Okay so I got called out on stalling! So feel free to thank Elohiniar for this chapter update! Also thank you to those of you who subscribed to my podcast! We are at over 100 subscribers on Youtube! I can't say enough how much it means to me but I will say that if I get to 150 subscribers in the next week, the next chapter will be loaded before the end of the month and trust me, you want the next chapter to be loaded asap lol. As usual, comment and share your thoughts below. Without further ado, the chapter!
"I said put me done you flying oaf!" Jaken shouted as A-Un flew uncharacteristically fast with the toad demon hanging in one of its mouths.
The two headed beast prepared to land by a river that reeked of blood and land that looked scarred from battle. The toad demon felt his stomach pitch before the dragon tilted at an unholy angle and finally descended.
"Arrghhh!" The toad demon shouted as the dragon landed roughly. I'm going to be air sick, He thought wearily. Damn dragon.
The dragon trotted over to the bushes and plopped down, clearly weary from its flight. It was then that Jaken noticed its poor state, scraped scales and tears within its skin. It had clearly begun to heal but there was no doubt that the poor creature had certainly taken a beating.
Jaken felt his face heat in anger for the creature, who could do such a thing to such a gentle giant? That beating would be nothing compared to what his Lord would do when he found the culprit responsible. This senseless cruelty would not go unchecked, this irresponsibility would be the person's last -
Irresponsible.
Rin.
Jaken could feel his mouth go dry while the rest of his body felt hot and cold, the warring temperatures making his skin more clammy than usual.
The girl was as irresponsible as the wind itself and yet he would be burdened with the blame of all she did and all that was done to her.
"Where's Rin?" he asked no one in particular before turning to face A-Un.
Jaken looked around the land once more, it was clear there had been a battle here but he was certain it had not been one that involved his Lord. Too much was still intact. He looked up into the trees, there were no limbs strewn about, this was not the work of his master.
"A-Un, where is Rin?! Did she do this?" he demanded, the two headed beast blinked wearily at him before yawning and laying its head fixably near the bushes. Jaken muttered a string of curses as he waddled up to the side of the dragon and unfasted a pouch from the side of the saddle. Lord Sesshomaru had sent him to the nearest human village, which had not been near at all, to gather medicines for Rin. If she was determined to play the part of a slayer, it would only make sense that he would be enlisted as her caretaker.
He had come across a healer's shop and had taken as much as he could carry, after all, they were preparing to face off against the ogres - Rin would need all the help she could get.
He had hoped he wouldn't have had to use the supplies so soon, but as always nothing went according to plan with Rin around.
She couldn't have been far, he thought, why else would A-Un bring him here?
"Rin?!" He shouted. "Rin?!"
A small groan emanated from the bushes and relief washed over him. He pushed past the shrubbery and yelped in shock.
"You?!" He exclaimed as he laid eyes on the undressed wounded slayer that Rin had brought to their grounds. "Where is Rin?! What happened here?"
Yun opened his bleary eyes and turned his head to face the small demon. Jaken sunk back at the sight of him. The slayer did not look well, he had been broken and unwell to begin with but now he was wreaking of illness, and his appearance was ghastly. It was clear his state was unwell; but what was more plain to see was that this man was going to die.
"Little demon." Yun muttered in an almost shocked voice. "Please, you must help her. Rin, she has been taken."
"Taken?!" Jaken exclaimed, his bulgy eyes widening in their sockets.
Yun nodded weakly, "Ogres." he coughed, "They came while we were bathing. She sacrificed herself to save me and the dragon."
Jaken could feel his stomach churning like a blade was twisting in it. Rin….Sacrificed? Was she?
Nausea rolled through him, he didn't want to believe it. She was still so young, so naive, stubborn and good. She still had so much life left to live, she was still his child, his responsibility, his Rin. Granted she was taller and her attitude had grown in proportion to her height but to think that her life could be cut short, after barely having lived and so soon after having met up again…..the thought was too much to bear.
He choked on the dry air that seemed to lodge in his throat.
Lord Sesshomaru. How would he react? He would be enraged, even the Kami would know his wrath if they took what was rightfully his, what he unknowingly deemed most precious to him. How could this have happened?
