The Black Flame

Chapter 2

Encounter

"Hurry, Kohaku. Run to the castle…" Naraku ordered. A young boy with a black ponytail and outfit similar to the one that Sango was wearing except with a different color scheme, had the head of Naraku nestled in his arms as he ran.

"Yes sir, Naraku-sama," Kohaku obeyed as he had no reason to disobey his master.

That girl called Kagome is dreadful…The arrow that girl fired cut straight through evil constructs, poison and miasma, and purified it. If Kagome had not been further away from me than Inuyasha…my life would have been at risk, Naraku thought to himself as he shook with each of Kohaku's steps. The head was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice that his mode of transport had stopped moving.

"Who are you?" Kohaku asked, snapping Naraku back into reality. His eyes shifted so that he could view whom Kohaku was speaking to. Ahead of them stood a short black-haired youth with cold, emotionless eyes.

"Hiei, the Cursed Child," answered Naraku as he smirked at the demon in front of him. I didn't account on meeting him, especially in my current condition.

"That's right," replied Hiei before taking another step forward. "How do you know who I am?"

"Kukuku. There's not many who I don't know," inquired Naraku.

"That doesn't answer my question," said Hiei monotonously. "You must be an idiot."

"I, Naraku, an idiot? Kukuku. Move aside, Hiei, or I shall have your head," Naraku warned, although he was grinning.

"You really are an idiot," Hiei concluded as he gripped the sheath of his blade and leapt forward at Kohaku and Naraku.

"Stay away from Naraku-sama," Kohaku ordered as he launched his kusarigama at the incoming blur that was Hiei. The demon leapt into the air, bringing his knees to his chest as he dodged the attack, but Kohaku quickly reeled his weapon in and jumped into the air as well. The boy lashed out at Hiei with his weapon, but Hiei deflected it with his katana and kicked Kohaku to the ground beside Naraku's head.

"Kukuku," the head of Naraku cackled as thick tree roots shot from the ground and angled towards Hiei. The demon simply sliced through them with his katana as if they were made of paper. Kohaku launched his weapon at Hiei one more time, but this attempt also failed as the black haired youth sidestepped it and planted the hilt of his blade into Kohaku.

"I will have no qualms about killing you," warned Hiei as he pointed his blade at Kohaku's downed body. Sweat dripped from Kohaku's brow as he propped himself up with his elbows.

"Kukuku. He's already been killed before," cackled the head of Naraku from behind. This statement made Hiei unsure of what was actually going on with these two oddities.

"He's dead? From the looks of it, I would say you're dead," insisted Hiei as he noticed that Naraku was missing his body.

"I would never be killed by that half-demon Inuyasha and that wretched Kagome girl," said Naraku before spitting in disgust.

"Inuyasha? Is that who did this to you?" He asked, beginning to become intrigued.

"He and his companions," Naraku answered honestly.

"He sounds much more fun than you…Naraku, was it? I think I'll go seek him out and fight him instead of a weak child and a decapitated head," decided Hiei as he spun on his heels, leaving his back to the villains.

"Are you sure you should be turning your back to us?" Naraku cackled.

"Like I said, a wimpy child and the defenseless head of a demon pose no threat to me. But now that I think about it, I could just kill you now on be on with my day," stated Hiei arrogantly as he sheathed his blade.

"I like your confidence, Hiei," Naraku grinned, while Hiei took a step away from them. "But if you want to lure Inuyasha out, you'll want to use this," Naraku said. Hiei turned around as Kohaku extended his arm toward the petit demon and handed him a small pink fragment. Hiei opened his fist and let the small object drop weightlessly to his palm so that he could examine it. "That is a Shikon Fragment. That is what Inuyasha is after, so it will be easy to draw him out using it"

"Why should I accept this from you?" Hiei questioned as he held the Shikon no Tama in between his thumb and index finger and held it close to his eye so he could inspect it.

"Then don't accept. It makes no difference to me," declared Naraku. However, if you take it, that will be good for me. Maybe Inuyasha and Hiei can kill each other off, or even wound each other severely enough that I can wipe them both out at the same time.

"Hmph," grunted Hiei as he closed his fist around the shard and walked away. I appreciate the shard to lure out Inuyasha, but I'm going to do things my own way, Naraku.

…

"Naraku escaped…?" Miroku asked as he looked around the empty field. Kagome was on her hands and knees in the grass beside him, as she seemed to look for something.

"Yeah, because…the Shikon Fragment's gone," she replied. "I'm sorry…I couldn't fell him."

"If you hadn't been there Kagome-sama, all of us would have died," Miroku comforted.

"It seems you are the most amazing of any of us," reassured Inuyasha.

"Because…when he started making fun of Inuyasha…I just snapped," Kagome said as she looked down at the ground.

"You…for such a silly reason…" Inuyasha blushed as he became slightly embarrassed with Kagome's statement. Uncomfortable, Inuyasha quickly looked away from Kagome.

"Ehhhh? What do you mean, 'silly'?" Kagome stammered, but she didn't notice what was going on away from her.

"Don't move about, Sango!" Inuyasha, Kagome, and Miroku all turned their attention to Shippo and Sango, who was using Hiraikotsu, her gigantic boomerang made of demon bones, to help her to her feet.

"Sango-chan," Kagome called out the female's name, but Miroku voice soon entered her ears.

"Where are you going?" He asked. Sango turned her head to look at the monk before speaking.

"Sorry…I can't go with you anymore," she stated hesitantly.

"Sango…about your brother, and Naraku threatening you, everybody accepts that," Miroku said softly as he took a step towards her.

"That's why!" She shouted. "I'd betray you again! Naraku has Kohaku completely under his thumb…" Miroku and Inuyasha stood silent and merely looked anywhere but Sango's eyes.

"Sango-chan…" Kagome repeated as she held her right fist to her chest.

"Sango, you…intend to slay Naraku by yourself, don't you?" Miroku questioned, sounding concerned.

"That's the only way," she insisted as she turned her back to them again.

"No…let's all look for Kohaku together," Kagome suggested.

"Right," agreed Miroku. "Alone, you can't match him."

"Okay, first we have to see these wounds," Kagome said as she walked over to Sango and put her hand on her upper arm and peered over her shoulder.

"Why are all of you…" Sango was quickly cut off by a sudden outburst.

"Stop gabbling! It's better that we're all together!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Because you're a strong fighter!"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome sighed.

"While you had stolen the Tessaiga, Inuyasha said this: 'there isn't a problem'," Miroku informed her.

"…you saying I'm an idiot or something?" Inuyasha questioned as he looked at Miroku.

"I'm saying you have a big heart," assured the monk.

"Do you hate us, Sango?" Shippo asked, but Sango didn't reply.

It's all my fault that all this happened…even though the same thing might happen again, she concluded in her head. "Is it okay…for me to come with you?" She asked.

"Hey, we already said so!" Shouted Inuyasha. Tears slowly dropped from Sango's face as she closed her eyes. "…why is she crying?" Seeing how clueless Inuyasha was about women's feelings, Miroku offered to explain it.

Sango-chan had been heartbroken the whole time…Kagome put her right hand on the back of Sango's head in order to comfort her. "It's okay now." Sango gripped Kagome's uniform tightly as she sobbed. Because we're all together…