Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, never have, never will, and I'm
just a poor student so you wouldn't get anything if you did sue me =P
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Kohaku swallowed heavily.
"Where are your companions little one? I know you couldn't have slain them all alone."
Kohaku was silent. She tightened her grip, the nails edging their way into his skin like pins. He grit his teeth, balling his fist against the encroaching pain.
"Speak up. I can't quite hear you. Of course, I could always find ways of making you scream. . ."
Kohaku heard a whizzing past his ears, and a sharp "thud;" the sound of something solid connecting with flesh. The youkai's grip tightened further on his neck, but she was no longer focusing on him. Kohaku glanced to his right to notice Rin standing tensely, with an unsheathed Tetsusaiga in her hand. The sheath was firmly gripped in the youkai's hand.
"Let him go!"
The youkai's grin bordered on a sneer.
"Go home child. I don't want you."
"I said let him go!" Rin hurled Tetsusaiga straight towards the female youkai. The blade spun, directed precisely at her, but the youkai spun Kohaku in front of her, the blade piercing deeply into his shoulder.
Rin gasped. "Oh no! Kohaku, I'm. . . ."
The youkai grinned with amusement. "You're aim is pretty good. Too bad . . . you were just a few inches off of doing some real damage." She tossed Kohaku to the ground and made her way slowly towards Rin. "Meddlesome girl. You've ruined my play toy. Now what am I do to?"
Weaponless, Rin backed slowly. She knew she was in trouble.
Kohaku, watched Rin slowly being backed into a corner and dragged himself up. Gripping the sword with his left hand, bracing himself against the ground with the other, he slid the dull blade out of his shoulder.
"Ahh!" he couldn't help but yell from the pain, his blood beginning to flow more freely the looser the blade became.
The youkai looked back at him with surprise, her amusement evident through the smile on her lips. "You can try, but I don't think it will be much of a fight in your current state."
Kohaku, grasping the sword with his left hand, he brought himself fully to his feet. His right arm would be a little out of commission, but he had to do what he could to save Rin. She had just saved him from a tight situation. It was his turn to return the favor.
"Your fight is with me."
The youkai grinned. She spun, striking Rin hard against the cheek and sent her reeling back. "That's for interefering," she purred coolly before slowly turning to face Kohaku again.
Rin scrambled to sit up and backed away, watching Kohaku and the youkai stare each other down. Kohaku raised the sword while the youkai kneeled into position.
That position! She's not going to. . .
The youkai disappeared.
"Hiraikotsu!"
A large boomerang appeared, slicing the air only a few feet in front of Kohaku. Kohaku didn't flinch, but the cat youkai appeared, jumping swiftly back to avoid Hiraikotsu's path.
She shot Sango a deadly glare.
In the blink of an eye, she had reached Sango. Right arm extended, her red glistening claws were held close to Sango's neck. But her eyes were on Kohaku.
"It will only take one stroke. Come on. I dare you to move."
Kohaku met her stare and threw Tetsusaiga straight at her.
She didn't flinch, the sword falling short and striking the ground merely a hand's length in front of her. "Hmph. Can't even aim properly."
She reached out with her left hand to grip the sword's handle but was immediately repelled by Tetsusaiga's barrier.
Sango used that brief diversion to attack. Quickly, she swung Hiraikotsu, but the cat youkai swiftly ducked in time.
Kohaku rushed forward, Sango tossed his weapon to him, and Kohaku motioned towards Rin. Sango nodded in understanding and quickly ran. She grabbed Rin by the hand, yanked her up and proceeded running deeper into the forest.
The youkai rounded on Kohaku, sneering angrily at Sango's escape.
"They can run now, but it's only a matter of time."
Kohaku swung his chain, the cat backflipping out of the blade's range. Landing on her feet, she crouched down and quickly leapt forward, before Kohaku pushed her back with the swipe of his blade.
Kohaku swung his chain once more, aiming at her chest. She leaped out of the chain's reach once more.
Dammit! She's too fast!
The youkai seemed to sense his frustration. She let Kohaku swing at her continuously, each time smoothly leaping clean way. Beads of perspiration began forming on his brow. She was toying with him and he knew it.
Kohaku lowered his weapon and stared straight at her. She smirked. She had been tiring him out with her defense; she has yet to attack him.
"What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted a fight!"
