A/N Here ya go folks. The next chapter of the Burden of Two swords... if you can think up a better name I'll give you a digi-doughnut, a virtual-hug and a cyber-muffin! As I was working on this thingy I came to a conclusion. I don't give a rat's ass if there's misspelling, or bad sentence structure or huge glaring grammatical problems, because if I ever have to force myself to write something this long without someone getting hit, or sarcasm, or Jaken bashing.... I'm going to cry! This was painful like you couldn't believe folks! So enjoy it!
"Hurry up Rin!" Uncle Jaken ordered impatiently, stomping his foot and eyeing his watch.
But Rin still couldn't make up her mind.
Uncle Jaken, in a bizarre bout of kindness had told Rin she could buy one new toy to take with her to Canada for the move.
Rin wasn't quite sure what she wanted. Did she want a new Barbie? Or some kind of board game? Or something else entirely?
"Rin!" Uncle Jaken barked. "Her shift ends in ten minutes!"
Rin paused, while examining some board games.
"Who's shift ends in ten minutes Uncle Jaken?" Rin asked him curiously.
Uncle Jaken actually flushed a deep rusty, unhealthy shade of red.
"Never mind!" Uncle Jaken snapped. "Now just pick out a damn toy!"
Rin gaped at her petit uncle. Never had her parents used such strong language in front of her. She knew about words like 'damn' naturally. Any child who watched television did. But her parents were very, very firm about not using bad language in front of her.
Normally Rin would have been shocked and delighted to hear someone swear. Just now though, it was a terrible reminder. Who would be there to make sure she was a good girl? And didn't use bad words? Who would look out for Rin? And make sure she was raised properly.
Not Uncle Jaken.
She walked away from Uncle Jaken as quickly as she could. Tears filling her eyes.
If Uncle Jaken caught her crying again, he might get mad and not let her get a new toy to take with her to Canada.
She soon found herself strolling in the stuffed animal section.
Normally she would have sniffed and turned up her nose because big girls didn't play with stuffed animals. But this wasn't normally. As she walked, running her fingers over the fluffy toys, she wondered if maybe she didn't want a stuffed animal. Something to hold onto. Something that she could sleep with. Something warm, something to cry into.
But what to get?
She saw rabbits, dogs, cats, teddy bears, horses, a few moose and various other random stuffed animals. She wandered down the racks. Her tears already drying as she tried to pick out the perfect stuffed animal.
She was about to decide on a large fluffy white bear, almost as big as her, when she decided she really needed to think about this choice.
Since she was going to need this toy to make her feel safe, and warm and maybe even loved, she had to choose it very, very carefully.
A sudden idea popped into her head.
She ran down the racks, looking for Uncle Jaken.
She spied him talking to a lady behind a cashier.
"Rin," Uncle Jaken called in dismay. "You haven't picked a toy yet?"
"I'm sorry Uncle Jaken," Rin apologized. "But I'm looking for a very special toy!"
Uncle Jaken snorted in disbelief.
But the pretty lady behind the counter only smiled.
"Do you know what you want?" the pretty lady asked Rin.
"Yes ma'am," Rin nodded. Remembering her manners. "But I am not sure if you have it!"
"Well what are you looking for dear?" the pretty lady asked.
"I am looking for a white tiger stuffed animal," Rin answered. Trying to use her very best grammar and be very polite. Her mother had always said 'Rin, you catch more flies with honey then you do with vinegar. And politeness is the sweetest kind of honey!'
Rin wasn't entirely sure why anyone would want to catch flies, but her mother was never wrong!
"Well," said the pretty lady. "Here comes my replacement!"
She came out from around the cashier.
"So how about I help you find just the perfect toy?"
Rin stared at the pretty lady, her eyes getting wider and rounder.
"Would you really?" Rin asked. She could hardly believe it.
"Of course sweety!" the pretty lady said, offering Rin her hand. "Come on let's go!"
She looked over her shoulder.
"Are you coming Jaken?" she asked the short man.
"O...o...of course!" Jaken stuttered. He caught up with them as they marched purposely down the racks of stuffed animals. Searching for just the right one.
