Destruction of a Statue

Joey Sharkbait

2020

[Soundtrack: "Destruction of a Statue" by Suicide Silence]

[Rouge's point of view.]

A week.

We were gone for a week…

And for what? Only seven jewel shards? Naraku made it sound like it was some grand quest! That wasn't a quest! It was… anticlimactic…

I can't remember…

I remember lots of walking. There was fire. We looted several abandoned settlements and ruins, searching. I made off with some loot myself. A silver dagger that I have apparently misplaced recently and lots of alcohol. Some of my items, such as the dagger, I could not remember gaining possession of... ("The spoils of war"). I enjoyed the low-key pillaging and adventure but the whole excursion felt rather fruitless overall. Colossal disappointment.

Naraku was an odd fellow. I could not read him, still. He was charismatic and confident. Quiet and cool. Kohaku trusted him, it seemed. To an extent. Kagura hated his guts. Sango feared him and defied him every chance she got (and rightfully so). But where would he stand with me? Lesser demons fled before him and he walked with a confidence that gave the impression he thought the planets would bend before him if he demanded.

Kanna, the little demon girl clad in white… just… creepy. She barely spoke to me and when she did, she had the audacity to subtly give me orders. Me! Rouge of the fire demon tribe! I oughtta break that fucking mirror of hers…

Kohaku, the lost human boy. An apprentice demon slayer, so I've heard.… my brother-in-arms? The little bastard appeared to have a split personality or something. One moment he was a shy, bumbling human child and the next he would spring into action with the reckless abandon of an upper-level demon such as myself. He was one to be watched. He seemed to like me well enough, though. He spoke to me more than Kanna or Naraku. Then again, I actually entertained the conversation. The boy did not pretend to order me around at least.

The wind sorceress, Kagura. She gets in my way too often. Ruins my fun and fire with her damned hurricanes and such. She's got a temper and a noticeable disdain for Naraku, despite being borne of his flesh. He calls her and Kanna his 'disciples' but I know better. I've heard whispers the treacherous wind user confided in the slayer girl of her heritage. Explains the similar scent the three share.

The slayer… Sango. Is she really the one responsible for my death and that of my comrades? I am becoming less certain of that every day. No doubt she has killed before. Her prowess in battle is impressive, for a human. I can feel the aura of death that seems to follow her, that she brings in her wake. But I do not really think she is heartless enough…

The boy tells me he thinks she is his sister. The boy says he dreamt of stories she told him, before she even had a chance to. Kohaku dreams of charging into the forest, kusarigama raised, in his sister's shadow, as she pursues lesser yokai with hiraikotsu. Kohaku dreams of an angel with topaz eyes, lovely and smiling, guarding him with her life. Kohaku's nightmares are haunted by a fallen angel, distress plastered on her beautiful features, holding him close as they both slipped away.

Why can't he remember? Is it the same reason I have trouble with it, too? I just remember Ami's terrified face as she is struck down by something I cannot quite identify… Or someone…

Kohaku remembers Sango's face, too.

Ami… my sister…

I stopped my midnight stroll to pause at a balcony and admire the stars above. There are so many… I wonder how full the night sky is of them? I am humbled by the celestial beauty. This world is vast; space and time are so fleeting. The heavens above never fail to remind me how insignificant we all are in the grand scheme of things.

And I am alone.

I am alone.

I have no family left now. And even before… Ami had adopted me as a result of some tragedy befalling my mother when I was a young child. Our mothers were best friends, as were we, naturally. It only made sense. To this day, I am unsure of how my mother passed; I just know that it must have been brutal enough that Ami never once spoke of it.

I never knew her anyway.

My father… the apparent king of fire yokai. I was not even sure of his name. He died in some war before I was even born. The man, no matter how great he was in life, was merely a sperm donor as far as I was concerned.

Sango is alone.

Kohaku is very obviously her brother, despite his jumbled memories and broken brain. There are too many subtle physical similarities between them. And surely she is not warped enough to mistake him for someone else. But he is unsure…

And she suffers for it.

