InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ True Companion ❯ Nightmares ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from InuYasha. Weeps…want to own, really do. Perhaps I steal….no…I couldn’t…or could I?

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Rin sat in the corner of the small room she had been given for the night. She wrapped her arms around her knees and slowly rocked her body to try and calm her racing heart. How could I have screamed at him? Why did I see one of them when he was trying to calm me? Is he mad that I yelled? Will he leave me here? Will he just toss me away? I don’t want to be alone again. Death would be better than having to feel loneliness again.

A soft knock was heard and Rin wiped at her cheeks though there were no tears. Slowly, she stood up and walked to the door, taking a deep before pulling the screen open. Saka stood in front of her, her blue hair floating about her like water. A small, worried smile crossed her lips as Rin stepped back to let her in.

"How are you doing, Rin? Are you feeling well enough to eat? I can have something brought to you, if you are." Rin shook her head and returned to her place in the corner. Saka knelt down before her and gently lifted Rin’s chin so their eyes met. "You really must eat something. When was the last time you had a decent meal?"

Rin thought back to the fish that she had caught right before she was kidnapped. The memory made her disgusted and any appetite she might have been contemplating left her immediately. She shook her head again pulling her gaze back to her knees.

When Saka realized she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Rin she patted her legs and stood up. "Get some rest. If you want something to eat later on just come find me."

Saka was at the door when Rin finally spoke. "Is he mad at me…for screaming at him?" Her voice was fragile and weak and had Saka not been a demon she never would have heard Rin at all.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is concerned about you."

Rin nodded.

"I will leave some tea outside your room. It will help you sleep, please drink it."

Rin nodded and Saka left to get the tea. Rin tightened her grip around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees.

He is mad at me. Even if he is concerned about me he is mad too. Otherwise why didn’t she say he wasn’t mad at me? Why hasn’t he come to check on me? Maybe, maybe my scent is still putrid to his nose. Will it be ruined the rest of my life? Will he never be able to stand being near me again? I will…I will be alone. He will leave me in some village. Rin’s eyes widened in horror. That must be why he brought me here, to leave me. Since all the people here are loyal to him they would take care of me if he told them to.

Rin tried to cry, but when no tears fell her body wept. She felt her weight dragging her to the floor where she shook uncontrollably. Air was scarce in her lungs but somehow it comforted Rin, pain was real, she could be sure of that. At that moment her life felt like a horrible nightmare that no matter what she did she couldn’t wake up from, but the pain, pain she knew and understood. Pain meant release, as if all the hurt she felt in her heart could be purged from her body through blood and suffering.

Rin took her elbows in her palms and pulled them till the muscles screamed. She wanted to rip at her skin and claw at her body but in a village of demons she knew the smell of blood would not go unnoticed, and right now she just wanted to feel the pain of reality, without anyone stopping her.

Rin awoke to the morning sun blazing through the window of her room. She was starting to get annoyed with her lost sense of time, she had no idea how long she had been asleep or if it had even been night when she had laid there on the floor. Rin got up and looked out the window. When she had gone to bed Ahun had been tied up beneath her room and she thought seeing him would be a nice treat. Her eyes passed over the busy street below the bath house but did not see Ahun anywhere.

Rin’s fear sent her into a panic and she ran out into the hall only to trample one of the house servants. "Sesshoumaru-sama…where is Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The servant woman eyed her hesitantly. "Sesshoumaru-sama left before sunrise." The woman took Rin by the arm and led her back in her room. "Please stay in here and I will get Saka-sama." The woman closed the screen behind her and started to pick up some towels she had dropped. Rin had not moved away from the door as the woman thought she had and listened as the woman whispered to herself, "No wonder Sesshoumaru-sama left, that woman is insane. I can’t believe he kept her in his company. Humans should be left to humans."

Without even thinking Rin walked over to the mirror on the wall of her room. It was the first time she had actually looked at herself. Her once long black tresses were gone and replaced with hair so short it spiked slightly. She slowly drew her robe from her shoulders and gazed at the place where Akki had bit her. There were no marks left on her body but Rin could feel a pulsing at the spot. She tentatively touched the mark that only she could see on her skin.

He really did it. He took me from Sesshoumaru-sama. He ruined my life. He won.

