Authors note:

This is a longer chapter! There's so much to cover. Kagura is such an interesting character. I do like her, and I even like her unrequited adoration of Sesshomaru. But I could never see him considering her as a potential partner — she's just too arrogant. That being said! I checked into fan messages. Apparently Kagura was rather a lot bolder than I even realized!

Inu-Fan 24: Oo that's super cool information, thank you! I wonder how her name then ended up on the subtitles. Intriguing. Thank you for leaving me love notes! The last chapter was a struggle for me, I was so worried that I'd ventured too far with Sesshomaru. But, I think in the end, it was okay. :3 The struggle of the balance between his aloofness, and his desire to connect to Rin, and the link to humanity and emotions that she represents.

Chapter 6 - Saturated

Darkness enveloped him, dragging him away from searing pain and certain death. Explosive all consuming light clawed at his body, destroying flesh and consuming bone. In the darkness, there was peace. A calm stillness that seemed to absorb the damage done to his body, drawing it out like a poison, releasing his damaged lungs to breathe again. Ragged, desperate breaths escaped his parted lips, mind unable to comprehend that he was alive, when he had felt his body dying. Bones, flesh and sinew tearing under the power of Tetsusaiga.

Tetsusaiga!

The sword flashed through his mind, as it dawned on him what had happened. InuYasha had used the windscar. InuYasha had killed him. But… he wasn't dead. Was he?

Sesshomaru gasped, still finding it difficult to drag air into his lungs. It was a hoarse ragged sound, the air burned against his newly healed lungs. Somewhere in the depth of his mind, he was grateful for the darkness. His pride would be protected, no one would see him in such a state. Weak, he clawed at the ground, and realized he was prostrate on a flat surface. Suddenly, being alone was a terrifying thought. Had he been relegated to the underworld?

A scent reached his nose, awakening his dulled senses. Familiar. It teased memories left long asleep in the back of his mind. With hot anger fueled terror, he wrenched away from, whatever this was. A ghost, memory, flashback.

"LET ME OUT!" He roared, the sound shaking the world. Everything around him shattered. For a moment, the universe seemed to hang in the balance.

When he came back to himself, Sesshomaru found that he was sitting in the clearing. Daylight stung his eyes, and he blinked against the brightness. A dream? It didn't seem like a dream. Though he had them so rarely, it was hard to say. He realized that a shadow stood between him and the light. Blinking again, his vision cleared and he saw Rin standing before him. She had her hands clasped together as if in prayer, but her eyes were on his face.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Her voice was soft, just above a whisper. Her brown eyes were filled with compassion, it was the same look she'd given when they'd first met. "Do you have nightmares too?"

His eyes widened a fraction, then quickly narrowed as he cast a glance in the direction he sensed Jaken was. Faintly, he heard the sound of the imp's snoring. The tension in his eyes eased a fraction, and he shifted his focus back to Rin.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Her eyes twinkled playfully, as she moved to sit in the grass before him. Was she… miming his own words back to him? Clever girl. For a moment he was silent, regarding her as he considered how to respond.

"All living beings have dreams, Rin. Even demons."

Not the answer she expected, but pleased with a response nonetheless, she put her hands on her knees and leaned forward. "What do you dream about Lord Sesshomaru?" He'd accidentally tipped a boulder that was now rolling down the mountain and gaining speed. "Are they happy dreams or nightmares? Do you dream about things you experienced, or things you wish would come true? Are demon dreams different than human dreams?"

Again she took him by surprise. So many questions, and perceptive ones at that. Certainly well beyond her years. He was hesitant to answer, not because there wasn't a response to each question. More that he didn't want to destroy whatever image of himself that she had imagined. Surely it was far from reality.

"You ask many questions Rin."

With a sigh, she sat back on her legs. "I know. I talk too much sometimes. My brothers were always shushing me."

Sesshomaru pictured what her family may have been like. Warm, loving, exceptionally human. Rough and tumble older brothers, playfully picking on their baby sister. Having been an only child… or at least raised as one… he could hardly imagine what a family was like. Inkimi had been cold. Ruthless even.

"You can talk to this Sesshomaru." He shifted his legs, raising one knee and resting his right arm on it. "I may not answer every question—" some questions should not be answered to a child. "At least, not now." Perhaps when she was older, if she still wished them to be answered. "But I will always listen."

The smile she graced him with was bright. His sharp eyes noted that an adult tooth was already filling the gap between her teeth. The shadow of aging flared to life in the back of his mind. Turning away, he tried to distance from the thought, and stood to his feet.

"Wake Jaken, we should get moving."

Leaping to her feet, Rin raced after him.

