Sister, Sister

Chapter 1

In a vast clearing of vibrant green grass and semi overcast sky of blue and grey, one voice echoed forth, resonant and clear:

"That's it! I'm going HOME!" Kagome, the owner of the voice, was striding angrily towards an old well, intent on reaching it before anyone could stop her.

"Go home, see if I care," Inuyasha screeched back angrily as he jumped after her. "I won't come get you either!"

Although he looked and sounded angry, there was a small touch of anguish hidden in the edge of his words. He didn't want her to go, he never wanted her to leave his side, but at the same time he'd be damned if he'd let her embarrassed by making him beg. Therefore… "You stay there all you want!"

Kagome, a petite young girl of 15 with long black hair and bright brown eyes, stared back at him coolly. "At least I'll be able to get some studying done. I've failed almost all my math tests because of you." She stood just before the well, her brown gaze eagerly seeking the depths within, as she added. "Good bye."

"Go then, I won't-" He stopped in mid sentence, his amber-cat like eyes glancing behind him as a strange sense touched his nose. The wind blew absently through his long white hair and fire-mouse clothing, ruffling it like an old friend, but nothing surfaced. Nothing surfaced and yet… there was a strange scent that tickled the wind and stained the air like moth balls suddenly taken out of storage and quickly stuff back again. Something was wrong.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome had not gone yet. The abruptness in which he cut off his words had cut her departure as if he'd physically grabbed her.

"Something's wrong. It's…" He paled, something that was usually hard to see in a face already framed by snow-white hair and said, his words visibly tensed in shock disbelief. "Blood… There's blood in the air…" The change in scent from unknown to the heady rust-like stain of blood was unmistakable. "The village…"

"What? But Sango and Miroku are there, not to mention Shippo, Kaede and the villagers. Inuyasha we have to do something-" The alarm in her voice reflected clearly in her brown eyes as she stumbled in the direction of the village.

"I thought you were leaving?" He countered dryly as she gave him a look that said, 'the village's in trouble, and you have the nerve to pick out the niceties?'

"I'll go without you then…" She started to run, but his hand, predictable as always, grabbed her by the back of her green and white school uniform, as he threw her unceremoniously against his back.

"Idiot. If I let you walk, you'll never get there in time…"

Kagome glared at him, knowing that by walk he meant the "human" run equivalent, but she kept silent. If he smelled blood in the air, then their friends were in danger and this was no time to argue if that was the indeed the case.

"Sango, where's Shippo," Miroku screamed over the din of flame and collapsing wood as he fought his way towards the dark haired girl. Everything had been fine a moment ago: children playing without a care in the street, farmers and trades-people greeting each other as they passed, generally it had been a very pleasant and dull day. Then…

"Kirara's taken him and Kaede to safety. Myoga's with him," Sango breathlessly cried back, heaving her great boomerang over her shoulder, as she scanned the orange flames and black smoke clouds for any signs of the youkai responsible for the attack.

"In other words, they're safe. That's good." He scanned through the thickening smoke, searching for any signs of survivors praying that they'd all escaped with Kaede, as he lifted his staff. "If Naraku's behind this, I'm going to kill him."

Sango laughed, a tight chuckle that made Miroku turn his purple-eyed gaze towards her questioningly. "There's a long line, Miroku, you'll have to wait behind Inuyasha, me, Kikyo… understand?"

"Not if I get to him first… " Miroku rubbed the protective glove and beads over his right hand in a semi-unconscious manner. It was obvious to Sango that the houshi would not think twice to use his kaza ana on Naraku if he could avoid those bees from hell. Then again, if he could avenge his father, and his father before him, perhaps Miroku would give up his life if he could kill Naraku… That thought send a cold shiver racing through her body and Sango felt as if she'd been suddenly plunged into ice water. Venomously she shook the unwanted thought away. No matter how much she and the houshi disagreed with each other, she never wanted to think of him as dead. What would she do if he- "Sango," Miroku interrupted, his gaze staring straight ahead. "There's something there."

"What? Where?" Staring ahead, she could see nothing, except the burning buildings and bellowing smoke.

"I can't see it, but I know it's there. Right at…" Just as he was about to point the whole area exploded in a brilliant array of dirt, smoke and debree. Sango was thrown violently, like some overused cat'o'nine tails, against the crumbled remains of an old house's railing as Miroku was sent spiraling in the opposite direction. "Sango," the name was barely a whisper on his bleeding lips, as the youkai that had surprised them began to materialized.

