CYCLE OF RIN
By Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Author's Notes: …
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Demon Within
Kagome looked to Sango. Rin was out for maybe a minute at most. They feared she hit the rock on the ground harder than they initially thought. But it appeared Rin was coming to now. Slowly, she began to stir, keeping her movements minimal to avoid alerting Rasenaru that she was waking.
Inuyasha growled. "She hit her head on a rock." He called out to Rasenaru waiting patiently near Rin. "You 'moron', she hit her head!" He didn't know what a "moron" was but it was a word he got from Kagome that she used when she was angry with him.
He spotted Rasenaru looking at Rin, watching for signs of stirring. But that's not what had his attention. The sword…it was…glowing. What the hell did that mean? Squinting, he wondered why the sword's glow was increasing. Only when a form popped out did he recognize a slug demon from the northern marshes.
"What the hell…" Inuyasha growled. "Now what?"
Miroku was alarmed that a demon just popped out of Rasengan. As if the humiliation of defeat wasn't enough, now they had demons beginning to push out of the sword.
"Inuyasha…" Miroku had a theory. "He didn't kill the demons to take their power."
Inuyasha frowned. "That means they could…"
Miroku nodded. "Yes, they could escape and be just as, or almost as, powerful as Rasenaru." And he had no way to fight them all either. "I don't have my seals!" They were lying on the ground fifteen feet away from him.
"Great." Inuyasha grumbled.
Sango noted the slug demon escaping Rasengan, taking off before Rasenaru noticed.
"Kagome!" She said just loud enough to catch her friend's attention and pointed.
Kagome's eyes widened. "It's trapped in here with us!"
But the Demon Bearer was technically still "free" since Sesshomaru's defeat. Unless Sesshomaru knew could happen? And was waiting until the demons escaped Rasengan's grasp and dueled it out at the last moment? Kagome felt a headache coming on and rubbed her eyes.
Sango's eyes widened. "We have to get Rasenaru to drop Rasengan!"
Kagome frowned. "How?!"
And why?
"If he drops it, more demons can escape!" Sango knew that Rasengan was limited in battle based on the auras it collected. "That's enough of a distraction to get us out of here. Think!"
"There's going to be a war in this dome!" Kagome countered at the alarming results of that occurring. "We'll get killed!"
Sango shook her head. "No! They'll be fixed on killing each other to win over Rin! With Sesshomaru out of the way, Rin's considered a free agent now."
"She's fighting the transfer." Kagome reasoned.
"But with more demons fighting over her, there won't be an obvious victor now! Rasenaru wanted an immediate transfer but Rin was knocked out when she fell." Sango glanced around to see if she could get her hand through one of the demon aura bars. "Sesshomaru won't be considered an opponent as long as he remains trapped under that dome. Rasenaru will have to fight off all the new suitors!"
"How do we get him to drop the sword?" Kagome wondered.
Suddenly a long stick was hurtled at Rasenaru's right hand holding the Rasengan. Kagome glanced where the stick came from, finding Shippo on KiRaRa on the outside peering in.
"I go away for one day and looks what happens!" Shippo said in a mocking tone.
Rasenaru suddenly growled as he dropped the sword. Suddenly he was enveloped in white light as demons of all sizes began their exodus. With a sweep of his hand and several sutras, Rasenaru picked Rasengan and slashed through the first of the demons who escaped.
Sango was glad to see both Shippo and KiRaRa. "Go to the nearest temple…"
Shippo held up the required seals that Sango realized would break the dome over the meadow and whispered. "When the fighting starts, break the dome from above!"
Shippo nodded and jumped back on KiRaRa. They took off silently and headed back over the trees to avoid detection. Sixteen demons had erupted from Rasengan by the time he picked up the sword to seal it once more.
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Once a slug demon tripped over her, Rin jolted awake and realized it was time to move. She heard the clash with Rasenaru and two other demons break out. There wasn't even an exchange of words between the demons. The sound of swords clanking together sounded as if the battle was going fast. From the victorious shout, Rasenaru was easily defeating his new foes. But his sword was slowly cracking, white light streaking from each new split. Something was happening even as Rasenaru finished off the last of the minor demon escapees.
Rasengan suddenly zoomed out of Rasenaru's grip, circling the meadow. Then the dome suddenly collapsed, dissipating as the auras were reabsorbed in a swirl pattern back into Rasengan. Shippo leapt to Sango first, placing a seal on the dome over her, watching it dissipate.
"Good job, Shippo!" Sango headed for Kagome.
"I didn't get the chance to use the seals on the main dome." Shippo admitted.
"Doesn't matter." Sango halted and face him. "Free Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Miroku quickly." She pointed towards the other end. "We'll meet you over there! Find Rin and get to safety."
If that was possible, she thought. Sango easily freed Kagome from her prison, helping her retrieve her bow and arrows.
"This isn't good, Sango." Kagome didn't like this one bit.
Making their way over to Shippo, Sango grabbed Herykotsu and cut the head off a demon as she passed by a pond demon and frog demon spraying miasma on one another. Reaching Miroku, Shippo placed the seals on the dome, immediately dissipating the prison. The priest got to his feet had recovered enough even though his Wind Tunnel still hurt and sauntered after Shippo to aid in Inuyasha's release. Miroku and Inuyasha released Sesshomaru who transformed into light and appeared a few feet away standing.
Sango and Kagome found Rin, helping her to her feet, urging her towards the tree line. Sesshomaru remained in the middle of the meadow clearly waiting for Rasengan to reveal something new. Inuyasha suspected his brother knew what was coming.
Rasenaru attempted to grab the sword but was flung backwards. The demon landed on his back forty feet away. Quick to regain his feet, he watched the cracking of the sword widen. Suddenly, a portal opened and a large white form began to emerge.
