A/N

Hello people!

I got nostalgic and have been rewatching Inuyasha lately, reminded of its beautiful themes and super fun characters.

So, with that in mind, I decided to write a story about the two most complexely-layered, strongest, sassiest characters in the franchise that honestly, should have had way more interactions but unfortunately didn't. Even as a kid I always thought they both clicked well, and that Inuyasha and Kikyo just didn't. There's a lot to both of their characters that is just so alike, and yet they are pretty much complete opposites. Too bad my wish never came true and SessKik never ended up canon, but! that's what fanfiction is for – making them travel together and let them combine their subtle sassy badassery to defeat anyone who stands in their way.

Plus, I need to write something once a decade to remind myself that I still can and practice my lazy bum. I think both of them are a good practice because they're two characters who interact with others in a very subtle and unique way compared to everyone else in the series which I find fascinating. Not to mention their ideologies being complementary to each other and yet also contradictory at the same time, which should be a lot of fun to explore and see how far I can go with them clashing against one another.

This fic will start with Sesshomaru's POV through the events of Kikyo saving Rin, and will follow the Mt. Hakurei arc's plot loosely. POV will change between Kikyo/Sesshomaru throughout the story. I'm not sure how many chapters this is going to be, but we'll see as I move along with it.

Lastly, the short meeting between them in Affections Touching Across Time is also irrelevant to this fic's occurrences. This will be my take on it.

Enjoy!

Pairing: Kikyo x Sesshomaru

Rating: T

Reviews are highly appreciated!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, if I did, my rent would have been paid 5 years in advance, my clothes would have been all exclusive designer pieces, and I would be a lot less worried about my job. all rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi.**

The Rift Between Auras

Chapter One

His vision was red.

He was ready to slaughter this resurrected corpse in front of him, his right claw was etched deep into the Shichinintai member's chest as pure rage filled up his core, yet his expression remained unnervingly calm. He could have easily pulled his hand back out from this man's pathetic body and then clawed through his skull, flesh and blood splattering everywhere. Let's see him still move after a large portion of his head gone, Shikon jewel or not. However, as much as he would have liked to think about the countless ways he could kill his way out of this position, Sesshomaru knew his time has ran out.

Rin was in danger.

The daiyoukai turned around halfway in the direction of the child, noticing that indeed, the other member of the Shichinintai group was still alive as well after pulling Tokijin out of his chest, with his left hand pinning Rin to the ground and his clawed right one pointed straight to her back.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" The child cried in fear, her trembling voice only made him angrier at this entire situation.

Damn this barrier.

If it wasn't for that, he would have had no problem slaying both of these weaklings and freeing Rin from their grasp.

He felt another wave of restraint hit his body, draining it of more of its power little by little, as if the barrier itself has just read his mind.

His expression remained stoic as he watched Rin and assessed the situation and its possibilities.

There were two options; first, he would let Rin die. She will suffer for a moment, enough time for him to tear both of these worms into a million pieces. Then, he would use Tenseiga to resurrect her, and they will both reunite and leave this damned mountain. Second; he will spare this undying creature in front of him for now, and will have to use most of his remaining energy to reach her in time before the Shichinintai member kills her, slaughtering him instead. Then, however, he would not necessarily have enough speed in him to dodge the first lowlife's irritating gimmicky sword. Transferring his energy into agility took the most power out of him, which in this case, he could not afford to lose anymore of.

"Right now, I really want to kill this little girl..."

The sentence was heard in a low voice, quiet, and yet filled with dark desire as the Shichinintai member raised his claw to the air, ready to take Rin's life away.

Sesshomaru has made his choice.

He pulled his hand out from the man's chest in front of him, the swift movement splattering his undead blood everywhere as he groaned with pain. The daiyokai turned around, beginning his dash for the girl.

"Fool!" he heard the vermin behind him taunt him with glee, "It's too late, now!"