Rin couldn’t stand the pulsing she felt in her shoulder. It was laughing. It was Akki’s horrifying laughter telling her he had won. Rin ran her nails over her shoulder and up her neck holding her hand just below the ear. The pulsing increased until it filled her entire body. In one fierce move Rin ripped her nails down her neck not caring if anyone smelled the blood. She moved her abuse to her left arm and chest before Saka barged in and restrained her.

"Rin! Stop this!" Saka moved Rin over to her futon and held her until she stopped struggling. Saka held Rin’s arms firmly above her head. "Rin, what has gotten into you?"

Rin’s breathing was erratic and her eyes seemed slightly glazed as if in a trance. Blood slid down her smooth skin and pooled beneath her shoulder. "I couldn’t stand the laughing…he wouldn’t stop laughing. I had to stop the laughing!"

"Who? Who was laughing?"

Rin looked up at Saka, for the first time actually realizing she was there. "Akki. He laughs cause he won."

"Won what? Was he one of the demons that hurt you?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama has left me, so Akki won." Rin’s voice was flat and emotionless, the voice of one who has given up on everything.

Rin no longer struggled under Saka’s grip so she released her hold on Rin. Slowly, Saka pulled Rin up and held her against her chest. Saka stroked her hair as she gently rocked her back and forth. "Child, Sesshoumaru-sama has not left you here."

"But Ahun is gone. The woman said he had left."

"He has not left you, he…" Saka didn’t have a chance to finish before Rin pushed her away violently.

"Then where is he! He knows the scent of my blood!" Rin’s voice filled the small room, it was loud and fierce but consumed by fear and pain. "If he didn’t leave me why hasn’t he come!" Rin collapsed to the ground and tore at the floor causing her fingernails to break and blood build beneath them. "Where is he?"

Rin wanted to throw Saka away from her as she was pulled from the floor and back to the futon, but Saka was stronger than she was. Saka waited till she calmed again before speaking. "Sesshoumaru-sama is gone, but he has not left you. He went to the castle but will return shortly after nightfall. He has not left you."

"He…he hasn’t?" Rin could barely get the words out.

"No, he will return tonight."

"Tonight…"

"Yes, tonight."

Rin tried her best to assimilate what Saka was telling her. So many emotions raged in her body that she just wanted to tear at her skin and release them. He didn’t leave me. He will come back tonight. He will come back for me... he will smell the blood. He will know my weakness. How can he come back for such a weak creature? Why does he not leave me?

"I’m so confused." Rin held tightly to Saka kimono and cried tearless sobs.

Saka held the shaking child against her. "It will get easier. In time, you will understand more."

"How!" Rin screamed into the kimono.

"Humans are not as weak as demons make them out to be. They can survive through unbelievable conditions and still come back."

Rin lifted her head and stared at Saka as if she had never seen her before. Humans can survive. All the women survived for so long only to die because of me. Why was I so special? Why couldn’t they survive instead of me? When Rin realized the answer to her question she laid her head against Saka again. Because Sesshoumaru-sama wouldn’t leave me behind.

Rin felt Saka look down at her. "Rin, are you ok now?" She nodded not bothering to even lift her head. She was so very tired now. "We need to get you cleaned up before Sesshoumaru-sama returns. Will you let me do that?" She nodded again.

Saka called for the house servants to bring bandages and water and Rin didn’t resist when Saka helped her to a kneeling position. Her upper body throbbed and stung as the blood was washed from the wounds, but it was real pain and not the throbbing her mind had created earlier. The bandages were wrapped tightly to her skin and though it hurt terribly Rin didn’t flinch once. Her body cried out for rest and even before Saka finished bandaging her body Rin fell asleep.

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Rin’s chin lay against her chest as Saka wrapped the last of the bandages around her arm. She gently rested Rin’s body atop the futon and stared at her a moment. What in the world could cause a person to become so very terrified? Sesshoumaru had only informed Saka that Rin had been taken and killed by two demons, either he didn’t know or wouldn’t tell her what happened between those events. By Rin’s reactions Saka knew it must have been beyond words.

Saka set the remaining bandages next to the basin of now bloody water before getting up and opening the window. The smell of blood filled the room and normally Saka would wait till the street was emptier before airing it out, but she knew the scent would travel up to the castle. Sesshoumaru’s keen nose would quickly catch the scent, and if Rin was right, he would be back very shortly. Saka watched as the villagers began turning, one by one, towards the bath house. She didn’t care. She needed to speak with Sesshoumaru.

