AN: I hope the last chapter came as a surprise for many of you, and I know many will ask: "Why did you kill Inuyasha? You EVIL!" (begins to toss things at me)

University is fun yet the workload, quizzes are closing in on me. Finally I squeezed out sometime to make this chapter possible.

One more thing, 1 more to my flame list…(chuckles):

Submitted 2 days before my birthday (I'm 18!)

"i read like the first ten minutes and it sucked ok thats it hope i get to sabatsh some more." –bk

Thanks wow bk you like really crack me up and "Sabatsh" that is such a cool sounding word congratulations I monstrously snatched away 10 minutes of your life ok thats it. -GotN

Onwards...

Chapter 20: A Sword Named Twilight

Sango cannot help it but feel a little empty. Hiraikotsu, the weapon that was with her since, forever, since the day Princess Sango died. It fought with her and protected her and gave its own life is draining away till the bitter end.

She sighs as she dumps a few logs beneath the giant pot almost her height with a channel at the side to pour out the hot liquid filtered from the sand at the bottom of the Sacred River. Those secrets that Totousai sensei taught her, the secret ingredient turns out to be the simplest, right before anyone's eyes but only they are blind.

There isn't a single cloud in the sky, she looks up…Sensei, how are you doing now?

Then she pours the ore into a slab of very smooth stone, beside it are some tools, including a mould in the shape of a small boomerang about an arm's length, and beside that is a bucket of water reflecting the sky.

The red hot ore fills the crevasse on the rock.

Szzzz…red slowly fades as the bucket of water falls.

Sango wipes off some sweat from her forehead. She is glad, now Hiraikotsu found its rightful owner.

Now she's forging some companion pieces for Hiraikotsu…several smaller boomerangs in case Kagome needs to fend off multiple attackers.

Gazing into the distance, Kagome is practicing again. The swishing of Hiraikotsu almost never stops. She really doesn't have a warrior's face, but that does not ever stop her.

Sango smiles as she gazes upon her friend, the savior of her land.

Her face changed…from the fragile one…to something else…

"Need a hand?" A voice speaks behind her…She turns around and stares into a pair of deep blue-gray eyes.

She pauses for a moment, "thanks."

Miroku smiles, "It's time to make your own weapon."

Knock, knock, they worked till the afternoon, chiseling rocks, making a mold. But the heavy workload never gets dull, because there's the two of them.

Far away, General Setsuya and General Hayato are training the militia, their fierce battle cry echoes across the sky.

She catches the boomerang with precision, it now always flies to where she desires. The grass sways in waves, stretching until infinity…

It's just like 500 years ago…

Just like the first time she met him.

What would I do if I see him again? She wonders between thrusting Hiraikotsu to the distance. A little anger sparks inside her… He never got the chance to explain…He abandoned me. A series of shivers runs down her spine…the memory of her in the underworld, where the thing chained onto the altar, the thing that showed the memory of Sesshoumaru killing her in her last lifetime…

There is only the sound of Hiraikotsu cutting through the air.

"Sango, you stupid clumsy girl," A voice sounds from the above. "You never change do you?"

Though it was an insult but Sango's face lit up as the first ray of sunlight after the rain.

She drops the tool for smoothing the stone. "Totousai sensei!"

"Aye!" He answers from his black steed stepping onto wisps of white clouds. "How many times do I have to tell you not to use limestone as the mould! They make second rate low class weapons!"

Sango is stunned for a moment. Happiness flows for once truly into her heart ever since the fall of the Northern lands, "Sensei, you never change either." She smiles at the ancient face and the long silvery beard that's down to his knee…He looks like a saint stepping right out of a legend. His blue robe flows in the same direction as those clouds. The silver keys on his cloak appear as if they are embodied onto wind.

"I have something for you," the saint says from above with the orange background of the autumn mountains. Leaves fall down filling the sky with them…This is a scene from a painting. He takes out a piece of purple leaf from his sleeve…

"The Enchanted Forest!" Sango exclaims, the misses that place, where magic pulsates over every inch of the land.