The next two days, the small group spent traveling slowly toward Kaijinbo's swamp, lessening the distance needed to travel to retrieve the sword. Although, the closer they neared the swamp, the more cautious he became. He would not allow that senseless killer to catch her scent. Sesshomaru kept a distant, watchful eye on her. His thoughts consumed with his new sword, and alternately considering Rin's curious questions about dreams.

The morning of the third day, Sesshomaru sent Jaken to collect the sword from Kaijinbo. Being this close to a demon infested territory, he did not intend to leave Rin alone with only the imp for protection. Jaken was loathe to leave without his master, but after one very pointed glare, he left without further complaint.

Rin spent much of the day playing in the bright clear stream nearby, under Sesshomaru's watchful eye. Somehow, she convinced A-un to join her. The dragon leapt into the water heedless of its size, sending a wave of water saturating the tree line and shore, where Sesshomaru stood. Soaked with water, he narrowed his eyes at the dragon and the girl. Neither one seemed to have taken any notice. Rin was screaming with laughter as the double headed beast splashed with her, heedless of the saturated yokai lord watching them.

"Hm." He lifted his arm, watching rivulets of water dripping from the bottom of his sleeve and gathering into a puddle at his feet. Yet, as he returned his attention to Rin and A-un, he had no desire to scold them. Her smile was genuine, completely engrossed in having fun. In her former life, she likely had not had much opportunity to enjoy herself. Traveling with a dangerous yokai, may not afford her many chances for childlike playfulness. She should enjoy it when she could.

When both dragon and girl had thoroughly exhausted themselves, they lay in the grass along the stream to dry.

"Don't you just love sunny day's A-un?" The dragon didn't answer, but it didn't deter Rin. "I do! I've been trying to decide if I love the sun or the moon more. But it's so hard to choose!"

Choosing a favorite celestial body? Sesshomaru glanced up at the bright orb dangling low in the sky. The sun would likely not be his first choice. The moon was far more suited to his tastes, on so many levels. Possibly influenced by his canine nature.

"I think." Rin continued, speaking to the dragon. "In the end… I would choose the moon. Because of its beauty. It's just so…" She sighed, trailing off. The faintest hint of a smile touched his lips, wondering if somehow he had influenced her enchantment with the moon.

"Rin."

Leaping to her feet, the girl smiled. "Yes Lord Sesshomaru! We're here!"

"Get A-un ready." He expected Jaken to be back anytime, they would depart immediately upon his return.

"Yes my Lord!"

Prepared for Jaken, they waited. Rin braided flowers into A-un's mane, singing soft made up lullabies to the dragon. It was significantly after the sun had set, that Sesshomaru came to the conclusion that something had happened. His eyebrows drew together. Jaken would never have stolen away with the sword on his own. He would not dare. No… something prevented him from returning.

Kaijinbo's swamp was not far, but he would need to take A-un, in case the imp was injured. Which would mean leaving Rin alone. The idea wasn't thrilling. He cast a look back at her. She was smart, and quite clever though. To survive in his world, she would need to learn to think on her feet.

Turning, he walked back to where she had made a small fire, and was telling A-un, some sort of elaborate story.

"Rin."

Her head swiveled to him, smiling. "Yes my Lord?"

"I must go find Jaken with A-un. You will stay here." There was no fear in her eyes, only concern.

"Do you think something has happened to Master Jaken?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer. There was no need to frighten her with the probability that Jaken was likely injured or dead. "Stay here, do not leave the camp." His scent was all around the area, as long as she remained here, she should be safe. "If you need me, call. I will hear you."

"Yes my Lord." She stood, clasping her hands to her chest, as she watched him mount A-un, the duo rising into the cloudy night sky.

Moments later, Sesshomaru landed A-un, just beyond the swamp, not wanting the sensitive dragon to act up with the scent of so many dead bodies. As he approached, the yokai smelled death. New death… Jaken.

Opening the flap, he found the two halves of his servant on the floor, eyes vacant with horror.

"This must be the work of Kaijinbo." The demon swordsmith would pay for this unnecessary waste of his time. There was no hesitation as he pulled Tenseiga from its sheath and sliced cleanly through the messengers of the nether world that had descended to consume the dead imp.

It was only a moment before Jaken's voice began mumbling again. "I'm alive. But how can that be? Wasn't I drawn in half?" Turning to look at his dissected body, he cried out. "I knew it!"

Quite irritated that his sword was gone, and his servant had to be resurrected, Sesshomaru was ready to depart.

"Let's go Jaken. Pull yourself together quickly." He spoke as he turned back toward the door, sheathing the healing sword once more and quickly removing his hand from the hilt.

"My Lord! I-Is it possible t-that you revived me with your Tenseiga?" The imp seemed to be crying with gratitude as he flopped around on the floor like half a sack of potatoes.