Kagura says Naraku killed Sango's entire village. The irony of the demon slayers being annihilated by a demon offered a bittersweet entertainment in the very back of my mind. If they were the same demon slayers I had heard rumors of, their services were limited to exterminating worms, spiders, and other lesser vermin. No proof existed that they were ever contracted to kill anyone or anything such as myself and my kin. On that note, then why Naraku? What did they have to do with him and vice versa?

Naraku made Kohaku and Sango fight today. She let him win. Sango presented no offensive maneuvers, only defense. She would dodge and block his efforts, never once making an attack on him of her own accord. The hurt and confusion in her eyes was evident, as was the aura of panic about her, despite her graceful actions in battle. Kohaku was a void the whole time, like that damned Kanna. His eyes glazed over and his movements were mechanical.

He didn't remember the fight.

I asked him about it later this evening. He didn't know if he believed me. I told him the blood on his weapon was hers. He said he wanted to be sick.

I couldn't imagine fighting Ami. For one, she would annihilate me in an instant. Two, I would die of my own blade rather than willingly harm my kin.

The moon was nearly full tonight; its shining face seemed to spy on me, likely finding my brooding and pensive demeanor entertaining. The world was too cruel, it seemed.

I can't wait to shuffle off this mortal plane and join my sister, my ancestors, and my betrothed.

I live only for vengeance. Vengeance I may not ever attain.

I am unsure…

I made my way back inside and began my stroll back to my quarters, on the other side of the castle. I couldn't get all of these people out of my mind, people I had never known, people I will never know… the lost and the forgotten…

"…and stay down!" I heard Naraku in his chambers as I passed. Shortly after his demand, I heard something—someone—collide against a wall. My guess would be the taijiya.

I didn't know what sick interest Naraku had in the human woman. She clearly had no interest in him, unless it involved his demise. I was indifferent. However, the things that I was sure he was doing to her were actions that I abhorred. I never had confirmation of his activities, aside from that of the anecdotes from the wind demon and the traces of fear that permeated Sango's scent when Naraku was too close in proximity. I had smelled him on her a few times, too.

The door was barely cracked open. I decided to investigate. Something deep within my conscience demanded it.

I peeked through the crack just in time to witness Sango running back at Naraku, fist raised. He ducked and grabbed her around her waist, tackling her to the floor. It appeared they had been putting up a fight for a while now. From what I could tell, she was worse for wear already. I smelled blood. Hers.

Naraku had her pinned against the floor and she struggled madly to escape. Her efforts and small attacks were futile; I watched him beat her into submission, a sickness growing in the pit of my stomach. I was frozen. I wanted to leave, to flee the scene, to at least close my eyes. But I stood there, the most uncomfortable emotions tearing at my soul and invading my unfortunate stream of consciousness.

She screamed. And I ran.

I saw her face.

That look was so familiar, it hurt. The most cruel sense of deja vu...

I coughed up blood and sat up, fairly certain that at least half of my ribs were broken. Smoke filled the air, reeking of blood, dirt, and death. My ears were ringing and my vision was going in and out; everything was fuzzy. I looked around at our ruined home. The once beautiful house built of cedar and stone, was now aflame and in ruin, crumbling before my eyes. The explosion was so sudden.

"Damien?!" I called for my lost brother-in-law. No answer. I stood up, shaking, unable to balance. I fell against a broken pillar and caught myself. As I leaned there, catching my breath, I surveyed the damage. The ceiling was completely caved in, leaving the only entrance and exit to be the hole in the roof, exposing our plunder to the stars above.

I slowly began to traverse the wreckage, moving destroyed furniture and foundations out of my way. I spotted a clawed hand sticking out from under a pile of rubble. "Damien!" I rushed over to the ruins and began unearthing my injured comrade. He was almost completely buried.

"Damien!" I called out to him and held his face in my hands.

The wolf demon's eyes fluttered open. His left eye was no longer the beautiful hue of green it once was, tarnished by a busted blood vessel. "Rouge…?" he said my name in a broken voice. I felt my heart breaking already.

"Damien…"

He struggled to escape his rock tomb. His lower body was completely pinned. "Rouge… I can't move my arms or my legs…" He coughed and I was sprayed lightly with blood.