But sesshomaru knew he was right. The barrier was too hard on him, and his speed was divided by more than half its usual capacity.

His calculations were wrong, and Rin was going to have to suffer this pointless death, after all.

Just then, as soon as that last thought finished crossing his mind, leaving a trail of darkness and despair behind it, an arrow flew into his field of vision, right before his golden orbs, purifying him of his thoughts entirely and cutting through the air with incredible speed, glowing with the most brilliant, bright magenta spiritual energy, then hitting the Shichinintai member right in the sacred jewel placed in his neck. A perfect bullseye.

Sesshomaru halted.

He took a single moment to process what had just happened. While this spiritual energy looked familiar to him, it felt far different than his brother's dumb human companion. Before he noticed, the entire area filled with a strong presence, an unmatchable holy spiritual energy that felt intimidating, and yet also protective.

'I see, it's her.' his mind quickly put the pieces together;

That priestess who was brought back to life. The one who sealed Inuyasha, no, killed him, for the past fifty years.

He was curious, and yet he didn't turn around. He wasn't entirely sure of the reason why, but something in his senses held him from turning his head back and glancing at this female. Her spiritual aura was now flowing everywhere around him, bouncing off the rocky trail and floating in the air and grass, the entire area was compressed by its gentle, yet distinct waves. To think that even with this barrier up she would still have this prominent energy... He was displeased with himself for somehow missing noticing her obvious presence getting closer to their location. He blamed it on the barrier dulling his senses and not lack of skill.

The daiyokai stood right in his place as Rin wriggled free from the now completely immobilized Shichinintai lying on the ground before him, then ran to his side once again.

"That woman is the scariest...!" he heard the still standing undead insect behind him whine pathetically as he grabbed at the new gaping hole Sesshomaru has forged in his chest and then quickly scattered in fear, just like a roach near a flame.

'She seems to have made quite a name for herself.' he mused, a prick of interest crossed that thought as he quietly wondered when the group had a chance to meet with her.

He could sense her move behind him; getting off of the horse she rode in on, her legs gave up on her and she fell to her knees, quickly using her large bow as support to rise back up, following the trail down until she reached their location and passed both him and Rin, not saying a word or even creating eye-contact, her aura flushing him as she moved past him, towards the Shichinintai laying on the ground.

To not even glance at his direction and to expose her back to him like that, was she that arrogant of her own powers? Or maybe she simply didn't care whether he killed her or not? Either way, this woman was a first.

Sesshomaru waited to see how the scene would unfold before him, and he kept his eyes on the miko as he studied her entire being from head to toe.

Her expression was the first thing he focused on; devoid of any emotion, she lowered her impassive face down to look at the man, her cold, brown eyes had no light reflect in them as she kneeled down next to him, silently. He watched as she placed the bow to her side, her movement slow, graceful and full of peace, as if all of the time in the world was at her service. 'So, it is true,' he narrowed his eyes at the priestess, 'A resurrection using bones and grave-soil, the outcome is either someone like these fools, or like her – both cursed, never belonging in this world, and her expression and mannerism is proof of such. This woman in front of me knows that she is already dead.' He was certain.

But then, she suddenly spoke.

"Suikotsu-sama..." she whispered down to him, her voice was filled with everything that her face lacked; Sadness, disappointment, a compassionate understanding and acceptance of the situation. The way her breath dragged far after the words had left her when she finished saying his name...

She was sorry.

'What does she have to be sorry for?' The daiyokai couldn't help but wonder as he narrowed his eyes once again, still focusing on her face. This was a fate that was of no surprise to anyone. This insect will simply return to the soil and bones from which he came from and then he would only have hell to worry about to pay for his sins.

But the priestess listened to his words. To his story. And the way she was so completely devoted to hearing him like that made Sesshomaru involuntary listen to him as well. The man who was about to kill Rin only a moment ago, now gets to have his final words acknowledged by him. He should leave, is the option that crossed Sesshomaru's mind, there was no reason for him to stay there and give that man the luxury of companionship in death. And yet, something held him from moving, just as it did when she first arrived at the scene.