The pretty lady found several tiger stuffed animals. But none were white. As time wore on, Rin began to feel very discouraged.
She expected Uncle Jaken to complain, but instead, he seemed to like spending time with the pretty lady.
"I think this is the last tiger," the pretty lady said with a sigh.
Rin felt tears begin to prickle her eyes. She couldn't understand why though. She scrubbed at her eyes to keep the tears why.
She'd just have to chose one toy and live with it. She was very thankful the pretty lady had wanted to help her and didn't want to make her feel sad.
"Um..." Rin said softly. "I'll just pick one of these then!"
"Why did you want a white tiger anyway?" Uncle Jaken demanded. "Orange and black ones are much prettier."
"I saw a man with stripes on his face and little crescent moon here," Rin said touching her forehead. "I kind of wanted to find a toy like that!"
"Where did you see this man?" the pretty lady asked.
Rin cast a look at Uncle Jaken. He hadn't believed her when she told him about the man in the cemetery. Did she really want to tell another adult who would just scoff at her?
"I...I saw him in a dream," Rin whispered. Her hushed voice quavered. She didn't want to lie to the pretty lady, but no one believed her when she told the truth.
The pretty lady smiled.
"It must have been a very special dream then," the pretty lady said straightening up. "A crescent moon here you say?" she asked touching her forehead.
"Um hmm!" Rin nodded.
The pretty lady frowned, but then her face cleared and she smiled.
"I think I have an idea!" the pretty lady said in excitement. "Come on!"
She grabbed Rin's hand and pulled her to a set of double doors that said 'do not enter.' The pretty lady boldly pushed the doors open, pulling Rin along with her.
They entered a dimly lit store room with lots of machinery and boxes of every size.
"Hey Chika!" called a man dressed in dirty coveralls. "What are you doing back here?"
"This little lady is on her way to Canada to live with her Uncle Jaken!" the pretty lady, who's name was apparently Chika responded. "You know that shipment of toys we got? Those stuffed dogs? Can we take a look at them? Please?"
The man in dirty coveralls nodded. He motioned for them to follow him to the very back of the store room. There, stood four large boxes. Almost as tall as Rin and as wide as they were tall.
"Those are almost big enough to be a house for you aren't they?" Chika asked her with a sly grin.
"Almost!" Rin agreed with a giggle.
The man in the coveralls opened the top of the box with a knife. Slitting along the packing tape. He opened the flaps and stepped aside to they could see the box's contents. In a large plastic bag, to protect them from dust particles that might have gotten through the box, were stacks of stuffed toys.
Rin peered at them through the package.
"They're dogs," she said unnecessarily.
"Yes," agreed Chika. "But look at this!"
She manipulated a stuffed toy through the plastic so they could see it's head.
"There's a moon!" Rin said happily. Her face fell. "But it's pink!"
"There are other colors!" Chika told her. "Yamato, can you open another one? We're looking for a doggy with a..." she trailed off and looked at Rin.
"A blue crescent moon!" Rin finished.
Chika nodded.
Yamato, the man in the coveralls nodded and opened a second box. That one had green crescent moons. The next box had yellow. It wasn't until the fourth box they found the dogs with blue crescent moons.
Rin laughed happily and clapped her hands.
"That's just the right colour!" she said excitedly.
Smiling Yamato cut the plastic and retrieved a dog for her.
It was an all white dog, maybe a wolf. Some kind of canine with a long fluffy tail and a very fluffy tummy. The fur on it's back wasn't so long as the fur on it's tummy, but it was just as soft. And of course, there was the crescent moon.
"Do you want this one then sweety?" Chika asked.
Rin looked up at her with perfectly round eyes and nodded very seriously. Chika laughed and impulsively hugged the sweet little girl.
"Well, let's go ring him through!" Chika said rising to her feet and taking Rin's hand.
"Thank you Mr. Yamato!" Rin said to the man in coveralls.
"No problem kid," he answered with a shrug and a laugh. Chika winked at Yamato and hurried Rin and Jaken out of the storeroom, to the cashier.