An hour after Rin had fallen asleep she awoke screaming. Saka quickly joined her at the futon and calmed the scared girl. Once reassured Rin fell back to sleep, both her body and mind still exhausted. Not long after, Saka heard the sound of Ahun in the street and the bath house doors opening. Saka hurried to meet Sesshoumaru in the hall, not wanting to wake Rin.

She had barely closed the door before Sesshoumaru towered over her waiting to enter the room. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please come with me. I will explain everything, but Rin is sleeping now and I do not wish to wake her." Sesshoumaru looked at the door one more time before nodding and following Saka through the bath house to a small office. She offered a chair to him but he stayed next to the closed door and waited for her to begin explaining.

Saka took a seat and closed her eyes for a moment. Taking care of Rin was beginning to wear her down. "When you brought Rin here you told me to tend to her and I do not believe I would be fulfilling your request if I did not openly speak with you." When Sesshoumaru did not respond Saka continued. "The blood you smell is from wounds that Rin herself inflicted." Saka thought she saw shock cross Sesshoumaru’s normally expressionless face but it was so fleeting she couldn’t be sure.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama, if I speak out of place, but I fear for the girl. Her mind is confused and unsure. She awoke today to find Ahun gone and the first person she asked told her you had left. When Rin heard this her fears told her that you had left her here and were not going to return and when she convinced herself of this…" Saka paused trying to think of the best way to say what she needed to. "She told me that he was laughing at her and she had to stop the laughter. That was how she described what had happened. For whatever reasons, Rin tore at her neck, arms, and chest."

Saka received nothing more than a raised eyebrow in response. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I wholly believe that if you leave Rin while her mind is in this state she will kill herself."

At this Sesshoumaru turned around and opened the door. "That will not happen."

Saka stood up to join him. "It is going to take a lot of time for her to heal. Your sword can heal the body but wounds of the mind run far deeper. If she is left alone too soon, even a moment too soon, all her terrors will reappear."

Sesshoumaru walked out and headed up to Rin’s room. Saka suppressed a smile; as much as he tried to hide it she knew Sesshoumaru cared for Rin. They entered Rin’s room to find her still asleep on the futon, her white bandages tinged pink from her blood. Sesshoumaru unsheathed Tenseiga and slid the blade easily through her body. Saka was barely over her awe of the event when Sesshoumaru moved and picked Rin up.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I will expect you at the castle by nightfall."

"Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama. I shall leave once I have made arrangements here. How long should I expect to be gone?"

Sesshoumaru walked past her without answering and headed out of the house. Saka watched from the window as Sesshoumaru mounted Ahun, Rin tightly held against him, and headed for the castle. Saka smiled a warm, sad smile. Sesshoumaru-sama, you are more like your father than you know, and perhaps, that just may save Rin.

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The sun, it’s so hot. Morning shouldn’t be this hot. It is morning, isn’t it? Did I sleep through morning and mid-day is here, but this is hot even for mid-day. Rin took a deep breath and curled up into the warm fur against her. Sesshoumaru-sama? Is he carrying me? But I was at the bath house...and Saka said he would not be back till night. Did I dream that? My arm doesn’t hurt, so did I dream all that this morning? I wish I knew what was going on.

Slowly, Rin opened her eyes and stared into the white fur she had buried her face in. She turned, the light blinding her eyes. It is mid-day, and it is so warm because we are in the sky. When is this? What has happened and what is a dream?

"Rin."

She looked up to Sesshoumaru. "Where are we going, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"To the castle. We will stay there for a while." He glanced at Rin. "Go back to sleep."

Rin nodded and closed her eyes. The sun was too bright for her. Too hot. Rin shifted uncomfortably, the sun was so very hot. She twisted and turned trying to move away from it, but it wouldn’t leave her alone. It was burning her. Burning her skin. Burning her flesh. The fire was burning her. It wouldn’t go away. She couldn’t get away. He wouldn’t let her go. He held the fire to her flesh and waited for her to scream. If she screamed maybe he would let her go. She needed the fire to leave her.

"Stop! Please! Stop!" Rin flew from the bed onto the floor and scrambled to free herself of the silk cloth she had tangled herself in.

"Rin! Rin! Are you ok?" She looked up to see a small green toad demon staring at her.

"Jaken-sama?"

"Rin, are you alright?"

She looked around the small room she was in. It was simple, having only a bed, wardrobe, and chair. Jaken hurried to help her free of the cloth that Rin figured to be a cover from the bed. "Is this…the castle?"

