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: Some of the wording in italics is the conversation Sesshoumaru and Kirinmaru are having in their true forms. No one else can hear their conversation in the Ring.

Chapter 23

Atmos Tower arena held to its name. Riding the elevator to the top floor, only the elite were invited to this spectacular sanctioned fight. For them, they knew it only to be the fight among fights. The high wagers in the millions and the venue seating would only hold about a hundred brave souls. Only among the two teams fighting did they know the true wagers of this event. Sesshoumaru's life would stand in the balance. The media-heavy connections would leave no room for error.

Rin looked up as she kept her hand clasped in Sesshoumaru's. The height of the bridge that they crossed was dizzying. Its glass walkway created the illusion of walking on air. The pillars equally spaced every few feet reminded her of their location and the distance to the Ring. The ledge of the ceiling above shielded her view of the sky for half of the walk as Inuyasha and Kagome followed close behind them. Making their way beyond it, the dusk-dark sky opened up and she stared at the flag pole. The flag, signifying the tower, whipped against the winds. Myoga bound up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder taking the opportunity to give them the history of the Tower's significance being the first Ring, of its kind, to ever host a sanctioned fight.

Sesshoumaru acknowledged Rin's nervousness, just as it was in him too. The red band around his wrist maintained his powers in this venue until he would enter the Ring. He tried to keep his focus and steady his breath as he thought clearly about everything that he learned training with Inuyasha and when the right time would be to use certain attacks. If his father could take Kirinmaru down, then so could he. Inuyasha and Kagome wished them well, the support unyielding as they made their way to the stands. Takemaru and Kirinmaru's presence was fierce as they stepped onto the Ring floor to be announced. Rin narrowed her eyes and held Takemaru's gaze as their teams stood closer than their comfort allowed. It had become customary for Sesshoumaru to kiss Rin's forehead and squeeze her hand before she left his side. He'd whispered his love for her and to stay focused. He'd heard her whisper the words back, her gaze staying with him a little longer than was normal before taking her place on the handler's platform. Sesshoumaru kept his gaze steady even as Kirinmaru smirked trying to rouse the emotions.

"Those eyes didn't change. Do I still see the frightened pup from so long ago?"

"No. What you see is the son of the demon who defeated you and will gladly hand you another."

"Ah, so you have your old man's spunk. May the best demon win."

"..." Sesshoumaru returned a nod. The outer barrier of the ring materialized and he shifted to his true form. Kirinmaru's form was the same that he remembered from so many years ago. Two striking horns sat atop the head and face of a dragon with a mane and tail that resembled fire. The horselike body was armored in dragon scales that only terminated at his hooves. Kirinmaru had established a name for himself in both the unsanctioned and sanctioned worlds and it was no wonder most knew him as the Beast King.

Rin didn't wait to gesture for options as she'd always done. As much as she tried to keep her attention glued to the Ring, she could feel Takemaru watching her, staring and attempting to burrow the visual threat into her mind as he completed his own gesture to allow Kirinmaru to fight as he chose. Rin took a breath and decided to meet him at his own game. The cameras would be watching their every move during the fight and she wanted it to count to her advantage. Returning her own stare, she awaited the first clash between their demon fighters, knowing Sesshoumaru landed the first blow and Takemaru's attention was suddenly pulled away.

Sesshoumaru wasn't deterred as Kirinmaru shook off his initial strike. The first blow was more like a warm-up, bringing reality to the current fight. Kirinmaru's roar ending in a shriek was a battle cry matched by Sesshoumaru's roar and deadly bark turning into a growl. A show of fangs was the match to Kirinmaru's hooves pawing at the ground and nostrils flared. The aura surrounding this demon was already rising again. The speed of him barreled toward Sesshoumaru with his horns poised to do the damage. Sesshoumaru dodged the attack as the Kirin used the outer barrier as a wall, turning off it and driving himself toward Sesshoumaru again. He found himself easily dodging these seemingly pointless attacks over and over again before being driven to the center of the Ring.

The cheers and boos of the crowd rose as Inuyasha and Kagome looked on. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes trying to understand what Kirinmaru was doing. Their vantage point from above the ring in the stands caused both of them to raise their brows noticing the light bounce off of thin lines that criss-crossed the Ring and Sesshoumaru was standing directly center. Inuyasha was aware that his voice would only be one among the crowd and drowned out but he'd yelled to his brother anyway. "Sesshoumaru, get outta there!"

Kirinmaru's horns glowed and a light surrounded him. At the same moment, the lines around them became visible. Sesshoumaru recognized the trap, taking flight but realizing the lines were connected in all directions and at every height of the Ring. Kirinmaru's release of light caused all of the lines to close in around Sesshoumaru and trap him in place. They burned with the heat of fire as Kirinmaru lifted himself to the air to meet Sesshoumaru face to face.

"Struggling against them is futile. The lines will burn hotter the more that you fight them."

"You think I would give in so easily?"

"Wouldn't it be better for you to just give up? Aren't you tired of running from Takemaru, knowing how it will all end?"

"Never."

"Then, prove it!"

Sesshoumaru was surprised by Kirinmaru's words. Was it ego or to flaunt their abilities? He was sure that Takemaru had threatened some consequence to Kirinmaru or maybe even his family if he didn't make a good showing of this fight. The Kirin didn't want it to end after a first major attack and there was no way he was going to let that happen.

