CYCLE OF RIN

By Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: I don't own the Inuyasha characters:(

Author's Notes: Finals are over! Now I can get back to what's important. Thanks to all who reviewed. Warning, this is a long Chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter Four

The Cycle

Wrapped in warmth, Rin began to wake slowly. Smells of soup cooking on a fire lured her out of slumber. She opened her eyes, a fire crackled nearby. Groggy and tired, the pain increased then subsided, ebbing and flowing as if her insides were a rubber band. Yet the contractions easing did nothing to stop the agony she felt. Breaking her arm hurt less than 'the Cycle'. Clenching both fists, she closed both eyes, fighting back the tears that wanted to fall.

Once the spasm passed, Rin opened both eyes and took in her surroundings. There was a roof over her head and a soft bed at her back. Sesshomaru sat near the fire across the room as Jaken prepared a bowl of soup from the hanging pot over the fire, deep in thought. Jaken's Two-Headed staff leaned against the wall next to him. The walls of the small hut were filled with shelves of bottles, books, ingredients and various pots, cauldrons and glasses. No shelf was left empty, every space filled. Nor had the place been dusted in centuries.

Jaken crossed the floor from the fire to Rin, holding the bowl of soup as if it was glass. Rin eyed Jaken suspiciously as he approached. The Imp never showed the slightest interest in serving her let alone aiding her. Jaken reflected Sesshomaru's detest of Humans, as if pain would be reason enough to aid an ailing Human. Was it because of her?

"Rin, eat." Came Sesshomaru's gentle voice. "You will need your strength."

His reserved tone and patience reminded her of her childhood. He used both often with her during their travels. Sesshomaru was taking care of her? No, that was not right. Had he brought her here? Her instincts told her yes. He found it advantageous to associate himself with her right now. Where exactly was she?

An older demon sat at the table between Sesshomaru and her, his head bent low behind the assortment of bottles and bowls of ingredients spread across its top. The demon ground something into powder with a pestal and mortar, his arms straining against the task. His back was to her but he appeared Human-like though she could not be sure. White hair, in the form of a odd-shaped cloud hid his ears from sight.

Rin remained laying down, her arms over her abdomen, it hurt too much to do much else. Why did Sesshomaru or this demon just kill her? What did they know that she did not? Jaken gingerly sat beside her on the bed where she lay with the soup bowl.

"Here, Rin." Jaken pushed the bowl forward. "Drink this and you'll be as good as new."

Her eyes revolted at the soup. A mixture of vegetables and oddly branch shaped objects floated in a yellow-green liquid convecting over and over in the bowl's bottom. Every so often, a bubble would form and pop.

"I'm not sick." Rin replied. "I'm dying."

She waved off the sick looking soup, turning from Jaken. Why did she think it smelled digestible? It was not like she was hungry anyway. There was nothing to do but wait till the present agony passed. Jaken set the soup bowl next to the bed on a shaky table. The Imp took hold of Rin's hand in his own. Rin quickly looked at Jaken, suspicious. Secretly, she was more than surprised by his newfound compassion.

"That soup will do you good, girl!" The old demon spoke from the table, his voice frail and hoarse. "Now drink and don't fuss!"

Rin pondered the situation. She ad been brought to this old demon for treatment? Did this demon know why she was sufferihng? Was the poison killing her quickly or slowly? At this point, she was willing to gulp down nasty soup if she got the answers she, herself, sought.

Jaken helped Rin to sit up, worried that Rin would die soon. He could not get over how much she had grown over the last seven years. 'Has it been that long?' Jaken shook his head to focus on the task at hand. Rin made no attempt to fuss this time, responding to his gentle guidance. As a child, she often ignored his wisdom. But, she no longer resembled a child. He lifted the bowl into his hand once more and began to spoon soup towards Rin.

