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Chapter 9: Two-Faced
Yes, it had turned into her worst nightmare… as a forbiddingly tall and very real Sesshomaru held the bumper of the car with one hand, and an unforgiving expression.
Ringo jumped in the passenger seat, meowing at Rin who kept her eyes on Sesshomaru's cold glare. The drops of blood on the white of his kimono had distracted her. I don't want to know who that belongs to, Rin thought, fingers desperately clutching the steering wheel, trying to think of what to do.
Accelerating faster than her eyes could follow, Sesshomaru jumped forward, landing beside the driver's door. Rin squealed as he ripped the door off its' hinges, tossing it to the ground.
Though the car was running and in gear, Rin climbed over the seat to avoid Sesshomaru's claws. A groaning yell pressed through her teeth as she grabbed the cat, opened the door, and threw herself from the rolling car in one motion.
Rin fell to the ground with a huff, turning to see her car rolling down the driveway in reverse. There was nothing Rin could do as her old crashed into a group of trees, totaling the entire back end. God damn it, Sesshomaru! Rin cursed the demon coming towards her. Will he try to kill me again? She wondered, trying her best to get up with the cat as quick as possible.
Glancing back, Rin saw his eyes narrowing at her, turning red. I'll take that as a yes.
Sprinting back to the house, Rin couldn't think of any other way to escape. As Sesshomaru appeared right in her path, Rin's bare feet couldn't stop in time, forcing her to throw the cat at him. "Fuck!" She fell forward on her knees as Ringo was instinctually caught in Sesshomaru's outstretched hands.
Rin looked up to see Ringo hissing in Sesshomaru's face and her heart pounded, "drop the cat!" She demanded, using her hands to get back on her feet. Growling back at Ringo, Sesshomaru was momentarily ignoring her.
When she finally stood, Rin almost laughed at the stand off. Seeing now the demon lord kind of reminded her of a dog, she couldn't help, but say, "I thought you were a demon, not a dog."
Dropping the cat to the ground like it had some sort of disease, Sesshomaru gave his full attention to the human girl who was too naïve to run.
Rin unconsciously backed away from Sesshomaru, her hands held out in defense. How the hell did he find me anyway? Her mind wondered.
"You," he said as Rin saw his eyes fixed on her, "are coming with me."
"No way am I coming with you!" Rin clenched her teeth at his words. "I already explained I don't know how the well works."
Sesshomaru expressed a scowl as he grabbed Rin's arm, directly on the bruise he gave her yesterday. Rin shouted in pain, looking down and prying at his overly strong grip. "What the hell? I'm telling you the truth!" The sharp claw on his thumb slightly cut her, causing Rin to yell louder. "Let me, GO!"
The moment Rin shouted "go" in Sesshomaru's face, a violet light snapped at him.
Something forced him to release her, instantly causing him to step away, his breath whistling between clenched fangs.
Rubbing her arm and peeking up, Rin's jaw went slack when she saw his state. Her eyes went to his claws, clutching his chest in the area of his heart.
Is he hurt? Rin wondered and suddenly remembered Ringo who nuzzled her leg. Glancing down to the cat, Rin saw two black eyes looking up at her with interest before she peered back up at Sesshomaru. His eyes were still upon her as they changed back to pure gold.
"Take me back." He ordered her, his hand still on his chest.
Rin's hands went down for the cat as her stare remained on Sesshomaru. Cautiously stepping around the demon in the direction of her house, she began to back away, ready to run. "I don't think so! Find a way on your own—I did."
"You used this Sesshomaru!" He went to grab her again, but Rin sped off, sprinting to the front door.
Adrenaline rushed through Rin as she barely managed to get inside before Sesshomaru appeared behind her. Without a second thought she slammed the front door, managing to block his claws as it shut. Pressing her back against the only thing between her and Sesshomaru, Rin could feel her heart pounding.
