably should have, been a fatal event.

Berating herself over her lax caution, Rin wrapped into a woolen blanket, eyes fixed on the flickering flames as she listened to the sounds of Kameko rustling about in the next room, likely preparing to write another round of letters to her various family members. Because of the demon blood that extended her life, Kameko had had the misfortune of outliving her children, but despite this sadness she was always quick to say that it was a blessing to have lived to see the lives of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren she would never have otherwise met. Likely the woman would outlive even Kisho and watch his own grandchildren grow to old age.

Rin could remember a time when she had desired nothing more than to have been born a youkai, but being a part of Kameko's life these past seven years had illustrated for her how harsh and difficult it was when one's existence was prolonged to the point where they outlived those around them many times over. How did one ever have a sense of home with such impermanence? It was like living several lives, not just one; new faces and experiences, all while carrying the weight of the things that were gone and unretrievable.

Thoughts of the demon that had inspired Rin's childish wish to become one of his kind, to remain with him forever, came to mind then, as they inevitably did even all these years later. She still missed Sesshoumaru very much, but now that she was older she could understand why he had not returned for her. For several long years she had feared that perhaps he had been killed during his hunt for Naraku. It was so unlike him not to keep his word that her mind could not comprehend any other reason as to why she had remained in the village even after the news of Naraku's death had spread vast relief in the west. Kameko had been kind enough to alleviate her fears as to Sesshoumaru's well-being, but had refused to discuss him further.

As she had grown older, the whispered accounts of the woods being haunted by a white demon had made Rin certain that the uncommon safety of their village was more than partly attributable to Sesshoumaru. These stories brought mixed feelings; relief and security, as well as the sad realization that, even though he often lurked nearby and despite the fact that she had spent many an afternoon wandering the forests in the hopes of seeing him, he was obviously intent on not revealing himself to her.

Exhaling a sigh, Rin wrapped her arms around her legs, bringing her chin down to rest on her knees as she gazed forlornly into the fire. Within moments her eyes had traveled up to the table that held the sword. That odd, thrumming warmth pounded in her fingertips again and, once more, she felt a strong need to touch it...

Finally forcing her gaze elsewhere, she pushed away the thrill of power it had instigated and instead focused on the destruction it had caused. Part of her never wanted to touch the weapon again. But...something.... Again her eyes strayed to the sword. There was something so hypnotic about it...about the small dark lights that twinkled from within the cold metal…

Soft footsteps behind her warned of Kameko's presence and she looked guiltily up at her guardian's arrival. Despite being over one hundred years old, Kameko barely looked as though she had reached her twentieth birthday. Her face was still smooth and unlined, and she moved with the gracefulness of the young, not that of a woman who was a great-grandmother several times over. All because of that mysterious demon blood that ran through her veins; it was all so strange to Rin.

"Kameko-san," Rin said quietly. "What will you do with it?"

Moving to kneel next to Rin, the woman's dark blue hair fell forward to shield part of her face from view as she prodded the fire into providing more warmth. Summer was nearly upon them, but despite the atrocious humidity that had blanketed the countryside earlier that day, a chilly curtain had fallen along with the last of the sun’s light. "Do not concern yourself about it, my dear," Kameko replied breezily. "I have an idea of someone who might find it interesting."

"Oh?" Rin questioned curiously. "Who?"

Kameko turned and gave Rin a small smile, her pale green eyes lit with warmth. "Go to sleep, Rin. If Kisho's weariness is any indication, the two of you have had far too eventful a day for you to stay up well into the late hours."

Though Kameko was correct in judging Rin's state of lackluster energy, the younger girl could not bring herself to move from the spot. Again her brown eyes swept to the sword on the table, fingers twitching absently.

"Kameko-san," she whispered, as though in fear that someone might overhear what she was about to say and think her insane. "Does the sword...does it bother you?"

Arched eyebrows slowly lifting in interest, Kameko regarded her young charge curiously. For a moment she looked as though she was going to repudiate her obvious concern over the weapon's presence, but she decided instead to be truthful. "Yes," she finally admitted. "It does bother me, Rin. I'm asking you not to touch it again. It will be gone from here as soon as I can arrange it."

Is she afraid? Rin wondered. Even hours later, an excited tingle still washed through Rin's veins, along with a strange possessiveness toward the sword, a yearning. Should something so valuable be tossed away? she thought rebelliously.