The teenage boy rang the stuffed toy through. Rin hated to let it leave her grasp even for a second but she had to let it go, so it could be price checked.
Chika laughed at her anxious expression as her new toy was put into a plastic bag and the receipt was handed to her Uncle Jaken. Finally, Rin was handed the plastic bag, where her brand new friend was.
"Thank you very much!"Rin said, clutching her purchase tightly.
"Thank you for coming today Rin!" Chika laughed, ruffling he girl's hair. "What do you think you're going to name him?"
"I'm going to call him Fluffy!" Rin responded with huge satisfaction.
Uncle Jaken snorted at calling a toy that, but Rin ignored him. Her only thoughts were on her new toy, and introducing her new protector to her parents. She was certain that they would want to meet their daughter's new champion.
"Can I put the flowers on their grave Uncle Jaken?" Rin asked.
They were visiting her parent's graves. Soon they'd be going to Canada. Much, much too soon. The next day in fact. She hadn't been back to the cemetery since the funeral. She had begged Uncle Jaken to let her come and say goodbye. He'd finally relented, but not until the evening of the day before they were to leave.
"Whatever you want Rin!" Jaken said thrusting the flowers at her. Apparently not caring in the least.
Rin had to shift her grip on Fluffy. Her now constant accomplice.
She proudly walked towards her parent's graves and placed the potted plant they'd brought between them.
"Hi mom and dad," she whispered softly. Tears prickling behind her eyes suddenly. Her pride over being able to balance the plant and Fluffy now evaporated. Consumed by her sadness and loneliness.
"I have to go to Canada tomorrow," Rin whispered, wiping her eyes. "And stay with Uncle Jaken. He lives next to a Japanese shrine though. And I won't be going alone." She showed them Fluffy. Holding him proudly. "This is Fluffy," she said. "He's a dog, or maybe a wolf! But he's going to protect me! He's my new best friend and now I won't be alone in Canada. So you won't have to worry!"
She scrubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. But it wasn't enough. Hot tears kept rolling down her face.
Her vision swam with them.
"Daddy, all those lessons you gave me in English will really help! And I'll be really good! And I'll be polite and I'll remember everything mommy told me. So don't worry okay? I'm be alright! I have Uncle Jaken and Fluffy!"
Her parent's didn't respond.
And they never would.
Rin clutched Fluffy to her little chest.
"I love you!" Rin cried suddenly. "I love you don't worry!"
She turned around and fled.
"Rin!" Uncle Jaken called after her as she shot passed him.
She just ran and ran and ran.
Like she had at the funeral.
The hurt was just as bad, but the desperation had dimmed. She finally came to a stop, breathing hard, and clutching Fluffy to her.
Tears continued to burn her eyes and leave their salty trails down her cheeks, but her franticness had fled. Leaving her weak limbed and trembling. Overcome with hurt and sorrow, but with no more will to run.
Gulping back sobs Rin surveyed the cemetery below.
Even in the dimness of the evening she could see how lush the carpet of emerald grass was. See how well taken care of the tombstones were. She could even see someone in worn overalls tending to the flowers beside a grave.
The grave keeper.
"I guess mommy and daddy will be taken care of," Rin whispered. But it didn't make her feel better.
She heard a sound behind her. She turned and frowned.
She'd run towards the oldest part of the cemetery again. She was no where near a far as she had been the day of the funeral, but in the waning light, she could see the tree she'd tripped over.
She sniffed one last time and wiped her eyes. She rubbed her face against Fluffy's soft fur to work up her courage and began to slowly approach it.
Rin slowly, carefully approached the old tree. Wondering what that sound was she'd heard. Deciding she'd imagined something she resolved to put it from her mind. Then she heard it again.
Soft and repetitive. Like a small dog running on a floor.
Rin stopped to listen.
All she could hear was her own frightened breathing and the pounding of her little heart. For a long time she stood perfectly still. She began to slowly, cautiously approach the tree again.
She hugged her toy tightly.
She heard a sharp sound, like someone giving a sharp exhalation of breath.