She flashed her feline grin while circling him; watching him carefully. "I didn't know you were so eager to die."
It seemed like merely seconds, but before his blade was even half raised, she caught his wrist with one hand, the other wrapped tightly around his throat, lifting him in the air.
"Is this what you were so eager for? Are you satisfied now?" Kohaku struggled to breathe in her grip, but he showed no signs of struggling. He met her cold stare, his face impassive and blank. He was alone now. No Sango or Rin to interefere, but it didn't matter now. As long as they could get away . . . as long as the village went unscathed, it would be okay. The youkai had only come for him.
The youkai grew annoyed with his expression. It was no fun to kill him if he was going to act so noble. Somehow she didn't think that torturing him would be too satisfying either. This was no revenge!
"How brave," she spat, "so willing to die and not a trace of fear, while your companions go running like. . . " The youkai's gaze wondered to the forest, to the path where Sango and Rin had escaped. She looked at him and grinned ferally. "Your companions," she mused. "Perhaps you do not value your own life, but I'm positive you value theirs."
She lowered Kohaku to the ground. Still holding his wrist, she quickly freed his neck only to drive her nails into his left thigh. A yell of pain escaped Kohaku. Teasingly, she slowly slid her nails out and pushed him to the floor.
"That should slow you down." She grinned. "I think it's time to go play with your companions." And she sprinted off into the forest.
Sesshoumaru caught Rin's scent. A brief flash of worry coursed through him and he wondered what she was doing out here in the forest.
When Rin ran into view, he noted that the female youkai hunter was with him, while Kohaku was no where in sight. His nerves calmed.
Kohaku must be fighting, but why are these two running? Hmph.
But another scent caught his attention. The youkai he has tracked down. . . She was approaching.
Soon enough, Sesshoumaru watched as she burst through the trees.
"Hiraikotsu!" The youkai hunter threw her weapon, but the youkai dodged with ease. She rushed towards the hunter and struck out with her claws. The hunter flipped back and quickly struck back with her own weapon.
Rin stood in the background watching wordlessly. She inched farther back as the hunter continued to battle the youkai. Sesshoumaru watched the emotions dance across her face; the myriad of anxiousness, worry, concern over the hunter, but yet no fear. She suddenly flinched when the hunter was struck from behind.
Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the fight. The youkai seemed to be getting impatient, like she was trying to kill the hunter quickly, but couldn't. Jumping high into the air, the hunger prepared to defend, but the youkai leaped straight over her, straight at Rin.
"Rin! Run!"
Sesshoumaru fought for control, fought the sudden urge to strike out at the cat youkai, knowing instinctually, that the youkai was too fast for Rin. She didn't have a chance.
The youkai caught her, claws raking across her back; blood splattered to the grass and Rin staggered from the blow.
Sesshoumaru stepped out of the shadows, let the light hit him and tried hard to unclench his teeth from his growing anger.
Rin's eyes grew wide. He tried not to look at her, but she looked like she was about to faint. Slowly, blood streaming down her back, she staggered forward.
What was she doing?
The cat youkai sneered. She struck Rin hard against the back of the head, sending her flying forward. Still, Rin paid the youkai no attention. Struggling to her knees, Sesshoumaru could see how she struggled with the pain. The smell of her blood permeated the air, but eyes never faltering, she crawled her way towards him.
"Sesshoumaru sama."
It was no more than a whisper. A tear trickled down her cheek, but her face suddenly lit up with the biggest smile.
For just a moment, Sesshoumaru was reminded. . . It was just like the smile she gave him that first time. . . the day in the forest when she had tried to take care of him. The same smile that had unnerved him and yet now gratified him in the most unusual way.
It was the smile that put him over the edge. Even now, while she faced danger, struggling with pain, all she did was smile at him.
He would never understand her.
But her affection stirred within him, that unwanted sentimentality he'd been trying to suppress since she left.
"Sesshoumaru sama. Yokatta.*" Her eyes closed and she fainted.
Sesshoumaru stared coolly at the youkai, standing tensely behind Rin. Her long claws now soaked in blood.
Kohaku or no, it was his turn now.
Note: yokatta means thank goodness.
Alright alright, I know that took me ages to get up. Sorry everyone who I've made impatient. I had no computer for two weeks _ Anyways, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last though, and I've already started it. I figured I'll be ambitious and try to get it done by the end of this week.