Noticing the strange glittering look in the young girl's eyes as she stared longingly at the sword, Kameko reached out and lightly touched Rin's arm, forcing the girl to focus on her once more. "Don't touch the sword again, Rin," she repeated seriously. "I don't know what ---" she stopped suddenly then, her lithe form going very still. Without another word, Kameko rose and hurried from the room.

What? Rin wondered, swiveling her head to watch Kameko rush away.

A floor-shaking boom echoed from outside, disturbing the peacefulness of the sleepy rain-soaked night and making Rin jump. Instantly, she leapt to her feet, dropping the blanket on the floor behind her in her haste to follow Kameko.

Outside, other disturbed villagers were peering out of their homes and up at the sky, many of them having been woken by the explosive noise. Squinting into the damp, smothering blackness, Rin could just make out Kameko in the distance, her bow in hand, putting an arrow to string just as a monstrous form rushed from the forest, eyes gleaming with red fury. Cries of alarm and shouted orders were heard as women swiftly ushered their children back inside and men ran to get their weapons. It had been seven years since they had been called upon to defend themselves from a youkai attack and the village had been caught completely unprepared.

Clutching the door frame tensely, Rin watched as Kameko faced off against her opponent, a massive boar demon whose tusks jutted well past its large, snout-like nose. A rustling movement came from behind her and Kisho appeared, rubbing his eyes.

"Whas' goin' on?" he slurred sleepily, coming to stand near Rin.

Immediately Rin shoved him back into the house. "Stay inside!" she ordered, voice laced with fear. Subdued by the urgency of her tone and with memories of events from earlier in the day still fresh in his mind, he did not balk at the command.

Stepping outside, Rin's long black hair was blown fiercely by the wind, rain smattering against her face as the village men raced past her armed with spears, bows, and various other weapons. Calm and composed as ever, Kameko shot an arrow at the boar demon, piercing the creature's throat and inciting it into even more of a frenzy. It reached out to swipe at her, and Rin was relieved to see that she expertly dodged the attack.

Apparently feeling itself sufficiently threatened, the boar demon inhaled a great breath of air, expelling it in a fireball burst to incinerate a building. The villagers stepped back hesitantly, but Kameko fired again, this time striking the demon in one glowing crimson eye.

She's trying to find his weak point, Rin thought suddenly, her fingernails biting anxiously into her palms as the youkai swung around and swatted several of the approaching village men out of the way. Knocked from their feet as though they weighed nothing, the men flew backward and crashed solidly into a woodshed.

Again Kameko dodged a swipe, but the demon, clearly weary of her, blew another burst of fire, forcing her and everyone around her to dive out of the way. With rapid movements that belied its size, the boar rushed headlong into the center of the town. Feeling that safety had now become fleeting, Rin hurried inside as the beast's heavy footsteps pounded nearer. She quickly knocked the now-awake and curious Kisho to the ground, covering his body with hers as the demon broke through the doorframe, scattering splinters of wood in a whirlwind.

Surging adrenaline propelling her, Rin pulled Kisho to his feet and hauled him by one arm to the back of the house, intending to shove him out another exit. Again her hand burned hotly as she raced through the rooms with the boy, noticing the sword out of the corner of her eye as she pulled open the screen and pushed Kisho roughly outside, feeling a moment of regret as her urgency sent the boy sprawling in the mud.

"Get out! Run into the woods and don't return until we come for you!" she yelled at him, slamming the door closed. Hearing what sounded like an avalanche coming from the front of the house, Rin rushed toward the table, her feet practically sliding out from under her in her haste. Desperate, she grasped the sword in one hand and turned in time to see the boar stick its massive, tusked head around the doorway. She pointed the sword at the beast, hand wavering slightly, waiting expectantly for the gigantic explosion to come out and obliterate him as it had done the cave.

To her immense horror, nothing happened.

Uttering a soft curse of frustration, Rin looked from the sword to the invading creature and, recognizing what was about to happen as he opened his gaping mouth, turned and bolted for the door, barely able to wrench it open before a blast of fire blew outward, a roaring, consuming wave. She leapt from the top of the stairs, landing painfully on one knee several feet away from the house just as flames shot out from the windows and doorway, licking at the building with a ferocity equal to their creator. The demon emerged from the flames, his eyes menacingly reflecting the orange light as he exited the quickly burning home.

