All Standard Disclaimers Apply
Sapphire (): Thank you for your complements. I know! Sess/Kag fics bug me. I don't see that happening at all. Anyone who likes that pairing, don't be mad, but Inuyasha and Kagome are made for each other. Kikiyo should just stay dead too.
Lady Sable(): They are quite cute, aren't they? Oh well, "the path of love never did run smooth", as you will be seeing.
Emily Tseng: You have my permission to review as much as you want. I love reviews.(hint hint) Its nice to see you so enthusiastic. I kinda put the lid on the cutsie stuff for this chapter. I wanted to establish some important points. But it will come back soon. Promise
miko demon hunter: Don't die, please! I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Look! I updated! Live, read, and be happy.
Shadow Spinner: Thank you. They are a cute. That's why I'm writing about them. My insatiable desire for cuteness lives on.
GreaterBeast-Xellas: I'm gald you like my fic. Hopefully you will find this chapter interesting.
Growth In-Between Times"Sesshoumaru-sama" Sesshoumaru looked over at Rin, she was sleeping peacefully, with a smile on her face. She was having a sweet dream.
Chapter 5: The Miko
It was morning. Rin had woken with memories of last night still imprinted in her mind. But soon she began to wonder if it had been only a dream. Sesshoumaru-sama did not seem any different than before. He was still as cold and aloof as ever. The idea of him comforting and caring for her seemed almost laughable in the morning light. 'It doesn't matter if it was a dream or if it wasn't. Nothing has changed between us. But does that matter? I was happy with the way things were before, why should I want them to change? Why does there feel like something is missing? Why do I want more? And what is it exactly that I want?
Having spent all those years with the Miko and away from human society had left Rin completely clueless about her feelings. If she had ever been in the company of girls her age, she would have, by joining the normal topic of conversation that girl's her age have (namely boys), been able to identify what this pounding sensation she felt in her heart was. She would have known why it was that whenever she looked at Sesshoumaru her blood rushed and her knees felt wobbly. As it was, she only became more confused by the minute. And actually found the fact that he was ignoring her a relief.
She looked at Sesshoumaru again and saw that he had drawn the two orbs from out of his sleeve and had laid them next to the Tenseiga that was lying unsheathed on the grass near his feat. Her interest as a Miko piqued, Rin shuffled close to Sesshoumaru to observe what he was going to do. Jaken also observed what they were doing and came nearby to watch. Sesshoumaru touched the two orbs together and then laid them on the Tenseiga. The two orbs began glow with a hidden fire from within their murky depths. Slowly they began to fuse, until there was only one orb instead of the two. Then from within the single orb a shock of white electricity shot out and covered all of Tenseiga, suffusing it in a white light. Slowly the shocking and cackling abated, and the Tenseiga returned to normal. The orb rolled a few feet away form the Tenseiga and stopped.
Sesshoumaru picked up his sword and slashed the air in front of him. He then held it in front of him and tried to observe any changes within it. He frowned; he could sense nothing different with the Tenseiga. It had the same weight, shape, feel, and gave off the same aura it had given off before. Had the Orb of Eons worked? Or was that old Miko still laughing at them from behind her sleeve. Rin observed Sesshoumaru's displeased expression. She held out her had and said, " Let me see Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru looked at her with a surprised expression. She hastened to explain " I have spent many years of training with the Miko, perhaps I will sense the change within the sword since I have a better idea of what to look for." Sesshoumaru was shocked by her audacity. She wanted to touch his sword; she had "a better idea of what to look for". Who did she think she was? She, a mere human girl who owed her present existence to him? "Please" she pleaded, "you know I won't do any harm to the sword, and you know that I only want to help you."
"I don't need any help from you" Sesshoumaru said coolly.
"I did bring you the orbs, and have spent much time studying their type of magic. Nothing can be lost from having me touch the sword, only gained."
That comment nettled Sesshoumaru. He did not like being reminded that Rin had brought him the orbs, and at what price? He still did not know what she had undergone. Slowly he handed her the sword. He almost flinched as her human hands closed around it. But he had noted the authority that her tone had taken when she had just spoken to him. She herself had not been conscious of it. It was the tone of someone who knew what they were talking about, and Rin was not the type of person who boasted needlessly.