Rin whirled around and watched as a dark shape ducked behind a tomb stone.
"Hhello?" she called out weakly. "Are.... are you the grave keeper?"
She got no response.
"It must be my imagination," Rin whispered to herself. Her voice seemed so weak and fragile. She closed her mouth and continued walking forward.
She gasped and jumped as she heard that strange, padded, drumming sound again.
"I'll be okay," she whispered, stroking Fluffy's fur. "It'll be okay Fluffy!"
She tried to ignore her own fear by comforting Fluffy. The poor little dear must be very scared after all. He wasn't as big as Rin.
"I'll protect you Fluffy!" Rin said to her toy, hunching her shoulders. "I'll protect you. But just this once! Okay? From now on, it's your job to protect me!"
She felt a puff fo hot air on her neck. She turned around slowly. Rigidly.
All she could see in the dusky glow of sun set was two, burning, red eyes.
She took a deep breath and screamed.
She turned around and started running.
Rin clung to Fluffy as if her life depended on it and ran. She didn't hear anyone pursuing, or hear any other strange drumming sounds but she didn't slow down.
She ran as fast as she could.
Her heart hammering with exertion and fear. No matter how fast she ran, her mind screamed at her to go faster. Tears blurred her vision. She wiped her eyes frantically, but her loss of concentration cost her dearly.
Her left foot mistimed and she felt herself pitching forward. She screamed and fell forward. Before she even hit the ground, she felt several shapes converge on her.
Floating in the dark grey, where ghosts and spirits who haven't passed on yet gathered their energy, he could fell a strange pulse.
The Tensaiga pulsed at his right hip. Urging him out of the grey. Urging him to take up his task.
His eyes opened.
The cemetery solidified around him as he excited the grey. Before him, not quite thirty feet away three shadow ghouls clustered around a shrieking child.
He drew the Tensaiga with a ringing sound.
The shadow ghouls paused, still hovering over the child.
Repulsive creatures made of darkness, the blood of the damned and spun together by the will of a miko. There were nothing but shadows with more substance, and an insatiable appetite for blood.
Especially that of children and virgins.
He needn't fear such weak creatures, being a specter, but the child they clustered around had great reason to be afraid.
He closed his eyes and shuddered as the Tensaiga's will washed over him. Not as violent as the Toukijin, but no less insistent. The Tensaiga would protect the innocent. Would defend those who could not defend themselves. And he was it's instrument.
Calmly, with no effort at all, he slashed through the shadow ghouls. Let they out disturbing wet moans before dissolving into dark lumps on the ground. Nothing but black, clotted blood.
The child let out a horrified sound and jumped up, wiping the black lumps off of her frantically. She hugged a white toy of some sort to her chest.
"It's you!" she whispered, her eyes going wide. "I met you the day of my parent's funeral!"
She did look rather familiar.
Yes.
She was the one who'd woken him from the grey with her sobbing.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded her. "A cemetery is no place for a child!"
"I came to give my parent's flowers and introduce them to Fluffy!" she replied, holding up her toy.
He was not impressed.
A ridiculous statement, about a ridiculous toy.
"Your parents are dead and he's not even real!" he replied calmly. "Introductions are hardly necessary!"
"I don't care if they're dead!" she shot back with venom, surprising for such a sweet looking child. "I still wanted them to meet Fluffy!" She clung to the toy. "And don't say mean things about him! You'll hurt his feelings!"
Her voice cracked and she dissolved into helpless sobs. Suggesting it was not Fluffy's feelings which needed to be treated with care.
Deep, rumbling laughter filled the cemetery. Coming from every direction at once.
"Yes. You'll hurt his feelings!" agreed a low, monotonous voice. "And we mustn't have that!"
He seemed to weave himself out of shadows.
Tall with long dark hair. His skin was as pale as death and his eyes the same burning red as the shadow ghoul's. He dressed archaically in a blue kimono with a slashing V-neck line. Almost to his waist. Displaying his strong chest, but more importantly, the necklace of black beads alternating with what looked like small fangs. He was unarmed, but not an opponent to be taken lightly.
