Don't move, Rin had to remind herself as she forced her back to remain straight, her eyes staring straight ahead from where she was knelt near Sesshomaru. The icy demon lord didn't move an inch, his golden eyes trailed fiercely on the quavering demon that had come to ask for the Lord of the West's assistance. Then again, Rin thought with a grumble, he'd been doing this for who knows how long.

"You say that your village has been destroyed by another demon?" Sesshomaru sounded disgusted. Rin felt a brief flash of sympathy for the demon before them. And from the look on Kimi's face, she felt the same. The dog demoness knelt on the other side of Sesshomaru, her golden eyes annoyed from her son's words. "What were you doing when you were supposed to be defending your family?"

The demon leaped to his feet, looking beyond furious. Rin couldn't blame the poor guy. "I was! I was defending my village and family, my lord!" His darkened eyes flashed angrily. "She completely destroyed any attempt we made at getting rid of her! I watched another demon of my village be torn in half by a simple flick of her hand!"

A crow demon of some kind? Rin thought, as she tried to figure out what kind of demon he was, tilting her head just barely. The hair ornament she wore clinked quietly, and she carefully shifted her weight, trying to not bring too much attention to herself while attempting to get comfortable.

Sesshomaru didn't seem the least bit bothered by this piece of information. "It is of your own fault, then. If your village is not capable of being rid of a single demon-"

"Sesshomaru," Kimi interrupted quietly, a growl in her throat. "If an entire village of demons cannot kill this demoness, perhaps one of us are some of the guard should see to the situation. She could very easily come here and attempt an attack on the Fortress. Not even all of the demons in this building could fend off that Ryuukotsusei when he went on the attack. If she is similar to him in power and abilities, then we may have an issue on our hands."

Sesshomaru fell silent as he listened to his mother, then gave a curt nod. "I will send half of my men to hunt this demoness down," he muttered to the relieved looking demon. "Until then, return to a safe location. My men will come find you when they have accomplished their task."

Rin hesitated before clearing her throat, piping up anxiously, faltering when Sesshomaru glared at her for a moment. "Do you have any information that may help in defeating this demon? Species, special abilities you noticed...?" Kimi nodded at the young woman with encouragement. She was asking a good question.

"I..." the demon faltered, warily thinking for a moment before cautiously saying, "I can't say as to what kind of demon she was, my lady." He seemed bewildered as he studied Rin, as if he was astonished that Sesshomaru would allow a human so close to him. "But she was able to use some invisible force to just destroy our village. She didn't seem to move anything other than her arm and it was suddenly gone...and she was uttering something in a strange language..."

Rin nodded thoughtfully, noting this information as she thoughtfully ran her fingers across her Jihibukai, which was lying across the ground beside her. "I see," she murmured, ignoring the barely there growl echoing from Sesshomaru. "Did you catch a name of some sorts?"

"We did." Rin shifted her gaze to a terrified looking demon that had accompanied the head of the village. His dark eyes flashed anxiously. "I...I believe I heard her call herself Majo."

Sesshomaru went still, not moving a muscle, and Rin hissed out a small gasp of surprise. Kimi, however, still in the dark about such a matter, tilted her head curiously at the two's reaction. "Majo? Does this name ring a bell in either of your minds? I'm assuming it does."

"When I spoke with Unarigoe a few days ago," Sesshomaru murmured, impatiently flicking a lock of silver hair from his shoulder, "He spoke of a demonic witch known as Majo." Golden eyes flashed to Rin, and she met his gaze evenly. "I take what I ordered back," the dog demon suddenly said. "My men will remain here. I, myself, will go to see to this witch."

"Um, what about here?" Rin said anxiously. Sesshomaru turned his sharp gaze on her and she forced herself not to cringe away at the look he wore. "Would you like me to stay here? Unarigoe's still alive..."

"Ippan himself is making sure Unarigoe is kept in isolation and under their control," Kimi told her, "You will be safe here, Rin."

Sesshomaru nodded slowly, contemplating. "I am certain that Unarigoe is less of a threat then this witch we have heard so much about. Remain here as Mother says," he murmured, then stood swiftly. Rin scrambled to her feet, relieved that the pain in her shoulder was going away. It didn't sting as much as she hoisted up Jihibukai. Sesshomaru watched her, making sure she was alright, then turned away briskly. "Mother, you will take over until my return."

"Of course, my son," Kimi said with a hum, tilting her head thoughtfully.