I leaned forward and hugged him, holding onto him for dear life. I tried as hard as I could to pull him out of the rubble but to no avail. I was able to free his arms, however. I held his hands in mine while I frantically looked around us; there had to be something…

"Damien, I'll get you out of here, don't worry," I tried with all my might to move the destroyed pillar pinning him to the ground. It was no use.

"Rouge…" Damien coughed. I could see the color draining from his face before my very eyes and tears threatened to fall. Upon closer inspection, I noticed blood pooling under him. He had been crushed.

"Damien…" I hugged my brother once more, beginning to cry. "Damien… who would do this to us? To you…?"

"I'm dying, Rouge," Damien said in a weak voice, "I don't know… who… find Ami… protect her, Rouge…"

"Oh, Damien!" I cried, holding him as tightly as I could. "My brother, don't leave me!"

"…Tell Ami I love her… Keep her safe… for—"

He died in my arms.

I cried out to the heavens, cursing the powers that be. I wanted to stay with him, but I knew better. I had to find my sister and Yokama. We were clearly being attacked by an unknown entity for an unknown reason. I tore myself away from my fallen comrade and began my escape from our ruined abode. I could hear the faint sounds of voices mixed in with the crackling of the fire and crumbling structures around me.

I made it to the remainder of the rooftop and spotted Yokama flying through the air, dodging blasts of dark energy. "Yokama!" I called out to him. He turned mid-air.

"Rouge! We're being attacked!"

The structural integrity of the roof was slipping. I went to jump off to join the battle ahead but froze, feeling the architecture cracking beneath me. I was not so worried about the flames, as I was fireproof, but the fall may kill me. Or I could be crushed like Damien. Now or never.

I went to launch myself off the rooftop and the building began its final descent. I screamed and closed my eyes, bracing myself for death.

It didn't happen.

I was swept off my feet by Yokama in the nick of time. We soared through the air and despite the chaos, I felt safe in his arms, where I belonged.

"Got ya—that was close!" stated the ghost demon. We landed safely behind the storage silo for our small compound. The only structure that was not yet alight in flames and burning dread.

"Yokama! What the hell is going on?!" I asked. I grabbed his hands and held them tightly. "Damien's dead!"

"Damien?" grief struck the young man, apparent in his voice as our brother's name left his lips. "No..."

"Yokama, who the fuck is attacking us?"

He pulled me close and looked around. "I don't know… I've never seen him before."

"Who? What did he look like? Where's Ami? We need to find her!"

"She's over there somewhere… I think she took refuge in the altar…" We peeked out from behind our cover, scanning the scorched landscape. The altar was about twenty yards away, seemingly untouched for now. "Come on!" Yokama grabbed my hand and we ran.

"So, who did this?" I asked again, trying to pace myself.

"Don't know," breathed Yokama, "Ami and I were at the altar, you and Damien were in the house. We heard an explosion and came out and the house was in flames. Before we could come look for you both, this strange man appeared, wearing a baboon pelt."

"Baboon pelt? What the fuck?"

"Yeah… he attacked us with dark energy blasts and sent a swarm of hell wasps. We've been fighting him ever since. He's strong…"

Almost there…

"Rouge, look out!"

Yokama tackled me to the ground as we narrowly avoided a blast of dark energy. Low laughter emanated from just ahead of us. We uncovered our heads and looked up to see a dark figure walking through a cloud of miasma and smoke.

"Rouge…" the figure said my name. I pegged the voice as male, but one I did not recognize.

"Who are you?!" I demanded. Yokama and I slowly rose to our feet, brushing the debris off of our bodies and assuming battle stances. Yokama's hands glowed green with demonic spectral energy and I saw him reach for his firearm out of the corner of my eye. I reached for my own sword, gripping the handle.

A man appeared as the smoke slowly cleared. He was tall and pale, with long wavy black hair and piercing crimson eyes. He was wearing an elegant dark blue kimono, like he was royalty of some sort. Our alleged attacker appeared human but had a demonic aura stronger than the four of us combined.

I unsheathed my sword. "Name yourself! I demand to know!"

