Arrankor: Heh, thanks. If InuYasha got many breaks, I don't think he'd know fully what to do with it. lol

[[I do not own InuYasha.]]

"Sango.." Said Kagome, getting the slayer's attention as they prepared the camp. "Can I.. ask you something.." She continued when the slayer addressed her.

"What is it?" Asked Sango, uncertain if she really liked the reluctance in which Kagome spoke at present.

"I know.. that InuYasha regards his mother.. very highly. What Yurei said earlier, and what Koga said before- I don't understand what is going on with him, what does any of this have to do with his mother?" Asked Kagome.

The secret was getting out of hand, of course it wouldn't be long before someone's curiosity would be peaked. She mentally cursed InuYasha for his insistance on keeping the secret though, she felt horrible as the words escaped her lips. "I..I don't know. InuYasha didn't mention anything about his mother when he told me of the plan, just that watching.. the town burn.. reminded him of when he was younger. I guess maybe just bringing up his mother made him all the more vengeful for what happened to Kaede's village." Said Sango, unable to completely meet Kagome's eye.

"I see.. InuYasha spoke very little of his mother in our time together, of his childhood at all; but I guess I never really considered how close they were to his mind even if he didn't show it." Said Kagome with a sigh.

"Why did you leave Koga behind? Seems like I should expect him to come charging up anytime- he didn't seem too willing to stay behind at the meeting." Asked Sango.

"...I came to help InuYasha, and to protect him.. Koga wouldn't understand that, and I believe I am strong enough to at least help now, but I don't want to be made to choose who I can protect.. I'm not.. confident enough.. to say that I want one more than the other to survive; the truth is, I don't want to live in a world where they aren't both in it.. or you Sango, or Miroku, it's a lot of pressure to consider how many people close to me I could lose, but even the thought of remaining behind hurt far worse, like I was letting you guys go, rather than being too weak to help." Explained Kagome. "I know you guys probably won't even need my protection, but I have enough nightmares from my time in the afterlife; I lost everything and everyone there, I don't want to ever experience that again.. so I will fight too. I'm strong enough now, but it's because I'm with you guys- if Koga were here, I'd feel like I am unsure all over again.. I can't have that, not at a time like this." Said Kagome.

'..She really has grown stronger I guess.. before, Kagome would never have given so much thought- she always assumed we could win, and merely believed that we'd all come through it in the end, but she was a big help even back then- her belief and will to see it come true probably carried us all through battles we may not have survived at some point or another.. I'm glad we can give her the same courage she gave us back then..' Thought Sango with a smile.

"What about you Sango? I would never have guessed that you'd come along- you're always so dedicated to the children these days.." Said Kagome, not wanting to make her friend anguish, but genuinely conflicted about Sango's decision, as she couldn't have answered it so easily.

"..It's very simple, but it took some time to realize it. But I am doing it for my children, as much as I am here for InuYasha. I could stay behind, and be fine- maybe the kids would eventually forget InuYasha, maybe my own feelings would be buried in time beneath the experiences of life and everything would be okay again; but I tried to picture what life I could possibly imagine that InuYasha wasn't a part of. Without him, I would live only for my children, I would not desire life in itself, and how can I teach them any differently if I don't feel any differently? It was simple, but perhaps I can't explain it. InuYasha's presence is very important to me, the kids are happier, not just with him, but also with me. I was so focused on helping them survive before he came, doing only what needed to be done outside of them, that they were hardly seeing the sunlight unless it was through a window, or on the off chance I had to take them to a babysitter. I was making myself their only existance, as they were mine- and when I do go, I was damning them to the same half existance I felt at the time. So, for my children's happiness, and my own- I won't let anything happen to change that, no matter what happens, I have to bring InuYasha back alive, and I have to come back myself. There's still many things we haven't done yet, and many things left to teach them as well." Said Sango, sounding so certain, but in reality, she felt fear- a fear of death she hadn't in years, in fact.. the last time she truly feared death, was before her father had been slain.

#

"What did you mean by that?" Asked Miroku as Yurei and he were gathering firewood, InuYasha was as well, though Miroku was merely grateful it wasn't around them at the moment.

"By what, monk?" Asked Yurei, smiling again- a smile that haunted Miroku, because it meant all the more than he was being played with.

"You know well of what I speak, you said that I was incomplete as a monk, and as a man- my wisdom and knowledge lacked, what did you mean?" Asked Miroku.

