A New Leaf
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 7
Rin could only watch in horror as Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Midori assumed their truest forms. That of demonic dogs that could easily rival Aoda and Garuda in sheer size. Dogs with glowing eyes and fangs that were bigger than she was.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" What could she do?!
There had to be something they could do help him. Sadly, Sasuke was right. If they tried to do anything, they were just as likely to hit Lord Sesshomaru as Lady Midori.
Crunch! Lord Sesshomaru had just thrown himself at the other Inu and had sank his jaws into her thigh. The sound of bone breaking was heard throughout the gardens and so was the demoness's cry of agony.
Kagura pulls her and Sasuke off to the side. "Stay out of the line of fire." She was right to worry because the battle was only growing more dangerous by the minute.
"He's drawn blood." Sasuke watches with his mismatched eyes.
That was right. Sesshomaru's muzzle was now coated in dark red. The red of Lady Midori's blood and that meant there likely wouldn't be any turning back now. Once an animal had tested blood, Rin knew what happened. A fight to the death.
Midori wasn't giving up that easily though. Her mighty paws slash at Sesshomaru. Rin winces as she sees it drag across his side and red gush from it as a result.
She'd cut him. Cut him with her claws and now, they had both drawn blood. Though she was at a loss for how she could help her Lord in this instance. Any aid she sent, might actually hit Sesshomaru on accident.
"Aoda!" Mercifully, it appeared that Sasuke had a plan. "Garuda, attack her." Well maybe, not much of one. Though it was certainly something.
The hawk and serpent unlike weapons could distinguish between the two massive canines that were currently trying their best to tear one another apart. Rin had never seen anything like it.
Their eyes were glowing red and their jaws were snapping. Their massive jaws that could easily crush through solid bone and did crush through it. So this was what it was like when two demons of Sesshomaru's stature clashed in their truest form.
"Yes, Master Sasuke!" Aoda slams into Midori's side.
He must have been able to distinguish between the two of them because the female was smaller than Sesshomaru. "I can't believe this." She wasn't the only one in awe of the fight though. Kagura was watching in shock as well.
There was something magnificent about it. Magnificent in the pure savagery. It was still terrifying, but Rin couldn't deny there was a beauty. So this was the true power of the Inu Lords and Ladies.
Garuda was not to be outdone though. He flies straight at Midori and his talons slice into her sides. Her roar of pain was something that Rin knew would forever haunt her dreams.
There was such agony to it as she transforms back into her humanoid form. "Have mercy. This is truly not what I intended." The woman was drenched in her own blood.
Sesshomaru quickly follows her example. He had soon transformed back as well, but his eyes were still red. Midori would be very lucky to make it out of this alive.
"I fail to see why I should display mercy." He wasn't a demon at the moment, Rin muses.
Sesshomaru was more of an Angel of Vengeance. It was frightening and she was suddenly very grateful for Sasuke's hand on her own. He must have sensed her unease.
Midori summons a mountain under her feet. "If you wish to prevent a war, we can ignore what has transpired between us." The power to control Earth to such an extent was incredible.
The mountain wasn't a true mountain, Rin knew that. It was only the height of two great snakes like the one Sasuke had Summon. Still, she had done it so quickly that Rin found herself almost awestruck by it.
"You came to my home and tried to attack my guests." Sesshomaru wasn't backing down though. "You are the one who drew First Blood and continue to insult me." That was true, but Rin really wished that a war could be avoided.
Midori's green eyes flash like angry emeralds. "So be it then." She waves her hand and suddenly what seemed like thousands of rocks came hurling towards Lord Sesshomaru.
She was hoping to strike him with the rocks. At that height, they could prove fatal or at least injure him. Rin couldn't let that happen. This had to be stopped!
"Garuda!" She had an idea.
It was crazy, but it might be their best chance of stopping Lady Midori!
Sango had to admit that she was rather worried. "Do you really think that things have gotten that bad or is Lord Sesshomaru just being cautious?" It was hard to tell.
