InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ abandon all hope, you who enter here ( Chapter 73 )

~<>~ Curse of the Dragon ~<>~

 

 

 

~<>~ Chapter 73 ~<>~ “abandon every hope, who enter here”

 

 

 

Rubbing her eyes and blinking herself awake, Kagome forced herself to come to terms with the morning sun. The beams of light had been in her face for the better part of the last hour and she had demanded just a few more minutes of sleep for each time that it dared to intrude on her rest. Unfortunately, the sun was not in the mood to reckon with a mortal. It stayed in her face, undisturbed by clouds or anything that could shield her face from the impending rays. Eventually, Kagome gave in. she slowly blinked away her grogginess and then turned onto her right side to face her lover. She smiled as the sun took its turn to splash upon his face and disturb his rest. The hanyou grunted and waved a hand in front of his face, near inches from Kagome's nose. He paused and then wrapped both arms around the girl; both his eyes firmly sealed shut as he lifted her from the mattress. Kagome squeaked only to sigh as he deposited her on his chest then rolled to his right to cradle her against him with his back to the light. `Why didn't I think of that?'

 

Kagome sighed and kissed his chin lightly. The hanyou's lips turned upwards into a sleepy content smile as his grasp on her tightened. Kagome gave up and rested her head against his chest, pulling her body as close to her human…err…hanyou, blanket as she could. She felt his lips brush against her ear before she felt the hand on her ass. She opened her mouth to protest it only to have it shut for her when his mouth attached itself to her ear. She laughed lightly then bit back a moan as his hand slipped from the curves of her back to the flat of her stomach. Her eyes shifted to their right where not more then two feet away, on the same bed, rested Miroku and Sango. They had been forced to share a bed since the rooms were so tight. Sesshoumaru and Rin weren't that far away, they retired together on the other bed of the room.

 

InuYasha had argued with Sesshoumaru the night before, as Kagome could hazily recall, after returning home from the amusement park about why Sesshoumaru had rights to the larger bed. Kagome had heard his reply and it still brought a taint of pink to her cheeks. “Because, Baka” the annoyance of a brother had stated, “it is my credit card our stay is booked under…and you will be less inclined to violate your sleeping mate when sleeping next to the letch. Yet…then again, somehow I doubt that will stop you!” InuYasha had thrown the boy masses of insults after that, none pleasant then the forth mentioned. Yet here they were…and it seemed that Sesshoumaru was right. Somehow, that didn't bode well with Kagome.

 

InuYasha's smile widened as his fingers slipped below the waistband of her shorts to fall onto her cloth-covered jewel. Pressing lightly, he enjoyed the slight hiss that escaped the girl before her body seemed to melt into his. `Yup, I still got my touch.' He bit back the chuckle as he heard Miroku mutter something incoherent from across the bed and he paused. He wasn't the kind of guy to shy away from doing this in front of others; he had proven that time and again. But yet...Kagome was. She didn't want to have others know of the thing they did to each other or for that matter be witness to them, and she had expressed that many times over. With a sigh, he moved his lips across her cheek to plant a chaste kiss on her lips and remove his hand. Her eyes met his as the golden orbs opened and flashed with confusion. He nearly chuckled at the irony, `she wants it and she knows it.' He brushed his nose against her neck as he slid his head down her body before whispering, “Later baby, I promise.”

 

Kagome blushed as InuYasha let one hand run down her leg then back up, grazing between her legs with one swift movement to rest on her stomach. She swallowed down the desire that was starting to burn on the inside of her body and nodded dumbly. “How long have you been awake?”

 

InuYasha shrugged and used his other hand, which was wrapped securely under her shoulders, to toy with her hair. “Since you started your battle with the sun.”

 

Kagome let her mouth hang open indignantly for a moment before snapping it shut. “Why didn't you say something?”

 

InuYasha shrugged again and used his hand to grasp a length of her hair and gently pull her head back to expose her neck to him. “Why didn't you?” his lips descended to plant light kisses along her throat, nipping ever so often at the soft perfect skin.

 

Kagome moaned lightly under his touch and relented, “you could have moved me sooner, you know. I would have slept better if you had.”

 

InuYasha gently slid his tongue over one of the bruises he had left on her neck from the night of the party and whispered, “maybe…but I didn't want to be blamed for waking you up.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard and clasp her hands together behind his back. “Inu…”

 

InuYasha smiled and gave her skin a small nip before whispering huskily, “besides…I'm enjoying this.”

 

Kagome gasped as his hardened length rubbed against her leg and she felt her cheeks blush. “InuYasha…this isn't…the time, remember?”

 

InuYasha shrugged again. “Think they don't know?”

 

A voice from the opposite bed seemed to answer the question with a rather stoic yet droll, “I think the people next door know what you are doing to her, you two are making enough noise.”

 

Another voice, male as well, answered from InuYasha's left, “and to think, you're not the ones next to them.”

 

Kagome screwed her eyes shut and buried her face in InuYasha's bare chest. “I thought we were being quiet.”

 

A female voice took form from the other side of the room, “remember that Youkai have better hearing, Kagome…besides, we've been up for hours.”