His eyes landed and narrowed on the slayer. "You." he breathed, his webbed hands balling into tight fists. "This is your fault."
She was restless as she slept, her heart thrumming and her body warming in an unnatural fashion as she struggled aimlessly in his arms. Beads of sweat dewed on her temple and trapped the tendrils of hair that had managed to make their way forward. The soft breeze that combed through his hair, danced with her same tendrils before leaving them matted and tangled in the process.
He watched as she slept fitfully and wondered briefly if he should wake her before thinking better of it. Rin had always been victim to the occasional night terror, it was only natural given her traumatic upbringing, one he had undoubtedly contributed to.
Her face was flushed yet the flesh around her eyes were puffy and darkened; a clear indication of her pitiable mental state. It seemed that in spite of her growth, her skill, the lifestyle he'd left her to and the lifestyle she had chosen; she was still the broken girl he had met so long ago in the woods. He felt his chest clench at the thought.
He closed his eyes and sighed. What he had done to save her was unforgivable, irrevocable; the path they would walk now would be riddled with complications. And yet, the mere thought of having abandoned her to such a deplorable fate was simply impossible. Death was not worthy of her; not yet.
He felt the demonic energy in him stir at the thought. He had been certain and comfortable even with the ideation that she would likely meet her end on this expedition. Yet each and every time death had reared its head, all else had ceased to matter. His very being seized at the thought of her untimely departure from this plane of existence and in these moments it was clear.
There could be no more denial, he was not so obtuse that he could not conclude where he had arrived. It seemed that in spite of everything he had told himself, in spite of all he had done to distance himself from her, that it had all been for naught. He opened his eyes and gazed into the star studded night thoughtfully, before her poison coated nail dug into his skin and an earth shattering scream left her marred throat.
She ran towards her but it was futile, the little demon shouted for her.
"Hime, please!"
"My Lord, please!" she begged, but instead he looked at her and smirked.
She lunged at him and watched as he lunged for her too. She knew what had happened next, his golden gaze promised no escape and then it was dark. The darkness pulled at the recesses of her mind, of her being, as if she were being erased from the plane in which she existed. It was cold, numbing and unreasonably warm all at once. She struggled against it fruitlessly, digging her nails into where they could find purchase but it was a fruitless effort. It was back and it was consuming her; death. She could feel herself being swallowed whole and she opened her mouth to scream.
"Rin, wake up Rin. Rin!"
She jolted out of her sleep, struggling aimlessly in the darkness around her.
"Misuri? Misuri?!" she shouted roughly, before a firm hand grabbed her jaw and forced her eyes to focus. His golden gaze pierced through her and she slumped against him in fatigue.
"My Lord." she said hoarsely.
He watched as her eyes roamed around, taking in all she could about their present surroundings though he had not moved from the last night she awoken.
His glowing orbs narrowed, "You dream of the demon child?" he noted curiously.
Rin brought her trembling hands to rub her eyes before raking her calloused fingers through her tangled hair.
"Where are we? What time is it? How long have I been asleep?" she asked, steadfastly ignoring his question. "How long until we reach the land of the ogres?"
Sesshomaru did not miss that she disregarded his inquiry but answered her nonetheless. "You have only been asleep a few hours Rin. You are fine, you are safe here. We are two days' travel from the ogre camp. There were two camps it seemed, but the first camp is no more, they paid for their trespasses against me."
The steel in his voice shone in his golden orbs confirming what she understood from his clipped explanations. He had slaughtered them, to avenge her…...to avenge himself.
She frowned.
"I see." she replied as she glanced around the treetop in an effort to see the ground but it was a fruitless endeavor, they were far above ground.
The sharp scent of fear and discomfort wafted off her skin but he was not ready to release her just yet. His arms tightened around her and she glanced up at him abashedly. She craned her neck and opened her mouth to protest only to wince noticeably. She brought her hands up to her neck tenderly, gasping as she felt the tender and swollen flesh.
Her hands travelled upwards, slowly inspecting her face before descending to feel over lithe limbs she could reach without debasing herself before the demon that held her so closely.
"How? How am I...how did you save me?" she asked.
She strained to capture his gaze, a feat not easily done. His face remained schooled in its emotionless consistency showing her had no intentions to answer her.
"Why did you save me?" she rephrased.