Forcing herself to her feet, Rin instinctively ran toward the protection of the other villagers, rounding the house in time to catch sight of Kameko limping hurriedly toward her, looking slightly scorched and disheveled. Rin had only to see the woman's horrified face to know how close the youkai was behind her and, sensing an impending attack, her brain whirled frantically for a way to survive. She was not a fighter. She had never been trained for a battle. She had always been protected...

Sesshoumaru-sama... came the choked thought, as the face of the long-missed demon lord came to mind.

A wave of fire shot out from behind her, stinging her back and neck, and she stumbled under the onslaught, falling to her knees, one hand clutching at the ground in a muddy grip, the other instinctively grasping the sword, willing it to save her now that there was no taiyoukai to do so.

I'm going to die, she realized, her heart giving a great surge of despair. It was then that something flashed behind her eyelids, the image of a girl with long dark hair like herself, appearing serious and sad. Rin watched as this strange vision raised one hand and, instantaneously, she was consumed by light once more. It swirled around her, deepening to a blinding white, bringing with it the sensation that a heavy blanket had just been thrown over her.

A voice whispered in her ear, one that she could not recognize as either male or female, but its instructions were clear. Rin's hand raised the sword and turned to her attacker, looking up to see a wave of fire bouncing off of her without even the slightest heat to accompany it. The blade glowed white-hot, dark jewel-like flecks pulsing insistently from within it.

Seemingly unrelated images formed inside her mind, memories that did not belong to her accompanied by a strange frantic whispering....a young girl carefully plucking bright yellow flowers from a field, pausing to look up as an older man and a teenaged boy practiced swordsmanship nearby...flash...a smiling, kind-looking woman offering a handmade doll to a small pair of hands...flash...the face of the same woman, appearing to be very ill this time, speaking slowly and with great effort...flash...a battle, one which was being fought by two enormous white dogs...flash....the beautiful, comforting face of a very serious-looking demon, one which Rin instantly recognized....

A feeling of immense power caught hold of her, melting the fear she had felt toward the boar. Rin could physically feel something building, growing, shrieking within her...and then a force of immense strength collided with her, the impact sending her flailing backward while, simultaneously, the sword was ripped from her hands.



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It was gone. As though it had never been corporeal to begin with, Midoriko's cave had disappeared from the landscape. Ignoring the sheets of rain that poured down around him from the dark skies overhead, Sesshoumaru knelt to inspect the earth more closely.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" whined a grating voice as Jaken hurried breathlessly down the slope, the Staff of Heads trailing over one tiny shoulder.

As he generally chose to do in order to preserve Jaken's existence, Sesshoumaru ignored the toad, instead rising from the ground, keen eyesight searching the hills around him for signs of...anything. The air was overwrought with the scent of purifying energy...just as it had been all those years ago...

He frowned in consternation. Had it been this that he had felt from so far away? It had come suddenly, a feeling of a growing threat that had at first emanated from this place and now came from even further toward the west. It nipped insistently at his senses, as though encouraging him to recognize something....

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken questioned in his usual tedious manner.

Before he could collect his thoughts sufficiently, Sesshoumaru sensed the presence of another youkai, one who was riled, furious.... Without a word to his minion, Sesshoumaru shot off toward Rin's village, intent on chasing down the bloodthirsty creature that was about to so blatantly disregard his command. Smoke assaulted his sense of smell well before the flickering glow of fire came into distant focus. As he hurtled past the blurred line of trees that closed in on either side of him, he picked up the scent of human blood and silently cursed himself for having been remiss enough to let such a beast get past him.

Within the town itself, chaos had taken hold as the shrieks of women and children pierced his ears. The presence of a deadly, imminent peril cloaked his senses, igniting his baser instinct to destroy...and it was with great shock that he realized this was precisely why the other youkai had come to wreak destruction. A threat against them existed in this village, and that was what the boar demon had come for.

The youkai in question was hovering over a feminine form, one encapsulated by some sort of barrier, appearing bent in submission. For a heart-stopping instant Sesshoumaru's mind recalled the number of times he had witnessed Midoriko wield just such a power and it was almost as though three hundred years had faded; an eerie, ghostly sight that took him a moment to blink away. Though he would not have recognized her with sight alone, such were the physical changes in the girl, he would have known Rin's scent anywhere and it was toward this that he rushed.

