Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...nor do I make a profit from this story.
A/N: haha I know I am a stinker for leaving you all off on such a cliffy. I hope that this chapter will make up for it...it should answer a few minor questions. At least I hope that it does anyway.
This story is rated 'M' for a reason...keep that in mind kiddos.
W-where am I?
Rin squinted her eyes through the dark room she was in.
The last thing that I remember was walking behind Sesshomaru...
Rin shook her head. Then then next thing she knew she was being held back, unable to move or cry out to Sesshomaru for help. The crazy thing is that she could have sworn she saw herself...walking behind Sesshomaru turning the corner to go down the staircase.
"Now now Rin there is no need to panic."
A man walked up to Rin with long black hair and blue eyes. His clothes were normal...minus the coat he was wearing. It looked like a baboon's fur coat.
"My name is Naraku..."
Rin gasped.
"I-...YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME!" Rin yelled at the top of her lungs. She tried to lunge at him only to be held still. She looked down and squinted. There was nothing binding her arms or legs together or holding her down to the chair she was sitting in...yet she could not move.
She heard Naraku chuckle...it sent chills up and down her spine. She had never heard a sound so evil.
"That will only tire you out little Rin. I need you fully awake and energized for what I have in store for you."
Rin's eyes widened. What does he mean by that?!
"Here let me get a fire going...you must be feeling the cold...after all why else would you be shaking? Surely the great Sesshomaru wouldn't dream of choosing someone who showed their fear by shaking as you are."
Rin's lips tightened. "Trust me that isn't why I am shaking."
She heard him chuckle again before he walked over to the fire place to her right. He bent down and Rin took the time to study him. She hadn't seen him before but...there was something in his eyes that reminded her of someone...who was it?
It isn't Sesshomaru...his eyes may be overly calm at times but...when he looked at her.
Rin shook her head. Now was not the time to think about her feelings. She had to find a way out of here.
As she looked over on the mantel of the fire she noticed a single jar sat alone.
Rin focused her attention from the jar to Naraku again. He stood up straight and looked at her.
"There now that should take the shiver away from your body."
Rin's lips tightened again. "I told you that wasn't the reason why I was shaking."
Naraku cocked an eyebrow at her. "And I am supposed to believe that you aren't afraid right now?"
Rin shook her head. "No...I never said I wasn't afraid. I told you that fear wasn't the reason that I was shaking."
"Really then what is the reason?"
Rin gave him a false smile, the smile she only saved for people who made her mad. The one that showed no teeth but also held a steady glare to the person she was 'smiling' at.
"I am shaking out of anger."
Naraku's laugh filled the room. "Well now isn't that just adorable."
Naraku turned his back on Rin before he spoke again.
"You know you almost had me convinced..." He said before he turned to look at Rin over his shoulder.
Rin watched as he walked out of the room.
It was empty except for the dining room chair that Rin was sitting in and the jar sitting on the mantel.
She took the time to really study the jar. At first glance it looks like a plane white ceramic jar. Then the shadows from the fire made the jar come to life. The flicker of the flames brought out ornate decorations of gray and blue dragons.
Why have this room empty except for that jar?
Rin looked back at the fire, watching the flames dance around.
"Tell me Rin...have you ever loved someone?"
Rin jumped in her seat and looked towards the door. When did he come back in?
"Izayoi told me I was in love with Sesshomaru before you erased my memory."
Rin controlled the tone of her voice, trying her hardest not to sound too venomous.
"Why do you ask?" She narrowed her eyes towards his shadow knowing he could clearly see her.
Naraku chuckled lightly. "Do you wish to have those memories back?"
Rin nodded. Where is he going with this?
"That pack of idiots think that by killing me your memory will return. However, no one knows how to kill me. Not even Kanna...that traitor sister of mine."
Rin's eyebrows drew together.
