"Sister! Sister, PLEASE! I'm scared! I'm so sorry, help me..." Sango ran as fast as she could. She could see Kohaku and hear him sobbing but she couldn't reach him. She ran until her lungs burned and her legs wobbled, hands outstretched for the boy. "Kohaku!" She cried out, tears streaming from her own hazel eyes. "Kohaku, I'm here! I'm coming!"
"Sister..." Finally fate allowed them to meet, collapsing into a sobbing heap on the floor. Kohaku pressed his face to Sango's chest, his small body wracked with soul shattering sobs. She just comforted him the best she could, stroking his hair and clutching tightly to him. "It's okay. I forgive you. Kohaku, I forgive you-" Sango froze as she felt the sickle driven into her back, blood spilling everywhere.
She looked to his face in surprise, dead eyes staring through her. "N-No... Why? Kohaku, why! Why! Why..."
Inuyasha frowned over Sango's mumbling body. He adjusted the rag on her forehead and debated whether he should wake her. Her head dripped with sweat and her body shook as she moaned. "W-Why... Kohaku..." Softly, he shook her shoulder and waited to see brown eyes. After what seemed like eternity they opened and the crying stopped. Sango struggled to focus on the hanyou who was leaning over her worriedly. "I-Inuyasha." She said hoarsely, struggling to sit up.
"Don't try to be up yet. It's okay, you were having a bad dream'er something.." Sango frowned as she slowly eased into a sitting position. "I have them every time I'm sleep. How long has it been since-"
"A couple of days." Inuyasha informed. He handed Sango a bowl of rice and mixed vegetables. "Eat, you need your strength up." Sango glared at the bowl of food. Somehow, she wasn't very hungry. She picked at the food for a while before speaking. "Inuyasha..." He snorted at her.
"Don't go apologizing for everything again. You were injured and you fought like shit. You gave me more trouble the first time we met." Inuyasha answered roughly. A ghost of a smile washed over Sango's face. Inuyasha's softened. "But tell me, I need to know. Sango... What happened?" Sango nodded grimly, hazel eyes searching Inuyasha's face.
"The palace, the spider demon... They were all a trick of Naraku. I can't speak of the horrors my village saw..." Sango began to tremble slightly. "But at that castle, we overcame the spider demon with ease. It was too easy. The real problem was that my younger brother killed the rest of our tribe with his own weapon. He even tried to kill me." Inuyasha's face contorted into a look of horror. "Y-Your brother killed the demon slayers?" His voice was quiet at the realization. Sango nodded.
"For entertainment, I guess, Naraku had possessed my brother and turned him against us all. By the time I realized the spider web controlling him... It was already too late. The palace guards thought we were mad and shot us with arrows." Inuyasha looked at the ground, shocked. 'How cruel...' Sango shifted in discomfort, her eyes burning with the threat of tears. "I was even buried. I'm not so sure how or why I'm alive..."
Sango looked up through her tears with a torn smile. "Even still. I will take solace in the fact that, that Kohaku was himself when he died. My last moments with him... He knew who he was and who I was. He wasn't being controlled anymore." 'Sister... I'm scared..' Sango batted at her eyes. Inuyasha felt his hands curl into shaking fists. He had never heard such a heinous story. "Naraku told me whoever had the Sacred Jewel knew where my grave was located and dug me up to retrieve it. So when I found you with the jewel... I lost it. So now you know why I was so quick to fight you."
Inuyasha nodded. "That bastard rolled it right over to me knowing I'd pick it up. He must've gotten it from you and found that you were alive." Sango didn't feel a pain as her nails dug into her palms. "All of this... He could've taken the jewel and be gone. He went through so much trouble and I shattered the jewel..."Sango shook her head in disbelief. "I don't understand why he tried to make it so much more complicated. Inuyasha snorted. "I guess it's his game."
He faced Sango seriously. "He could've taken the jewel 50 years ago. He wanted to turn Kikyo and I against each other. I guess it gets him off. Doesn't matter now, he isn't getting the jewel now. He's gonna pay for all the things that he's done." Sango stared into the fire for a long while. She gasped as she felt Inuyasha take her hand in his rough one. "Sango, I-I'm sorry... For everything that's happened. But you're not alone. I promise you, we're gonna get revenge on him. Together. So don't worry." Sango felt her body relax. Even after she had fought against him, Inuyasha hadn't abandoned her.
Her eyes widened as he brought him closer to her, her head leaning on his broad chest. 'Inuyasha...'