Totousai leaves that wind in the air…Naturally it drifts down into Sango's palms.

And that's where it transformed.. Blue light shoots out of every side…it becomes heavier…and heavier…

As the violet leaf elongates, Sango gasps…

"No way…Sensei, how did you know?"

"Haha, I know a lot of things, silly."

It's a sword.

Almost the same length as her arm…But it is lighter than the lightest feather.

"Sensei—"

"Use it well," Totousai nods, "this one's actually for you…I suppose I should thank you."

Sango pauses for a moment…Sensei never said thanks to her before…

"C'mon little Sango, don't give me that look…it's for taking care of Hiraikotsu and for taking it to its rightful owner." He glances in the direction of Kagome – golden from the sun.

"Uhh…Yes," I must be dreaming…Niceness and Master Totousai do not go together…"You are welcome, sensei."

"Hey! You there," Totousai turns to the young man with blue-gray eyes and turns his identical colored gaze upon Miroku, "Ah, I see, you must be some bigwig because that is another piece of my work. What is your name?" He is referring to Miroku's staff.

"My name is Miroku, from the Land of Tsunami." He salutes the saint-like figure on one knee.

"I was actually looking for you," The old man takes out another golden ring identical to the ones dangling from Miroku's staff, "pass it to me."

Clink…He catches it perfect in the air…and slowly whispering something, he lowers the seventh ring until it touches the large golden vertical ring…and there it is…attached just like the others. "There," he tosses the staff back to Miroku, "the strength should increase seven fold."

"Thank you, Totousai-dono."

"Thank me by taking care of little Sango, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Hey!" Sango interrupts, but she is smiling, this time for real.

"I mean it," the Saint continues with a more serious voice, "if anything happens to her, I will come get you for it."

Miroku suddenly sinks onto one knee and with the same serious tone, he replies, "I will do anything in my powers to protect her, I swear."

Her heart beat suddenly accelerates. He means it. The wind from the Northen Lands sends his black bangs into the air.

"Good," Totousai smiles at him. "Raise your head."

Two pairs of blue-gray eyes meet.

Then he gives him a look as if he is going to say something else, but he holds back…

"So long, Sango," He takes out a paper boat from the folds of his sleeve…"My, my, this way of communication is convenient…It's the same paper boat Miroku folded…"Remember, Sango, you are the Northern Star."

"Wait sensei – "

But Totousai and his steed black as night are already gone.

Sango closes her eyes and faces the sky. She inhales deeply as hope sparks. Sensei, you didn't abandon me…I will do anything my powers to protect her…That phrase repeats in her mind over and over. She used to want to be anyone but herself, but now…

Then the gleaming of the sword takes her attention away.

An elegant handle with a falcon graved upon – the symbol of the Northern Lands an azure jewel for the eyes, and more symbols on its sheath, as an ancient spell – there are no other words for describing its magnificence. The sheath is paper thin, as if it almost cannot support the weight of the sword. Attached to the side is a thin bronze chain. On the side there is its name, written in Hiragana.

"Twilight," Miroku reads."

"You are the Northern Star, "Sango repeats the last thing Totousai sensei says to her. "this must be another riddle." She takes a deep breath.

The blade ejects itself out as soon as she gives it the slightest touch. Sango squint her eyes from the bright light emitting form the blade…it's gold…yet a pale shade of gold as the color of starlight.

The blade transforms to one thin and long beam…more like light than a sword, that beam grows taller than her for a split second then adjusts itself to the perfect length.

"Whoa…" she is in even deeper awe for her sensei, "looks like his skills improved."

"The moon, wait…" Miroku suddenly motions towards the other side of the sword, "It sometimes has one side hidden the other showing."

Then Sango realizes, the other side of the blade isn'tgold,it's azure…like the purest of the sky. But upon the middle scatters seven stars, the big dipper, Bear in the sky, there are endless legends about those stars.