Rin hesitated, then let her hand dart out to catch Sesshomaru's sleeve. He paused, glancing at her with a cool and questioning look. She froze for a brief second, then muttered, stammering uncertainly, "Um, b-be careful. If she could drag me from a crashing airplane nearly five hundred years in the future, then she's...you know, powerful."

Much to her surprise, an amused look flashed across his face before disappearing quickly. "I am aware of that, Rin." That said, he vanished from the room.

Rin looked stunned, then glanced at Kimi with wide eyes. "He used my name."

Kimi rolled her eyes with a small giggle. "Of course he did, he's used it quite often when not in your presence. Come, my girl, let us go and see what the cooks are planning for your supper..." She paused, glancing at the startled village head and the demon he'd brought with him. "You are welcome to stay for a few hours to catch your breath, but you must return to your remaining people by nightfall. We do not appreciate strangers remaining in our home past that time."

"Err, of course, my lady," the crow demon stammered.

"Good," Kimi said smugly, then nudged Rin out of the room. The dog demoness hummed as she kept a gentle clawed hand tight on the human's shoulder, glancing over her shoulder before murmuring, "I am not happy that Sesshomaru has decided to seek this witch alone."

Rin blinked. "He seems like he can handle it, though. I mean, he can bring back the dead..."

"There are some," Kimi murmured with a dark look in her yellow eyes, "That are a challenge even for my son, my girl. It has been a few years since he last faced a demon he could not fight and win against alone. It worries me."

Rin bit her lip with a thoughtful look upon her face. "He's the Lord of the West though. Like, the most powerful demon in this area, I thought?"

"Yes," Kimi said softly, "But just because you are the most powerful demon in power doesn't make you the most powerful demon in existence, little one. Now come, let us go and find out what the cooks will be making for you, yes?"

"Uh...sure," Rin agreed, blinking. "What about Ringu and Surudoi? Sesshomaru sent them away...should we go get them before we go anywhere?"

"No need," Kimi said pleasantly. She glanced at the human girl with a contemplative look. How desperately the dog demoness wanted grandpups with the little dog ears! And yet her son continued to go against her subtle hints towards the matter...without Rin's knowledge of course. "I am perfectly capable of protecting you, my girl."

Rin bit her lip, her fingers tightly grasping Jihibukai. "Okay," she murmured, though uncertainy refused to leave her face. Something simply felt...wrong. She was sure yet, but she knew something was wrong. Nevertheless, she remained beside Kimi as the duo made their way through the Fortress, more than aware of the fact that Unarigoe was still alive within it.

The once busy village was silent as he quietly walked through it, following the main room as he breathed in sharply, searching for any particularly strange scent. But there was none, merely the stench of death and blood. Frustration flashed through him as Sesshomaru paused to study his surroundings. Yet he found nothing out of the ordinary - other than a destroyed village, of course. A soft growl excaped him as he took a final look around the destroyed wooden homes, and then turned to leave.

"Hm...so you are Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands? I must admit: you are far stronger then I expected..."

He paused, fighting the urge to snarl at the sudden rise of power he felt. This person, this demoness that spoke had to be the demonic witch known as Majo, the one who'd brought Rin to this time... Slowly, he turned, his golden eyes cold. "I take it you are Majo."

Her molten eyes flashed with a brief amusement. "That would be me, yes."

Sesshomaru took in her appearance with caution, searching her for weaknesses and strengths. She was tall, nearly as tall as him, with long wavy deep red hair. Her eyes were a few shades lighter than her hair, and she wore no armor; instead, she wore a simple kimono that faded from black to white, and a massive axe hung at her hip.

Majo tilted her head, her long red hair spilling over one shoulder. "I did not expect for you to catch on to me so quickly, I will admit...but your efforts to stop me are in vain, my lord. This destruction...it is not mine. I did bring your little human pet here with intent to kill her and use her flesh - and I still do, by the way. She will be mine. But this destruction is the result of the Lady of the East's jealousy of a mere human. She claimed to be me. You ought to look into it."

Sesshomaru growled. "You will not touch my human."

Majo threw her head back and laughed. "I will. Just not at this moment. My plans have been put on hold for the time being, as you can see." Majo indicated the destruction around her. "The human...she has a rare future. Each choice she makes affects everyone and future times that will eventually come down upon us." She tilted her head, her gaze thoughtful. "I am not one for taking any life lightly, my lord. I do not wish to anger others and create enemies. But this one should not be alive, let alone in your home. When I come for her, you will not be able to stop me."

