Chapter 6 out ! Hope you'll like it. The examens are coming soon, I can't say when I will be able to update.

Thanks for all your reviews! I really appreciate them =) They give me all the energy I need to write ^_-

I hope the story is not getting boring, I'm sorry I know what you're waiting for (Sess...) well he can't come right now, 'cause Rin isn't ready yet :p

Well enjoy your reading! See ya!


Chapter 6 Still not strong enough

She fell backwards until she saw his leg above her. Quickly, she grabbed it and pulled its owner face against ground. Bountaro succeeded in stabilizing himself at the last minute, but Rin didn't waste time. She kicked him on the side, then on the legs, on the side again, she would have kept this rhythm if he hadn't punched her in the face.

"Bastard," she cussed, shaking her head. Her blurry vision wouldn't prevent her from striking.

She broke some of Bountaro's ribs. It wouldn't actually happen if he was in his true-form, but for now all he could do was to bear the pain she was inflicting on him. It was his fault for having bet he would bring her down in whatever form he was.

"Focus!" Rin shouted, violently elbowing him. "On a battle field you would be dead!"

They were fighting without being allowed to. If they were to be discovered, there would be serious consequences. And yet, they didn't stop, they kept on attacking each other. They needed to settle that matter, to know who was the best.

"On a battle field I would be in my full demon form and you would be dead, poor human!" he snorted.

Rin frowned. "What?"

"You know what I mean! You are still alive because when we fight against you we have to suppress our full form. Or else," he sniggered, "we would have already beaten you to death."

Anger rose inside Rin. How did he dare? "Go on then!"

Bountaro's eyes went wide. What was she saying? Had she become crazy?

"You want me to kill you?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"No," she shook her head, "I want you to be in your true-form. Go on. It will be our secret."

"When you are dead, it won't be a secret any more," he smirked.

"We'll see."

Rin knew she was being stupid, but she couldn't help it. It had been three years since their mothers both died. Three years during which Bountaro's anger towards Rin had grown bigger and bigger, because she was human, because she had survived in a fight in which his mother, a powerful demon, had lost her life. He couldn't accept that. Besides, his pride couldn't bear the fact that her training was in order for her to hold a higher position than his was preparing him to have. He would prove to everybody what a weak being she was. He would prove he was better than her, worthier of her attention than her.

She had been lucky to survive until now, but her luck was about to end today, by his own hands, a sneer slowly stretched his lips.

"Ready to die?"

Rin didn't answer. She knew she couldn't possibly win against a full-transformed demon, or at least not without enduring great damage, but the fact that Bountaro wasn't too powerful, and also that she craved for him to bite the dust brought her to think she might have a chance- as little as it was.

"I allow you one weapon."

Rin merely pointed at the scabbard tightly fastened around her thigh.

Bountaro laughed while slowly transforming. What could a dagger do against him? Rin silently watched as a bear of six and a half feet appeared in front of her. His fur was as black as the wings of a raven. His eyes, red, were shinning with a malicious intent.

'I am dead,' would be the thought of a normal human in front of such a creature. However, Rin wasn't a normal human, rather than cowering in fear, she contracted her muscles, ready to fight, ready to win. 'Never think a fight is lost before it even begins even if you think you have no chance.'

The demon didn't waste time. He hurried straight to her, claws ready to draw blood, her blood, with an obvious pleasure. Rin dodged once, stepping backwards, but couldn't do the same with his second attack. She felt the fur on her arm before being fully hit by his paw. Despite him throwing her away, Rin quickly caught her balance again and firmly landed on her feet, a content smirk on her lips. The human wouldn't be so easy to be brought down. She heard him growl in annoyance and prepared for his next assault.

The bear chose to keep the same strategy, he would strike and strike again until she couldn't get on her feet any more. His paw ripped her clothes, exposing the bandages circling her chest. Rin gritted her teeth.

'Perverted bear!'

She kicked him in the stomach, but it didn't seem to affect him. She tried to kick his legs, to punch his arms, but everything seemed to be useless. Her strikes were mere stings of insect for him. She had to do better.

Discretely folding her knees, she took a strong impulse and, flipping backwards, aimed her leg at his chin. A satisfying crack was heard. She had finally broken some bones. 'The head is usually the weakest part of a demon. If you don't have an useful weapon, then aim for it.' Bountaro whined in pain. Rin couldn't help but chuckle, she had always been a smart student, she could recall all she had learnt in those three years, what was visibly not his case. There were no strategy behind his attacks, no precise aim if not the one to hurt, he simply fought like a beast. A beast Rin was having a hard time to fight.

He punched her, she kicked him.

Even if her legs were her best weapon against him, jumping to reach his head would soon exhaust her. She had to find something else, she had to think harder. Suddenly, Bountaro caught one of her feet and sent her crashing down onto the ground, swallowing dust in the process, then he literally jumped on her while she was knocked-down, leaving her lying breathless.

"I won," Bountaro laughed. "I-" he couldn't end his sentence, cut off by a painful sensation in his arm.

He watched with horror as Rin was leaning on his arm, more precisely on a dagger sticking into his arm.

