Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any of the characters.

InuYasha, always the volatile one, exploded in a rage. His cursing and sputtering were the backdrop to Sesshomaru's amazing calm. Only when his lord smiled did Jaken cringe. He hated it when Lord Sesshomaru did that. The elder brother watched as his younger sibling continued with his tirade, saying nothing and letting the hanyou rave. Only when InuYasha noticed that he was the only one speaking did he fall silent.

"I can't believe you are taking this information so well, Sesshomaru!"

"On the contrary, little brother, I am as livid as you. However, instead of using up my time and energy to carry on about the situation, I am thinking of a way to handle the matter."

"M-me lord, they are being most wreckless in the matter!" Jaken stammered, "They are thinking to wait until such a time as you and InuYasha are unable to stop them!"

"That does it! I'm putting Kagome under lock and key! She thinks she can just run off and do as she pleases, to hell with the consequences. Well for once she is going to do as she is told! Its not like she can go running back to her own time and pout about it!" InuYasha snapped.

"She will be all the more determined to go if you do something so childish, InuYasha. Let them go."

Sesshomaru's words gave everyone pause. Jaken's eyes widened as his mouth fell open and the Staff of Two Heads clattered to the floor. InuYasha's own eyes widened and then narrowed. He knew his older brother. Though his response may sound like he didn't give a damn one way or the other what the girls did, Sesshomaru had something in mind. In fact, knowing the inuyoukai lord, he was already several steps ahead of the girls in their plotting and scheming.

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Rin could hardly believe her friend would want to go through with such a dangerous plan. Willing to risk her mortal life for an immortal one...possibly. Living forever. It sounded great at first. Being able to see the world around you as it changed and evolved...but then she would always be a creature of the time she was born in. She knew of Kagome's modern clothing and could never imagine herself in such attire. When her friend talked of her time's Rin knew she would never fit in there. Life sounded so complicated. This thing called "school" sounded the most unpleasant of aspects.

She certainly couldn't make any close friends. They would notice how she never seemed to age in their short mortal lifetimes. Could she really bear such a thing? As much as she loved Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken, they were not like having a close female friend such as Kagome. If she were to become immortal, settling in one place would no longer be an option open to her. Too many questions would arise as modern times crept in as to why she looked the same after thirty, fourty, fifty years had passed. The way Kagome talked, demons and the beliefs held here in the fuedal era were thought of as foolish, stories made up to scare children and teach them lessons.

Then a horrifying thought occured to Rin. Kagome never made mention of ever having seen anyone resembling either InuYasha or Lord Sesshomaru in her times. What became of the demons of the lands? Were they all slain? Did mortal encroachment somehow destroy them? Perhaps that was the fate of every era. All traces of its existance were slowly wiped away only to remain on paper until they became thought of as legends. A demon sealed to an ancient tree was mentioned in stories in Kagome's times but nothing was said of the demon's brother. Rin swallowed hard. Her lord had been forgotten, any trace of him was gone, erased, vanished.

"So, alright, you won't use the dagger but you'll at least help me get it so I can use it?" Kagome's voice broke through Rin's scattered thoughts.

"If this is what you really want, Kagome, I'll help. I can't let you go off on your own now can I? I just hope you think a lot about this before using the blade. Once you are immortal, there is no going back. Its done."

"Rin, becoming immortal is not a big decision. You have to remember, I gave up going back and staying in my own era once the sacred jewel was completed. My family, all the things I have ever known, I can't get back to them."

"So...it that what this is all about? You miss the people and things of your time? You don't want to live forever to stay with InuYasha! You want to live forever so you can get back to your era!" Rin gasped, her eyes flaring.

"I want to stay with InuYasha but I also have to know what becomes of my mom, my little brother and Gramps! I know I won't be able to interact with them but I can at least have peace of mind knowing how their lives turned out!"

"Kagome!"

"Rin, you lost your family against your will! You didn't choose for what happened! I did! I chose to give them up! I would be lying if I said I didn't have the occasional regret! But seeing my family again is only a small part of the reason I want to become immortal. I also want to be with InuYasha forever. That part of me that still carries a piece of Kikyo's soul could never bear the seperation again. I won't him and he won't lose me!"

Her friend was right. She didn't chose to have her family and herself seperated forever. Bandits took the choice from Rin's hands. Which was why she was so grateful to her lord. Sesshomaru always let her know, she made the choices in her life. Whatever happened was of her making. Lord Sesshomaru gave her everything she needed. Rin could never want for more. Her life was just as she wanted it. If she could go back and change things...she wouldn't do it. Her life had played out as it was meant to. Kagome's life was doing the same. If they were meant to find the dagger, they would. If it was Kagome's destiny to live forever thanks to the Demon Blade, she would do so. Rin, ever so faithful to those she loved and cared about, would walk each step of the journey at her friend's side.

Two sets of demonic eyes watched the great hall. Neither spoke. Their close call with the powerful attacks of the great dog demon's sons had sent them running but not far. In truth, they had seen all they needed to with that. Something else was causing them to linger. They now knew the strength of the brothers. Next was to know their weakness.