A low growl spilled from his mouth and Majo simply giggled. "You should do your best to not get any more attached to her then you already are, my lord. Anyhow, onto far more important matters." Majo waved to the destroyed homes around them. "As I said before. This destruction belongs to the Lady of the East. See to it that she is taken care of, would you? I do not appreciate that she has somehow managed to help that wolf demon escape my powers...it makes even me nervous." She examined her nails. "It is nearly impossible for one to escape me should I have their blood. It means she also dwells in the power of witches like myself."

Sesshomaru gritted his fangs. "What do you mean?" he forced himself to ask. "I was told by Unarigoe himself that you were behind his actions."

"Up until a few days ago, yes," Majo admitted. "I was. I had him declare the need for a meeting so that perhaps he could nab the human girl out from under your nose for me. But attacking her...allowing himself to remain imprisoned as he has...that is not my will. I believe Mizuki has taken him for her own servant."

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed back in the direction of the Western Fortress and he suddenly cursed under his breath, immediately darting forward. He'd made a mistake, he realized, ignoring Majo's soft laughter behind him. His eyes flashed red.

For the first time in many, many years, Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, had underestimated someone.

Rin's face was pale and streaked with blood as she raced down the corridor with Ringu and Surudoi close beside her. She cried out as she rounded a corner to discover a grinning and stupid ogre demon standing there, a limp body hanging froms its hands. When the demon lunged at her, she readied Jihibukai, but Surudoi leaped in front of her, his katanas lashing out. The demon fell dead beneath the blades.

"Lady Rin," he panted, "Are you alright?"

Rubbing her shoulder, she nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Surudoi. But you shouldn't be fighting...Chiryoshi told you to take it easy." Surudoi threw his head back and laughed before bring his katans down in a swirling motion as another demon, this time a wolf, leaped out at them.

She'd been reading her scrolls in her room when it had happened. Who knows how many demons had suddenly swarmed the Fortress, each more powerful then the last. Rin was more than aware of how powerful its inhabitants were but the sheer number of demons that had arrived...they'd managed to simply crawl over the guards as if they weren't there. If it hadn't been for Kimi showing up when she did, Rin was sure she'd be in pieces. Kimi had ordered her guards to take her to the treasury, where the guardian demon would keep them safe.

As Surudoi grappled with the wolf demon that had attacked him, Ringu muttered, "Excuse me, my lady, but I have no choice." Without another word, he scooped Rin up and leaped past Surudoi. "Come along as soon as you're finished!" he called back, darting forward. Rin, clutching Jihibukai, wrapped her arms around his neck with a gasp.

"But-" Rin tried to protest, but Ringu shook his head. "We can't, I'm sorry. Your safety is my highest priority, my lady. Surudoi will be fine...Ippan!" He paused when Sesshomaru's general came barreling past, blood streaking his front. Ippan paused to glance at Ringu. "Ippan, is Lord Sesshomaru back yet?"

"No," Ippan rasped, tightening his grip arond his katana. His gaze flickered to Rin. "Be cautious, Ringu. Get Lady Rin to safety. And Lady Rin, I apologize beforehand. Unarigoe...he's escaped his confines. Be on alert for anything that is not a friend."

Rin's face paled. "Right," she agreed. "Be safe, please." Ippan flashed her a grin, then darted over to help Surudoi, who joined them as soon as the demon was dead. "Let's go," Rin told them, tucking herself safely against Ringu. Ringu snarled under his breath as they charged forward, avoiding a demon that launched itself at them.

"How far away are we from the treasury, Ringu?" Surudoi demanded as he lashed out, cutting down another attacker. "We can't be too far...we've been running a while now. I know the Fortress is big, but..."

"We should be reaching it soon," Ringu answered. "We-" He was unable to finish what he'd been saying. As they ran past another corridor, something suddenly launched itself at him, sideswiping the demon. Ringu yelped and Rin screamed as they went flying, her grip slipping on her naginata. Desperate, she crawled for it, aware of the fight that broke out behind her as a few demons attacked Surudoi and Ringu, but was stopped when someone stepped on top of it. Glancing up, her heart stopped beating for a split second.

"Hello, little human," Unarigoe purred, his gaze sweeping her form. He cocked his head. "It has been quite some time since we chatted, has it not? Nice to see that you are as beautiful as ever..."