"You look just like your mother…" said the strange demon man.

"How the hell do you know me?!" I swung my sword at him, the blade surrounded by hot violet flames. He dodged my attack and disappeared in a cloud of miasma. Yokama fired several shots where he once stood.

Yokama and I stood back to back, weapons raised. "Where did he go?" I asked.

"Rouge, who is this guy?" asked Yokama.

"I don't know, but he knows me…" I was very confused and admittedly frightened. Had I done something to the wrong person? Surely not… I kept to myself for the most part, as did my comrades… Is it just me? Or is this miasma getting thicker…

I could no longer see, relying on the reality check and loose comfort of Yokama's back against mine. It was getting harder to breathe.

Another explosion of dark energy sent us both flying into the air. I landed hard on the ground, my left foot bearing the weight of my fall. A sickening crunch verified that at least the bone in my ankle was broken. I cried out as I tried to stand. I could see Yokama running toward me through the smoke.

"Rouge! Rouge, over here! I'm coming!"

"Yokama!" I began limping over to him, my arm outstretched.

Evil laughter permeated the area. I paused and looked around for our assailant. He was nowhere to be found. My eyes rested on my fiancé again, as his motion slowed until he was at complete stop, his face expressionless.

"Yokama…?"

He just stood there, completely still.

"Rouge… you will call this man your betrothed, I see…" came the disembodied voice of our attacker.

"How do you know that?" I asked. "Who are you?! Where are you?!" I spun around, brandishing my sword. "Show yourself!"

"Rouge!" I felt a small gust of wind and heard the flutter of wings behind me. Ami landed gracefully beside me, assuming a battle stance.

"Ami! What's going on? Who is this guy?!"

"Rouge, where is Damien?" asked Ami. "I saw the house explode…"

I shook my head, unable to look my sister in the eyes. She gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth, falling to her knees.

"Love is such a pitiful emotion…" that hideous voice echoed around the perimeter, still disembodied. Neither of us had a visual on our attacker, just eyes on Yokama's strange pause.

I wanted to comfort Ami and share her grief but there was something horribly amiss with Yokama…

"Ami," I crouched down beside her, my guard still slightly up. There were so many things wrong right now… I put my arm around Ami's shoulders.

"That wolf was a waste anyway," the pale man appeared before us again, materializing out of nowhere. "Why would he defect from his pack to bond with the likes of a bat? Allying with the fire demon, I could understand—"

Ami arose in a blinding flash of blue light, her dark wings outstretched from her back. "You killed my husband!" She flew at our attacker full speed. She landed a blow at his chest and rammed him into the altar, resulting in an additional, smaller explosion.

"Ami!" I called out to her. I could hear her fighting the mysterious demon within the ruins of the altar. Yokama! I turned my attention toward him once more. Ami could handle herself.

"…Rouge…" he said, his voice strained. We made eye contact. Something was wrong. His once vibrant teal eyes were now devoid of life. "Get… away from me…"

"Yokama…"

He shot a blast of spectral energy at me and I dodged it just in time. "Yokama! What's wrong with you?!" He fired at me once more, this time with his gun. I jumped out of the way and rolled to the side. I quickly got to my feet and pulled out my sword.

"Yokama, I don't want to fight you… ever…"

Yokama rushed toward me. He blindly swung in an attempt to pistol whip me. I caught the small weapon with my blade, effectively blocking his attack. The trigger was pulled in the process, however. I felt immense pain in my stomach and brought my left hand to the new wound. I held my hand in front of my face, staring in horror from the blood on my palm to the face of my love in the background. My love, who just shot me.

The ghost boy stood in front of me. He slowly began to come to. He shook his head, eyes welling up with tears. Yokama dropped his weapon and rushed to me, wrapping his arms around me. "Rouge! What have I done?!"

"Yokama…" We parted and he placed his hand on the wound.

"Rouge, it wasn't me! I swear! I would never—"

Another explosion in the background. I watched the mysterious demon launch himself through the burning roof of the altar, followed closely by Ami in a flash of blue light. The air around me felt cold all of a sudden. Yokama's hand was no longer on my abdomen.

