I Do Not Own InuYasha


Unmei no Akai Ito

運命の赤い糸

The red string or red string of fate.

...

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance


I: 6


Year 1573...

Somewhere outside of Edo, Japan...

Life had a balance since Rin had returned to him, it had purpose again, something he had forgotten. Yōkai sought him out as their Inu no Taishō again, it was surprising, and Rin had bewitched the yōkai who sought him out again. They too saw it, they saw her, their empress, the girl just thought them admirers of him, and he reveled in her innocent insight about the matter. And with balance restored he wondered what it was he should do with the pup. It wasn't like he could just let her wander about with him, that would be irresponsible, still, he couldn't bare to part with her.

All he needed now was a way to surpass his father in power.

He would also need to speak to Tōtōsai about forging Rin's fang for her soon, he knew he should start her training soon. And she would need a fang to learn. His mate was a fearsome swordsman, with renowned skill, she had always praising her lord in her teachings, he found some irony in that now seeing as how he was by all accounts her lord.

But it was thoughts of Rin's education which had had him, with great reluctance, seeking out InuYasha's pack. He didn't want to, but he knew his mate should be around humans, she should know her people beyond the yōkai, Rin had been a wonderful diplomat and leader when she had been around. Humans an yōkai flocked to her for guidance and protection, she was fair, she was just, and she was just a pup right now. Not the woman. He reminded himself of that a lot, still, he knew she had to learn things to continue forward in life.

Even if she were to decide to forge a life of her own, separate from him.

It would kill him if she decided that she didn't want to be with him, but he could understand that, she would have to find her own way, and be her own person and he should provide her the tools necessary to do that. Just he couldn't find it in him to do that just yet.

Which was why he had changed his mind and started away from Edo.

At least they were until he felt that pressure change, and a familiar scent hit the air, filling it with bloodlust and desires for power. He would know that scent anywhere.

Sō'unga.

The return of his father's sword was an answer to all his problems for sealing his title and position as Inu no Taishō. Sō'unga would give him the power to keep his enemies at bay and in check, all he'd have to do was get the sword and seal it under his control. Simple enough task.

Rin was chatting with him as she rode A-Un and he listened as she explained the latest beautiful yōkai she had seen and the flowers she had been given as a gift. She was so delighted to have a position as his Rin, it softened him a little as he tracked Sō'unga.


Somehow Sō'unga has tied himself to InuYasha, which is troubling to Sesshōmaru because it did give Sō'unga a chance to restore and unleash his building strength without hold back. Sesshōmaru remembered how Sō'unga devoured his father's yōkai energy at the end, and was unmanageable. Now it was bound to InuYasha of all creatures!

Sesshōmaru fought swiftly, knowing the moves of Sō'unga as well as he knew his own, feeling at a disadvantage though without his mate's fang. There's always been something about Rin's fang which had countered Sō'unga's all consuming, taunting voice and silenced the foolish sword! No mattered.

He would not be cowed by a sword with an inferior wielder!

InuYasha was not a skilled swordsman. Not like Tōga had been. Catching his brother's counter attack he was aware that Sō'unga was attempting to expose his left side, but he was too skilled in that art to fall for it. He fought harder, and fiercer than Sō'unga was anticipating.

He was livid though that the sword had claimed InuYasha of all creatures!

He could feel Sō'unga feeding off his hatred of every hypocritical aspect of his father, the fact his father, who had despised humans for over a millennium had then sired a hanyō! The fact his father had forced him not to take action to avenge his mate! The fact his father had dared to interfere, and then perish at the hands of his mate's killer! It was infuriating. InuYasha was not worthy of his father, InuYasha was not worthy of Tetsusaiga, InuYasha should not even be alive! Not when his own mate had been harmed because of InuYasha's existence!

InuYasha seemed startled, no doubt Sō'unga feeding him a loop of memories and emotions from Sesshōmaru, which would normally give a skilled wielder of Sō'unga an advantage but it was clear his brother was merely the puppet for this sword at this moment.