"Shut up," Rin snarled, shoving herself to her feet. "You stay back," she added, backing up a step when he took one towards her. "Sesshomaru won't be all willing to let you live this time."

"He was going to kill me anyways," Unarigoe said with a shrug. "Why not drag you with me, huh?" A smirk crossed his face and he suddenly darted forwards, winding his fingers in her hair and yanking her head back. Rin cried out in pain as she was forced back down to her knees, Unarigoe bending over her. His eyes flashed with glee as he glanced up over her, taking in the sight of Ringu, sputtering for air as he tried to push a heavy looking boar demon off of him. It merely kept him pinned, growling. Surudoi was nearby, on his hands and knees, coughing up blood. "How about this?" he hummed, forcing her back to her feet after a moment. Rin gave a cry as he ripped her around, dragging her back by her dark locks now as he made his way towards their original destination, and a door that Rin recognized with ease. The treasury door was hanging open, the guardian demon whimpering in fear.

Rin hissed in pain as she was practically thrown down the short flight of stairs that was just before the door, skidding on her hands and knees as she hit the stony ground. Unarigoe slammed the door shut behind them, and it was only a few minutes later that something crashed into the heavy wood. Unarigoe's eyes twinkled with malicious eagerness as he threw his arms out. "Now...peace and quiet. Nice, don't you think?"

Rin stumbeld to her feet, whirling around to face the wolf demon, her face pale and nervous. Now she was truly worried. Where was Sesshomaru? Shouldn't he have realized by now that Majo's destruction had been a distraction to the real goal? He would return soon, she told herself. Or Kimi would show up. Only they, after all, could get into the room, according to Kimi's words...

"Remember this, little one, only the blood of one of my family can open this door."

So how had he gotten in?!

Rin's gaze darted this way and that as she searched for something, anything, she could use as a weapon. But she found herself unable to discover anything useful and finally came to the realization that things were definitely at their worst right now. Terrified yet making herself remain calm in appearance, Rin forced herself to smirk. "All very lovely, yes, but your forget. People can get in. And you'll pay for whatever you plan on doing."

"By the time they get in here, I'll be long gone," Unarigoe hummed, simply tilting his head. His dark hair was a mess, Rin realized, in fact, all of him was. He was a huge mess. He was slicked with dried blood, his clothes in shreds. One eye was cloudy, blind, and his hair was matted with blood and not keeping it combed for who knew how long. She swallowed. "And sadly, so will you."

Suddenly, Unarigoe was in her face. Rin gasped, stepping back, but found herself trapped against a wall. Cursing herself for allowing herself to be pinned between it and a suddenly purring wolf demon, Rin slammed her hands against his chest, trying to get him to move back as the panic threatened to rise up and choke her. "Get away from me!"

His large clawed hands caught hers and a disgusting sneer crossed his face. "I think not," he hummed. Grinning, he grabbed her roughly by the injured shoulder, ignoring her shriek of pain as he threw her down. Rin lay there on the hard stone floor, dazed for a few moments after her head cracked rather sharply against it. Then she shook it, coming to her senses as a gross body settled over hers.

Her eyes went wide as he began to pry at the many layers of robes that covered her body. Horrified, Rim automatically began to struggle, terror cutting off the scream that was bubbling up. Unarigoe swatted aside her weak attempts, her strength no match for hers. "N-no!" Rin cried, twisting out of his grip.

The world went black for a brief moment when a pair of claws sunk into one arm, easily tearing through her smooth flesh and the other hand whipped her head to the side with a sharp sound. Stunned once more, Rin tried to blink past the pain that filled her head as black spots swam in her vision; blood trickled down cheek, mixing with the tears that had begun to spill.

Finally, she discovered she could scream. And scream she did; Rin ignored the rapidly swelling of her cheek and the warning Unarigoe gave her in the form of a growl, attempting a third try to get away as he reached the final layer of clothing, dragging it open just in time for the heavy treasury door to slam open.

Sesshomaru growled as he examined the sight before him. Dead demons, both allies of the Western Fortress and enemies that had attacked it, lay scattered among the floors of his home. A low growl thundered in his chest when he saw Ippan slumped against the wall, heaving for breath, his breath gurgling in his throat as he tried to breath through the blood that filled his mouth.

