Bound by Privilege

This story is not for profit. It is purely fanfiction. I don't claim any ownership of the manga or anime Inuyasha, Yashahime, the original stories, or the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi or Takashi Shiina.

A/N: Keep in mind that Sesshoumaru and Kirinmaru's conversation can't be heard.

Chapter 24

Rin crossed her hand against her chest becoming a fist as she held to the necklace seeing Takemaru's outstretched arms closing together. She was sure Takemaru was using another move that would disadvantage both fighters but she wouldn't underestimate it this time. The spiked barrier had worked to Kirinmaru's advantage and she wasn't sure if the fighter had a workaround for decreased oxygen levels. With both demons already fatigued, the last thing they needed was to struggle for air. Unless Sesshoumaru had encountered this before, there would be no way for him to know why he was starting to wear down so quickly. Kirinmaru's timing lunging forward seemed to coincide with the barrier's ripple and change in color from a blue to clouded white. Sesshoumaru readied himself, hearing Rin's voice. Sesshoumaru, conserve your energy. Takemaru dropped the oxygen levels of the ring.

Sesshoumaru took a step back confirming that he'd heard Rin. She'd split the floor creating distance between them and Kirinmaru's approach was significantly exaggerated. The Beast King continued to speed toward him. Even if Kirinmaru wasn't greatly affected by a decrease in oxygen, Sesshoumaru knew his poison mist would create its own obstacle. Kirinmaru continued to attack as Sesshoumaru avoided any critical missteps. Still, he wondered if the Beast King was suffering any ill effects of the poison. Looking into Kirinmaru's eyes as he drove him backward he'd noticed the change in eye color from green to purple, the attempt to protect the likely burn he was feeling to his eyes and lungs. A growl rose from Kirinmaru's throat and he bared gritted fangs. Not wanting to deal with the mist any longer Kirinmaru backed off from the attack and went airborne. Sesshoumaru threw his energy behind a light whip, refusing to take a flight that would require too much energy. The light wrapped Kirinmaru's leg as Sesshoumaru infused it with his poison and dug his claws into the floor to pull his opponent back down into the mist. Sesshoumaru could feel Kirinmaru's drop in aura as he failed to maintain the flight and returned back to the floor, landing at Sesshoumaru's feet.

"Damn that fool! He must have lowered the oxygen in the ring."

"Your handler will be your downfall."

Kirinmaru staggered forward as he pulled himself up leaving Sesshoumaru poised, ready to end this fight. Kirinmaru's growl revealed the return of the demon's eye color to green, and an instant lunge forward plunged his remaining horn into Sesshoumaru's chest.

Rin let the scream die in her throat as she heard Sesshoumaru's roar not wanting to give Takemaru the satisfaction of seeing them falter. The band around her wrist had initially alerted her to Sesshoumaru's more recovered status but now they were in the red again.

"Your poison burns but unlike you, I have years of experience to adapt quickly to every environment possible. It's almost unfair. Learning to survive under handlers like Suikotsu and Takemaru is a performer's art. It's kept me alive this long and it will have to continue to do so."

"...It won't..."

"...?" Kirinmaru was surprised by Sesshoumaru's resilience to answer.

"...My father knew it better than anyone. He played his part to free me. Yet, he died at Takemaru's hands. You'll be no different."

Sesshoumaru's chest was freed of Kirinmaru's horn preventing it from going deeper as he took a swipe at his neck. The Kirin jumped back as he landed heavily, all four hooves hitting the ground. The absence of oxygen became apparent as Sesshoumaru stumbled back and caught his breath against the pain. Even so, Kirinmaru's ragged breaths proved that he was still being affected by the poison and lack of oxygen. As detrimental as the attack could have been, Kirinmaru was weakened by the forces in place. Still, his refusal to succumb took him to the air again, above the poisonous mist, forcing his energy to build. A visible orb was forming and growing by the second.

"Your father deserved better, Sesshoumaru. But, I think it's time we end this don't you?"