"Yokama, it's ok, I'm not mad at you… I know it wasn't you…"

He blinked his pretty eyes at me and I saw the emotion leaving his turquoise hues.

"Yokama…" I heard a crash behind me.

He pushed past me, his movements cold and calculated. I spun around to see Yokama begin a brisk walk in a beeline toward the sound of the aforementioned struggle. His pace quickened to a run and I willed myself to chase after him despite the pain of my injuries.

"Yokama!"

He fired the gun a few times; I was unsure who his target was. The spectral bullets missed both the unknown demon and Ami, who were in a scuffle on the ground. Ami let out an ear-piercing screech and sent the attacker into the air. She arose once more; before she could take off after the demon again, a gunshot was heard, and her right wing was shredded by one of Yokama's spectral bullets.

"Ami!" I cried out. The bat demon fell to the ground in a crumpled mess. "Yokama!" I rushed to Ami's side.

"What's wrong with him?!" she asked.

I eyed him, unsure what to feel… he was not himself… My fiancé just shot my sister…

"I think he's possessed…" Ami watched him suspiciously.

"Yokama! Wake up!" I cried out. He just stood there, emotionless. He lowered his gun momentarily. His arms hung limply at his sides, right hand still clutching the weapon tightly. I turned my attention to Ami. "Are you ok?" She slowly stood up.

"What about you? You're injured…"

"Forget about me!"

I stumbled slightly and Ami caught me. I leaned against her; both of us studied Yokama closely, unsure what his next actions would entail.

"Yokama…" I began. "Can you hear me?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side. Ami's grip on my arm tightened. We were at a stalemate for what felt like a lifetime.

"Yokama…?"

He stood straight up and we made eye contact. He wasn't there anymore.

"My love…?"

His hand twitched, grip appearing to tighten on his weapon.

"…I love you…"

He raised the gun to his temple.

And pulled the trigger.

"YOKAMA! NO!" I screamed, pulling myself away from my sister to rush over to the boy who once tightly held my heart, now loosely holding a gun, memories spilling out onto the dirt. I leaned over him, completely forgetting my own wounds, instead focusing solely on my dead betrothed before me. I pulled him into my lap and held his limp form close, letting the tears fall uncensored and unashamed.

That evil, despicable laughter filled the air once more.

"You son of a bitch!" I screamed. "Where are you?! I will kill you myself!" Rage and grief pumped violently through my bloodstream, fanning the flames of my vengeance.

"Rouge, up there, on the roof!" yelled Ami, pointing.

I gently laid Yokama down, carefully closing his eyes as I did so. I stood up, my rage inspiring my battle stance. I had to avenge him. And Damien. I spotted our assailant, standing triumphantly atop the remaining structure of the altar before us.

"FIRESTARTER!" I slammed my sword into the ground, creating a fault line from which erupted purple flames. The ground shook and the flames made it to the altar. The demon jumped off just in time to dodge the attack.

Ami screeched and sent a sonar wave in his predicted direction. She hit her target and I saw his eyes widen as her blast made unexpected contact. We rushed over to ensure his defeat, remaining vigilant. I was beginning to feel dizzy from blood loss and was finally being reminded of my broken ankle. We were mere paces away from the demon and I felt Ami grab my wrist.

"Wait," she cautioned.

The man's body twitched and appeared to bubble and expand in a few places.

What…?

Another miasmic explosion occurred, knocking us both backwards. Through the clouds, I could see the demon transforming into something, no doubt showing his true form. Sickening cracks and pops were heard as he slowly changed from the guise of a human to that of a large, hideous spider. He was too close for my comfort.

I tried to back away, but the pain was beginning to be too great. The spider demon looked at me and began crawling toward me. I reached for my sword and managed to swing it a few times, barely missing one of the spider's front legs. The demon screeched and for a moment, I thought my blade made contact.

Ami charged into the giant arachnid, claws out. She was slashing relentlessly into his side. The spider turned from me to my sister. I took this time to try to get to my feet and either get away or make myself useful. I decided on the latter once I was steadily standing, both hands gripping the hilt of my sword, battle ready.