"I promise you that! We're gonna defeat him, together!" he cried earnestly. Sango nodded, tears spilling past her eyes. 'Inuyasha...' "You risked your life for me..." He held her even closer, his eyes shining with emotion. "You cried for me... Nobody's ever done that, Sango. I'm gonna protect you and never let anything like this happen to you again! I promise-" He heard a soft snore come from the girl in his eyes. He stared at her, small smile on his face. "Idiot." he whispered as he stroked her hair absent-mindedly.
He didn't even notice when Kaede bustled in, arms full of herbs and medicines. "Inuyasha, how is- Oh..." Inuyasha tensed and quickly (and carefully) set Sango back down on the futon. Hie scowled profusely as the miko came all the way inside. "Don't you ever knock..." He grumbled lowly. This prompted a chuckle from the priestess. "Is there a reason I should? Inuyasha you just ask and..." Her voice trailed off as the hanyou got progressively redder in the face. "I only kid, you know. How is she."
Inuyasha's face turned more serious as he watched he sleep restlessly. "I guess how you'd imagine. She's just got a lot of healing to do, but I think she will be alright.." Kaede set her herbs down in the thought. "I would imagine so with you watching over her. Inuyasha watched as she bustled outside of the hut. He watched Sango with a sigh.
"Are you gonna wake up or what?" Inuyasha's indignant voice roused the battered girl from her sleep. She shot Inuyasha a dark glare as she shifted on Kirara's back. As soon as she could walk she had insisted on taking off much to Kaede's dismay. "No injuries are too great." She had said. "I am the one who can see the Sacred Jewel and I am the one who must rectify this mess. I can't take my time." Kaede hesitantly sent them away with herbs and potions and all sorts of things to hopefully make the journey a little easier.
Sango trudged along as valiantly as she could but Inuyasha could tell what a strain the traveling was on her body. Without taking 'no' for an answer he had her situated atop her loyal feline youkai who was happy to carry her where she needed to go. Between the heat and the rhythmic lull of Kirara's steps Sango fell in to a deep and well needed sleep.
Brown eyes landed on the impatient hanyou as he glared at her. "I'm awake." She rasped, sitting up slowly. This prompted a whine from Kirara who'd been very concerned for her over the past few days. With careful coordination, Sango began to ease herself off of the broad neko youkai. In a moment Inuyasha was beside her and very gingerly easing her on to a near by boulder. She flashed a look mixed with embarrassment and gratitude to the hanyou. "Thank you." She said, her voice weak. He nodded and surveyed their surroundings. It was fairly open, near a forest and some sort of battle had just taken place. Wouldn't hurt to rest there, he knew Sango couldn't keep moving too much.
He cracked his knuckles and stood. "I can catch the scent of rabbits nearby. You stay here with Kirara and I'll catch some food for us to eat." He explained. He peered into the girl's face and noticed that she didn't seem to be paying attention to what he said. Her eyes were focused on something beyond him, glazed over with a haunted look. Kirara noticed how detached the girl had been lately, nudging her with a whine. Kirara missed Kohaku and all her friend's and family too. She knew somewhat the extent of Sango's sorrow.
"Hey, Sango." Inuyasha voice gently probed Sango's day dreaming. She looked up at him with tired eyes. "Ah, gomen. What'd you say?"
"Rabbits, I'm going to go catch some for dinner. Kirara, stay with her." The hell cat grunted in affirmation as he disappeared into the forest. With a sigh she leaned over on to the warm, neko youkai. She sighed into her thick fur. "I wish this were all a dream, Kirara..." Kirara licked her face affectionately, curling around her in a protective stance. Before Sango knew it she had dozed off again, escaping the physical throb of her injuries if only for a little bit.
She awoke a little while later to the rumbling of her feline companion. She tensed, sitting up quickly and watched as the sky grew dark and smoke swirled around them. 'What... What is this?' She wondered to herself. The thought of wielding hiraikotsu made her head spin, but if it were life or death she'd manage. Kirara was bristling, looking around them with wrathful eyes. "You! You have the Shikon No Tama, don't you?!" Sango's eyes narrowed. 'They know I was the priestess with the jewel!'
She almost missed the comment Myouga (who apparently had been on her shoulder) made at that moment. "This, this is Kitsune Bi!" She made a face as she watched the smoke form into something else. "I won't ask again, witch!" The voice sounded again, a big pink sphere appearing right before them. It had large eyes and strange, wiry limbs. Sango knew better than to underestimate a youkai but she didn't feel threatened. Mostly just confused.