Awful! What was she thinking? Edible…far from it! Rin choked another spoonful of smoking mixture, concentrating on not throwing it up on the floor. The watery concoction felt slimy, even plasma-like. A cold shiver ran down her spine. Her mind battled against her actions, scolding her that death could be imminent. Though there were no assurances that this demon, where she now resided in his hut, wanted to help her. Demons did not help humans.

"You have been infected by demon blood." Sesshomaru stated, his eyes on Rin.

Sesshomaru found Rin's unwavering courage to defy the pain commendable. Rin did not appear bothered by her slow death. Had she accepted her fate? Jaken seemed to care for Rin more then he let on, Sesshomaru noted. The Imp appeared overly willing to serve her since she was dying.

"Tell me something I don't know." Rin responded tight-lipped.

Rin did not think the statement brazen. It was obvious that she had been poisoned. Kagome used it often enough and sounded smart. Besides, the dull ache that began to churn in her hips became more prominent. There would be a spasm shortly. She reached up, steadying the bowl in Jaken's hand, waving off the spoon. Taking a deep breath, she took a long drink of the soup. Instantly, her body warmed. Perhaps there was something to this stuff after all.

"The scent this Sesshomaru followed was from you, not the new demon." Sesshomaru watched Rin closely.

Rin lifted her eyes over the rim of the bowl at Sesshomaru. He did mention the scent last night when he chose to speak. Sesshomaru thought he was tracking the new demon and here it was her. He could smell her? Could he sense the Cycle too? Of course he could. All demons were sensitive to her scent. Everyone had a scent, one they were born with. If Sesshomaru came to investigate her this evening then many demons would follow in his footsteps. Some demons would be curious, some willing to give her a look over. And then there were some demons looking for a fight.

"I should've known." Rin sipped from the bowl.

She grimaced at the grimy taste the soup left in her mouth. Surprisingly, she did not think the unusual concoction would make her feel as warm as it filled her stomach. Rin often lacked an appetite once the Cycle overpowered her. Her eyes shifted to the elderly demon.

"How many hours since the infection, girl?" Koi did not lift his head.

Koi was not interested in idle chat, ignoring everyone who invaded the usual quiet hut. There were important things to do here. He busily pasted the herbs and ingredients he collected after Lord Sesshomaru inquired about demon blood poisoning prior to his bringing the woman to him. Still, the human, Rin as Lord Sesshomaru called her, appeared in better condition than he expected. Of course, a human woman could handle demon poison better than their male counterparts. Must be the hormones raging in their veins that protected them, Koi surmised. He had seen plenty of cases to substantiate his conclusion.

Rin eyed the old demon suspiciously, finding his arrogance a product of his line of work. He was a demon healer. But, his genuine interest in her condition compelled Rin to be open. Could this demon cure her? Her eyes widened.

"Seven…" The sharp pain hit her hard.

Rin doubled over, muffling her cry. Biting the inside of her cheek hard, Rin tasted the blood oozing over her tongue. Both arms crossed over her abdomen, she could barely breathe. She squeezed both eyes closed to concentrate on breathing through the pain the way Kagome taught her. A method used by women over centuries during childbirth, the technique proved valuable during the Cycle.

Jaken moved quick enough to catch the soup bowl before hitting the floor. Rin was in severe pain, even for a Human, her eyes watered despite her attempts to remain strong against the attack. His eyes widened as she tried to be brave. She had done well to fight the infection for seven hours. Soon, she would succumb, just like all humans before her. Sad, he was happy to know she survived after they parted company.

"Seven hours? That's long, even for a human." Koi commented.

He continued to work the paste in the mortar. Bent over his task, he raised a hand towards the wall opposite him lined with bookshelves. A book flew to him from the shelf, opening and setting itself down where he could read it. A few more minutes and he'd have the paste ready. Jaken was feeding the first part of the remedy to the woman.

"Not hours." Rin sat up when the peak of the pain passed, feeling it ebbing away. "Years. It's been…seven years since I…I was infected."

Her eyes were watering in streams, tears cascaded down her cheeks. There was no point in trying to hide them. Blinking, she looked around the room. Jaken gawked at her, having dropped the bowl of soup on the floor. The old demon gaped at her down his long nose.

