Hi there! Well, I'm still on vacations so I tok less time with this translating thing. Anyway, I had a bad day (a bottle fell on my foot and now its kind of swollen and purple) yet I still made this for you! :D By the way, I think there's a ghost outside, so I'll post this and then I'll rush to my room D:

Enjoy :)

The Empire Counterattacks

Rin was forced to ride Ah-Un due to the speed her Lord was having. It seemed something important had happened, ever since the group parted, a tiny light of concern was visible through Sesshomaru's golden ice eyes. She touched the side of her waist and let out a sigh of relief when checking that her sword Rakyutsa was hanging there, she felt she would need it. She smiled proudly when she remember how well she had fought against Jatemaru, a smile that grew when se remembered the pride visible on the demon's eyes. She starting singing happily

- Milord, what is the problem with this crazy child? She started singing out of nowhere!- Jaken complained, arching an almost inexistent brow. That girl must have been planning something in that Machiavellian mind of hers

- …In the mountains, in the forest, in the breeze, in my dreams…- hummed quietly Rin

Sesshomaru, who hadn't even looked down to Jaken, opened his eyes with surprise and vague…longing? That song, so lost in time, yet so close, so familiar. Rin used to sing that song when she patiently waited for his return as a little girl, and it has been long since she'd done that. He felt the urge to smile but managed to control himself. He glared his ward from the corner of his eyes, seeing in her the little girl she no longer was, that girl who ran happily through field of flowers, dancing, and that gave to him bouquets of them, even though she well knew their weren't his favorite accessory. But he always kept them. He decreased his speed when remembering those past years (something quite uncommon on him)

It was rather amusing, Rin could have grown and matured in many ways, as Bokusenou had pointed out, but before his eyes she kept the same lively essence, with that same joy, happiness and innocence. It seemed that the whole world could change (including him), but Rin would just be the same: the girl who gave her flowers, the girl that always followed him, that always obeyed him despite her free nature, the girl that always waited for him patiently… Rin… Rin would always be by his side.

What on Earth was happening to him? Sincerely, he didn't know, and by now, didn't care.

He turned to observe Rin fully, who was singing happily. When she saw him, she smiled the brightest and gentlest smile he had seen on her for some time… since she had told him of she and Hakamaru… Sesshomaru frowned at the sudden hard feeling that invaded him when she remembered that affaire, which seemed to weigh on his stone heart… but which vanished when seeing the smile Rin still held on her happy lips, dangling her feet lightly.

Quite a contrast, with her sword tight to her waist. So fierce, yet so innocent.

Rin couldn't help but smile at the golden glare her master was placing upon her. He remembered! He also remembered that song too! She could see it in the nostalgia and the softness his eyes, only evident to her searching eyes.

Sesshomaru kept watching, almost studying her, but his glare was tainted with sadness for a fraction of a second. Rin would not be able to be with him forever, to be his right hand, his confident, his… his…almost everything; she would die someday, and her song would be never heard again.

A loud noise took them both out of their respective thoughts. Sesshomaru was rather glad of it, he didn't know how far his mind would trail… great! Now, besides the dream, her fight, her image in her sleep, he had this! Absolutely awesome!

They hadn't noticed it, but the landscape had gradually changed from a leafy forest to a dead one. Sesshomaru was a bit… confused; the scent of blood wasn't coming precisely from this place, though it could be smelled strongly from all directions.

Suddenly, the earth shook: a bad sign

Rin had all her senses alert, in fact she could have sworn she smelled something like blood, but maybe her nose was betraying her

She felt her ankle being pulled strongly towards down. She looked to the spot where se felt the force coming from, and saw that a hand made out of soil or clay or whatever, was the responsible of the sudden pull. Dammit, she was decentralized

- Rin- her lord was aware of

- Don't worry- she said as she used her other foot to blast the hand into pieces- I have it all under control

Now it was Sesshomaru's turn to fill his own foot being pulled

- Pathetic- he used his wip

Quickly, as if alerted of their presence, hundred of those soldiers came out of the ground and started to surround them.

- My Lord, this is quite familiar- the human said as she handled a group of enemies- it is quite obvious Jakemaru is behind this entire scheme. We didn't kill him!