A feeling of foreboding was what spurred him to launch himself at the barrier, the force of his demonic aura overwhelming it as he simultaneously knocked the sword out of her hand, wrenching it away, allowing it to embed itself securely in the mud. He then whirled on her assailant. Before the beast could open its mouth to attack, Toukijin was in hand, gutting with a savageness that split the boar into two nearly equal pieces. The rabid light faded from its eyes as it collapsed to the ground, unmoving, its blood spilling out to darken the earth around it.

Rin gaped in astonishment as she stared up at the stoic white form that stepped back from its kill. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered disbelieving recognition, swallowing the tightening lump in her throat. She had been certain he would be her last thought, and yet here he was....

He sheathed his sword in one quick motion, his normally expressionless face caught in a frown, an expression that lightened some when his eyes swerved to rest on her. With characteristically graceful movements, he walked toward her, extending a hand to pull her up from the ground, tone sounding wryly self-deprecating as he quietly spoke to her. "It appears that I have not broken my promise after all."


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The town's priest offered Kameko and those that resided within her household a place to stay at the temple, which the hanyou woman readily accepted, sending Rin along with a wide-eyed Kisho to these safe confines while she helped see to injured villagers and their damaged property. Her own home had nearly been gutted by fire, but the downpour of rain had finally stopped the flames’ ability to spread and the house now sat silently, a smoking hulk to be repaired on the morrow.

The village was in such an understandable uproar that Rin knew she would never be able to sleep. Kisho overcame his own shock quickly enough and snuggled under a pile of blankets on one of the pallets, snoring lightly as a soft sprinkle of rain continued to fall on the roof above their heads.

Seated near him, Rin quietly cracked open the screen that led to the outside, searching the night for Sesshoumaru. His sudden return had shocked her beyond words, but then, she realized, it really should not have. He had always seemed to materialize right at the moment when she needed him most. He was uncanny in that way, had always been.

At the moment he stood near the village square, arguing with Kameko and apparently oblivious to the fact that they were both soaked, their clothes hanging heavily from their bodies as they exchanged heated words. Rin could tell that it was an argument because of the familiar rigid set to his features, the no-nonsense look he was giving Kameko, who listened to him and then shook her head negatively.

Feeling a great surge of warmth toward him, Rin smiled, barely caring that he was clearly in a terrible mood. He was here. She could sit here and see him and that made her happier than she had been in a very long time. He looked like a god standing out there amongst the shabbily dressed townspeople, and it was the sudden realization of how out-of-place he appeared that brought dread of his departure. Fear that he might simply leave without allowing her to speak with him now that the threat was vanquished made her nervously tap her fingertips against the wooden floorboards.

To her immense relief, he finally turned from Kameko and walked toward the temple, apparently having finished with their disagreement. He still wore the sword she had found earlier in the day, having placed it with his other weapons at his waist. There was something about the weapon that clearly made him agitated. He had snapped angrily at her when she had tried to pull it from out of the muck after the battle, barking a command at her to never touch it again. There was no way she was going to argue the matter with him.

But even now, after all of the danger she had encountered with that sword, she still wanted very much to touch it, to feel the hilt in her grasp again. It had been thrilling, that feeling of youkai-like power that had swept through her. She was certain that if Sesshoumaru had arrived only a few moments later, she would have been able to figure out how to work it and destroy the demon on her own.

Gently closing the screen door, she turned to check on Kisho before rising from the floor, intent on finding Sesshoumaru before he managed to leave again. But, to her surprise, it was he that met her at the doorway to the room, evidently desiring a discussion. Rin closed the door behind her and led him away so that their voices would not carry back to wake Kisho.

An unusual awkwardness fell between them as they stepped outside under the protection of the overhanging roof, something that Rin could not remember having encountered with him before. She had always been comfortable around Sesshoumaru, even when he had not been so around her. The awkward feeling dissipated as she smiled, recalling all of the times she had chattered at him so incessantly about pointless, childish things, matters he could not have cared less about. As a child, it had been nothing less than a treat for him to even speak to her, so much had she revered him. Jaken had always competed with her for a kind word from their lord and, though she had often enjoyed basking in what she viewed as Sesshoumaru’s favoritism, now she looked back and felt a bit sorry for his faithful servant.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama,” she spoke first, glancing up at him as he stared out into the dark woods. He had not changed at all, not that she was surprised by that. It was rather comforting, actually, this feeling that time stopped for him.