 

InuYasha leaned up to regard his brother. Rin was lying on the boy's chest, her breasts crushed beneath her bodyweight and her hair fanned out over her back and dripping like black ink onto Sesshoumaru's flawless chest. Sesshoumaru had his hands resting on her hips, his face towards the ceiling and yet his eyes trained on his brother. InuYasha grunted and dropped back down to the bed, “I don't think I want to know what you two have been doing to…use the time wisely…”

 

Sesshoumaru grunted as he rose up, with Rin and all, to stare at InuYasha, “Unlike you, I have restraint. I can resist taking Rin in front of the likes of you bakas…”

 

Miroku took the advantage to add in a thoughtful, “That's not what it seemed like last night. Need I remind you of your disarray when you stepped off that Ferris wheel?”

 

Rin shot back just as hotly, “need I remind you of yours? At least one of us had our pants on. You two…oh and Sango, your shirt is still on backwards!”

 

Sango held out a hand…or more specifically, a finger towards the girl before shifting her weight from where she spooned against Miroku's chest. “So be it…I really don't care. It's to early.”

 

Sesshoumaru was already on his feet, Rin deposited on the bed next to him. “Actually, it is rather late and we need to depart. If we want to make it back before noon, we must leave now.”

 

InuYasha grunted and tightened his hold on Kagome. “Not rain nor high water can get me to let go of her right now.”

 

Miroku chuckled and turned his head to face his friend, “afraid of what might…pop up?”

 

InuYasha sneered, “yeah, might poke someone's eye out.”

 

Rin slapped her forehead, then covered her eyes with her hand and fell back to the bed dramatically, a stifled laugh pushing through her voice, “I so didn't want to know that!” she opened one eye and peered out from under her head, “so Kagome, is it that big?” she laughed as the said girl blushed.

 

Kagome fumed as she pulled the blankets up around herself and InuYasha. “Rin!”

 

Sango laughed then pulled herself out of Miroku's grasp and stood on weary legs. “I'm going to go to the continental breakfast they offer. I'll bring back some coffee. Who wants what?”

 

Sesshoumaru stuck his head out from the bathroom, looking over Sango with a narrowed gaze, “I want you to put some pants on, for starters.”

 

Sango cocked an eyebrow then looked down and yelped. She was standing in a cameo and boy cut panties. She scurried to stoop down and pull up her discarded jeans to push them over her hips with a flush worth millions on her face.

 

InuYasha watched the girl then turned his eyes slowly to Miroku, who was obviously beaming. “And you wonder why they call you a letch. Did you really do that to her with us right next to you?”

 

Miroku rolled his eyes and glomped InuYasha on his head, “like you wouldn't have! Come on…I know what you were planning to do to her this morning.” He crossed his arms and gave the boy a hentai smile, “you're just cross that I got laid last night and you didn't!”

 

Kagome's jaw dropped as Sango hurried from the room, avoiding gazing at anyone for more then a moment. “Next to us? That is so gross!”

 

Miroku looked confused for a moment before laughing, “no, on the Ferris Wheel.”

 

Kagome nearly screeched, “you did that…with Sango…on the Ferris Wheel?”

 

Miroku just laughed.

 

InuYasha lowered his lips to her ear and whispered, “We're the only ones who behaved there. See, and they say I'm the pervert.”

 

Kagome smiled and turned her face to let him kiss her cheek. “You are and you know it.”

 

Miroku coughed once and raised an eyebrow, “so…you mean to tell me that you two behaved yourselves in that car?”

 

InuYasha answered before Kagome could, “In that car? Yes, I already told you!”

 

Rin waved a hand signaling for InuYasha to shut up and glared at Kagome, “did he behave on the Ferris Wheel Kagome or is the reason you were out cold afterwards is because he fucked you stupid?”

 

Kagome nodded with a small smile, “hai, he behaved himself…there.”

 

Rin slowly began to nod then paused, “what do you mean there?”

 

Kagome laughed as InuYasha hissed at her to be quiet. “Just don't ask about the Condor and we'll be okay.” Not giving her gossip enriched friend leeway to ask more questions, Kagome slid down the bed to stand and dig through her bag for clothes. To bad Sesshoumaru was already occupying the bathroom.

 

Miroku seemed to find the situation humorous. Crossing his arms and propping himself to sit up against the headboard, he asked cautiously, “and what, per say, my good man, happened on the condor?”

 

Rin piped up just as quickly, “what one was the condor?”

 

Kagome flushed, embarrassed that she drew the attention and sighed. “It was the one with the small cars that just about fit two people sitting in back of each other then rose up the pool spinning slowly to sit at the top where you could see the sunset.” She blushed again and began to smooth out her shirt as if that was an answer.

 

Rin stared at the girl for a moment then pointed a finger as her mouth flew open, “I knew he wasn't able to keep his hands off you for a whole day!” turning to the door, she screamed, “Sango, you so owe me money!”

 

Miroku only pressed on, “So…what did you two do on this Condor?”

 

InuYasha turned to stare at Miroku agape, “do you get some sort of depraved pleasure out of hearing about other people and their…experiences?”

 

Miroku shook his head, “no, but I have a bet that you would at least make it to third base with her at some point in time.”

 

InuYasha closed his jaw and narrowed his eyes, “that's real nice, Miroku…real nice.”

 

Kagome looked down, her eyes wide with embarrassment. “You guys are all so bad, I swear!”

 

Sesshoumaru emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed and took a seat next to Rin, “and yet you are just as bad; you're only reluctant to admit it.”

 

Kagome huffed and stormed into the bathroom, efficiently slamming the door in InuYasha's face.