"I loved my sister Kagura. She was the only one who was ever as ambitious as I was. And she did everything to prove herself to the youkai she felt was worthy of her. As it turns out that youkai was Sesshomaru. I tried to warn her that he was merely using her. Trying to pass the time by being with her. However, my dearest sister didn't listen to me. Even after you tuned up into the picture...she still felt she had a shot. I offered her the chance to be a great power like me. Then nothing was impossible to her...all she had to do was give up her feelings for him. You could say I asked her to give up her heart...to me and only me."
Rin felt like gagging. He was really in love with his sister...in that way!
Naraku must have sensed what she was thinking.
"No it was not like that. I know that she and I would have killed each other if we truly loved each other like that. No...For her to give up her heart to me I meant that she would have no chance to get hurt again. Some people say that a person's heart is their voice of reason more so than the brain."
Rin nodded. Without her heart...she wouldn't get her...she would be void of emotion and reason. Without those two things she would be able to do things and not be bothered by it.
"Why did I see myself?"
Naraku chuckled. He had forgotten that this girl was fully unaware of all of his tricks.
"I can create puppets to look like anyone I desire. I created one to look like you...that puppet followed Sesshomaru downstairs. Then I created one to look like that old fool Totosai. Although, I needed his DNA to make the puppet smell like him to get said puppet past Jaken and the others. I already had yours."
Rin's eyes widened.
"That old man put up a fight" Naraku walked behind Rin and placed his hands on her shoulders. "But he was easily defeated. Now he sits in my basement waiting for his turn to die."
Naraku gave Rin's shoulders a slight squeeze. It took her a moment to realize that he just loosened the force that held her down tightly. Now she was able to cross her arms and legs. She still couldn't move her back or butt of the chair though.
"Maybe I will place you in the same room as him later little Rin. But for now...you must remain here. I need to go and see how things are unfolding since that fool was blinded by my miasma."
Rin gasped. "What do you mean?! W-who is blind?"
Naraku started to walk to the door. Before closing it he said "Sesshomaru."
Rin started to struggle with her invisible restraints once again. She pulled herself upwards with all of her might. But, nothing changed.
She started to pant in an attempt to catch her breath.
With every breath she took a cry bubbled in her throat inching its way out. It took a few more breaths before the scream was released.
Sesshomaru is blind...
Sesshomaru is blind...
Rin's head fell forward and her shoulders slumped.
It was all her fault. If she was paying attention instead of focusing on the butterflies in her stomach after they had kissed, she would have seen or felt something or someone behind her.
Right?
Maybe she would have been able to make some sort of noise as she was taken...anything to get his attention.
Rin refocused her thoughts on what exactly blinded Sesshomaru. Naraku had called it miasma.
Where have I heard or seen that word before?
It took a moment to remember:
"Miasma also known as "Swamp Gas".
A highly-corrosive and poisonous gaseous mist, a purple, smoke-like form, used by many demons as a means of both attack and/or defense."
That was something she had learned in elementary school. When the humans were learning about why they should be cautious of fighting with youkai. You never know what a specific type of youkai was capable of.
Rin blinked as she saw an image in her mind. She was sitting on Sesshomaru's lap.
She shook her head.
Where had that come from?!
Rin blushed.
Was that an old memory? From before...
Rin smiled. It wasn't much but it was enough to get her to refocus on how to get out of the room she was in. She needed to get back with Sesshomaru. Even if she couldn't have her full memory back. Maybe she could remember on her own. There was no need to face Naraku and risk anyone getting hurt again.
She let out a sigh...that was not going to happen.
She lifted her head backwards allowing the back of her head to touch the top of the chair's back. Closing her eyes she listened to the silence of the room.
A faint thump made her open her eyes.
She looked around the room.
Is that Totosai knocking from the basement?
Rin felt a wave of sadness fill her heart before she realized she had to have had Sesshomaru or Inuyasha's hearing to hear something from the basement.
She looked around the room.
"It has to be coming from this room..." she whispered.
