A/N: O.O Here's the chappie as I promised! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS STORY! TWO YEARS AND IT HAS THIRTEEN CHAPPIES! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE OTHER STORIES I POSTED TWO YEARS AGO AND NEVER UPDATED! Ooops.
This goes to Inuyome***: It's ok! I had the same problem when I first found out about this site--for some reason, I just couldn't get an account until it finally worked. Or I just didn't feel like getting an account...whatever, it was four years ago. Anyway, you brought up a good point--Inu and Kags dont have many romance scenes. I'll have to fix that, right? Yup yup...maybe next chappie...you won't be happier with this one cuz it's more action than lovey dovey...well, I tried with the action...
Anymelon...Hopefully this is the last part of the Halloween Dance...
LoL! It's Halloween and it's the end of the Halloween Dance! WOOT! I'm right on track! :-D Have a Happy Halloween peeps! Go beg for lots candy like I do! And send me one-third of your candy to me via UPS...I'm planning on stealing a UPS truck for me own 'personal' use...
Chappie not beta read cuz it's super long and it would've been hell for her! So if there's a mistake, deal with it until further notice! I tried to separate paragraphs so that it wouldn't seem all bunched up and discourage you from reading!
Hope you enjoy! :-D
Oh My Gods! 18
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, wake up! Please just wake up!"
She rustled and rattled him, but nothing worked. Why didn't it work?! He...he was just unconscious...he had to be! Then why wasn't he showing any signs of arousing? At long last she ceased jostling his prone body and just stared at his face, feeling confused, worried, and overall disbelief.
This was what happened when she left him alone for a few minutes!
Kagome stopped herself from being ridiculous and shedding tears for someone who was not dead. He wasn't dead...he couldn't be... Gods, this wasn't something she needed to be unsure about! Of course he was alive! She just had to stop overreacting and save the tears for an actual funeral!
Although...as she once again scrutinized his face for any signs of him waking up, she noted his lidded eyes... Reaching over, she lifted his eye lids, and recoiled when she saw that his eyes had rolled to the back of his head. Oh my gods...
After she had been abruptly dragged out of the banquet hall by a person she hardly knew, they both headed in a random direction in search of Inuyasha until they heard a gunshot. She hadn't even been thinking properly--Kagome had taken off like a madwoman, leaving behind a protesting Miroku as she furiously hoped that the shot had nothing to do with her missing fiancé.
It was then that she was met with the sight of him lying on his stomach, completely immobile on the grassy ground.
She desperately wanted to know what had occurred in her absence. At this point, she was going to drive herself crazy with unanswered questions. He's not hurt anywhere...how long has he been like this? Either way, who had a gun on school property? Maybe he saw the person and he was knocked unconscious...?
Only the hanyou could answer her questions now...
A deep sigh passed through her lips. "Inuyasha...what can I do to help you? How can I w-wake...wake you up?"
"Your only choice is to use your own spiritual powers."
Kagome had momentarily forgotten that she had left her 'guardian' trailing after her. She glanced at him from the corners of her eyes and pondered what he had said once he had arrived at the clearing. He kneeled beside her without a word, peeling Inuyasha's eye lids back to observe the state of his eyes, and for some reason, he placed both of his fingers against his temples.
It was now that Kagome noticed the apparent redness of only one side of the hanyou-turned-human's face...
"Yup, he's having a vision alright," the dark-haired man sighed after his 'routine check', now turning to her inquisitively. "Well, Kagome, you should get to it before he loses himself completely in his vision."
"Huh...? A vision? What are you talking about?" She asked, genuinely confused and about to punch this weirdo if he got too close for her tastes. "And how do you--"
"Ok, to make a long story short, someone, an immortal most likely, cornered Inuyasha and shot him with a...a 'spirit bullet', to put it nicely. The person's spiritual energy unlocked a part of him that was dormant, which is his innate ability to see visions of the past, present or future."
I'm going to need a psychiatrist after this... Geez, this is what happens when I think life couldn't get any weirder...I will never complain about my boring life again. "So what is it that you want me to do to...help him?"
"Place your fingers on his temples like so," Miroku demonstrated, placing his own fingers for her to copy, "and concentrate your energy into your fingertips. All you need is to jolt him--the first visions are almost always impossible to come out of alone."
"Umm...suuure..."
Kagome did as she was told to the best of her ability, though she didn't exactly know what she was doing or how to control her spiritual energy. It was like attempting to comb down a cow lick--practically impossible without some kind of gel! Ah, the trials Souta's hair put me through...
In the end, she just exhaled deeply and focused all of her attention on her fingertips. She suddenly felt a rush of...of energy acting as cold liquid running through her veins, and her fingers tingled as they did a month before when she nearly purified her fiancé...she was actually doing it!