There was something about him.
Something familiar.
"It has taken years," the raven haired stranger said. "Centuries in fact. But I have finally found you!"
"I'm afraid your journey has been for naught," he replied. Sheathing the Tensaiga he drew the Toukijin.
Hate coursed through his insubstantial being. So tangible, he could almost feel it. But of course, he hadn't felt anything in centuries.
"I'm afraid your journey ends here!"
Gliding across the landscape, he slashed at the stranger. There was a flash of red light, marking the Toukijin's path to slash the new comer in two.
The new comer grunted and stumbled back. Clutching his chest as his blood poured out onto the ground.
The wielder of the swords watched with calm eyes as the stranger's blood gushed in a small water fall to the ground. Too much blood for a human.
"Demon," he said to himself.
"Is your memory returning?" the demon asked as his flesh began to close beneath his very hand.
A slight frown creased the Tiger Lord's face.
"Is my memory returning?" he frowned.
His moment's distraction was all it took for the demon to gather power into himself and release it.
The Toukijin, was blown from the Tiger Lord's hand. Embedding itself in the large willow tree that stood next to his tomb.
More and more power surged out of the demon. Destroying anything in it's path. The Tiger Lord's tomb, the tomb stones behind that. Tear up the earth. Digging a trench.
Through the torrent of savage power, tearing through the earth, and through him, the Tiger Lord stood calmly. His hair not even stirred by the force of the demons powers, which passed harmlessly through him.
Rin was hiding behind the tree, staring in amazement at the scene before her. The stranger, who'd been called a demon seemed to be blasting pure power at the pale man. And yet it had as little effect as the sword slash had.
It looked like a battle between good and evil.
The pale man, completely white, from his hair to his clothing could almost pass as some sort of being from the heavens. The demon, with black hair, and a dark kimono was some kind of dark warrior from the darkest pits of hell.
Before her the very earth was being torn to shreds, and all she could do was watch. Whimpering in fear.
Finally the blasts of power ended and the demon relaxed.
The Tiger Lord calmly held out his hand towards the tree. Rin watched as the sword embedded in the trunk glowed bright red, and flew to his hand. Whistling through the air as it went. The Tiger Lord caught his sword and held it between himself and the demon, point down.
"It is useless for us to fight," the Tiger Lord said calmly. "You cannot kill what is already dead, and I cannot kill a demon a powerful as you. This fighting will serve no purpose."
"I can wear you out until you return to the grey!" the demon responded.
"I can draw on energy from the swords," the Tiger Lord answered.
Rin swallowed hard. She didn't understand what was going on. She ducked back behind her tree, breathing hard. She realized that she didn't have Fluffy anymore. He'd been torn out of her grip as she ducked behind the tree.
She almost cried at the loss.
'I wish I'd stayed with the Toad-Man!' she moaned silently. Thinking almost longingly of her Uncle Jaken.
Rin looked around for her stuffed animal, and an escape. Hoping to get Fluffy and get out of there before they noticed her. As Rin looked to her right, she spied a small white, fluffy mound.
It was getting dark. Almost too dark for her to see by. Careful to keep low to the ground she crept towards it. Rin stopped, holding her breath. To reach Fluffy she would have to leave the safety of the tree's shadow. And venture into the rouble of what once was the Tiger Lord's tomb.
She gathered up her courage and bolted forward. She fell to the ground beside her stuffed animal. She frowned. Laying beside Fluffy was a shiny object. He knew she didn't have time to be curious, so she snatched Fluffy and snatched the object, to examine later.
Her little fist had closed around the shiny object when a new voice said,
"What a charming child, is she yours?"
Rin stiffened and looked up.
Walking out of the shadows behind the demon was a woman. Dressed in the same way that Rin had seen in pictures of priestesses.
"Her parent died," the Tiger Lord answered in his serene, expressionless way. "Now she refuses to leave the cemetery!"
"How tragic," the demon said with a laugh. "Perhaps the little dear would care to join them?"