The spider demon didn't care about me. He was fully immersed in his battle with Ami, biting and stabbing at her with fangs and claws bared. Ami dodged most of the initial attacks, until she was pierced with a large claw, right through her abdomen.

"Ami!"

The spider cast the bat demon aside; she slid off his clawed appendage in a heap. I raised my sword and began limping toward the spider. "Out of my way, you fucking monster!" I swung my sword at the spider as I approached. I was tripped by one of its legs and then knocked out of the way. The air left my lungs as I hit the ground.

The spider turned to Ami. I watched him raise a claw. I could not see what happened but could infer by my sister's cry of pain that she had been pierced once more.

"Ami, no!" I couldn't lose her, too. Not one more, not to this monstrosity. He didn't even know them… clearly his problem was with me…

One last pulse of miasma and the spider began a slow, sick transformation back into the shadow of a man. Light outlined his form and as he reappeared in full view, I could see that he was holding Ami by her neck. He turned to look at me, an evil grin on his face.

"Ami, no…" A tear slid down my cheek. "Let her go!"

"I don't think so, Rouge."

"Why? What have we ever done to you! How do you even know me?"

"Rouge, did this little bat ever tell you exactly how your mother died?"

I was silent. Did this mean…? "I just know she died about fifty years ago when I was still a child…"

The demon laughed evilly.

"Who are you?"

"I am Naraku… and you fire demons were in my way, I'm afraid," he answered finally.

"Naraku… did you kill my mother?"

"I killed your entire clan. They were spreading too quickly and refused to ally with me."

I couldn't believe this! This man, this horror, was the reason…

I shook my head, trying to stay in my senses. I raised my sword once more and then felt a sting on my neck, followed almost instantaneously by numbness in my entire body.

"I had no idea there was a survivor. There should not have been…" Naraku looked from me to Ami, whose struggle was slowing. Blood covered her from her waist down. The hole left in her abdomen from the spider's claw was likely going to prove fatal. "The old bat must have lied to me when she said Dahlia never bore children to the Firelord of the northern coast."

Naraku and I locked eyes. "That's ok, though. Both of those old demons will soon be joined in hell by their disgraceful daughters." His grip on Ami's neck tightened.

"Rouge…" I barely heard my name. She looked to me one last time, evidence of excruciating pain on her face. I could see into her soul; all the pain she held inside, the things she had seen and likely shielded me from...

Naraku snapped Ami's neck; her body fell to the ground. It all happened in slow motion in my eyes.

"Ami! No! My sister!" I cried out, my heart breaking entirely.

I didn't know that I wanted to survive this. I knew I had no chance of exacting revenge… not in this state. I could feel my consciousness fading in and out.

Naraku approached me. He crouched down and took my face in his hands. "You look just like the old wench. But you must have his eyes." He forcefully pushed me away and then yanked my sword out of my limp hand. "This blade bears the mark of a dead people." I felt his hand around my neck. He rose to his feet, bringing me with him as I struggled to breathe.

The demon held me in the air, eyes never leaving mine. "You were the last of a dying breed, my dear." His grip around my neck tightened; I could see him pull my sword back.

I couldn't even scream as my own blade pierced my chest. I was briefly carried and then dropped to the ground next to my dead sister. The last thing I saw was her beautiful, pained face; burned forever into my memory.

[Kagura's point of view.]

"Sleep tightly, my beautiful taijiya…" I brushed Sango's hair out of her face, admiring her beauty as she slept. Two servings of sleeping poultice and hundreds of tears and curses later, the young woman had finally fallen asleep beside me.

It was a long night.

Sango was strong, but she was slipping. Apparently earlier today while I was off doing chores and other servile bullshit with Kanna, Naraku had summoned Sango to his shoddy throne room to fight Kohaku for his sick entertainment. Kohaku won. Rouge came to collect him after, as the two had their own share of cleaning and repairing on the other side of the castle that evening. I retired to my quarters after a brief flight on my feather, testing the barrier. No such luck. Still trapped, unless I would be sent off on another errand.