A deep snarl came from the other side, making Rin drop Ringo and race towards the steps. The second she made it to the top, the front entry exploded inward, shattering into large pieces. Rin couldn't help the scream escaping her lips as she ran into the bedroom, shutting the door in the process.
Sesshomaru had sped through the house with inhuman force, his impatience increasing with each second. Rin's door stood no chance as he kicked it in, clear off the wall. Vaulting forward, he appeared before Rin who tried to run to the window.
To avoid him Rin immediately halted, slightly slipping on the wood floor as she scrambled to get up. Turning around, Rin went to leap over the bed so she could quickly maneuver towards the door.
Sesshomaru felt himself growing agitated, I'm tired of this weak excuse for a woman, he thought. Before Rin could effectively roll across the bed, Sesshomaru pulled her by the waist of her jeans. She shrieked as her back landed on the bed, the demon already positioned above her.
A bright red blush spread across Rin's cheeks, "get off of me, you shithead! I'm not taking you back!" She tried to elbow him in the face, but Sesshomaru caught the arm before pinning it.
"Do as your told." Sesshomaru's tone held a threatening force, greater than an oncoming glacier.
Fear reflected in Rin's eyes before she struggled. "I hate you," her fists clenched, "there's no way I'll do it." Rin looked away, her face now resting against the bed. "I can't risk being sucked back with you—fuck! I can't think of anything worse!"
The demon roughly grabbed Rin's chin, his sharp fangs revealed. "That's your problem."
Rin's eyes widened before she tore her chin from his hand. "Oh yeah? Well, I'm not helping you. Tough luck, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru glared at the human who continuously dared to challenge and address him so disrespectfully. But now she had the nerve to do it all in the same speech? I'll rip her spine out, his eyes darkened, the moment after I force her to take me back.
Rin watched as Sesshomaru got up, but didn't expect him to pull her as well. "HEY!" Rin cried as he threw her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing, walking out of her room and down the stairs. "Put me down!" Rin was roughly banging her fists against his hard back.
Sesshomaru felt her pathetic attempts, but ignored it as he walked through the damaged front doorway, stoically going outside.
Rin began to practically howl, "You fucking bastard, I said put me down!" Rin threatened the demon lord, "I'm going to kill you, I swear I will! I'm not going back!"
Obviously caring less about Rin's complaints, Sesshomaru's eyes concentrated as a strong rush of wind began to spin around them. Rin shivered at the sudden cold breeze and noticed they were starting to leave the ground. The demon flinched this time as Rin screamed, "OH MY GOD," her legs kicking at him. What the hell! Are we flying?
Wrapped under them was the soft fur Sesshomaru usually had upon his shoulder without the pauldron. They ascended so high and swift Rin had to hide her face into Sesshomaru's back. Her body was numb by the time they stopped, landing right in front of the shine. This can't be possible! She wanted to scream, Where's the violet light thing when I need it now?
Rin's mind was going crazy as the demon walked up the steps and inside. Anxiety filled her veins when she saw him approaching the well, "NO!" Sesshomaru's arm tightened, securing her on his shoulder. No, not again! Rin's fingers tugged at his kimono in worry. "Please, don't do this, you can't make me go there again!" Rin begged him as she wiggled to get away.
His grip grew harder, pinching her side. "Wench…" he growled a warning at her.
Rin looked over her shoulder to see his stone cold face, "Everyone will wonder where I am! I can't go back to all the freaky shit that happens in your time!" Maybe if I explain to him…
"Quiet." He commanded harshly as he glanced to her. "Speak again and lose your tongue." Just incase her attitude fired back up, his eyes flashed blood red in seriousness.
Rin shivered intensely, quickly turning her head away from his glare. Dominating bastard, Rin inwardly hated Sesshomaru, feeling helpless; I'll haunt you if I die.
A silence drifted between them when Sesshomaru abruptly jumped. Falling directly into the center of the well. Rin gasped, clutching his shoulder as the violet light appeared. Like the first time, the flood of light began to shoot up into the sky. Though before Sesshomaru's feet touched the bottom and the world began to fade, Rin felt another hold take a firm grip on her arm.