Inuyasha and Kagome were already on their feet recognizing Kirinmaru's attack. Inuyasha swallowed realizing that this was the moment that he'd told Sesshoumaru to be prepared for. It was the opening that Kirinmaru wanted. Sesshoumaru was heavily injured and breathless. It would be harder for him to put up a defense but he would have no choice. Kagome remained hopeful even as a sinister smile pulled at Takemaru's lips. As much as Rin tried, she could see the worry in her body language.

Even with her attention trained on Sesshoumaru, Rin could tell the entire audience could feel the rise of Kirinmaru's energy taking place despite the poisonous mist remaining in play. Most of the audience was standing and screaming for their chosen fighter. Sesshoumaru's injury and lack of air kept him grounded and she was sure, just like her, he was anticipating where this build-up of energy was leading. With the time being up, she broke them free of the oxygen-reduced environment. Sesshoumaru would be able to slowly recover but there would be no time for that.

He felt his breath returning, allowing his aura to rise and begin to match Kirinmaru's energy. Sesshoumaru was sure that the Beast King could feel this threat that he would not be taken lightly, the lightning energy surrounding his body. Kirinmaru's split of the energy orb that he'd built up was his answer. The Kirin's roar dared him to take on the attack as he threw the orbs, one behind the other. Sesshoumaru dug his claws into the ground, recognizing a shield that Rin placed. It would be her only way to assist in providing an additional defense, even as he'd learned to create his own shield. The entire floor of the Ring began to break apart under the first orb as it reached Rin's shield, the attack was slowed but it would eventually break past it leaving him to fend against it. The task of defense complicated the attempt at creating his strike as he was driven backward. Sesshoumaru could feel his shield faltering as the second orb struck and they'd absorbed into each other becoming one again. Sesshoumaru's defenses died under the pressure and he could feel the energy of the orb draining his consciousness. The Ring became quiet and he felt like he was drifting.

1,2...Sesshoumaru leaned into it trying to understand why he could hear his mother's voice. It was the same way that they would count together when he was a child...3,4...Her voice continued as his father reassured him that he would be ok...5,6...Takemaru doesn't have you yet, and he won't. "Sesshoumaru!" Rin's voice. Even as she called his name she sounded upset, afraid. All he wanted was to get to her...7,8..."Sesshoumaru! Please wake up! Open your eyes!... A jolt of reality struck and with it he could feel the anger rising remembering exactly where he was...9... Sesshoumaru's eyes shot open. The build of energy around him had yet to drain away. The electricity around his body reached outward absorbing the energy of Kirinmaru's blast. Sesshoumaru could hear Rin's voice and used the energy of her anger which matched his as he unleashed Dragon Strike. The entirety of the Ring shuddered and was engulfed in an electrified storm with Sesshoumaru able to direct its energy toward Kirinmaru. The Beast King had no defense for this attack, no amount of dragon scales or fiery shields would protect him from the repeated electrified energy that would continue to strike until he'd been brought down with a thunderous crash into the floor of the Ring. Sesshoumaru stayed the distance to Kirinmaru even as he heard the count of the referee taking place. He realized that under Kirinmaru's attack, he'd imagined his mother's voice in place of this crucial count. Had she made it to 10 as had just been done with Kirinmaru, the siren would have sounded and the fight would have been over. He shifted out of his true form as Kirinmaru did the same. Seeing the Beast King lying on the ground, unable to move, Sesshoumaru felt the floor at his knees, too drained to confront gravity's pull.

Rin didn't wait for the platform to be lowered to the ground before she leaped from it and sprinted to embrace Sesshoumaru. She'd kissed him and finally allowed her body to succumb to her tears as he squeezed her tightly letting her know that he'd heard her voice during the fight and felt the fear and anger associated with the thought that they might be lost to each other. Pulling back she felt Sesshoumaru wipe the tears from her cheeks. Even as tired as he was, she noticed the smile in his eyes that she loved so much. She'd all but ignored the crowd cheering, looking up to see that Inuyasha and Kagome's seats were empty and she'd nodded to herself. Takemaru's voice as he stood just outside of the Ring was a reminder of this ongoing threat as he addressed Kirinmaru.

"You call yourself a King? You let a mere dog defeat you."