“You're welcome,” he finally answered, and Rin watched him openly now, sensing somehow that he was troubled. It was not easy to tell for he was not one to give many external hints as to his thoughts, but living around him for as long as she had provided her some insight into the slight signs he gave off…a certain stiffness to his posture, a set to the jaw…yes, he was bothered.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, attempting to pull it out of him. Anything, really, to keep the thought of leaving from coming to him. She was having to fight the urge to touch him just to make sure he was really there.

He turned to look down at her, golden eyes gleaming, and Rin saw her own reflection looking back at her. “I was told you found the sword in a cave,” he finally said. “Was it the one near the demon exterminators’ village?”

“Yes,” she answered truthfully. “I found it lodged in a pile of rock. I must have done something, activated it somehow…I destroyed the cave,” she admitted guiltily.

“I know,” he replied, looking to be deep in thought, yet appearing unconcerned that she had managed to utterly annihilate what she had later found out to be a grave. A chill worked its way up her spine and she could not suppress the shiver that came with it.

When silence fell between them once more, Rin glanced at the sword that hung at his side, tucked securely between Tenseiga and Toukijin. She flexed her hand absently, wondering why it was that he and Kameko were so adamant that it should not be touched. Clearly it responded to her, and if she learned to use it properly…

“Rin.”

The lowly spoken name jerked her out of her reverie and she looked back up to see him staring at her with an intensity that nearly made her back away. Almost as though he had read her thoughts, he warned her again, “You are never to touch this sword again. I cannot make myself any clearer than that. Under no circumstances,” he said emphatically.

“Do you know what gives it that strange power?” she asked, wondering if she was overstepping her bounds. She had the distinct feeling she was trespassing into something he did not want to discuss, but all of the cryptic warnings to keep her hands off of it her made her feel somewhat entitled to an explanation.

“Yes,” he answered simply, falling quiet again as his mind continued to wonder at the events that had woken the sword. He knew precisely what was giving it its power and he realized now, belatedly, that his father had been correct. The Shikon no Tama had come from Midoriko for it was shards of that cursed jewel that now lay underneath the sheen of metal in the blade, giving it a hypnotic black glow and creating an aura of darkness that was beginning to affect even him. The sword was burning steadily with a pent up purifying energy, creating a discomfort that made him want nothing more than to toss it away. The same aura now radiated from the girl that stood beside him, fading slightly now that her contact with the weapon had been broken, but still very present. He was reminded of the day he had met Midoriko, when his youkai instincts had surged with the desire to kill her. It had been that same reflex that had prompted the boar demon’s attack this night.

Yes, this sword would attract more demons. The lesser, animalistic youkai would seek to destroy it, the stronger would want to obtain it for the power of the jewel shards within it. Sesshoumaru did not understand how it was that the Shikon no Tama had returned to all that was left of its creator, but he knew that it had been Rin’s actions that had woken it. And if the jewel shards were securely bound to the sword, poisoned with what was obviously a dark energy, then was it the sealed Naraku that had guided Rin’s hand? The darkened shards warned clearly that a benevolent presence was not currently in control of them.

Frustrated with these circular questions, Sesshoumaru finally spoke to Rin again. “I am familiar with this sword because I knew the one who wielded it. It was created by my father to suit her abilities.” He turned a warning look on Rin, who was watching him with interest. “This sword killed a woman. It is dangerous and not to be handled lightly.”

Listening to him speak, Rin was suddenly reminded of the strange images she had seen while she had been about to loose the sword on the boar demon, pictures of a life that had not been hers. Looking quickly at the weapon again, she asked. “What was her name?”

Sesshoumaru was slow to reply. “Midoriko.”

“Midoriko,” Rin repeated softly. “I will not touch her sword,” she promised, smiling up at the demon lord in an attempt to lighten the mood. “It won’t be of any help to me. I don’t even know how to use it. I’ve never been trained to use any sort of weapon”

He nodded, eyes sweeping back to her, looking vaguely amused. “I am not surprised. Kameko has always disgraced even her hanyou heritage by refusing to make the best of the abilities she inherited.”

Struck off-guard by what she deemed as an insulting remark about her guardian, Rin quickly replied defensively, “She’s always been wonderful to me, Sesshoumaru-sama. You could not have chosen better.” She stopped then and softened her tone. “I’m grateful. I’ve been very happy here, but I did miss you very much…and Jaken-sama,” she added, knowing that her words had likely just made him very uncomfortable, even though his face did not betray any such emotion.

“I acted in your own best interests,” he said distractedly, taking a step forward and gesturing for silence, as though hearing something far beyond the range of her own senses.