Sō'unga though had made a mistake, Sō'unga thought Sesshōmaru desired to possess him! No, he desired the power of Sō'unga for reasons all unto his own which he was hiding from the sword. He would need the sword as Inu no Taishō but he did not desire the sword for any real reason, merely it's power. The sword thought he cared about the loss of his left arm, he didn't, InuYasha's sires had stolen everything from him and given it to InuYasha on a silver platter! He was livid about that.

And he was more furious about Sō'unga taking the hanyō's spirit; he would be the one to kill InuYasha when he was ready.

Sesshōmaru was momentarily startled though when InuYasha's yōkai emerged, the young pup was in so much pain, and confusion about being dragged to the surface against it's will. He could feel Tetsusaiga's seal on InuYasha's balance breaking, and then InuYasha scented her.

Sesshōmaru had been aware Rin was near, with Jaken, he was always aware of Rin, but that fool Jaken bringing her to here! Unwilling to unleash his own inner yōkai and give Sō'unga that power he struggled against his brother's brute strength as he thought about what to do to keep his mate safe.

Unlike InuYasha, Sesshōmaru had trained to use the Tetsusaiga, his father had drilled lessons into his head shortly after having forged it. As the last year had shown him he could not however wield Tetsusaiga without great pain being inflicted upon him, but he was running out of options.

Injury which he would heal from at the night's end or feed Sō'unga what it wanted? As the edge of the cliff neared he knew the pain of injury would be what was needed to keep Rin safe. Sō'unga was startled when Sesshōmaru shoved back against him, his true strength showing, his dominance over InuYasha had his brother's inner yōkai cowing to him momentarily. Using that momentary shock and ignoring Sō'unga's taunts he ran for the Tetsusaiga, feeling it's power flicker for a second at his blood but then it wavered and reacted violently as he used it to cleave the mountain in half and knock back the hanyō.

Rin and Jaken ran in the rubble, he could sense them, though he still didn't know why they were so close. Gasping for air at having to focus all his energy into the Tetsusaiga he felt it reacting poorly in his hand, trembling violently, and he slid to his knees as the fang clattered from his claws. That was pain like his father's poison, it stung greatly, and stole his breath away, but it wasn't going to keep him down long.

He glanced up to see Sō'unga forcing InuYasha to his feet.

There was a scream, and he saw Rin and Jaken, they were too near, Rin was too near, and Sō'unga would chase Rin without hesitation having a grudge. If it knew that was Rin! No! never again!

He saw the impostor miko coming as the venom, light and poison gathered on his claws, she screamed 'SIT' and it had InuYasha falling to his knees, there was a pulse of pure spiritual energy, words binding his brother's human soul to life, as Tetsusaiga couldn't at this moment, Sō'unga though had it's sights on Rin and hadn't stopped going for her. If he had to kill InuYasha to save her so be it!

The miko shouted 'SIT' again as she tackled InuYasha and he watched as Sō'unga's hold was lost, the resounding powerful thud into the earth sent the sword flying through the air, away from Rin.

Ignoring the drama of InuYasha he slipped around to where Rin was trying to wake Jaken.

Tōtōsai now appeared as Rin gave up trying to wake Jaken and ran to him for reassurance. Gathering the pup up against his mokomoko he assessed her for injuries, pleased to find none. Tōtōsai neared them, and he tensed, holding her closer, Jaken was unconscious and he wasn't comfortable leaving Rin to the old fool who's only loyalty had been to his father and now his idiot brother.

"I cannot believe my eyes," Tōtōsai muttered staring at Rin. "It has been a very long time, and I would not believe it if I was not looking right at her. Is it truly?"

"What is Sō'unga doing here?" he demanded, setting Rin down now that he was certain she was not in danger. Rin ran for Jaken.

"He has broken the seven hundred year seal," Tōtōsai answered him.

"Very well," he nodded. He looked at Rin, then at InuYasha; he would have to leave Rin with InuYasha's pack for now, it would be for the best. What he was going to do was not going to be easy or safe. He informed Rin of this, even as she begged Jaken to wake because he was leaving them. He hated leaving her, he could feel her anguish, but as long as Sō'unga knew she was here, she was not safe, he no longer wanted to wield Sō'unga, he wanted to destroy Sō'unga before Sō'unga went for Rin again.