Wow... She watched her fingertips glow a soft pink, and gently pressed them against Inuyasha's temples. Her energy seemed to shock him or something akin to it; his eyes instantly flew open as he gasped for air. It's like I revived him from the dead.
But no matter, her fiancé was awake! Yay! She didn't need to spend money purchasing his pre-ordered his casket! Ahem...what? She had ordered it a month ago during her first meeting with her fiancé's freakish twin cousins...
"Nice to see that you're alive and well, my best friend!"
And then Miroku had to ruin her excitement with his statement...
POW!
Rin fell to the ground with a loud thud, hissing as she placed a hand over her protesting jaw. She couldn't believe what just happened...she had forgotten how painful a punch was... I'm sure I've never been punched in the face before, too... It was ironic with all her past beatings at her old orphanage. Oh, and better yet, Sesshoumaru had yet to come and intervene between her and Kagura. He's a great future husband, that's for sure.
"Kagura, I'm going to kill you, dammit!" Meimori was literally freaking out over by his post, but he was not about to get involved with a pissed off wind sorceress just yet. Fuck! I can already hear Kizurei saying 'I told you so' over and over again... But besides that, she just hit my woman!
But the wind sorceress ignored all else and glowered at the irritating human beneath her feet. She moved her black booted foot to harshly grind into her abdomen, flipping Rin onto her back, and her seething ruby eyes pierced her cinnamon ones. Kagura even went so far as to mercilessly crush the delicate yellow rose that had been in her hair like she would trample on a cigarette, smirking as it elicited a protesting gasp from Rin.
As it turned out...Sesshoumaru wasn't the only sadist in the immortal realm...
"Little girl, you're in for one helluva beating--starting now."
Rin briefly closed her eyes, trying desperately to ignore the lingering ache that had settled in her ribs, but when she opened them again, she caught the deadly gleam of a silver metal in Kagura's clawed hand. A weird looking, hi-tech fan...? What is she go--CRAAAP!!!
She rolled onto her side before the demoness drove the metal fan into her throat, and swiftly took the chance to stand up, wincing as she did so. Phew, that had been too close for comfort!
"Great, now I got a maniac whore trying to kill me and I don't even have a weapon! What next?!" The teen noticed a second too late that Kagura had moved in for another shot, and she now found herself once again on her back with her cheek permanently bruised.
Damn that bitch's demon speed!
How am I supposed to survive this fight?! Rin kept dodging and jumping and running and doing everything else possible to keep from getting hit with that sharp-edged fan, but she couldn't keep it up forever! If I was actually able to stand a chance against an immortal, then maybe I'd be fighting back right now, but I don't!
BOOM!
"Sesshoumaru!" Rin searched for her fiancé among the cloud of debris that had enveloped the area in which he had stood, momentarily distracted from her own fight. This isn't how I planned my first high school dance to turn out!
"Pay attention, little girl!"
Pow! The sharp blow to her abdomen knocked the breath out of the teen, shocking her enough so that Kagura was able to punt-kick her five feet away without any resistance. She could hardly breathe much less stand back up--usually when she was getting beaten, she just endured it!
Obviously she knew crap about fighting!
"Hmph, this is too easy. It truly is apparent that you have yet to awaken. So sorry to have to finish you off before your special 'friend' can give you his gift." Kagura raised her left hand--her free hand--leveled to her shoulder.
Rin watched through tunnel vision as the appendage glowed a burgundy red. "S-Shit..."
"Say hello to hell for me a second time, misfit."
She raised her palm and then...
BA-ANG BOOOM!!! BOOOOOM!!!
It all happened to fast for a half unconscious Rin to comprehend. One moment she was on the ground waiting for death like a true pathetic fool, and then the next thing she knew, she was tucked safely in the arms of a shimmering figure...an angel of sorts... Had she died so quickly? His exotic golden eyes stared into hers as they floated in a blanket of warmth...
Angels are very sexy... A lopsided grin crossed paths with her face.
Once she was able to function properly again, Rin finally realized that she hadn't heard one explosion of potent energy as she should've, but she had heard two--as in, someone had blocked the attack and overpowered Kagura's blast. Moreover, she was still alive. Yet...who was strong enough to counterattack Ka-whor-a?
Her eyes focused clearly on the face of the figure holding her. Oh, it's Sesshoumaru! Where did he come from all of a sudden?
"Damn you, Sesshoumaru! Are you a fucking coward or what?! Come fight me like a real prince should! Prove to me that you can lead better than I can!" Meimori was vehemently shouting profanities at his 'beloved' cousin, who Rin now noticed had erected a barrier around them to dissolve the multiple attacks the raving dog demon shot at them.
