Sango struggled not to waver as she tried to listen what the strange man said. "Inuyasha? You're wrong! He would never be behind any of this..." She watched with scrutiny as the baboon cloaked man stood slowly. "It's true. Your Shikon Jewel is gone, is it not? It would appear he planned to lure the tajiya away and lead a wave of demons to your village. He found your grave and retrieved the jewel..." Sango shook her head, cradling it in her hands. 'No.. There's no way.'

Sango straightened her posture as much as she could, her hair clinging to her sweaty neck and back. Her breath escaped in short, ragged gasps. "I have divine sight. I will find the jewel and whoever is responsible for all this... And it won't be Inuyasha!" Kagewaki and Naraku exchanged worried glances. "Naraku, why don't you go with her? In her condition, she shouldn't be alone..." Sango snorted, spitting blood on the ground beside her.

"I don't need an escort. I won't die until the culprit is dead, you have my promise." Kagewaki opened his mouth to respond but Naraku interjected. "He's right. If vengeace is what you seek let me come. I have a remedy for the pains, you're alive by a miracle after the wounds you received." Sango looked Naraku up and down. There was something about him that caused his skin to crawl, but given her options she didn't have much of a choice. "Fine. Show me, then." Smirking, Naraku followed Sango as she staggered inside. 'Perfect...'

"No survivors? None at all..." Inuyasha winced at the trembling note in the miko's voice. He had never seen Kaede so upset over anything. She was always collected and very calm. Watching her shake in disbelief at the news of Sango's demise was almost too much to witness. "None. This was carefully planned. From what I can tell the majority of the tajiya were lured away and ambushed, Sango with them... Then hordes of demons stormed the fort. With nobody to help defend they didn't stand a chance."

Kaede shook her head in disbelief. "I will hold memorial for all the victims of this tragedy. What will we do with the jewel?" Inuyasha stared firmly into Kaede's face. "First things first. I'm gonna kill the bastard responsible for doing such a despicable thing." He gestured toward the relatively new sword at his hip. "This sword, my father left for me... Myouga says it holds great power. I will master this sword and defeat them!" He resolved, his fist tightening.

Kaede nodded with a stone face. "And what of the Sacred Jewel?" She eyed the single shard still hanging on the string around his neck. Inuyasha looked down at the jewel with a somber face. "This thing... I will look after it for a while, I guess. I won't- I won't use it for a while out of respect for her." Kaede almost smiled at that. "I think she'd be proud." Inuyasha felt his shoulders sag. It was the least he could do. 'I didn't protect her or Kikyo. People who come into contact with me end up with such terrible fates...' Inuyasha sighed and returned the jewel into his haori shirt.

"I suppose I cannot stop you... You will go to this fight?" Kagewaki's tone of voice told that he already knew there'd be no dissuading the youkai exterminator. Sango nodded stoically, ignoring the unbearable throb through her whole body. "Yes. I will." He nodded slightly. "Then please, let Naraku accompany you. He is very knowledgable and will be of great help. When you are done return here, you will be cared for. It's the least that can be done..."

"Have you gone and died on me already, Sango?" Sango twitched out of her light sleep and faced the man with piercing eyes. "Don't kid yourself. I assure you, I won't die. Not before I get my revenge." Naraku inhaled sharply at that, his smirk never fading. "Very well. Do you think that you can walk? These horses won't make it on this terrain." Sango glared at him defiantly as slid of the horse, standing with a slight tremble. Moments later her body betrayed her as she slid to the ground weakly. 'D-Damn it...'

He approached her as she struggled to stand again against her weapon. "Will your broken body be able to fight?" He wondered aloud. Sango snorted. "Don't doubt me." She bit out as she struggled along. "I sense it, the jewel... It's this way." Naraku filed wordlessly behind her.

'I won't be returning back to that castle... I won't make it. Please, let this body endure. There's one more thing I must do.'

