The Life After

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Riki slammed his cousin against the wall of the guest hut, the door crashing shut behind them. “Talk.” It was not a request; it was an order. The older hanyou’s claws had been dug into Ukiyomaru’s kimono, and once again the boy found his feet dangling off the ground. His back, however, was pressed firmly against the wall. There was no escape.

“Woof,” Uki replied, sarcasm lacing his voice.

“I’m not kidding around, Uki! You tell me what the fuck’s going on, right now! I wanted to be nice. I wanted to wait til you were ready, but obviously I can’t do that! You’re changing, Bro! This thing is driving you insane! I’m not gonna let you deal with this yourself anymore. I’m here! You’re going to tell me, and I’m going to help! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” the older dog gave him an extra shove against the hut to emphasize his point.

“You’re the one who doesn’t understand! You’re being a bastard! I just can’t tell you this!” The younger man was swiftly growing furious that Riki would not let him keep just this one thing to himself.

“Look at yourself, Uki!!!” the dog-eared man drug his cousin across to the nearby basin of water, forcing him to stare at his own reflection in it, “You’re not the same. I want you to be my brother, Uki! The one I’ve always known! The one who can tell me anything! I don’t ever want this to change! Tell me! Let me help you!!!”

The boy stared at his reflection that was shivering with the force of Riki’s actions. He watched the blue half moon and the single pink stripe on each of his cheeks shimmer, nearly fading as the water shook. He closed his brown eyes tightly, suddenly knocking over the basin and the table that held it. Water spilled across the floor soaking Riki’s bare feet and his own. “Well what if I do want it to change, Riki?!” he whirled around to meet his best friend’s eyes with his own tear-filled brown ones, “What if I don’t want to be brothers anymore?!”

“U-Uki?” Riki whimpered, “We’ve always been brothers. Always! You… you don’t want to be…” The hanyou’s eyes shook; moonlight pouring in the window over his face.

The younger boy was too upset to realize what his words could have meant to his best friend. He had only meant that he wanted something more between them, Ukiyomaru sniffled, harshly rubbing the back of his sleeve across his tear-stained cheeks, “Just leave me alone, Riki! Go and find yourself some stupid woman, and leave me alone!” With that he tore out of the hut, the door once again banging closed.

Riki stared after him for quite some time, shivering and sniffling, himself. Then, for the first time in his whole life, he sat down on the floor, drew up his knees, and cried his eyes out. “N-not brothers?” The thought was beyond him. They had always said forever. It was the word that bonded them, and suddenly forever had just been torn out from under them. Not brothers? It was more than he could handle.

The young demon whimpered miserably in the dark hut. What could he possibly have done to upset Ukiyomaru so much? Had the other hanyou somehow found out his deepest darkest secret? That he was not quite the womanizer everyone thought he was. Though Riki could have slept with every girl in the village, he never had. He’d never wanted to. Riki was completely, unalterably gay, but he had always been frightened that Uki would hate him for it. Certainly he’d never gone beyond platonic feelings for his cousin, but he, much like the other hanyou, had always thought that liking guys was something completely wrong. His best friend’s words stung him. It was the “find a woman” comment and the way it had been stressed that had him worrying that Uki knew about him. Not brothers? Not brothers, because he’d let his stupid emotions get in the way. Being gay was not worth giving up his Uki. He would have ignored it, never thought of it again, even forced himself to be with women. Anything not to lose his brother. “U-Uki…,” he sniffed, then buried his face in his arms, and cried himself to sleep.

Ukiyomaru stumbled through his uncle’s forest. He tripped over the vines at the bottom of the purified demon’s tree, and looked up at it through blurry, tear-filled vision. Just a few hours ago he had been rubbing Riki’s ears up there, and everything had seemed so perfect. Now everything was absolutely hellious, and he just wanted to fade away into nothingness. Crying and rubbing angrily at his eyes, he kept hearing Riki saying “just brothers” and “never change.” “But I want something to change!” he screamed suddenly, startling an owl out of a tree, “I need something to be different. It hurts, Riki! I don’t… I don’t know what to do!!!” the young man fell onto his back, staining his brilliant white shirt in the dust, “Help me…” He, too, fell asleep, with his hands and sleeves pressed furiously against his eyes.

