InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Small Story: A Tale of Rin ❯ A Pure Soul ( Chapter 2 )

Part II: A Pure Soul

Several years after the "little" adventure...

Rin took in a deep breath, gathering all of her courage as she stared at the cave before her. The cave she was about to go into.

She let out her breath and shook herself mentally. Come on, Rin-chan. You can do this. It wasn't every day that she had to do something this outlandish, but it was necessary. Still...to visit a dark Miko wasn't exactly the brightest thing to do. Everyone at the village had warned her not to come near the cave, but Rin had to. She just had to. This dark Miko was the only one who could help her.

Rin drew in another deep breath and walked into the cave, tossing all her fears behind her. She would do just about anything to get what she wanted most. And if tangling with a dark Miko was the price one had to pay...then she would pay it.

Tsubaki looked up from her cauldron. Damn. It was almost time for lunch and she had a visitor calling. Who could possibly be coming into her cave? Since that little chit, Kikyo's reincarnation... what was she called again? Tsubaki shook her head. It had been years since she had last heard of her and her little dog demon. One would have thought they just vanished off the face of the earth--she smiled evilly and shrugged. Maybe they finally got themselves killed. Pity she hadn't been the one to do it.

The presence of the intruder grew stronger and Tsubaki stiffened. What was this she felt...? Whoever was in the cave had a very strong soul...and a very pure one. How utterly annoying. Who could this person be to come in on her privacy?

The person she was expecting to see looked nothing like the person that walked into the deep chamber.

Tsubaki humphed. She had expected to see someone of power or of regal bearing... No, it was just a common girl. She was wearing a kimono that was a bit filthier than it should have been, her hair was long and loose hanging down to her hips. Though straight it was wilder than any hair Tsubaki had ever seen. It seemed to be vibrating from the life within the girl. The young woman wasn't much to look at, but Tsubaki still felt the power life force coming from the girl. The dark Miko smiled evilly. Perhaps she could use this one.

"Are you the dark Miko Tsubaki-san?"

Tsubaki smiled, tossing her hair aside. "I am. What do want with me, child?"

"I want you to help me become a youkai."

Rin saw the woman's jaw drop in shock. Rin sighed to herself. Well, she had been expecting that kind of reaction. After all, which human, in their right mind, would ever wish to become a youkai? But she did and she would anything in her power to become one.

"What did you say, girl?" the woman said, still recovering from her shock.

Rin stepped forward, her fear flying away, her determination replacing it. "Please, Tsubaki-san. I wish to become a youkai. Not half of one, not for a Youkai to possess me. I want to become one. I want to retain who I am, my personality and my soul, but I wish to become a youkai."

Tsubaki moved out from behind the cauldron and walked up to Rin, looking at her through narrowed eyes. Rin stiffened, but didn't flinch from the woman's gaze. She had to impress the dark Miko. She had to get her wish.

Tsubaki stepped back and shook her head. "Tell me the reason for this insane request. I am a dark Miko. I sold my soul to a demon so I may have eternal youth and beauty. You...what is your reason? Your soul is too pure. It is not power or any other petty need that you desire. What is it that you want that you need to become a youkai to have?"

Rin took a deep breath. It was now or never. "My love."

"What?!"

Rin sighed and moved away, sitting on a nearby stool. She didn't see Tsubaki's expression of surprise. Rin took a deep breath. "I am in love with a youkai. I have been in love with him since I could first realize what love was. He rescued me when I was a child and raised me--despite the fact that he despises humans. He took care of me...and when I first came into maturity...I realized I was in love with him. I could not imagine continuing my existence without him. It was then that I understood something. I was a human. A creature he hated, yet he somehow tolerated me. Not only that...I also realized that he was immortal and that I would eventually grow old and die. I couldn't stand the thought. To him I was only a weaker creature that would soon die...and for some reason it amused him to take care of me. Because I couldn't stand the thought, I ran away. And since then I have been looking for a way to become a youkai so I could be with him...always."

Rin sighed again and looked at Tsubaki's shocked expression. Rin gave the dark Miko a twisted smile. "That's my reason. So can you or can you not help me?"

Tsubaki could only stare at the girl for a moment and shook her head. Stupid human girl. She wanted something she could never have. Youkai's had been known to mate with humans, that demon dog boy had been a hanyou with a human mother. But, for a youkai that despised humans, the girl's wish would never come true. Tsubaki turned back to the deflated girl. So she wanted to become a youkai, eh? For love? That was definitely something new.

"What is your name, child?" Tsubaki asked after a moment of silence.

"Rin."

Tsubaki grinned. "Well, Rin, I shall see what I can do. Though I believe for what you want you must create a youkai to possess you. Either that...or find some way of making you immortal. You would still be human, but you could live forever with your youkai till he accepted you."

Rin's face lit up. "Then you'll help me?"

Tsubaki shook her head. "It isn't that simple child. First you will tell me which youkai you love and then we'll discuss my payment."

Rin nodded. "As long as it's not my soul I don't care what you ask for."

Tsubaki grinned. "We shall see." She sat down across from Rin. "Now...tell me who this youkai is."