Still, despite how hard pushed on her body crumbled beneath her multiple times. "D-Damn it-" she gasped, weak from the exertion. Naraku only shook his head. "You're in pain, aren't you? At this rate you'll die on the way..." he reached into his cloak and reveal some sort of concoction. Sango eyed it wearily. She was desperate but didn't trust the man. "This will ease you of your pain while simultaneously helping you heal faster. You'll be able to make it through the battle and then rest as much as you need." Sango stared at the flask and then again at the man. "It will only taste bitter, you can trust me." His deep, velvety voice sent chills down her spine. Still, despite her better judgement she accepted the drink.

Bitter was an understatement. She frowned as she choked it down, but found her body feeling warmer and stronger instantly. 'He-He was right... I'll be unstoppable now. With no pain to hold me back.' "There, much better." Sango nodded dumbly, carefully rising to her feet.

Inuyasha walked aimlessly through the field. He certainly realized what it felt like to be a miko. He was relentlessly targeted by youkais of all kinds in the days after he acquired the Sacred Jewel. His days consisted of fighting off demons and checking on Kaede. There wasn't much else to anything anymore. He rarely frowned but he rarely smiled either. It had almost seemed like a dream when hiraikotsu cut through the clearing. He was almost too entranced by it to react. He dodged it initially but due to Sango's expert trajectory he knew it would return to strike him.

Dumbly, Inuyasha whipped out his weathered sword as it transformed into a fang. He held it defensively, blocking the giant bone boomerang from injuring him. Panting slightly, he waited for her.

"GIVE ME BACK MY JEWEL!"

Wobbly, but still in flight, hiraiktosu flew back into the hands of it's capable wielder as she glared at her opponent. It felt like her lungs were in a vice. It couldn't be, anyone but- "Inuyasha.." She whispered, words catching in her throat. "SANGO?"

She knew it. The shard still hung around his neck as though to mock her. The entire jewel hidden in his haori pocket. Everything. Every travel together, ever fight- it all led to the moment where he could ambush her and destroy her village. Taking the jewel for his own selfish devices under the pretense of friendship. Sango glared, her chest burning as Inuyasha staggered towards her.

"Sango! I thought, I thought you were dead!" He cried out, looking over her frantically. Sango swallowed and found her voice somehow. "I bet you did." Inuyasha was too shocked to check her strange tone of voice. He reached for her but she moved back, eyes blazing through him. "San-"

"How the hell did you get the Shikon Jewel?" Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, trying to pin point Sango's erratic behavior. He frowned down at her. "What?! Don't fucking worry about that now! You smell close to death, Sango. You reek of blood!" He grabbed on to her arm to assist her but was surprise to find her katana stuck clean through his arm. He breath caught in his throat as he hopped back from her. "Sango..."

"You don't have to act anymore, Inuyasha! I know. EVERYTHING." He saw her grip tighten on the handle of hiraikotsu. "This whole elaborate thing for my Shikon Jewel... But you dragged so many innocent people into it! You pretended to be my friend..." A tear slipped from Sango's eye as she whirled hiraikotsu over her head. "You think I destroyed your village?! Sa-" Inuyasha leapt back, wrenching her sword from his arm.

"You have to pay." Sango said, her face pinched with hatred. Swinging her mighty weapon for Inuyasha she ran. 'Damn it?! How could she think I'd do this? Who set me up!?' He blocked her sword with Tessaiga, sweat beading on his forehead. "Wake up, Sango! You really think I could be so foul?" Sango quickly threw a potent smelling poison at his feet. 'Damn it!' Without a choice he leapt into the sky which is what he knew she wanted. He barely dodged the boomerang through the plume of smoke, folding a red haori sleeve over his mouth. 'Shit. She's injured badly but fighting better than ever...'

Inuyasha had barely landed on the ground when Sango approached him relentlessly with her katana. Her speed and dexterity were unrivaled. Frowning, Inuyasha carefully knocked the katana from her grasp. "Sango you've got to come to your senses, your body-" Sango felt a shudder that brought her to one knee. "Da-Damn..."