She looked like Kagura, what with the red eye-shadow and lipstick, but her hair was the colour of dying sunlight and her sharp-edge features were chiseled out of something colder than anything the air mistress, herself, could muster.

She wore scanty loose fitting clothing, revealing a bit too much cleavage and thigh than was normally acceptable, even for Miroku's tastes, and her stance, like some arrogant feudal lord, was full of self importance and insolence. With a cat like grace she strode towards the priest, her slitted eyes taken him in like some new toy to play with then break, as he struggled to stand. "You should be dead, like that girl," even the voice was cold and flat and Miroku, glancing suddenly at Sango, felt a heavy rage set into him.

"If she is dead, I… I'll never forgive you!" He made to reach for his kaza ana, but the woman's reach was quicker than his. By the scruff of his throat she held him dangling in the air, obviously enjoying the discomfort produced by the squirming Houshi. She had the self-absorbed look of intending to strangled him slowly… painfully.

"Ahh, so much life…" She purred, her tongue licking her lips in an anticipating manner. "When you die, I'll have so much to drink from you…"

"Not if I can help it," Sango, who had risen abruptly, sent her boomerang spinning wildly at the youkai woman. "You touch him and I'll kill you!"

With an inhuman reflex she threw Miroku towards Sango and leapt out of the way a moment before the boomerang hit. Miroku slammed unmercifully into Sango, the two of them tumbling backwards in a crumpled heat, as the female youkai laughed. Her laugh echoed harshly as she threw her catlike gaze towards the two, "Fools. Perhaps I'll just kill you now! Eh!" A sense, a vibe of discord struck her, and she turned her head just as the newcomer approached.

"Touch them and die," Inuyasha's voice was deadly, his own slit eyes glaring so hard at the female youkai that she blinked in disbelief. "You want a fight, you got one with me… Oi Kagome, take care of Miroku and Sango."

Kagome nodded as he dropped her gently to her feet and she sped immediately towards her friends. Turning back to the youkai, Inuyasha voice was filled with hatred. "For what you've done to this village and my friends…" His eyes narrowed and focused on her fixedly. "I'll kill you!" He leapt after the youkai, his moves full of bursting energy and furious anger, as she leapt easily away from.

She laughed. "Oh my, another would be fighter? You'll find I'm not so easy to kill. In fact, you're going to be begging me to put an end to you once I'm done."

"What?"

"Should never have challenged me dog-boy, ha! Feel the wrath of Necoa!" Sharp pointy claws slid forth from her extended fingers as burning flame shot out from her snarled mouth.

"GAAA!" The fumes of the flames were beyond being poisonous and nauseous; they were downright abhorrent and obscene. He was on his knees in a matter of seconds, his hand reaching protectively for his nose and mouth in an effort to block out the smell. The only other time he'd smelled something this bad was during the time of that mad artist who drew using ink, the blood of the dead, and one of the shikon no tama's shards. Unfortunately this was ten time worst. He glared at Necoa, but his vision was started to dim, the smell was affecting him already! He would pass out before he'd even be given the chance to do some damage.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as she watched him surcome to the smell and fall to his knees. Necoa was grinning impishly, her claws shining brightly in the light, as she slowly stepped towards Inuyasha.

"I'll take care of this," Miroku half-murmured from his semi-sitting and semi-kneeling position as he pulled open the seal, the white beads over his right hand, to release the kaza ana. "Stand back."

"Do it and you'll die," Necoa screamed, her claws full extended, as a horrid buzzing filled the clearing. "You see I come prepared for you, Houshi! I'm no fool!" Miroku stared in horror as the heavy drone of the Hell wasps filled the air; he went completely pale. "I'll kill you all-AAH!"

Kagome's arrow hit sharply in Necoa's left shoulder, the blue-black blood squirming out like maggots, she belatedly clutched her arm. "You bitch," she screeched as the pain of the purifying arrow burned her unholy body unrelentingly. She pulled out the arrow, as her eyes, now blood shot, fixated on Kagome. "You will have no mercy from me!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice was barely a whisper as he watched, horror stricken through cloudy eyes as Necoa sped directly towards her.

"NECOA!" A new voice screamed, her voice so full of energy and power, that the youkai's head spun around immediately.