Rin has also noticed his behavior.

She had raised her head several times to glance up at the daiyokai, attempting to read into what business does he still have there to be staying in his place like that. But he only continued to watch the priestess before him and listen to her conversation with the Shichinintai.

"Good and evil coexist in all men, you must not give in to the evil in you." She suddenly said.

'Spoken like a true priestess.' Sesshomaru noted to himself with a hint of sarcasm, and yet that sentence resonated with him without his consent. He stopped his train of thoughts and shook off the feeling as he let out a silent sigh.

As their conversation continued, he watched as the man who tried to kill Rin told the priestess about his life story, his sins, his dark wishes, his countless struggles to fight the evil within him but to no avail and finally... how he wishes to be set free of this world by her.

The daiyoukai studied her as the miko silently processed the task she had been asked to complete.

Her brow furrowed slightly in disagreement to the situation as her brown orbs never left the man lying next to her, as if she was confused as to what she should do. The inner turmoil was clear in her hesitation, but still only a minor trace of it crossed her stoic expression, all but a mild change of the look in her eyes, he noticed.

Silence fell on all souls present as none of them moved for the longest time, only the wind picking up and grazing against the mountain could be heard all around them, the area flooded with various smells and different kinds of energy that would cause any sensible being be it a demon or a human to steer clear away from the place.

'Make your move, miko' Sesshomaru urged her in his mind. He wasn't even completely sure as to why he was still standing there in the first place; The enemy had been defeated, there was no way he could do anything more in this pitiful state of his and lurking on this cursed mountain was only putting Rin in more possible danger.

And yet, he found himself locked in his place, his golden eyes not moving from the scene playing in front of him. Was it him simply wanting to make sure that this man was indeed dead? Or maybe his useless curiosity got the better of him and made him act irrationally?

He did not have an answer, but his senses were flaring in him, telling him that he should stay.

Then, he caught a change in her features, and a hint of both determination and resolve glinted in the way she blinked down at the Shichinintai member. The priestess lifted her hand in the direction of the sacred jewel shard in his neck, long and delicate fingers moving slowly with both duty and purpose; she was against taking life, but she also couldn't see the man in front of her suffer any longer. Being a human priestess not only meant guarding the sacred jewel, but also purifying the dark souls of the living, thus making sure that less of them would be able to use it for ill intentions.

Sesshomaru blinked.

'Truthful to her duty and ideals even when she is no longer part of the living...' He narrowed his eyes once again at her direction. 'What a stubborn woman.'

But the silence drifting with the slow wind was suddenly interrupted by a swift slash of a sword cutting through the air and stabbing the man in his neck, right where the jewel shard was imbedded, the force of the sword being pulled back so strong that it took it away along with it, landing right in the hands of the still standing Shichinintai from before.

"Later!" The undead vermin called as he ran away, quickly disappearing into the thick fog surrounding the mountain.

Sesshomaru turned his eyes back to the miko. The weight of the duty had been lifted off of her, and yet her eyes were still filled with great burden. He stared down at them both for a few more moments, then smirked to himself. 'Ah, how truly silly.' he quickly noted;

'This was not the way she intended to send this lowlife's soul away.'

"This is fine." Were the last, pitiful words the man had exhaled before the jewel shard's magic vanished, causing his flesh to return to its original state before the revival; mere dust and bones. She only stared at the empty armor on the ground, lost in her thoughts.

"Um, miko-sama..." Rin suddenly stepped forward, sheepishly approaching the woman and snapping her out of her deep contemplation, "Thank you for saving me."

Sesshomaru's nose wrinkled. What is that child doing? He most certainly did not want to engage in any conversation with the human priestess. There was no reason for him to even stay there this long, and yet here the three of them are after all danger was now taken care of, resulting in Rin feeling the need to give the woman her thanks. How meaningless.

