*Now, I need to clear something up before we get started. Think of Rin as a shell of her former self. Her body has the capabilities to house the powers of a demon god hybrid, but her powers are dormant; sealed away tightly. Because of this her body mimics characteristics of a normal human.*

Rin

It's been years since the death of our most hated enemy Naraku, and I, Rin, Lord Sesshomaru's ward has been living under his protection in his castle. Lately, I have been going through some… changes. Deep down I feel as if maybe… maybe things were supposed to be different. I don't know. It probably has to do with these awful dreams I've been having.

Around the time I turned fifteen these nightmares began to plague my mind. I was a child in these dreams and not a mortal one either. Instead, I was a hybrid of sorts, a half breed. However, I wasn't like Inuyasha, Lord Sesshomaru's brother, I was half demon… and half god. My mother was a god of nature, someone who gave life and beauty to things on earth. My father was the last survivor and heir left from the brown dog demon clan; they were massacred years ago long before my Lord was born. In these visions of the night, I would reside in the heavens with my mother.

The other gods and goddesses sought to kill my mother, for a goddess sleeping with a demon being something too sinful for them to accept. Then one night ... that fateful night in the heavens my mother died protecting the one thing she valued the most in the world, me. All it took was two swords, one to the head, and the other to her heart. Our house which was once lively, colorful… brimming with joy and love had turned into a dark bloodstained wreck. Her cold lifeless body had covered my tiny trembling form concealed in her blood. They tore her body to shreds in front of my innocent eyes, their laughs like vultures. Clinging to my very miserable life I managed to escape their clutches and seek refuge with my father down in the mortal realm.

My visit with my father didn't last long, they had found us hiding in a cave. They forced me to watch his death, holding me down as they took turns beating him, his screams of agonizing pain resounding against the stone walls. After they burned his body in the fire, he had made to keep us warm, they restrained me in these strange power rendering ropes and took me back to the heavens, beating me of course for extra measure. it wasn't like I could have done much anyways. They were far more superior than me on so many levels.

Akihiro, the king of gods, made me his pet. He wanted something killed, I did it, wanted to see me hurt, I endured the gods' cruel twisted punishments. I was his slave, whatever it was he wanted, it was done no questions asked. Not once did I try to go against his orders. Honestly speaking I can't tell if I did what I did out of survival instincts or if I did it to appease to them. But deep down I knew I hated every minute of it, doing his bidding even when I knew what I was doing was wrong, it made me sick to my stomach.

To my surprise one day I was surrounded by all of them in what I only could describe as a desolate area where nothing grew and no one lived. They dressed me in a white kimono with gold embroideries and put a flower crown made of Higanbana on my head. They seemed happy and accepting of me, and I felt for once that I belonged, but I could never truly see the malice in their eyes. They all gathered around me in a circle, holding hands… and then they would start to chant. I felt something deep inside me painfully being ripped apart, yet it didn't leave any physical injury. It's hard to explain how they hurt me, but they did. The feeling was so overwhelming I blacked out. And that's when I would suddenly wake up in a cold sweat, confused, hurt, angry, generally feeling a whole spectrum of emotions.

But then again this was all a dream, none of it was true. And even if it were to be true there was no way I could be this little girl. It's probably just my sub-conscience making this fabricated lie based on some things I want and turning them into distorted dreams.

I'm almost eighteen now but I'm still haunted by these bizarre dreams and they've only gotten more vivid. These years of memories my sub-consciousness somehow managed to conjure up in a few hours… they continually mess with me. I know this may sound childish, but I'm scared. I don't know what to do about them either. It's so bad that Lord Sesshomaru would wake me up because I would cry out in my sleep. He'd ask me if I were okay however I would brush it off as the wolves or bandit's nightmare again. Funny thing is he usually has a knack for when I lie, yet he can't see through this one.

Mindlessly I got out of bed, the remnants of my dream still lingering in my head, my skin feeling hot and agitated almost as if I had truly gone through that painful experience. I rubbed at my skin as I groggily made my way over to the Sendai chest in the corner. The chest was a gift I had received from Kaede, someone who acted more like an older sister than anything else. I let my hands run across the smooth surface before opening one of the drawers and picking up a white Shitagi and a black kimono and hakama. Quickly slipping them on, I finished my look off with a grey obi as I quickly grabbed my sword Omnyosaiga that was mounted on the wall.