"Who other is capable of bringing someone back from the dead?"

"No one my Lord!"

"Has Kaijinbo completed my sword?"

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru. He has forged a sword from the fangs of the slain demon. But I must add that his eyes have become most fearful, almost as if- as if he had become possessed by the sword itself."

Listening intently, Sesshomaru shifted his gaze back to Jaken, watching him from the corner of his eye without turning his head. "Hm. Interesting." So the sword had possessed Kaijinbo, and was carrying out whatever the demons last wishes had been.

The moon was high and full by the time the duo returned to Rin. Jaken had fussed the whole way about his torso, and how nothing 'felt right'. Serving only to irritate Sesshomaru further. It wasn't until he saw the flare from Rin's fire, and smelled her scent, that he was able to release some of the tension he felt.

"That fool Kaijinbo, where in the world could he have gotten to with your sword?!" Sesshomaru had to resist the urge to kick Jaken, he was simply not in the mood for his irritating noise tonight. Perhaps he should have left him dead a bit longer.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried joyfully, standing in the ring of firelight, she turned and began to run to meet him. It was at that moment he smelled it on the wind. Someone else. A demon. Just behind Rin at the treeline.

"Stop Rin, do not move!" To her credit, she obeyed instantly. Freezing with one foot aloft, she hardly seemed to breathe.

Leaping into the air Sesshomaru bared his claws, the sharp points gleamed in the moonlight. With one slash, he felled two massive trees, revealing the demon which had been hiding there. Watching in silence, watching Rin. To his surprise, it was a woman who leapt from behind the fallen trees. A demoness?

"A woman." He mused faintly, curious what a female demon could want with him, or a human girl.

"I know that scent!" Piped up Jaken from behind. "She smells much like the strange beast who offered to lend you the severed human arm. The demon who disguised himself with a baboon pelt. His wretched plan took us to hell and back. Curse him! Your arm was almost burned off, and I was beaten to a pulp by that monk. Eughhh. Simply recalling that incident makes me ill."

Sesshomaru regarded the woman throughout Jaken's monologue, trying to assess her purpose. She was well dressed. A demoness of consequence perhaps, it was hard to tell.

"I recall the scent." Sesshomaru said when Jaken had finished. "It is the same as the beast who attempted to trap me. The one known as Naraku."

"So." The woman said, speaking finally. "You must be InuYasha's brother Sesshomaru. I am Kagura. The wind sorceress. An incarnation of Naraku." She said all this as if it would impress or entice him, Sesshomaru's face remained impassive. He did not mention the slight, of her referring to him in such an informal and inappropriate manner.

"Incarnation?" Interesting. Apparently there was more to this Naraku, than met the eye.

"Correct." She asserted. "Sesshomaru, the fangs you delivered to Kaijinbo to make your sword were those of a demon called Goshinke. Like me, he was also created from Naraku."

"All very interesting. But did you search me out to simply tell me this?" This Kagura clearly enjoyed the verbal banter, but he did not. Could she not simply state her purpose and begone?

"Hmm." Kagura smiled at him, and opened her fan wide across her face with her right hand, hiding her lips. "Can you not detect its scent?" Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. Because of his mother's agonizingly detailed training in the art of aristocratic socialization, he knew the secret messages conveyed in fans. She continued, "Tokijin reeks of Goshinke's aura, and it's closer thank you think."

Wind blasted across his face, blowing his hair and clothing in the torrents. Kagura plucked a feather from her hair with her free hand. Rising into the air, seated on the flying feather, she cast him a smirk. "You are the sword's rightful owner."

He watched her go. Her message had been clear. Follow me. Did she truly believe he would follow her? What reason did he have to trust her word? Was she so arrogant that she believed he would follow her like a dog? Insufferable conceit. The farther away she flew, the wind began to die down around them.

"I am not sorry to see her leave so soon." Jaken grumbled as he ran up to stand beside his master. "I don't believe I've seen such an arrogant woman."

Sesshomaru didn't disagree, or respond. Instead, he cast a glance at Rin, who was still obediently frozen. The irritation seeped out of him. At least, Kagura had no ill intentions, at least none that were an immediate threat

"Rin, you're free to move now."

"Yes my Lord!" Unaffected by the strange meeting. Rin spun around and raised her arms high with a happy sigh. "Ahh!"

What could have been a smile teased Sesshomaru's lips. He closed his eyes and pressed them together, then looked away following the now invisible figure in the sky.

"The Tokijin." So that's what the sword's name was.

Behind him, Rin was giggling to herself, and Jaken muttering derisively. "Speaking of strange women."

It seemed everything was back to normal. For now. Perhaps in the morning, he would investigate this Kagura's claims. He would not do so tonight, and allow her to think he could be tempted by her bold advances.