Before Sango could begin to investigate the strange demon herself a flash of red appeared in front of them, glaring at the youkai with malice. "What the hell is this?" He commented with disdain. The flustered demon spoke again, eyes narrowed in anger. "I am a powerful demon who requires the Sacred Jewel! Hand it here!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes at how pathetic the youkai seemed. With ease, he jabbed the circular being causing it to cry out in protest. He watched, a bit embarrassed as it's true form was revealed. On the ground now was a small child, about 3 or four. He had burnt orange hair in a puffy pony tail and a huge fluffy tail to match. His eyes were bright turquoise and his face was rosy and cherub-like. He glared at Inuyasha with a frown, unspilled tears in his eyes. "W-What are are you doing, you jerk!?" he cried out in surprise as he rubbed his head.
Sango looked unsurely between Inuyasha and Myouga. "A child?" She questioned unsurely. Inuyasha grabbed him by the tail and exmined him. "Heh, a tail. He's just a tanuki brat." He began to struggle in Inuyasha's grasp, eyes flashing indignantly. "I'm a FOX." Sango stifled laughter for a moment. The little kitsune youkai was cute. He scrambled out of Inuyasha's grasp and hopped onto Sango's chest. He rummaged around her chest, causing her to flush a deep red. "Uh, excuse me..." The fox kit made a sound of satisfaction as he leapt away with the jewel fragment. "Perfect!"
Inuyasha was fuming now as the fox youkai leapt into the sky. "There, it's mine now! Farewell!" He disappeared in a new plume of smoke. Sango and Inuyasha looked around them, for a moment believing the kitsune had made his get away with their only shard. A rustle in the graveyard alerted Inuyasha otherwise. With a roll of his eyes he quickly smashed the skull open to reveal the fox kit and their shard. He snatched it back swiftly and returned to Sango's side, eyeing the small demon with annoyance.
Sango slowly approached the small demon, smiling at him gently. "Little one... What could you possibly need this jewel shard for?" The kitsune pouted, avoiding Sango's soft eyes. "My name is Shippo. I am searching for jewel shards to avenge my otou-san against his enemies." He explained glumly, eyes cast at the ground. Inuyasha approached Sango, arms folded as he stared at the small demon. "So then, that means you wanted to increase your power with jewel shards?"
Shippo became flustered, cheeks flushing red. "Even without them I'm already strong!" He cried at Inuyasha. Inuyasha was clearly unconvinced as the kitsune stood. Sango sent him a sympathetic look before she filed after him. "Your father had a jewel shard, huh?" Sango inquired. He nodded bitterly. "They go around just murdering youkai who have jewel fragments!" Shippo said, more tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"They?" Inuyasha interjected. Shippo nodded. "Thunder Brothers." He replied as he sat on the ground. Myouga quivered at the mention of their name. "The two horribly violent brothers, Hiten and Manten. I've heard they're quite terrible, but..." Myouga's voice trailed off at the thought of the duo. Inuyasha snorted, excited at the news.
"It doesn't matter what they are, Myouga. If we destroy them, Sango and I can get a bunch of jewel shards at once." Shippo turned his dark glare towards him, arms folded. "Hah! Don't make me laugh. A nothing like you doesn't stand a chance around someone like them." He explained nonchalantly. Inuyasha frowned. Shippo snickered a little. "Your scent is mixed with a human's, you're hanyou aren't you?" Inuyasha winced visibly at the kitsune's assumption. He didn't say anything but he noticed that Sango stooped down to the fox kit and tugged on his ear.
"Shippo, you shouldn't say such things." She reprimanded in a soft but stern voice. For some reason, as he stared into the warm eyes of the woman he felt bad. As Inuyasha approached and swiftly knocked him on the head he forgot that feel. "Ah- What're you doing?!" Without another word Inuyasha began knocking Shippo repeatedly on the head, to the Kitsune's dismay. "Now, master this is quite childish..." Uttered Myouga with a tired expression.
"Inuyasha! You're no better than he is!" She tugged the hanyou away from the blubbering fox kit. He glowered at Shippo, arms crossed with a stern expression. "Ah-Ah! Forgive me! I'm sorry!" He cried, bowing towards the hanyou. He sneered at him. "Fine, as long as you understand..." In the blink of an eye Inuyasha's hand was covered with a heavy statue. With a mischievous grin Shippo placed a spell tag on it. "Consider this my apology. Oh! Unless that seal is removed from the Jizou statue it can't be moved!" Inuyasha was growling now, tugging at his hand from under the strange statue. "You little shit- Remove this!"
He turned quickly to Sango and leapt for her chest, stealing her shard of the Shikon Jewel with ease. "Sorry about that, but I'll be needing this!" Without another word he took off in the opposite direction. Frowning now, Sango slipped into a jog and chased after him. "S-Sango!? Where do you think you're going! You reek of blood!"
Sango tossed a look over her shoulder. "Kirara, keep an eye on Inuyasha until he can get that statue off his arm." Kirara growled in response, watching with the hanyou as she disappeared. "God damn it."