Thanks for the reviews everyone and thanks for reading =) Happy New Year everyone!
Kohaku swallowed heavily.
"Where are your companions little one? I know you couldn't have slain them all alone."
Kohaku was silent. She tightened her grip, the nails edging their way into his skin like pins. He grit his teeth, balling his fist against the encroaching pain.
"Speak up. I can't quite hear you. Of course, I could always find ways of making you scream. . ."
Kohaku heard a whizzing past his ears, and a sharp "thud;" the sound of something solid connecting with flesh. The youkai's grip tightened further on his neck, but she was no longer focusing on him. Kohaku glanced to his right to notice Rin standing tensely, with an unsheathed Tetsusaiga in her hand. The sheath was firmly gripped in the youkai's hand.
"Let him go!"
The youkai's grin bordered on a sneer.
"Go home child. I don't want you."
"I said let him go!" Rin hurled Tetsusaiga straight towards the female youkai. The blade spun, directed precisely at her, but the youkai spun Kohaku in front of her, the blade piercing deeply into his shoulder.
Rin gasped. "Oh no! Kohaku, I'm. . . ."
The youkai grinned with amusement. "You're aim is pretty good. Too bad . . . you were just a few inches off of doing some real damage." She tossed Kohaku to the ground and made her way slowly towards Rin. "Meddlesome girl. You've ruined my play toy. Now what am I do to?"
Weaponless, Rin backed slowly. She knew she was in trouble.
Kohaku, watched Rin slowly being backed into a corner and dragged himself up. Gripping the sword with his left hand, bracing himself against the ground with the other, he slid the dull blade out of his shoulder.
"Ahh!" he couldn't help but yell from the pain, his blood beginning to flow more freely the looser the blade became.
The youkai looked back at him with surprise, her amusement evident through the smile on her lips. "You can try, but I don't think it will be much of a fight in your current state."
Kohaku, grasping the sword with his left hand, he brought himself fully to his feet. His right arm would be a little out of commission, but he had to do what he could to save Rin. She had just saved him from a tight situation. It was his turn to return the favor.
"Your fight is with me."
The youkai grinned. She spun, striking Rin hard against the cheek and sent her reeling back. "That's for interefering," she purred coolly before slowly turning to face Kohaku again.
Rin scrambled to sit up and backed away, watching Kohaku and the youkai stare each other down. Kohaku raised the sword while the youkai kneeled into position.
That position! She's not going to. . .
The youkai disappeared.
"Hiraikotsu!"
A large boomerang appeared, slicing the air only a few feet in front of Kohaku. Kohaku didn't flinch, but the cat youkai appeared, jumping swiftly back to avoid Hiraikotsu's path.
She shot Sango a deadly glare.
In the blink of an eye, she had reached Sango. Right arm extended, her red glistening claws were held close to Sango's neck. But her eyes were on Kohaku.
"It will only take one stroke. Come on. I dare you to move."
Kohaku met her stare and threw Tetsusaiga straight at her.
She didn't flinch, the sword falling short and striking the ground merely a hand's length in front of her. "Hmph. Can't even aim properly."
She reached out with her left hand to grip the sword's handle but was immediately repelled by Tetsusaiga's barrier.
Sango used that brief diversion to attack. Quickly, she swung Hiraikotsu, but the cat youkai swiftly ducked in time.
Kohaku rushed forward, Sango tossed his weapon to him, and Kohaku motioned towards Rin. Sango nodded in understanding and quickly ran. She grabbed Rin by the hand, yanked her up and proceeded running deeper into the forest.
The youkai rounded on Kohaku, sneering angrily at Sango's escape.
"They can run now, but it's only a matter of time."
Kohaku swung his chain, the cat backflipping out of the blade's range. Landing on her feet, she crouched down and quickly leapt forward, before Kohaku pushed her back with the swipe of his blade.
Kohaku swung his chain once more, aiming at her chest. She leaped out of the chain's reach once more.
Dammit! She's too fast!
The youkai seemed to sense his frustration. She let Kohaku swing at her continuously, each time smoothly leaping clean way. Beads of perspiration began forming on his brow. She was toying with him and he knew it.
Kohaku lowered his weapon and stared straight at her. She smirked. She had been tiring him out with her defense; she has yet to attack him.
"What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted a fight!"
She flashed her feline grin while circling him; watching him carefully. "I didn't know you were so eager to die."