Nice thinking...
"Rin, you must fight Kagura whether you approve or not." He seemed to be contemplating something for he abruptly paused for a long while, allowing his fiancée enough time to gather her remaining wits.
That punt kick practically killed most of her brain cells...
"I don't have much of a choice, now do I?"
She straightened her back and wrapped her arms around his neck--he was strong, but she was still terrified of extreme heights, and they were currently at least a hundred feet off the ground. No wonder Meimori's the only one I hear; he actually flew up to yell at us. I guess Ka-whor-a doesn't have wings.
"If you continue battling Kagura as you are, you'll never win--better yet, you will die." She knew that much already from her recent experience. "As your future husband, it is my duty to ensure your safe--argh!"
"Sesshoumaru!"
Rin searched for the cause of her fiancé's current pain, and she noticed that Meimori was now slashing at his shimmering sky blue barrier with a peculiar emerald-bladed broad sword. Each time the barrier was touched by the glowing weapon, its liquid appearance rippled unsettlingly.
Apparently, the strain of keeping up the barrier with Meimori's powerful sword was taking a toll on him.
"Just put us down and I'll--"
"Listen to me!" He concentrated on disregarding his cousin all together and tightened his grip on his fiancée. "I have to ensure your safety, but I cannot do so when my anathema of a cousin is murder-intent--grrr-argh!"
Rin was more worried for his life than hers at the moment--she couldn't even fathom the amount of pain he was in! "W-What do you have in mind, then?"
"If you wish to fight Kagura and succeed, you will need my energy to do so. The only way I can help you is by performing a Shurikan."
A what? Thankfully, he began to explain. "It is when an immortal bestows a mortal with his gift--his own life energy. My power will strengthen you, but I do not know the full extent of what else might happen. There is a catch, however."
This gift thingy sounds exactly what Ka-whor-a was yakking about earlier... "There's a catch to almost everything."
"Yes, but not so extreme that you would have to remain bonded to me for life."
"For the sake of all that's high and fucking mighty, can you please drop this damn shit-ass barrier and actually fight me?!?!" If Sesshoumaru was doing what Meimori thought he was doing...then...dammit! "CAN YOU EVEN HEAR ME THROUGH THIS SHIT?!?!"
"Damn him to hell!" He growled, but braced himself as Meimori's attempts tripled and faced her with a stern yet patient look. "Rin, you have to make a choice right now--either consent to a Shurikan and be bonded to me for the rest of your life, or challenge luck and attempt to survive a brutal fight against Kagura."
She stared at him blankly, genuinely at loss for what to do. Sesshoumaru wasn't joking, or seem as if he preferred to explode than have endless ties with a weak human like her.
But...he merely wanted to marry her for his kingdom...was he willing to sacrifice his future in order to protect her? Why is he doing this for me? Can't he just transport me out of this place? Geez, I just had to come along, didn't I?
"SESSHOU-FUCKING-MARU!!!"
"Hurry! I can't hold this barrier for much longer!"
"Fine! Just do the Chumiken thing and we'll talk later!"
And hopefully I won't regret it...
Best friend?! He must be kidding! Kagome openly gaped at the grinning pervert beside her, wondering if he was speaking the truth or merely using a figure of speech. Don't tell me Inuyasha knows him!
"Miroku? Damn, I never thought I'd see you again after Sango kicked your ass for groping her." Hmph, his statement surely proved Kagome wrong. He then sat up with a wince, but shrugged off his fiancée's help. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Coming to your rescue as a faithful friend like me should do," Miroku suavely replied, relieved that the hanyou-turned-human was not physically harmed. If he had been...well, I'd have to buy a groin guard again... "Inuyasha, before we start talking about old times, I need to know if a miko did this to you."
He blinked dumbly. "...huh?"
"You mean you passed out for who knows how long and you remember nothing?!" Kagome couldn't believe this! Here she was waiting for her questions to be answered and her fiancé was as useless as a twig!
And she wanted to know why he knew the pervert!
"Keh! It's not my fault! I'm kinda disoriented right now--one moment this bitch whacks me with her fucking gun and then the next you two idiots are all up on my face!"
"She did what?! No wonder your cheek is all red!" The miko inspected the bruised side of his face, lowly whistling at how notable it was even in the dark. She also ignored the protests--and struggling--of her fiancé as she tentatively touched his cheek. "This woman must've been really strong..."
Miroku only sighed. "Was she tall, dark-haired, brown-eyed, had two silver guns, and overall dressed like a vampire hunter? Oh, and did she have a red ninja star tattoo on her wrist?"
"I don't know about the tattoo, but yeah...pretty much."