Inuyasha was reckless, but Sesshomaru planned his every move. Both approaches had their merits and demerits. There were times when it was better to trust your gut instinct and there were times when it was far wiser to take a more cautious approach. That was likely why they worked so well in battle together.
The brothers balanced each other out nicely. Of course, only a fool would tell them that much to their face and Sango was no fool.
"It's hard to say." Miroku sighs as he places his arms around her waist. "When Rin is involved, I can't blame the man for being a bit paranoid." That was true. That girl did have a knack for finding troubled. "Be that as it may, I can't imagine that he would come all the way to out here to get her for no good reason." That was also true.
The threat was real. Though how real had yet to be determined. To say the least, that was a troubling though. Sango would rather know what they were up against than to go in fighting blind.
She sighs as she looks out the window. "Naraku is gone." The Demon Slayer and mother of three had foolishly though that meant all the fighting was over. "I thought that would be the end of it. That we could all just live in peace." She should have known better.
Miroku kisses the top of her head. "We'll deal with things as they come." Yes, logically she knew that he was right about that.
Worrying about everything wouldn't help matter. Sesshomaru obviously had some sort of plan and the foreigner was with them.
She knew next to nothing about him, but the man was in excellent shape. Sango could tell that much. It wasn't everyone who could tend to that much of a field so quickly, even with help. If worse came to worst, Sasuke could probably get Rin to safety while Sesshomaru dealt with whatever threat the three of them were facing.
Sasuke watches with alarm as Rin actually jumps onto the hawk Summon's back with a kunai in her hand. She couldn't be serious. There was no way the woman was that suicidal. Was there?
"Rin!" Judging by the panic in Kagura's voice, she was though.
She really was. Damn it. There was only one choice now. He'd have to summon the Susanoo to protect her. Rin would likely get herself killed otherwise!
The crazy woman actually flew towards Midori while she was distracted by Sesshomaru and threw the kunai into her eye! Civilian or not, Sasuke had to admit that Rin had excellent aim.
"AHHHH!" Sesshomaru who was slicing through various boulders with his energy whip winced at the sound of Midori's scream. "BITCH! YOU WILL DIE TODAY!"
That didn't stop him from transforming though. Sesshomaru was going to do his best to save his ward from Midori's strike. So was Kaguya, she had just summoned a giant feather. A feather that apparently, she could fly on.
Neither of them was faster than the arm of his Susanoo though. He quickly grabs Rin and Garuda inside it before Midori could cut off Rin's head with the sword she had created out of her demonic energy.
Blood. There was so much blood. "Not today, she won't." Half of Midori's face was covered in it.
Rin might not have succeeded in cutting out the woman's eye, but she might as well have. The Inu woman would never be able to see out of it again. That much Sasuke was certain of.
"What is this sorcery?!" Midori was now hurling boulders at his Susanoo arm, but that was no use. "You're a liar! You are a demon!"
No. He still wasn't a demon, but Sasuke could understand the confusion. He was quite certain that by this world's standards, that was exactly what he was. A demon with a human's lifespan.
"And you're dead!" Sasuke was pouring more chakra into his Susanoo in preparation for the final attack.
The attack that would end this woman. This woman who came out of nowhere and tried to destroy the seemingly happy life that Rin, Lord Sesshomaru, and his other subjects had.
Her intentions might be noble, but her methods were not. His Susanoo was now rapidly developing and he was just about to deliver the final blow when Sesshomaru jumps onto the mountain into his animal form.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Kagura's and Rin's cries rang out, but the demon was too incensed to listen.
No. Sasuke had seen those eyes. He had seen the intent in them. If Sesshomaru had his way, Midori would be dead in a matter of minutes. Perhaps even in a matter of seconds.
Midori was a creature of rage as a blood red orb of energy forms around her. Whatever it was, it was gone before Sesshomaru could wrap his jaws around it. It must have been this world's version of a Body Flicker, Sasuke decides.