Somewhere in Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kyoto, Japan...

It took a day but he dreaded where he tracked the scent, especially when he found himself at the recently churned grave sight of the being who had inflicted all his misery on him. Setsuna no Takemaru.

Sesshōmaru didn't know if he should be surprised or disgusted at Sō'unga's choice in hosts, of all the people to chose though, it hat his blood boiling. InuYasha was right behind him mugh to his fury.

"Setsuna no Takemaru," he snarled lowly. "Sō'unga chose that vermin as it's host!?" he didn't know if he should be insulted or outraged, but now his worry for Rin increased a thousand times over. Between Takemaru and Sō'unga the threat on his Rin had just become unreasonable, and it was all undoubtedly tied to his father's doing. He was going to kill InuYasha, take that damn Tetsusaiga; whether it seared off his right hand or now and use it to destroy the Sō'unga! That was final.

"Give Me Tetsusaiga And Die!" He roared at his brother as the light and poison spilled from his claw tips, decimating the forest around them, he would not relive this nightmare! No!

Not with her being a defenseless pup! No!

InuYasha struggled to escape his wrath this time, and he was going to kill his brother if it was the last thing he did!


Somewhere in Kyoto, Japan...

For Rin it had been an exciting few days, she hadn't been with so many nice humans since her family's death, she was a bit surprised! She was more surprised InuYasha's pack did not call themselves a pack, Sango and Miroku had informed her of this, they were a team, not a pack. Sango and Miroku were very nice to her, seeing that she was fed, and ignoring Master Jaken's complaints; they kind of reminded her of her parents, especially with how they argued, it made her giggle. The kitsune was very unusual, she liked Shippō a lot though, he was very fun to be around, and he hovered over Kagome who had yet to wake. InuYasha had left them, but she was not surprised, her lord had been most concerned about this newest threat, so concerned he had shut their magic link in a way she couldn't see him, only feel him in the back of her mind. There was also the way the three old men stared at her; Tōtōsai, Myōga, and Saya, they all looked at her with this awe, she did not understand it, and decided to stay nearest to A-Un and Master Jaken or InuYasha's team. She did not dare to leave the safety of her pack.

At least, it had been this way for the last few days until this battle, she saw her lord's fang land on the ground, and darted to go retrieve it for her.

"A weapon is your life, Rin, you must take care of it. This is not a task for servants," Sesshōmaru-sama said softly one night when she asked him why he was rubbing the blade with a rock.

The Tenseiga was her lord's and he would be most furious if it were left here to the dirt! She gathered it up, only for an oni to appear with fangs bared, she screamed when it picked her up.

"Rin! It wants the Tenseiga, let it go!" Tōtōsai demanded.

"No! This belongs to Sesshōmaru-sama!" she stated as she struggled. She cried out for her lord to save her as the oni grabbed her and Kagome, it was carrying them into the center point of the chaos and battle. She didn't know how long she and Kagome struggled but they were eventually dragged into the shiro where they were tossed before a creature of a nightmare, which sent terror racing down her spine. Her lord's emotions filled her mind though as she sensed his calm, he was coming for her.

There was a man, like the one from her lord's nightmares, she could see that, though his skin was icky and falling apart, his eyes were yellow and the pupils were milky like a dead man's. There was dragon wrapped around the man and both looked at her with such a hatred…

He pointed the sword at Kagome when Kagome had ordered the man back, to get away from them, but his eyes were trained on Rin, which was unnerving as she hugged Tenseiga tighter.

"You are both Izayoi to me. Human women who share an affinity for yōkai are all Izayoi in my eyes!" he growled.

Rin heard her mind screaming she should run, it was Sesshōmaru-sama's orders, and she felt compelled to do that, ducking when the man swung the sword, she scurried out of his path of destruction. She didn't know how long they could dodge his wrath but her lord was coming! She could feel it in her bones!