Rin took another deep breath and then gave and light smile. "The Demon Lord of the Western Lands. Sesshomaru-sama."

Tsubaki almost fell off her seat. Who was this child?! The Demon Lord of the Western Lands? She had heard of him, his disgust of humans was well known... but rumors had said that a few years ago he had retreated back to his palace and never ventured out as often as he did before. It had also been said that he had stopped killing humans at random. The lord had never interfered with human affairs before, it was a bore to him, but killing humans had been a pastime of his. Truth be told, the rumors had said he had stopped doing it several years ago! If this girl was telling the truth, and Tsubaki could tell that she was, the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands had been taking care of this girl since...he stopped killing humans! Was it because of this child? She had said that she ran away from him when she discovered her feelings for him and his opinion of her. Was that when the lord had retreated to his palace?

The situation had suddenly gotten more interesting.

"Child... The Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands is not an ordinary youkai."

"I know... But I would still do anything to be with him, even though it is practically impossible."

Some determination. "Very well, Rin. The payment is this." Tsubaki stood up with an evil grin on her face. "Should we succeed and he accepts you into his home...I will come with you." She let the shock register on Rin's face. "This cave is terribly drab, and as payment I would enjoy living in the lap of luxury for the rest of my life. However, if he should turn you away..." Tsubaki put out her hand. "You must return here as my servant for eternity. Agreed?"

It was Tsubaki's turn to look shocked when Rin almost instantly grabbed her hand. "It is a deal, Tsubaki-san. If Sesshomaru-sama accepts me then you will come live with me in the palace. If he doesn't I'll be your servant. It is agreed."

Tsubaki could only shake her head. She wondered what the girl would have done if Tsubaki had said she wanted Rin's immortal soul. She released the girl's hand and turned to the side. "Very well. This is what we must do. The only chance you have to becoming a youkai is to create one without a body and then have it inhabit yours. Unfortunately, if it is a youkai that has hatred or any negative emotion it will be instantly destroyed when it inhabits you. Your soul is too pure and too strong. Your identity will be the dominant force, so we must create a youkai for you. No current one will do and it will take to long to find an appropriate one."

"Create a youkai?"

"Hai." Tsubaki walked to the back of the cave and pulled out a jar. "We must find a creature, preferably a dog of some sort, because your love is the Great Demon Dog Sesshomaru. It must be weak enough to merge into your identity and not the other way around, but powerful enough to make you a full youkai and not a hanyou."

Rin nodded taking the jar Tsubaki handed to her. Tsubaki lifted Rin's face by the chin and looked her in the eyes. "I have never heard of a human woman wishing to become a youkai for the sake of love, but I being a woman, despite the fact that I sold my soul, find your passion and determination interesting. This is the only reason I accepted this proposal of yours. I am bored...and this sounds interesting."

Rin could only grin.

* * *

Tsubaki-san had told Rin that she needed to find some sort of dog, preferably a neutral one, and feed it the poison within the jar. The poison was a special spell mix that Tsubaki had created to collect the soul and emotions of a creature while decomposing its body rapidly.

The thought of it still made Rin sick to the stomach. It had been a week and a half since Tsubaki-san had given her the potion. How could she just kill a creature like that? She was holding the jar in her hands as she headed back toward Tsubaki-san's cave . What should she do? She wanted to become a youkai so she could spend eternity with Sesshomaru-sama, but she didn't want to kill anything in order to do it either.

What was she going to do?

Suddenly, Rin heard a yelp in the distance. She stiffened for a moment and then turned, rushing toward where she had heard the sound. She stopped in her tracks when she greeted the scene. Rin could only stand horrified.

Several of the village boys, the bullies, were attacking a black dog. She looked to have just given birth to puppies. The boys were throwing rocks at her and chasing her down through the forest, laughing as they enjoyed their game. Rin's heart throbbed. If...wait...if she let the dog die, then...then she could give it the potion and take it to Tsubaki-san's. Then she wouldn't have killed it, it would have already been dead... Rin's heart clenched and, she put the jar into her sleeve, breaking into a run after the boys, her eyes stinging. No! She couldn't just do that! She wouldn't let it die because of her selfishness! That would make her just as responsible!

By the time she had reached the boys, she had picked up a stick and began bashing them with it, startling them into stopping. "Stop it now! All of you! What did she ever do to you! Go on! Go home now! Before I tell your mothers!"

The boys tried dodging the stick but to no avail. They all eventually ran off back to the village, but the eldest boy managed to punch Rin in the stomach, knocking her down. Rin collapsed on the floor and the boy growled at her. "Why did you have to go and ruin our fun!" He kicked her. "Stupid homeless girl!" He kicked her once more before running off.