"That mere dog could've killed me if he wanted to. He...held back to stay within the rules."

Rin heard Kirinmaru's exhausted reply and despised the glare that Takemaru was giving her and Sesshoumaru. He'd tilted his head before finally smirking again knowing that the cameras were watching and listening.

"Miss Luna, this isn't over. I want a rematch."

It was just as they had suspected. Takemaru would not be willing to accept defeat. In the face of the media, it would merely look like he was asking for a good-natured second attempt at redemption in a sanctioned Ring. The viewers wouldn't understand that he was breaking an agreement to remove a debt that he'd placed against Sesshoumaru's family, that he was going to actively keep seeking Sesshoumaru until he gave in or was forced to join this radical maniac of a human's team. The viewers wouldn't understand that Sesshoumaru was in a constant fight for his life trying to maintain his freedom. She and Sesshoumaru would never be able to live a life unencumbered by a constant threat. Simply saying no, would not be enough to break them free of being constantly pressured to take another fight against Takemaru and Kirinmaru. Rin looked toward the entirety of the media crew and its station at the top of the stands. She was grateful for Kagome and Inuyasha's nods to her.

"No, Takemaru. We won't accept another fight. You're breaking your promise to us. You see, the world doesn't know why we took this fight in the first place. It wasn't for the money and it wasn't for the sport. I didn't just find Sesshoumaru starving and homeless. I found him nearly dead because you went after him. You tricked Sesshoumaru's family and demons just like Kirinmaru into believing their lives would be better with you and that was a lie. You control them with these bands which are illegal to be worn at all times, you threaten to destroy their families, and the people that they love, and force them into a debt that they'd never be able to overcome all for the sake of your amusement. What's even worse is that you let Sesshoumaru's father die in an illegal Ring all for the sake of your selfish ambitions. You promised us that if we won this fight you would erase Sesshoumaru's debt and you would never bother us again! Yet here you stand in all of your wretchedness going back on your word!"

Sesshoumaru felt Rin's embrace tighten as he pulled her closer, feeling her body tremble with anger. He quietly appreciated the boldness of her mentality. Every word she'd stated with a confidence only she could deliver among this crowd with the rest of the world watching. Even as Rin physically steadied herself against him, he was aware that she was channeling his anger, the emotions he'd forced down the keep from being viewed as a threat, an out-of-control demon who could never be trusted. He calmed in the safety of her words.

The disgust written across Takemaru's face was a struggle to erase, remembering that they weren't alone. The anger in his voice told Rin that his next words would fail to convince anyone, "Miss Luna, you're a wonderful actress. It would not do you well to lie to the people. Your fans who love and adore you are surely watching."

"I hope that they are because there is no lie. There is proof of the truth."

They looked to the screen where the fight had played out for the rest of the audience to see. Sesshoumaru recognized Takemaru's mansion in the video, the image of all of the humans that lined the halls and others who were scattered throughout with handler's bands for the sake of maintaining control of the demons. Takemaru himself was captured with a handler's band. Another video of a little girl he was sure was Kirinmaru's daughter sat tearfully with the woman she addressed as her aunt asking when she would be able to see her father again. They were separated from him until this fight took place. That separation was a cruelty to keep a daughter from seeing her father in a place they called home. Still, he realized it was part of the threat for Kirinmaru not to be sure how his sister and daughter were treated in his absence and the driving force for him to win the fight to see them again. Sesshoumaru wouldn't turn away from the truth of the last image seeing what was likely his father's final resting place behind the mansion. As hard as it was to watch, he understood Rin's reasoning revealing Takemaru's evil under the largest spotlight possible. Sesshoumaru barely remembered a time seeing the horrid handler unhinged but he would take it all in. Takemaru wasn't doing himself any favors attempting to refute the images. Even so, Takemaru let the request for a rematch drop. The clamor of the audience was one of questioning. It was likely some already knew what went on behind the illegal side but now with it being out in the open, they wanted to distance themselves from Takemaru as he would find it difficult to return to the unsanctioned Rings. Rin was determined that Takemaru would receive all the attention that he didn't want from this fight.