The strange blue glowing light was growing larger. Sesshoumaru knew he was getting closer. Each step brought new shapes into his vision, but even his keen golden eyes could not yet make out the silhouettes. Slowly, his pointed ears picked up snippets of speech, the occasional bout of laughter. Finally, he heard the voice he was dying for.

It was the voice of an old lady, for all the souls of the Underworld did not change their age after death. They spent eternity in the same bodies they had left their lives with. Growing out of the distance, gaining shape, an old woman with waist-length silver hair was laughing brightly by the fire. Her hair was not tied up in a little tuft on one side, for she had found little strength to do so in her final days. Her brown eyes glinted with the same joy she had always possessed. Beside her was an old monk dressed in long purple and blue robes, a slightly younger woman wearing the same demon slaying clothes she had died in, and another old woman dressed in priestess clothes.

The taiyokai’s heart threatened to break if, for any reason, this was some sick joke.

“Honestly, Sango, I cannot believe you got yourself killed by that demon!” the monk’s voice echoed across to the dog demon lord.

“Well, it’s not like I expected to get killed! And it was not that long before you joined me here,” the demon slayer was arguing, her hair was only streaked with the gray of age.

“Dealing with all of those girls, all by myself! It was awful! I should not know how to braid hair!”

“You loved every one of our grandchildren.”

“But girls! All of them girls! Just like our own kids. I’ve been cursed, I tell you.”

“It’s the irony of your womanizing catching up to you,” here she lifted a large boomerang-like weapon and hit him over the head with it.

“Hitting an old man?! That’s dreadful!” he moaned, rubbing at his head.

“You can’t feel it.”

“It’s the principle.”

“Please stop arguing over that. It’s been ages since then,” the priestess begged gently.

“I agree with Kagome,” now it was the woman he’d first noticed who spoke, “What’s past is past. We really should not worry over it.” She bent over, closer to the pale blue fire that they were all seated around. “I know I can’t feel it,” she added, almost as if explaining it to herself, “but it’s nice to try to remember what it’s like to feel sometimes.”

“Of course,” the monk said instantly.

“Exactly,” the demon slayer nodded.

“We all do,” the priestess smiled gently.

Sesshoumaru had walked up silently behind them. No one noticed his arrival. Even here they did not appear to be sitting on anything. Only black emptiness lay beneath them. He watched them a moment longer, staring at the old lady who was pretending to warm her hands by the fire’s ghostly glow. Finally he took a noiseless breath and whispered, “I do not think losing feeling would be so awful. Perhaps then my heart would not ache so badly.”

Kagome, Miroku, and Sango’s souls all turned their heads to stare up at the unexpected visitor. The old woman’s eyes just widened, and she did not turn from the fire. It was as though she feared to turn and find that he was not actually behind her.

The old priestess gasped, “You aren’t--?”

But the monk interrupted, “No. He is quite solid. He is still alive.”

The demon slayer leaned over, “Rin? Are you alright?”

“Sessh…ou…ma…ru…,” her voice quavered, making her sound even more ancient. Finally she turned, looking up at the man she had married. Suddenly flooded with memories of her own aging body, realizing that, even now after all these years, he still looked the same.

“Rin… My Rin… I have found you at last,” here he fell to his knees.

The old woman whirled around, flying off of whatever ground had been supporting her, and made as if to throw her arms around her beloved mate. Unfortunately, she was just a spirit. Rin found herself flying straight through the dog demon. “Sesshoumaru!” she whimpered, turning around to face him.

The demon was still on his knees, staring at the ground. He had noticed her attempts to hug him, but was too torn up at finally seeing her again to really acknowledge it. “Rin. I have come… to save you. You are going to return home with me.”

“What?!” the human’s outcry was echoed by the other three spirits.

“You cannot just take a soul from the Netherworld and restore it in the life above! That’s just not possible!” it was Miroku who was arguing this.

“Sesshoumaru, is that really the best idea?!” Sango was on her feet.

Kagome’s eyes just shook, wondering what she would do if her brother-in-law turned and asked her to follow him as well.

The dog demon could tell that Rin had to consider this for a while, so he turned to Kagome, “Why are you all just sitting here? Is this not the in-between?”