The seven stars' light is as beams piercing through the other side of the blade.

Violet.

Every single leaves…it's above him around him...in a violet forest on the edge of a cliff he stands.

Wind sends a few violet leaves off the cliff, but as they flutter to his feet, they stay the same deep shade.

He smirks from inside, Enchanted forest huh…it's easier to find than I've imagined.

"Kagome," Miroku reveals the chain of tiny boomerangs dangling, "this is for you."

Her face lights up with violet shades dancing in her eyes, "Thanks! I love it," she examines each of them…there are twelve in total, the largest has the length of her arm and the smallest one can sit upon her palm.

"Sango and I made them," he says as she joins them.

Though she doesn't know Miroku and Sango for that long of a time, but it feels like forever already.

"I thought you could enchant those little ones with your Runes," Sango begin with a wink, "in case there's multiple attackers."

Kagome nods, she feels warm inside, there is more in those tiny boomerangs, there's friendship embodied deep within each one.

Two stone toads sit on either side of a leafless pebble path. They are green, but too real, it looks like they are thinking…The go up to the level of Sesshoumaru's chest, and one is sitting on a book, the other with spectacles on…

Strange geezer, this Totousai, Sesshoumaru steps past them, but then he notices their slick, round, and stony eyeballs are following him.

The dark blue pebble road seems to lead up a slope, shiny polished rocks that are reflecting the violet from the leaves.

Then whispering…a lot of whispering. But somehow his demon senses cannot pin down where the sound comes from…

He notices the father he walks down the path, the more his demon senses are suppressed. There has to be secret wards…how clever…and his desire to kill has also been diluted.

He glances around the forest, the canopy is made of various shades of violet…just like her eyes. Shut up! Another voice tells shim. Rays of light pierces through the canopy and lights up the pink-violet grass below…

The talking…where is that from? Then a voice answers, "down here, stupid!"

Sesshoumaru pauses for a second…it's been…hundreds of years since someone have spoken to him that way.

He looks down…

Mushrooms.

Little palm sized red caps dotted with white.

"Took you long enough," One looks up from its large red hat." Another giggles at the demon overpowering them.

"I'm poisonous, do not eat…" he doesn't know which one spoke, there's hundreds of them littered on the ground by the roadside. "see the sign over…there?" All of their hats sway to the left at once. There is a sign burnt only the trunk of a fallen tree…

One claw begins to rise…but…I need to find him, another part of him urges on. He is knowledgeable throughout his many conquests that a sorcerer powerful enough to keep talking mushroom must have more traps set ahead, so…it'd be only rational to…

"Mushroom," He finally speaks, "where is Totousai?"

"How dare you?" a rather fat and plump looking one points at him with a little fist clutched.

These things have arms?

"Mushroom? Is this how much respect you have for the guardians of this forest? Huh?"
"I know eh."

"Definitely!"

All the mushrooms nod in agreement.

"If you don't ask about our names, what should we call you?"

"I know! I know!" A rather high pitched squeak overshadows the rest."

"Ichigo," the plump one turns to face the speaker. "Tell us what's on you mind."

Then all of them grows quiet…There is a tiny mushroom, probably half of the height of the rest. Its white spots are tiny, hence his name – meaning strawberry.

"Well," the tiny thing blushes as he clears his throat. The forest seems to magically focus on this little creature.

"Fluffy!" He points at Sesshoumaru.

Then the crowd murmurs and nods together.

"You call us Mushroom, not asking our names, why should we ask for yours?"

Something stirs inside him…something he never felt for 500 years…emotions, no, he doesn't feel. This is the closest thing to amusement. Yes, it's been a while.

But in spite of all that, Sesshoumaru then raises a claw.

All goes quiet.

"I will ask one more time, where is Totousai?"

"Lalala…We can't hear you…Fluffy-Lord-Ice-Cube." They all sing together while alternate rows sway in the same direction. "We aren't afraid, because we have Master Totousai."

