Chapter 3- Conundrum

Jaken paced back and forth quickly, terrified. He remained in the exact same spot where Rin was taken. He tried to remember what the person who took Rin looked like, but he moved too fast! All he saw was a blur. Now what in the world would he tell Lord Sesshomaru?! That someone abducted Rin again, only this time he had no idea who he is or what he looked like. Lord Sesshomaru will kill me! Jaken kicked a rock so hard in frustration, but ended up howling in pain and rolling on the ground while hugging his throbbing feet.

"Jaken."

The kappa froze, and the hair on the back of his neck stood in fear after hearing the voice of his master.

He quickly rose and threw himself in front of Sesshomaru's feet. "Y-y-yes Milord!"

Sesshomaru stared at his vassal coldly. "Where is Rin?"

Jaken gulped. "S-she was ab-ducted! PLEASE FORGIVE ME for not being able to do anything! I promise you I'll find her even if it costs me my own life!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. Someone was bold enough to deliberately challenge him. He inhaled, and picked up a faint yet particularly familiar scent.

"Kyousuke." He whispered irately before he walked away and vanished in the mist, leaving Jaken dumbfounded.

~o~O~o~

Rin woke up groggily. She rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, trying to remember what happened.

"Finally awake, I see."

She jumped in surprise, seeing the person who kidnapped her sitting on the edge of her tatami bed. In his hand, he held her necklace and seemed to be…. Toying with it.

"Hey! That's mine! Give it back!" She piped up.

He rolled his green eyes. "I was going to return it. Here." He tossed it to her and Rin caught it gingerly between her hands. She scowled at the man while putting the accessory around her neck. What does he want? Who is he? She had never seen him before. The man was tall and slender who had medium length, midnight dark hair tucked behind his ears. His eyes were strikingly green with a speck of gold underneath them. One corner of his mouth was turned into a crooked smile. He was amused!

"Your name is Rin, right? I heard so much about you." He winked deviously.

"From who?!"

"Well I have my sources." He cleared his throat. "You do know that necklace contains Sesshomaru's blood right?"

That caught her off guard. "What?" She looked down automatically and stared at the small purple vial.

"It's to ward off lowly demons from attacking you or anyone near you. Any demon could sense his powerful blood from miles away. Since Naraku's defeat, he was deemed as the most powerful demon in this era and other demons fear him. He is utilizing their fear to protect you, hence the necklace. No one would dare to hurt or come near you knowing that you have his protection."

Rin contemplated what he said. Lord Sesshomaru gave her the necklace and told her to wear it all the time. But he said nothing about the… blood.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed at the man. "And you are foolish enough to challenge him? He'll come and save me then rip you apart!"

He laughed. "No I don't think so. You're here because I'm going to tell you how to save Sesshomaru. Your Lord is dying and you have no idea."

She gasped. "What?! What in the world are you talking about?!" This man is crazy.

He rubbed his nonexistent beard. "Maybe first I should introduce myself. My name is Kyousuke and I'm a dark priest. A few weeks ago Sesshomaru came here looking for me. He was searching for a cure for an injury he acquired while in the underworld. I have no idea what he was doing there in the first place, but I didn't care."

Rin swallowed uncomfortably, her breath shallow. She knew in her guts that her Lord was hiding something and she ignored the feeling. He was ALWAYS hiding something from them.

His eyes darkened and he leaned towards Rin. "To sum it all up, his body has been corrupted. It will spread havoc in his body, causing him intense pain then killing him in the end. Even a powerful demon like him won't be able to do anything. At the time of his visit here, I told him it had no cure and he should live his life to the fullest before he dies."

Rin was horrified. She stood up, her frame shaking. "No. Not Lord Sesshomaru. He can't die!" She screamed. There was no way… he hadn't survived this long and lived through what they went through just to be killed by something like this.

Kyousuke sighed. "Calm down. That's why you're here. You're going to help him live through this. With your help he will heal. I've found out something."

She practically threw herself in front of Kyousuke, which surprised him. "How can I help him?!"

Slowly he reached down and held her face. "Your soul, Rin." He whispered.

She drew away from his touch, her eyes widening even more. "My… soul?"

"It sounds extreme, but really it's nothing. You lend him a part of your soul and it will protect him from the disease. His body will slowly heal. Once he is healed, he may return your soul and it's as if nothing ever happened. However your soul needs to be returned within 90 days, or else his body, his youki will destroy it."