“It is indeed,” she was quick to answer this, relieved that it was not the question she feared, “We are here as Kohaku and Kaede have been put on soul guiding duty. They come here in the evenings, and we stay here to keep them company. The task is only given to a soul for a time, then we will return to the Afterlife until another of us are given the duty.”

“Sesshoumaru?” it was Rin again, “I do not know how you possibly think you can bring me back to life. Every way I run it through my mind, I cannot possibly understand how this would work out.”

“I would like you to return,” he did not know why, but it nearly offended him to have to explain to her all he had done to prepare for this. “I really would.”

“I know,” she reached out and rested her hand halfway through his shoulder. Neither felt the motion.

Miroku and Sango looked at each other nervously. Kagome was still wondering what she should decide. The taiyokai, of course, had never once thought of bringing back Kagome. Especially since his conversation with his brother showed him how much more difficult it would be to do so. The priestess did not realize this yet, however, and was having much inner turmoil over her decision.

“Rin.” It was stoic. He had walked a ways off and was not facing her.

“Yes?” It was the same voice she had always used with him, gentle, loving, and joyous.

“Follow me if you so choose.” Without another word, he opened the Meidou.

She paused, for a moment he feared her answer, but then he felt her smile even though he was not looking at her. “Yes!” She turned back to her friends and waved, “Thank you so much. I’ve loved spending all this time with you… but now… now I’m going home.” It was so strange hearing the old voice that quavered from her, even after he’d seen the age slowly come over her. Still Sesshoumaru could hardly wait to restore her youth.

Kagome jumped up suddenly, “Please,” she whispered, “Tell Inuyasha not to revive me. I am fine here. I have Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Kaede.”

“It was never an option for you to come.” Rin almost chided him for responding so harshly. He had not acted like that since Ukiyomaru had entered their lives, but he continued, “You seem to have forgotten that your soul still walks the earth.”

“O-of course. Kikyo. Forgive me,” Kagome’s mind drifted off, wondering if Inuyasha had reclaimed his former love after losing her.

“Do not be foolish.”

“Sesshoumaru!” This time Rin had to say something.

“My brother thinks only of you. He would have brought you back himself, if not for her existence. He knew you would not like it if he killed her just to revive you.”

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she smiled up at his back. He still had not turned.

“Hmph. I have no time for this. Rin. We are leaving.”

“Yes, m’lord,” she spoke, just as she had when she was young.

At this he gasped, and finally turned to look at her. She was giggling behind her hand. “What?”

“Well, you’re just acting like your old grumpy self. Where’s my sweet Sesshy? My mate?”

“Wait until I can touch you. Run my claws across your skin. Then he will be returned.”

Rin smiled brighter at this, “That was awfully sweet for the old, angry Sesshoumaru.”

“It was just a slip. I assure you it won’t happen again.”

She shook her head happily, rolling her bright brown eyes. The demon lord took his first steps towards the Meidou. Rin followed quickly behind.

“Tell Inuyasha I miss him!!!” Kagome called, “And Shippo, Kirara, Kouga, and Ayame too!” Sango and Miroku were both nodding beside her. “And dear little Riki and Ukiyomaru!”

“Of course, I will!” Rin waved brightly back.

“Until we meet again in the Afterlife!” the three spirits called.

It was Sesshoumaru who answered this time: “You will not.”

The three old friends watched with a little sadness as Rin and Sesshoumaru stepped through the Meidou and disappeared into the world above. The dark full circle shimmered slightly and faded away. All that was left was the faint glow of the ghostly campfire.

The sun was just barely beginning to peak over the forest. Little beams of it were sifting down through the leaves. Ukiyomaru shuffled silently towards his uncle’s house. As much as he did not want to see Riki right then, they had promised Inuyasha that they would do whatever he had planned that day. He walked up beside his cousin, just outside of the purified demon’s hut. Riki’s ears were flat against his hair, as they had been since the fight. Neither met the other’s eyes. Neither said a word. Just one shuttering sniff escaped Riki’s control, before silence prevailed. It was the first night they had spent alone in a very long time.

As Inuyasha bounced happily out of his home, it did not take long for him to feel the tension in the air about the boys. They both had dark bags under their eyes, tearstains on their cheeks, and they simply would not lift their eyes from the ground.

“G-g’mornin’, Dad,” Riki managed, stumbling over the words a bit.