Omnyosaiga is a gift I had gotten from Totosai when I turned twelve. Totosai, the legendary demon blacksmith, only makes weapons for those who have great power or strength. I was very curious as to why Totosai had given me a sword since he only crafts weapons for those who are worthy and possess potential. Unfortunately, that doesn't describe me for I am neither a priestess nor a demon and I don't even have the strength of a demon slayer. So, I decided to ask him but to my dismay he avoided the question and simply told me, "When the time comes you will know. Until then I suggest you train hard." I believe that to be utter crap but Totosai has a way of predicting things that others simply couldn't.

The sword felt light in my palms as I picked it up but that was only after years of rigorous practice. That's exactly where I'm headed now, to the training grounds to practice my sword technique. Attaching the sword to my obi, I began to put my hair up in a tight bun as I walked out the door and down the hallway. Mindlessly I wandered through the intricate designs of halls and corridors.

As I arrived at the training grounds Kyoto sensei looked at me with an indifferent face, but I could see the twinkle of mischief swirling in her eyes. Kyoto was a demoness who had trained many humans and demons, she was hired by Lord Sesshomaru to be my personal trainer and bodyguard. She is a rarity among the peacock clan, being one of the few albinos to be born. I for one admire her unparalleled beauty, grace, and dignity. Sensei Kyoto is a role model, someone I look up and aspire to be.

Kyoto is only a few inches taller than my petite frame and had a slim yet curvy figure. Her heart-shaped face was framed by curled silky tresses of shimmering silver. Her outfits are always simple yet elegant, she chooses to wear white kimonos with silver embroidery and her tail seems to blend in with her clothes, her beautiful feathers glittering in the sun. But what really caught my attention was her striking metallic blue irises, they were filled with so much curiosity.

Picking up a wooden sword made from the bark of a demon tree, she nodded her head and yawned. Acting as if I'm boring her before she stated in an impassive tone, "Draw your sword if you wish to live, pathetic little human." Honestly, I love this woman to death but one thing I cannot stand is arrogance especially when it's a prejudiced remark against someone who's different from others. Unsheathing Omnyosaiga I charged at her full force, our weapons clashing with a 'thwonk'.

Panting harshly, I fall to my knees clutching the hilt of my sword tightly, my knuckles turning white. Barely able to keep my head up I can see a sliver of a smile on her face. An outstretched hand was offered, and I grabbed it before she effortlessly brought me to my feet. Chuckling she gave me a pat on the head before she spoke in that enchanting voice of hers, "You're getting better but nowhere near as skilled as you could be." She took a few steps forward before glancing back at me "I sense great potential from you Rin, I'm excited to see where this could lead. I've rarely experienced this so take it as a compliment." A dismissive hand was raised. "Training is over, take a bath you reek."

Rolling my eyes, I let out a strained laugh before dragging my dead tired body back inside the castle. I quickly took a glance at the sky, the different shades of red and orange signaling the end of the day. On my way to the indoor hot spring, I told a maid to summon Natsumi for me.

Opening the shoji door to the indoor hot springs, I let out a sigh of relaxation as the warm steam caressed my face, practically inviting me to sink into the water and let all my stress melt. I give in to my desires, shredding my clothes and leisurely crawling in the hot spring. I bit my bottom lip, muffling a hiss as my tense muscles loosened under the soothing water. Abruptly I hear the door open, a tan-skinned woman in a simple maid outfit walked in. She had curves that could lure in any man, long legs, and one black stripe on each check. Her eyes were a hypnotizing shade of emerald green. "My lady." She bowed acknowledging my presence.

My left eye twitched and I stood not caring if she could see me naked. "Natsumi, call me lady one more time and I will kill you!" I hate being treated like I'm above everyone else, in my eyes, we are all equal, My Lord being the only exception of course. "Rin." I jumped at the eerie monotone voice and turned to see Kyoto sitting with her feet in the water, staring at me and Natsumi. I glared daggers at her as my erratic heartbeat began to slow down to a rhythmic one. I do not know how she managed to get in without me noticing, she has a habit of doing this often. She herself was not wearing clothes. "She's simply following orders, Sesshomaru-sama has ordered us to treat you with our utmost respect. Do not blame her for acting accordingly." A soft whimsical giggle could be heard from her as she slipped into the spring. "Besides, we all know you hate it, so who wouldn't want to tease you by calling you 'Lady'?"