Suddenly, his claw falls down to earth as lightning…

All the Mushrooms are stunned.

"How could you!"

His claw is right over where little Ichigo used to be.

"You killed him!"

Then they realized his claw does not pierce the poor little mushroom but digs up the earth around him.

"Fluffy, you are mean!" bead-like tears roll down his little cheeks.

Sesshoumaru lifts that handful of soil where Ichigo used to be planted up to his eye level.

"No! I'm afraid of heights," the little thing sobs between whimpering.

"You are coming until I see the old man," the deadly assassin replies.

"Sango-chan might know!" Another Mushroom speaks up. "Sango probably knows where Master Totousai is."

Ichigo now looks blue, a trip with this demon in the near future doesn't sound like fun.

"Please don't hurt him."

"Fluffy, over here," the brave plump one snaps 'her' fingers…"he needs to be in the shade, and to be watered five times a day, and as for food, mix honey with…"

Sesshoumaru already vanishes.

He didn't stay long enough to hearhis newfound identity:'Fluffy the Mushroomnapper'.

According to Ichigo's instructions. Sesshoumaru steps inside a waterfall…but he does not get wet…enchanted. And the mushrooms aren't lying…Totousai isn't around.

There is another sign, scrawled upon Totousai's wall in messy scratches, "I ain't here don't bother."

So the journey begins, north, the cold demon lord with a little mushroom named Ichigo.

It's night once more, the wind now is older than ever before. All the trees sway as desperate leaves try to hold on but cannot.

Everyone in the Northern lands is gathering around the moonlit river banks. The moon is round, but it never stays in one piece over the water, as souls of the ones that Naraku's army destroyed.

"Tonight," Sango's voice overpowers the soft sloshing of the river against the pebbles on the bank and the whispering of the forest. "We do not forget, 100 days ago, the wound inflicted upon every one of us. Though the city is healing but we all know, the greater obstacle lies ahead. Naraku won't give up. But if we band together, I believe that can change." Five hundred pairs of eyes fix upon the rising star of the Northern Lands, her slender figure illuminated by the moon, and a long sword strapped by her side. Many of those sad eyes are now filled with something new. Hope.

They are not afraid.

Because they know Sango will protect them, that the sword named Twilight will, as long as they stay together. The souls of those who perished will stay, and be remembered.

These days Kagome has been busy, summoning her Runes, and making her passages to the Realm of Death. To deliver words, those words of the living to their beloved ones still near enough in the Death Realm. Even Kouga is surprised by her defiance, though he tries to hide that. Even after her mind has been taken over by the thing chained onto the altar in the Underworld. Even after it showed her the worst nightmare, no, reality she has ever faced – being killed by the hands of her soulmate. She still returns to that dark and cold world painted with only gray, this time for others. A newfound respect arises between the cocky Guard of Underworld, Kouga, and the Death Maiden – the only living able to tread in the other realm. She tells him to 'sit' less now. He stops harassing the souls now. Each time she enters the Netherworld golden mist-like souls crowd by her side.

The river bank is full of people, in their hands hold candles, that lights up the entire emerald dragon – the Sacred River – like earthbound stars.

They will always remember.

Then Sango draws out her new sword. The stars in the sky are as tiny lamps, lighting up even the darkest corners with their soft light.

People gasp, as the golden light, made even more powerful by the night erupts from her sword.

Sango displays to them its blade, one side pale gold the other side blue, but with golden light seeping out of 7 points, the same as the constellation of the north.

Suddenly those piercing rays elongates upward towards the sky…especially one…

Then…something, on someone descends from the above.

She is beautiful.

She is in a suit of armor with wrist protection and also at the waist. The periwinkle shield she wears has the texture of a snake.

There is a soft golden glow around her…Wait…that isn't a woman…Sango senses that.

