She is BACK! it feels horrible to keep you lovely readers waiting. ; anywayz, I hope it was well worth the wait! (it was even more late because arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! stupid computer deleted my chapter! so I had to type it over! noooooooooooooooooooooooo!)

Chapter 5: Blackout

She plunged forward, and the cold shock of the river water chilled her to the bone, and for the moment, banishing he inner demons. The physical change was near completion, but for as long as she could fight them off, she still retained her sanity.

For now.

As she clambered, soaking wet, onto the river bank, she came face to face with a young girl. Freezing, she simply stared at her.

The girl said.

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The lady climbed out of the river, and Rin wondered why she had jumped in the first place. Rin crawled up in front of her, waiting for her to notice.

The nice lady seemed nice, talking to Rin calmly, and she had nice eyes.

Rin announced that she liked her hair, and proceeded to poke at it.

But then the nice lady seemed to change- her eyes changed, her voice grew husky, and he skin went deathly pale. Her leathery wings flapped a bit, and the she turned, advancing on Rin with a meanacing look in her blood-red eyes.

And suddenly, the nice lady didn't seem so nice anymore.

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She had Rin. He knew this, and his bleak heart seemed to shudder at the thought.

She would die, if the little girl was hurt.

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Sesshomaru careened through the forest, his breakneck pace, although seeming reckless and chaotically uncontrolled, was kept securely in check. Slowing just before he caught sight of the river, he managed to touch down lightly with no effort at all, not even out of breath. It would not be proper for a lord to skid.

Even so, he was almost too late.

Soleil looked up from her prey. And laughed.

The sound was harsh and cruel, two voices grating together. Although he did not show it, inwardly the demon lord flinched as the discordant laughter was ground into his sensitive ears.

she smirked evilly, If it isn't the great lord Sesshomaru. I've heard of you.I would advise you to put her down. His calm, quiet voice held a steely edge.

Oh really? And why should I do that?Because I will I kill you if it is not done. He cocked his wrist, poison glowing sickly green as it began to drip from his claws.

You wish. She dumped the limp form of Rin onto the ground, taking up a battle stance. She picked up her staff, and started slowly rotating it, blades glinting, in a wide and lazy circle in front of her.

Neither made a move, each waiting for the other's resolve and patience to break, the slight swishing of the whirling staff the only sound that broke the silence.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Kagome had just reached the trees surrounding the river, Miroku, Shippo, and Sango not far behind. Staying in the trees, they observed the situation. The still bodies of Rin, Ah-Un, and Jaken littered the ground. They didn't seem to be dead, but they weren't moving. Sesshomaru and Soleil were simply watching each other, Sesshomaru showing no emotion, Soleil smirking slightly, her weapon still revolving tauntingly.

Inuyasha turned at a small gasp from Kagome, as did all the others. She held up the butterfly pendant, which she had forgotten to give back to Soleil.

It was completely devoid of healthy pink, the sickly glowing black pulsating slowly.

That's not Soleil, Kagome whispered, horrified. Whatever that... thing is, it isn't her. That thing is dead.

Soleil, overhearing, smiled wider. Never taking her eyes off her opponent, she spoke.

Hate to break it to ya, Kags. I'm still Soleil. Only better, because I don got any morals or ethics. I killed my own brother and didn't lose any sleep over it. She grinned.

How admirable. Sesshomaru, too, did not take his eyes from her.

Whoo, look who's so smart! You can't even manage to kill your own brother! And he's a hanyou, at that! Soleil hooted.

Sesshomaru gave a noncommittal grunt, frowning only slightly.

Kagome watched Inuyasha get angrier and angrier, standing up and opening his moth, most likely to curse at them, because of that last remark.

Soleil, noticing this, smirked wider.

Ooo, is the little puppy mad? she taunted, her rasping voice sickly sweet.

Inuyasha's eyes flickered crimson, and he started to lunge for her, claws outstretched.

Kagome, seeing this, thought quickly, coming up with her favorite, all purpose solution.

Inuyasha, SIT! He thudded to the ground.

While he was immobile, she picked up his twitching hand and positioned it firmly over the worn hilt of Tetsusaiga. The demon blood that had started to rise subsided.

While this little drama was played out in the trees, both opponents had frozen, and were standing deathly still.

Two pairs of eyes, golden and crimson, followed a small sakura blossom as it drifted towards the surface of the river.

The second it touched lightly to the serene surface of the water, both lunged.