He'd made a mistake in leaving the Western Fortress. He'd fallen for the trap either Unarigoe, Mizuki, or even both had set. Stepping over the pieces of what had once been a large ogre demon, Sesshomaru stopped beside Ippan, growling softly. "Ippan."

His trusted commander glanced up, blinking dully as he wheezed, blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth. "Lord Sesshomaru," he slurred, "Couldn't fend 'em all off."

Sesshomaru blinked calmly, his growl rising back up for a brief moment before he forced himself to stop. "I see," he murmured, glancing back. His golden eyes flashed as the smell of death and blood reached his nose. "Where is my mother?"

A faint, pained smile curved the corners of the injured Ippan's lips up. "Don' waste your 'ime, my lord," he managed to get out. He stopped for a second, hacking violently. Blood spattered the front of his armor, even managing to spot Sesshomaru's white sleeve with red. "Bastard go' out."

Sesshomaru knew immediately who Ippan spoke of and a dangerous look appeared on his face. "Rin?" Ippan shook his head; he no longer knew where Rin and her guards were. "Dunno. Headed for the treasury." His eyes flashed. "Go 'fore something she can' recover fro' happens."

Sesshomaru studied him. He was dying; that much was evident and would have been to even the stupidest of demons. He rested a hand on the hilt of Tenseiga, hesitating when surprise filled him. There had been a time where he wouldn't have even contemplated using his Tenseiga, but now...

Ippan gave him a faint grin. "Don'. She needs ya more a' the momen'." That said, he tiredly waved the Lord of the West off. Sesshomaru took a final look before finally turning and darting forwards, skirting around a few more dead demons as he easily made his way for the treasury. When a demon dared to step into his path, his eyes flashed a dangerous red as he used his energy whip to slice it into pices, continuing on as it hadn't stopped him.

Finally, he reached the corridor that led to the treasury. He paused, startled when he discovered Ringu kneeling over a half-dead Surudoi, who clutched a massive wound in his gut. Ringu glanced up, looking horrified. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Ringu gasped, glancing towards the treasury door. "Lady Rin- She...she was...Unarigoe got her. We were attacked when trying to get in there to use it as a safe place, and-"

Sesshomaru's gaze darkened dangerously. "Where?" he growled, glancing towards Surudoi. Surudoi merely groaned, not noticing the lord's presence as he screwed his eyes shut.

Ringu nodded at the closed treasury door. "We don't get how, but in there. He managed to get into there somehow, my lord. I tried to get in, but I couldn't. The guardian demon wouldn't let me."

A muffled scream hit his ears and Sesshomaru gave a thunderous growl, turning towards the treasury door. "Lyaringu. Find my mother and see that all of the dead are gathered. I want the injured in the sick room. Is that clear?" Ringu nodded, and then darted off to do as he was told. Sesshomaru approached the heavy wooden door, glaring furiously at the guardian demon as it cowered beneath his gaze. In an instant, it had leaped aside, looking down, and Sesshomaru didn't hesitate to slam the door open, lips pulled back in a snarl.

His golden eyes gleamed a cold and dangerous light as he took in the sight before him. Unarigoe simply smirked up at him as Rin continued to flail beneath him, trying desperately to escape his grip at the same time that she attempted to get his hands away from her chest. Taking the chance of the wolf demon looking up, she simply twisted and managed to knee him in the groin. Unarigoe swore colorfully, standing swiftly and dragging up the young woman with him by the hair. "Well, took you a while, didn't it?" he sneered. "Couldn't have taken a bit longer?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes silently, letting his gaze graze over Rin for a moment before returning to the wolf demon. Injured, hurt, but alive. The human's eyes were shocked, as if she was unable to believe what was happening as blood dripped down her cheek, rolling across to fall from her chin. "What is it you want, Unarigoe?"

"Nothing you give me," Unarigoe retorted. Smirking, he forced Rin's head back so that her throat was bared, his dirty claws dancing across the pale flesh. "You know, I'm disappointed. You weren't supposed to come back until the sun was setting at the least...I was promised the idea of Majo would keep you out of here for at least that length of time, you know? I was supposed to have enough time to enjoy myself..."

Sesshomaru bit back a furious snarl at what the wolf demon was mentioning. "Hn," he said simply, resting his hand lightly on Bakusaiga's hilt. He knew the situation was dangerous. She'd already had Tenseiga used on her once. He could not afford to let such a thing happen a second time. "Release her," the western lord demanded, glaring coldly at Unarigoe.