"Great...just great! So not only are we up against Meimori and Kagura, but we have to deal with Kikyou and the Gunslingers! This is what Sango and I wanted to prevent!"
"Uh huh, that was her name: Kikyou." Inuyasha cocked his head as he usually did when he was confused. He had heard mention of the Gunslingers before in the immortal realm, but what they were eluded him. "What does Kinky-hoe have to do with me? And Sango's here, too?"
Miroku sighed and glided a hand over his haggard face. He was tired of his mission and deeply desired a comfy bed to sleep on for hours and hours. "Kinky-hoe--I mean Kikyou has everything to do with you and Kagome--heck, even Sesshoumaru and Rin, my friend. What exactly? I'll save for later. And yes, Sango's here--she's looking for the other two."
"Why? Did something happen?" Inuyasha's violet eyes darkened a shade, suspicious of the look his best friend shared with his fiancée. "If something's going on--"
"I couldn't find them, but I know where they went, along with Meimori and Kagura."
Inuyasha and Kagome glanced at the entrance of the clearing to see Sango walking towards them at a slow, defeated pace. Her words echoed across the violet-eyed human's mind; Sesshoumaru and Rin...along with Meimori and Kagura...must have been in the immortal realm--no doubt about it.
But...dammit, they were in a place in which killing an immortal was not prohibited!
Oh no...Sesshoumaru left knowing that he'd be walking into a killing field...but he took Rin along with him? Crap! She's in a killing field, too!
Human emotions he had scarcely ever felt before instantly flooded him--worry for Rin, perhaps even for his half-brother, anger directed at his infuriating cousin, and a bunch of other sentiments that bombarded him all the same.
It was nearly impossible to control them!
How long ago did they leave? There's a huge time difference between the realms...gods, they might already be dead...
Concern and dread clogged his throat, and he was barely aware of Kagome shaking his shoulders as she mumbled something incoherent. Was she even mumbling, or was she shouting at him? Miroku and Sango were in the background staring at him with solemn eyes--it was as if they didn't need to fret like his fiancée because they knew what was happening to him.
It was all lost on him, however; it was becoming difficult to focus on one object for more than a few seconds.
Soon enough, he became vaguely aware of a sharp pain imbedded deep within his cranium. It threatened to split his head open in order to achieve freedom, and he gritted his teeth, hissing when the pain worsened. The world was flashing right before his eyes... Wait...he was seeing two different sceneries at once; one view of the dark forest near Imei Academy and one of...
....the Valley of Sephiroh in the immortal realm...
No longer hearing or seeing his friends in the mortal realm, Inuyasha immersed himself with this new, vivid image of the Deathland complete with crimson skies, black grounds, and...lava? What the hell was he seeing?! He felt as though he was unconsciously descrying an area!
A river of lava...no, it's a fucking lava cataract! And he could distinguish two figures descending into the smoldering pit, one with long silver hair and the other...wearing some kind of black outfit. Shit, they're going to--!
It was too late; the lake of burning, thick liquid engulfed them, and neither remerged.
He awoke from his trance with a gasp, strangely seeing a relieved Kagome in front of him rather than an image of Deathland. The hanyou-turned-human struggled to catch his bearings, striving to understand what had just happened to him. Recalling the vision he had of the two figures falling into the pit of magma, he tried to discern its meaning and why he would have witnessed such a tragic end.
It wasn't until a few shock-filled seconds passed that Inuyasha recognized the silver-haired figure as his brother...and the other as Rin...
...and now he could fathom why that moment in time had appeared before his eyes.
Sesshoumaru and Rin are going to die...and I have to prevent it!
"Well, well, well; look who fell from the sky! It's the preaching misfit! What, have you magically turned into an angel now?"
Rin locked her jaw to refrain from letting her mouth run again--she didn't need to be pounded to the ground before she received her energy boost from Sesshoumaru. Hmm, thinking back to the demon god, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes as he viciously dueled against Meimori, both of them hundreds of feet above the ground.
He had informed her that she would know when he began the Chumiken or whatever, but it had been five minutes already and she felt no physical difference!
Ok, Rin, you can survive until he actually has time to evade Meimori...right? She mentally sighed, now directing her gaze at the smirking demoness in front of her. She looks like she's gonna kill me... That was true, however...
"Aw, the pretty little princess doesn't want to talk to me--how cute. Why don't you just start running? You human women are so feeble; you can't even defend yourselves. Why else do you think Sesshoumaru, a king-to-be, prefers demonesses? In a situation like this, he wouldn't have to worry about my life--he could concentrate on his own fight all the better."
The younger woman narrowed her eyes, contending with her own pride not to let Kagura's words diminish her self-esteem. She knew that the ruthless demoness merely wanted to rile her--that wasn't happening! Not this time!