 

The others only laughed.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*

 

Sesshoumaru linked his arm under Rin's as they walked through the busy streets of Tokyo. After arriving home under very little incident, they six had parted ways. InuYasha and Kagome had decided to take in a movie; Miroku and Sango were to go check on Kohaku and that left Rin wanting to just walk the streets. Sesshoumaru had agreed begrudgingly, he had simply wished to return home and cook them dinner; instead they had WacDonalds and sore feet. They had stormed the city streets for more then five hours, Rin busying herself in thrift stores and bookstores, reading all sorts of garbage about stars and other people's lies. Now they were finally heading home, or should it be said, towards Ryen's precinct so he could drive them home. Rin paused at a cross walk, her face contorting to that of someone deep in thought. Sesshoumaru paused as well, one foot in the street to look back at Rin.

 

Rin lifted her eyes to his and made a face mirroring discomfort. “How much longer until we reach Ryen?”

 

Sesshoumaru stepped back to the sidewalk and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “About twenty blocks, why?”

 

Rin bounced slightly, her eyes scanning the buildings around them. “I have to go.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed as he realized just what she was speaking of. “Well…can you hold it until we get there? Public restrooms are atrocious.”

 

Rin chewed on her lip then shook her head, “that bottle of water did me in. I have to piss like a pregnant woman!”

 

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and sighed, “you have hung around my brother for far too long. You're language is becoming crude!”

 

Rin shrugged nonchalantly as she continued to scan shops. Suddenly her eyes brightened as she pointed to a small hibachi house and began to drag Sesshoumaru across the street. “Come on, they have to have one!”

 

Sesshoumaru was nearly hit by two cars as Rin darted across the street, completely devoid of any better judgment. Somewhere to his left, he took note of a mother having a similar problem with her son. He rolled his eyes and took Rin's hand much like that of a child and led her into the restaurant. Pausing at the counter, he asked, “Do you have a public bathroom that my mate may perchance use?”

 

The owner looked up and scowled; “only paying customers.”

 

Rin rolled her eyes and leaned forward, “it's an emergency…please!”

 

The owner paused, his eyes rolling over Rin then to the angry face of the Youkai before smiling slightly, “just this time…it's in the back. Please be quick!”

 

Rin bowed slightly and turned to Sesshoumaru, “I'll be right back.”

 

Sesshoumaru latched onto her arm and shook his head once; “I'll wait outside the door for you.”

 

The owner, suddenly aware of the situation, stood up, “I must ask, sir, that you wait up here. I don't need any…situations…happening on my premise. I'm already allowing you to use my facilities, please don't press your luck.”

 

Sesshoumaru sneered then pulled Rin towards the door, “I will carry you back to Wacdonalds, and we can be there in a moment.”

 

Rin pulled away from Sesshoumaru, her eyes darkening, “I'm not a child Sesshoumaru. We're in a public facility! I'll be fine to pee on my own, thanks!” she pulled her arm from his and marched back towards the bathroom.

 

Sesshoumaru watched her go then regarded the situation. There wasn't anyone dangerous…per say…in the house. There were those who watched Rin's ass sway in the tight jeans she was wearing, which of whom Sesshoumaru merely growled at. He leaned against the wall, his amber eyes on full alert. He had a perfect visual of the bathroom door.

 

“She's quite beautiful…you are a lucky man. I wish my wife had half of that girl's good looks.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow to the owner and scoffed, “don't bother me with your gibe talk, this Sesshoumaru makes no small talk.”

 

The man seemed decently surprised. “I should have seen the resemblance. Sesshoumaru Taisho, ne? Onuni Ryen's nephew?”

 

Sesshoumaru merely stared at the man, thinking of a thousand ways to make his incessant banter cease.

 

The owner never noticed. “Sergeant Onuni is a good man…a very good man. He has truly helped clean up crime in this part of town in such a short time period. Only a month and he's already taken down the Onigumo's. A powerful man he is…a very powerful and well bred man.”

 

A high-pitched scream from outside shattered the air and gripped both men by the heart. Sesshoumaru's eyes surged towards the bathroom door only to realize that it hadn't been Rin who screamed. He and the owner raced onto the sidewalk to find the source of distress. A few feet away, in an intersection, the small boy whom Sesshoumaru had regarded before entering the Hibachi house, was paused dead in the middle of the road, his foot imbedded in cement and up the road a large truck was heading for the boy. Sesshoumaru made a face, this seeming too cliché from some type of American hero movie. At first he looked around for the camera or the funny looking director in a lounge chair…this just couldn't be real. Yet as the masses began to gather around and a few men ran to try to help, Sesshoumaru's heart skipped a beat. It was as real as he; the men were to weak to break him free of the cement and the truck didn't seem to be stopping. He heard the owner begin to run towards the scene, screaming for people to get out of the way. A few passed by him running towards the truck waving their hands around as if trying to grow wings and fight the machine back with wind.

 

Sesshoumaru grunted and shook his head before leaping off the curb. Using his Youkai speed, he rushed to the boy's side and fought away those who had encaged him like a wild beast. Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow at the scene before him. The boy's foot as utterly absorbed by the cement, as if he had stepped in tar that had hardened in seconds. The boy's eyes were frantic, the shrill screams of his mother echoing in the Youkai's ears. With something acute to reconnection and self-internalization, Sesshoumaru realized with utter despair that had this been a month prior, he would have simply turned his back. But he was helping…he was getting involved. Why, he asked himself as he reached a decision on the situation. `Because of Rin…she has changed me…and maybe it is for the better.' Sesshoumaru dropped to one knee and slammed his fist into the cement, grimacing as he heard the cracking of his own bone mixed with the shattering of the pavement. The boy seemed shocked, his lavender eyes wide with panic as the truck was nearly upon them.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around the frail human's waist and pulled him to the curb just in time. The hole left in the cement was like that of a pothole, deep and wide, a crevice made from the Youkai lords fist and the truck dipped through it without slowing down. `Is the driver completely dense? Had he not seen the masses screaming? What is going on?' Sesshoumaru regretted instantly not looking at the driver or for that matter, getting a license plate. It would have been helpful. Blood dripped down, pooling at Sesshoumaru's feet from the mangled flesh that would take two or three days to heal. And yet, the mother wept, the boy screamed and Sesshoumaru paused.