Rin closed her eyes and gently laid her fingers on the blade of the sword. Sesshoumaru and Jaken watched curiously as she meditated before the sword. Jaken grew impatient as the minutes went by. Sesshoumaru continued to watch her closely. Then she slowly opened her eyes and handed the sword back to him.
" Its dormant powers have been awakened. All that is needed now are the circumstances in which to use them. In order to instill the power you wish into the sword, you will have to use the orb a second time. The orb can only do one thing at a time. I advise for you to wait and see what the sword's dormant power's are before you use the orb again. The power you choose to instill within the sword will be more or less powerful depending if it agrees are conflicts with Tenseiga's innate powers." She bent down, picked up the orb, and handed it to Sesshoumaru. Then she bowed before him. Jaken gasped, this was not the Rin he knew. This was a Miko with authority. Then the Miko smiled, and she became Rin again.
Sesshoumaru sheathed his sword and tucked the orb in his sleeve. He would have to do some thinking and also find a way to use Tenseiga's newly awakened powers. He would go to his castle to ponder over what to do with his Tenseiga. It was a delicate question; he would have to choose wisely if he wanted to maximize his sword to its fullest potential.
"Let's get going," he said. And began another one of his endless treks through the woods.
Rin smelled smoke. It was coming from a little ways before them. They entered a clearing and she looked down the hill. A village was being attacked! She watched as a band of horsemen were setting fire to a village. She watched as woman and children were rounded up and to be killed or raped. She watched the senseless slaughtering of the village men whose weapons were no match for the horsemen's. Sesshoumaru paused and looked down at the scene. "Disgusting humans. It is best if they continue to kill each other off. Hopefully they will rid the world of themselves someday." His words pierced Rin's heart. She lifted her eyes from the horrifying scene below them. Sesshoumaru could see that she was in shock. "Oh no Sesshoumaru-sama" She pleaded. "Please save them. You have the strength to do so. Save those innocent people."
"I do not involve my self with human affairs. I do not see any reason to."
The horror in Rin's eyes was taken over by a steely resolve. " If you don't help them, then I will." Jaken gasped at he flagrant disrespect.
Sesshoumaru growled warningly " Rin, do not disobey me a second time. Besides, there is nothing you can do. You would only foolishly throw your life away."
But Rin had undergone too much suffering to be so easily intimidated. She was strong now. She drew herself up and her demeanor completely changed. She was no longer the Rin who had to hide behind her Sesshoumaru-sama whenever she was afraid. But rather, she was a powerful Miko, who was angry at what was being done to the innocent village below.
"I am one of those disgusting humans you spoke of so derisively a few moments ago. As such, I cannot stand by and watch those like me be slaughtered in such a horrific fashion. Stand by and watch. I promise to you that my life will not be in danger for an instant. It might actually be beneficial for you to do so. It will reveal to you what kind of powers I have, and how I can be of use to you in the future. I am no longer a burden, Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru said nothing. Rin turned around, folded her arms, and bowed her head. At first nothing happened. Jaken began to think she had failed miserably until he saw the storm clouds begin to gather over the village.
She had retreated within herself. She had gone to a place between times. She was searching, searching for the wind. She found a time; she did not know if it was past or future, when the winds went sailing across the plains with a mighty force. She caught powerful vortexes and hurricanes, squalls and zephyrs with destructive powers. She bent them to her will, changed them to suit her purpose. She gathered the blinding lighting and the rain, heavy clouds laden with moisture. All these she brought to the present and sent them loose.
The lightening blinded the enemy riders. The angry winds picked them up and spun them in their vortexes. The riders were cast off from the village into some distant part of the wood. Separated, confused, and terrified. The rain poured down and put out the fires in the village.
Her work finished, Rin opened her eyes. The storm slowly disappeared and things returned to normal. Rin surveyed the village before her. It had taken time for her to gather her powers. In this time many had been killed. Headless corpses and mangled bodies lay in heaps strewn across the village. Rin's heart swelled with pity as she watched children cling to the bodies of their parents, recently just becoming orphans. Rin turned to Sesshoumaru, her eyes pleading. "Use it," she said. "If there ever is a time to test Tenseiga's newly awakened abilities, it would be now."