Rin instantly looked up from Sesshomaru's back to see Kazuma's masked face, floating over her. She noticed his gloved hand somehow touched her now. Is he pulling me away from Sesshomaru?! Rin had no idea how this was happening.
The demon lord seemed to be unaware of Kazuma due to the violet light brightly overcoming them, though a strange scent filled his nose. Glancing back at Rin, he finally saw the masked figure taking hold of her. " A demon," Sesshomaru said to himself in disbelief, knowing he should've been able to smell the opponent miles away.
"Kazuma, help me!" Sesshomaru heard Rin call at the masked demon. The lower half of his face was concealed, yet she seemed to have no doubt in knowing him. "Please, don't let me go!"
The hand around Rin's wrist tightened, "I'll never." Kazuma's eyes grew stern as he took something silver from his cape.
The goblet from Sesshomaru's armory?! Rin saw the familiar object in his hands, the same time as the demon that held her.
How could he obtain something in my possession? Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed before turning to the demon, unleashing his sword.
"With me, you'll live forever…" Kazuma said to Rin as she felt his grasp reluctantly release her wrist, "soon enough."
Kazuma smoothly disappeared the second Sesshomaru's blade would have gone into his gut. Rin cried out as if she were in pain at the mysterious demon's get away.
What? Rin stared as Kazuma had faded into the darkness, leaving nothing behind, except her. What could he mean?!
As if on cue, Sesshomaru's feet touched the bottom and the light around him and Rin erupted, growing brighter as the neither could say, nor do anything. Their bodies dematerialized and the world vanished, feeling as if they were being wrenched through the stars.
Rin squeezed her eyes shut, only capable of praying the well wouldn't work. When the light dissipated, their bodies reappeared. Rin's heart dropped as she looked up, seeing the rays of sunlight pouring down the well, fuck my life. Almost forgetting she was still on Sesshomaru's shoulder, Rin pressed her head into his back as the tears dripped from her eyes.
Glancing at the human from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru dropped Rin to the ground. A yelp came from her as she landed on her butt in the dirt and ash. Though there were tears in her eyes, she looked up at him with pure hatred.
"Go away!" She shouted at Sesshomaru. "You're back in your time now so fucking leave me alone!"
Sneering, Sesshomaru bent down, roughly grabbing her by the shoulders. When his claws began to seep into her skin, Rin screamed from the pain as she could only watch in fear as drops of green goo threatened to burn into her.
"No one," Sesshomaru growled in fury, "speaks to me that way and lives." Snap her neck, he heard his yokai rage, unleash all of her blood.
"Rin…? Sesshomaru?"
Both Sesshomaru and Rin looked up to see Inuyasha's face above the well.
"INUYASHA!" Rin went to stand, but Sesshomaru held her down. "Help me!"
"Huh?" Inuyasha glanced at her in confusion before glaring down at his half-brother, "hey asshole, what are you trying to do to Rin?"
Looking up, Sesshomaru growled back at Inuyasha as Rin screamed, "He's going to kill me—"
Sesshomaru suddenly snatched her neck, slightly suffocating Rin to cease her talking. "You think, a filthy hanyou can protect you from this Sesshomaru?"
"Huh… hanyou?" Rin's fingers clenched his hold on her in desperation. "I'll take whatever I can to get away from you."
The demon holding her throat had a firm urge to end it all, here and now. Sesshomaru was never the patient type and this human girl had stretched him far enough. If I try to truly kill her… will she use her spiritual powers again? Sesshomaru remembered the distinct pain he had felt, and hesitated for the first time in his long existence.
Inuyasha called down at them, gathering their attention yet again. "Let her go, Sesshomaru! Don't make me come down there…."