Rin watched as the creature seemed to step out from Rasengan. "What…is…that?"
Miroku felt blood drain from his face. "This…is…bad…"
"Rasenaru was a fake!" Sango figured it out. "Low demon acting like a strong demon."
Kagome didn't understand how that worked. "But we would've been able…"
"No…" Miroku shook his head. "He absorbed the auras of other demons to appear to be strong when he was just trying to make us think he was strong."
Rin understood this. "So, this is the real…Rasenaru?"
"Yes." Sesshomaru replied evenly. "It is the reason the Fang Cross failed to form."
The form began to dim its light, transforming into a humanoid demon slightly larger than Sesshomaru. He wore a black kimono with white leaves on the sleeves, gray armor, a brown sword belt hung on the right side, with three swords at his waist. His long white hair was pulled into a tie at the top of his head and his demon green eyes were set in an oval face was deceptively serene.
"Heh, heh." The real Rasenaru chuckled, in a medium voice. "Still blaming the failure of the Fang Cross on a weak demon, Sesshomaru?"
"Sending a weak demon to take your place is not your style, Rasenaru." Sesshomaru countered blandly.
Rasenaru aimed his hand at the former version of himself, absorbing the unwilling demon back into his form.
"Let us begin the real battle for the Demon Bearer then."
Rin felt angered that there was still a battle to be fought. "No!" She had enough of this mess. "No, no, no!"
Sesshomaru spoke softly. "Rin, stand aside."
"I will not!" Rin hated the idea of so many demons dying over being able to claim her as 'theirs'. "This is ludicrous! You two demons fighting like children! I will not accept anyone!" She turned to Sesshomaru. "Including you! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"
Rin stalked off not wanting to be a part of this charade any longer.
Rasenaru inquired. "Is she always like this?"
Sesshomaru said nothing watching Rin as she headed for the tree line.
Kagome, Sango and Miroku tried to keep themselves from laughing at Rin finally losing it. Nagging at Sesshomaru and the real Rasenaru like they were lowly humans fighting over a toy. Inuyasha was already laughing openly at his brother's readiness to fight over a woman even if she could bear full demon children.
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Kagome felt the auras first and they were coming fast. She spun around to look at the north, feeling the growing congregation of demons closing the distance with an unnatural speed. Sango and Miroku staggered at the sheer number of demons herding towards the meadow.
Inuyasha knew things were too easy. "We've got some serious company headed our way!"
Sesshomaru and Rasenaru stood side-by-side. Silent acceptance that a battle for the Demon Bearer between them would have to wait until they diluted the lower demons, the two demons turned towards the threat. The two demons appeared placid in anticipation of the coming war.
'So the fight for Rin is not over after all.' Sesshomaru stated silently.
Rin turned to face the threat coming their way. She glanced between Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango facing north, ready to put their lives on the line to keep her safe. That no longer mattered. This had to end here and now.
"It is time." Her child spoke.
Rin wondered how she could pull it off. She knew how Inuyasha and Sesshomaru merged the two swords to make the Fang Cross…but she couldn't hold Tenseiga. She glanced at the first of the demons clearing the tree line and beginning to cross the large meadow towards the waiting group.
"I can't go through this!" Rin felt helpless.
How could she let her friends go through this again? Fear grew inside her for the safety of her friends. Anger rose inside her at the demons dismissal of her refusal to accept any demon. Though Sesshomaru and Rasenaru remained silent, their eyes betrayed their thoughts. Her anger rose another notch. Her feelings meant nothing to them. Anger inside her crept higher. Her desire to just be left alone meant nothing. Anger creeped another notch upwards. They didn't care if thousands of demons died over a stupid legend!
"You know what to do." Her child spoke softly.
Rin finally found a clear thought.
Inuyasha wished to make a leap towards the onslaught of demons but something held him back. Suddenly Tetsusaiga was ripped from his grip, flying backwards. Sesshomaru felt the removal of Tenseiga from its sheath at his waist, Tokijin in his grip.
The group turned in time to witness Rin's eyes glowing crimson as she held both swords, Tetsusaiga vertical, Tenseiga horizontal. The swords seemed to meld into a single sword then formed a cross out of the liquid metal with fangs on the ends. Bright white, the metal turned blue indicating hottest heat.
Even Inuyasha didn't want to be in front of this. He grabbed Kagome and flung himself out of the path. Sango grabbed Miroku and flung them in the same direction as Inuyasha and Kagome. Neither cared if Sesshomaru or Rasenaru made it out alive. Shippo and KiRaRa were farthest away and took to the sky immediately.
Bright blue-white light exuded from the cross, advancing like the release of a million horses across the meadow to meet the threat of the demon army. Light spread out blanketing the meadow in its glow. A long rushing sound passed over like water flooding a valley. Then, the light disappeared, taking every demon with it.
Kagome got to her feet with Inuyasha, amazed that the Fang Cross was that powerful to remove more than a thousand demons in a single go. Sango and Miroku gaped at the empty meadow. Not a trace remained of the demon army. Sesshomaru and Rasenaru remained standing off to the right out of the path.
Kagome ran when she found Rin on the ground. "Sango!"
KiRaRa landed near Rin, eager to get her home. Kagome and Sango helped get an unconscious Rin onto KiRaRa. At that moment, Sesshomaru appeared, taking Rin from the demon cat into his arms. Suddenly he was gone in white light.
Kagome and Sango knew they would meet him at her hut back at the village. Miroku jumped on KiRaRa and Inuyasha left on foot. He could be there about the same time the others would. Sesshomaru would place Rin in the comfort of her bed.