The wolf demon cocked his head thoughtfully to the side. "Hm...I think not." With a broad grin, he suddenly lashed out at Rin's throat. In the same second, however, the furious dog demon slammed into him. Unarigoe disappeared over a mound of chests that had been piled in the center of the room, shouting angrily.

With a gasp, Rin threw herself towards the Lord of the West, grasping at his sleeves for comfort as she ducked behind him. The dog demon couldn't spare her a single look, as Unarigoe was already crawling back over the chests, lips pulled back in a snarl as he began to let his true form take over. Rather than a humanoid wolf demon, a large wolf was suddenly stalking forward, its disgusting teeth bared. Sesshomaru growled, unsheathing his Bakusaiga. "Rin. Go to Surudoi."

She hesitated, then gave a curt nod. "Right," she mumbled, then turned and darted away, nearly tripping over her many robes as she struggled to re-tie them shut and get out at the same time. Sesshomaru waited until he heard the heavy slam of the door before launching his attack. Within an instant of it slamming shut, Unarigoe was upon him and Sesshomaru was swinging Bakusaiga. The wolf just narrowly managed to avoid the deadly sword as he tore viciously into Sesshomaru's arm just beneath the spiked armor that protected his shoulder.

Growling furiously, Sesshomaru twisted the blade so that it was aiming for Unarigoe's eye, plunging it downwards, but was once again avoided. Becoming quickly wary and increasingly furious, the dog demon let an energy whip appear from his free hand, whipping it out at the same time that he swung Bakusaiga a third time.

This time, Unarigoe was unsuccessful and escaping Bakusaiga's bite. The sword nicked his shoulder - and seconds later, the wolf demon was screaming in agony as bolts of unending energy snapped into view, spreading visibly across his flesh and sending him crashing to the ground as he thrashed desperately, trying to escape it but unable to. Only when the demon was on his side and staring at nothing as blood dripped from his open mouth did Sesshomaru put Bakusaiga away and turn to leave the treasury. He would send one of his men to deal with the dead demon.

The moment he stepped out of the treasury, he found his eyes searching out the human woman in the small throng of people that had shown up in front of the treasury. It took him a moment, but finally, he saw her. She was kneeling over Surudoi, using one of her layers of clothing to try and help stop the bleeding along his gut, a pile of bloody clothes already layered beside them. Surudoi was heaving for air, and Sesshomaru growled softly. This was the second time in days that the demon had suffered such a devastating blow. Close beside the human and the injured demon was Kimi, working just as hard as Rin to try and stop the bleeding. As if noticing his gaze, however, she glanced up. She spoke softly to Rin, who copied her before replying urgently and climbing to her feet.

Sesshomaru had to fight back a snarl at the swelling on her face. A bruise was already forming, taking over most of the side of her face, and there was a deep cut in her temple, making it look even worse. She winced as she rubbed her tender scalp as she approached him, hesitating before speaking, her tone hoarse. "Um, thank you for getting rid of him. That..." She shuddered and the dog demon curled a lip in disgust at what Unarigoe had intended to do. As if such a creature would be allowed to lay a single finger on what's mine!

"Hn," he muttered, surveying the rest of the damage on the human's body. There wasn't much else, he realized. Blood matted her hair into a mess, her wide dark eyes full of exhaustion. There were spots where blood had bled through the last layer of clothing she wore, properly tied shut now. Undoubtedly with Kokoro's help; the crane demon was now rushing around, checking injuries with Chiryoshi. And there were a few bruises decorating her throat, he realized, creating the strange sound of her voice. But she would heal and that was all that mattered. "I did not arrive soon enough."

Rin bit her lip. "Hey," she said, voice scratchy, smiling faintly. "Could have arrived a lot later and been met by a completely different thing." Sesshomaru gave a low snarl under his breath, looking disgusted, and then surprised the human woman by gently letting a claw touch her bruised cheek. Stunned, Rin's lips parted in surprise. "Um...?"

Snorting decisively, Sesshomaru dropped his hand to touch the Tenseiga. "It was not Majo who attacked the village," he said suddenly. "It appears Mizuki has become an enemy of the Western Lands." He narrowed his eyes. "The witch was very unhelpful."

Rin's eyes snapped wide. "You saw Majo? Spoke with her?"

"Not pleasant words, but you are correct," the dog demon admitted, glancing over as Kimi appeared, Chiryoshi and Kokoro taking her place beside Surudoi. "Mother. See to it that the body in the treasury is dealt with. I have business elsewhere."