Hopefully tomorrow… It has to be tomorrow. I promised Inuyasha and the others…

Sango was restless in her sleep. I laid down beside her and put my arm around her in a weak gesture of comfort. Naraku is so cruel…

She made it back to my room on her own, bloodied and beaten. Naraku had not sexually assaulted her this time, but he still managed to hurt her quite badly. He had been acting strange lately, I could feel his anger and sense the violence that pulsed through him. It had to be about time for him to enter his reconstruction period. He was far more volatile this time, though. And he took out his aggression on Sango, who could barely fight back at the time, having lost one battle already today.

We had to get out of here.

I held Sango close, burying my face in her hair. Lavender… She seemed to relax in my hold. I managed a weak smile at the thought that I could bring comfort instead of only pain, misery, and destruction. I hated that she had been brought here at all; I hated that she was suffering so. I felt guilty that a part of me was thankful to have her, though. All was right with the world when I had her at my side.

Sleep was trying to claim me and I did not complain, having pleasant enough thoughts at the time. I considered what it would be like to be away from here, to be free. To act on my own and carry out no one else's bidding, no matter how good or bad. I thought about leaving this place, Sango at my side, her hand in mine. We would run so very far away from here…

I could see her in my mind, smiling and beautiful, the evening I first kissed her. My first taste of freedom, in many ways. Freedom to do as I pleased; freedom to make love, not violence. I thought of the night we had sex for the first time. My first glimpse of freedom to use my body as I saw fit. There was nothing in the world that could compare with knowing I could experience and bring pleasure of my own accord. Especially to and with someone as special as her…

I was honored. It meant so much to me that she trusted me so. What reason did she have for it all? She cared for me, I suppose. As I cared for her. The sound of her pleasure and the way she cried out my name, was the greatest gift I could ever receive… short of my own heart.

How fitting would it be—for Sango to be the one to free my heart? Maybe she already held it in her hands. She is so wonderful and she doesn't even know.

My bedroom door slid open. Alarmed, I immediately sat up, trying not to disturb Sango. I removed my arm from around her, feeling a bit of panic; we must remain a secret. Lest our safety be compromised…

It was only Rouge.

Sango made a small noise and sat up as well, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

"Rouge," I declared, a little annoyed at her surprise visit. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Rouge just stood in the doorway, silent. I expected some kind of shitty remark from her or at the very least a nasty glare. Nothing. The fire demon turned and quietly slid the door shut and walked over to us.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying not to sound as angry as I was. Something was amiss with her.

Rouge stood before us, silent. She glanced at Sango and looked as if she had seen a ghost. Well…

"Wind sorceress… Kagura…" started Rouge. I raised an eyebrow at her and nodded. I was intrigued. The fire brat rarely called me by name. "Tell me everything you know about how I got here. What really happened to me? I know you know something…"

Something had to have happened. I sighed. This would be a very long, very careful conversation. She was ready to hear the truth, it appeared. Finally...

"You remembered something, didn't you, Rouge?" I probed.

Rouge nodded slowly and sat on the floor. "I just have to know." She gazed out the window, a somber expression taking over her features.

"You are not my murderer after all, are you Sango?" asked Rouge. Sango merely shook her head. She did not have much to say to the fire demon. This was, unfortunately, my confession.

"Rouge," I said, "what did you remember?"

Rouge was quiet for a moment. She looked down at her hands. Her dark red bangs fell over her eyes, obstructing them from my view; although I could hear the sadness in her voice. "I saw us die." She took a deep breath. "My brother-in-law was crushed by an explosion in our home. My fiancé was possessed and shot himself in the head. My sister was killed by a spider demon…" she looked up to me, tears welling in her amethyst eyes. "I was killed by my own sword. I was the last one to die."

I knew all of this already, though. I was lucky enough to witness the entire spectacle through Kanna's mirror, in real time. I averted my gaze from the fire demon, unable to look at her. That was a very gory scene. I could still remember the smell of death that surrounded the area when Naraku sent me to collect her corpse... He would never know I buried the other three.

"Do you know who your real killer is yet, Rouge? Do I really have to tell you?"

