"Kohaku!"
Sango huffed in frustration, making her bangs puff up angrily. She had been looking for her brother for a long while now, but he was nowhere to be found. He's only three years old. How could he have gone so far? She had only turned her back for a minute to help her aunt with the washing, and he had been gone when she looked again. At first they thought he was hiding in the shed, but he wasn't. She'd searched all his favorite spots by now- the big rocks in the meadow, the flower field near the forest, the smelting grounds for weapon repairs- but he wasn't to be found. She was scouring the main road now, hoping someone might have seen him toddle past.
It was then that she heard the muffled shouts and crying a little ways off. Not Daiki again! That boy was the meanest kid in the village, in Sango's opinion. He was always finding someone to bully, and it looked as though he had found his newest victim. She couldn't see the child clearly through their legs, but he was much younger, and crying hysterically. Daiki and his friends appeared to be taunting him, throwing a ball back and forth over his head. Sango wondered who the little boy could be.
Wait a minute…
As she stomped over to them, she saw that it was indeed her missing brother. Kohaku sat on the ground, fists opening and closing at the sky, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. Sango's temper flared. She pushed through the ring of boys and confronted Daiki.
"What're you doing to him?" she demanded. "He's three years old!"
"We're playing a little game. He's in the middle, and he's got to catch his ball." Daiki demonstrated the supposed game by catching the ball, then throwing it to a friend on the opposite side of the circle. Kohaku watched the ball soar over his head and let out a renewed wail.
"That's not a game! Stop it!"
"Oooooo, big sister Sango to the rescue! You always gonna fight his battles for him?"
"Leave him alone!" Sango tried to snatch the ball away as it came once again towards Daiki, but he caught it with a fancy twist of the wrist.
"Aw, we're just teasing," he drawled, tossing the ball to his snickering friend. "We're gonna give it back to 'im. He's just stupid. Just like all-"
But what exactly he was just like, Daiki never got to say. Sango launched herself at him, knocking him down. He landed spread-eagled on the ground. Sango straddled him and grabbed him by the collar.
"DON'T EVER," she shouted, "CALL MY BROTHER STUPID!"
She raised her fist and smashed it down on Daiki's face. His friends dropped the ball and scattered, looks of pure terror on their faces. Blood spurted from Daiki's nose. She punched him again and again. Consumed by rage, she rained blows down on his face, shoulders, anywhere she could reach. Finally, her anger spent, she got up. Daiki rolled over and groaned. His mouth was bleeding, and more blood trickled down from his nose to crust on his upper lip. Sango grabbed Kohaku under his arms and hauled him up. Her brother in her arms, she glared once more at Daiki, then held her head high and walked away.
Sango sat in front of the fire, her arms folded over her chest. Kohaku sat off to the side, oblivious to the scene playing out before him. Sango frowned deeply and listened to her father.
"What were you thinking? You broke his nose, Sango. His nose. You can't do that to people. Just how hard were you punching him?"
"He made fun of Kohaku!" Sango protested. "He called him stupid, Father!"
"That doesn't change anything. You can't use violence for every problem, Sango."
"I can if the problem is making my brother cry," she retorted dourly, glaring at the fire.
"No. You can't do anything like this again, do you promise me that?"
Sango didn't respond.
"You can't just punch people who don't agree with you. You need to use restraint. Part of being a good warrior is knowing when to stop. But a good warrior also knows when to start. You can't fight people all the time. Sometimes, you have to use your words.
"When he talked, he made you mad, didn't he? Do the same to him. Words can be just as powerful, if not more so, than the strongest punch or the sharpest sword."
"But you fight all the time, Father, and you're the master of the village!" Sango protested bitterly.
"Yes, but why do you think I stay that way? People respect me, Sango, because I can talk problems out. I can explain my side in a way that everyone understands."
Sango's father paused, then sighed.
"I agree with your motives, but there is still no excuse for what you did. You'll stay inside the rest of the day."
"Yes, Father." Sango bowed her head resignedly. Her father got up and left the hut. Kohaku cooed and chewed on his ball. Sango scooted over to him and pulled him onto her lap.
Hugging him fiercely, she whispered into his hair, "I don't care what Father says. I'll always protect you, no matter what.
"I promised."
AN: Chapter three is here! This was my favorite to write, and even one of the headcanons that started this whole idea in the first place. And if you continue reading, remember this one; it'll tie in later...