However...her words did ring true. If I hadn't come along, Sesshoumaru wouldn't even have to perform a Chumiken or stop in the middle of his fight to help me. Geez, if anything happens to him, it'd be my fault!
No! She wasn't going to think about that! Rin might not have the power of an immortal, or the strength of a demon, but she had willpower and motivation on her side! She wasn't going to let anyone tell her that she was weak, not until they proved it by killing her!
Eh, Ka-whor-a could arrange my death, actually... So much for invigorating thoughts...
"I'm tired of this," Kagura yawned, bored of standing around all day waiting for the stick-figure human girl to react to her goading. "So, do you have any preferences on the way I should kill you? I'm leaning towards a more bloody and violent death...what do you think?"
"I think you should shove your fan up your ass and shut up, already!" Rin couldn't help it--she swore it slipped!
Yet, it was the only incentive that a smirking Kagura needed to lash out with another load of attacks. Rin's eyes widened as she cursed her stupidity, practically running backwards as she tried her best to side-step punches and kicks--at some point, she drew the plastic dagger from her yellow obi as her...defense...
It was slapped out of her hand, though...
Truthfully, this wasn't working at all! She couldn't wait much longer for Sesshoumaru's Chumiken, dang it! Especially when she suddenly tripped over a rock and was sent flailing to the ground...
I'm a failure! I suck at fighting! I can't even properly defend myself! Rin scrambled from her spot on the ground before Kagura could whip out her fan again and slit her throat with it. She began sprinting away from her relentless pursuer, hoping to stall for her fiancé, who had yet to rid himself of Meimori.
There was no way she could actually turn around and throw punches at a deadly sorceress who probably trained as an assassin since the day she started walking. Her movements were too swift and stealthy to interpret correctly--the teen credited her life to her amazing reflexes alone!
Well, at least she's only using hand-to-hand combat now--I'd be dead if she shot an energy blast at me or actually used that fan of hers.
"This -pant- is the -gasp- most unfair -pant pant- advantage ever!!" Who ever said that a human could win a fight against an immortal demon?!
Because she was too busy figuring out a way to survive this battle from hell, Rin didn't realize that she had reached a thick wall of volcanic rock until she virtually slammed into it. She rubbed her pounding head and stared dumbly up at her new obstacle--it seriously appeared out of nowhere!
"Argh! Stupid wall! Can't you see I have to get away from Ka-whor-a before I'm killed?!" She still needed to live in order to attain revenge on Sesshoumaru's sex god counterpart!
"Hmm, interesting. It seems the odds are against you today."
The teen cringed and slowly turned around to face the ever so cocky demoness, occupying her mind by letting her eyes follow the fall and rise of Kagura's metal-edged fan against her palm. Through her peripheral vision, she noticed that escape was futile; even if she tried something so foolish such as sidestepping her opponent, she wouldn't get very far.
Sessh...do it now... She clenched her eyes shut and started to count down ten seconds. If he doesn't do it in ten seconds, then I'm surrendering to my fate, as dumb as it sounds.
"Ten...nine...eight..."
Kagura stared at Rin with confusion clearly etched in her face. What is this human thinking? Has she gone insane? It really wasn't her motto to kill mentally ill people, but she could make an exception with the human girl... I'll let her count to her death.
It made it all the more fun for her.
Then teen crossed her fingers behind her back, counting as slowly as possible if only to stall. Please, I'm begging you! I know I'm weak and pitiful, but hear me out, Sessh! Right now, I need you!
"...seven...six...five..."
I'll owe my life to you forever, no matter what. My life...is in your hands.
"...four...three..."
Kagura crossed her arms, waiting rather patiently for the human to finish her inane countdown. "You're time is almost up, misfit..."
"...t-two..." Now...do it now!
"One." The blood-lusting demoness finished the count for her hunted prey and narrowed her ruby eyes into deadly slits, loving the way Rin's lips quivered. The little girl's prayers hadn't been answered--how touching. "Well, now that you're done wasting my--"
Kagura abruptly stopped in the middle of her sentence and bore her eyes at the ground, both surprised and furious at the same time. Rin wondered what was so special about the hard, rocky floor to cause such a reaction--perhaps the wall finally decided to work in her favor and melt into a puddle of dirt!
Overcome by her curiosity again--yes, it was going to lead to her death one day...maybe today--she glanced down and immediately gasped.
A strange cerulean blue symbol that reminded Rin of three lightening bolts crossing each other at a mid point sparkled on the ground beneath her feet, enclosed in a ring of bright silver light that heightened to swirl around her ankles. She furrowed her brows; she was at loss for what to say or even think.
Though, apparently, her opponent did, for she began to heatedly curse all human-loving immortals and raised her arm, intent on bringing her life to an end before another moment passed.