"That was strange." Kagura blinks from her position on her feather.
How the woman had gotten it into the air that quickly or she was riding it was a mystery to Sasuke a the moment, but he would worry about that later. The ability might be a common one in this world for all he knew.
He wasn't the only one worried though. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken was now screaming for his Master. "Are you alright?!" The poor imp.
Sasuke couldn't help, but feel a pang of pity for the creature at the moment. He really was worried about the Demon Lord. Still, he knew that didn't really matter.
Lady Midori was still out there. She was partially blind and she was very angry. They had just declared war. There would be no turning back now and Sasuke was even more disturbed that he had referred to himself as part of their group. He shouldn't have done that. Not even mentally.
Later that night, Sesshomaru sighs. He had already done everything he could for the moment. His guards were on full alert and the Western Army was mobilizing. Not only that, but he had sent word to the other Lords and Ladies of Japan.
"You've done everything that you can." Kagura.
Kagura had slipped into his bedchambers without his knowledge. That thought was a troubling one. Not because he viewed her as a threat. Far from it. He trusted her as idiotic as that might sound. No, it was because if she could do it…someone else could do the same thing.
He sighs at that thought and looks at her. "I know." What he didn't know was whether or not it would be enough.
The Demons of Japan had one key advantage over the Chinese ones. They knew the terrain and they had easier access to the necessary supplies that would be needed to fight a war. The Chinese on the other hand had the numbers.
There were far more Demons in China than in Japan. It was just a matter of bringing them to the shore. Once that happened, they would march. Likely straight for the West.
"Then don't look so hard on yourself." Kagura waves her fan and looks at him underneath hooded lashes. "You did everything that you could to prevent it." That was true, but that didn't make him feel any better about their precocious predicament
He was strong enough to defend himself from almost anything. People like Rin were another matter. Though as of late Rin had been showing a warrior's instincts, he smirks at that thought.
The way she had thrown that weapon into Midori's eye had been equal parts courage and foolishness. It had worked though. Sesshomaru couldn't argue with the results.
"Accurate, but we need to prepare for war." Replaying the events of the day would do little good at this point.
Admittedly, not doing so was difficult. He would manage though. Sesshomaru was Lord of the West. He had his people to think about and his own safety.
He was powerful, but even for him it would not be an easy task to take on a fully trained demonic army. Strategy was necessary.
Kagura looks at him. "Is there anything that I can do to help?" That was a good question.
"During the fighting, please keep Rin safe." He couldn't protect her and defend himself in a war like this. "Hide with her. Stay out of the way. You're strong." Kagura could protect her. "Which is why I'm entrusting her to you and not to someone else." Something that Sesshomaru could only hope he wouldn't end up regretting.
"I will." Kagura nods at him.
It was foolish to trust her. Sesshomaru knew that, but he couldn't doing so. Certainly doing so defied all logic, but that didn't seem to matter. His instincts trusted her and he had learned long ago to trust them.
Sasuke watches Rin from the hallway. Her door was slightly ajar. She was far too trusting.
That was what was going to get her killed. It shouldn't have really mattered to him, but that thought disturbed him. The woman had always been so kind to him. She didn't deserve to die at the hands of someone like Midori.
"I won't let it happen." That was that.
Well no one did, but especially not her. So he decides to protect her in the best way he knew how. He'd just have to give her a crash course in using Jutsus. Something simple that she could learn quickly, but might save her life. That would be best.
"Sasuke?" Rin looks at him in confusion, after she opens the door for him.
He smiles at her. She really was the picture of innocence. What she was doing with a Demon Lord for a 'father' was anyone's guess, but that was irrelevant to his current goal. His goal of protecting her.
Now, he just had to figure out which Jutsus would be best to teach her. "You know that there is a war coming." Against his better judgment, Sasuke takes her hands in his own. "I want to make sure that you'll be able to protect yourself."