Natsumi shook her head and shrugged her kimono open, gradually letting it slide down her body and pool at her feet. She joined us in the bath, and we sat in comfortable silence, soaking in the herbal water as we used the cloth rags to scrub the grime and dirt off our bodies. I usually welcomed the quiet, but this tranquility was very awkward, there was this dead weight bringing down the normally happy atmosphere. Natsumi sighed and turned to look at me with a disappointed gaze, "When are you going to tell him Rin?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about Natsu." I replied looking away, using my nickname for her to somehow soften her up. "Rin you know exactly what I'm talking about." Natsumi paused and took a deep breath, I got this sense that she was pinching the bridge of her nose acting as if this were giving her a headache. "These dreams of yours are only getting worse. Think about this logically, for all we know you could be in serious danger! What if that little girl comes after you? Rin, please just tell Sesshomaru the truth."

She begged and pleaded with me and as she spoke fragments of my dreams flashed before my eyes. It just didn't seem possible that this woman would come after me, but I couldn't shake this feeling that we were somehow connected. I looked at Natsumi and inquired softly, "Why would a child who looks exactly like me want to kill me?" She seemed to consider this for a moment before responding. "I don't know Rin. It just makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end." Kyoto even chimed in on the conversation, voicing her opinion on the matter. "To be honest they only seem to be peculiar dreams, but I believe that dreams possess powers unbeknownst to everyone, including the dreamer. We don't know what it means, but we do know these dreams will continue."

A growl of annoyance ripped itself from my throat and I rose from the water and glowered down at them. "Natsumi, Kyoko, we will no longer speak of this again, otherwise we will be having issues. Do I make myself clear?" Kyoko scuffed and turned her head to the side and Natsumi screamed, completely baffled with my command. "Are you fucking kidding me! Ugh! When this comes to bite you in the ass don't expect me to be willing to help."

Climbing out the hot springs I snatched my bathing yukata and quickly put it on, loosely tying the obi around my waist. Sparing them one last glance I opened the shoji door and left closing it behind me and briskly making my way to my bedchambers. The entire dispute had struck a nerve, it upset me because I knew they had good intentions. These dreams will proceed to terrorize me, and I know it will only get worse. I also don't know if this girl that I imagine myself to be in these dreams is dangerous or if she even exists at all. So why did I lash out at her like how I did when they were only looking out for me like a friend would do?

I made it to my room and made a beeline to the folding shoji screen and opened the Sedai chest. I picked out several different outfits before deciding to dress in a purple kosode that extended to my ankles. It was decorated with yellow butterflies, and I took a pink obi sash to tie at the back. I then put on white socks and brown sandals cause it's 'improper' to roam around without shoes. I brushed my hair and let it cascade down my back, my hair stopping slightly above my waist, before I put a small amount into a side ponytail. Eyeing myself in the mirror, I made sure I was presentable since I was raised to practically act like a proper lady because it's what my Lord wanted. After I had self-approved my attire, I walked out of my bed chambers and headed towards the dining room.

I sauntered into the dining area, a large and spacious room furnished in only the most expensive of mahogany tables and chairs, with deep rich maroon and gold decor accents. Quietly I took my seat near Sesshomaru and smiled softly at him before turning towards everyone and waving as a means of a greeting. Only moments after me, Hideaki arrived giving all of us a goofy and playful grin. Hideaki was definitely someone who caught the hearts of many unsuspecting women, he was well built and strong. His eyes were a striking marigold, his face was that of a god, chiseled and his jawline sharp. To top it off, like Natsu, he is a lion demon, but had two obsidian stripes on each check. The thing about Natsu and Hideaki is that they are madly in love with one another. It's obvious that they both hold feelings for each other, but they are totally oblivious to the other feelings. Hideaki is a kind and considerate person; his only problem is that he's a flirt. Natsumi is proud and stubborn, mix that with Hideaki's lecherous ways and it often ends in a disaster.

"Rin my beautiful princess", Hideaki said smoothly as he took a seat next to me. I can feel the blood rush to my cheeks, so I look down at my plate to avoid the embarrassment yet still feel a pair of eyes staring at me. I look up to see Sesshomaru staring at me and I can't help but give him a bright smile, unable to stop the love and devotion I harbor for him to shine through. Yes, I love Sesshomaru-sama, I have for a while now and I wish I could be his mate. I know my love is unrequited for my lord hates humans and mating me would go against everything he says, even if I am one of the few humans he doesn't dislike. Thinking that way makes me sad, but I've accepted it as a fact. His eyes hold mine for a bit before I finally break eye contact with him and turn to the maid standing behind me for some water.