 

Something was wrong…very, very wrong. It was in the air, like static electricity, and clung to him, suffocating him with something akin to dread. His breath caught in his throat as he whirled around on his feet to stare at the child and mother. The boy didn't have lavender eyes…they were brown, like most Japanese children…why had he seen lavender? And his hair…for the briefest of moments, as Sesshoumaru had flung them onto the sidewalk, had been a powdery white, nearly a mirror of the dark purple tint of his eyes. This boy…he wasn't…something wasn't right. Sesshoumaru whirled back to stare at the shop before letting his gaze travel to the boy who was crying on the floor. The mother was thanking him, the people were cheering and yet the boy, the same little boy whose life had been in danger just moment before, was leering at him with a perverse little sadistic smirk on his face. Sesshoumaru felt his eyes narrow as he took a step towards the boy. “Who are you?”

 

The mother paused her crying, the cheering crowd fell mute and the world nearly dropped dead. Not a sound filtered through the Youkai's ears as the boy lifted his chin to gaze up at Sesshoumaru. The sunlight brushed over his face, glazing his eyes and for a second, Sesshoumaru saw him as the white haired and purple eyes boy again. The little shit was starting to piss him off. “Who are you?” Sesshoumaru reached down and grabbed the collar on the boy's shirt and hauled him off the ground.

 

The boy didn't say a word as he found himself suspended six feet in the air by the Youkai; he simply continued to stare into Sesshoumaru's molten eyes. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly as time stopped. His mouth dropped open slightly and a high-pitched scream blasted out of it. The sound didn't belong to the boy, it wasn't a child's wail…it was that of a female, possibly that of a teenage female. It was a scream Sesshoumaru knew, it was a scream he dreaded. `Rin!' Sesshoumaru threw the boy to the ground and took an unintentional step back. The world fell into sync with him, the mother hugging the crying boy, who hadn't moved from her grasp, the crowd cheering and the street bustling but Sesshoumaru couldn't move. Swallowing hard, the mother's thanks seemed to bleed through the Youkai as he stared at the little boy. The child spared him no recognition, as if what he had just seen hadn't actually happened. But had it…did the child truly stop time? A part of Sesshoumaru was screaming at him to run, to go find Rin but his feet wouldn't move. As if the cement rising around the smaller boys feet hadn't been enough, spiritually Sesshoumaru was stuck where he stood. The mother seemed to tire of thanking Sesshoumaru and collected her wailing child and began to walk away with a few strangers. The boy's eyes caught Sesshoumaru and the child smirked. `What the hell is going on?' Sesshoumaru nearly toppled over, his eyes wide as he regained his footing before hitting the ground. He whipped his head back to stare at the shop, dread lingering in his eyes. That scream…the scream that came from the boy; it had been Rin. Sesshoumaru never moved so fast in his life.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Rin stepped out of the stall and washed her hands in the small sink provided by the tiny washroom. There were three stalls, one of which had been occupied when she had arrived. Looking down, she brought a handful of water over her face and rubbed her eyes. She was tired, tired from the long day at the amusement park and honestly tired of walking. The thought of walking around the city suddenly seemed like a horrendous idea. `What was I thinking?” she turned off the faucet and stood…and gasped. In the mirror, not more then a foot behind her, stood the figure of her nightmares, the visage that haunted her dreams. Naraku. His red eyes beat through the mirror and bore into hers. Rin found herself suddenly incapable of moving, her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, she knew Sesshoumaru would hear her but she couldn't. Her chest hurt where it constricted and she felt like she was drowning. Swallowing hard, she stuck out her chin and shoved her trembling hands into her jeans. `This is because I haven't been taking my medicine…he's not really here, I'm just hallucinating. Damnit, I thought I was okay…no, no, this isn't supposed to happen again!' taking her first deep breath her body would allow, she felt like her lungs were on fire. This figure wasn't speaking, just watching her freak out in the mirror. Rin swallowed once more and waged, “You're not really here…I'm just…crazy.”

 

The figment laughed evilly and Rin shivered. It sure sounded like him…more so then normal. When she would see him before he wasn't able to talk, he never said a word to her. Yet this figment, this image of the prince of darkness, leered at her, his red eyes boring holes into her with a almost sadistic glint in his eyes.

 

Rin began to panic. She was facing it, she was staring at it through the mirror but it wouldn't evaporate, it wouldn't fade. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath and opened them again. It was still there, but its face had contorted, he looked angry, it was a face she knew all to well. Sudden a panic swelled hard against her chest, threatening to tear her heart from its cage in her body. Her heart pounded once as she realized something was to far off about this situation. Never before did her blood scream for her to get away from one person, not even when it was Naraku in the flesh. Her jaw fell open slightly as her eyes darted for a path of escape.

