What is taking her so long? Inuyasha irritably thought. He folded his arms in his haori, pouting. Standing in the middle of a village marketplace, Inuyasha shocked many of the passer-bys. However, he and his companion had helped slay a demon that had been terrorizing the village so no one attempted to throw him out of the village. Still, he was greeted with fascinated glances and hushed whispers which bothered him to no end. He could hear every uttered word and catch every not so secretive peek at him. Gods this was annoying! His companion had been gone for almost an hour and the half-demon felt a fool standing in the middle of the path, his hard-headedness, would not allow him to step out of people's way. Even though he was in the way of mostly everyone, no one would dare to push or shove him, who would?
His amber eyes picked up a hurrying figure heading in his direction. It was his companion. Ebony hair billowed behind the teenager as she easily avoided the slower moving people in the crowd. In her hand, was a small carefully wrapped package which she held daintily in front of her. As the girl neared Inuyasha, she slowed to an abrupt stop, her weapon bumping against her back. Inuyasha glared at the teenager, reminding her that she had been taking way too long and presumably, had forgotten him. But, he was unable to keep the annoyance visible in his eyes for long. She looked so happy standing in front of him, mahogany orbs beaming up at him excitedly.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed.
"Thanks for making me wait so long. You know, you took nearly an hour when you said deliberately that you were gonna be only fifteen minutes!" He scowled.
"I'm sorry, I just found something." The female fiddled with the neatly wrapped package.
"Whose that for Sango? Miroku?" Inuyasha asked.
"Actually, it's for you." Sango stated, handing the present to him.
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he accepted the gift. "For me? Why did you get something for me?"
"It reminded me of you. I hope you like it." The exterminator answered. "Here, come with me."
Sango led the half-demon by the arm to the center of the village where a large fountain was spewing gallons of water in the shape of a fish. They both sat at one of the corners, their clothing getting slightly damp from the spray. Sango gazed expectantly at Inuyasha while the half-demon stared blankly down at the small parcel in his clawed hand. He turned it over, peering at the tiny thing curiously.
"Stop beating around the bush already! Open the damn thing!" Sango yelled.
Inuyasha's ears flattened onto his head, bothered by the sudden change of noise. He hastily tore off the ribbon and ripped through the light packaging. Finding the object inside, he couldn't believe his eyes. He glanced up at Sango who had regained her brightness. Inuyasha tried to keep on his cool, nonchalant facade but he was barely able to conceal his delight. He lifted the gift out of it's destroyed home. "W-Where did-? How did you-?"
"Would you like me to explain?" Sango asked calmly.
Inuyasha replied by nodding his head profusely. What stroke of luck had led her to this? He picked up the pen-sized miniature replica of Tetsusaiga which was attached to a raw hide string. He listened to Sango's explanation while tying the necklace to his neck, all the while peering and fidgeting with the historical object.
"In a nutshell, I was going through the marketplace. You were right about me looking for a gift for Miroku. A wedding gift." At this she blushed but continued on. "Anyways, I was passing through a bunch of stores when something shiny in one of the set-ups caught my eye. And there it was sitting on the front of one of the tables, the miniature Tetsusaiga. A teenager was working at the tent, so I asked him about the sword. He boredly stated that it had been passed down his family for generations who had once been part of a demon clan which served your father. I thought that made sense and I asked him more about it, he began to explain the history about it and how it was given to his family for being honorable generals in numerous wars. He described the sword and everything about it's description was accurate so I bought it. Miroku can wait, that necklace is truly amazing. Also..."
Inuyasha cocked his head sideways.
Sango dug into her new kimono, something she had bought recently in the past couple of days. It's back color was black and was slightly tighter then her usual travelling kimono. Two gold dragons criss-crossed in front of her chest and slithered their way across the back of the garment as well. She received many glances, from both men and women. For different reasons of course. Finally finding her target, she took out a similar necklace, except it had a miniature replica of a fire neko demon.
"Hey, that looks like Kirara!" Sango handed the other necklace to him as he examined it. "Cool isn't it? I'll show Kirara when we get back. Anyways, that one was also for sale but he had no idea where it came from. He was able to explain about it though. I didn't know how long Kirara had lived and what she had seen before I bought this." Her eyes lit up. "Kirara, she...uh, how do I put this? She was Midoriko's companion! After all the correct information about your sword, I believed it and could see that it's possibly true."