Rin whimpered in fright. She buried her face in Fluffy's fur, braced for an attack. She tried to order herself to run, but she trembled so badly she wondered if she would be able to stay upright, let alone flee.
All Rin could do was whimper, and pray.
The three adults seemed content to allow her to do just that. Turning their attention back to one another.
"Now phantom!" said the woman. "I believe you have something of mine!"
"I doubt that," the Tiger Lord answered calmly.
"Ah," the woman said, disagreeing. "But you do!"
Rin swallowed hard, and wondered what th Tiger Lord cold have, that belonged to this woman.
"Unfortunately," the woman continued. "I don't think you're going to let me have it. After all. Centuries after your own death you're still defending it."
"Your demon cannot hurt me," the Tiger Lord said calmly.
The woman smiled.
It was a hungry, vicious smile.
"I don't need him for this," she replied with a smile.
She held out her hand.
A strange sound filled the air as dozens of long, blue dragon like creatures flew towards the Tiger Lord.
'What are those things?' Rin wondered in horror as they coiled around the Tiger Lord. The Tiger Lord grunted as they wrapped around him, painfully tight. Holding his arms, legs, head and torso immobile.
"Have you ever met a soul eater?" the woman asked the Tiger Lord in a taunting voice. "I rater doubt it, otherwise you'd be begging for mercy right now!"
The strange whirling sound increased tenfold and the soul eaters began to glow blue.
Rin watched, quaking in horror and fear. Almost paralyzed by it. Rin rose to her feet and began backing away, watching as the Tiger Lord writhed appearing to be in quite some pain.
She turned tail and ran like a loosened arrow, as soon as the screaming started.
The Tiger Lord screamed in pain as the soul eaters attempted to rip him apart. After centuries of feeling nothing, he was unprepared for the sensation of pain. As a ghost, one of the dead who still walked to earth, he shouldn't have been able to feel pain.
Shouldn't feel these creatures rip him slowly into a million pieces. Shouldn't be able to feel the crushing oblivion, rising up around. He shouldn't even be able to feel excruciating, mind-crushing pain.
But he could.
He wasn't being killed. He was beyond that now. Now, he was being annihilated. Every essence of him was being crushed out of existence in the most painful way imaginable.
He could feel himself, hovering on the yawning edge of oblivion. About to be dragged down into complete nothing by these soul eaters, but instead, right before he could be thrown into the abyss something happened.
Like a hook behind his navel he felt something jerk him back.
For a split second he could feel an invisible tether he'd forgotten even existed. A connection he'd never assumed could save his soul.
Before the soul eater could finish their task, he was yanked into the grey and out of the mortal realm.
Out of the grasp of the soul eaters.
"I suppose he wasn't as strong as we expected," Kikyo murmured, calling back her soul eaters. They coiled around her lovingly. She stroked their heads like they were affectionate pets and she their owner.
She turned to the demon as her side.
"After your failure five hundred years ago, this is your chance to begin making it up to me, Naraku."
"Yes m'lady Kikyo," the demon responded bowing to her respectfully.
"Find the talisman and let's go," Kikyo said, waving her hand at the rubble.
"Yes m'lady Kikyo," he agreed.
Kikyo rested her head against the snout of a soul eater as her demonic servant held out his hand. All the rubble and bits of rock in the trench he had made rose into the air.
Kikyo narrowed her eyes.
"I don't see it, do you Naraku?" she demanded him with an edge to her voice.
"No m'lady Kikyo," he replied. Dropping the rubble into a heap.
He stood calmly, waiting for her next order.
An insufferable smirk on his pale lips.
Kikyo felt her eyes narrow.
Naraku. He was as intolerable as he was useful. This cold demon's hate for her was no mystery. His apparent obedience stemmed only from the fact he was chained to her and she could cause him pain.
Dreadful, blinding pain.
"Where did the talisman go Naraku?" she demanded him.
"Your guess is as good as mine, m'lady Kikyo," he answered with a hint of mockery in his voice. "You know as well as I, only mikos can sense the shards of what used to be the Shikon jewel, and that gold encasing around it is etched with spells so it is invisible to your miko senses."
