Author's Notes: And here's one of my entries for the current contest on inuyashafanfic on livejournal.

Yes, you are reading the summary right, this is a yuri (female/female) pairing fanfic with Ruri and Hari- the two female villains who helped Menoumaru during the first InuYasha movie.

Now this story takes place about 210 years or so prior to the series (200 years prior to the series being when Hyouga-sama, Menoumaru's Father, fought InuYasha's father and Menoumaru, Ruri and Hari were frozen in the remains of the tree.) and so that places it during the Yuan Dynasty of China (since our beloved trio comes from China)

As for some historical notes you might want to know about it, here's a few:

-This story takes place about 1355

-About 1325 there were severe floods, poor harvests and widespread famine that killed many Chinese people.

- The 'Ru Qun' is the name of the outfit Ruri and Hari wear when not in their armor

- Ruri's (the one with the blue hair) weapon is called rattan spear

- Hari's (the purple haired one) weapons are called Bagua Big Broadswords

- The "barbarians" referred to in this is the Mongols- led by Genghis Khan and his family line.

I am also aware that I use the Japanese words/etc such as "youkai" and "-sama" this was merely done to avoid confusion with excessive Chinese words and to stay true to the original movie (In which they used Japanese terms despite they're being from China). And before saying that then I should alter it all to Chinese, please keep in mind that would also require changing their names. Yes, their names (Ruri, Hari, Menoumaru) are in Japanese. I am merely trying to maintain the balance between accuracy to the movie and accuracy to history without being overly confusing.

Okay, that's all for now- as always, please read, review and enjoy!

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The Sword and the Spear

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Chapter 1: Live

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"Go ahead and finish me. You've won," She said breathlessly. Her two blades transforming back into tiny leaves as she slumped forward. Purple hair fell about her face and she clutched at the wound on her side.

"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" The other woman asked, her tone revealing nothing of her emotion.

Hyouga-sama had commanded it- the two strongest females would battle to the death. The winner was given the honor of serving Hyouga-sama's son, Menoumaru. The loser only had the honor of death in battle.

Hari withheld her cries, swearing she'd stay strong until the end. She didn't want it to come to this. After training for months, she'd perfected mind-control and the use of her bagua swords. For a woman at the time, she'd come farther than most would even dare or dream to. But now…now it was over.

Shakily she looked up at the woman standing above her. The rattan spear held nimbly between the delicate pale fingers and her deep blue hair pulled up tightly into two buns.

Ruri. That was her name, right?

Hari's mind dwelled on the image before her.

If only I'd known she could copy attacks…

It was hopeless, she knew it. And so hanging her head, Hari muttered what she believed to be her final words.

"Go on. Kill me."

The audience of Hyouga-sama's loyal servants all watched in silence, everyone waiting for the final blow. Everyone that is, but Menoumaru.

"Father, if I might intervene…"

His voice held an arrogant confidence to it, a sly calculating smile edging onto his face.

"Hmm?" The revered moth-youkai quirked an eyebrow up and regarded his son.

"Both girls are equally skilled. It would be a waste to kill one of them off when I could make use of both."

Menoumaru looked smug, but his Father knew better of him. Menoumaru's tastes and mind were never the type to dwell on women. No, his only love and pleasure was that of power.

"Are they strong enough?" He inquired, catching the orchid eyes of Ruri watching him and waiting.

"Yes. Quite suiting of me. I can see to men for them if they get lonely."

"Never the one to get distracted from your goals, are you Menoumaru?"

The pale youkai laughed, "I seem to be one of the few with their priorities straight."

Hyouga-sama turned with a serious face to the crowd.

"Ruri. Hari. The battle is over. Come here- Menoumaru has requested to have you both act as his warriors."

The spear point thrust downward, embedding itself into the worn ground beside Hari's head. She jerked at that, her jade eyes confused at the sudden change of events.

"Do you need help?"

The voice was light, with a kindness and concern to it and Hari began to wonder if Ruri would have been able to kill her had it come down to it.

"I…I think I'll be fine…" She stammered, struggling to remain dignified as she got to her feet.

Just as her balance seemed to find her, she lost it- staggering forward and into Ruri's arms.

"You don't look 'fine' to me," She remarked casually as she wrapped her arms around the other woman, "Here. We can help each other. You've worn me out as well."

Hari glanced up at her, knowing she was putting up a front to make them both look as equal as Menoumaru wished of them.

She's…protecting me? But I lost…how could she…

"Once we're shown our rooms I'll help you bandage your wounds," Ruri said, walking forward towards where Hyouga-sama sat.

"Thank you. You really don't have to…"

"What else are friends for then, hmm?"

"Fr…Friends?"

She laughed, giving a warm smile in return, "We're going to be together for quite sometime it looks like. So why don't we put this whole battle to the death thing behind us, okay?"

Hari felt as if her eyes were drawn to the other woman, and she couldn't help but force her own smile through her pain, "Agreed."

The crowd awaited in silence as they approached Hyouga-sama, the elder moth youkai standing as they came before him.

"Ruri."

"Yes."

"Hari."

"Yes."

Each girl bowed her head forward at her own name and Menoumaru stood, crossing his arms haughtily as he looked down on them.

"This is my son," Hyouga-sama began, stepping aside to allow the younger moth youkai to walk down to them, "You are to fight alongside him and follow his orders as if he was me. He will take care of you now."

"Yes, Hyouga-sama," The two woman echoed, looking up at the young man they'd be serving.