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama brought you here a few hours ago."

"I remember…I think."

Once she was free, Jaken walked to the wardrobe and open it showing a number of silk kimonos. He grabbed one and brought it to Rin. "Sesshoumaru-sama wants you to get up and moving. He told me to feed you as soon as you woke up. You must be very hungry."

Rin shook her head. "Not really. I’m tired, so very tired."

"Food will give you your strength back. Come now, get dressed and we’ll go get something to eat."

She nodded and removed her robe not caring that Jaken was still there, though he turned around quickly. She took a moment to breathe, even that little bit was extensively tiring. She reached out to pick up the kimono when she saw the bandages on her arm. "It wasn’t a dream?"

"What was that Rin?"

She ignored Jaken’s question and concentrated on removing the bandages. As hard as she tried Rin’s tired hands couldn’t seem to grasp the cloth properly. Suddenly she felt a claw run down her back and the bandages around her chest loosen.

"Rin, hold your arm out." She did as she was told and in the corner of her eye she could see Jaken’s claw tearing the bandages free from her arm.

"Thank you, Jaken-sama." Rin put on her kimono and stood up only to get dizzy and collapse onto the floor.

"Rin!"

"Can’t I just go back to sleep?" she asked, closing her eyes and trying to catch her breath.

"Rin, I am sure eating would help you feel better." Jaken ran over to the chair that Rin now noticed the Staff of Heads was leaning against. He brought it back to Rin and held it firmly in front of him. "Here, hold onto this for balance."

Rin took hold of the staff and pushed herself up, Jaken moving and supporting her weight when necessary. Slowly and carefully they made their way out of her room, down a short corridor and a small flight of steps (which for Rin was the most difficult), and to a large banquet hall. Rin practically fell into the nearest chair and lowered her head to the table. She was completely drained.

Jaken hurried out of the room only to return a few minutes later with a tray of food. He put in on the table in front of Rin and took a seat next to her. "Rin, eat before it gets cold."

Rin stared at the tray. It had fresh fruits, grilled fish, and a large bowl of rice. She lifted her hand to the chopsticks next to the bowl but stopped halfway.

"Rin, you need to eat."

"Why?"

Jaken gazed at her, a confused expression on his face. "So you can regain your strength."

"Why eat if this is all a dream?"

"Rin, you’re awake. This is not a dream."

Rin continued to stare lazily at her food. "How do you know this is not the dream? Are you sure? Perhaps this is the dream and the nightmares are the reality. Perhaps I am dreaming this to try and forget what is happening to me. A castle I have never known, a town I have never seen. I see and hear and do, yet I can’t tell what is real. Will I wake soon, tied to that stake, looking up at him? He will laugh when he sees he has woken me from such a wonderful dream."

"Rin!" Jaken yelled but she didn’t acknowledge him.

"Time stands still for me. I sleep yet when I wake the sun is the same. I know not if I have slept an hour or a day, or perhaps all I have done is closed my eyes. Or maybe, maybe this is all a dream. Maybe my whole life has been a dream and I will have to wake as that poor, lonely child. No family, not even a voice to cry with. Or worse, perhaps this is my hell. Perhaps I am dead and this is my torment, to dream such wonderful dreams only to be awakened to the harshness of reality, of death."

Jaken jumped from his chair onto the table and took Rin’s face in his small hands. "Listen to me, Rin! This…is…real!"

"How do you know?" Her voice remained tired and cold. "How do you know you are not but a figment of my imagination? How do you know that this is not a dream and you are but a passing fancy of my mind? Or perhaps, I am a character in yours and you are the dreamer. Or maybe neither of us live but in the mind of another person and when they awaken we will no longer exist. Can you be sure?"

"Why would one who does not exist be concerned with their existence?" Sesshoumaru’s voice surprised Jaken as much as his words shocked Rin. They both turned and watched as Sesshoumaru approached, taking the seat that Jaken had previously occupied. He looked at Jaken who was still standing on the table in front of Rin. "Jaken, go and prepare more food for Rin, she will need more than this."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken bowed and hurried out of the room.

"Rin, eat. You need your strength."

Rin nodded and picked up her chopsticks again, but still she did not touch her food. "Sesshoumaru-sama, how do I know this is real? I am so very confused."