 

The figure seemed to calculate her moves and suddenly reached out and grasped her around her arms. His nails bit through the material of her shirt and dug into her biceps, red droplets beginning to bleed through the bright yellow color of her clothes. “Now you wouldn't be trying to run away, Rin, would you?”

 

Rin felt faint; here before her, in the flesh, holding her at his mercy, was Naraku. Her throat constricted as she opened her mouth to scream. She was steadfast on one idea; Sesshoumaru would come, and that alone gave her courage.

 

His right hand ripped itself from her arm and slammed over her mouth, fresh blood…her own blood, splattering lightly against her pale cheek and dripping down the front of her shirt off his fingers. “No, no, Rin…I can't have you alerting that dog to matters that merely concern you and me.” Rin's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened. Naraku merely chuckled. “What now dear, you look frightened…” his grin only grew more menacing, “you have been nothing but trouble…more then you are worth…”

 

Rin fought back tears that blurred her vision. `How did he get out of prison…how did he find me?'

 

Her questions must have been evident on her face, betrayed by her eyes, for Naraku could see them all. “It seems, Rin, that you have neglected everything I warned you about. Did I not tell you that you would pay dearly if you messed with me, if you disobeyed me? I had tried to warn you Rin…yet you failed to listen. It will be your fault what happens to your friends from here on out…what happens to Sesshoumaru…”

 

`Sesshoumaru!' Rin struggled against his grasp, then paused. With a calm not even she could understand, she leaned back into Naraku and then dropped her weight. As if becoming a lead brick in his hands, Naraku claws sliced up through the fragile skin of her left arm as he lost his hold on her. With a mere millisecond to work with, while Naraku had lost his holding on her lips, Rin opened her mouth and screamed bloody murder.

 

Naraku whirled Rin around with his claws embedded in her arm, nearly tearing them from her skin and smacked her flush across the face. The girl sailed backwards and skidded across the floor into the opposing wall. He moved quickly and had his hand over her mouth before she could yell again. The demon merely smiled. “Sesshoumaru is currently busy elsewhere. He isn't here to save you Rin…again…isn't that a shame?” claws descended to the top of Rin's jeans and ripped the material nearly in half. “You locked me away, Rin…you ratted me out then locked me away with men who wish to do me harm. First, you had the audacity to keep me from what I wanted, then you betray me?” he removed his hand only to slap the girl again. Slamming his hand over her mouth and nearly cracking the girl's head against the tiled floor, Naraku held her to the ground. “At least you can satisfy some of my carnal pleasure I was deprived from. And then you will know pain!” Naraku let his claws rake down her legs, tearing the material and spilling her blood. “And then all of your friends will fall. To think Rin, all the times you played martyr, they don't matter. I will have Kagome, I will destroy InuYasha and Sesshoumaru, and then, only after you watch me take the breath out of all of your friends, will I destroy you, piece by piece.” His smile widened. “How does it feel to know that everything you have done, everything you have been through, has been in vain?” his hand grasp her chin as his mouth lowered to her ear, “Hate them Rin…hate them for doing this to you! Hate them for making you be the one to take the pain!”

 

The door to the room shattered, sprays of wood going in every direction. Naraku was ripped away from the girl crumpled on the floor and thrown into the mirror that cracked under the weight on the hanyou. Crimson bled eyes met with dully shocked red eyes as a hand was thrust through the offending hanyou's gut, the other free hand swinging around from the near blind right and severing the beast's head. Sesshoumaru grimaced as the head fell from the body with a sickening snap of skin and fell into one of the sinks. But there was no blood…just…dust. The body incinerated before the Youkai, forming a small pile of dust that disappeared on a sudden breeze; yet if one strained to hear, the malicious laughter echoed about in inaudible tangents. Sesshoumaru turned slowly to face Rin, his eyes widening yet his face containing his stoic disposition. The girl laid on the floor, her back pressed soundly against the wall, her eyes wide and her lips parted. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks as she stared at Sesshoumaru in near trepidation. She sighed once then forced out a harsh sob and fell forward to rest on her forearms and knees. She breathed hard, her chest burning, as she willed herself to control her tears. They needed to know what just happened. `He had been here…Naraku was here…but his body just vanished.' Slowly, she was able to recall a time he had done this before. It hadn't involved her, but she had watched from her corner in his room. He had murmured the name `demon puppet' to her then, and laughed when her face twisted to a confused sort of rage. He was able to make these materialize, as he wanted them to, and could watch all interactions from the comfort of his own home. Rin had learned his is how he killed; he would take the manifestation and send it out with his mind and his body controlling it, then will it to carry out his dirty deeds. She had never seen one so lifelike though. Rin took in a deep breath and choked down another sob.

 

Sesshoumaru knelt down in front of her, hearing people running for the door to the bathroom, and offered the fallen girl a hand. His heart sped up in his body as he looked over her tattered clothing. Naraku had tried…and nearly succeeded…to destroy her again. Her arm was drenched in blood, her cheek painted in it, and her pants soaked through on her thigh with an equal amount of blood. It pooled beneath her and Sesshoumaru felt his heart skip a beat. `I don't care what it takes, tomorrow I kill Naraku Onigumo. Rin has had enough…she has been through enough. This is…this is my fault. I allowed Naraku to distract me…he set this up, that boy…that boy was his incarnation. Damn Naraku…damn him to hell!'