What she had done today had been brave and stupid. Rin had gotten very lucky. That move could have easily gotten her killed. Sasuke wasn't going to leave here before he had at least given her some sort of tool to protect herself with. No matter how minor the tool might be.
She wasn't from his world. Rin understood almost nothing about chakra, but the last Uchiha was determined to teach her at least a few tricks. She'd likely never know enough to graduate the Academy, let alone become a Chunin…but it would be something.
"I know." Rin nods her head determinedly. "That doesn't scare me."
She had a kind heart, but a ninja's reckless courage. "I'm glad, but I'd like to teach you how to use my form of magic." He wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Rin could apparently already throw a kunai. That was a start, but he had more intensive training in mind. He'd start with shadow clones. He doubted those existed in this world and it was something that Academy Students could do.
"I'd like that." She beams at him. "I want to be able to help too."
He thoughts much. With that in mind, Sasuke leads her off to the gardens. It was late enough at night, that he doubted anyone would actually disturb them.
Sasuke couldn't help, but smile at her underneath the moonlight. "We'll start by testing your chakra nature." He pulls out a sheet of paper. "When you touch this, your chakra will react to it and from that, I'll be able to tell what you have." He nods at her.
"Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, or Lightning." She smiles at him proudly.
That was accurate. If nothing else, Rin was a fast learner. That was very good because Sasuke doubted they had much time.
"Yes, that's right." He nods as she touches the paper and Sasuke takes a deep breath.
This would be the first step to her training. Sasuke just wished that he had more time to properly train her, but it couldn't be helped. For now, teaching her a couple Academy Basics would have to do.
Midori screams as she appears where she knew Tenji would be. She would need medical attention and quickly. That little brat had stabbed her eye out with some sort of weapon.
"My Lady!" Tenji's voice sounds no less than horrified upon hearing her scream as he rushes over to her. "What in the name of the Gods and Goddesses happened?"
That was a perfectly logical question to ask, of course. Tragically for Tenji, Lady Midori was not feeling logical at the moment. It might have something to do with the fact that her eye had been stabbed out by a mere wisp of a human girl.
Blood was still gushing from that wound and other injures. "I need more medical care. Sesshomaru's human stabbed my eye out and I engaged him in combat." She was in no condition to give a more thorough explanation.
Thankfully, Tenji seemed to know exactly what to do. "I'll get you to a healer at once." Mercifully, he was true to his word.
Midori battles against unconsciousness as he carries her off. "My Lady needs medical attention at once!" Everything was spinning.
She had lost blood. So much blood. It was frankly a miracle that she was alive, but Midori knew why.
She couldn't die. Not yet. Not before her goal was accomplished. The Gods and Goddesses were protecting her from even death's embrace because they had given her a higher purpose.
"Coming!" The hands of the healers were all over her.
She could feel their magic, but her body was now numb. She was hovering on the edge of life and death. Midori would not yield though. She had to go on. It was for the sake of their kind.
The humans had to be stopped. If not now, they never would be. She knew that for a fact and that was why she had gone to Japan. The demons of both nations needed to combine forces and drive the humans back.
She didn't know why Lord Sesshomaru couldn't see that. Probably because of that vile human girl. Rin had likely bewitched him. Just as Inutashio's human plaything had bewitched him.
"She's lost a lot of blood." Screams.
Someone was screaming about her having lost too much blood. Still, she had faith in her healers. She had faith that she would make it through this because the fate of Demons everywhere might very well depends on it.
Another person was now screaming now. "She's not going to make it." Fool, she think to herself.
Of course, she was going to make it. Midori would make a full recovery and when she did, that human was going to regret stealing her eye. She may be half blind now, but she was not dead.
Rin. That was her name. She was the one who had bewitched Sesshomaru and she was the one who would pay for taking her eye. Of that much, Midori was quite certain.
With that thought in mind, she falls asleep with a smile on her face. She needed her rest. When she woke though, she would commence her war plans in the morning and she would bring all of Japan and that witch to her knees.