It seemed like merely seconds, but before his blade was even half raised, she caught his wrist with one hand, the other wrapped tightly around his throat, lifting him in the air.
"Is this what you were so eager for? Are you satisfied now?" Kohaku struggled to breathe in her grip, but he showed no signs of struggling. He met her cold stare, his face impassive and blank. He was alone now. No Sango or Rin to interefere, but it didn't matter now. As long as they could get away . . . as long as the village went unscathed, it would be okay. The youkai had only come for him.
The youkai grew annoyed with his expression. It was no fun to kill him if he was going to act so noble. Somehow she didn't think that torturing him would be too satisfying either. This was no revenge!
"How brave," she spat, "so willing to die and not a trace of fear, while your companions go running like. . . " The youkai's gaze wondered to the forest, to the path where Sango and Rin had escaped. She looked at him and grinned ferally. "Your companions," she mused. "Perhaps you do not value your own life, but I'm positive you value theirs."
She lowered Kohaku to the ground. Still holding his wrist, she quickly freed his neck only to drive her nails into his left thigh. A yell of pain escaped Kohaku. Teasingly, she slowly slid her nails out and pushed him to the floor.
"That should slow you down." She grinned. "I think it's time to go play with your companions." And she sprinted off into the forest.
Sesshoumaru caught Rin's scent. A brief flash of worry coursed through him and he wondered what she was doing out here in the forest.
When Rin ran into view, he noted that the female youkai hunter was with him, while Kohaku was no where in sight. His nerves calmed.
Kohaku must be fighting, but why are these two running? Hmph.
But another scent caught his attention. The youkai he has tracked down. . . She was approaching.
Soon enough, Sesshoumaru watched as she burst through the trees.
"Hiraikotsu!" The youkai hunter threw her weapon, but the youkai dodged with ease. She rushed towards the hunter and struck out with her claws. The hunter flipped back and quickly struck back with her own weapon.
Rin stood in the background watching wordlessly. She inched farther back as the hunter continued to battle the youkai. Sesshoumaru watched the emotions dance across her face; the myriad of anxiousness, worry, concern over the hunter, but yet no fear. She suddenly flinched when the hunter was struck from behind.
Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the fight. The youkai seemed to be getting impatient, like she was trying to kill the hunter quickly, but couldn't. Jumping high into the air, the hunger prepared to defend, but the youkai leaped straight over her, straight at Rin.
"Rin! Run!"
Sesshoumaru fought for control, fought the sudden urge to strike out at the cat youkai, knowing instinctually, that the youkai was too fast for Rin. She didn't have a chance.
The youkai caught her, claws raking across her back; blood splattered to the grass and Rin staggered from the blow.
Sesshoumaru stepped out of the shadows, let the light hit him and tried hard to unclench his teeth from his growing anger.
Rin's eyes grew wide. He tried not to look at her, but she looked like she was about to faint. Slowly, blood streaming down her back, she staggered forward.
What was she doing?
The cat youkai sneered. She struck Rin hard against the back of the head, sending her flying forward. Still, Rin paid the youkai no attention. Struggling to her knees, Sesshoumaru could see how she struggled with the pain. The smell of her blood permeated the air, but eyes never faltering, she crawled her way towards him.
"Sesshoumaru sama."
It was no more than a whisper. A tear trickled down her cheek, but her face suddenly lit up with the biggest smile.
For just a moment, Sesshoumaru was reminded. . . It was just like the smile she gave him that first time. . . the day in the forest when she had tried to take care of him. The same smile that had unnerved him and yet now gratified him in the most unusual way.
It was the smile that put him over the edge. Even now, while she faced danger, struggling with pain, all she did was smile at him.
He would never understand her.
But her affection stirred within him, that unwanted sentimentality he'd been trying to suppress since she left.
"Sesshoumaru sama. Yokatta.*" Her eyes closed and she fainted.
Sesshoumaru stared coolly at the youkai, standing tensely behind Rin. Her long claws now soaked in blood.
Kohaku or no, it was his turn now.
Note: yokatta means thank goodness.
Alright alright, I know that took me ages to get up. Sorry everyone who I've made impatient. I had no computer for two weeks _ Anyways, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last though, and I've already started it. I figured I'll be ambitious and try to get it done by the end of this week.
Thanks for the reviews everyone and thanks for reading =) Happy New Year everyone!