The teen, at this point, only surrendered and closed her eyes, wishing for a quick death instead of a painful...bloody one.
One second...
And then another...
Nothing happened... Rin slowly lifted her eye-lids and saw that the swirls of silver light were coiled around her to act as a barrier. Not even Kagura's sharp fan could make it through the blinding fortress barricading her from her prey.
Realization dawned on the human girl, and she raised her head to find her fiancé. This must be it...the Shuriken.
Sure enough, there he was a few meters away, using his wings to float in air as he chanted multiple words she couldn't understand. He was also protected by the silver ring of light--she figured it acted as a bridge between their 'energy transfer'.
She continued to watch him, enticed by the tendrils of pure energy gathering around him like a maelstrom in a turbulent sea.
But...where in the world was Meimori?
"Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka..."
The dog demon did not miss one beat in his chant, not even to inhale a gulp of air; it was as if he was in a trance-like state. Since he was so consumed in his work, Rin wondered if anything could catch his attention...
Great! She just had to jinx it because Meimori suddenly appeared with his sword above his head, ready to bring it down on the damn barrier in his way.
"Oh no...not that again!" Rin remembered what happened the last time Meimori intervened--Sesshoumaru's body was put under the same strain as his barrier! "Please be careful, Sessh!"
All she had to do was recall the reason why he was performing a Shuriken in the first place to feel as though a knife twisted in her gut...
Thankfully, the attack hardly bothered Sesshoumaru because he continued to chant as though nothing had occurred. His clawed hands then began to rapidly move along with his incantation, seeming to create elaborate patterns which Rin's poor eye sight hardly followed.
The immortal's maelstrom of power disabling Meimori's fierce attacks from progressing any further soon increased in magnitude and strength. It was like a savage storm devastating a countryside, both frightening and awing onlookers.
"Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka..." Sesshoumaru suddenly ceased his repetitive chant. With his eyes covered in a sheet of blue light as earlier, he condensed the maelstrom into a diminutive sphere no bigger than a head and let it spin over the palm of his right hand. "Mazueii grishinii instaka che!"
"NOOO!!!" Meimori could do nothing more than howl as his cousin launched the ball towards a severely confused Rin, who gazed at the oncoming orb with dread filling her heart.
A blinding flash then settled over the entire area of the Valley of Sephiroh while three reverberating pulses rumbled the land.
Once the flash waned...a tense silence ensued.
Rin rubbed her eyes while shaking her head. "All these flashes are going to make me go permanently blind! Oh yeah, that's exactly what I need when I'm fighting Ka-whor-a!"
"Rin."
The teen blinked and looked up to see her fiancé standing right in front of her--whoah, she hadn't even heard him come up to her! Yet, she pushed back any thoughts centering on her state of mind and focused on his. "How are you holding up? The whole 'ritual' seemed to be...draining, obviously."
"I am fine," the dog demon briskly replied.
Okay... His voice sounded aloof like always, but his eyes for once revealed his exhaustion. How strange--Sesshoumaru was actually physically tired, yet for a good reason. He just gave me half of his life energy... Heh, I'm supposedly smart, though I don't know what it really means.
"Sooo...now what? Am I going to start blasting people like you do?" That'd be totally awesome! Truthfully, she hardly felt a physical or even a mental difference. Well, she did feel energized...
His lips faintly curved upwards. "I don't know what will happen--you have to wait and see. However, you need a weapon." He outstretched his arm, and out of thin air, a short pole the length of dagger abruptly materialized into his hand.
Rin gaped in shock--where had that come from?! The short pole was dark silver with grooves acting as a grip and otherwise composed of smooth metal. For some reason, when he handed the 'weapon' to her, it fit her fingers perfectly, as though it had been made for her.
Weird...
"Am I really supposed to fight with this?" She flicked her wrist and twirled the thin pole as she would a baton. A grin formed on Rin's face while she pretended to be a real ninja, waving the pole in a large arc over her head. "Ha! Look at my super ninja powers, Ka-whor--AAHH! What did I do?!"
After she had brandished the pole in an arc above her head, its two ends suddenly elongated to actually resemble a seven-foot spear. She stared up at the weapon in amazement--the spearhead was not a true blade, but a finely sharpened diamond that gleamed beautifully and undermined its deadliness.
And to add to its peculiarity, the spearhead was also the shape of a crescent moon, oddly reminding her of the one on her fiancé's forehead.
"This is called Kimera--a yari-like weapon that has remained an artifact on display in my palace's weaponry until now. No one has been able to transform it other than you."
If she wasn't mistaken, Rin could swear she heard a hint of pride in his voice, as if he had known all along that she would be the one to uncover the mystery of the weapon.