Sango struggled to stand again, angry she was at Inuyasha's mercy. 'I feel no pain but my body is growing weak still...' Inuyasha peered down over Sango in grave concern. "Sango, please. I'm sure this can be-" Sango snatched at the necklace holding the shard of the Shikon Jewel and threw it to the ground. "Ah!" Mustering the last of her strength she grabbed at the rest of the Sacred Jewel and held it tightly in her hand.

Tears flowing from her eyes she squeezed it tight, mustering all of her spiritual energy. "Sango!" In a flash of white like the Sacred Jewel shattered in to dozens and dozens of different shards scattering all over. Inuyasha watched in awe as the jewel disappeared. "If I die..." Sango began with a labored breath. "I could never leave the Sacred Jewel in the hands of someone like you." Inuyasha stared at her in disbelief. 'Sango..'

Naraku appeared in an instant, surprised that Inuyasha was still alive. "Sango!" He snapped quickly. She turned to him, staggering to her feet again. "Hurry, kill him!" Sango turned to Inuyasha, her wrist blade activating. She swiped for him but lost her footing. Her body felt heavy and foreign, and against her will she slumped against him into his arms. She tensed in his embrace, weak fists batting his chest. "Damn you, Inuyasha! Damn you to hell!"

Naraku's face was pinched under his mask. Where was the Sacred Jewel? "Sango- Where is the Shikon Jewel? Get away from Inuyasha and destroy him!" He barked quickly. Inuyasha peered around Sango's body at the strange man in the baboon pelt. "Who the fuck are you anyway? Why do you know who I am?!" Sango pushed away from Inuyasha and fell to her knees. "Naraku, I separated the jewel into fragments in case I died. The jewel should not be in the hands of one like him."

Naraku felt his blood run cold. 'Shattered? She SHATTERED the jewel!?'

"You did WHAT?" Naraku approached Sango quickly as she staggered to her feet. She couldn't see but his eyes were fuming beneath his mask. In a fluid motion he smacked Sango to the ground. Inuyasha started, swiping at him as he grabbed on to the jewel. A tentacle shot from beneath his robes and right for them both. Quickly, Inuyasha grabbed her and pulled her away. 'Inuyasha is... Saving me?!' Naraku glared, holding the one remaining shard in his own hand. "Foolish girl. If you just followed directions you would've died in bliss..." He explained with with a chuckle. "Wh-What?"

He stared at them, more tentacles appearing. "I orchestrated so much to get the jewel and you went and shattered it, Sango. Now what will I do?" Inuyasha edged in front of him, fists tightened. "What'd you say?! You orchestrated what!?" Naraku chuckled again. "I went through the trouble of luring the demon slayers away and sending demons to the fort. I was even kind enough to send this one after you thinking she had avenged her murdered friends and family..." Sango trembled from her knees. 'No... He did this. He did everything!'

"How dare you, you bastard! You destroyed so many innocent lives for the Sacred Jewel, you're fucking foul!" Inuyasha shouted, his blood boiling. Naraku sneered. "Oh, Inuyasha. Maybe you should be concerned with you and.. Kikyo's affairs." Inuyasha almost dropped his sword in surprise. "What did you say?"

"Years ago, when Kikyo came after you. The Kikyo who said she hated you and would never be with you, that was me all those years ago. And the you that struck Kikyo down and murdered her... Was also me. We're old friends, Inuyasha. Going on 50 years." Inuyasha was shaking, his vision fading in and out. 'Those terrible visions of Kikyo, glaring at me... Covered in blood- Staring at me with such hatred! It's because of him! N-Naraku...'

He turned back to a shocked Sango with a sneer. "I haven't forgotten you, madame Sango. The elixir I gave you should be wearing off very soon. It also wasn't an elixir, but a poison. You should feel it's true effects any second." Sango struggled to her feet, panting raggedly with her weapon in her hand. "NARAKU!" Sango attempted to throw her boomerang but her body failed her, locking and falling to the ground in an exhausted heap. 'My.. My body...'