She watched as a fleeting emotion transformed his feature into one of confusion and then apathy. "Your life is mine Rin."
Even with the chill that had settled in her stomach she could feel the heat that filled her eyes and streaked down her face unconsciously. He brought his clawed hand to her cheeks and brushed off the offending tears.
"Do you resent this Rin? Being mine?" He asked softly.
He studied her through those unrelenting golden orbs that had once been her safe haven but now resembled that of a predator, of a master. Only yesterday their color had reminded her of the sun or the stars; warm and beguiling, igniting a passion in her from the very depth of her soul and now….now those same eyes scared her.
"Rin?"
She snapped out of her stupor. "My Lord?" she started, moistening her dry cracked lips with her tongue, before pulling her lower lip beneath her front teeth.
He watched as the small pink muscle darted out of her mouth and resisted the urge to bring it into his own mouth. He met her gaze with a hard one of his own and felt the muscles in her back tighten in response.
"W-where is Ah-Un? Where is Yun?" she asked softly.
"Why do you wish to know?" He asked indifferently.
Her soft face morphed into a mask of confusion.
"What?" she said incredulously. "Why wouldn't I want to know?"
He remained aloof although his grip on her tightened painfully. A studied silence passed between the pair and she realized he was intentionally disregarding her. She tried to shove away from him unsuccessfully and his eyes flashed down to hers in admonition.
Her own eyes narrowed in response before she started struggling against him in earnest. She pushed at his arm around her and his solid, muscle lined chest before she noticed then that he did not wear his haori. She wore his haori which was wrapped around her body at least twice over before draping over her limbs. The sleeves had been rolled up before her wrist, which had escaped her notice.
Her struggles against him struggled and so he loosed his hold on her while she took note of the clothing she wore. Suddenly her angry cocoa eyes met his before she shoved against him unexpectedly and freed herself unexpectedly from his arms.
Her eyes widened as she lost her seating in his lap and tumbled backwards. A sharp scream left her mouth just before he shot his body forward and caught her by the wrist, pulling her up without much effort back into the secure stronghold that was his lap and arms.
"Enough Rin." He barked.
"Answer me." she demanded. "Where are they? What happened?"
"If you were so concerned with their fates, you wouldn't have offered yourself like a lamb for slaughter." He hissed.
"We were ambushed, they had no means to defend themselves. I-"
"Should've called for me!" he roared loudly, causing her to flinch.
Her small nose flared, "You weren't there and I am more than capable of taking care of myself." she ground out through clenched teeth.
"You stubborn stupid girl! If that were true, I wouldn't have found you at death's door; a broken and bloody mess. What makes you think that your feeble strength could rival that of a demon's?" he snarled.
Her lashes dashed away the tears she tried so hard to keep at bay as she barked out a dark humorless chuckle.
"Stubborn enough to train under Inuyasha, Sango, Kaede and Kohaku. Stupid enough to believe it would matter. Stubborn enough to hold out faith in your return for me. Stupid enough to go in search of you. You abandoned me, you weren't there. Forgive me, my Lord," she sneered, "if I couldn't do the same to those who counted on me. Forgive me for not living up to the example you left for me."
A bitter breeze filled the space between them but it was the ice in her eyes that sent an unnoticed chill down his spine. The fickle wind twisted the contrasting curtains of light and dark that was their hair and paled the skin of the woman he held in his arms.
"You're deluded by your conceit, by your pride. You run into battle as if you were immortal. You are not." he reminded her under harsh breath.
It was Rin's turn now to give me a steely silent reply.
"Ah-Un and the slayer are alive. They will join us when they can. For now, we wait and prepare for battle."
Rin nodded to convey her understanding. Before she could finish the action her face was between the palm of his hand. Though his grasp was immovable his touch was gentle, he moved a stray piece of hair from her face and brought their faces so close together their noses rubbed against on another, causing her to shiver in response.
"You will call for me in battle and you will not forfeit your life again. Do you understand Rin?"
She could feel the blood hammering in her veins as the space between them seemed to diminish a second at a time.
"It's my life." She said breathlessly.
"That I have given you for a third and final time." He told her solemnly. "You will honor it."
"I do."
"So much so, that you would give your life, my most treasured possession, for the sake of another, for demons no less." He admonished her.