"Seven?" Koi repeated. "Years?"

Rin didn't like the silence in the room. Shocking more, Sesshomaru's normally expressionless pale face had changed to stare directly at her with widened inquisitive eyes. As a child, her innocence heightened her ability to sense his emotions. At the moment, she could not read him. Kagome mentioned that growing up blinded adults from seeing the truth sometimes.

"That's certainly a new record." Koi continued after getting over his own shock.

So, this was the girl Lord Sesshomaru had abandoned seven years ago. He heard the stories from some passersby over the years. Koi smiled inwardly. Interesting that she had been allowed to travel with the powerful demon for five minutes let alone five years. Especially, since the oldest son of the Dog General detested Humans. No one knew the reason why but there was much speculation circulating around.

"Rin, you weren't supposed to survive seven hours." Jaken informed her.

Rin lasted seven years? Amazing, Jaken was truly impressed. Perhaps, Rin was a special Human after all. All this time, he'd wondered what Lord Sesshomaru saw in her that his master saw fit to allow Rin's accompaniment on their journey. Lord Sesshomaru had sensed that difference in her long ago. Now, he understood.

"Glad…glad to disappoint you." Rin eyed the Imp.

Could the wild-haired old demon help her? Rin winced, closing her eyes as the pain spread through her hips once more. The spasm felt worse than the last one. Her mouth closed over the spoon Jaken offered of the remaining soup in the bowl that did not spill out when she dropped it. The soup tasted more disgusting. She had enough.

"No…no…m…more." Rin could barely speak.

Suddenly, warmth spread over her. The pain inflicting her diminished, turning from an acute infliction to a dull ache. It remained a mild irritation but felt tolerable. What was in the sick looking soup? Could she get the recipe?

"Ah, I see it has finally taken affect." Koi slid off his chair. "Should've drunk the entire thing all at once, would've acted faster."

Rin blinked. The old demon walking toward her was no taller than her waist. She had not bothered to take a good look at the demon aiding her. His white hair was messy and piled like a mountain on his head. His eyes were bulging with green pupils in their center. He approached her cautiously on stick-like legs, sandals on his bony feet. He wore a brown and black kimono that dragged across the floor. He extended his bony hands towards her.

"What are you doing!" Rin leaned back to avoid his outstretched hands.

"Helping you!" Koi retorted. "What else!"

The old demon sat down beside her, shifting himself to face Rin fully. He took her head into his hands, eyeing every inch. Rin wasn't sure what the old demon was up to, however, if he could help her with this pain, she'd let him do what he needed to do. Her demonslayer training needed to be continuously pushed to the back of her mind.

"Well?" Rin asked after a few moments.

"Seven years, eh?" Koi eyed her suspiciously.

Rin nodded, not sure if she believed the old demon. He was a little eccentric, reminding her of Totosai, the sword-maker. Sesshomaru paid the sword-maker a visit prior to her joining him to form Tokijin. The sword he carried to this day.

"How long till I'm dead?" Rin asked, her face solemn.

No point in avoiding the topic. If she was going to die soon, Rin wanted to face it with dignity. None of this pity the others showed her whenever she walked by them in the village or along the road. She'd die eventually anyway. There was no escaping death.

"Dead?" Koi snorted. "If you haven't died yet, you ain't gonna!"

She was not going to die? But, that could not be! Rin set her eyes on the demon, narrowing them to slits. Could he be speaking the truth? But that did not explain why the pain was so excruciating.

"I know a few people who'd be sad to hear that." Rin avoided looking at Sesshomaru. "If I'm not dying then what's wrong with me?"

Would she ever get rid of this curse? Was the Cycle supposed to pain her every month for the rest of her life? How long would she, could she hold out before succumbing to suicide to avoid the agony?

"Nothing as I can tell." Koi scratched his head.

