House of Cards
Chapter Three: In the Flower Field
Author's Note: Edited March 24, 2020. Hey guys! I wanted to touch up and redo a few parts. Please don't forget to leave a review because that tells me if I should keep up with this story! I have this whole plot laid out, it's just a matter of me finding the inspiration and motivation to keep on going, lol. I hope you are all staying safe with the whole pandemic going around. Please, stay home and stay safe (and binge on my series LOL)
Sango smiled as she ran in the open flower field, the wind blowing against her hair causing it to fly about and gently sway her pink kimono dress. With a wide smile on her face, Sango brushed the tips of her small fingers against the sharp blades of grass that grew up to her waist. She looked over her shoulder calling out with a wide smile, "I'm going to beat you, Kirara!" She giggled playfully as her new demon cat companion mewed in delight running up ahead of her.
She laughed against pumping her arms as she tried to catch up with the small cat a few feet shy from reaching Kirara. Suddenly, stopping in her tracks as her smile dropped she gasped as great streaks of fire began to surround Kirara. The flames them engulfed her small body striking panic in Sango as she frowned and started to run again, "No! Kirara!" Sango exclaimed running towards the ball of fire. It started to dissipate as she got closer revealing a much larger, fiercer version of her friend, "Kirara? Is that you?" The girl asked timidly as she cautiously approached.
Kirara road in response purring loudly as she approached Sango poking her snout in her chest easing Sango's tension. Sango laughed immediately being rid of the worry that struck her as she started to pet and hug Kirara's now huge head admiring how she towered over her. She giggled as she poked at Kirara's huge saber-like teeth peeking out of her mouth, "Why didn't you tell me you could transform? This is amazing!" Kirara mewed pushing Sango gently towards her back to which the girl put two and two together, "What? Get on your back?"
With the help of Kirara laying down to give Sango easier access to throw her small leg over her body. Sango nervously gripped Kirara's thick fur as she stood up and started to pick up speed. The wind was now blowing against her cheeks and her hair askew as they were getting faster and faster. Kirara let out a final roar and a kick to the grass as her paws left the ground leaving them fully in the air.
Slowly opening her eyes, Sango looked around as she realized she was in the air! She looked at the ground below her and the beautiful scenery before her smiling and laughing as she spread her arms out enjoying the feel of the wind, "Wow, this is amazing!" Kirara was amused mewing out as she continued to soar through the air. Sango clutched tightly onto Kirara's fur looking out at the lands not realizing how much there was to offer!
Although she was allowed to venture out of her village, she couldn't go far. Scanning the new landscape before her, a huge tree growing in the forest caught her eye. A bit further from the tree was a waterfall! How did she not see such things that were literally so close to her own village? Gasping, Sango pointed at it, "Kirara! We must go there! It's a waterfall!" Nodding, Kirara started to head down and in no time they landed. Sango slipped off of Kirara immediately heading to the waterfall falling to her knees as she looked at her reflection in the clear water.
She dipped her hands into the cold water scooping it up bringing it to her mouth to take a refreshing drink. Sighing with satisfaction, she looked over at Kirara who was sitting next to her, her two tails wagging slightly as she happily watched Sango drink another helping of water.
Looking up at Kirara, Sango bought her knees to her chest wrapping her arms around them as she leaned into Kirara's side. Her brown eyes gazed upon the beautiful waterfall before her, "I want this to be our secret place, Kirara. We both can come here play and be together forever. How does that sound?"
Kirara roared affectionately as she leaned down to lick Sango's cheek causing the little girl to giggle in delight. Sango wrapped her arms around Kirara's neck hugging her tightly for a brief second until she heard a crack in the distance. Pulling back, Sango looked behind her at the huge tree where the sound came from. She stood up and started to walk towards the sound with Kirara close on her heels, "What could have made that noise?" Sango wondered out loud.
They soon reached the huge tree cautiously looking around the huge base seeing nobody in sight. Frowning, Sango crossed her arms as she bit the inside of her cheek wondering what she just heard. Scratching her head as she leaned against the trunk she looked back at Kirara who was just as confused as her. Sango was about to open her mouth when something hit her hard on the top of her head, "Ow!" Sango exclaimed her hand flying up to the tender spot on her head. Kirara hissed as she looked up into the tree.