 

Rin fought with her trembling body as she slowly forced herself to look up. `Sesshoumaru did come…Sesshoumaru did save me!' she had seen him burst through the door and then everything was in shades of gray. She guessed that she had passed out…or blocked it out. Either way, she hadn't seen the fight…just the dissipating of the hanyou's body. Forcing her self to glance up, the minute her eyes locked with his, she wished she hadn't. Naraku was in front of her again, this time his hand extended to her as if he wanted her to touch him willingly, as if she would trust him. A scream spilled from her lips as her eyes widened; she backpedaled across the floor to get away from him only to find her flat against the wall. Rin shrunk into the corner, watching as `Naraku's' eyes widened in shock then in horror. Rin opened her mouth and gasped, and then she screamed…and screamed.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as Rin began to scream. When she began to move frantically back, he realized what was happening. Silently, he cursed all the gods in the universe for leaving Rin to this disposition, and cursed Naraku louder for being able to trick him to leave her side for but a moment. Sesshoumaru felt his throat go dry as Rin buried her face in her hands and began to sob loudly. Footsteps reverberated through the room and there were hands, hands pulling him away from Rin, voices screaming for someone to call the police. Something struck him upside his head and he turned his face with the blow. People were howling at him, calling him a monster and a rapist, as women crowded around Rin. Someone pulled off a coat and draped it around the girl who was forcing herself harder against the corner, resembling well a cornered wild animal. Sesshoumaru growled once and then grabbed one of the men who was holding him and tossed him like a rag doll out of the bathroom. The other two men let go in shock and Sesshoumaru staggered to his feet. “Stop this! Rin…I didn't…”

 

A loud crack and Sesshoumaru fell forward like a sack of potatoes. One of the men stood behind him, holding a now broken wooden chair. The Youkai landed face first on the ground with a dull groan.

 

There was a siren and more footsteps. People began to talk at once, blocking the doorway, making it impossible for the police to push their way through. One voice echoed above the rest, one voice demanded control. “Shut up!” all mouths shut at the command and the restaurant fell into a vigilant calm. Ryen stepped around the crowds of people, shoving those in his way to the side then paused at the door. He eyed his nephew then the girl in the corner. Sesshoumaru was already coming to and forcing himself to his knees, blood trickling down his forehead. Ryen grunted then dropped to his knees next to the boy. Placing a hand on his back, he glared at Sesshoumaru, “you okay, kid?”

 

Sesshoumaru grunted his response then turned his eyes towards Rin, who was curled in a ball in the corner, slowly rocking back and forth. Mutters of shock exploded behind the two and Ryen turned to glare over his shoulder, through the crowd, and to his second in command. “Clear this restaurant now, I want everyone gone!”

 

One brazen man had the audacity to step forward. “But sir, this bastard was trying to rape that girl!”

 

Ryen narrowed his eyes and spat back, “that is his mate, you fool! He was trying to protect her from something! Who left here…who else was in here?”

 

The man took a step back from the incinerating gaze Ryen endowed upon him. “I…I don't know…we heard her screaming and came in and he was above her, her clothes torn and covered in blood…”

 

Ryen turned back towards Rin and felt his lips twist into a deep scowl. Calling behind him, he voiced, “I want everyone out before I turn around. If not, I will arrest the lot of you!” he hadn't needed to say it twice. Voices dimmed, presences vanished, and then they were alone. Ryen patted Sesshoumaru shoulder, which of who was pushing his way to his feet and took a step towards Rin. Watching discretely the way the girl rocked and the way the blood ran from her arm, Ryen knew she had been attacked, and it had something to do with Naraku. Putting on the softest voice he could manage, he whispered, “Rin…”

 

Rin lifted her gaze at the familiar voice then screamed; “Ryen…behind you!” tears fell anew down her cheeks as her finger shook, pointing to Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru felt a bit of his heart snap off and burn as her gaze fell onto him, looking so hateful and so broken. He grunted and choked out, “Rin…please…”

 

Rin began to hyperventilate, her eyes widening to her eye sockets extent, as her chest heaved with each breath.

 

Ryen turned and screamed at his nephew, “get out…now…get out now!”

 

Sesshoumaru was once again stuck to his spot and staring dumbly. “I…”

Ryen barked, “Now, Sesshoumaru!”

 

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and forced his body to turn from the scene. Walking out of the room, he slammed his bloody fist into the wall, breaking the tile and plaster.

 

Ryen knelt down next to Rin, who was slowly rocking as her chest heaved with every breath. “Rin…Rin do you know who I am?”

 

Rin's eyes darted up to Ryen as she nodded, her breath only coming more rapid. Her hands fluttered to her chest and she grimaced.

 

Ryen watched her hands then placed one over hers. He put his other hand on her cheek and muttered, “you need to calm down, Rin…you're having a panic attack…you need to calm down.”

 

Rin swallowed once, then again, but kept heaving. She began to cough as she moved her hand to grasp his. “Help…Sesshoumaru…”

 

Ryen clasp her hand and lowered her to lie on the floor. “Rin, you're going to go into cardiac arrest if you keep this up. You need to calm down…listen to my voice. You are safe, you're fine. Sesshoumaru is waiting outside; that wasn't Naraku who you just saw, it was Sesshoumaru. You're hallucinating Rin…you're okay…now I need you to relax. If you don't Rin…Sesshoumaru won't know what to do, he can't be without you. Rin, you need to take a deep breath. Can you do that?” Rin shook her head no. Ryen grimaced and gasped her hand harder. “Listen to what I say Rin…listen to my words…I need you to take imitate my breathing patterns.” He took a small breath and the girl's eyes focused onto his lips. Mimicking his motion, Rin took a small breath. Ryen smiled and nodded slowly, “it's okay Rin, you're going to be okay. Now, we need a deeper breath.”