An amused sneer came from Sesshomaru's lips as he listened to Inuyasha, but his eyes remained on Rin. "Now," he told her, "you'll see nothing can protect you from this Sesshomaru."
Rin's eyes were wide with terror as he hoisted her on his shoulder for a second time. "FUCK NO!" She piercingly screamed, battering her fists into Sesshomaru's back with all her strength. "INUYASHA!"
Using his demon capabilities, Sesshomaru shot clear out of the well. Landing right before Inuyasha who instantly unleashed his sword, growing five times the size as it was in its' old sheath, Sesshomaru stood his ground.
Rin continued to scream curses and beat into Sesshomaru as he glared down his half-brother.
"You're wasting my time, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha pointed his blade at him, standing several feet away. "Let Rin go." Kagome will never forgive me if I let this bastard kill Rin, Inuyasha thought, even if it's not truly Rin…
"This is not your concern." Sesshomaru took out his own sword, making Rin extremely nervous.
Inuyasha let out an excited laugh, "Come on! Come at me! Give it all you got, Sesshomaru."
"Let me go!" Rin went to kick Sesshomaru's stomach, but he didn't appear as if he felt it. His eyes were sternly on Inuyasha and nothing else.
Before Rin could yell at him again, she was thrown to the ground like a rag doll. A hiss sounded through her lips as she rubbed the bruised leg she landed on. When she looked up she realized both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had disappeared.
"Huh?" She glanced around the small grassy clearing until her eyes settled on the vast forest around her. "Where did they go?"
Inuyasha anticipated as Sesshomaru sprinted forward, crashing into him in a clang of swords. The force shot them both back from one another, taking their fight deep into the forest. I'll lead him away from Rin, Inuyasha thought, as he followed and parried Sesshomaru's every move.
Back at the Bone Eater's well, Rin was still on the ground when she realized her situation changed. Now's my time to get away, she noticed, glancing back to the well, but will it work?
The sound of Inuyasha screaming echoed through the forest, causing Rin to jump to her feet in worry. I'm lucky Inuyasha was there, Rin wondered, a small smile coming to her lips until it faded quickly, Sesshomaru won't stop until he murders me. "And for no reason!" Rin spoke to herself angrily as she went back to the well.
Looking down, Rin saw the bottom and deeply sighed. Getting up on the ledge, she suddenly noticed something glittering in the soil below, reflecting in the bright sun.
"What is that?" Rin anchored herself so she was now leaning into the well. That wasn't there before, she knew.
Out of nowhere an unseen force shoved her forward, causing her to fall into the well with a shriek. Rin's hands protected her head as she landed at the bottom, the impact knocking the wind from her chest.
"Shit." She cursed, still laying on her back and staring up at the blue sky. "OF COURSE, it didn't fucking work!"
Rin gave a groan of frustration came as she got to her hands and knees. Crawling to the shiny metallic object she saw, Rin dug up the dirt and ash covering it. However, her hands froze when she saw exactly what it was.
Picking up the silver goblet, Rin rubbed the cup until it was clean and radiant once again. Kazuma had this, she remembered, but I don't remember him dropping it, nor do I remember it being here before…
A creeping paranoia washed over Rin. Her neck twisted to look around her and like before, Kazuma began to grow from the shadows. Soon his face was well before her as he dropped his hood and mask. His long black hair reached his elbows, Rin noticed, as she thought, he never wore it in such a way before.
"Sooner than you expected, Rin?"
She glared at him, hands still on the goblet. "Why did you let Sesshomaru take me back? You fucking let me go, Kazuma! I don't know how, but Sesshomaru saw you so you have to be real…."
"Sesshomaru doesn't know," Kazuma stepped closer, almost closing the space between them. "He has no idea what you truly are, but he can sense something in you. You may have had a bond to him once, but that ended long ago. I made sure of that."
"You made sure of what? What bond?" Rin narrowed her eyes. "Are you talking about the little girl, the child he called Rin? He mistook me for her."