“ ‘Lo,” was all Ukiyomaru offered.

“What the hell happened to you two?!” the demon’s jaw dropped. He had never seen the cousins look so absolutely miserable.

“Nothing!” Uki’s face shot up, and he looked furious, “Nothing happened.”

Riki’s eyes slowly lifted, and he looked sadly at his cousin. Not brothers anymore, and it was nothing? That hurt like hell. He lowered his gaze again.

“Maybe… maybe we shouldn’t do anything today,” the old dog demon rubbed at his ears awkwardly.

“No,” this was also stern. The younger hanyou wanted to get whatever this trip included over with as soon as possible, “We already agreed to do whatever today, and we’re gonna. At least,” his eyes turned coldly, a fiercely painful emptiness in them, to his supposed best friend, “I am. Riki would probably rather go hang out with some chick.”

“It’s not!” the other boy started, “I don’t!” but he couldn’t think of anything to say, and his ears flattened miserably again.

“I think…,” Inuyasha began, but was interrupted.

“Well?!” Ukiyomaru crossed his arms angrily, “What are we doing?!”

“Alright…,” slowly the purified demon turned and began walking towards his forest, “I had thought that maybe today we could go and clear out some of these demons that are depriving me of sleep lately. You’ve both always been really good at fighting… especially together,” the last words were said cautiously. As he had expected, Uki let out a very indignant sound under his breath, and Riki whimpered. This just didn’t make sense to the older dog demon. Those two had always gotten along. Even on the rare occasions they did fight, Riki was always the angry one, and Uki the hurt one. This was completely unprecedented. Since usually Ukiyomaru was the one to weasel the argument out of, Inuyasha decided his son would be the best choice this time. “Riki?”

“Mmm?” it was much quieter than the young man’s usual exuberance.

“Care to mention what’s going on between you boys?”

“I already said it was nothing!” this was snapped from the shorthaired hanyou.

“I see…,” Inuyasha stopped walking abruptly, forcing both of the boys to look up so as to not run into him, “I’ve changed my mind. Do you both promise to do whatever I decide today?”

“Whatever.”

“ ‘K.”

“Alright then. Ukiyomaru. Sit here,” Inuyasha pointed to the ground in front of him.

“Why?”

“You promised. Do it.”

“Alright, shit.” He sat down, arms folded, legs crossed.

“Now, you, son. Come here.”

“But…”

“Riki. Here.” He waited for his offspring to walk over, then motioned to him, “Turn around. Good. Now sit.” The older hanyou prince did so, and Ukiyomaru instantly stiffened. Riki’s back was pressed against his own, just as Inuyasha had instructed. “Neither of you move. Not one inch. You’re both going to sit here, until that sun,” and he pointed at the orb that had barely risen above the trees, “sets again.”

“WHAT?!” Uki gasped, “That’s going to take forever!!!”

“You promised. This is what I want you to do today. Now I’m going to go fight those demons.”

“I’d rather do that,” the younger hanyou began.

“Too bad. Sit. Stay. Good boys,” and with that Inuyasha was leaping away towards the forest to deal with the demons alone. A fight this big certainly must need to be talked about, and with nothing to do but sit there, they were bound to speak eventually.

For quite a long time, the two dog demons were silent. Both miserable and hurt. One refusing to acknowledge it, though he normally displayed his emotions clearly; the other one amazingly, obviously sad, though he’d never shown such things before.

Finally the choking sobs escaped Riki’s grasp, and he was shuddering quite noticeably beside his cousin. This frightened Ukiyomaru. His cousin had only cried one time, when he’d thought he’d lost his best friend. Why on earth was he whimpering now? “Riki?!” Uki almost looked over his shoulder, but decided he was still too hurt by the other dog to actually move, “What the hell are you crying over?”

“Shut up! Why aren’t you crying?! We’re… we’re not brothers anymore! Don’t you care?!” finally Riki had regained the anger he usually hid his sorrow behind. That was a good start.

“Not brothers?!” the younger man swiveled to look over his shoulder instantly, “What are you talking about?!”

“You don’t trust me to tell me things anymore! You said you didn’t want to be brothers!” Riki was nearly screaming now, and some of the humans working out in the fields looked up from their hot work to wipe their brows and stare at the angry hanyous who were strangely sitting in the middle of the road.