Sesshoumaru's power threatened the strength of the lines, but Rin could tell he was struggling against the pain inflicted by doing so. Rin searched her arsenal for any way to help Sesshoumaru out of the trap. Noticing the connections of every line to the outer barrier. Fisting her hands, an inner barrier appeared, breaking all of the anchoring points of the lines that Kirinmaru had attached to the Ring. The light of the lines dimmed and began to drop from around Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru unleashed poisonous spears of energy, cutting through the remainder of the lines. Kirinmaru's shock was hardly masked and Sesshoumaru observed the Beast King's roar of pain as those poisonous spears tore through the dragon scales and entered his body. He'd taken to the ground as he shielded himself from the rest of the spears and made some effort to recover. Refusing to give him the opportunity, Sesshoumaru continued his offensive, throwing the spears again causing the Kirin to attempt dodging, the distraction allowing Sesshoumaru to wrap his fangs around one of Kirinmaru's horns, twisting himself and breaking it off. Kirinmaru reared up to free himself and stop the dog demon's relentless offensive. Kirinmaru's breaths were ragged as he fought the pain, blood clouded the vision of his left eye. Even so, he pawed at the ground again. His energy reached another level.

Rin nodded in satisfaction with Sesshoumaru's dominance as Takemaru sneered. The handler wasn't about to take the turn of advantage lightly. Rin's brows knitted trying to remember the gesture that Takemaru made. She faintly recalled it from training with Kagome but was sure she'd never use it. Takemaru hadn't taken the opportunity to break the barrier she'd placed. Instead, he'd added spikes to the inside of it. What kind of handler did this? It was as much of a threat to their fighters as it was to their opponent. Rin reminded herself of Kagome's warnings regarding the fact that this was Takemaru's fighting style.

Sesshoumaru placed a distance between himself and the spiked barrier, thinking quickly on how to use it to his advantage. The slamming of Kirinmaru's hooves into the ground meant that he would not be able to let himself think on it long. Spikes that resembled Kirinmaru's horns shot up from the ground, backing him up toward the barrier. He'd taken flight before the last one threatened to impale him. Losing site of Kirinmaru, he realized his opponent was already facing him again and delivered his own blow bringing him back to the ground, avoiding being directly impaled as one of the spikes slashed his side.

Rin flinched as her band blinked displaying the damage as moderate. She quickly broke the barrier and lifted the Ring to free the floor of the spikes shooting up from beneath. Takemaru waved his finger at her, taunting as he replaced the barrier with spikes which would require her to wait the two full minutes before attempting to break it again. She would have to keep her eye on the clock.

Sesshoumaru steadied himself pushing past the pain in his side as Kirinmaru faced him down again shaking away the blood from the broken horn. He charged again as Sesshoumaru avoided and did his best to sink his claws past the dragon scales. He'd sneered unable to penetrate them. He would have to increase the strength of them with his poison as his aura rose and they glowed green. He'd jumped Kirinmaru's attack to drive him back into the spiked barrier again and landed his claws into the Kirin's back, this time claws sinking through the scales. Kirinmaru's grumblings of pain were replaced by a curse as Sesshoumaru felt Kirinmaru's aura pulse. The dragon scales hardened and he'd managed to free his left paw as the right became trapped. Kirinmaru backed himself, before rearing up again. Sesshoumaru fought to free his claws from the scales. Kirinmaru's goal was becoming clear. Kirinmaru's hardened dragon scales would protect him from such a blow. Sesshoumaru twisted himself as Kirinmaru slammed both of them against the spiked barrier. A piercing pain shot through Sesshoumaru's shoulder. The rest of his body missing the spikes. Kirinmaru's triumph was cut short as Sesshoumaru refused to dwell on the pain and sank poisonous fangs into his neck and shoulder.

Rin eyed the time again in anticipation, unsure who truly had the advantage here as Sesshoumaru stayed locked in and Kirinmaru slammed his body against the spiked barrier over and over, hoping to render more damage to Sesshoumaru than what was being rendered to him by the poison. Takemaru's crossed arms and indifference here was provoking frustration and she realized it was exactly what he was trying to do. She cleared her head, giving the handler less of her attention. Even as the clock ticked down to its last few seconds to maintain the barrier, the band on her wrist blinked back and forth to determine the level of damage to Sesshoumaru was rising.

With Rin breaking the barrier and Kirinmaru fatigued against the poison, Sesshoumaru was able to free his claws from Kirinmaru's back but held to him to keep infusing the poison. Kirinmaru fought to free himself as Sesshoumaru avoided getting trapped underneath the Kirin's roll as he had with Inuyasha. He had his brother to thank for avoiding that mistake again. Kirinmaru's roars stopped and Sesshoumaru was sure that he was succumbing to the poison but it was taking much longer than it should have. He could feel the heat rising from Kirinmaru's body and starting to engulf them in what felt like flames. Sesshoumaru released his fangs moving quickly as Kirinmaru's body was surrounded by fire. It was his version of a shield and a desperate move to separate them.

"Not bad, Sesshoumaru. I thought you almost had me there."

"..."

"Your poison is strong but it takes forever to get through my dragon scales. Even so, you're a lot more fun to fight than your father. I didn't take kindly to his sharper claws and brute strength."

"Your chatter is pointless."

"Is it? How's that shoulder and side of yours holding up?"

"..."

"Watch and learn, Sesshoumaru. Demonic energy can heal. You should try it sometime."

Sesshoumaru growled as Kirinmaru managed to minimally heal himself and close some of the wounds he'd inflicted. Sesshoumaru was hoping that Kirinmaru hadn't noticed. To most of the audience, he looked to be supporting himself fully but his use of flight was creating the illusion. In training with Inuyasha he'd picked up the ability to speed up healing as Kirinmaru seemingly already knew. Surely Kirinmaru's allowance of time was as much to his own benefit. It would be minimal but it would be enough to support himself again on all four legs as he used his demonic energy to heal the shoulder.

"Ha! Now, there's the spirit!"

A/N: Many thanks as always. The resolution to the fight is coming!