Orphan

By Ryouga's best friend

The next day they awoke and broke down camp early. If they made good time they could make it to the village and retrieve the shard before lunch. They took a brisk pace and managed to make the town as the sun neared it's noontime vigil. It was a much larger community than most they came across and Shippo couldn't help but notice it seemed relatively unscathed for a village under attack for demons possessing a Shikon Shard. He wasn't the only one with doubts.

"Something ain't right here…" Inuyasha glanced about the streets nervously. Through the building were untouched the streets were barren. His ears twitched about for a moment before pointing straight ahead. "There's some shouting up ahead," he stated calmly picking up his pace, his hand instinctively on the Tetsusaiga. As the got closer the others could hear it as well. The loud rabble of a crowd. When they arrived at the source they found a large crowd surrounding a small girl no older than 6 or 7 tied to stake. She was a skinny thing in torn rags cover with bruises and scratches. Her hair was a wild mass of black that covered her face and fell just below her shoulders. Her body convulsed as she sobbed freely in the rope's embrace. The crowd around was shouting and jeering at the poor girl as a middle aged man ranted and waved a large torch over his head. Before anyone could react he lit a pile of brush and wood under the stake, much to the cheering of the crowd. The flames slowly licked upwards at the girl's bound feet.

"We have help her," Kagome said with determined eyes.

"But how can we? There no way we can get near the fire with that crowd," Sango rationalized. Miroku stepped forward and began to unbind his hand.

"Allow me… WIND TUNNEL!" He pointed his cursed hand to the spectacle with total concentration. He had to put the fire out without harming anyone.

The void's powerful winds pulled at the crowd slowly at first but steadily increasing. The flames and firewood, being the lightest objects in the area were sucked into the air. This might hurt he thought as the spiral of flame disappeared into the void. Several people felt themselves dragged toward the monk and reach for anything to hold them down. As soon as the flames were completely gone he quickly resealed the void. He clutched his hand as an intense burning sensation shot through his palm, it took most of his will power to hide the intense pain. Though after a few short moments it disappeared, like it was never there at all. The crowd was in shock and finally quiet. The only sound heard was the light sobbing of the girl. The monk regained his composure and addressed the crowd.

"What goes here? How is the girl worthy of such persecution?" He scanned the crowd for reactions, it took only a few moments for the middle aged man, whose torch was now extinguished, to speak up.

"This girl is a demon, She and her kin have brought famine and disaster upon this town!" He shouted as the crowd began to regain their anger. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the man.

"What famine? The crops seemed fine to me, there enough food there to serve two towns," As soon as he spoke up the crowd gave him That look. The one he got every day since he was a child. It was a mixture of fear and loathing, all demons got it… though most never seemed to care. The man glance at him and than back to the monk.

"What kind of monk travels with demons?"

"That one is under control of the girl and the others are harmless," he explained off-handedly. Earning a scowl from Inuyasha.

"But I think your avoiding the question," Sango spoke up, her face was all business. "Your village is in fine shape and has plenty of food, why the girl?" The man paused for a moment.

"Several children have fallen into a deep sleep and haven't awoken in days, the last time they were seen was with the girl. She has their souls!" He shouted gaining support from the others.

"That's not true!" The girl shouted in a shrill soprano, she was quieted by a rock thrown from the crowd.

"Give me back me little brother Demon," a teenaged boy shook his fist and went to pick up another rock. The man flashed a small smile as the crowd gain their spirit back. Sango leveled a glare on the man that could melt steel.

"That Bastard…" She muttered just loud enough for his companions to hear her, "He's enjoying this."

"That's it I'm sick of waiting," Inuyasha began to make his way to the crowd.

"Wait Inu-" Kagome started after him but was stopped by Miroku. He shook his head.

"I think he knows what he's doing." Inuyasha marched forward undeterred by the looks he got from his friends or the townspeople. Though as he approached the townspeople moved to block his way. He stood for a moment but they didn't budge.

"Move, " he commanded eyes flashing with annoyance. They were obviously shaken but held their ground. The man ran over to the girl and pulled her head up by her hair. A distinct feature of her bruised face was her eyes. One was light brown, the other a pale yellow.

"He's trying to save his own kind, his eyes are just like hers!" Inuyasha snarled and drew the Tetsusaiga, he brought the large demon fang into a combat stance.