Sesshoumaru looked at her in shock. He was not easily surprised, but he had just been now with Rin. He looked from her to the village. He felt Tenseiga pulsate and drew his sword. He knew this sword was fabled to be able to resurrect one hundred souls in one stroke. But he also knew he would never be able to do so; it required a heart that was sympathetic to human life. But perhaps now he would be able to use the sword to its fullest potential. Sesshoumaru swung Tenseiga from the top of the hill.
Rays of light flowed from the sword. It engulfed the village, slaying all the hell demons who were trying to snatch away the dead souls. Every person within the village revived, including some of the enemy that had died. Each person felt that it was good to be alive, and would, for a short while, lead good and virtuous lives.
Rin turned and smiled at Sesshoumaru, her eyes full of the awesomeness that had just occurred before her. She saw that he had quickly sheathed his sword and was walking away.
Sesshoumaru was in shock. His thoughts were pounding inside his brain. Just for an instant, the smallest fraction of an instant, he had felt each individual soul he had saved. He had felt each persons, consciousness, awareness. He had felt their worth to themselves. Every life he had saved had been worth something. Was this the power of the Tenseiga? Not only to save lives, but to teach him their worth? If that was the case, even human life had worth. He had felt that with the power of the sword.
He was confused. The feeling had quickly left him, leaving him almost doubting its existence. This could become quite dangerous, this could make you attached to life, almost make you want to stop killing. The Tenseiga was definitely not a sword that was comfortable to use. It had shone him things that he was not willing to accept; things that he was not willing to accept about himself or about others. The fact that those lowly human lives had been worth something opened a door in his mind that he desperately wanted shut. He needed to go to his castle and think things through. Before that though…He turned to Rin "Tell me everything. Tell me everything that happened to you during those eleven years."
Rin nodded. She related to him what had happened to her. Reciting the facts calmly, neither dwelling on nor skipping the sufferings she had undergone. When she had finished Sesshoumaru nodded. That explained a good deal of what had occurred with Rin and the storm. He felt something akin to admiration towards her now when he looked at her. She was strong now, not only because of her powers, but because she had been able to go through those sufferings and still remain Rin. "You did not kill the Miko, I am surprised." Rin shook her head. "I couldn't, she was as much a victim as I. And what would it have accomplished. It would not have erased the past." Sesshoumaru looked at the strong girl before him who yet looked so frail. He would not stain her soul with thoughts of revenge.
"Let's continue on. We have a ways to go before we come to my castle."
Rin followed him with a heavy heart. She finally understood what he thought of her. "Disgusting humans. It is best if they continue to kill each other off. Hopefully they will rid the world of themselves someday." and "I don't involve myself with human affairs. I don't see a reason to." This was what he thought of humans, of her. She was surprised he hadn't already sent her away. Especially since she had just disobeyed him a second time. It was because he was so preoccupied with Tenseiga. She had seen that something about the sword disturbed him. It was because of that that he overlooked her. She was sure it would be remedied soon though. Rin was tired. Her powers had drained much of her strength. There was nothing in the world that she wanted more now than to be taken care of by Sesshoumaru-sama. Telling her tale to him had resurfaced her bitter memories. She had hidden it, but she wanted to be comforted right now. She wanted his strong arms around her like last night. Yah, right, like that's going to happen now. She wanted him to caress her cheeks, to feel his soft lips against her's, to have him touch… Hold it! Where were these thoughts coming from? 'Caress her cheeks' 'his lips against her's'. When had she wanted that? What did it mean? It doesn't matter. She will be lucky if she gets to see him anymore. To him, she was only a disgusting human. She felt like crying. Oh, how she loved Sesshoumaru-sama so.
Another chapter done. It took quite a while.
Never fear. I will have more happen between Rin and Fluffy. Just wanted to make things interesting, and establish the fact that Rin is powerful and the whole Sess hates humans thing. I love waff. But I don't like stories comprised solely of Waff. I find Waff more meaningful if it slowly develops.
Do you guys like Rin's powers, or do they tick you off. I won't change anything. But I'm interested.
Well please review and tell me what you think.