Koi did not really know how to proceed with the Human. And when did Lord Sesshomaru start bringing him Human women? The Dog demon obviously had an interest in her to warrant coming to see him and his potions. Still, the Lord was right to do so. The woman would be out fighting everything right now…and suffering.

"Nothing!" Rin gripped the old demon around the neck, squeezing tighter very slowly. She did not notice she lifted the demon off the bed. "Practically every month I go through this Cycle. If there's nothing wrong with me, why am I suffering?"

Koi choked too much to speak. His feet dangled, scissoring as he struggled to breathe. Then he saw the cold look in her eyes, the crimson and green ring around the edges. All of the demon traits she inherited when her blood was poisoned were, now, taking control. If the legend was true, she could give Sesshomaru a workout in this state.

Sesshomaru had not been listening or watching when Koi walked over to examine Rin. He knew the demon would want to document Rin's case. This Sesshomaru never heard of a human surviving demon blood poisoning until now. Koi would work vigorously to find the best uses of her blood and what would eventually happen to Rin. Should there be side effects. Choking noises disturbed his thoughts. Sesshomaru lifted his eyes, looking over at Rin. Rin held Koi by the throat, cutting off Koi's air supply. The old demon's feet weren't touching the ground, Rin's arm extended straight out. He recognized that Rin was not human at the moment. The look in her eyes was cold, fringed by a ring of crimson and green. Moments passed, she tossed Koi across the room.

In seconds, Rin left the bed, heading for the door at a sprint. Sesshomaru stood up, his movements were swift. He blocked the threshold before she reached it. She stayed long enough to get the information she needed and decided it was time to go.

"Get out of my way!" Rin demanded.

Her body felt angry, her muscles taught and warm, poised for a good battle. She was hot, agitated. Her body hated being idle. Rin wanted to kill something. If it was this fool demon before her, then so be it!

"It is best you remain here." Sesshomaru responded coolly.

Rin's eyes flashed more red, the green disappearing completely. In less than a second, Rin lunged forward. Sesshomaru found the tip of his Tokijin under his nose, Rin's crimson eyes narrowed as she peered up the blade. He felt no movement at his waist. The demon blood worked in her favor, allowing her rapid movement. Sesshomaru did not expect this from her. But, his anger roused, he growled a warning.

"You dare pull my blade on me!"

Rin said nothing. A Human holding a blade to him was insulting. Using his own sword was humiliating. This Sesshomaru could tell Rin was fully possessed by the demon blood coursing within her veins. However, the reason did not merit an excuse. She hoped for a battle with him, surely a side effect of her poisoning. 'A needless show of strength, hardly worth serious consideration', Sesshomaru decided.

Koi regained his strength and got onto his feet. He noticed Rin pointing Sesshomaru's Tokijin back at him. His eyes widened at the demon's hesitation. 'This was better than good. Sesshomaru would be obligated to satiate the humiliation shown to him by a human, yet he ponders a course of action. Unlike the demon I watched grow up.' Koi smiled, keeping it from showing on his face. Using the demons own sword, that was a death wish on the girl's part. But, Lord Sesshomaru made no attempt to appeal to the girl's violent streak. Did the Dog Demon figure her audacity to be a side effect of the blood poisoning? Obviously, he decided.

Suddenly, the front of the hut exploded. Koi shielded his eyes as the dust and remnants settled. And the front door was missing, ripped from the hinges, part of the wall gave way as well. He found Lord Sesshomaru on one knee, wincing. Part of the Tokijin lay by his feet, blood on the blade. Koi's eyes shifted to Sesshomaru's left shoulder. Blood oozed and soaked the Dog Demon's upper left sleeve, his only hand covering the wound. Blood cascaded between his long pale, slender fingers.

"She got you." Koi pointed out on purpose.

The girl wounded the mighty Lord Sesshomaru? Hardly a severe wound, he would heal in no time. Only his brother, Inuyasha, seemed able to leave marks on Sesshomaru. Koi would make sure this information was passed around. Sesshomaru was feared by many demons. Any news of someone inflicting a wound on the Dog Demon would spread faster than a summer fire.