The demon nodded; he had thought that since the moment he saw the soldier's hand grab her ankle. Besides, the smell of blood came from them; probably they had destroyed a village close by. But, most important: Jakemaru was alive.

Destroying those puppets was an easy task for him, only using his green whip as a weapon

His golden eyes opened with concern when smelling more blood.

Rin's blood

He turned quickly and saw that, besides that her wound on the shoulder had reopened (humans had really pathetic healing processes), those things had taken advantage of a moment of distraction and threw her to the ground, her sword falling meters behind.

He was going her way, already his knuckles making a deadly sound, when a new wave of enemies grabbed him by his back, pulling him to the ground, ready to suck him in.

- Lord Sesshomaru!- her voice was heard within the mass of puppets as Rin got up kicking them and quickly ran towards him, Rakyutsa tightly grasped in her hand. She used her strong legs to make a quite high jump, and when she fell she destroyed a bunch of more enemies, but her features contorted with pain; yet, she kept running towards… his rescue?, making her way through the puppets with her sword. Then, she jumped over Sesshomaru and destroyed the captors that kept him paralyzed.

- Rin- he just said

- Yes, you can thank me later- the young woman joked, and positioned herself against his back, so they were protecting each other, as the soldiers continued to surround them- I think is time to destroy some ugly puppets- she said and raised her sword. Sesshomaru also raised his hand in deadly anticipation, glaring with evil the mass of enemies.

The soldiers attacked.

While Sesshomaru used his whip with amazing grace and experience, he couldn't help but think on… yeah, Rin again. Why now!? Why did he have to let his guard down and his back free in order to protect Rin, though he knew well she soul manage the situation all by herself?! Those questions and a few more flooded his mind like ocean waves, especially now they were so close. He felt her arms move with ease and decision to cleanly pierce an enemy. He felt her shoulder blades under the silk sheet her skin and kimono were. He felt their hairs, ice white and warm brown intertwine. He felt her a bit tired breath and scent almost in his nape. He felt… since when did he start to, in the first place? What on Earth was happening to him? Why now? "Rin, what are you unleashing?"

He heard another blast produced by his ward, now so close to him, when destroying another puppet

While she displayed all the techniques learned through all these years of training, Rin destroyed and destroyed, an, though she was rather tired, she was also very proud. But, above all, she felt lucky and happy to be able to fight literally side by side with her lord, with the greatest warrior her brown eyes had ever seen. The pressure made by his strong back against hers, the green dashes of light of his whip, the unconscious shift of weight between his two legs for balance, each movement reveled all his majesty, power and majesty, a legendary being feared by everyone, but who laid on a golden pedestal to her. Almost nobody had ever understood her like and admiration towards such a cruel demon as him. But not for her; she knew better, after all… how could she be protected by someone who was supposedly evil? For God's sake, these puppets did never end their attack! She saw the green light of the youkai's weapon disintegrate an enemy who was more close than what was safe…oh, this of being so close to him, of knowing she was skilled enough to fight a real fight with him and help him and… protect him, as he had done countless of times… to feel his white hair in her arms, moved by the soft cool (thankfully!) breeze and the moves made by him, his muscles tense on the duel… it was all like a dream, kind of a fantasy. She suddenly wished to never wake up and remain attached to his back forever, even if on battle.

After some long moments, the situation was unbearable.

- My Lord, we can't keep this up, this bloody things come out from nowhere and non-stop!- Rin said panting

- Indeed. We need to find their weak spot- Sesshomaru coolly answered without a single hint of tire.

- But, wait a minute, if these soldiers came out of the soil beneath us, and their purpose is, I suppose, to drug us to it… it may mean both are somehow connected- the human said with a triumphant smile and her eyes wide open with the discovered connection. Sesshomaru had already thought that, and was glad that she agreed.- Lord Sesshomaru, I need you to make that protector spiral with your whip while I destroy this things.

- Very well, but you shall keep close

- I wasn't intending to do the opposite.- she smiles

She then knelt and stuck her Rakyutsa on the ground, closed het eyes and started to form that characteristic purple aura.

- The wind that kisses the leaves, the sea that brushes the coast, the animals, the rivers, the sky and the sun that caresses me. Oh, spirits in nature, hear my plea! Oh, kamis, answer my calls! May the soul here presented and the strength in her concentrated, and the sword here held, unite and destroy this enemy that threatens!