"Bitch!" he howled, throwing her away with a powerful blow.

Rin surprisingly succeeded in keeping her balance. Their fight had lasted more than ten minutes at most, but she was already, exhausted, wounded, struggling not to pass out. She was a mess, what could a mess do against a beast?

"Fuck!" she cussed. Her adversary was only bleeding from one spot, and the kicks she had inflicted on his head hadn't been sufficient to really weaken him. "Fuck!" she repeated louder.

"You surrender?"

She spat at him.

"Well, if death is what you want. Please Rin, do not be angry," he mockingly simpered.

Bountaro caught the glimpse of her dagger too late to dodge it. He screamed in agony when the blade cut through his left eye.

"Idiot," Rin hissed. "I won't die."

The demon caught her under his arm and pinned her to the ground. Rin saw his claws aiming for her chest, like the dog demon had done with her mother. She didn't close her eyes. She wasn't surrendering. She would find a way, even if it was at the last minute, she would find one.

Bountaro was taking his time, savouring his success. Rin was violently trashing under his pressure, trying to make him move a little, to no avail. She was trapped.

"No way!" she shouted. "No way!"

Tears of frustration gathered up in her eyes. No way! She couldn't die! She wouldn't die! Her breath caught up in her throat. The claws had reached the flesh.

"Rin!"

She was suddenly freed from Bountaro's weight, Toshiro's voice ringing in her ears.

"Rin! Are you okay? Rin! You calm down!"

Rin turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw Bountaro being harshly pinned against the ground, Toshiro above him, a gorgeous white bear against a deadly black one. She bitterly smirked, she knew she couldn't die here, but she should have been able to free herself. She had failed. She was still not strong enough.

"Rin! What craziness was that?" She recognised Natsuko's voice, then something bluntly picked her up. "You stupid child! What did you want? To die?"

Rin guessed the person was angry, she had her name on the tip on her tongue, she had just thought it, but couldn't remember who she was nor why she was angry any more. Her body started to shake. She was cold, damn! Cold wasn't even true, she was frozen!

"Rin?"

"Fetch Jimbo! She is losing consciousness!"

Her chest hurt like hell, it worsened when something was pressed against it. She tried to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth.

"Rin, don't you dare die on us!" were the last words she heard before her world became pitch-black.


Rin tried to stretch but her body wouldn't respond to her will. She frowned. What had happened? Why did- suddenly it hit her, and her hands started to shake.

"What a... What a... a... a fool!" she exclaimed punching the mattress. "It was so stupid... so stupid... what if they hadn't come... what if... So stupid!"

Tears of anger rolled down her cheeks. Tsuyu wouldn't have been proud of her behaviour, nor Lord Sesshomaru. Neither of them would have let their frustration gain the upper hand. They would have kept on ignoring the bother. They-

"You're still a child," Natsuko said as she entered the room. She knew, the second she saw Rin's face, what she was thinking. "You're only sixteen."

Rin shook her head. "It's not an excuse," she sobbed with frustration.

"True," Natsuko agreed before violently slapping the teenager.

Rin lowered her head. She deserved it.

"You're a child, but you should be clever enough not to get involved in such trivial matters. This is the first and last time, do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lady."

"I won't repeat myself Rin. I won't ever allow that to happen again."

"It won't happen any more, my Lady."

A sigh escaped Natsuko's lips. It was time for her to drop the formal tone. "What the hell did you think you were doing?"

"I don't really know. I guess I wanted to prove I was more than a mere human."

"Rin, we have already had that conversation you-"

"I'm still not strong enough!"

Natsuko touched Rin's chest. The teenager successfully held back a grimace.

"He dug here, deep enough to leave a scar- one more," the Lady explained. "You're strong Rin. You instinctively contracted your muscles and protected your heart with your arms. If you hadn't done that, you would be dead by now. You prevented his claws from directly hitting their target."

"But-"

"There is no but Rin, you are human. Of course you are different from us, demons, but it doesn't mean you're weak. You are far from being weak. If you doubt it, I would gladly say it again and again, but not in these circumstances! Bringing you to Jimbo has become a habit, a bad habit."

"When I train I get injured, I can't help it," Rin murmured. "It's the same for the others."

"I know, I don't speak about the training sessions, I'm talking about the fights you get engaged in with those who defy you. Remember Rin, control in the main thing, your main weapon."

Rin nodded. She knew. Of course she knew! But she couldn't help it, when one of those cocky bastards were mocking her, insulting Tsuyu, anger gained the upper hand.

"Well, if you still think you're not doing enough I agree to strengthen your training. In two years I want you to be an official member of my personal guard."

Rin gasped. Two years? It was way too short! It was impossible! She was about to protest but Natsuko took the lead.

"You want to be strong. Then be it and don't argue."

The Lady got up. Her decision was harsh and hasty, but if it could help Rin, she wouldn't regret it. That girl wanted to do things that ordinary took years to be mastered, the only way was the hard one.

"Rin," she called before passing the door.

"Yes?"

"Be sure, in two years, to be successful, but don't forget that the greatest victories happen when people work together."

TBC