She didn't stop her cat-like approach towards Kagome, her hate and pain pushing her onward, but she couldn't look away from the newcomer either. "You-"

A young woman, with long black hair tied in bun and wearing a miko garb of white and black, stood standing tall and firm from whence she called. "Stop this," the words were cold and flat, like the blue-blackness of her eyes, but there was no mistaking the intention that she would fight this youkai with more than words then need be.

Necoa laughed, her coldness chilling the air around her, as she extended claws towards the object of her designation. "Make me!"

A chuckle, a smirk and the woman raised a pale hand forward. "Heaven blast Ascension!" A white light issued forth from her outstretched hand and chased after the youkai's startled form so quickly that Necoa was knocked rudely backwards. She came with a crash into the charred remains of a hut and was on her back for a good couple of minutes. "Never underestimate me, cat demon, imp, oni, or whatever you call yourself."

She strode forward, her dark eye glance taking in the destruction, the poisonous smell of Necoa's flame, the black smoke, and last, but not least, the four people who the youkai's been 'playing' with, with never a blink. "So you think you can just harm anything you want? Do you think just because you joined up with Naraku that you're protected. Necoa… you're life is forfeit!" Swinging out her hands together she summoned up a ball of brilliant energy. "Heaven seal banishment!"

Necoa was up on her feet, barely dodging the blinding light, as she desperately ran forward. "Another time, Yashira!" Necoa screamed hatefully. "I will have more power to defeat you! Another time!" With an agility due only to the youkai's superior cat-like sped, Necoa bounded away quickly before the newcomer, Yashira, could summon another heaven blast.

"Damn you, Necoa," Yashira cursed gripping her hands so tightly that her nails bit sharply into her palms. "I'll catch you and send you back to the netherworld, mark my words, I will do this."

Suddenly, as the stench of smoke and fumes passed and the flames began to die down, Yashira turned to face Kagome abruptly. "Miko, are you okay?"

"Huh, you mean me?" Kagome was not used to being directly addressed as a miko, so it took her a moment to registered that the question was directed at her. "I'm fine…"

"Good," glancing down to where Miroku was just now getting to his feet, she added, "And you Houshi?"

"Just a few bruises," he replied, his gaze scanning just more than her smooth oval face with serious and solemn features, but her entire body as well. "Allow me to thank you wholeheartedly from the bottom of-"

"Damn bitch, where did she go," Inuyasha, cursing and rising to his feet, could find no sign of Necoa. "When I catch her-" He stopped immediately, Kagome's well-being coming instantly to his thoughts, as he jumped to where she stood. "Kagome are you-? Who's this woman?"

"Forgive this rude half-youkai," Miroku began, almost as if on cue, "but he has no manners. This woman saved our lives, Inuyasha, you can thank her to show your appreciation."

Yashira and Inuyasha locked eyes and their egos, visible clashes of electricity, fought suddenly for supremacy. "A half-youkai, huh? I'll give you warning now, if I ever catch you behaving like Necoa, I'll seal you up with my heaven blast. Understand?"

"Just you try it, you'll never get passed Tetsusaiga's attack," Inuyasha was scowling darkly, his stance aggressive, and his posture just as threatening. Yashira glared back at him as if the mere thought of a youkai, half, or whatever, could not defeat a mere human like herself. Their stare was like runaway fire feed on pure gasoline.

"Hey, isn't that a bit much," Kagome began as Sango, starting to stir, rubbed her eyes tiredly. Miroku was quick to help her up. "You don't know him to make that kind of comment."

Yashira glanced at her carefully, her blue-black eyes making Kagome feel strange as if she was staring more at a mask than a real face. "I make that comment to every youkai I meet, regardless of how much I know them. This way, at least, they can't claim they weren't warned." She and Inuyasha shared another cold, narrow eyed, glare before Yashira shook her head dismissively and turned away. "Good bye, then. I'd best be moving on; perhaps I'll see you around." She gave Inuyasha a quick look that said, she'd be seeing him a lot sooner, if he did indeed make trouble like Necoa; Inuyasha responded with clenched fists and throbbing vein in his forehead.

"Wait, don't go yet," Kagome cried out, her voice so sharp in the air, that it cut holes in it. "You mentioned something about Naraku to that youkai. What do you know of him and that Necoa?"

Yashira did not turn to face her as she replied simply, "That's my business, not yours. Good bye." She continued walking, immune to any further questions thrown to her by Kagome.

So Ends Chapter 1.