Rin ran, the paralyzing fear coursing through her had her running with Kagome and screaming desperately for Sesshōmaru. She wished her lord would hurry!

"Come and get me!" Kagome shouted defiantly as she held up the rusty sheath. Rin just bit her lip at the odd miko's antics while she held the Tenseiga closer to herself.

"What are you doing!?" the sheath demanded.

"It can put up a barrier right!?" Kagome demanded.

"Ha! A rusty old sheath is of no used to you!" Takemaru declared. Rin's heart plummeted but the terror rooted her in this spot as she was reminded of the bandits; he looked so menacing and evil! She wanted to run but she couldn't!

"It's not!?" the sheath squeaked. A blast of energy from the evil sword had Kagome flying back to hit the wall beside Rin. Now Rin's fear was drowned by her fury! Kagome was nothing but kind to Rin, and Rin had not met a human as tolerant or kind to her as Kagome was! She would not stand for the mistreatment of her friends! Human or yōkai or hanyō!

"How dare you!?" Rin snapped at him. "A real man would never hit a girl!"

Takemaru sneered at that as she shielded Kagome behind her, Tenseiga held tightly in her hand. The fang was not as heavy as she anticipated now holding it with one hand. Kagome was a good human, a good woman, and she was too kind and soft to survive what was to come, Rin knew that, but Rin would take the beating, she could tell that's what this man wanted. He wanted to hurt people, well Rin could take the pain, she had always taken the beatings and despite her fears of another beating she had no doubt that she'd survive this one too! Kagome was just too nice to survive a beating, and then there was the matter of her lord never saving another but her, she was the only human who would ever be saved by Sesshōmaru-sama. But that didn't mean she couldn't save Kagome! Sesshōmaru would save her!

He always did!

"Rin, run," Kagome panted, Rin glanced at the woman.

"Don't worry Kagome, Sesshōmaru-sama will come and save us!" Rin encouraged; he'd save them! He'd always save her!

"Enough! Resign yourself to the netherworld!" she looked up at the demented human called Setsuna no Takemaru and wince at the hatred she saw in his eyes. She wanted to run! But she wouldn't let anything happen to Kagome! He hefted up his sword arm and she could tell that this wasn't going to be a beating, this man intended to end her. She wasn't ready to die, but she wasn't moving from this spot!

"RIN!" Kagome screamed; she squeezed her eyes shut then. Sō'unga came swinging down on her head.

SESSHŌMARU-SAMA! She mentally screamed, he wouldn't let her die! He'd save her! He always did! He promised! He promised to protect her! He had better show up!

Rin waited to be killed again, but there was nothing.

She heard Kagome's startled gasp and cracked her eyes open at the electric crackling in the air. Sesshomaru's sword, it was holding Sō'unga away from her, his amber eyes were alight with a fight she had never seen and then he glanced at her. The relief in her was overwhelming but she saw and felt his own brief relief at seeing her, before he threw Takemaru away from her. She just hurried behind her lord as quickly as she could.

"Be gone. You will only be in my way here," he informed her coldly, she smiled then.

"He's right Rin," Kagome informed her. Of course, he was right! He was Sesshōmaru-sama after all and Sesshōmaru-sama was never wrong, but Rin refrained from pointing that out to Kagome. It wasn't her fault for her ignorance in this matter, she was InuYasha's woman after all.

"Come on, let's go!" Kagome tried to herd her away, but Rin wasn't leaving yet. She dusted off Tenseiga for her lord then.

"Sesshōmaru-sama, your sword," she held up the fang he cared about deeply then with a smile as he looked over at her with cold commanding golden eyes. His emotions were a turbulent mixture for her, but she sensed his gratitude as she presented the fang he cared about to him.

"Hurry, and go," he ordered coldly. She wasn't hurt by his tone, for she understood, she understood what he wanted her to do then and she had a feeling he'd need the Tenseiga.

"Right," she nodded her head, before setting Tenseiga down gently to run after Kagome. Her lord wanted her safe and away from the battle, now.