BlueDove – I hope some romances work out also, but nothing's been hinted at yet. And thanks a lot, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. It's really nice to get reviews like yours.

Jewls – I've already been over this in an author's note at the top. Stelmaria pointed this out early on in the story. This fic is slightly AU, thus I've merged the two times together, meaning this story is in a point of time that never existed (because I didn't fast forward IY or rewind RK).

Miss NekoChan – Thanks for dropping the review, I'm glad you enjoyed it! snowecat – Very true. I can't really ever get Fluffy-sama in character though... Sorry if I screw 'im up. Stelmaria – I was waiting for your review XDD 'tis something I can count on. And it crossed my mind to have him be the baby sitter, but then I thought Sesshy might not trust him to take care of Rin... THEN I thought the chaos that would ensue with Himura-chan on the front lines poised to kill. That's far more interesting, neh? And I guess you're right with the whole kikyo/tomoe taking over the world scheme. ::gigglesnort:: That would still be funny. Night-Rose14 – I don't know for sure if there'll be any romance. That's the truth. I actually do let the characters play out the story; there isn't all that much planned ahead of time. And about Inu being a jerk... I think he just doesn't want to admit to being the first to attack and forced Kenshin into a death match. In other words... he's feeling too guilty to admit to what he did. I think that made sense. Anyway, I know for a fact it'll be a while between updates. Maybe even months... school really kills me, but I'll try to get as much typed as I can, so please don't flame asking for chapters. I'm always going as fast as I can.

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Chapter 10:

Rin smiled, finally slowing down once she reached the edge of the forest, tired from running.

"It's about... time," Jakken stated through frustrated breaths, finally catching up to the others. "Now you... listen... here," but Rin was already lying on the grass, admiring the soft red orange and purple hues of the morning sky.

"Pretty..." Rin muttered ignoring Jakken completely, as always. Quickly, tired from her day of 'racing' with Jakken, she fell asleep even though the bright light of early morning wasn't far off.

Kenshin nodded his agreement, smiling at the cute little girl. He sighed, lying back on the grass also and closing his eyes. "So... who is this Lord you keep speaking of? The girl's father or—"

"How—how DARE you have the audacity to assume that!" Jakken cut in, startling Kenshin for a moment or two. "To suggest that my high and most powerful Lord Sesshomaru is... is... HUMAN and father to such a vile creature."

"My apologies," Kenshin looked over his shoulder at the small toad with mild disgust. He didn't like the look of him or the way he acted, all around this being was quite rude. "Then your Lord... Sesshomaru is a demon?"

Jakken nodded proudly. "He was heir to his fathers title as a demon Lord, and has proved to be very deserving of it. His half-brother though... he is a more hideous creature than that..." he paused, loathing the girl as much as she loathed him for she'd taken Lord Sesshomaru's attention for herself and now Jakken was even further from his master than he could stand. "That girl over there."

The rurouni gazed at Jakken, wishing him to continue. "A half brother?" he questioned, remembering Inu-Yasha mentioning something about having a half brother he wished to kill along with Naraku.

"Born of the same father," the frog-demon confirmed. "A disgrace to the family name."

"How so?"

Jakken opened his beak to continue when someone overshadowed him. Himura (noticing the lack of light from the sunset) opened his eyes to meet with ones he recognized, but obviously did not, never having met this individual before. "My...milord! Back already?"

The demon tossed his silver hair aside looking at his henchman with a severe lack of interest. "I do not appreciate your telling stories of myself and my brother to every traveler you meet Jakken."

"Of course not Milord!" Jakken pressed himself to the ground, bowing as low as he could. "This... Rin wanted him to come Lord, you must understand how impossible it is to get—"

Sesshomaru silenced Jakken and completely ignored the fact that this was Rin's fault. "What part of looking after the girl was difficult?" he asked coolly. "You," Sesshomaru paused the interrogation to meet eyes with the traveler that Jakken had been talking to who was slowly moving from his place into a low bow. "Your name?"

Kenshin looked up and seeing Sesshomaru nod, as a Lord should to acknowledge him, he stood up. "This one's name is Himura Kenshin, a simple rurouni who crossed the path of this young girl and demon in the forest just a little while ago," he paused, his hand instinctively moving to his sword. "Rin-san wished for me to accompany her."

"I see that," once again it was impossible to derive anything from the demon's face or tone of voice. There was no hint of aggravation or anything to indicate otherwise. He wouldn't admit to it, but Rin had more power over him than he'd like to believe. In his mind and unbeknownst to the others, Sesshomaru was looking over the mortal who stood in front of him. He saw a warrior, a true warrior—obviously much more skilled than many Samurai he'd killed—despite his size standing in front of him. 'He could prove to be useful.'

"If his presence displeases you," Kenshin swept into a bow once more. "This one will gladly leave. He has no desire to stay where he is not wanted," his tone was polite and cheerful, hoping this demon wouldn't dismember him. Kenshin could hardly stand his ground against a half-demon, and the one who stood in front of him now was a full demon Lord, who looked as if he had a mind for strategy. This was not someone he would like to fight with.