“Oh, Riki…,” suddenly the younger dog felt terrible. He had never meant to make his cousin think such a terrible thing, “Riki, I didn’t mean that. I would never mean that.”

“But you won’t tell me whatever it is! And you said!”

“I didn’t mean that. I just… trust me, I meant something else,” he turned back, looking off towards the forest he was facing, “Besides… can’t I keep just this one thing to me?”

“But we always tell each other everything!” Riki was staring sadly at the village that he was pointed towards.

“So you’ve never kept anything from me?!” Uki waved an arm out, his long sleeve swaying as he did so.

The older man’s breath caught in his throat. So Ukiyomaru didn’t know what he had been trying to keep so secretly to himself. “I guess I do deserve this. I have kept just one thing from you. It’s just… I don’t think you’d like it.”

“So then you understand how I feel. Why I don’t want to tell you.”

“I guess I do… but what if…,” he sucked in a deep intake of air, “what if I tell you my secret? Would you tell me then? I don’t like having secrets from you… and I want to be brothers.”

“I want to be brothers too, Riki… but I won’t promise to tell you. Whatever you’ve got, it can’t be as bad as mine. It just can’t.”

The older hanyou’s lips flared into a smile, still brothers. That gave him hope, “You’ll see, mine’s awful. Then you won’t have any reason not to tell me.”

“Shoot.”

“Uki?”

“Mmm?”

“I don’t like women.”

“Whattaya mean?”

“I mean I don’t like women… I… I like men. I am… I’m attracted to men,” he winced, as though waiting for Uki to turn and shove his poison claws through his gut.

“You like men?” the younger boy finally managed to reply. This was amazing. Riki liked men too? Surely it couldn’t be wrong if they both felt such things. Of course, then it hit him. Riki had said he liked men, not that he liked Ukiyomaru.

“I know, I know! It’s awful and sick and wrong… but that’s just how I feel. I didn’t wanna tell you. I didn’t wanna lose you. Like I almost did last night. I told you, Uki. I always wanna be brothers. Forever. I can’t stand to lose you.”

“I… I don’t think it’s wrong to like men.”

“You don’t?” Now Riki was glancing over his shoulder at the short silver hair that clung to the back of his cousin’s head.

“No.”

“Really?” the older man turned forwards again, leaning back so that Ukiyomaru was supporting his weight.

“It’s just love. I… I don’t think love is ever wrong,” he wanted to believe that so much. He really did.

“So what’s yours, Uki?”

“I’m still not going to tell you.”

“WHY NOT?!” and the villagers were looking up from their work again at the screaming hanyou.

“It’s way worse.”

“It can’t be. You’ve gotta tell me! It’s in the way of our brotherhood!”

“I won’t do it.”

“Tell me, damn you!!!” Riki whirled around, spinning Uki by his shoulders so they were facing each other, though still seated in the midst of the path.

“No!” He shook his head furiously, long silver bangs flying.

“You gotta!” and here the older demon held up a hand, just waiting for his brother to clasp it… but Uki didn’t reach out. “Uki?!”

“No,” and there were tears in his eyes again.

“Look at me.”

“No.”

“Look at me,” and now there was a clawed hand on his chin, forcing his eyes up, “If you trust me, Uki. If you’ve ever trusted me. Then you’ll tell me. You’ll tell me if we’re brothers. If we’re best friends. If we’re forever.”

Ukiyomaru was screaming then, “I like men, too, Riki!!!” He had to say something, his cousin looked so hurt that he couldn’t stand it.

Riki was confused, “But that’s not bad. How can you be scared to say that, after I just said it? That’s great!”

“No! You don’t understand! I don’t like men. I just like one man. Just one!” Uki was shaking his head again, though the older hanyou’s fingers still gripped his chin.

“That’s great too! I still don’t--”

“Stop it!!!” and Ukiyomaru had smacked his cousin’s hand away from his face, “Just stop! It’s you, Riki! It’s always been you! I love you!”

The older man’s mind didn’t quite grasp this right away, “Well, I love you too, Uki. We’re brothers.”

“No, dammit!”

“What?”

“NO! I don’t want to be brothers! I love you, Riki!”

“U-Uki…?” Hadn’t his cousin just recently said he still wanted to be brothers? Why did he keep changing his mind? “I… I don’t understand?”