She didn't need to think twice. Of course she will do anything for her Lord. For him to get better. "Okay. I'll do it. What do I do? How do I-"

Kyousuke held a hand up to silence her. "I am not only here to tell you that you can help your Lord. I wanted to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Rin stared at him questioningly. What else can he…

"A chance that you could have a lifespan of a demon as well. An immortal life."

The sound of faint wind chimes resonated from a nearby window.

Rin's expression was blank. She was speechless. "Why? Why would I want that?" She whispered.

Kyousuke crossed his arms. "Be honest with me, Rin. Didn't you wish you could live as long as your Lord at some point?"

Rin looked away and closed her eyes. One particular memory returned to her… it was so long ago, and yet she remembered it as if it was yesterday.

~Flashback~

Little Rin and Jaken were camping for the night and roasting the sweet potatoes she pulled from the ground after running away from a band of strange monks.
"Say Master Jaken." She asked while warming her hands on the campfire.

"Yes?"

"After he defeats Naraku, then what do you think Lord Sesshomaru is going to do?"

Jaken held a lizard on a stick, struggling to keep it upright near the flames. "You probably don't know about this, but Lord Sesshomaru has long been in search for personal power. He will undoubtedly become the greatest demon of all time and will reign over his own empire. When that happens, I will become the empire's chief minister!" He then proceeded to try to eat his roasted lizard, but burned his mouth.

"Master Jaken. This empire of Lord Sesshomaru's…. what position do you think I might have in it?"

Jaken stared at her in shock. "You mean you intend to follow us up until then?"

Little Rin rose and grabbed the kappa's shoulders. "Why is something wrong with that?!"

Jaken crossed his arms and glared at her. "Lord Sesshomaru is strong, but who knows how long it will take to create the empire. To us demons, a 100 years is nothing at all. But to you humans, time is everything. By the time the Lord's empire is created, you'll be looong gone."

Rin looked away dejectedly, realizing what it meant. "That will happen. I will die."

~End of flashback~

And that night she remembered that she couldn't sleep. She believed that somehow she can stay with Sesshomaru forever and ever.
But that won't happen because she's a mortal.

But did she fear death more than having a place in Sesshomaru's empire?

The truth was… she did.

For a person who already died twice, one would think that she won't be afraid of it anymore. On the contrary, she was terrified. She still had nightmares about what it was like after death. Her fear was from not remembering anything but emptiness… the fact that she does not exist. And the process of death itself. She preferred very much if she could live and be around when her Lord has fulfilled his dreams. And maybe if she had a longer lifespan, her Lord wouldn't subject her to live in some human village.

"Well… Rin? Do you want to live as long as your Lord so you could serve him indefinitely?" Kyousuke asked seeing that in few minutes that she was silent, she had formed a resolution.

Determined eyes stared into his. "Yes."

He smiled and stood up, holding out his hand for her to grab. "Follow me and I will explain it to you."

~o~O~o~

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the forest lit with hundreds of fireflies. Blue orchids and vines hung from the tall trees and a seemingly ethereal lake on his left were filled with the sound of frogs and crickets. He was staring at a wide, empty area impatiently, where the trace of Rin's scent vanished and where Kyousuke's fortress was supposed to be. Sesshomaru knew that the dark priest must have put up a barrier. He could sense it.

A sharp pain shot up his right shoulder and he flinched. He bit his inner lip so hard until he tasted blood, as he concentrated to numb the pain to no avail. His amber eyes flashed in anger. Once the pain receded somewhat, he stared at the field again thinking of ways he could destroy the barrier and take Rin back.

~o~O~o~

Kyousuke led Rin in the hallway lit with torches into a huge, indoor…. Garden?

Rin looked around in wonder and surprise. In the corner was a reasonably sized waterfall but the water was strangely green. Leaves floated on the fluorescent liquid pooling. She realized that it was still dusk, seeing the moon high up in the sky. Near the eerie waterfall was a small table with two medium glass flasks. They were ornately decorated just like the vial of her necklace. One was empty… and the other contained a vibrant white fluid.

Kyousuke led her to sit in front of the table. He sat across from her.

He raised an empty flask and pulled the glass cork. "Sesshomaru needs your soul in his body in order to rid himself of the corruption. This can be beneficial for you because I can tap your soul into absorbing some of his demonic energy that will extend your life. So when he returns your soul after he is healed, he will share his lifespan with you.

Rin nodded.

Then he placed the empty flask back on the table. "I plan to remove half of your soul and that is the piece you need to give to your Lord. The other half will remain in you, and it cannot be removed because you will die, obviously."

Rin gulped, but listened attentively while watching him pick up the white vial.