"S-Sango!" Naraku chortled as Inuyasha crouched to her side. Sango winced and shuddered as the pain descended upon her. "Damn... He's right. I'm useless if I can feel pain..." She turned to look into Inuyasha's face carefully. "Inuyasha... Don't worry about me. I'm as good as dead. Go after Naraku and kill him at all costs." Inuyasha eyed her in surprise. "Leave you, to just bleed out? Not likely. You've been talking a lot of nonsense today. If you think I'd let you die without chewing you out-" Inuyasha took a step forward. "You're mistaken." Sango smiled half heartedly. 'Inuyasha...'

Naraku sneered. "Neither of you are in condition to fight me. To try is foolish, especially with a corpse on your side." Inuyasha's face darkened. "Don't fucking talk about her like that. You're gonna pay alright-" "Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha turned to Sango, sweating profusely with an arrow drawn. "Listen, you've only got one shot. After this arrow I'm sure my body will go out. So please, make it count." Inuyasha frowned at her as the arrow began to grow. "Stop it, you idiot! If it's going to kill you don't do it!"

Sango smiled to herself. "Gomen nasai." The arrow was released with a brilliant glow as it hurdled towards Naraku, who was unafraid. 'Such meager spiritual powers are nothing-' The arrow landed with a surprising blast, the spiritual power eating away successfully at his body. 'What? Who is this girl who's arrows are like Kikyo's?!' With a roar Inuyasha took the opportunity and sliced his sword clean through, cutting through the strange body of their opponent. His body faded away, one half of a face remaining with a smug sneer. Inuyasha stabbed that as well, watching as the wind blew it away. A wooden doll remained, confirming his fear. "Fake, a fucking puppet." A sigh from Sango turned his attention elsewhere.

She had slumped over on her side, blood seeping out of her wounds and on to the ground. "Shit." Inuyasha uttered as he landed at her side and carefully examined her. "Hey, no dying on me." He said worriedly. "I have a lot of complaining to do." Sango looked up through half lidded eyes and tried to smile "Inuyasha... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Inuyasha frowned as he figured the best way to pick her up. "Don't be stupid! Don't apologize, after what you've been through! I don't blame you at all." Sango's breath hitched as she winced. She clutched to his haori sleeve with a trembling hand. "Inuyasha.. I've been trying to make you understand that we're friends and we can trust each other and I didn't believe in you. I can't live with that guilt." Inuyasha stared as tears slipped down Sango's scuffed cheeks. Hesitantly, Inuyasha wiped one away with a grimace.

"If I were in your position I would be out for blood too. I'm not mad, just don't die!" Sango smiled at that and shut her eyes. "Please. Don't let that man get to the Sacred Jewel, Inuyasha..." Inuyasha shook her gently. "H-Hey! Sango!" Carefully, he scooped her up, mindful of the blood staining her tajiya suit. 'You're bleeding so much... Sango, don't die now!'

He sat anxiously outside of Kaede's hut. It seemed like hours since he had carried the dangerously injured girl to her care. Between her injuries, exhaustion, and poisoning Sango had a lot to work against. Despite how worried he was now he felt that Sango would make it somehow. If anything, revenge would drive her. He sighed, glaring at clawed hands. 'What Naraku did to her and that village is absolutely inexcusable...' "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked into Kaede's tired face. He jumped to his feet, mouth opened to ask about Sango. "She is alright... For now. I've never quite seen someone's body wrecked like that... She's lost a lot of blood. Luckily Myouga helped me make a substitute to help her feel stronger. That poison nearly killed her. She should be alright with enough time. Physically, anyways. What she's told me of what happened..." Kaede shook her head with a deep sigh. Inuyasha sat again, his face somber.

"It's even worse than I could imagine, huh?" Kaede shook her head. "It'll be Sango's story to tell. But one person shouldn't have to endure so much. Not one person alone." With that Kaede started down the hill to her own hut. Inuyasha cautiously entered, Sango resting under a thin blanket. She looked pale and small, wrapped in so much bandaging. 'He put me through hell too, Sango. We're gonna get him together. You're not alone.'