Ukiyomaru was crying uncontrollably now. “I don’t want to be brothers! I don’t want it!!!”

The older dog’s ears were flattened against his head in confusion.

There was nothing else for it. The younger boy knew there was only one way to make his dense cousin understand. Then, after that was said and done, he would lose him. He knew he would lose him, and he was terrified. “I don’t want to be brothers, Riki!” he yelled again. Before the older hanyou could express his bewilderment again, Ukiyomaru had grabbed his best friend’s cheeks and pulled him into a fleeting kiss. Almost instantly it had ended, and all Riki could see were the teary brown eyes that shook in front of his own, “I’m in love with you, Riki! I’m in love with you!”

Riki opened his mouth, trying to find some words to spit out, anything that would make even a little sense. Unfortunately his mind still hadn’t quite grasped the situation fully. Before he could really think of anything to say, Uki had flown to his feet and was tearing off into the village.

The older dog demon’s mouth opened and closed a few times. He could still hear those words ringing in his fuzzy ears, “I’m in love with you!” Uki, his Uki, was in love with him? Like that?! Riki blinked his golden eyes a few times; still staring in the direction his cousin had raced off in. He loved, Ukiyomaru, he did, but he’d never thought about him like that. The older boy gulped once, then lifted a clawed finger to run it across his lips. His best friend’s taste still barely lingered there: soft and gentle, like Rain. The younger man was just messing with him, right? He couldn’t really feel that way? Was that even allowed? As wrong as he’d thought he’d been for liking men just a few minutes ago, this screamed at him to be a million more times incorrect. Yet his heart still pounded loudly in his ears, whispering Uki’s other words: “I don’t think love is ever wrong.”

Riki sat there for a very long time. He did not move and occasionally ran his fingers across his lips. Finally, hours later, as the sun was finally beginning to set, Inuyasha returned. He was walking calmly towards his son, and asked when he reached him, “Where’s Ukiyomaru?” The hanyou did not answer him, but he finally rose to his feet. Without a word, he walked off the same way his cousin had. Inuyasha watched the boy leave, scratching at his head. He was now certain that both the boys had gone completely insane. The old demon returned to his hut to make some tea, having decided to definitely stay out of the boys’ way for a while.

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8/25/08

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters of Inuyasha. I do not own Naraku, Inutaisho, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Jakken, Rin, or Ah-Un. I also do not own Ayame, the Elder, or Kouga. Nor do I own the lunar rainbow promise. I do not own Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, or Shippo. I do not own Kohaku, Hachi, Kaede, Kikyo, or Urasue, Totosai, Sara or ANY of the characters or happenings from Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi is the wonderful creator and owner of said characters, manga, and show. I do not make money off of her characters or this story. Anything that is not owned by her is still owned by the people who own the Inuyasha show and movies. I give them credit for their work as well. I do not make money off of their ideas or episodes. This Disclaimer applies to this and all following chapters. Also, please note that the manga was not finished when I'd started this, so um I didn't know a lot of crap and just made stuff up. So let's pretend this is a magical world where Inuyasha ended very differently. ^^; BESIDES we ALL know that Sesshoumaru SHOULD have taken Rin to the castle.

I also do not own the quote "Rin." "Yes." "Follow me if you so choose." "Yes!" That is also from the anime.

HOWEVER!!! Riki and Uki are MINE ALL MINE!!! *hugs them* And anyone who tries to steal them away will have Sesshoumaru's wrath upon them!!! XD

And Hellious. Hellious is my word. It belongs to me.

Author's Note: That's officially two chapters in one day. I guess I have to go ahead and say it. Yaoi warnings lolz. If only one-sided at the moment. ^^; But then... it's me. Tell me you didn't see this coming? All my other stories on here are pure yaoi crack. "Yaoi is to be expected." Shyeah. My poor Uki and Riki! *cries* They're so sad! T_T ZOMFG! Did Sesshy just save his Rin? Will it work? Or will it fail miserably?! Le gasp! They cuss a lot, ne?

Thanks: No thanks yet. T_T Come on. I need some positive reinforcement. Or do you want me to leave you hanging with no UkixRiki lovinz (if it works out! le gasp) and no proof that Sesshy's gonna save Rin???