"Coool..." Rin grinned and picked Kimera up with her two hands, noting how light the weapon seemed in her hands despite its length and metal material. "How in the world were you able to materialize it here?"
"It's another ability of demon gods--as long as I can picture where an object is, I can teleport it to myself. Though, in order for it to work, the object must be exactly where I imagine." Sesshoumaru then turned his head slightly to his right, his eyes trained upon the crimson horizon, and he walked around Rin until he was standing behind her.
She blinked in confusion, but soon heard some kind of disturbance in the land, a rumble of sorts. It was coming from ahead of her, though as she looked, she was not able to see anything out of the ordinary--only mountains among mountains. So what is he...?
"This will be your first test--it'll prove whether or not the Shuriken worked."
"I don't get it! I don't...see..." Rin's eyes widened as large as saucers when she finally caught sight of what appeared to be a crimson vortex hurtling towards them, though its source was virtually unknown to her. "You expect me to...?"
"The Kimera is an illusion spear--it's special for two things: one, it can deflect demonic power, and two, the diamond spearhead is able to absorb demonic power, but to a certain limitation." Sesshoumaru glanced at the vortex before he smirked rather cruelly. "Your task is to absorb Kagura's Dance of the Dragon."
"By myself?!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing! "What makes you think I know how to use this Kimera thing?!"
"Demonic weapons are different than mortal-made ones. They act as one with their wielders--no one is born knowing how to use a demon sword or spear. The knowledge comes to you when you least expect it."
He knew this from experience of course; he carried two demonic swords with him, one of which he was using now: Tokijin.
Rin stared at her fiancé, noting how amused he seemed by the whole situation. It hardly bothered him that a freakin' tornado was swiftly coming at them! Hell, by the way he was standing behind her, he was basically telling her to protect both of them without his help!
However...she knew he wouldn't let her handle this attack if he didn't think she was ready. Sesshoumaru was very intelligent--she was able to notice it through his grades and how easily he adapted to the mortal world.
She trusted his judgment...no matter how far-fetched the idea seemed.
The teen gulped and faced the oncoming whirlwind that destroyed everything in its path from mountain peaks to cliffs to even disrupting the flow of lava in the river below. Her fingers firmly wrapped around the spear's grip and she attempted to clear her mind, ignoring the immortal behind her and even the realm she was in.
Exhaling deeply, Rin concentrated solely on the so called 'Dance of the Dragon' and her new spear.
I can do this...if Sessh thinks I can do this, then I will! Still, the knowledge of how to use her weapon wasn't coming to her but the damn tornado was! Yet, was she just going to stand there whining and let it shred her to pieces? No!
An idea formed in her head and her body moved in response. Her fingers began twirling the spear in a circular motion in front of her. Its thin pole wove between her slender digits, and she oddly felt like she was a professional flag twirler since it was spinning so fast--all that remained was a perfect circle from its afterimage.
It surprised her immensely when the diamond spearhead began to glow a bright yellow in response to the foul demonic energy it was sensing. Suddenly, the entire spear started to spin on its own without the aid of her fingers.
Rin, however, kept her arms outstretched with her hands facing the rapidly moving weapon, figuring that when she put her arms down, the spear would come to an abrupt halt. She could feel tendrils of hidden youki coming from the spearhead, but thought little of it.
Her first priority was proving to Sesshoumaru that she was able to fight without him having to worry about her safety. If he even took the time to care for her wellbeing, then it was wrong of her to take his rare magnanimity for granted.
The vortex of crimson wind drew everything into its black hole--the only reason why she was still on the ground was because she had dug the heel of her boots into the dark earth. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind the fact that his long silver tresses battled against him to be free like the wind...
...but he did curse himself for not having a hair tie...
This is it... The cinnamon-eyed teen narrowed her eyes and braced herself for what was to come.
She never glanced away from the huge obstacle placed before her, and she never would until it completely disappeared. With her jaw clenched and shoulders locked, Rin braced herself against the force of the untamed whirlwind, using all of her might to push forward and stop the attack from reaching her and Sesshoumaru.
Amazing! Utterly amazing! The tornado was apparently being 'absorbed' by the Kimera, as though it was hauled into a portal leading to oblivion!
The strain of keeping the weapon steady in front of her was taking a toll on Rin's strength, yet she didn't relent; she only stared in awe as the whirlwind shrunk and shrunk until it became nothing but a crimson glow in her Kimera's diamond spearhead.
"I...I did it..." She gasped once the task was over, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh my gods, I did it! Did you see that, Sesshoumaru?" Rin turned around and laughed merrily. "I protected myself for once!"