"Sango-sama," his voice strong, he bends down to one knees into the salute of a warrior. "I am one of the seven warriors that will fight by your side." He pauses for a moment. "My name is Jakotsu."

Sango stops for a moment gazing at the man before her, with two painted blue stripes down form his eyes – as two streaks of tears. He must have his stories. "Very well, it's an honor."

"Due to your unfamiliarity with this sword, your present strength can only summon me, but, I will be your guide as to how to summon the rest of my brothers. " His hand slightly touches the hilt of his curved sword at his back.

"Thank you, Jakotsu," Sango nods…Master Totousai's enchantment is so deep, as a narrow beam of light that connects heaven to earth.

"Now I must return." He turns and smiles at the people of Northern Lands, and with a bright flash of light, he is gone. The northern constellations' star next to the one at the top left corner twinkles bright for a single moment.

It's another day in Suto, the sun pierces the red roofs of the skyline. But this day, well, a black and white shadow flashes between the tress, and then disappears.

"Fluffy, fluffy, I'm hungry."

He gives a glare that means: be silent.

"Humph! Then I won't tell you where Sango-chan is."

A claw overshadows his little cap.

"Ok, ok, all I ask is a little water." Little Ichigo shudders.

Then Sesshoumaru lowers the little mushroom into the emerald water of the river.

It spews a series of giant bubbles and mutters incoherent things. But Sesshoumaru doesn't care.A whilelater, a drooping and coughing mushroom emerges.

"Fluffy, you are mean." It shakes the droplets off its little cap, each reflecting the sun as a bright orange dot in the middle.

Who says the sun and moon can't meet, on the east a silver crescent gets ready to rise, about to overpower the sun itself. A gleam of light catches his eyes. A girl, she is wearing a suit of black armors with blue shoulder pads. It's the sword that gleams that light.

"Sango!" Ichigo suddenly exclaims.

Suddenly faster than blink of the eyes, the demon assassin in his black Yukata stands before that girl.

"Are you Sango, the leader of Northern Lands?" With the stoic expression he asks her. A human girl, she probably is made leader by birth…

"I am." Her gaze travels through his attire. A demon…but he does not reek the same tainted aura as Naraku's demons.

"I own a sword he forged, but now'tis broken. Do you know his whereabouts?" He asks with rigid politeness.

"No," She looks at him with wonder. What kind of demons, she wonders, can own a sword forged by her master. He must be of high status. "He travels bythe black steed that rides the wind, and no one may seek him. They are only seeked by him."

Then a wisp of wind.

"Wait…" before she even speaks her words…"who are you?" he is already gone.

All that's left on the ground is a tiny mushroom planted on a piece of earth.

"Sango-chan!" The tiny mushroom screams with his eyes lit.

It's one of the talking and biting mushrooms from Totousai's forest. All they do is insult and even bite the feet of anyone who ventures near. Though they did nothing but taunt her for all the time she lived there. She cannot help but miss them...just a little.

"Ichigo?"

The sky is painted by orange fire. This is the place where Kagome once treaded upon 500 years ago. This is the exact place where they met, in her past life. He suddenly realizes. He also realizes the presence of the lilac scent.

Her scent.

The tree he stands behind suddenly shudders as a tiny boomerang bounces off its branch and to be reflected back to its owner with precision.

This is easier than I thought, Naraku wants her. Since the next shape Naraku transforms into will not be known. She will be the bait. Suddenly something violent stirs inside him…No…I do not feel, I don't have emotions. He tells himself blankly. She doesn't exist. You already cuther out…

But by now a pair of crystal violet eyes gazes up at him. They widen as raven locks of hair slowly fall upon her shoulders as she turns around.

"Sesshoumaru."

He hears her voice once again.

Orange flames from the dying solstar burn the forest and the mountains, the few clouds drifting in the sky,and his gaze reflected from her eyes.

Coming up Next:

Chapter 21: Secret

"I will make you watch with your own eyes, slaughter with your own claws the things you love the most."

