I got some reviews, nice ones too, but I'm gonna have to put them in the next chapter. Sorry, reviewers...

Rin(Lin) / Maru(Sesshoumaru) Pairing

Yes: 1 (Jgal)

No: 2 (Devlinn Reiko-sama & Kiikii-Usagi)

Keep Voting! I want your opinion before I get into the whole relationship between them, be it love or be it close friendship. Put it in a review!

Two days later…

Maru was now used to the way things worked in the bathhouse. He knew he shouldn't get on Yubaba's bad side, and he also worked hard. He and Rin had become the best of friends, minus their little scuffles and pranks.

Most of all, he was becoming more easygoing and open. To be sure, he was still arrogant, presumptuous, and stoic; and yet…

"Maru, get your ass out of bed! It's time to clean those floors!" Rin called.

"…I do not wish to…" he replied tiredly. "You do it…"

"No way, it's your turn!"

"Since when were there turns? We do it together!"

"I know. I'm just trying to ramble and wake you up."

"Fine. I am up."

Maru rubbed his eyes and stretched his arm over his head. His muscles had long since hardened from the abusive work of the bathhouse, so he didn't really feel too hurt. Still, Rin rubbed and tied his arm every other day to ease the swelling. That was the smart course, since if he didn't work, Yubaba would turn him into an animal or coal.

Today was once again a floor-cleaning day.

Maru folded his cloth and prepared to run from side to side of the floor and get it shining like a polished diamond. His stomach growled loudly at every pass.

"Man, your stomach is more talkative than you, Maru," Rin teased.

"So it is. There is nothing I can do about that except to quell my hunger…"

"Unfortunately for you, the kitchens are having problems. All the food is for the guests, so unless you wanna eat your little medicine ball, we're out of luck," Rin told him forlornly.

"I see…"

Maru gave his rag to Rin so that she could wring it out, then they proceeded to an empty tub.

"Master Jaken, it's been a week and a day. Why isn't Lord Sesshoumaru back?"

"I do not know, Rin," Jaken said worriedly. "But we must be true to his wishes. We shall return home and tell Ayumi and Tori to take over the rule."

Rin gasped.

"But you don't think that milord will be gone forever, right Jaken?"

"Rin…I…just can't say…"

Ah-Un nuzzled the worried little girl. She pet them back.

'Ah, we must do something about this. Sesshoumaru is always true to his word. He would have been back if he had a choice…'

/Yes…perhaps it is time to call in the reinforcements. Inuyasha will not be willing, however…/

'If he knows what's good for him, he'll come. Not just as a threat from us, but to make sure the lands are stable. Even the hanyou wishes not for that…'

Ah nodded to Un.

/It's decided then./

By the third day of no food, Maru was beginning to feel very weak and sickly. He was the only human there, and so he required much more than the others. Unfortunately, it was survival of the fittest now. The frogs were making it hard to get food because they were so greedy, and any food Rin got for them he told her to have for herself. Now it was lunchtime and he was once again refusing food.

"Maru, you need it more than I do, come on. If you slow your pace, Yubaba will have you," Rin pleaded with him.

"No. Out of the question and unnecessary," he told her curtly. His empty stomach then began to roar with a vengeance. He gave a shuddering sigh. He felt as if he were digesting himself…

"Eat the rice! I can share!" Rin told him in vain.

"It is yours. If I cannot manage to steal any food for myself, then I do not deserve any…"

He coughed violently for a few moments, then came to rest.

"Look, Rin. I am going to sleep now. Please do not bother me about your food any longer…"

So saying, he pulled himself into a fetal position, breathing shallowly. Rin pulled the blanket over his body and brushed a stray hair from his face.

"You don't need to be so noble," she said softly.

"It is not…nobility…it is…sensibility…" he whispered.

Within a minute, he was asleep, stomach growling loudly.

When Maru next awoke, it was to the sound of banging and crashing. He didn't want to move, though….

Until he heard a pained yell.

Rin is being hurt. I must help her.

He rose unsteadily to his feet, but was sent flying back as a chunk of wood rammed into his face.

"Argh!"

His vision blurred as blood trickled into his left eye.

"I must continue!"

He got up again, and reached for the Toukijin, which he had hidden under the floorboards. Immediately, its powerful persuasion overwhelmed his senses. He dropped the blade, feeling ill.

All that hatred…all that bloodlust…he thought in horror, struggling to stay conscious. I need to go back to that so that I may slay whatever is hurting Rin!

With determination, he pulled out the Toukijin, this time overwhelming its powerful aura, but only just. The sword's youki tore at his flesh, slowly burning away.

Maru ran to the main bath, where he almost wet himself.

Rin was being held by an enormous dragon/youkai. Its crimson scales cast a glare onto everything else.

"It's a Chinese fireball from the continent," he muttered. "In my prime, I could take it. But now…never mind what form I am in! I shall protect Rin!"

Gathering his courage, he charged the dragon and slashed at it with the Toukijin, causing a deep wound in its flesh. It roared at him, dropping Rin.

(Dare this fool challenge me!) It growled.

:Indeed this fool dares to challenge you: Maru replied in the language of the animal youkai.

(You speak the language. Who are you?)

:I am the son of the powerful Inu no Taisho. I am the great Lord Sesshoumaru.:

(You? Ha! You are merely human. I sense no youki but a faint trace from you!)

:You are correct. I am the fallen Lord Maru. And you shall feel the sting of my blade on your unworthy flesh:

Maru leapt forward and embedded Toukijin into the dragon's neck, but he was instantly whipped away by the dragon's tail. He groaned in pain, then his back connected with the bathhouse wall. Gasping, he rose. His breath was short and his vision was split badly.

(Do you give up, little man?)

:As if I would give up to vermin like you:

Maru wished he had his Dokkasou power. Instead, he leapt up and pulled the Toukijin out before slicing across once more and embedding it into the dragon's neck. In retaliation, the creature once again used its tail and this time, the blow was more powerful.

Dizzying pain enveloped Maru as his right leg shattered against the wall. He howled in agony, clutching the broken limb and trying vainly to block out the pain. Breathing in gasps and shudders, he leaned forward, bangs covering his eyes. A deep snarl erupted from his throat and crimson bled into his eyes. Fangs extended far past his chin and his claws extended to a two inch length.

The former lord leapt to his feet—his broken leg shook violently under the weight.

The demon within had broken loose of the spell. However, with his human tainted blood, he could no longer handle his power, and so it controlled him.

And all he knew was to kill the dragon.

Viciously, he leapt up and buried inch and a half long fangs into the dragon/demon. It roared and slashed him across the back, but he took no notice of this and merely ripped deeper, until he reached the dragon's heart. He bit into it and it stopped beating.

With a tense, choked cry, the dragon collapsed.

As the dragon died, so did Maru's demon transformation. The spell was once again in place. He again became human and grabbed the Toukijin. Using it as a crutch, he limped to Rin.

"Are…you alright?" he managed to croak.

"…Yeah…I'm fine, Maru…" Rin said. She was a little shaken, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

"Good…"

He collapsed forward.

R&R please!