By Inuyasha_girl_12 and Ivoryblood
Chapter 1: Prologue
"Inuyasha?" A young hanyou turned around startled to face a little girl. "Who are you?" He asked roughly, scrubbing tears from his eyes. What was she doing here, anyway? This was his special place..."Oh," she backed up startled. Her hair was braided in two very long braids, the goldish color glistening. It was a rare color for the time. She wore geta sandals and a scrubby-looking yukata. "I'm sorry. It's just..." The child pulled forth a yellow-gold ball. "I saw you playing with it in the courtyard. Then you ran off and dropped it. No one noticed, so I picked it up and followed you." Inuyasha stared harshly at her. He had run, to his mother. Only after being endlessly ridiculed by the villagers. Called 'half-breed'. Then he had come here, to an old abandoned house on the outskirts of town. He frowned. And why was she still here? Wasn't she scared of him? "Well, you've brought it. Don't you want to run, or make fun of me?"
The girl stared at him, concentrating hard on something. Then, smiling, she sat down. "No, I want to stay. Besides you may be half demon, but that's half human as well." Inuyasha stared, startled. This was true, but he hadn't thought of it that way before. And here she was, staring at him in such a manner as though he were… normal. "Fine," He sat down. "but what do I call you?" He looked down and was surprised to see her lying down, almost asleep. He watched her prone form, and started what promised to be a smile. Sleepily, she opened her eyes slightly, looking him over. "Just so you know, my name's Satoko."
Chapter 2: Separated
*Many years later. Inuyasha is 18, and Satoko 16.*
"What's up, Inuyasha?" Satoko asked, leaning on a small crop of trees. "Why'd we come to this run-down village?" She looked out over the village of Priestess Kikyo, guardian of the Shikon No Tama. Inuyasha had been friends since that day so long ago, and joined together in many adventures. Now, practically grown, they were after the Jewel. " Not another attempt to steal the 'marble'?!" She kicked the dust. Inuyasha had been planning to use the Jewel of Four Souls to become human for a while now. Satoko had her doubts, but Inuyasha pushed them aside. "Feh, of course another attempt! But I must tell you something." He sat down, and Satoko followed his example. Inuyasha turned his head away from her, and shuffled his feet a bit. Finally he began. "You know how long I've tried to get the Jewel. And you know my intentions." He paused, and Satoko watched him intently. "But that has changed. Kikyo and I… have decided to live together." Satoko gasped and stood up. "I thought you hated her, and all humans? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" She turned away from him, and he continued. "I am also…planning on using the Jewel to become, human." That did it. Inuyasha sighed and stood up. He felt kind of awkward and betraying. "I leaving to go meet Kikyo now." Bad final sentence. "Fine then, just go!" She still stood her back to him, determined to sound careless, though striving not to shed the tears welled in her eyes. So Inuyasha started off towards the village, for the first time in many years alone. After a distance he looked back to see Satoko head in hands. "What's she so upset about?" He asked himself, but still looked on sadly. Then, he pulled himself together and trudged on. Being with Satoko and Kikyo had softened him a little, and he hoped they would make up later.
"Get a hold of yourself!" Satoko yelled angrily. She wiped away tears and took a deep breathe. "It's not like I love him…" But it was a lie. She did love him. How long? It had been gradual. Being Inuyasha's only friend had almost given her the illusion… She closed her eyes and faced the sky. "Well, I suppose I ought to be happy…for them." She straightened up and looked off toward where Inuyasha had gone. "Now to find him and apologize. Face set, she started off. Suddenly, not too far away, she heard a yell. "Die Inuyasha!" "Oh!" Gasped Satoko, looking around. "That was Kikyo's voice!" She raced off, the speed of the deer at her heels. When she arrived at the site, Inuyasha and Kikyo were nowhere to be seen. But three tell-tale arrows shot into a tree told her everything. "Kikyo." Satoko gritted her teeth at the word. She had to find Inuyasha! "Everyone knows Kikyo is the best shot in Japan! If she were to really get pissed off at him, who knows what she could do!"