"He mistook nothing." Kazuma reached up and delicately caressed her cheek. Rin flinched at first, but recalled this was once her fiancé. "You two have the same scent because in essence you are Rin. Though a reincarnation is never simple."
"Make sense already." She slapped his hand from her cheek. "I'm not some stupid, fucking, little girl! Only in hell would I give a shit about Sesshomaru."
Kazuma grinned, "It's good you hate him." In the small space of the well he paced around her, "it'll only make you stronger, and in return, make me stronger. He probably feels your power over him, even now."
Nothing but confusion appeared on Rin's face when he stopped right behind her. He brought his body close, wrapping his strong arms around Rin's small form. Bringing his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "do you want me to awaken you, Rin?" he nuzzled her neck, "you'll fear nothing when I do."
Rin knew she should be terrified… here she was, talking to her dead fiancé, seeing now he was able to touch her as if he were alive.
"Tell me why this is happening… why am I being sent into the past? The well only worked the second time when Sesshomaru followed me." Rin spoke before Kazuma spun her around, carefully taking the goblet from her hands.
"This." He held up the goblet as his eyes bore into Rin. "And something right here," his finger lightly poked her chest. "Brought you to this era. When you touched the chalice, there was probably an increase in your power?"
Rin's face twisted to bewilderment as she glanced at the cup, "I don't know what you mean… what power?"
"As a human, Rin never had spiritual power, even after her death, nothing of the sort proved otherwise." Kazuma touched the rim of the goblet with a gloved finger. "But with my help, you have something far better. A power to do so much more than simply protect you from demons."
"I do?" Rin eyes were wide.
"Yes." He gave her a clever smirk. "See for yourself and drink." He took her hand, turning it upward to place the cup. "Go ahead, don't fear."
Rin raised her eyebrow at him, as she touched the goblet in her hands, "you want me to pretend to drink from some cup that belonged to the dead little girl who looked like me? Okay…." She mumbled jokingly and slowly looked in the silver goblet, "Not that this is weird and dangerous, but there's nothing in here."
"You're sure about that?" Kazuma's eyes flicked down at the goblet in her hands. "Drink." He insisted.
Doing as Kazuma asked, Rin went to drink from the cup as if it held some special imaginary liquid. At least until her lips stopped a mere half of an inch above the rim…"I can't." She whispered, looking down at the empty cup. "This doesn't feel right."
"You have to trust me, Rin." Kazuma gently pushed the chalice back up to her face.
What harm could come from drinking nothing from some old cup? Rin wondered as she looked down into the goblet.
Slowly the rim touched her lips, Rin flinched at the feel of the cold metal. For a moment she was about to roll her eyes and smack Kazuma for messing with her, until she felt a thick sweet substance pour down her throat, reminding her of honey. Swallowing, Rin immediately dropped the cup and doubled over with some kind of affliction… her chest felt like it was on fire!
"Kazuma!" She hissed as her hands pressed against her chest. "It burns!"
A calm look filled Kazuma's face as he watched the girl. "You're a human absorbing part of Lord Sesshomaru's yokai, it's going to hurt, a little."
"Y-yokai?" She stuttered from the pain, taking deep breaths to ease herself.
"His demon, his true form." Kazuma bent down so he was at her eye level. "There was a ritual done on this goblet seven years ago... the day Rin died, Sesshomaru unknowingly sacrificed anything to have her back. And now, there's just you, a woman from the future who despises him. It's sort of funny really."
Another scream came from Rin's lips as the pain increased. She fell to the ground on her back, rolling in agony as a violet light spread across her body. "You tricked me?" Tears strolled down her cheeks from the torture she felt.
"No, Rin." Kazuma gave her a saddened look. "I spoke the truth… you'll live." His hands lifted her up as she shook in pain, "But for now till it's complete, you'll only be safe with me."
Rin continued to shake and cry as Kazuma securely wrapped his cloak around her. Kazuma, Rin's trembling hands tightened on him, what have you done to me?