Chapter 11:
30 minutes later shouting came from all around, some for Juuki to drop her, others for Rin to take his head off.
'I guess nothing brings the masses together like a blood brawl. Lord Sesshomaru was right, peace does come in many forms.' Rin thought proudly.
Rin let him strike first. She dodged every time, making no move to strike back. Sesshomaru watched as she sized Juuki up, eyeing him as if he was her prey.
Rin flipped over him in the air landing gracefully behind him, Sesshomaru heard one of her soldiers over the crowd say joyfully that she was playing with him.
"Fight me!" Juuki shouted, irritated.
"Are you sure?" she taunted.
Juuki roared angrily as he transformed into his full demon form, dark black venom poured from his sharp teeth. His body changed into a giant gray wolf with huge horns, five times Rins own size but Sesshomaru knew better. The image of her standing over the bloodied General in her memory came to mind.
Rin whistled and smiled brightly, "Impressive. Alright then I'll fight you."
The crowd around them went wild and cheered loudly, at this moment demon, half demon, blue blood-it didn't matter.
Then Rin attacked, moving so fast that even Sesshomaru had trouble following her moves. It was like she was hitting him everywhere all at one. Every hit made sounded like a crack of thunder hitting the ground, deliberately placed with powerful force. When she flew back onto the ground, the damage was already done.
Juuki was forced to transform back into his humanoid form, he was covered in blood. Deep lacerations on his ribs shredded his clothed and blue bruises already appearing around his stomach. He fell to his knees and coughed blood onto the dirt. His right arm hung limply from where she'd shattered it completely. He used his left arm to steady himself as he coughed up more blood.
When he finally did stop coughing blood, he just looked up at her in shock. His mouth opened slightly showcasing his sharp teeth coated in blood.
"How…" he breathed out.
By this time the crowd was shocked into silence at the state of Juuki and the woman who had not one scratch on her. Juuki was lieutenant for a reason, he was stronger than average and was known for his strength. Seeing him in a such a state was enough to put in perspective of what was to come of this war.
Rin stared down at him coldly, no trace of a smile anywhere. She looked almost sad at the state of him.
"No need to bow. You have demonstrated my point perfectly" Rin turned to address the group, "Now you see what only one Igami can do, imagine 20,000 with their only goal being to kill you. You don't have to like each other but you will fight and learn together because if you don't you will die."
Rin headed back to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, standing by them with a grave expression.
Inuyasha spoke first, "Your leaders will pair you in a group, use your time wisely. We don't know when they will attack but we do know where they will come from."
One demon female stepped forward, "Master Inuyasha we are outnumbered by at least 1000, how do you expect us to kill these thi-...Igami if they continuously get back up again if slain?"
Inuyasha grimaces at the honorific, "Just Inuyasha and you fight in groups, coordination will be key to ensure this plan works. You will be paired accordingly, for your every weakness, one in your group will excel at it. They are hard to kill but not unkillable."
"Go back to your areas, your leaders will pair you now. Begin training immediately." Ordered Sesshomaru.
After a chorus of 'Yes Lord Sesshomaru', everyone began retreating back.
The next few days went by without incident except a few minor scrummages between the groups. The majority took it as an opportunity to learn the others fighting styles, minus a few who were sore losers with wounded prides. Still, it was better than Rin would have hoped for.
Rin hadn't seen Juuki since two demons dragged his wounded body out of the clearing and onto to get patched up, Rin had asked Sesshomaru who'd pair the demons under Juuki's command, given Juuki himself was incapacitated. Much to her surprise, Sesshomaru claimed he had already paired them off.
Upon her shocked expression, Sesshomaru had commented on her surprised look.
"It's just unusual, "She had claimed, "The number of demons under Juuki is vast. I couldn't pair off even half of Taiji formation, even with years of fighting with them all. The captains under me were responsible for their training so it naturally fell on them. There is a structure so if a captain was to go down, the soldiers know who to follow next but at my level those tasks had never fallen to me."
He thought on that for a moment, "Yes and I have those who can do that but the bias among them is why I chose to pair them myself."
"You know every demon under your command?" she asked bewildered.
"I grew up with most of them," he said, "when I was younger most of my days was to memorize who came from what family, as well as their heirs."
Sesshomaru continued on to tell her more about the rigorous training he did when learning to rule the West in the event his father couldn't. Come to find out he had succeeded his father when he married Izayoi. Many among the demon aristocracy weren't keen on this due to the fact that he was already married, although estranged, to Sesshomaru Lady mother. It was seen as a disgrace.
"Was he replaced then?" she questioned.
"No, I was already of age, and he decided to turn everything over to me." he stated, in a detached voice.
"Did you want to rule?"
He sat down, "No my quest was always power. I was born to rule the west, so I am."
"You're the most powerful being I've ever known, my Lord." Replied Rin pridefully.
Sesshomaru turned his gaze to her, "But I can't recover from death neither was my father able too."
Rin turned somber, "True power doesn't lie in the ability to revive oneself but the strength in never needing to be revived to begin with."
Sesshomaru's lips tilted up slightly, hinting at a faint smile, "Yes but I am curious on how they have come across that ability."
Rin chuckled softly and sat down next to him, "You know I've noticed something about you my Lord, you speak to me differently to me than before."
"You were a child then." he replied with indifference.
"And now? I may be old in human standard, but I believe you have lived more than ten of my lifetimes. Am I not a mere child by demon standards?" she questioned.
"Perhaps but you are not a demon Rin. Even so, you've seen more combat than some of my lieutenants. You're not human nor demon, and you are no child." he said sternly.
Rin often wondered what he thought of her since her return, on her…affliction. It was obvious he didn't see her as a child, she only jested with him, but she was curious.
As a child he was always quiet and would let her talk to him about everything, rarely responding to her and sometimes only to ask how life was in the village. Now he engaged with her and in doing so, she wondered what exactly he thought of her.
"You've gone quiet," he commented.
Rin raised her eyes from the ground and turned towards him and before thinking blurted out, "Do you think my existence is a mistake?"
Rin clamped her hand down over her mouth and said quickly, "Don't answer that! I didn't mean to ask you-"
He cut her off, "No."
Rin blinked at him, "No?"
Sesshomaru looked at her oddly and nodded at her, clarifying that he didn't think she was a mistake.
Her shoulders slumped as all the tension left her body, "Oh."
Sesshomaru looked at her incredulously, "You believed I did."
Rin blushed and scratched the back of her neck, "Your dislike for Inuyasha hasn't gone unnoticed. "
"That has nothing to do with him being a half demon." Sesshomaru replied.
"But you hate him." she defended.
"I don't hate him," he snapped, "I think he is ignorant and childish."
Rin crossed her arms, "You called him half breed and constantly are at odds with him, it not hard to assume that I came to the conclusion that it's because on his status as half demon."
Sesshomaru sighed, "Inuyasha is strong, but he is still a half demon. He needs to be a half demon, not try to be anything else as he sought out before. He is ignorant in that regard. I don't think you are a mistake, and you shouldn't either."
Rin held his gaze, "I wasn't born this way."
"No but you accept what you are even if you can't name what you are. For that you have my respect." he replied.
Rin was deeply affected by the intensity of his gaze. Without a doubt she could see he meant it.
"Thank you." she whispered softly.
So, what do you of this chapter? It took me some time to write and even then, I did make several changes to it. I like writing this version on Sesshomaru, to get more insight from his perspective. I think he is quite complicated to write and understand but that leaves the possibility for me to give character depth. Let me know what you think! XOXO