Following his tracks, she quickly arrived at the village. When Satoko saw it, she gasped. Carnage and wreckage was strewn round, and the ancient house of which the Jewel was kept had burned down. "No…" She whispered to herself. What would have made him do such a thing? Even in all his attempts, he had never hurt anyone this intentionally! Noticing a gathering of people over by the edge of the village, Satoko went to investigate. What met her eyes was horrible. There was Kikyo, a gigantic cut from shoulder to arm which she could tell would end fatally. Then, she found Inuyasha. He was shot to the ancient God Tree, an arrow through his chest. He looked up, first at the Shikon Jewel laying feet from him, then to Kikyo. "K…Kikyo! But I thought…" And he slumped over, silently. Satoko mouthed his name, to utterly shocked to speak. Memories flooded into her head, as she sank to her knees. "He, he can't be…gone." Her heart clenched, and warm tears cascaded down her face. "And…the last we talked…" She remembered the hostile, 'Go'!, and sobbed. Here he was, gone forever. Satoko's mind went blank, and faded into darkness .
Chapter 3: Reunion
"Ohhh!" Satoko gasped and sat up, shaking. Sweat beads were dripping down her face. "Whoa…" She steadied herself on the tree branches she was sleeping in. "That damn dream, again?!" Ever since that horrible day, she had had the same dream replaying that terrible scene. After fainting, the villagers had taken her to their homes to regain consciousness. When she had felt better, Satoko had returned to the tree, as though to watch over Inuyasha's body. She had tried millions of times to pull out the arrow, but none prevailed. After hearing a private conversation, though, she had found that Inuyasha was not dead, but only sleeping. Realizing this, off she had gone to find one to wake him. This proved difficult, and none could manage. One witch did have the power to slow growth, so that even though years passed Satoko never aged. Even all this couldn't hearten her, and finally she decided to leave the village and memories behind before she died of grief. But this was easier said than done, and though it was easy enough to leave the spot, memories die hard. Now on the move, 50 years since the accident, Satoko had heard that the Sacred Jewel had resurfaced! Having already collected 10, using her fighting skills learned from years alone, she had been napping. "Gods, I've gotta forget that!" Rolling over, she re-positioned herself to go back to sleep. But it escaped her, and she finally got up. Going to a little pool, Satoko washed and dressed. Then, looking at her reflection, she commented, "My hairs too long." And with the swish of a knife, a large hunk of golden hair fell to the ground, then another. Shaking the uneven strands out of her face, Satoko's nose twitched. "That scent!" It seemed so familiar… Pulling herself up into and old oak, she began to follow her nose.
*In another part of the forest*
"Bye bye Sango!" shouted Shippo, sitting on Kagome's shoulder. "Yes, have a good time at your friends!" She agreed. Miroku walked up to her and touched her butt. "Don't be too long." Sango whacked him with her boomerang, but blushed nonetheless. "Feh." said Inuyasha. "Just hurry back." He rolled his eyes and folded his arms. Kagome sighed, and they all waved goodbye. Once she was out of sight, Miroku stepped up and said, "Where to, Lady Kagome?" "Well… Ohhh!" Kagome's eyes widened and everyone jumped. "What is it?" Inuyasha questioned. "Well, it's either Naraku or someone very powerful." "Why's that?" Shippo whispered, clinging to Kagome's sleeve. "Because, I feel 10 whole Jewel shards at once! No one but Naraku has that many, at least that we've encountered." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Humph, any that we've encountered are dead!" "And may God punish their souls." Miroku added flatly. "Forget the chit chat!" Shippo yelped. "We obviously have other things to worry about!"
*Back to Satoko*
Satoko had finally arrived to the source of the odd smell, and looking down her heart skipped a beat. Below her were four tensed people. One was obviously a human girl, dressed in the queerest kimono. There was also a priest, and a young Kitsune. But the one most important was… "INUYASHAS?!!!!" The cry rang out, scattering birds everywhere. The party looked up startled, but all they saw was a blur shoot out of a willow tree. Even Inuyasha had no idea what hit him, until he was bowled over. "Inuyasha! Are you all right?" Kagome drew her arrows and aimed, while Miroku readied his staff. Shippo just hid. Satoko had just then realized the others preparing for battle, and a battle she would give them! She jumped up suddenly, spear ready. But just as she was about to shiscabob Miroku, Inuyasha grabbed her with her arms at her sides. Satoko squirmed half-heartedly and yelled at them. "Put me down…right now!" Finally, she went limp. "What is it? Demon or human?" Shippo went for a closer look, and Satoko bit him.
"Owww!" Said Shippo, retreating. "Who are you?" asked Kagome, keeping her distance. "Because you're certainly not demon, just human." Sniffed Inuyasha sarcastically. "And according to Lady Kagome you have jewel shards for us." Stated Miroku, but he looked longingly at her butt.