"It is my life." She said weakly, her mind reeling from his confession.
"That you promised to serve me with as my vassal." He reminded her.
"Just as you promised to return for me." She replied softly. "Too much has changed."
Sesshomaru could feel the pull of the bond they shared now urging him to claim her, but he resisted. Above all things, he would maintain his control and in doing so save them both from a fate he knew would be worse than death. He only needed to remind himself of his father's example as proof.
A yearning from deep within her let loose and grabbed his face between her hands, bringing their lips together in a moment of anguished passion. For a moment so sweet, she thought herself to have imagined it, he crushed her to his frame and kissed her back. She parted her lips softly to nip at his and a sound like a growl ripped through his chest before he pulled her away with a face of disgust.
"Some things have not changed." He said harshly.
With a move so fast, her vision went dark, she stood within a cave above the body of a sleeping man, a man she knew too well.
"Wake him." He instructed her as he moved to leave the cave. The sun was beginning to poke out of the clouds, and he would not let another day go wasted.
Rin touched her lips with the tips of her fingers, her eyes burning with a need to cry. She shook her head and swallowed the rejection.
Stubborn, stupid girl. She chided herself.
Jaken held the reins of the two-headed dragon tightly as he urged him to go faster, the rush of wind threatened to unseat him but he needed to be swift in rejoining his Lord. If Rin was in mortal danger then they had little time to spare.
He had thought about killing the broken slayer himself but if anything had happened to Rin, the honor of killing him would belong to his Lord. It took him more time than it should have to load the slayer onto the beast but with his size and Ah-Un's limited flexibility it could not be helped.
He had patched him up as best he could, for it had occurred to him that if by some miracle Rin was alive she would be displeased that he was in such a poor state. Outwardly, he feigned indifference as best he could towards the young woman but he couldn't help but look after her.
He would loathe to admit it but, he found that a part of him was pleased the girl was back and as active as ever. He had missed her all these years, she kept them on their toes, which was refreshing, and with her around he was allotted a purpose. Sure, he was his Lord's most faithful and trusted vassal, but an almighty demon hardly needed looking after and Sesshomaru was never what one could deem companionable.
"How much longer?" The slayer croaked.
"Hush!" Jaken cried, "You're lucky I've spared you."
The slayer chuckled and gagged a bit behind him, "Yes, I don't know what I would have done, had you not spared me."
Jaken looked over his shoulder in agitation, "why you…"
A rough bump of wind caused them to bounce on the saddle and the slayer groaned in pain.
"Little demon…" he began.
"That's the most honorable Master Jaken to you!" Jaken reminded him.
"Jaken," the slayer replied, "how much longer?"
"Just how would I know?" Jaken replied exasperated, "Ah-Un can find Lord Sesshomaru anywhere and he is moving swiftly so he cannot be too far. Which means Rin cannot be too much further than that."
It was quiet for a moment, save for the wind the soared past their eardrums in a soft roar.
"Why does she follow him? What is their connection?" He muttered.
Jaken didn't answer but rolled his eyes, he prayed that this ningen was not the latest male specimen infatuated with the girl.
"What maiden, what slayer, what sane person would follow a demon of such a stature? What hold does he have over her?" he wondered aloud.
"Why do you follow him?" he asked Jaken.
"Because I am his most loyal servant!"
"She said he saved her once," The slayer urged. "How?"
"I'm losing consciousness."
Jaken sighed dramatically, knowing very well he was eager to tell the tale of his Lord, Rin, Naraku, and the journeys of the past.
"Fine, if only to keep you alive until we arrive." Jaken relented.
She sank to her knees softly and prepared to shake his shoulder. His warmth bled into the palm of her hand and she felt the tears rushing to her eyes once more. The freckles on his face were so much less obvious now, his jawline stronger and his hair scruffier than she remembered. He looked so peaceful as he slept but she knew better than most that that was seldom the case.
She looked over him and around the cave, was this the freedom he had fought for and won so long ago? She sighed and shook him softly.
"Kohaku, Kohaku, wake up." she whispered.
She watched as he opened one bleary eye at a time before sitting up and yawning. Not another moment passed before he brought her into his arms.