Kimi sighed softly. "Oh, alright," she agreed, rolling her golden gaze to the sky. She paused, however, glancing at him. "What are you going to do, my son?"

Sesshomaru gave a wry smile, shocking both women. It wasn't often, after all, that the Lord of the West smiled. "I will go see to the dead." And without another word to either, he was gone.

Grimacing slightly in pain as Chiryoshi surveyed her injured head and face, clicking her tongue softly, Rin winced and said, "Is there anything you can do to help me sleep? I doubt I'll be able to get any tonight..."

"Sorry, Lady Rin," Chiryoshi murmured, pulling back. "It appears you have a concussion...and I am concerned once again with your shoulder. Unarigoe managed to nick part of the same spot with his claws. I'd prefer if you stay here for the night so that I may wake you up to check on you every few hours."

Rin gave a dramatic sigh, her eyes rolling to the sky. "I don't really want to stay here," she told the lesser dog demon. Chiryoshi chuckled and patted the girl's good cheek gently before moving on to check on Surudoi. Rin felt sympathy for her guard. The poor guy had been hurt again protecting her, though he would survive this one with ease.

Ringu appeared beside her, following her gaze. "Don't feel bad, Lady Rin, Surudoi and I agreed to keep guard over you. It was our own choice to do so. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Although...I apologize I could not stop Unarigoe." Gently, he touched Rin's bruised cheek and she winced, taking in the brotherly look on his face. "I have failed quite well at what I was supposed to do."

"If I can't blame myself, then you can't either," Rin said with a crisp voice, giving him a sharp look. Then her expression softened. "Don't worry, Ringu. I'll heal. Chiryoshi said it should all look a lot wore before it gets better though, so I think I'm going to avoid Sesshomaru for a while..."

Ringu chuckled. "I doubt that will be possible with the nose he and Lady Kimi support. It is nearly impossible to hide from them when they wish to find you." He shoved a hand through his hair, exhausted. "What I want to know is how, if Mizuki is behind the attack like Lord Sesshomaru suggested, she managed to gather that many demons to attack. There weren't just dumb demons you can easily order around with threats. There were a couple demons that rivaled Ippan in power. None as powerful as Lord Sesshomaru or the other lords, but some got close...how do you get them under your power?"
"Maybe she bribed them? I don't know." Rin shrugged. She tapped her chin, looking troubled as Chiryoshi stopped by them again to fuss over the blanket Rin sat under. The human rolled her eyes before speaking as soon as Chiryoshi was done and gone. "I spoke with Sesshomaru earlier...he said he met with the demonic witch who brought me here. She apparently claims that Mizuki has figured out how to worm demons out from under her control...and from what I can tell by simply existing in this time, Majo's incredibly powerful."

"Ah," Ringu murmured, tilting his head thoughtfully. "I see. So she is the one who brought you here then? I knew you came from a strange place, but...Mizuki was given the device you used, right?"

She nodded. "The hourglass. I want it back, though not for me. I told Kagome about what I did and she...she looked disappointed that it hadn't been her who'd been able to go. It was her family after all. I guess that won't happen now though...oh, well. She's got her family to keep her company."

Ringu snickered. "Lord Inuyasha must keep her busy. I heard he's quite the handful along side their children...you look tired, my lady." Smiling gently, he patted Rin's head. "Rest. You'll need it if Chiryoshi plans on waking you every now and then during the night."

Rin simply sighed in exasperation and moved to do as she was told.

She knew she was dreaming the second she opened her eyes. Worlds like this just didn't exist after all. This was a scene from one of the movies she'd seen many times on planes during her traveling...or at least, she thought it was. There were destroyed buildings everywhere, bodies littering the ground. Smoke made the air thick and hard to see through. Yet she stood there, looking at it all as she tried to figure out just what had happened to the city she'd once called home.

"Devastating, yes?"

She whirled around to face the source of the voice, finding herself standing next to a contemplative looking woman. She was obviously a demon, she realized, how could she not be with those glowing ruby eyes? "Who are you?" she said warily. "What are you doing here?"

The demon sighed. "You know me as the one who brought you here. Majo."