"She will pay for this!" Sesshomaru growled through clenched teeth.

Sesshomaru got to his feet, the wound almost healed. The pain in his arm disappeared. The larger surprise, that Rin was brave enough to challenge him. He underestimated her in a demon-agitated state. Her actions were quick and calculated, but still, she remained slower than him. Why had he hesitated to placate his humiliation?

"I wouldn't be too hasty, boy." Koi surveyed the remains of his hut. "It's no wonder you like her."

Sesshomaru's blood covered hand gripped Koi around the throat lifting him off the ground, just as Rin had done. The elderly demon did not appear afraid of the younger, taller demon. He dangled as Sesshomaru contemplated him, anger showing on his face.

"You forget your place!" Sesshomaru growled.

'How dare Koi go that far!' Sesshomaru suddenly lost the fire of anger, dropping Koi. This Sesshomaru lost his temper over the implication of feelings for Rin? A voice at the back of his mind admitted there was truth to Koi's words. 'No, there was no truth!'

"Nonsense, boy!" Koi dropped to the ground, landing softly. "Why'd you bring her here, then?"

He did not need to look at the Dog Lord to know he hit a nerve. Young demons showed little if any respect to their elders. Koi glanced over his shoulder, surprised to see Sesshomaru lost in thought. If that was what the Dog Demon was up to. Sesshomaru was a bit hard to read sometimes, just like his father.

Sesshomaru found he did not have an answer ready for Koi. Yes, Rin did have a place in his heart. He was a fool to think she had been erased once he left her behind. Her hold was stronger than he preferred to admit. Yet, why was her hold still entangling him now? Rin's innocence and youth was refreshing when she attempted to take care of him all those years ago after his battle with the half-breed.

The innocence of a young child proved difficult to ignore. She had been alone in the world before he came along. As a young adult, she lost the innocence he had known. Her body turned from a straight bodied child to the curves of a woman. Rin displayed logical thinking other humans did not possess. In the last seven years, she became a stranger to him. Yet, not a stranger. She retained the education she acquired on her travels beside him.

Koi could tell Lord Sesshomaru was confused. Of course, the son of the Dog General would not want to admit he had feelings for anyone let alone a Human. He preferred to rule solo. 'So unlike his father.' Koi shook his head. The boy would never be as powerful as the General. Perhaps fate had stepped in to wake the Dog Demon up?

"So you do like her." Koi did not smile as he spoke.

Sesshomaru growled at Koi again. He fisted his large hand with two purple stripes at the wrist stained by red. Eerie cracks pierced the night as the Dog Lord opened and flexed his long fingers.

"Relax, Sesshomaru." Koi shrugged. "Her power is 100 times that of a normal human. That she's a woman…could prove interesting. When she's in this state, she's strong enough to take on a full demon alone. She could even give you a run for the night."

"This Sesshomaru sincerely doubts that."

Koi shot a glance sideways, Sesshomaru neither flinched nor twitched. 'What a shame', he thought. His father would never approve of Sesshomaru's path. No wonder the General left Tetsusaiga to the half-blood, Inuyasha.

"She could take you and ten other demons on and not stop till she kills you all." Koi's voice strained. "Funny thing about demon blood poisoning. You must admit, she's more interesting with the poison."

'So she is.' Sesshomaru understood Koi's meaning. He would not take the old demons bait. Koi may have been an old family friend, but the old demon never offered any useful advice to him in the years following his father's demise. Was it because Koi disapproved of him?

"A sorcerer demon poisoned her is my best guess." Koi surmised. "That could explain why she survived so long afterwards. Because she's female, the two cycles are fighting for control, one Human, one demon. The pain occurs only during the demon cycle, if she even noticed it. A demon cycle in a human. Who'd ever thought such a thing would happen? It will take some time to figure out what type of demon it was."