He sat silent and for a while Rin wasn’t sure he was going to answer her, but finally he responded. "Rin, both are real. The nightmares you have, are they memories of what happened? Are you certain that they happened to you?" She nodded unsure where he was going with this. "If they are memories then they have already happened. This is real for you now, the dreams are real, but only for a time you already experienced."

Rin stared at him in awe. She didn’t think Sesshoumaru could become any more perfect than he was, yet he just did. She had never realized how intelligent and thoughtful he truly was. She had known of course, just never completely understood.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru’s voice brought her out of her thoughts, "eat your food, it will help you."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." Still not having a strong appetite Rin took only a small amount of rice to her mouth. The moment the rice touched her tongue Rin was in completely bliss. She closed her eyes and lowered her lips to hold the tip of the chopsticks. She didn’t want the feeling to end.

How long has it been since I tasted food? How did I not crave this earlier? It is wonderful! The texture! The taste! I can’t remember anything as great as this. More! I need more!

Rin forgot about everything except for the food in front of her. She picked up the bowl of rice and started shoveling it in into her mouth not caring for propriety or etiquette. Never before had she been filled with the insatiable desire for food. Rin moved her bowl aside only to pick up some fish or fruit. She barely had room in her mouth to breathe but still she pushed more food in. Rin didn’t notice Jaken enter the room, only the food that he set on the table, which she greedily took. Only after almost all the food was gone did Rin’s ravenous appetite begin to diminish. Licking off last piece of rice stuck to the edge of her bowl she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I didn’t realize I was so hungry until I started eating." Her breath was short and fast, as if she had just run for hours. "But now I am so tired again. I can barely keep my eyes open."

Jaken scoffed. "Rin, your eyes are closed right now."

Rin tried to laugh but all that came out was a tired sigh. She let her head roll lazily across her back and didn’t even try to lift her hands when they fell from the table. She let out a slight whimper as she was lifted from her chair but her body was too relaxed to care. Rin wasn’t sure what was happening, she felt like she was floating off to some place, though she didn’t know where, nor did she care. Somehow, she was completely content.

Rin felt her shoulder being gently shaken and a woman’s voice calling to her. Her eyes slowly opened to see Saka leaning over her, a smile on her face. "Good morning, Rin. How are you feeling?"

Rin sat up and shook the sleep from her head. "Hungry, but I just ate a little while ago. Other than that, I actually feel a bit better. I don’t feel tired anymore."

Saka smiled. "I don’t doubt that. You didn’t eat a little while ago Rin, you ate yesterday evening. It’s morning, you slept all evening and through the night."

"The entire night?" Rin asked shocked.

She nodded and smiled again. "The entire night without anything even a whimper. Now, let’s get you dressed, and we’ll go and get some breakfast."

Rin pulled away the covers and slid off the bed. She found she had been changed into a white silk night gown during her sleep. Saka handed her a blue and gray kimono to change into and took a brush to smooth Rin’s short hair. They went to the dinning hall to find breakfast already set out for them. The table was filled with food and, though she was hungry, Rin doubted she could ever eat that much. Yesterday perhaps, but not today.

"There is so much food."

"Yes, it seems the servants are adjusting nicely."

"Servants?" Rin was feeling better but her memories were still fuzzy. She hadn’t remembered anything about servants.

Saka sat down at the table and motioned for Rin to follow her lead. "That’s what Sesshoumaru-sama was doing yesterday, preparing the castle, servants, everything you would need to live here. To give you time to heal, I believe."

Rin began eating. I never had servants before, though it will be nice not to have to think about catching and cooking my food. But, I am inconveniencing Sesshoumaru-sama. He should not have to change his ways just because I am weak. Rin’s appetite quickly left her, and she lowered her chopsticks to the table.

"I thought you were hungry?" Saka asked concerned.

"I believe I have ate my fill."

"Please eat, you will need your strength for today."

"Why?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama has ordered that you learn to defend yourself. You begin training today." Rin bit her lower lip. "I believe it will help you, not just so you can protect yourself, but also to release some of the emotions you are holding back."

Rin lowered her head. Am I that obvious? Most likely, I’m only human. Still, why does Sesshoumaru-sama wish for me to learn to defend myself? Isn’t he going to protect me? Is he just waiting till I am no longer in danger of my nightmares and fears to send me away? Does this mean he doesn’t want to protect me anymore? Will he not let me stay in his company?