“I'll be right back,” he assured her, before hurrying off into the dense overgrowth outside the temple, leaving Rin to watch after him. After a few moments of listening to the continued pouring of rain, Rin went back inside, unable to dismiss the worry that his abrupt departure had brought on. Another youkai? she wondered nervously, ears absorbing the soothing patter of the storm.

True to his word, Sesshoumaru returned within minutes, sliding open the screen doors to step in out of the rain, carelessly tossing a sodden, dark bundle ahead of him. Jaken rolled to a stop across the plain rug that swathed the floor, groaning dramatically.

“What happened? Jaken-sama?” Rin exclaimed worriedly, rushing toward her old friend. She was stopped short when Sesshoumaru reached out to grab her arm, pulling her back before she could provide the little toad with appropriate sympathy.

“He found himself in the path of a youkai, another that was heading toward this village.”

“Is he all right?”

“He is useless,” Sesshoumaru replied, sounding exasperated. “Apparently he cannot see in front of him what I can hear from miles away.”

Rin smiled as the very disheveled Jaken issued a weary “Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama”, still breathing heavily from his battle. She then turned back to Sesshoumaru as he released her arm. “You said another youkai was heading this way? Why? Have we suddenly offended someone?” she asked, concerned that her village might soon find itself attacked again.

“As of right now, the very existence of this place offends every youkai in the region,” Sesshoumaru revealed grimly. “And it is because of this sword. They are drawn to it and will continue to be as long as it remains here.”



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D awn found Rin busily spitting freshly caught fish, hanging them over a roaring communal fire to cook. Removing the ones that were already done enough to be consumed, she placed them on a small table that had been settled next to her. All around her were the sounds of hammering and shouting voices as the men worked to repair the damage that had been done to Kameko’s house, stripping it of the blackened, charred wood and methodically replacing what had been destroyed with freshly cut timber. Because the house was easily the largest in the town, it was proving to be a long process and the workers were getting hungry.

An eerie, watched feeling settled between her shoulder blades and she turned to look behind her, already knowing what she would find. Sighing her frustration, Rin spoke to Jaken in a tone that was gaining more annoyance by the word. "Jaken-sama, will you please quit glaring at me like that?"

"You are different," he said accusingly, giant yellow eyes narrowing to suspicious slits. His nose quivered slightly and Rin could swear he was sniffing at her.

"It's been seven years. Are you so surprised?" she asked, deciding to resort to a friendlier tone.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, placing his staff on the ground near his feet so that he could seat himself, shoving skinny green arms into his sleeves. He continued to stare at her, unblinking, speculative, as though not thoroughly convinced she was really Rin.

"You haven't been around very many humans, have you, Jaken-sama?"" Rin asked, taking one of the half-cooked fish off of the fire, cutting it apart and placing it on a thin slice of bread.

"Of course not," he answered quickly, looking appalled at the very idea. He eyed the fish she was working on with obvious interest, but then added bluntly in his annoyingly superior voice, "If you keep aging at this rate, you'll be dead in no time.”

Deciding that humoring him would be the best course of action in order to avoid one of his rather long-winded speeches about humans being inferior, parasitic creatures, Rin extended the fish to the self-important toad youkai. "Here, eat this. It's just the way you like it. Mostly raw," she said fondly, smiling sweetly at him.

"I am not hungry," he insisted firmly, but she could see beady pupils following the fish that was practically being waved in front of his nose. Rin watched as his self-control wavered. “I do not need your disgusting human food.”

Rin pulled back at that, a frown crossing her face. "What's wrong with you? You’re being terribly rude, far more so than normal."

"Baka," he sneered. "It is not necessary for me to explain myself to you."

Frustration gathering quickly, Rin was about to voice a rude reply of her own when a low voice came from behind her.

"You're making him nervous," Sesshoumaru informed her, reaching for the water bucket that sat near her knee. She watched as he washed his hand, rinsing it clean of the dark blood that coated his fingers and claws. He had been very busy. While the people of the town had been working to restore Kameko's home and the other damaged buildings, Sesshoumaru had been drawn repeatedly from the village to take on the various demons that had come to destroy it, unknowingly pulled to their deaths by the aura of Midoriko’s strange sword.

"Nervous?" Rin repeated what Sesshoumaru had said. "Why?” she asked, turning to look at Jaken once more. “It’s not as though last night came about because of any abilities that I have. It was that strange sword. Do you actually think I would hurt you, Jaken-sama?" She tried again to extend the fish to him as a peace offering.