"I just… I need to know… for certain… I need confirmation from outside of my own mind..." Her voice shook and she took a deep breath.

"You know he's the one…"

Rouge slammed her fist into the floor, denting the stone a little. "GODDAMMIT!" She twisted away, casting her gaze down and then squeezing her eyes shut. I felt for the girl, I really did. Sango grabbed my hand under the blanket. Rouge was… unsettling…

"So, how did I end up here? Why me?! Why not just let me rot in peace with my family?" asked Rouge.

"Because that is not what Naraku does, Rouge. Naraku is death; he is destruction. He is literal hell. He only wants one thing and that is power. And he will do whatever he can to take it." I made eye contact with her. The only other person I've seen whose rage-filled eyes matched the intensity of hers was Sango. The look in her violet eyes was that of a person who's lost everything. She had nothing to lose, nothing to gain.

"I guess he killed my mother, too," said Rouge, "I never even knew her…"

"When Naraku first came into existence fifty years ago, he needed strong allies and dedicated followers," I confessed what little I knew. "The northern fire demon tribe was one of the most powerful at the time, next to the dog general's eldest son, Sesshomaru, of the western lands. There was no way in hell Naraku would ally himself with Inuyasha's brother, no matter what the relationship between the two was at the time. Second best was sadly, your ancestors."

"So how did he defeat them all?" asked Rouge. "If they were so great, then why were they felled so easily by this scumbag of a man?"

"Trickery and infiltration," I stated. "Infighting and possession. Naraku is a master of disguises and a natural-born trickster. He pitted Inuyasha and Kikyo against one another fifty years ago. Stirring up shit and causing unprecedented, unwarranted chaos and destruction is what he does." I found my own anger growing as I spoke. "I don't know the exact details of the fall of your people, but I can confirm that Naraku was previously unaware of your existence. He recently heard rumors of a survivor and after he confirmed it via his spying hell wasps, the saimyosho, he plotted your demise. Naraku doesn't like to leave loose ends."

Rouge clenched her fists. "So, why did he bring me back here, to his abode? Other than the clear fact that he is a sadist of the worst sort…"

"Rouge, he didn't lie to you on that. Don't you remember? The day of your resurrection…" She looked deep in thought. "You're powerful, Rouge. Possibly powerful enough to defeat Inuyasha."

Rouge laughed. "Well, that's not going to happen, now is it?" She stood up, seeming to tower over Sango and me. A dangerous look was growing in her eyes.

"That bastard! I've been had!" She unsheathed her sword and studied the blade. "He killed my family—twice! I watched Yokama and Ami die! Damien died in my arms! And he had the nerve to resurrect me as his fucking puppet..." Rouge wiped hot, angry tears away with her free hand. She directed her gaze at Sango. "I offer you my sincerest apologies, Sango. For everything, even actions that I did not commit." The fire demon lowered her sword and leaned forward, her face mere inches from Sango's. The slayer backed up a little.

"You look just like her," Rouge stated, a longing and sad tone lingering in her voice. "I saw him hurting you earlier… it made me remember…" She reached out and stroked Sango's cheek, never breaking eye contact. Sango froze at the gesture. I was positive Rouge would not hurt her, but I could feel the fluctuation of the fire demon's aura and the rage irradiating from her being. "It's like he was killing my sister again. And I had to watch, again."

Rouge straightened her posture and slowly backed away from us. Her eyes glistened with tears, highlighted from the moonlight pouring in from the window. Rouge stood still for a moment, hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

I broke the silence first. "What are you thinking about, Rouge?" She was too calm.

Rouge simply showed herself to the door. Before she left, she turned to me one last time.

"Take care of the slayer for me, will you?" Rouge's sword pulsed in an amethyst glow. "She cannot perish; it would be akin to Ami's death all over again. And she is as honorable as my sister; and as beautiful. A fair being as such should not meet an untimely demise."

"Rouge…"

"I bid you adieu, Kagura. Sango."

With that said, Rouge slipped quietly out the doorway. I barely heard her footsteps down the hall; however, I was able to hear the faint sounds of an anguished battle cry shortly after from somewhere within the castle.