 

Rin felt tears flowing down her cheeks as she tried to keep up with Ryen. Somewhere deep inside of her she knew that if she didn't, she would die. Next to having to deal with Naraku, this was the hardest thing she had ever to do. Closing her eyes, she felt her breath slowly start to regulate and consciousness slip from her grasp. The last thing she was the golden eye of the man by the door staring at her in utmost dread.

 

Ryen paused as Rin passed out, his eyes widening for a moment. He lowered his head to her mouth and listened for a moment before sitting back and letting out a deep sigh. “She'll be okay…she just passed out.”

 

Sesshoumaru took a step into the room, careful as if treading on holy ground, and stared down at Rin's body. It was hard to remember the previous day, he realized with horror. The day that had been free from any problems, the perfect weekend that had alleviated all stress, was gone. It was like standing on a beach and being hit by a tsunami.

 

Ryen leaned back against the wall and ran a hand through his ponytail. “What the hell happened here, Sesshoumaru?”

 

Sesshoumaru grimaced as paramedics rushed into the room and began to work over Rin carefully. “We stopped here so she could use the bathroom. Outside, a boy was nearly hit by a truck because the street ate his foot…it was a mere illusion of Naraku's. I don't know if he brainwashed me or if it really happened, but I heard Rin's screams and came as fast as my body will allow me.” he gazed down at his fist and tilted his head, as if assessing the gaping wound for the first time. “I guess it did happen…”

 

A paramedic led Sesshoumaru to a chair and slowly began to clean the wound. Sesshoumaru attempted to fight him yet found he had no strength left. Ryen followed Rin out to the ambulance then slowly walked back to his nephew. “What happened when you got in there? What did you find?”

Sesshoumaru grimaced and waved off the medic. “He was there.”

 

Ryen stood up a little straighter. “That's impossible.”

 

Sesshoumaru shrugged, “you can say that until you are blue in the face and yet my eyes don't lie. It was Naraku.”

 

Ryen scratched his chin for a moment then sighed hopelessly. “Damnit…”

 

Sesshoumaru shook his head, his eyes dropping to the floor, “when I sliced into him, all that was released was dust. It was as if the hanyou never existed on this plane of reality. He just evaporated. Was it an illusion?”

 

Ryen shrugged and rubbed his head in thought, “it is possible for that to be so…and if it is, then Naraku has more liberties then I thought. That technique isn't a new feature to the Onigumo family. His father perfected the routine, called it a `demon puppet'. It's kind of a servant that can go anywhere you send them. Freaky little shits, I'll say that…piss me off to no end. He controls their every move, can speak for them and act for them…but when they die, it's just a figment, not Naraku himself. To him, it's like popping a pimple, he just opens his eyes and moves on.”

 

Sesshoumaru couldn't help the feral growl that burst from his lips. “I need to be with Rin.”

 

Ryen nodded dumbly, “of course you do…but I need you to answer me this first.”

 

Sesshoumaru stood and walked for the door, “speak fast.”

 

Ryen narrowed his eyes and crossed his muscular arms, “did you allow Rin to stop taking her medicine?”

Sesshoumaru shifted in his seat and shrugged, “Rin stopped it on her own…and was in a much better temperament then I have ever seen her before.”

 

Ryen clicked his teeth and sighed, “Sesshoumaru, you cannot simply just stop taking medication when one deems it useful. Her body has been regular on the pills for the last two weeks…you cannot simply deprive her of them. What were you thinking? No wonder why she had a regression!”

 

Sesshoumaru shot out of his chair and was stalking up to Ryen in a minute, “now wait a damn minute, you fool! As I remember correctly, you said it yourself, `you do not put a child on tranqs for a panic attack. It's not done…maybe a temporary sedative but nothing so harsh as a tranq.' So now she stops taking them and that's the reason Naraku attacked her? Naraku was here, Ryen! Damnit, I killed him myself! That's why Rin had a panic attack!”

 

Ryen met the boy head on, “no, Sesshoumaru, Rin had a panic attack when she looked at you and saw Naraku. She thought you to be him again! Sound familiar? Those drugs were helping her to curb what was happening!”

 

Sesshoumaru spit back, “no, they were inhibiting her! You didn't see her this weekend, Ryen! You didn't see how she smiled, and laughed. You didn't see how, for the first time in a month, she enjoyed herself without worry or fear! She was free!”

Ryen scoffed. “That's pathetic, Sesshoumaru! She needs the medicine for when she gets over stressed that this doesn't happen. Fuck, Sesshoumaru, she could of died! She nearly gave herself a heart attack, do you realize that. If I had been any later and you had remained in front of her, she probably would have gone into cardiac arrest. Do you understand what that means?”

 

Sesshoumaru reared back and punched the Youkai in the jaw. Ryen merely turned his head with the powerful blow. “Fucker, do you think me a fool? Of course I know what that means, and I know what I saw! Had I been any later, that puppet would have raped her, again! Where would that of left her? You say she needs the drugs and yet you were the one so adamant against them! What game are you playing?” he threw another punch at the Youkai only to have his hand grabbed halfway down.