"Move… Or I'll make you move," his tone was all calm but his eyes were wild. The crowd stood it's ground for a moment but the intimidation got the better of them and they scattered. Hoisting the blade onto his shoulder he walked the rest of the distance with only the man opposing him. The half demon walked up to the stake, which the man quickly evacuated. He took a small sniff as he examined her closely. "Smells human," he stated with a shrug. He retook his combat stance and grasp the fang with both hands. "Now for the real test," he looked at the girl's frightened eyes. "For your sake, I hope your not lying." That being said he brought the sword back to swing…

"No!" Shippo Shouted jumping off Kagome's shoulder and sprinting toward him on all fours. Kagome and Sango were about to follow but were stopped by Miroku. Kagome was about to say the magic words but in mid swing the Fang fizzled out and returned to it normal form, a rusted old Katana. It bounced harmlessly off the stake without so much as a scratch on the wood. He glanced down at it than back at the girl whose eyes were still shut waiting for the impact.

"Well what do ya know. Just like I th-Oph!" He started before he was tackled by the fox demon. He grabbed the offending Kit by the tail. "What the hell's your problem brat?!" He threw the diminutive demon to the ground.

"I thought you were gonna hurt her," he mumbled back.

"The Tetsusaiga can't hurt humans," he growled brushing himself off. "I figured it would be the best test."

"That was actually pretty clever Inuyasha," Inuyasha's eye twitched slightly.

"Don't sound so surprised," he grumbled. He sniffed the air a bit and glanced around. "None the less there is a demon here… close too" he repowered the Tetsusaiga. Shippo turned to see the man who'd been leading the burning take several steps away.

"Him!" He alerted causing the man to bolt. Inuyasha went in quick pursuit. Kirara changed into her larger form and Sango jumped on her back. Kagome and Miroku took after on foot, their respective weapons in hand.

"Shippo, free the girl." Miroku instructed as he passed.

"Alright." He scurried back to the stake and began pulling ropes off one by one. After a lot of effort he managed remove them, the girl fell to her knees taking deep gasping breaths. He ran to her side "Hey, you okay?" She turned watching him with wide eyes. "Don't worry, " Shippo said with a smile. "Your safe now…" Before he knew it she wrapped him in a fierce hug and sobbed into his shoulder. He merely hugged her back and hummed a soothing tune, like Kagome did for him when he was sad.

* * * * *

Meanwhile little ways away the demon found his escape route from Inuyasha cut off by the demon exterminator and her fire cat. To his left was the monk and to his right the strangely clothed girl. If he was going to stand a chance he'd have to shed this useless form. The Man began to convulse and collapse. A purple smoke crept from the man's mouth it formed into a humanoid shape and resolidified. It was about 9 ft tall with lizard-like scales, sharp claws and a protruding fangs. It's empty black eyes scanned his opponents. "That demons made from Miasma!" Kagome gasped. Inuyasha's knuckles popped as he tightened his grip.

"Naraku…"

"My lord sends his greetings," it hissed mockingly before charging Inuyasha. He parried the blow and turned to Kagome.

"Where's the shard?" She examined the beast closely but…

"Th-there isn't one."

"What?!" He shouted parrying another claw strike. "All this and it doesn't have a shard." He growled pushing back his opponent. So intent on Inuyasha it didn't notice Sango hurl her mighty Hiraikotsu until it was too late. There was a sickening crunch as it struck the demon on it's left arm and severed it just above the elbow. The limb fell to the ground and twitched for a few moments before dissolving into Miasma. As it stood, still in shock, Miroku swung his staff into it's midsection. It fell to the ground screaming curses in a foreign tongue. Sango strode toward the agonizing demon after catching her weapon on it's return path.

"Why were you burning the girl?" she demanded.

"It was… unfortunate… that the girl was alive, the burning was the villagers idea. I hardly had to convince them at all," he shrugged painfully his tone uncaring.

"What would Naraku want with a child?" She pressed only to receive a haggard laugh.

"You think I would betray my lord so easily," he rasped out continuing to laugh.

"Enough!" Inuyasha silenced it with a quick strike to the neck, slaying the beast for good. Though this did little to improve the half demon's mood. "We spent a good week's travel on this rumor from Myoga and nothing, next time I see that little…" he grumbling trailed off as he continued to fume. Miroku kneeled next to man the demon had been possessing and checked him over.

"This one's dead, most likely for days. The demon's presence must have kept the body alive," he took a moment to say the necessary prayers before standing. "We should probably check on the children," he said receiving nods from both girls, Inuyasha being too busy with his quiet ranting. None noticed that hiding in the shadows of a nearby building a giant hornet had watched the whole conflict…