"We'll return to my quarters. You'll be given a room and my servants will bring you whatever you need."

Ruri nodded then shot a worried glance at Hari.

Her breathing, it's getting worse…

"Do you need some assistance?" Menoumaru questioned, looking to the injured woman.

The blue-haired youkai opened her mouth to speak, but the ragged voice of Hari cut her off.

"I'm fine…just a bit lightheaded that's…"

But before she could protest further, her mind slunk into the darkness and felt herself falling. The last thing she could remember was Ruri calling out her name.

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"Hari!"

Orchid eyes widened in horror as the woman slumped forward, Menoumaru rushing forward and gathering her into his arms.

"Come, she needs to be attended to right away. You as well, right?"

Ruri looked down at the small cuts covering her body. Each one throbbing with the strain of the battle as she took strained breaths.

"Yes, Menoumaru-sama."

"Then come," He casually slung Hari's limp form over his shoulder and extended an arm to Ruri.

She hesitated and Menoumaru laughed lightly, "I won't take advantage of you. I have better things to do with my time."

Walking forward, she felt his thin, muscular arm wrap around her shoulder as she leaned into him. The path into the fancy abode seemingly lit with thousands of lanterns as they entered over the waterway.

"You come from a clan of warriors, do you not- Ruri?"

"I do, Menoumaru-sama."

He smiled at that, seemingly pleased with the reply, "A clan of all women, those who only seek out men for means of procreation. Am I correct?"

Her eyes narrowed at that, "Are you implying that there is something wrong with that?"

"Not at all. But if you ran away to come here, then you must not be so keen on their ways."

She shot her glare off towards the nearest wall as they entered, hoping that Menoumaru wouldn't see it or take offense by it.

"I find myself drawn to things other than that," Came her quiet remark, her eyes flitting over to Hari's weakened form.

"What of this girl, Hari. Do you know her?"

"I only know what I learned by watching her fight."

"And that is?"

The two turned the corner and made their way down a long narrow hallway.

"She prides herself in the usage of illusions, mind control and her appearance."

Menoumaru smirked at that, his mind beginning to see more to the picture.

"But the last of those would not prove useful unless her opponent was male. She fought none of those today."

"She fought me. That was enough," Ruri snapped in reply. Her tone indicating that the subject was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable.

"I see…"

"You see what, Menoumaru…-sama?" She retorted, hastily tacking on the honorific.

"That you two will get along just fine together. You seem well suited to one another. Like a matched pair."

He laughed at his own comment and Ruri rolled her eyes.

"We are not some item sold to you by a merchant."

"No. But you seem as if you were meant to fight alongside each other. Your techniques enhance each other's and you can easily cover each other's weaknesses. A perfect balance- that is why I told my Father not to let the battle end as it was planned."

He could tell how well we'd fight together by how we fought against others? His mind…must be a tactical labyrinth.

"Here we are. Your room. The futon should be quite large enough to accommodate both of you."

The room was hung with expensive silks, dyed in a range of colors and Ruri couldn't help but stare. She knew that Hyouga-sama was of high honor, but this amount of riches was something she would have never estimated.

Assisting her to sit on the futon, Menoumaru gently laid Hari across Ruri's lap.

"I'll send a servant to bring bandages and water for your injures. Let her have your soiled robes and I'll bring you new ones."

"Yes, Menoumaru-sama."

He slid the screen closed behind him, his shadow retreating down the hallway.

"Hari?"

She shook her gently and upon not getting any response, became all the more worried. Slowly, she peeled back the layers of armor and clothing the woman wore, finding beneath them the injury behind it.

She'd been attacked there by a girl before us then I'd exploited that previous injury by stabbing her there. Hari…I'm sorry. I never knew things would end up like this…

Pressing her hand down over the gash, she could feel the warm liquid trickling its way out.

No servant yet and she's…

Ruri looked about the room, her eyes searching for anything that might serve to bind the wound before it became worse.

Finally, an idea hit her and she hastily yanked off the sash about her waist. Wrapping it about Hari's side, Ruri couldn't help but admire the beautiful woman before her.

It's no wonder she uses her looks as a ploy against an enemy. For a man, her appearance would cause a bit of a distraction…

Wincing, her mind shifted to one of her own injures, the cut down her leg that she clearly remembered Hari cutting into her.

Not that deep, She mentally noted on observing it, I just got distracted by her…

Ruri paused in her excuse, her mind echoing the thoughts she'd had moments before. Panicked by that strange possibility, she wracked her brain for what could have possibly caused such a distraction in her fighting.

But with a slight sign of movement coming from Hari, Ruri found herself distracted by the woman once more. Reduced to nothing but an inquisitive stare at her pale face.

A light padding of footsteps indicated the promised servant was on their way, and Ruri quickly pulled the silk sheets over them as the screen door slid open.

She was a simple, petite, black-haired woman.

Pretty, Ruri noted, But kind of plain… Menoumaru certainly has a unique taste in his women.

It was only after she thought it that she realized she was once again paying more attention than necessary to another woman's appearance.

Pulling off her own soiled garments and taking the water basin and bandages from the woman, Ruri sent her away and began to tend to Hari's wound.

But despite her worry for the girl in her care, she couldn't help but feel that there was some other reason why she felt so enamored by the purple-haired beauty before her.

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Preview for Chapter 2:

There are sometimes you LEAD and sometimes you follow…