"You will leave us alone and never come after us again. I'm sure that when the police come after you, they will have questions and I hope they lock you up and throw away the key like you've done with every demon on your team."

They'd gotten to their feet as Sesshoumaru refused to be taken to the recovery area as Kirinmaru had, leaving Takemaru in a stunned fit of rage. Rin was sure Sesshoumaru shouldn't have still been exerting so much energy to walk with her under the purification but there was no way she was going to deny him. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she wasn't sure what would happen or if the police would truly go after Takemaru. Still, she had to hope that the reveal would be enough to ruin the handler. Looking up at the flag, she'd paused, noticing the lack of wind as it stood still. Crossing under the covered portion of the bridge and leaving the visual of the crowd, Sesshoumaru pushed her out of the way. Rin turned back to see Takemaru trying to force a knife into Sesshoumaru's already injured side.

"You would throw yourself in the place of that woman! A loyal dog until the day you die? That kind of loyalty could've been worth so much more. True enough, I was a fool to ever agree to let you go! Luna may have ruined the chances of you ever being on my team, but you won't be on hers either!"

Sesshoumaru fought to keep the knife from his side and heard it clatter to the ground as Takemaru continued to try to strangle him as he grasped the handler's throat back, digging his claws in. Sesshoumaru felt some of the pressure subside as Takemaru yelled out against the pain of the knife that Rin stabbed into his back. She'd stumbled to the ground as Takemaru turned and struck out at her. Sesshoumaru pulled himself up refusing to leave Rin to defend herself against Takemaru as she held her wrist. In the brief moment, Sesshoumaru locked eyes with Rin he was certain she'd been injured but her thoughts told him otherwise as she brought her fisted hands against her chest. The screen of her band was hidden as she pressed into it. Takemaru stumbled as Sesshoumaru pulled him back and struck him across the face with his claws. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, allowing Takemaru to charge against him, knowing that Rin had given him full access to his powers.

Rin panicked watching Sesshoumaru pull Takemaru with him over the railing of the bridge and managed to cling to the opposite side. She'd quickly grabbed onto Sesshoumaru's hand, not willing to take the risk that the deactivation worked. Takemaru hung onto Sesshoumaru's arm, threatening the dog demon to pull him up as he fought to maintain his grasp cursing Sesshoumaru, the names that Rin would never repeat as Inuyasha joined her to help pull Sesshoumaru back up. The twisted handler's grasp continued to slip, grabbing hold of the band around Sesshoumaru's wrist. Even as Rin and Inuyasha held to him, Sesshoumaru was aware of his body's weightlessness under his power of flight.

"You killed my father. You threatened to trade my mother and were responsible for her disappearance. You've tried to take everything and now you've tried to kill Rin and me. You attempted to make my life a living hell and now you can spend an eternity in it."

Sesshoumaru watched Takemaru's eyes widen in horror. The handler was left to fight for his life in these few moments the way that Sesshoumaru had for years. Each finger would peel away under the pressure of gravity. Takemaru's scream as he fell was silenced by his contact with another rail from the floor below. The handler would finally meet his end passing through a glass awning at the bottom of 100 stories.

Rin let relief settle in as Sesshoumaru was safely back on solid ground, resting his forehead against hers.

"You're okay?"

"I am now."

Kagome joined them, glancing over the railing as pedestrians gathered like specks, some backing away from Takemaru's display on the concrete. The feeling of the small flea demon landed on Kagome as he jumped from Rin's shoulder.

"Myoga, tell me that you got all of that."

"Every last bit of Takemaru's attack was captured live from my vantage point on the flag pole to Rin's shoulder when they crossed under the covered part of the bridge. I imagine Jaken is already working damage control with Miroku but I highly doubt there will be any argument that Sesshoumaru and Rin were defending themselves."

Rin sighed, smiling into Sesshoumaru's kiss as she removed the band from his wrist.

A/N: I can honestly say that I felt relieved writing this chapter. It's longer than I expected but I didn't want to interrupt the flow. There is still more to come! Thank you for the continued reviews. They have been massively helpful in keeping me going :)