Rin slowly tried to get up, hearing the whimpers of the dog. She winced in pain--the boy had probably broken one of her ribs--and dragged herself toward the creature. When she got to it, her body aching, she gave it a soothing caress. "Shhh...It'll be all right. I'll take you to Tsubaki-san's. I'm sure she can cure you..." The wide brown eye just stared at her, almost as if beginning to understand. Rin noticed that the dog's other eye was blue. "You have pretty eyes..." Rin collapsed beside the creature. When she woke up she would get the dog to Tsubaki-san's...Her last thought before entering unconsciousness was whether that was a good idea or not…

* * *

Rin slowly awoke, confused by her surrounding. At first she wasn't sure where she was, but when her eyes focused she recognized the stone cavern she was in. She was in Tsubaki-san's home. There was a heavy mist hanging in the air, making Rin's breathing slow. What was going on? The last thing she remembered was…saving the dog.

"Oh, I see you're awake. It was about time."

Rin slowly turned her head to gaze to the side and saw a smiling Tsubaki. Behind the dark Miko Rin recognized the dog she had saved. She opened her mouth to speak but Tsubaki waved her to silence.

"Don't try to speak. The incense I have burning in here is gathering the bitch's soul. I'm amazed that you found such a perfect specimen, Rin. Not only was it already on the verge of death, but you endeared yourself to its spirit. Now it is willing to merge with you. It has almost completed its youkai transformation. When it begins to need a body…it will come into you." Tsubaki smiled and looked at Rin through narrowed eyed. "It is amazing how you managed to keep your soul so pure. If your story hadn't intrigued me, you would have just been another foolish mortal whose soul would have fed my beauty. You are a very, very lucky girl."

Tsubaki turned away from Rin as she digested all the dark Miko had just said. She was about to become a youkai? So soon? Her heart raced in her chest and tears threatened to spill. Soon…so soon she would be with Sesshomaru-sama again and she would be able to be with him for as long as he lives. Her spirit was singing.

The newly born youkai spirit was reacting to the girl. Tsubaki turned to Rin and saw the joyful, peaceful look on her face. The girl looked like she was practically glowing. She returned her gaze to the youkai spirit and saw it flicker. It was reacting to Rin's soul. How unusual. In most cases, theoretically, the incense is supposed to call the soul of the youkai into the body…but Rin is doing it on her own. Tsubaki smiled darkly. This child truly wanted to be a youkai.

And all for love. How ironic.

Suddenly there was a blast of light from the forming youkai spirit. Tsubaki abruptly turned and saw the newly formed youkai dog standing before her. It stared at the dark Miko without interest, the incense that was burning shifting through its still transparent body. It made its way by Tsubaki and the dark Miko felt a chill. Newly born youkai were weak…but they were also terrifying in their newness. She watched as the dog demon approached the girl on the table and slowly sank itself into her body.

Rin let out a hoarse cry of surprise. She could feel the youkai's power running through her, enflaming all of her senses. She could feel its heart and its demonic force-and then she felt her own essence embrace it. Suddenly all Rin could see was darkness as her skin burned… An abrupt flash of light and Rin screamed.

Tsubaki only took a step back as the girl was lifted into the air from the power of the youkai. She had never seen this happen… She watched as Rin screamed and her body transform into a huge black demon dog, her eyes flashing. The girl then turned back into human form, her eyes transforming from their usual brown to the eyes of the dog demon. One brown, one blue, both a demon's eyes. Rin then collapsed to the ground, her body blasting with energy. Rin gave one last scream before becoming deathly silent-the power still crackling about her.

Every time Tsubaki had seen a youkai and human merge, the youkai took over the human transforming them into a demon. But Rin's soul was consuming the youkai's spirit merging the power into her and becoming one with it. Yet…Tsubaki could sense that Rin had not lost herself. She could still feel the girl's presence within her body. Amazing… Was this the power of love? Tsubaki smirked to herself. Whatever it was that made this Rin so different-it certainly made her powerful as hell and a force to reckon with. Now merged with a youkai, her soul would be raging with power.

When Rin finally regained her senses, she blinked several times trying to focus her eyes. Suddenly she was aware of scents she had never noticed before, her skin rippling with sensations. Her senses had been heightened and she could feel the power of the youkai she now was crackling at her fingertips. Rin grinned and gave a cry of joy, jumping in her place with a laugh.

Tsubaki could only stare. If she had doubted for even an instant that Rin still retained herself and didn't have any of the youkai's personality…it was quickly put to rest from the scene she had just witnessed. She didn't sense a bit of humanity left in Rin. She was full youkai. No dark youkai would ever jump for joy. Tsubaki couldn't believe her eyes.

She was looking at the first full youkai in existence with a kindhearted soul.

*[Note: that she knew of-of course. We all know Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru's father was one of those too-sorry just had to make that comment]

Rin bowed to the dark Miko. "Arigato, Tsubaki-san! Arigato gozarimashita! I'm going to head straight for Sesshomaru-sama's palace from here. I'll let you know if he accepts me! Arigato! Arigato!"

Tsubaki shook her head and waved at Rin. "I will know whether not he accepts you. You will not have to send me word…" Tsubaki stared at Rin for a moment and saw the girl's radiant face. Tsubaki could not believe it.

"Go, child. You've done the impossible. A human become a full youkai-for love."

Rin only grinned and bowed once more, rushing out of the cave.

Tsubaki could only gaze after her in disbelief and amazement.