 

Ryen squeezed the boy's hand, brining Sesshoumaru to his knees in instant pain. Not enough to break the bone, Ryen continued the pressure, “I let you get one free hit, to vent your frustration. If you want a second, it will be in a dojo and you will be hit back!” letting the boys hand drop, Ryen circled him like a shark, “look, what I care about right now is that Rin almost died because you allowed her to slip from her medication. You can't do that, Sesshoumaru!”

 

“She doesn't need it!”

 

“She does, Sesshoumaru, today proves it!”

 

“Jesus-fucking-Christ, Ryen, she doesn't and you know it! Why are you pushing this? She was fine…she was in the prefect mood!”

 

“And she would have crashed and burned if she kept it up! I'm telling you, Sesshoumaru, you cannot quit cold turkey from those meds!”

 

Sesshoumaru stood up and brushed past Ryen. “I have no time for this! Naraku is out there and he will pay for what he has done. I will march into that prison and destroy him myself if need be. I will not let this go unpunished. Naraku dies…tonight!”

 

Ryen grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand and whirled him around. “Sesshoumaru, think about that. Even if you succeed in killing the real Naraku, you'll be locked up. Then what? What about Rin? What about your promises to her?”

 

Sesshoumaru grunted and yanked his hand away from Ryen, “what shall you have me do then? Sit back and watch Naraku destroy Rin every day? Today it was a puppet, what about tomorrow? I don't want her to be in fear of having a moment to herself, and yet every time she does, something attacks her. I'm sick of it and I will end it tonight!”

 

“And then something will end you! Sesshoumaru, I implore you, use judgment!”

 

Sesshoumaru growled, “I have lost all hope, Ryen! I have none! All that I know is that something needs to be done, and now before anyone else suffers!”

 

Ryen hissed back, “Everyone suffers Sesshoumaru! But if you lose hope, then you surrender! You must believe that you can beat him at this, that you can save Rin. You cannot give up for her sake!”

 

Sesshoumaru seemed to lose all strength at that moment and collapsed against the wall. His hands fell to his cheeks as he growled, “Then what is left? What can I do? I'm damned if I do, and I'm damned if I don't…”

 

Ryen stepped outside of the door and beckoned for Sesshoumaru to join him. Gazing out into the city, the older demon offered the boy a cigarette, who merely stared at him skeptically. Lighting it, Ryen inhaled deeply, the sound of the burning of paper filling both of the demons ears. After a few moment of walking without words exchanged, Ryen paused and turned to his nephew. “Through me the way into the suffering city, through me the way to the eternal pain, through me the way that runs among the lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; my maker was Divine authority, the highest wisdom and the primal love. Before me nothing but eternal things were made, and I endure eternally. Abandon every hope, who enter here.”*

 

Sesshoumaru stared at Ryen for a long moment, gazing hard into his eyes before huffing, “spare your theology for the weak, uncle, but not to me. I will hear none of it.”

 

Ryen grabbed his arm, “do you know what that is from?”

 

Sesshoumaru pulled away, “the inscription on the gates to hell, according to Dante Alighieri. What relevance do you make of it?”

 

Ryen held fast on the boys arm, “it's carved over the prison entrance in Latin. Do you know how many people can read Latin?”

 

Sesshoumaru pulled at his arm, “ask me if I care.”

 

Ryen only tightened his grasp, “not many. It's there because suffering is eternal…it will always be there. You can kill Naraku, Sesshoumaru, but that will not cure Rin's tragedy. She needs help, she needs counsel, and she needs it out of the form of Tsubaki Yamaoto.”

 

Sesshoumaru managed not to wince at the pressure exerted on his arm. “She will get it when Naraku's blood is at my feet.”

 

Ryen sighed and released his nephew. “Like the inscription, if you go to that prison and take Naraku's life, you forfeit your own. You will suffer, Sesshoumaru, as will Rin.”

 

Sesshoumaru threw his hands into his hair and tugged. “What am I to do then? Twiddle my thumbs and hope this to pass?”

 

Ryen shook his head, “fight fire with fire. Talk with Rin, let her know the truths. Get her the right help and help her battle her enemies.”

 

Sesshoumaru snapped back, “I keep nothing from Rin.”

 

Ryen shrugged, “then get her practical help.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed and finally relented. With a deep sigh, he turned a paled face towards his uncle. His words were scarcely above a dull whisper; “I don't know how…”

 

Ryen let out a deep sigh and wrapped his arm around Sesshoumaru's shoulders. “Then let me lead you. Trust me, nephew…I will not steer you wrong.”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly, “fine…if it is in Rin's best interest.”

 

Ryen patted the boy's shoulders, and then turned his eyes towards the direction that the ambulances took Rin. “Let us catch up, they should arrive soon. Rin will be looked over then discharged, but I can guess she will want you there. None of the wounds will need stitches, though I would be careful with her for the next few days.”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded absently, “I will…”

 

Ryen titled his head in the direction, “you better…or I'll kick your ass into next week!”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked then growled, bounding after his uncle who was far to fast for him.

 

 

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 

OFF> so I wrote this in one day…I'm amazed. Granted, I'm beat now so my homework still remains undone but hey, it's an update. Enjoy and R&R.

 

 

*- this was taken from Dante's “inferno”, canto 3. And before any English buff (and I'll take my hat off to those who know this) informs me, yes, I know Dante wrote The Divine Comedy in Italian just to piss off those who wanted all texts in Latin…but I figured Latin would be easier to find in Japan then Italian…but who knows. Anyway, yeah, more English lessons. (don't ya'll love them?)