But he suddenly stopped thinking all at once as she turned to the child, smiling, her expression soft, filled with sympathy, compassion and reassurance, "You're not hurt, are you?" She asked, her brown eyes that were dull and dark before now filled with light and genuine concern, "You must have been scared."

The unexpected gentleness caused her aura to change as well and it now drifted in relaxed waves, showering the daiyokai with unwanted warmth that almost felt as if it was cleansing him of all of his ill thoughts. The hovering energy that was once before harshly compressing the air around him, now only caressed it, as if inviting him instead of repelling him away. The odd sensation caused him to snap out of his sudden trance and he quickly analyzed the situation; Was he being purified? Sacred energy was rumored to be deadly to lower-class demons, but to think it was this effective to someone of his rank... must be because of this barrier.

He narrowed his golden eyes down at her.

This woman was dangerous as long as he was in this weakened state.

Sesshomaru quickly turned on his heel and began walking in the opposite direction to which the miko had appeared from, not even sparing a word to alert Rin of his sudden decision. The human child bowed to the priestess and hastily followed in his steps as soon as she noticed him take his leave.

Grabbing her bow, Kikyo lifted herself up back to her feet, and stayed in her place for a few moments in silence as she stared at both the tall demon and the little girl stepping away into the distance.

'That little human girl...' she wondered as her expression crossed with slight concern, 'She's walking alongside such a powerful demon like that... will she be okay?'

What was even happening in this area in the first place? She only followed the trail of the sacred jewel shard energy with means to purify and retrieve it, knowing that Suikotsu would probably be the one to be holding onto it, yet instead she came across such a peculiar scene; a powerful demon, at least demon lord level, protecting a small human child from these two Shichinintai members. Not only that, but the girl had willingly followed after him immediately as he took his leave.

Her brown eyes narrowed as she fixed them on their now barely visible figures.

'Sesshomaru... was the name she had addressed him with, wasn't it?' Kikyo lowered her gaze to her feet, 'That name... I have heard it before.' She then looked up once again, only to find both of them already engulfed with the thick mist, completely hidden from view.

Realization struck her soon after, causing her to nearly drop the bow in her hand. She kept a solemn expression on her face, her eyes wide.

Then, she let out an amused breath.

"Fate has such an unusual itinerary for me." She exhaled, shaking her head as she turned on her heel and slowly walked back to the animal waiting for her, using her bow as a cane for support.

'For now, I must get out of here before the souls within me fade completely and I can't move any longer.'

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked, her eyes curiously examining the daiyokai as her expression turned confused, "You seem to be thinking a lot."

Both of them were heading back to meet up with Jaken, who because of the strong barrier couldn't get past somewhere along the half-point of the trail.

Sesshomaru glanced down in the girl's direction, then back up to stare at the distance.

"Do not worry about me, I am fine." He answered, his face not allowing any information show through it.

"That miko-sama was so cool and nice, wasn't she, Sesshomaru-sama?" The girl suddenly beamed, happy that the silence was finally broken and that a conversation could possibly be engaged now.

The daiyoukai kept his silence to her words as she continued;

"She came riding on a horse too and shot her arrow from so far away... Rin was amazed! -"

"Enough, Rin." Sesshomaru ordered with a low, composed voice, his impassive expression still refusing to reveal any of his actual thoughts on the matter.

Rin pouted at his response.

"Okay..." She said, disappointed that she couldn't share her bubbling excitement.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" A sudden screech was suddenly heard just as they both took the nearest turn, revealing a small, green, imp demon holding a long wooden cane, running towards them with tears in his eyes. "Oh my, Sesshomaru-sama! I'm so glad you and Rin are safe! Ah, not that I ever had doubts in you retrieving Rin of course, Sesshomaru-sama! This Jaken has an unparalleled trust in your greatness!"

