How's it going everyone? I'm certainly enjoying my day off . . . well, I'm studying, but that's beside the point.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and no amount of wishing on fake Shikon Jewels will make it true.


Chapter Eight

Old Enemies, New Family

Rin slept for eight days. Sesshomaru rarely left her side, doing so only to train with Inuyasha. They knew that the coming battle would require all of their combined strength, and they thus had come to an understanding.

The monk had joined their cause, and all had understood after revealing what had transpired with his daughter. The slayer would stay and care for the girl, yet Inuyasha's miko would stay by their side.

They had traveled back to the village, since it was a shorter distance. Also, Kagome could travel back to her world for medicine and first aid with ease.

When Rin opened her eyes, she was alone in a hut. She tried to sit up, but the pain that laced through her body was enough to knock the breath out of her. She sank back to the mat, and took a mental inventory of her injuries. No broken bones, no missing limbs. All she felt was pain in her muscles, and in her head.

She knew what she had done. With the demon in her, she had slaughtered so many people. It made her sick. All she could remember was a haze of red, and then she had felt blood all over her. She had almost killed Lord Sesshomaru.

She remembered Inuyasha and Kagome stepping in. She had been grateful for their interference, because if it hadn't been for them, the battle between Lord Sesshomaru and her would have raged on until one or both of them were dead.

And she had released Naraku from his final resting place. He had come out through hell, and was now a threat to them all once again.

She should never have let this happen. She should have been strong enough. She should have known what they were plotting.

The door to the room slid open, and Kagome walked in.

"Hey, you're awake," she said, setting down the basin of water and fresh bandages. "How do you feel?"

"Like someone dropped a tree on me," she said.

Is that my voice, she thought. It was dry, raspy. She moaned when a fresh wave of pain hit her.

Kagome was at her side immediately.

"Here, take these," she said, holding up two pills and a cup of cool water.

"What are those?" Rin asked, pointing vaguely toward them.

"Just some conveniences from my place," she said, a smile on her face. "They're kind of like compressed herbs. They will help with your pain."

Rin took them slowly, one by one, and then lay back.

"Sleep now, Rin," Kagome said, her voice soothing. "You still have a lot of healing to do. I will let everyone know that you are progressing."

By everyone, she meant Lord Sesshomaru. Rin closed her eyes, and his face immediately took form in her mind. She breathed deeply, knowing that he was angry with her, that he would undoubtedly banish her from him when she was well. He had told her not to take Souunga from the demon, and she had disobeyed him, resulting in a mess the likes of her had never imagined.

She stared up at the ceiling, knowing that sleep was inevitable. She delayed it as long as possible, and dwelled on the horrible memories that spun in her mind.

She felt herself loosing consciousness. She was so weak, and could no longer keep her eyes open. Before falling into slumber, all she saw was a dark figure walk into the hut and sit next to her.

Lord Sesshomaru, she thought.


Swords clashed.

Metal scraped against the wind, the hiss almost deafening.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fought, their skills honed for battle. The contrast in the two had always amazed her.

Sesshomaru was cold. His veins were filled with ice when he went into battle. He was fearless, calculating. He never made a move without thinking it through, without anticipating all outcomes.

Then there was Inuyasha. Kagome struggled to suppress a smile. He was rash. Flighty. Never thinking things through, he always ran into battle without a plan or strategy. Nothing scared him, and that was his downfall. He was easily bated, and never thought with his mind, only his heart.

She wished that he would see that she loved him.

Yet now was not the time for that. Naraku was once again amongst them, and they needed to find a plan that would defeat him once and for all.

At least now they had Souunga. Sesshomaru never took the sword from its sheath, never allowed it freedom. In his training, he used Tokijin for everything.

Inuyasha wielded Tetsusaiga expertly, occasionally taking advice from his brother, though she knew it was hard for him to accept. She practiced daily with her bow, and was now learning to wield a sword, since in battle her enemy would not always be far away.

She looked next to her at Miroku. He looked worn, almost defeated. His daughter, now sharing his curse, was weighing heavy on his heart.

He looked back at her and smiled.

"We will win, Kagome," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We did it once before. All we have to do is work together."

"I know, Miroku," she said, glancing back at the battling brothers. "If we could do it once before, we can do it again. Hell," she said. "If those two can learn to work together, than anything is possible."

At this, the brothers turned and looked at her. It was as though they had just realized that that was what they were doing. Inuyasha sneered.

"Feh, me, work with him? Never," he said, leaning on Tetsusaiga.


Rin slowly paced the room. It had been three days since she had woken up, and she was progressing slowly.

She noted that it was dark outside. Good. She didn't want them to worry about her. She had been working herself, gaining strength with each day. Soon she would be able to wield her Ni-Kiba once again.

Anger burned through her. She wanted revenge on the man who had done this to her, this man who had taken away her soul.

Never would she have thought that someone would invade her in such a way, to push into her and prod at the memories and feelings that she had kept so secret. She felt violated, raped, beyond all repair.

She knew the end was coming. She would defeat Naraku, and then she would leave. Leave her Lord Sesshomaru. Leave the life that she had come to cherish. Leave everything.

She was no longer the girl who would pluck flowers along the path just because they were beautiful and she wanted to compare them to her lord. She was no longer the girl that would sing at the top of her lungs just because she felt like it. She was no longer a girl.

She was a woman. She was strong, and valiant, and determined to kill this man.

With each day that passed, her resolve grew until there was nothing left but the hollow shell of a person.

Kagome had even noticed the change in the girl. Noticed that her eyes were not laughing and bright, but cold and flat. They were not the eyes of the girl that had come into their lives over a decade ago.

Now was the time to end things. Now was the time for revenge.


Okay, this one is super short, but its more for filler than anything. You will LOVE the next chapter, I promise. Stay patient, I will post it tomorrow, and I await your reviews. Until then, toodles.