Not wanting to be any more of a burden than she already was Rin held back her tears and forced herself to eat. Her hands shook slightly but Saka didn’t say anything. When she had forced down as much as she could Saka took her back to her room to change into gray training pants and a white shirt. She felt weird wearing it but if Sesshoumaru-sama ordered her to train she would.

Rin was beginning to feel weird having Saka with her every moment, though she knew she would be terrified to be alone. She just wished it was Sesshoumaru who was with her. She felt far safer with him.

Saka led her out of the castle to a clearing in the back of the castle garden. Rin wanted to stop in the garden and looked around since it was so beautiful and the day was warm but with a cool breeze. She could barely suppress a smile when she entered the clearing and saw Sesshoumaru talking with a man Rin had never seen before. She didn’t care, Sesshoumaru was there.

Both men turned and approached them as they entered the clearing. "Rin, this is Touya, he will be your instructor."

Rin bowed to the man before her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Touya-sensei."

He smiled at her, revealing a pair of fangs beneath his lips. "You as well, Rin." He motioned for her to come further into the clearing. "Shall we begin."

She hesitated unsure of what her ‘training’ would consist of. Sesshoumaru walked past her and Rin could feel her fear rising. Is he going to leave? I don’t know this demon? I don’t want him to leave me alone? Please, please, stay!

Almost in response to her silent prayer Sesshoumaru stopped and went to sit under a nearby tree. Rin's heart began calming and she approached her new sensei.

He smiled again. "We won’t do too much today. To be honest I have never trained a human before so tell me if I move too fast for you." She nodded. "Good, we will start with some exercises to loosen the muscles and calm the mind."

Touya showed Rin a number of stretching motions and Rin could feel the tension in her body begin to subside. He had her kneel and lower her upper body to the ground, stretching the muscles her back and freeing them of the knots that had formed over the past few days. Next, she pulled her legs out from beneath her and opened them as wide as she could before moving to the grass again.

As she sat there, her face against the soft earth, Rin’s body went numb. Her breathing increased and her hands shook. She couldn’t explain why, but fear quickly spread throughout her body.

"Rin."

She looked up and saw Akki walking towards her, his body exposed to her, waiting to taint her scent again. Rin’s breath stopped in her chest. She tried to back away but something was behind her, trapping her. He leaned his face to her and smiled his blood-chilling smile.

"Rin."

She knew he could see her fear, smell it on her, but she couldn’t stop it from coming. He reached his hand to her face and ran his claws down her cheek.

"Rin, breathe."

Her body trembled and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Suddenly, Akki punched her hard in the stomach forcing out the air trapped in her body. Rin coughed and choked trying to feel the life return to her lungs.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru’s cold voice brought Rin back to her senses.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin whispered as she tried to calm her heart.

"That is enough for today, Touya," Sesshoumaru said as he helped Rin to her feet. He looked at her, his normally emotionless eyes showing a hint of something. "Rin, you may go now."

She nodded and let herself be pulled away by Saka. Her body was still trembling as they entered a small room she had not seen before. It looked like the changing room at the bath house. Rin didn’t protest as Saka helped her out of her clothing until she opened the doors on the other side of the room. Rin quickly tried to cover herself and Saka rushed over to her.

"Forgive me, I thought you understood."

"Understood what!" She cared little about modesty in Saka’s presence but she didn’t care for everyone to see her naked.

"Rin, look, it is a private bath."

Rin looked over Saka’s shoulder and into the other room. It was a bath larger than any she had ever seen. If it hadn’t been indoors she would have thought it to be a small lake. Saka gently pushed Rin into the room and down to the steaming water. The cool liquid softly lapped against her skin as her tears pelted its surface.

What was he feeling? Why did he look at me like that? Was it contempt? Was it disgust? Did he know what I was seeing? Did he understand my fear? Does my weakness repulse him? My human weakness. Is that why I must be trained, because he can’t stand my human weakness. He can’t stand me being human? He can’t stand me?

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OK, how did you like my little philosophy part. I was once a philosophy major so that is where that came from. Decartes is the famous philosopher Sessy quoted (didn’t quote word for word, but used his ideas) in order to prove Rin’s existence.

So, I was actually planning on making this go to another part but I added the whole Rin learn to defend herself and decided it was better to stop here for now. The real climax of her fears will come in the next chapter, after which some things are gonna happen and a few questions explained, then I will screw with your minds again. Heehee, I am evil at times.