"Look out!" A voice said from above her. Sango threw her head back to look up at the branches of the huge tree. Above her, she saw a boy in the branches, in one hand there were fruit while the other steadied himself against the tree. She narrowed her eyes at him as he laughed, "Oops, I didn't see you there!" "Could you be a little more careful?" Sango hissed as she crossed her arms on her chest irritated as the boy kept the amused smirk on his face, "What are you even doing up there?"
"Ever heard of getting fruit?" The boy replied as he started to swing the branch of fruit in his hand, "Now don't let these hit you in the head again!" He yelled as he sent the branch of fruits down. Sango quickly stepped aside missing it as the fruits landed a few feet away from her. The boy soon followed after them landing in front of Sango as well.
The boy was a bit taller than her, he wore a blue and purple hakama with a long red obi tied around his waist. His long black hair was put in a braid resting over his shoulder as his bangs swayed with the gentle wind. The boy then looked up at Sango his eyes connecting with hers. She was about to retort and give him a piece of her mind until she saw the color of his eyes, they were a dark blue. Something she has never seen before, she was transfixed with how his dark blue eyes shone so brightly despite the deep color.
"Are you going to stare for a few more hours or are you actually going to introduce yourself?" The boy suddenly laughed causing Sango to blink with embarrassment. The annoyance rose within her again as she frowned.
"I think you're forgetting something," Sango said straightening up.
The boy raised his eyebrows in question, "What?" Beside her, she felt Kirara brush against her. The boy's eyes widened as he took in Kirara's apperance, "Wow!" He said as he slowly approached Kirara his palm up. Sango was at a loss of words as Kirara gently sniffed the boy's hand before licking it rubbing her huge head on his small hand, "Hey there! Is this your demon cat? She's amazing!"
"Um, yeah. Her name is Kirara," Sango said smiling slightly as Kirara patiently let the boy examine her huge fangs.
"Kirara you say? I'm Bankotsu, it's nice to meet you!" The boy said as he giggled petting Kirara's head softly making her purr in response, "I've never seen a demon cat like her."
"She's quite rare! My father gave her as a gift- Wait!" Sango said huffing causing the boy to look at her, Sango placed her hands on her hips the patience running out of her as she looked at him, "I'm waiting for your apology!"
Bankotsu stopped petting Kirara and rolled his eyes, "An apology? For what?"
"For what?" Sango repeated, "For the huge lump on my head!" she pointed at the growing spot on the back of her head from the impact of the heavy fruit.
"That wasn't entirely my fault," The boy shrugged laughing as he walked past her bending down to pick up three apples. Sango stood there, her mouth slightly agape as she watched him walk away with two of the apples in his arms and the other holding the ripe fruit to his mouth as he took a bite into it.
"To be quite clear," Sango said as she started after him as he walked away from the tree towards the huge waterfall. She caught up beside him her eyes still glaring at him as he walked nonchalantly, "You must've saw me below before you dropped those fruit. I was standing there for quite some time."
"And?" The boy replied with a smirk still on his lips as he stopped chewing, "By the time I let go of the apples, you were suddenly under the tree! How was I supposed to know that you would turn up out of nowhere?"
Sango blushed frustrated. She sped up as she managed to stop in front of him. She crossed her arms again narrowing her eyes at the boy who had his eyebrows lifted in question. Sango started, "That's not the point- I just want an apology. Is that too much to ask for?"
The boy sighed closing his eyes as he gulped the last of his apple his patience running thin. Opening his eyes again he looked into her brown ones. Sango couldn't explain what feeling she felt in her chest as his dark blue eyes connected with her own. The boy grabbed an apple reaching out with it in his hand, "Fine. No hard feelings?" He smiled sheepishly offering her the apple.
Sango's frown dissipated as she undid her crossed arms and reached forward. Her fingers slightly brushed his palm grabbing the ripe, bright red apple taking it clutching it to her chest. She felt a small smile start to spread on her lips as she looked back at the boy, "Even though that wasn't an apology," The boy rolled his eyes, "No hard feelings."