"I don't recall saying you were incomplete as a monk, I believe you are exactly as complete as you will be as a monk. As far as a man, I'm sure I didn't say you were incomplete there, but I suppose there is some truth to the matter. You lack loyalty, you try to be loyal, try with everything that you are, but in the end; you aren't a loyal man. You never were. You were raised with the notion that life is fleeting, so you matured to waste no time- it's through that, that you naturally have trouble putting everything into one person, and not receiving immediate compensation. If a day goes by without something new happening, you grow bored and restless.. even now, you've pursued the slayer again for a few months now right, but aren't you just going out of your mind? They assumed you were joking, that 'charm' to settle tense situations, right? But in reality, it's exactly what it is for you- a vacation, a chance to experience life on your terms and not on anothers.." Said Yurei.

"I.. that's none of your concern!" Said Miroku.

"Being bold enough to ask a question, doesn't mean you don't fear the answer- isn't that right?" Noted Yurei. "As far as your intelligence- you used to strive to know more, but somewhere along the lines you began to see just how much more you knew than everyone else; how stupid people seemed in comparison, so your passion has faltered, has it not? You nurture some delusion that you are smarter, when in fact- like any power, there are always those who could beat you. Without your passion, you wander through life relying solely on your impulses, like the idiot you looked down upon before. Knowledge is it's own reward, the wisdom to act a rare companion with it- you had both but squandered it, and took it for granted; now you find yourself in a position where you are the dumbest in the room, rather than the smartest- and before you point out my god-son's shortcomings mentally, keep in mind that he's very smart- after all, he's smart enough to love fully when he loves, even if he isn't stupid enough to say it all the time like an impulsive idiot who doesn't know when is enough and what is too much. He's smart enough to have left us all behind while you all let my words distract you from it. He's just dumb enough to think that it was his choice, and not something I gave him though." Said Yurei.

"..God-son?" noted Miroku.

"Yes, perhaps you at least are able to understand my words, even if you don't always comprehend their meaning. Now that he is gone, I have no reason not to share my identity- though perhaps another time would be better, as I expect InuYasha gains in distance for every moment we waste here. I've given him enough time to get to our destination ahead of us, but whether we still reach him in time falls entirely upon the shoulders of his comrades." Said Yurei as she began to return to camp at a simple walking pace- Miroku on the other hand ran quickly, finding his pace to be very tiring, but the urgency of his task to outweigh that.

In a matter of moments, they were off- Miroku was surprised to find Yurei with them still, he held his tongue for the moment, but he knew thanks to her revelation, that it had been her intention all along to delay them. He spoke quietly as he held onto the dark priestess- the room on Kilala wasn't great, and now four needed to ride. "Should something happen to InuYasha, Yurei- know that I am complete as a friend, and I will not see his death go unpunished.." Said Miroku in a harsher tone than he intended.

"Mmm, I do so love it when a man threatens my life- it's always a little exciting." Said Yurei without looking back, as Miroku felt her hand move over his in an all-too intimate of manner. He released in reflex, and soon fell off Kilala entirely; thankfully Sango flipped around to catch him.

"What's the matter with you?!" Said Sango as she caught his arm, preventing him from colliding into the ground. "It was just...! She..! Nevermind, just go!" Said Miroku, letting Sango swing him back into position, as he grasped onto Yurei once again. She repeated the act, but he refused to let go this time.

"I will not fall for such a trick a second time." He announced quietly.

"You are known for falling for the same tricks everytime- it is good to see that you have some control over your impulses after all; maybe when the time comes, you will understand that it is not your will that matters, when a loved one is on the line, but theirs..." Said Yurei, leaving Miroku with his own foretelling of the battle to come.

Sango would fall, by accepting that fact, she would take another with her in the process. Kagome would be forced to witness InuYasha dying to protect her, by accepting this, she would too die to protect him in return. Miroku acts impulsively, putting his own feelings over his friends, by accepting this, he will have the knowledge to know what is right, and the wisdom to act against his own knowledge. Now, the three of them were prepared- there was only two left with a lesson to learn. InuYasha, and Gesshoku.

The only question remained- InuYasha would die for someone right, who will it be? And will they have the courage to change that fate? Will they take the leap when it presents itself to them.

#

InuYasha sped forward, following the faint unusual scent of his prey. '..Hold on Gesshoku, I'm coming for you!' He thought as he pushed himself to go faster, damning the consequences of it, and putting everything else aside. '..I don't know if anything that's been said is true or not, but I know that I won't let it happen- none of it, I'll never let Sango go, I'll kill you before Kagome has to suffer, I won't let you hurt anyone, like you hurt mother, I won't let you do that EVER again!' He thought, growling and running faster still.

Up ahead he could see a camp, the scent originated there- it was there that he'd find his prey; the human embodiment of vengeance against all demons, Gesshoku.