"Our concern is that once the soul with Sesshomaru's demon energy is returned to you, the soul that remains in your body will reject it. Full human and demon energy never mixes well. Again, it will mean death for you."

Rin's forehead crinkled. "Then I can't share his lifespan because the other half of my soul will reject it."

"Not necessarily." Kyousuke opened the white flask. He withrew a knife from his kimono and slashed his finger open. He let a drop of his blood go into the flask. Rapidly, the white liquid turned into dark red color, swirling in the container before it settled down.

"This is a rare, pure poison. You MUST drink this at the same time Sesshomaru consumes your soul. It's designed to slowly kill you and the soul inside your body in, guess how long again. 90 days. So while the other half of your soul inside Sesshomaru absorbs life, the one inside you will be slowly killed. And once Sesshomaru returns your soul, there is absolutely no chance for rejection, and you will live a long life."

Rin needed a moment to absorb what she just heard. Her eyes were unmoving in shock. "That's… suicide." She whispered.

"Technically it is. But you don't have to worry. The soul you lost will be replaced with the demonic energy and you'll also have the part of your soul back."

"But what you're telling me… killing half my soul which means killing myself and having Lord Sesshomaru hold the only soul I have is-" Rin's voice was slowly rising in hysteria, but Kyousuke cut her off.

His eyes hardened. "IS the Price of Immortality, Rin. It's not easy but it is worth it in the long run."

"If Lord Sesshomaru doesn't return my soul on the 90th day, then his body will destroy my remaining soul, and then-"

"It means you'll die from the poison Rin. But you trust your Lord, am I right? He would never hurt you intentionally or selfishly. You have been his companion for so long. I do not know your relationship with him, but I do know that you are important to him. He owes you for lending him your soul."

Rin nodded slowly. "But how do I tell him about this immortality thing!"

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow. "He does not need to know anything. All he needs to know is that you are helping him be rid of his injury. You can surprise him on the 90th day after the trade. And tell him that thanks to him, you are no longer bound by your short human lifespan."

Rin tried to control her rapid breathing. "I see. Okay. But without half of my soul not to mention the one I'll have is going to dissipate… what am I going to feel?"

He placed the red flask back on the table. "Depression. Some sort of emptiness. But these discomforts can be resolved by staying near the other half of your soul. You may tell Sesshomaru that. Make him stop leaving you for his short excursions, and stay with you for the duration for his treatment for your sake."

"And the poison? How will it affect me?"

Kyousuke stood up. "As the poison works its way, you will feel pain occasionally in the beginning and will get worse as the 90th day approaches. There will be symptoms of illness. Expect it."

She glared at him. "And how do you expect me to hide that I'm dying from Lord Sesshomaru?!"

"I don't. You will explain what truly occurred. He will understand. He will give your soul back because by the time the poison has progressed enough for him to sense that something is wrong with you, he will already be healed from the corruption." Once again he held out his hand. "I have told you everything you need to know, are you ready?"

Rin stood up and backed away from him. "Wait! I need time to think!" She was confused and felt overwhelmed from all the information. Who wouldn't be? There was too much fear, doubts and confusion…

"Your Lord approaches. When he gets through my barrier, we won't be able to do anything. It's now or never, Rin." He said stonily.

"But…"

"Do you trust him, Rin?"

"BUT I…"

"ANSWER!" He pushed.

Rin flinched. "YES! YES I DO!" Fine! She'll do this! Not only for Lord Sesshomaru but for herself.

Kyousuke smiled and pushed her into the green water.

She made a huge splash and sank down, and yelled at him when her head reached the surface. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" But then she saw that he was chanting as he threw a strange branch on the water where she was submerged. She suddenly felt numb and cold all over. She lost control of her body as her eyes glassed over. Blue, spiral energy erupted from her and parts of it soared towards Kyousuke. He continued to chant and the fragment of soul went inside the open, empty glass flask he held in his hand.

He closed it, then smiled darkly in satisfaction.

~o~O~o~

"Master Kyousuke. You sent the girl back?" Keito, Kyousuke's vassal has entered, and saw his master watching a tall mirror attached to a wide, oak tree. He walked closer to him and saw the image of a young girl running through the forest from its reflection.

"Shhhh. Be quiet Keito. I'm watching." Kyousuke stifled a laugh.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called, running through the field of fireflies lighting the forest.

Sesshomaru turned around and watched her run towards him, albeit without emotion on his face but inside he was relieved. He assessed her form, inhaled her scent… making sure that she was not hurt in anyway.

She stopped in front of him breathing heavily, her hands on her knees. She cleared her throat, looked up and stared at her Lord straight in his eyes.