The two children stood in the field smiling warmly at each other as they looked into each other's eyes. The boy smiled as Sango took a bite out of the apple. She moaned in delight munching on the sweet fruit before swallowing. He nodded and started towards the waterfall. Sango stood there as she watched the boy walked further away from her. Beside her, she felt Kirara nudge at her side as if she was teasing her. Sango suddenly blushed, "What?"
"Hey, aren't you coming?" The boy called over his shoulder as he stopped in his tracks. Sango and Kirara looked at each other before they both ran over to him. Sango caught up to him walking beside them as they reached the waterfall. She watched as the boy sat at the bank by the water laying on the soft grass clasping his hands behind his head as he looked into the sky. Hesitant, Sango did the same as she laid beside him with Kirara at her side.
"What are we looking at?" Sango asked as she placed her hands on her stomach.
"Nothing," The boy answered, "I just like to look into the sky sometimes."
"Why?"
The boy shrugged, "I always wondered what it would be like to be a cloud or to be a bird."
"I often wonder that as well. My father and I would play a game of making out shapes of the clouds," Sango said fondly as she looked into the sky. Smiling, she pointed at a cloud, "Look! That looks like a fish, doesn't it?"
The boy looked over to where she was pointing, laughing, "It does. And that one looks like a dog!"
"Oh, I see it," Sango smiled excitedly as the two of them came to an awkward silence.
"What's your name? I told you mine, you never told me yours," Bankotsu said as he turned his head looking at her.
"My name is Sango," She replied.
"Sango," He repeated nodding as he looked back up into the sky Sango doing the same.
"I love it here," Sango admitted as they laid in silence.
"I do too," Bankotsu said.
Sango rolled onto her stomach using her hands to prop her chin up as she looked at Bankotsu, "This can be our place! Kirara and I already established that his was our special super secret place, but you're an exception."
Bankotsu scoffed placing his hands on his stomach as he let out a scoff, "I don't recall that you two were here first. I was already up in the tree before you two came along."
Sango rolled her eyes, "So? The three of us doesn't make a crowd do we?" She laughed as Bankotsu rolled his eyes dramatically. She pushed his shoulder playfully, "Come on! The three of us can have this waterfall to ourselves, how does that sound?'
Banktosu propped himself up with his elbows as he looked at Sango. His lips turning into a grin as he nodded, "I guess that isn't too bad. I could use some friends."
Sango started to become curious, "Don't you have friends back home?" Bankotsu's grin soon turned into a frown as he looked off into the distance, "Well to be honest, not really."
"Why?" He shrugged, "I'm not too sure why. The kids in my village just didn't like me, I couldn't figure out why."
Sango frowned, "That's awful. So, how did you get by?"
Bankotsu sighed looking up into the sky again, "I just ignored it. I didn't need them anyways. That's why when my father finally sent for me, I was happy to get out of there."
"So you moved villages?" Sango assumed, Bankotsu nodded as he reached for the third apple biting into it. "Where are you from, Bankotsu?" Sango asked
"I just moved to a village not far from here," He said, "My father is a friend of the chief of the village."
Sango perked up as she sat up, "Oh? What village?"
"Yokai taijiya, the demon slayer village," He answered looking at her, "You heard of it, I'm sure. The people there are famous for protecting the north."
Sango nodded enthusiastically smiling, "Yes! I am actually from that village, my father is the chief!"
"Really?" Bankotsu said as she nodded. Cracking a smile Bankotsu laughed, "What are the odds?"
"It was luck, I guess!" Sango shrugged as she stood up extending her hand towards Bankotsu, "Come on! The sun is about to go down, we ought to head back."
Bankotsu looked at her hand before reaching up taking it. Sango helped him up to his feet as they both dusted themselves off, "How are we going to head back? It's kind of a far walk from where we are now." He turned around seeing Sango no longer behind him. He frowned looking around until he saw Sango on the cat demon's back smiling with excitement at him.
"Not to worry," Sango said as she urged him to come closer, "Get on! We'll be back in no time!"