"As if you could," Jaken muttered sullenly, his pointy snout shoved into the air. “And I told you, I do not want your nasty fish.”

"Jaken,” Sesshoumaru warned in a tone that suggested another refusal would likely be fatal, “eat the fish.”

Without further comment, Jaken reached out one tiny clawed hand and pulled the fish from Rin's grip, sniffing at it suspiciously before setting about consuming it with the unapologetic, ravenous hunger of a starving man.

"He senses that something is not right with you,” Sesshoumaru continued, his amber eyes moving from the obedient Jaken to the kneeling Rin. “And he is correct. The sword's purifying energy is lingering on you, thus making your scent threatening to a youkai. It is reflex.”

Rin nodded in understanding, forgiving Jaken for the rudeness as she reached absently to pull another mostly raw fish from the fire. She passed it to Jaken, and this time the toad took it without argument.

"Am I bothering you in the same way?" she questioned curiously, blinking up at the looming youkai lord, sun straining to blind her with rays that poured over his shoulder.

He appeared humored by that, looking away from her to study the activity of the village as he answered, "Yes, but I am civilized enough to differentiate between a true threat and an unintended one...and in your case, most especially given our history, no threat exists. Apparently, Jaken has come to fear you in some manner." The last comment was stated with a barely disguised sneer, and Rin listened as Jaken all but choked on the appalling accusation.

She cast an amused glance at Jaken before turning back to his master. “Are you hungry?" she inquired politely.

“No,” Sesshoumaru answered, eyeing her as she resumed her chore, the scent of smoking fish assaulting his sense of smell. “We will need to leave soon,” he told her. “It will be better for your village if it is done as quickly as possible.”

Rin’s face fell at this announcement, and she immediately tried to morph her dismay into an expression that was more even. She understood the reasoning behind the decision, but the idea of seeing him depart so soon after all the years of separation filled her with an inexpressible sadness. It had been so comforting to be with him again, a bit of her old life returned to her, and she was having to fight the urge to try to cling to it in some way. “Will I see you again?” she asked, trying to keep her tone level. He hated an emotional scene, and she was determined not to embarrass him with one.

She watched as those perfect features were pulled into a frown. “Perhaps I have not made myself clear. You're returning with me.”

Rin blinked at that, surprise and silent elation jolting her heart into a rapid beat. “Returning with you? Why?” she asked, then quickly added, “Not that I’m opposed, it’s just that ---“

“I don’t fully understand what has happened here,” he admitted, looking as though he intensely disliked saying the words. “Until I do, you will be better served by remaining with me. Your village will be as safe as any other once the sword has been taken from it. Leaving you behind here still reeking of that same energy is out of the question.”

“And once you find the answers you are looking for?” she asked him carefully.

“Then you are free to come home.”

Will I want to? Rin wondered, contemplating the demon lord that towered before her. Though she loved Kameko and Kisho and the other villagers very much, there had been a deep hole in her life wrought by Sesshoumaru’s absence. Still, the idea of permanently leaving the people she had come to view as her family caused a similar ache. It was confusing, these torn loyalties and desires, but she could admit that thoughts of home just as easily circled around him as they did around her present environment.

Finally nodding her agreement, Rin asked, “Do you have an idea of where we can go for answers?”

Eyes narrowing slightly, Sesshoumaru sounded unhappy as he replied, “We will be paying a visit to my brother. He knows of someone with an innate ability to purify the jewel fragments within this sword, a necessity since their current state suggests they are being influenced by an evil energy. The blade is troublesome enough without having to fight another for dominance.”

Rin’s attention was then diverted by Jaken, who cleared his throat meaningfully. Grinning at his obvious attempt to gain her attention…and another fish…without directly asking for one, Rin obliged by handing him a third.

“You know, Jaken-sama…I am an adult now….”

“By your standards,” he replied, sounding unconvinced as he chewed the fish in great mouthfuls.

“I was wondering…do I still have to call you Jaken-sama?”

“Yes," came the emphatic reply as he took another bite.

“But you’re not really a lord or….”

“Rin, you are a human, and because of that I tower above you in status. I demand the honorific,” he said, eyes flashing haughtily.

Rin sighed dramatically, fighting the urge to laugh at his self-importance. “But Jaken-kun suits you so much better…”