Soleil brought her staff up mid-turn and raised it over her head, swinging it downwards towards Sesshomaru's head as she charged. Sesshomaru, however, was already behind her. She whirled, blocking the strike of his claws inches from her face. He drew back, then stabbed her in rapid succession, each blow aimed for a potentially fatal spot.

She blocked every one of them, twirling her staff like an expert, though never quite managing to land a hit herself. It seemed almost like an intricate dance, striking and blocking with almost surreal grace and agility. But dances are not bloody and of malicious intent.

Finally, after about a half-hour of this, they both stopped as though on cue and faced each other at opposite sides of the clearing. Both were only breathing slightly heavier than normal.

You fight well. Sesshomaru offered, cracking his knuckles in a way that was suspiciously like Inuyasha.

As do you, she grinned, But not quite good enough to beat me.

And with that, he lunged once more, unexpectedly. His hand, once more dripping poison, went through her chest and came out the other side, impaling her thoroughly.

Oh Kami-sama! Kagome shrieked, hands flying up to cover her mouth. Sango, Inuyasha, and everybody else were slightly horrified, too. Because even though she wasn't in her right mind, she was still Soleil, and none of them wished her dead.

Sesshomaru wrenched his bloody hand from her body, staring without expression as she slumped to the ground, face contorted in pain. An involuntary howl was torn from her bleeding lips as he stepped on her, crossing to pick up Rin and kick Ah-Un, who proceeded to wake and follow him, Jaken clinging to it's back.

Kagome, sobbing, raced across the clearing to the fallen . Inuyasha leaped up and grabbed her arm as she leaped past, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo following.

Wait, bitch! he demanded brusquely, preventing her from going any farther.

she cried struggling against his iron grip.

Cut a dog in half and it still bites. He replied simply, glaring at her.

Kagome ceased wriggling for a moment, pausing to give him an odd look.

Miroku, seeing this, coughed lightly to get their attention. Ahem... what I think Inuyasha is referring to is the danger that Lady Soleil is still mobile, and in her demon state, could kill you. He muttered, but still not relinquishing his grip on her arm.

Soleil coughed, then sat up, grinning at them. Damn straight.

They all drew back instinctively, shrinking in horror at the sight of her bloody and mangled face and torso.

She stood up, dusting herself off. I'm already dead. I can't die! And this isn't my blood, I have no blood. It's the blood of my victims.

She lunged at them suddenly. You tried to stop me! For that you shall die! All of you!

Then, just as suddenly, she stopped. She sank to her knees, shaking and hugging herself.

Non, non... Her voice was weak and trembly, but it was her own voice, not that of the vampire within.

She turned tearful eyes to them. Her face and hair were back to their normal colors, but her eyes flickered in between crimson and the light blue that was her normal eye color.

J-je suis d-désolé... She shuddered, fresh tears falling. Je veux juste... qu'il finisse. In her terror, she returned to her native language. (I am sorry) (I just want... it to end)

Kagome, with her limited french, couldn't understand her, but she got the gist.

She remembered how to say ok, at least. )

Soleil sobbed harder. Aucun... il n'est pas... mais vous remercie de toute façon... (no... it's not... but thank you anyways...)

Yes it is! It's not your fault! Kagome insisted.

She laughed lightly, then stiffened. She shrieked, body convulsing as tremors wracked her body. Her eyes flickered...

Crimson...

Indigo...

Crimson...

Her eyes flickered one last time, then steadied to a deep bloodred. Her face paled, and her hair blacked. She grinned evilly.

So... tried to overthrow me, did she? Didn't work too well. She chuckled.

Now then... back to business! She resumed her lunge, skillfully avoiding Inuyasha's outstretched claws and everything else they tried. As she flew past Kagome, she ripped into her skin with the blunt end of the staff, splattering blood everywhere.

Kagome screamed, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still as her stomach was rent open.

In the blink of an eye, Soliel was behind Kagome, and dug her blade into her back. The shrill scream trailed off into the night as Kagome slumped, unconscious and bloody, to the cold ground. Inuyasha gave a strangled noise and sprang forward, intent on killing Soleil.

Soleil, however, was preoccupied. She sniffed the breeze, and bounded off into the night, singing lightly.

Damn her! Inuyasha let out a strangled yell, then turned to Sango, who was kneeling over Kagome.

Will she live, Lady Sango? Asked Miroku.

I hope so. She replied quietly.

Soleil awoke a few hours after sunrise, yawning and stretching sleepily. Then she yelped in horror. She was not anywhere she recognized. She was in a clearing in the forest.

A clearing that was covered with blood and littered with bodies.

Oh my god... what have I done? She clutched her head.

I don't remember anything...

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Thanx to all my reviewers!