Replies to Reviews:

LadyRedEyes: There will be more scenes involving Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Thanks for the review. I hope you like this one!

E.J.A Roberts: I hope that the fact Inuyasha dies will not make you stop reading, that is just one of the plotline traps I set up. Thanks for the review. More will be revealed real soon. Thanks for reviewing.

Rachynn: Thanks for the compliment, it will lighten up from the previous segment. Also, there will definitely be more scenes with Sesshoumaru and Kagome, the rightful main characters.

Tracy Johnson: I hope you like this chapter. Now the plot will refocus on the true main character, haha I know it's been a while.

Courtney miller, Aeyasha, KuRoxTeNshi: thanks for reading.

Jessica: Hey, thanks for reading. Don't let flames bother you. I don't respect people who spends their time putting down others' hard work, and without stating a reason of why they think the story 'sucks'.

Ladylillyofazra: that's a good guess, thanks for reading, and I hope you like this chapter.

Maiden of the Seven Stars: Hey, I always love reading your reviews. With the guess that one missing statue is in death. All I have to say is, that's a very good guess…but you'll find out…eventually. Hehe. The guessing game…my favorite part as well. You are right about the sword, actually your name inspired me to give rise to the sword's ability. The constellation of the seven stars is now carved on one side of her sword. Thank you very much for that. I have to apologize for not being able to update on time. (sighs) University is a fun yet scary place. This Friday night I am determined to make everyone not wait any longer. I hope you like this chapter, it's to lighten up the dark mood a little. Now I'm going to try writing shorter chapters and updating more often. I'm looking forward to read the rest of your story when I find time. Keep on writing!

Renyun: Thanks for reading. Rin is one of my favorite characters in this story, in the next chapter the story of Rin, Asuke will continue, along with the main characters, SessKag (finally)

NekoYasha101: Thanks for the review. Just to remind you, there's lots of twists in the plot. Anyways, hope you like this chapter.

Iku: Thanks for reading! I know the beginning is confusing and I tried to rewrite it but did not find time. I'm glad the clarification helped. The thing is those chapters were originally written 2 years ago…my style is gradually changing and becoming clearer. Thanks for reading.

White-wolf: Yes, you seem to get the twist I've been setting up. Hope you'll continue reading. Thanks for the review!

SnufflesWillRise: About Inuyasha…mmm…not saying anything now. And finally the main characters are going to be back to Kagome and Sesshoumaru. (I know it's been a while, I sort of realized this is more like portraying the same through the same story through different characters' perspective). The way I started this is in the form of a puzzle, each character takes a piece of it. Thank you for reading! And now I will watch out for my previews to not give away too much.

DeathIsntTheEnd: My story is in the format of a puzzle, each character completes a piece of it. After this chapter, it will refocuses on the main characters. Thanks for the reviews.

Cuteclawsbutdeadly: If you read on you would've found out why.

EternusLemures: Thank you for your suggestion of taking strands from this story to add it into my original…As well your interest in my story. University is a crazy place, I feel like I'm running on a never ending hamster wheel. It's like catching up in certain courses then falling behind again. I'm sorry for the rate of my updates. As for Inuyasha, I will not say anything more now. But his death and many other things in this story are all connected. Anyways thank you very much for the review

Kimmichiwa, Lady Sonora the Black-Rose: thanks for reading.

Star Sapphirex: Hey, sorry about the rate of update. (major sweatdrops) University isn't easy. I have quizzes, assignments and essays collapsing down on me. Finally I can't take it any more, so I'm determined to put up this chapter. Good luck with AP English! Thanks for the review!

AN:

Haha the name Ichigo, the first person I think of when I hear that name is the good looking orange headed main character to Bleach (watch it, it's amazing!) Expect lighter atmospheres in the future, and yes, they meet, finally…I'll try to update soon with a shorter chapter as well in a shorter time.

I don't really care about flames, I just have no respect for those who types trash about a story without stating why.