For the rest of the night I ate quietly, listening to all the tales and stories the warriors had to tell. The food, as usual, was exquisite but my mind was occupied with the conversation I had in the hot springs with Natsumi and Kyoto. Everyone's voices just became a muddled mess in the background as the events played in my head on a continuous loop. When I finished, I excused myself and got up to leave. My feet hadn't carried me far before a pair of warm manly hands grabbed my arm firmly yet gently. I don't even have to look to know it was Sesshomaru, his unique scent of sandalwood filled my nose.

"I'll be ok, Sesshomaru-sama", I whisper softly knowing his keen hearing could clearly pick my voice apart from the crowd easily. With that said, my arm slips out of his grasp as I swiftly make it to my room and change into my sleeping yukata. For a moment I sat on bed, staring out the window and gazing at the stars. It may have been my imagination, but I swore I say something briefly shoot across the sky. Shaking my head, I lay down and pray that I would have a happy dream once again. I allowed my thoughts to swim around in my head and soon my eyelids grew heavy before succumbing to sleep.

Sesshomaru

Everyone around me is regaling one another with their war stories and legends. They don't entertain me in any way, I've either heard them before or lived it. My gaze shifted towards the hall she went down. Subconsciously I tune everyone out as thoughts of Rin fill me as I watch her leave. Specifically, her bright smile. It irritated me that she, of all the people that I have come across, a mere human has my attention. Why didn't I leave her in a human village? Rin has this hold on me that no one else has.

Having finished my meal a while ago, I silently excused myself and headed towards the garden. It wasn't too long before the scent of florals surrounded me and the sound of silence fell upon me. The crisp night air gently caressed my cheek as I gazed up at the moon.

As I stood there I thought of my last encounter with my father before he died. Though fatally wounded by Ryukotsusei, he ultimately died by the hands of a human all for the sake of Izayoi and my accursed half brother Inuyasha. He asked me if I had someone to protect. Back then I could only stare at him blankly but now I don't know. I turn to look at the balcony that's connected to Rin's room.

A primal, beastly growl echoed in my head, before a deep voice spoke to me. My inner demon, the personification of my instincts. Something all demons were born with, it's supposed to guide you but I believe mine was meant to annoy me.

'We have someone to protect now Sesshomaru, you can feel it I know you do.'

'She is human, I'm not like father. He threw his life away for that woman and neglected his duties as lord. I would never mate Rin.' I countered

'Yes, you will, she is our mate, she is the one we have been looking for. The one who was created for us, our other half.' He paused for a second, letting his words linger in the air before finishing. 'Mating season started days ago now's the perfect time to mate her.'

I was furious that my inner demon would promote such a ridiculous idea. 'Rin will never be bedded by me, bear my mark, or carry my pups! I will not have half-breeds for pups. And humans they are weak, selfish, repulsive, creatures never meant to walk this earth. Rin is… is…' I hesitated, unable to finish my sentence.

'Say it! She is a weak, selfish, repulsive creature. We both know that's a lie! Rin, our Rin, is strong, selfless, attractive, graceful, and loving. You are not your father and Rin is nothing like Izayoi. Nothing bad will happen because of it. Do us both a favor and..'

I cut my inner demon off` 'NEVER will I ever mate her, she is human so stop wasting your time. I will only mate the demon made for me. She would only make me weak and bear me bastard pups! Don't speak of Rin being my mate ever again.'

Before my inner beast could come up with a retort, I hear this painstakingly loud screech come from the direction of Rin's room. My feet led me to the ground underneath her balcony and soon after I floated towards it. Opening the door to her room I enter to see her withering in her bed. A thin layer of sweat covered her skin and her face was scrunched up, most likely from the dream she was having. Without much thought I followed my instincts, one of my hands gently cupped her cheek, my thumb rubbing slow circles while I lowered my lips towards her ear. A deep vibration rumbled in my throat and the sound seemed to soothe her. Her skin was warmer than usual and from her labored breathing I could tell she was coming down with something. Humans really are frail.

She stirred in her sleep and made this little whining noise. If I hadn't known any better I'd have thought she was a dog demon responding to my touch. This odd feeling bloomed in my chest as I watched her calm down and relax once more. After a few minutes had passed I removed myself from her presence and headed towards the grand hall where Jaken's scent was coming from.

"Jaken." I didn't need to look down to know that he jumped from the sound of my voice. Spinning on the heel of my foot, I turned towards my bed chambers. The pitter patter of Jaken's feet followed. As I approached my door I glanced back at the imp to give him my instructions.

"Send for the doctor. Rin has a fever, keep me informed of her health." Before I stepped inside my room I smiled at the little demon knowing that it would make his skin take a sickly green color as fear gripped the very depth of his soul. "If anything happens to her, I shall have your head."