She jerked back, staring at her. Fear crossed Rin's face, and she found herself desperate to wake up. "Stay away from me," Rin said, backing away a few steps. "Don't you dare come anywhere near me. Sesshomaru will-"

"Be unable to do anything," Majo said simply, waving at the space around them. "We are not in the waking world. Unless he knows where I take shelter, there is nothing he can do. I could kill you with ease here...if I didn't need your flesh." She sighed. "But have no fears, human. I do not wish to kill you just yet...I'd rather not kill you at all, actually, but it is necessary to keep peace in the world. I merely came to talk."

Rin relaxed hesitantly, taking in the witch's expression. For some reason, she trusted the witch's words. Majo spoke the truth. "What about? What do you want to talk about, I mean? I don't...why here?"

Majo laughed, and Rin blinked at the surprising bell-like sound. "Mizuki, Lady of the East. Her control over Unarigoe. Lord Sesshomaru. Many things." She paused, then waved at Rin's cheek. "I apologize for the damage you received and what was nearly forced upon you. That was no idea of mine. As your lord claimed, it was not me who ordered such directions. Mizuki does not appreciate your presence."

"And she offered to help me," Rin said, making a face. She hugged herself. "What do you want with Sesshomaru?"

"Nothing," she said quite bluntly, "But he is someone I will have to deal with when my goals are accomplished. The miko Kagome traveling between two worlds was one thing...it was the wish of the kamis and the Shikon no Tama. You were not supposed to be born. It troubles me why such things would happen."

Rin studied Majo, and then gave a shrug. "I don't know why, so don't bother asking me...I didn't ask to be born. My parents decided they wanted to have a kid and...bam. There was me."

Majo chuckled, then took on a troubled look. "I will be honest, Karin Bane. I am not certain if I should even be setting out to kill you...but the younger Rin...the one whose soul you hold...she should not have perished either. It troubles me." She glanced at the young woman. "Rin was supposed to grow into an adult, raised by the elderly woman Kaede and the friends of Lord Sesshomaru's half-demon brother. And then she was supposed to return to the Western Fortress, where she would have become the Lord of the West's mate and wife." The witch rubbed her temples. "I do not understand."

"Well you're looking at the wrong person if you want answers," Rin muttered, crossing her arms. "I don't know anything."

Majo chuckled. "I am aware. Now. Lady Rin. Would you be willing to speak with me? Perhaps...if possible, there can be a way that I don't create a powerful enemy... As I stated before, I do not wish death upon anyone who doesn't deserve it. Perhaps we can fix this situation together."

"I'm fine with that," Rin agreed eagerly. She didn't particularly feel like dying... "Let's talk."

Sesshomaru clicked his claws in an impatient way on the wooden furniture before him, growling under his breath as he considered what to do. Declare war on the Lady of the East and see if the other lords assisted him without trying to get Rin in the deal or let Mizuki throw her tantrum long enough to give up? It was a troubling decision, and one he wasn't eager to deal with.

Watching her son cautiously, Kimi sighed softly. "Sesshomaru. You've been doing this all night. Take a break. Walk around. Speak with that human of yours and see if she has any ideas that'll help...or even speak with Ippan. The demon seems to be in shock that you revived him, by the way...can't blame him for that, however. It is surprising that you went through so much trouble with the Tenseiga..."

Sesshomaru glared at Kimi. "Silence, Mother," he hissed, then returned his cold gaze back to the empty space in front of him, silently calculating the few things he could do and the thousands of possibilities that would happen as a result.

His thoughts were disrupted, however, when the shoji door was suddenly thrown open, a pale Kokoro there as she panted for breath. "Lord Sesshomaru," she said, hastily bowing, "Lady Kimi. There's...something has happened." Sesshomaru turned a piercing glare on her, silently demanding that she clarify, and she swallowed thickly before answering, lowering her gaze nervously.

"It's Lady Rin. She won't wake up."

A/N

At last Unarigoe is dead! Yay! Happiness for all! And Majo is suddenly being nice... Didn't mean for that to happen but it did. Might keep her around in my list of OCs...

Names, Meanings, etc.

N/A

Reviews:

Leonhart9: Riding on Sesshomaru would be fun...gotta love the fluffy fur he carries around to begin with, and that's not even considering the rest of the fur when he's in dog form...

inuyashaskitten56: Meh. Gotta figure out how I want them to go from being this...to together still. It'll take a while, however, so be patient. Change takes place over time, so. :) I'm glad you liked the chapter, though!

dragonroses: Here you are then, no need to wait any longer to find out. ;)