"What happened?"

Rin, still breathing heavily, pulled out the blue flask from inside her kimono. She held the flask towards him. "Take and use it my Lord. Please?"

Sesshomaru took a step back in surprise as he stared at the glowing element inside the flask. It was blue, lively and pure. Rin's soul.

Kyousuke laughed while watching Sesshomaru's reaction at seeing part of the girl's soul outside her body.

"Lord Kyousuke, what exactly did you do? Why are you helping them? I thought we were searching for Sesshomaru to kill him in his weakened state?" Keito shook his head disapprovingly. They were tracing Sesshomaru and found her instead. Keito remembered his Master's eyes has widened in surprise, then in realization as some sort of a diabolical plan formed in his mind. He wasted no time in taking the girl.

"Simple. I changed my plan. I made it better."

"You… how did you… RIN!" For the first time in his life he was flabbergasted. Sesshomaru was staring at the soul that Rin literally held in her hand.

She smiled. "Don't worry my lord I am fine. I found out about your trouble, and I want to help. In this vial is half of my soul, that's why I am still alive. You can "borrow" this and return it to me when you're healed…. Hopefully in 90 days, ne?"

Sesshomaru stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. His eyes glinted in malice. "Did Kyousuke hurt you in anyway?"

Rin shook her head. "He meant to find you but he ended up finding me and Jaken instead. Then he took me so he can tell me how to help you."

Sesshomaru still looked unrelieved by her explanation. In fact she could see that he was still angry. However she saw signs of weariness in her Lord. There were slight circles under his eyes and his movements were too careful. She remembered that he was in constant pain but somehow managed to keep a perfect façade. That is so typical of her Lord.
Her eyes started watering, tears threatening to spill. "Please my Lord let ME help you! You can't die yet." She fell on her knees, the flask falling on the ground as she covered her face.

Sesshomaru was taken aback. She looked so desperate and hurt. She still cared for him then? He wanted to tell her that he found a witch who will give him a human soul… but the prospect of having a stranger's human soul inside of him was suddenly very unappealing. If he were to choose… he would rather have…

Sesshomaru sat in front of Rin and pried her hands off her face. His heart clenched at seeing her tear stricken face. He grabbed the flask from the ground and held it.

"I forgot to tell Rin something before she left. Something important." Kyousuke watched Sesshomaru intensely as the demon dog picked up the blue flask.

Rin watched Sesshomaru open the flask, his amber eyes hard and focused on her. At this action she smiled, and she pulled out the red flask of liquid from her kimono.

Sesshomaru stared at it curiously and questioned her silently.

Rin wiped her eyes and gave him a blinding smile. "This is meant to keep me safe and stable while I'm missing half of my soul." She lied smoothly. She was probably the only person in the world that could lie to him without being caught red-handed.

"What did you omit from telling the girl, Master?" Keito asked.

"Rin, I…" Sesshomaru turned to look away from her. "Thank you." He whispered silently.

Rin reddened. "It's nothing!" She raised her vial and clinked it to Sesshomaru's. "Kampai! For Lord Sesshomaru's health!"

Kyousuke tucked a stray hair behind his ear. "I did not tell her that on the 90th day, her soul would've already absorbed ALL of Sesshomaru's life energy. If he wants to live, he needs to keep Rin's soul and let his body destroy it, reabsorbing his life energy once again. Because when Rin's soul is removed from inside his body, Sesshomaru will DIE."

Sesshomaru ignored her antics and tipped the vial into his mouth. He tasted nothing but warmth coursing through his throat then inside his injury. Instantly, the pain that had been bothering him was dulled.

Rin stared at her flask, gathering her courage, then she removed the glass cork and drank the red poison. So that she could live forever with her Lord.

"When Sesshomaru chooses to return the soul it its original owner, she will live an immortal life in exchange for his. If Sesshomaru does not return her soul on the 90th day because he may still value his life more then hers, then the girl will die from the poison she drank."

Keito bowed, his heart rejoicing and amazed by his Master's plan.

"What will the Great Dog Demon of the West choose in the end? His life or hers?"

Rin breathed a sigh of relief after the exchange, completely unaware of what she just subjected herself and her Lord into.

AN:

Dropped a huge bomb on the 2nd chapter, didn't I? Now you see where this story is heading. Sort of tragic. Sounds familiar? This piece is inspired by my favorite love story of all time!
Next chapter will have some romance and their relationship will start to blossom (is this a good thing or bad thing for their situation?)
Tell me what you think! They help me be inspired to write. Until next time my loves!