But the daiyoukai simply ignored his vassal's squawking completely, walking right past him and stopping next to the two headed dragon which was also patiently waiting for them all this time.

"Jaken-sama! You're safe too! Rin is so glad." The smiling girl ran up to the small demon, reminding him that the last time they had seen each other was when they both fell down from the bridge with Rin being taken away by the Shichinintai member.

"Why of course!" The imp demon puffed his chest with pride, "A little fall like that means absolutely nothing to this Jaken!"

Sesshomaru glared at him immediately, his death stare reminding the small creature that he was the one who was supposed to guard Rin in the first place, making him shriek and back away slowly as his yellow eyes widened with terror.

Rin simply giggled at the occurrence before her.

All three of them soon continued on their way down the foggy mountain, the trail before them still covered with a thick layer of mist that prevented normal eyes from seeing anything through it, the air was fresh and cold, but the high moisture in the air indicated that at least the ground wasn't so far away. Not even the moon was able to shine through the cloud of fog all around them, and Sesshomaru had to rely on his sense of smell now that he allowed himself to avoid the barrier as much as possible until they reached the valley. He was confident he wouldn't have any problem detecting strange auras of any kind, now.

Rin eyed Sesshomaru walking ahead in front of A-Un for a few moments, then turned to the imp demon walking beside her.

"Jaken-sama! You won't believe!" Rin whispered to him, trying her best to contain her excitement.

The small creature turned his attention to her.

"Why are you whispering, child?" He furrowed his brows at her in confusion.

Rin's smile turned a bit troubled at his question, making her glance once again in the daiyoukai's direction in front of them, then turned her attention back to her companion.

"I don't think Sesshomaru-sama likes hearing about it!" She answered as quietly as she could.

The imp demon stared at her in pure puzzlement. 'Does this child not already realize that Sesshomaru's sense of hearing is well enough to know exactly what she is saying at any moment?' he let out an exhausted sigh just as her next words completely severed his line of thought.

"A priestess saved us back on the mountain!" She said, trying to maintain her voice as low as possible.

Jaken's already considerably large yellow set of eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

"A priestess? What do you mean saved 'us'?" He whispered back to her, "Don't be ridiculous, child! Sesshomaru-sama would never need the assistance of a human priestess."

Rin's mouth formed a pout at the green imp.

"It's true!" she insisted, lowering down to him as she put more emotion into her words, "She was beautiful and strong! Rin was almost killed and she shot her glowing arrow and saved me, then the other person was so scared, he ran away."

Jaken stared at the girl dumbfounded. She couldn't be making this story up, could she? This is too uncalled for if she was simply trying to jest him. He kept silent as he processed the information for a few moments.

'A priestess using arrows as a weapon, it couldn't have been that human companion of that despicable half-breed of a brother Sesshomaru has, she cannot operate on her own at all, not to mention she is hardly competent enough to take down a member of the Shichinintai...' He quietly pondered, his expression crossed with deep confusion, 'That means...'

His yellow eyes suddenly widened at the realization.

"T-The miko who sealed that half-breed...!" The imp demon's mouth dropped as his bald head covered with sweat.

"Jaken-sama? Are you alright?" Rin looked at him with concern, confused by his reaction.

"Rin!" He mustered every bit of focus in him to speak quietly as he clenched his wooden staff as tight as possible, "That miko is very dangerous! She was capable of sealing a powerful half-youkai for fifty years. I have recently heard of her revival using truly unholy methods, but for her to be here of all places...!"

Rin's confusion only grew.

"Revival...?" She innocently asked.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru's stern voice suddenly cut through their conversation. Clear irritation could be heard in it, making them both turn in his direction.

The daiyoukai stopped in his place, but kept his gaze forward for a few moments.

"Not another word of that miko from either of you." He ordered them calmly, then, continued moving.

Both Rin and Jaken exchanged looks.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" They answered together, catching up to him.