"Thank Kami." he breathed, pulling her back to look over her. Save for her wringer neck, she was healed, alive and resembled nothing of the corpse she had been just days ago.
He brought his forehead to hers before crushing her in his grasp again.
"I'm okay Kohaku." she reassured him softly.
He shook his head and his eyes glowed with restrained tears.
"What happened to you Rin? You were…..you were...I didn't even recognize you." he choked back a sob.
"It's..it's okay Kohaku. I'm okay now." she whispered, her voice quivering with emotion. She had been too close
"No Rin, it's not okay." he ground out. "You were a breath away from death. There was no saving you. If it hadn't been for Lord Sesshomaru….Just what happened out there? How could you possibly think you could face an ogre let alone two alone?!" he whispered furiously. "Just what are you trying to prove?"
"Nothing!" Rin shouted before recalling her surroundings, "nothing." she whispered, although it was too late because a number of slayers had jolted out of their sleep.
She watched as a few of them threw her guarded and unwelcome looks, before they awoke for the day and made their way from the cave likely to freshen up.
"Then what happened?" he demanded softly.
"I was….I was ambushed while I was taking a bath."
"You should have fled." He ground out.
Rin narrowed her eyes in response, "I couldn't, I wasn't alone. The man I was with was crippled, he couldn't escape alone. I sent him away with Ah-Un."
"And acted as a decoy." Kohaku deduced.
"Should I have left him to die?" she hissed.
Kohaku spluttered wordlessly before rounding on her, "You shouldn't have been alone, where was he? Where was Lord Sesshomaru?"
"I'm not a child Kohaku, I don't need a chaperone to bathe."
"Oh?" he replied sarcastically, "Tell me Rin, how did you end up with those bruises around your neck? How did you end up in this cave?"
She glared at him stonily.
"A bath." he concluded, bringing his hands into the open as if it were the most obvious conclusion. "You're not-"
"Invincible, I know!" she said standing to her feet and dusting off her knees. "But I'm not some weak woman or child either, and you'd do well to remember that."
Kohaku reigned in his temper and scolded himself for letting his emotions lead him. It was a problem he hardly ever had, except for of course when it came to Rin.
"I know," he conceded, "I'm sorry, I was just concerned. You...you didn't see it Rin. You were beyond saving. Only Kami knows what sort of demonic means he had to use to save you this time and what it might cost. What are you even doing out here, when did you meet up with Lord Sesshomaru again?"
"It's a bit of a long story but we are together now to vanquish the ogres that have displaced a number of human and demon territories alike." she informed him.
Kohaku nodded, "Yes, we are after the same. They killed one of my men and destroyed a human village we were meant to protect."
Rin took his hands in hers. "So, you will travel with us then?"
Kohaku nodded in the affirmative.
"That's great, it will be like old times." Rin joked morbidly.
Kohaku chuckled, "I doubt that but we'll be glad to have your help. This is not an enemy we could hope to face and win alone. Their destructive capabilities are…." he sighed somberly, "Rin, the villages they pillaged, there's little to nothing left and there are very few survivors."
"An enemy so strong that you would cower? I'm shocked."
His brown eyes flashed in rebuke, "This is not cowering, this is me taking this threat seriously. They killed one of my own, an accomplished slayer. If it weren't for the fact that they needed to be stopped I would urge you to stay behind. This is not a battle where I can protect you."
Rin looked at him plainly. "I am not yours to protect, Kohaku."
"Then whose are you to protect Rin?" He asked belligerently. "Certainly not his."
Rin scoffed incredulously, "What does that matter, am I not a slayer in my own right?"
"It matters because you cannot depend on him like you have in the past. You aren't a child anymore Rin, you cannot just follow him around blindly."
"You may be right," she conceded, "I cannot depend on him and I won't but let me remind you that you are neither my husband or my maker Kohaku, and that all matters regarding me are between me and the Kami to decide." She snapped. "So your reference, I am not following anyone anywhere; I have a job to do and so do you. Act like it."
Kohaku frowned angrily and opened his mouth to reply before he and Rin threw their hands over their ears. A thunderous roar followed by an abhorrent string of shrieks and shouts filled the air. The ground rumbled beneath their feet as they unsteadily made their way towards the mouth of the cave and watched as a small horde of ogres approached.