"Kirara was Midoriko's companion? Wow..." A new respect for the feline dawned on Inuyasha. The half-demon turned to his companion who was smiling warmly at him. "You know Sango, I haven't gotten many gifts in my lifetime really. I could probably count them on my fingers. I have to say that this is definitely the best one I've ever gotten."
"R-really?" Sango stammered. She blushed, amazed.
"Don't be embarrassed!" Inuyasha commanded, giving his friend a good-natured hug, and handing her the necklace back.
"I-I'm not embarrassed. I'm just flattered. You don't give compliments out often." Sango replied, her blush deepening.
"Don't be telling anyone about this." He smirked playfully at her, releasing his hold on the teenager.
"Telling anybody about what?" She faked amnesia.
"Exactly."
It had been a week since Kagome and the others had left these two alone. The schoolgirl had explained to everyone that she had something called "Exams" next week which were very important and that she absolutely had to go back for. Kagome also told the group that she would need an extra few days to cool off after the mind-crushing examinations. Inuyasha complied after much arguing, complaining, pleading and a few sits. She would be back in a few days. Meanwhile, Miroku had gone to his friend Mushin to prepare for the upcoming wedding which Sango and him were having. Kagome had winked and said "That's an event I definitely won't miss" before disappearing into her time. The wedding was to be held at the demon slayer's village. Kirara, who was still at Kaede's village with Shippo, would journey with Kaede, Kagome and Shippo to the village. Miroku would get there with the help of Hachi while Inuyasha and Sango would head there together.
"Help! A demon!" A poor villager shouted.
Inuyasha stood up rapidly. His hand on the hilt of his precious heirloom. His observant eyes searched the square around him and as he picked up the sense of disturbance, he charged forward.
"Inuyasha!" Sango cried, unslinging her weapon off her back and grasping it tightly with her right hand. "Inuyasha! Wait for me!" She repeated, running as fast as she could in her new kimono. Sango's shouts went unheard of however, as the half-demon streaked towards his destination. The townspeople rushed in the opposite direction screaming and yelling uselessly.
Inuyasha scowled and leapt onto a roof of a nearby building, scanning his surroundings. About a hundred yards away, was a huge canine demon that looked an awful lot like Sesshomaru in his transformed form only smaller. It was huge, a charcoal-colored pelt adorned the canine creature, ivory teeth pointed to perfection. Crimson eyes peered confidently around, seeking it's next victim. The saliva that dripped from it's mouth scorched the ground. Just like Sesshomaru's...Inuyasha thought.
A teenage boy stood in front of the enormous demon, wielding a poorly crafted sword which he brandished clumsily. Although his brown eyes glared defiantly at the canine, his body gave him away, which was trembling greatly. The creature could see this, it growled in amusement before easily flicking the sword aside. The weapon flew from the boy's shaky grasp and dug itself into the hard-packed earth. The teenager glanced down at his palms, as though he couldn't believe that he had been triumphed, that his fantasies of being a demon-slayer had betrayed him and now death was upon him. The demon opened it's jaws wide...
Inuyasha leapt in, saving the teenager as jaws snapped and caught only air. The half-demon shoved the terrified human behind him. "Fool. Leave this to the professionals." He unsheathed his Tetsusaiga which pulsed brilliantly and transformed into the magnificent demonic sword.
"Th-That's Tetsusaiga!" The boy shouted the obvious. He had been the one who sold Sango both necklaces. The shopkeeper could only stared amazed at the real deal in front of him, no replica.
"Get out of the way." Inuyasha muttered and the boy retreated to a safe distance. "Now, you!" He addressed the demon before him. "You better make a getaway now before I run you through."
"Me? Make a getaway half-breed? What do you take me for?" The creature snarled.
"A moron obviously, because you are about to be obliterated." He tensed his muscles, preparing his weapon.
"I highly doubt it my canine friend. Coyote demons have a slightly different approach on defeating their opponents." The coyote demon smirked, showing white teeth stained with gore from unlucky victims. "I, Shogaku will not back down, especially not from a midget with a toothpick!" It roared.
"Now you're just asking for it."
"Inuyasha!"
"Sango?" Inuyasha turned, momentarily distracted to look back at his female companion who had finally caught up with him. She was dressed appropriately now, in her demon exterminator gear. The teenager reached Inuyasha's side, standing slightly behind him. "What took you so long?" Inuyasha growled.
"I'm sorry I-"
While Sango explained her situation to the half-demon, Shogaku had had plenty of time to strike Inuyasha in the time that he had been diverted. However, Shogaku was also distracted. This human woman intrigued him very much. He had never seen a female exterminator before and this one certainly looked more formidable then any one he had ever faced before. To him, she certainly seemed tough enough to face many demons he had encountered. Shogaku figured he would have to be wary of both of them. No one else seemed to be with the two. Were they companions or mates?