Sesshomaru had stopped paying attention to the almost automatic movement he made making his protective shield, and concentrated on that weird chant that the human made. He then saw, with no little surprise, as that violet aura concentrated in the sword and started to send something like waves through the ground, as it pulsed every time a new one was lashed.

After some of them, everything ended.

The soldiers instantly collapsed, as if the force that kept them moving had suddenly vanished with the wind.

Sesshomaru let his whip disappear slowly. He heard Rin quietly cry in happiness and sigh in relief. He meditated the whole thing. They must have to arrive to the palace fast, for the possibility of a new attack was high; Jatemaru was alive. In that moment, his keen nose detected a scent he knew, but couldn't identify. When he opened his golden eyes, he thought to have seen a dash of orange eyes.

Nokhu

He was unsheathing his unused Tokijin in order to pursue him, when the demon heard a low noise.

Rin was laying semi-conscious, blood staining her shoulder, Rakyutsa still firm in her grasp. He went to her and picked her in his arms softly, as if she was going to break in any minute, letting her sweated face rest on his stole.

- My Lord, your thing's so fluffy!- she quietly murmured and rubbed her face against the soft stole- it seems I overexerted myself, that spell wasn't for me, they taught it to me when they believed on the village I had some kind of power. Big fail- she smiled

"You have it"

- You are wounded- he pointed out

- I'm kind of staining you with blood; that never comes out easily… she made a minimum effort to move

- No

"I shall protect you"

- Oh, my wound reopened. Damn it- she said with frustration, diverting her gaze from his- and Jaken?

- He was thrown unconscious at the beginning. Ah-Un is with him

- I'm happy he's actually alive, thought he would never make it out alive… I'm, after all, a genius, I saved the day! Woohoo- she said with enthusiasm, punching him playfully on his shoulder- Ok, let me stand up, I am no wounded soldier.

She hardly stood, a bit dizzy and tired, but managed to balance. Yet, when she made one step, he face contorted with pain and let a small, low cry of pain, come out (she hated to shout like a weak girl), and collapsed. Or would have collapsed, if Sesshomaru's firm arm wouldn't have caught her before it, who laid her in the ground in order to examine her. Even if the only light came from the high moon, the demon's eyes had no problem on spotting the problem. Her left ankle was badly swollen. He now remembered the instant when she landed after that high jump she made to help him; he had clearly seen the pain in her face.

- I have my ankle swollen, right?- Sesshomaru simply nodded, a cool façade on his face- I quite expected it. It hurt me since we stopped battling.

He said nothing; he just picked her up and walked away, commanding Ah-Un to follow with the still unconscious green toad.

While he slowly walked towards some clear in the forest, Sesshomaru looked to her protégée, studying her again. She was unconscious, mixture of the loss of blood, her swollen ankle, the spell and the sleep she needed. He took his time as he studied all her features, though not perfect or incredibly beautiful, matched one another nicely: her shiny brown eyes, now hidden by eyelids crowned with lashed not extremely long, her long sharp nose, her mouth, some tiny pimples, denoting her youth… She looked so vulnerable, so delicate, so helpless; nobody could have recognized her as the skillful warrior that just moments before had managed to execute a complex spell through a demonic sword. Neither they would have related her to the artist she could be, nor to the careless an happy, free girl that sang in the middle of the flower fields, nor with the great lady that appeared so finely dressed during the official dinners, when he meted with his allies, and she always had an intelligent answer, or an eloquent opinion. She always tricked and amused the guests. So many faces, but at the same time, the same person, the same soul: so unique, so ravishing, so happy, so… Rin. He could clearly feel her slow breath on his shoulder through the haori, her slightly parted lips on his collar bone. He shuddered.

What the hell had just happened?!

His silhouette became lost within the night mist, his eyes fixed straightly, within his arms he held close to him the slim figure of the sleeping woman.

CHAN CHAN CHAN! What is happening to our dear Fluffy?! Please understand, it is getting quite difficult to make Sesshomaru the way he really is on the show (with aboslutely no feelings), but I'm doing my best :) You can talk to me about that while you send me a REVIEW! really, reviews want me to keep going :D