W-what is that?
Rin heard the faint thumping again. Looking around she focuses hearing on the thumping sound.
Holding her breath she looked at the jar.
She gasped as she realized the thumping was coming from the jar on top of the mantel of the fireplace.
Rin focused on the jar. It took her a moment to recognize the thumping sound.
I-is that...
Is that a heartbeat?
Rin suddenly felt the force holding her down fully lift from her body. She got up from the chair looking at the jar as she walked to it.
"Rin..."
Rin gasped as she saw Sesshomaru standing in the doorway.
She started to walk to him before a feeling of fear washed over her.
"Lets go Rin. I have defeated Naraku."
Rin controlled her breathing as she spoke. "How did you kill him?"
She watched Sesshomaru's emotionless face. "I ripped his heart out."
Rin felt Sesshomaru's hand on her back silently ushering her to the door.
"Why are you doing this?" Rin's voice slightly shaking.
"What do you mean?"
"Pretending to be him..."
Sesshomaru let out a chuckle...Naraku's chuckle.
"Tell me little Rin what gave me away?"
Rin was silent. Thinking about her answer. She couldn't tell him the truth...that it is impossible for anyone to rip out Naraku's heart. Naraku kept his heart safely tucked away in a jar.
"It is just a feeling. When you put your hand on my back. It didn't feel the same."
It isn't a complete lie...it didn't feel like when Sesshomaru touched her.
"Well maybe I can change that..."
Rin felt bile rising in her throat as her face scrunched up at the thought of him touching her.
"Like the seven hells that will happen."
Naraku pulled off the charm he was wearing, throwing it to the wall instantly shattering it.
He no longer looked like Sesshomaru, but rather his self that Rin had seen before.
He grabbed Rin's upper arm digging his nails into her sleeve, cutting her skin beneath it.
Naraku forcefully dragged Rin faster down the hall to a door.
He opened it and pushed Rin in the door's entrance.
"Enjoy your time here little Rin. Perhaps in time you will change your mind."
Rin felt his hands on her shoulders again before she felt nothing...
It took her a second to realize that the nothing she was feeling was her falling.
She braced herself for a hard landing and the pain that would follow it.
However, instead of the impact of a harsh landing Rin felt herself land in a pair of arms...
"Don't worry Rin I've got you."
Rin looked up into the darkness in an attempt to see a face.
"Who are y-you?"
Rin heard a warm slight laugh. "I am Totosai."
She felt herself relax a little as Totosai helped pull her onto her feet.
"Thank you for catching me Totosai."
"Trust me my dear I wasn't going to allow you to fall and injure yourself."
Rin smiled.
"Now Rin you cannot really tell but you will be able to tell tomorrow, we are in a basement. There is a small window. It has a charm on it preventing anyone to leave...trust me I know. Unless you want to be zapped backwards so hard you dent the wall across the room. I wouldn't suggest trying it really."
She wanted to laugh. This old man really is crazy.
"For now I suggest you gather your strength and sleep."
"Wait...I..."
Rin almost told him about the Jar but recent events made her lack trust in others.
She shook her head. "Never mind it can wait until the morning."
"Alrighty then."
Rin felt her hand being guided by Totosai. After a few steps she felt her hand being placed on a hard surface.
"Feel your way down the wall to the floor and get some sleep. We will talk when the sun is up."
Totosai chuckled. "And after you have determined I am who I say I am."
Rin felt herself blush at being caught.
"Don't be embarrassed Rin. Where Naraku is involved it is better to be safe than sorry."
Rin nodded in agreement.
It only took her a few moments before she felt herself drift off to sleep.
A/N: Well this was kind of an informative chapter...or well...I think it is...at least you know what has happened to Totosai :D Thank you for all of your reviews! I hope that all of you like this chapter. Let me know what you think. I hope that all of you have a good weekend and a safe one at that. As always please review! Reviews make writers smile :D
Peace and Love,
June