Koi reminded him of the blacksmith, Totosai. His sarcasm didn't stray far either. Sesshomaru glanced around for Jaken. The Imp disappeared shortly after Rin ran off. Had Jaken followed after Rin fled the dwelling? Sesshomaru lifted his eyebrow at Koi.

"What happens when the two cycles join?" Sesshomaru asked.

The old demon smiled and shrugged again, avoiding the demons stare.

"Anything, nothing, who knows." Koi's ancient voice cracked. "It's never actually happened before. I have yet to narrow the effects of her condition. I'll need to see her again to figure everything out."

Their attention diverted to the explosion off in the distance. Rin moved fast. A battle between demons ensued far beyond the forest's edge, the screams of the dying bellowed above the trees. Sesshomaru knew Rin headed that way once she challenged him. He studied the tree line. Rin was a danger to both humans and demons.

"You'd better go get her." Koi walked over to an overturned tea pot, checking its contents. "She'll destroy everything in her path, Human and Demon. Another effect of the Cycle, I'm afraid. I need to run more tests."

Sesshomaru regarded Koi for a few seconds then headed towards the dense forest. If Koi was correct, irritatingly he often was not wrong, then Rin was a danger to everyone she met. The two cycles merging meant something important. The knowledge in Koi's eyes was not wasted on him. The old demon knew what would happen, allowing it to unfold naturally. Once Rin could be dealt with, he would return and get the answers he sought. Another blast far ahead of him urged his forward.

So unlike Sesshomaru to be chasing after a woman, Koi thought. He smiled as he began to pick up several remnant pieces of his hut. A wide toothy smile emerged on his face after Sesshomaru disappeared from sight.

"He'll never get it." Koi lifted his eyes to the sky. "Your eldest son is more thick-headed than I thought, old friend."

Koi stood with his chin held high. 'Yep, the boy was hooked. And he didn't even know it.' Yet, the General was right. Sesshomaru would find a different path than the supreme conquest he thirsted after. The eldest brother would never have defeated his father in battle. Lord Sesshomaru simply did not have the heart to reign supreme.

That brought up the question as to why the human attracted demons in the area. A legend about a human giving birth to a full demon crossed his mind but he dismissed it easily. There were no examples of how such an event took place. Rin, the human, displayed unnaturally aggressive behavior, far beyond a demon. Even demons were civilized during mating cycles. There was a savage, animal-like mentality in the human's actions. Yet, she knew to challenge Sesshomaru. More over, Sesshomaru noticed indications that other demons were aware of the human's presence in the area prior to the Dog Demon bringing her to him. So, Sesshomaru's servant explained. At first, Koi believed the demon cycle drew willing mates but were confused by finding a human as the female calling out to them. Thus a battle would ensue out of disappointment. Now, his doubts crept back into his thoughts. Could there be more involved?

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Sesshomaru moved swiftly across the ground, dodging the trees of the forest in the direction of battle. Demons were attracted to Rin during the Cycle. If he could smell the potency of her scent, other demons would answer her call. The thought sickened him. Even for a Human, thinking of Rin as a vessel to birth half demons...the rest remained un-thought. No, this Sesshomaru would not allow Rin to be used.

She once was in his service as a child. His abandonment of Rin had been contemplated and determined necessary. Temptation to harvest the delights of a human female in the process of maturing proved difficult to resist. Even for one of his power. The decision was made to leave Rin behind with her safety in mind. And she'd been poisoned by demon blood shortly thereafter. This Sesshomaru had not been there to protect her.

Save her this time, 'my abandonment is repented', Sesshomaru reasoned.

An acceptable exchange, Sesshomaru concluded. His path with Rin would separate once more and never cross again. This, he could do without compromising his path. 'This was not a weakness on this Sesshomaru's part.'

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The amount of energy released should have killed everything within a mile radius. Rin felt the desire to kill disappear. Her short sword dropped to the ground, both arms were like jelly, her grip too weak to form fists. Only the sounds of the night were audible. Blackness swarmed around her, blanketing her in exhaustion. Rin fell to the ground, unconscious.