"Well done. Part of being able to use the Kimera involves having some kind of superhuman energy, so the Shurikan did, in fact, work. However, keep in mind that you can only absorb as much demonic power as your body can handle. One more absorption at this moment would probably drain you enough to kill you."
Rin smiled languidly. "Don't worry; I won't be trying that again any time soon."
"Hn." Even if he didn't exactly say it, she could tell that he was proud of her, and it was all she needed to continue her battle.
However...Sesshoumaru suddenly looked past Rin and growled. He wasted no time to sidestep her, and before she could realize what happened, he deflected a raven blue energy disk using only his arm.
When her fiancé was able to accomplish such a move without sustaining an injury, her ego went away on vacation.
"You haven't lost your touch, cousin. Now that your bitch is taken care of, let's begin our real fight." Meimori had a knack for appearing out of thin air--Rin wondered if he had the ability to become invisible or teleport himself across short distances.
And she was no one's bitch! At least not yet... It was no use blushing at the moment.
Sesshoumaru drew his long sword in response. "Yes, let's begin."
Now they fly away, leaving poor old Rin alone on a mountain with no clue what to do next. Hmph, they must've taken classes together on how to treat women.
"You fucking piece of shit!"
Oh, let's not forget that they both left me with a demented demoness with whoring issues. Ah, and apparently, not only was she a bitch, but also a piece of shit. What a really nice thing to say about someone.
Kagura was downright pissed! This was not supposed to happen, god-fucking-dammit! Sesshoumaru was not supposed to perform a Shurikan for a stupid human, and that same stupid human was not supposed to be given the Kimera!
What was wrong with immortals nowadays?! She couldn't fathom why ingrate mortals would warrant any type of 'gift' from their superiors!
"A mortal should act like one," the demon sorceress hissed as she spread her fan, "and by the end of our fight, you'll be on your knees begging me, Kagura the Wind, for complete mercy!"
Rin wasted no time to block her opponent's attack, and was simultaneously forced into defensive mode. Kagura was lashing at her with swipe after swipe--her ruby eyes were frenzied with fury while her fangs were bared in a deadly snarl. It was now that the human teen noticed her increased stamina; for someone who was bearing her own against a raving demoness, she hardly felt tired or drained.
The Shurikan really worked!
"I'm tired of you! I want you dead! Dance of Blades!"
The human teen eeped and swiped downward with her spear, successfully deflecting each of the five blades of wind. She jumped when Kagura made a move to technically cut off her ankles, and she did a back flip to avoid being slashed in half.
All the while, Rin hardly noticed that she was being driven towards the edge of a cliff...
And the demoness wasn't even done yet... "Dance of the Dragon!"
Instantly, three more snake-like wind vortexes spiraled around Rin, and she rapped her brain for someway to escape being ripped into tiny little pieces. The vortexes were closing in on her rapidly, so she did the only thing she could think of; she spun the Kimera above her head as though she were swinging rope.
Soon enough, the tornadoes blocked her from sight.
Kagura smirked at her work of art and waited patiently for her attack to clear up. There was no possible way the human could've survived against her Dance of the Dragon--she was surely dead. Yet, when the vortexes vanished, her crimson eyes widened at the trash it left behind--that goddamn mortal girl was still alive!
Her stupid spear had protected her!
"Grr!!! You're INSUFFER--ah!"
Unlike Ka-whor-a, Rin didn't complain and therefore leave herself open for attack. She was finally able to convert to offensive mode, and managed to disarm the demoness. With a quick swing of her spear, she even knocked her off her feet. At long last, she had her in a position where she was incapable of fighting back.
"Hmph, now look who's on her knees. Already submitting to a mortal, Ka-whor-a?" Rin taunted, if only to get back at the bitch for demeaning her.
"Heh, I'd never lower myself to your level, misfit." Kagura smirked. "This isn't over yet."
"Oh yeah? Well I think it is!" She raised the Kimera high above her head with the intent of rendering Kagura unconscious; however, a distant sound--an earthquake--interrupted her.
It's like an avalanche... Her eyebrows furrowed--there wasn't any snow to cause an avalanche, so then what...? Soon enough, her answer came when the ground beneath her shook hazardously, causing her to fall backwards.
And before she should move a muscle, a bright purple flash made the entire cliff crack and tumble towards the flowing river of lava.
"Shit!" Rin cursed since she was unable to stop her quick descent. And why the hell am I surrounded by so many flashes all of a sudden?! It's annoying!
But the human then noticed how steep the mountain was and took the initiative--she rearranged her body so that her feet touched the mountain side, and miraculously, they remained planted. Now it was as if she was roller skating backwards on a steep mountain then falling into a pit of lava!
And then Kagura came into sight...
...though, this time, she wasn't alone.
A/N: SHORTENED!