"But he guards the talisman!" Kikyo shrilled. "The Tiger Lord guards the golden case that houses the Shikon jewel! How can he be here if the talisman is not?"
"How indeed?" Naraku purred with a smirk. "Tell me m'lady Kikyo how a five hundred year-old dead man, with no emotions, who cannot leave this area managed to defeat you? Oh wise and powerful miko!"
Kikyo's face turned hard.
"Writhe!" she whispered.
Naraku's eyes went wide and he grabbed the beads around his neck.
They began to glow with red light.
Naraku fell to his knees, crying out in pain. Tugging frantically on the beads around his neck. But even his demon strength could not break them.
"Five hundred years ago, when I first summoned you, you failed me!" Kikyo said conversationally, ignoring his pain. "Now, when you get your chance to redeem yourself, you fail me yet again!"
Naraku's breath was coming in short, strangled gasp. She tightened her fist and the pain intensified. He cried out.
Kikyo smiled dreamily at the sound.
"And worse then merely failing me," she continued. "You mock me! I sometimes don't get the feeling you understand what I'm trying to do!" She turned to face the man, writhing on the ground in unbearable pain.
If she cared one ounce for his suffering, her face did not display it. Nor did her voice.
"Naraku," she said, her voice a sweet caress. Her hand tightened again. The pain flared worse, making him cry out once more. "Naraku do I have your attention?"
The demon gave her a look filled with such murderous rage, it could've stopped a beating heart cold.
Luckily for her, she didn't have a heart.
"Naraku now this is important," she continued in her sensual voice. "I need to have your full attention!"
He cried out again as she tightened her fist a third time.
Sensing his attention was fully on her, Kikyo began to explain to him, yet again why they needed to find the jewel.
"The Shikon jewel is a power house," she said. Repeated what the demon already knew. "The Shikon jewel contains more raw energy then any one person knows what to do with it. The Shikon can destroy or build whatever it's wielder desires." Her face darkened. "Unfortunately some genius forged the talisman which blinds anyone from sense the Shikon, and then the Toukijin and the Tensaiga to protect the Shikon jewel, and keep it from falling into th wrong hands."
She looked at her own hands in the darkness. It was now fully dark, and her pale skin seemed luminous in the night. She curled her fingers into fists. Inadvertently making Naraku scream.
She cast an amused smile at him and relaxed her hands, ending his pain.
The demon sagged against the ground weakly.
He breathed raggedly, rubbing his neck protectively. Demons did not sweat, but she suspected if he could, his shirt would be soaked in it.
He coughed harshly and spit.
Naraku tried to say something, but broke off into a vicious fit of coughing.
Kikyo sighed in annoyance.
"What was that again Naraku?" she demanded him in exasperation. "I couldn't hear you over your pathetic coughing fit!"
"I said," he growled. "The child!"
Kikyo frowned.
"What do you mean the child?" she demanded.
"I mean the child!" Naraku spat. "The child that was just here!"
Kikyo stared at him, blinking in surprise.
"The child," she whispered suddenly realizing it. "That little brat will pay!"
She needed something to vent her rage on. Looking around her eyes fell on Naraku. Her anger boiled over. She pointed at him and shrilled,
"WRITHE!"
A/N Whoo! Hold me that was hard! Behold the fruits of my labor of my last day of summer! Clearly it was well spent. I'm serious folks, I want a better title for this story. The Burden of Two Swords sounds more like the title of a story rather then the title of this story.
Hey! Remember this line?
Hate coursed through his insubstantial being. So tangible, he could almost feel it. But of course, he hadn't felt anything in centuries.
You wanna what I originally typed there and I had to fight myself to change?
Hate ran through his being like liquid runs through pips.
Is that not the absolute best metaphor you've ever heard in your life? It's the best in the world right?
Anyone want to go swimming through a hubcap full of infected toenails? Then every morning we can awake to a pain in our hearts that is as intense as a fire in a lingerie factory.
You can find the genius who came up with these great metaphors here. Read this Harry Potter Parody, you will not regret ?fic=rid:/authors/cchowder/UHPCC05.html