A simple smirk played across Sesshomaru's lips and immediately sent a chill down the rurouni's spine. "I think a warrior like you could be useful in times like these," his tone was still even, though now his voice seemed chilling and absolutely evil because of his smirk and glaring golden eyes. "A warrior like you should be fighting. There's a great aura around you... I sense it. You hold great power, why waste it?"

Kenshin shook his head. "N...no. I could never kill again. I promised myself, after Tomoe—" Sesshomaru stepped forward and Kenshin's blade whipped out of its sheath. "I will not."

"I don't think you understand the extent of my power. You will do what I ask."

Jakken smiled and cheered briefly. "Yes m--"

"Silence Jakken," he stated bitterly, a command that was quickly obeyed. "It doesn't matter what your mind or heart say... not once I have chosen to employ you. Naraku-san could use a powerful warrior such as yourself."

' "I don't care what you say. This demon deserves to die. He makes a life off other peoples pain, enjoys them struggling for their sanity and making people whom they thought they could trust appear like enemies. People and demons alike... we're all toys to him... This demon deserves to die." ' Kenshin relayed in his mind. Without any more chance for thought he ran, nearly tripping over Rin who woke with a start.

"Where are you going Himura-kun?" she called but got no response.

Sesshomaru appeared in front of the rurouni, much faster than his hanyou brother. He grabbed the other's wrist with his hand and watched as the skin started to open from the acidic poison from his claws. The rurouni writhed in pain from his grasp. "Let go!" he angrily lashed out with his sword, the sakabatou only putting a miniscule dent in the other's armor.

Eventually the struggle stopped. Enough poison had seeped into the rurouni's system that he had fallen unconscious, most likely dieing a slow death, mentally struggling against the body-bind the poison would put a mortal human in.

"Is he..." Rin started, looking at the pale figure of the rurouni, hardly breathing if he was at all.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Go back to sleep Rin," he told her, knowing she'd obey the command with amazing obedience. Now the Lord stood under the watchful eye of his henchman as he stared into the depths of the forest, covered in darkness although the sun now rose. He could feel it. Naraku was coming. Now he'd see just how useful the rurouni could be.

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"Well then let's get out of here!" Inu-Yasha barked, restless for a chance to leave. "Kagome's back that's what we were waiting for." When no one jumped up at the order to move he snorted in frustration. "What else is there to do? I for one don't want to just sit around and wait for Naraku."

"Neither do we Lord Inu-Yasha but we've been to all the villages around here and the shards will come to us if we wait," Sango stated coolly. She patted a purring Kirara who sat in her lap contently.

"They'll come to us if we're moving to!" the hanyou retorted. He'd been cooped up in one spot for so long now he'd been quite ready for any excuse to leave, and now everyone was sitting around talking. "You can talk on the way there."

Kagome sighed angrily, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Fine Inu-Yasha! We'll go. Have some patience for once, will you?" she had thought momentarily about sitting him, but that would have only shortened his fuse.

They headed outside and a whirlwind headed over. "Inu-Yasha, what were you doing yelling at my woman, eh?" Kouga asked, his tail flickering in annoyance.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inu-Yasha spat, glowering at the wolf as he tried to take a step towards Kagome. "And why didn't you tell me he was coming??"

"Because I knew you'd act like THIS! SIT BOY!" she yelled temperamentally and as Inu-Yasha crashed to the ground, Kouga swept her up into his arms.

"Ah Kagome... how I missed your sweet scent," he was about to bring her closer when he found her struggling. "Is there something wrong?"

Kagome sighed, not in the mood for this at all. "Let me go Kouga, now is NOT the time," with a brief mutter of 'as you wish' he put her back on her feet with a sigh. "Now we have to be going."

"Of course Kagome, but you know one day I'll decapitate that mutt and have you to myself. I have matters to attend to anyway," with that, and just as Inu-Yasha rose to his feet, Kouga ran off.

As the group wandered along a beaten path in the forest Inu-Yasha only muttered to himself, complaining as always about 'that rotten wolf' and how annoying he was, calling Kagome 'his woman'. Not that it mattered to him of course; he just couldn't stand Kouga. "I... I think I feel something," Kagome stated, breaking the silence that surrounded the group. "Yes, I'm almost positive. A shard, off that way."

Everyone looked to where she pointed, directly to the left and into the depths of the forest, where people usually didn't dare enter. There was something strange though. It had to be at least one o'clock by now, yet the forest was dark, as if it were night. "That can't be good," the monk remarked, and all of them agreed, knowing that the Shikon shard had to have some relation to the darkness.

Inu-Yasha scowled, sniffing the air just ahead of him to the left. He pulled back, wrinkling his nose with distaste and holding his sleeve over it. "Death," he commented. "It smells dead, and I think Naraku's here too, but his scent is weak."

"Probably one of his spawn or henchmen," Sango commented to the nodding of the others as they started into the heavy brush.

But once again, there seemed to be something on the inu-hanyou's mind, he didn't say a word though, not until he could be sure of the scent that was riding just under the smell of the dead. 'This can't be good.'

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R&R!! Let's see what happens next time I update. Until then! Ja ne!

Oh, and by the way, Kouga's appearance isn't ALL that random, just so you know.