Disclaimer: Um, I own volumes 11 & 12 of Inuyasha...........does that count? And I have the exact same shade of eyeshadow that Naraku wears...........you know, in the anime (and the manga too, I'm not sure) he wears what looks like blue eyeshadow?



To Rule The Darkness

ch. 8 Strands gone dark

Sesshoumaru sipped his coffee, watching the crowds go by. He took out the web and studied it. Four strand were already dark, one for him, one for Inutaishou, one for Sakuya, and one for Shippou.

'Where do I start searching?' Sesshoumaru paid for the coffee and left the shop, thinking. 'Well, Inuyasha should be easy enough to find, he's the only one in the entire Realm who wears the Ebon-gray.'

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inuyasha and Kagome were arguing. Again. This time, it had been going on for so long that neither remembered what it was about, or how it started. So now they're just flinging random insults at each other.

"Stupid wench!"

"Jerk!"

"Bitch!"

"Baka!"

This continued for a while. Until Sesshoumaru's thought reached Inuyasha.

:Well, well, it seems my dear little brother can't even handle his wench.:

"WHAT?!?!" Inuyasha yelled, surprised. His yell surprised Kagome, who lost her balance and fell down the stairs right behind her. Only thing is, she grabbed Inuyasha by the hair as she fell. In other words, they're in an 'awkward position' at the bottom of the stairs. Again. And that's how Sesshoumaru found them, coming in off the Red Wind. Of course, they didn't notice him until he spoke up, being preoccupied with their sudden thoughts.

'His hair's so silky and soft! I want to brush it.........And I want to pet his ears! They're so cute! And he's got such nice eyes.........!'

'Damn she's pretty! Ok, not JUST pretty.............Hell's fire, in this position............makes me want to...........'

"Now, wouldn't father like to know that my dear little brother is quite the animal. Taking your wench at the bottom of the stairs?"

Both blushed furiously, noticing Sesshoumaru, and jumping away from each other. It took them another moment to register what he had just said.

Inuyasha's "She is NOT my wench!" was interrupted by Kagome's "What?!?!"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Oh, so now you notice me. I've been here for a while, you know."

Inuyasha glared at him until Kagome recovered. "Inuyasha, who's that?"

"Sesshoumaru. My stupid bastard of an older brother."

"Older HALF brother. And who might this Priestess be?"

Kagome stiffened behind Inuyasha. Sensing this, he growled at Sesshoumaru, feeling oddly protective. "Keep your hands off her, bastard! She's the High Priestess of the Shikon no Tama, Kagome!"

"No need to get all defensive, I was just asking her name." Sesshoumaru took the web out of his kimono sleeve. "Two more strands gone dark."

Inuyasha and Kagome looked at him quizzically. "Strands?"

Sesshoumaru put it back in his sleeve. "Yes, strands. You two are to be part of Rin's Dark Court. Go to the Hall in the Western Lands and ask for Inutaishou. Tell him I sent you." With that, he caught another Wind and disappeared.

Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other.

"Should we trust him?"

"Guess so........he's never lied before."

"But who's Rin?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment. "Wait a minute..........Aa, I remember. She's the Witch."

"The..........Witch.........." Kagome was silent for a while. "Well then, I guess we better go then. Start packing."

"Feh."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rin sat in her room watching the rain fall outside. She didn't notice that Sakuya had come in until the demon-dead Healer Queen tapped her shoulder.

"You've been moping. If something's wrong, why haven't you gone to Inutaishou? Or even me?"

Rin turned around. "I.........it's nothing."

Sakuya raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?" She sat down on the bench next to Rin. "Tell." Rin hesitated. "You know, not telling is part of what got me this." She indicated the slit in her throat. "It isn't pleasant."

".........Well........"





Muahahahahahahaha! Slight cliffhanger! To fid out what Rin has to say, send in at least 5 more reviews!

drow goddess: I think I've already answered this before, but oh well. The author's Anne Bishop, and it's actually not one book, a series of three books.