Huh. An odd combination.
A demon-slayer and a half-demon.
"One shot of the Wind Scar is all it will take."
"I understand. I'll keep watch over the boy."
Sango sprinted over to the teenage boy who was watching the entire scene unfold with amazement. The teenager stood protectively over the younger figure, keeping a watchful eye on him.
"Prepare to die scum." Swirls of powerful energy encircled Tetsusaiga, giving off an ominous aura to the opponent. Inuyasha lifted the powerful weapon above his head, ready to bring it down.
Meanwhile, Shogaku smirked. Some devious plot had formed in his twisted head.
Inuyasha blinked in a split second before he was to deliver the blow...then realized something. Shogaku is gone? The half-demon rested his sword on his shoulder, ultimately puzzled. Either this demon had fled or was hiding nearby, ready to strike out at him or Sango. Inuyasha turned his silver head sideways to warn his companion when he discovered something else.
Sango was gone. And so was the boy.
One moment she was in the village, in the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by foliage. A loppy, bounding movement jolted the exterminator out of her temporary reverie. Trying to move, Sango instantly realized that she had become immobile. One glance above, told her she was captured in the death grip of the coyote demon's jaws. Like a steel trap around an animal, Sango and the boy were rendered useless in the jowls of the canine. The female waited for the inevitable; however, Shogaku had not yet bit down on the two mortals. This puzzled the demon-slayer and made her think that the demon wanted something with them or else they would have been done for sooner.
Sango growled irritably and gazed up. The coyote's crimson eyes were not on her but focused intently on the way a head. In order to maneuver swiftly through the forest, the canine kept it's orbs on the path. The slayer looked beside her; the younger teenager had fainted, probably due to surprise and the sense of imminent doom. With the flick of her left thumb, the hilt of Sango's katana was drawn, with rapid speed and dexterity, the exterminator whipped out her weapon and slashed down the snout of the demon.
With a yelp of pain and utter astonishment, the demon opened it's jowls, releasing it's quarry which tumbled to the ground. Sango grunted as she landed on her back, the boomerang bone pressing onto her back. Shogaku had paused abruptly, whining softly and licking the fresh tender wound down it's muzzle. While the demon was preoccupied with his new hurt, Sango nudged the young boy.
The teenager moaned and opened his eyes warily, as soon as he spotted the coyote looming above him, he let out a whimper of fright.
"Stop wasting time." Sango wiped her bloody sword on the grass, gazing cautiously at the wounded demon. The boy beside Sango eyed Shogaku with terror. He proceeded to take refuge behind the demon-slayer.
"W-What do I do?" The horrified boy stammered.
"Get out of here." The exterminator simply stated. "I'll take care of this."
"And how will you do that?"
"Yes, how will you do that?" Shogaku mocked.
The boy whimpered, moving to clutch onto Sango for support. Shogaku had recovered from the recent counter attack that the female had inflicted on him, the demon stalked closer to his two victims.
"Don't underestimate me. I am a slayer after all." Sango sheathed her katana and unhitched Hiraikotsu off her back. "Run away." She murmured to the terrified boy and as a second thought, added. "Please, find Inuyasha."
The boy nodded rapidly and started sprinting back to the village.
"You're not going anywhere!" Shogaku snarled dangerously. He leaped up to pounce on the teenager and flatten him.
Inuyasha raced through the forest, picking up the demon's mingled scent with Sango's. Luckily, he had not detected any blood. Jumping swiftly through the foliage, he avoided overhanging branches and loose tree limbs. His eyes glowed with determination though his brow creased with unease.
Sango, I'm coming to protect you. Just hold on.
"Hiraikotsu!" A whirling heavy mass barreled into the canine's side, flinging him in the opposite direction of the fleeing boy. The unusual weapon spun back to it's irritated owner who seemed furious. Underneath her tough facade though, worry boiled inside her.
I may not be able to take down this demon. Sango mused, catching Hiraikotsu. But I'll have to hold up, Shogaku got up and staggered forward slightly. He was no longer grinning. His crimson eyes narrowed to slits, piercing the slayer with a loathing stare. Saliva dripped from his jowls, scalding the grassy ground and shriveling the grass. A low, menacing growl rumbled deeply in his throat. He meant to finish off the slayer. For good.
Please, Inuyasha. I need your help.
I need you.
