Hey, you guys. I'm really, really sorry this has taken so long. I've been so busy. I'm telling you, my life has become a crazy, hectic disaster, lol. However, I am back now with another chapter. I will try to update more regularly, I promise, but bear with me. I've got two jobs now and I attend college full-time, so I will try to squeeze in writing this story and my other story during the few hours in between, lol.

Chapter Eight: Arrival

Inu Yasha looked to his left. They would be approaching Sorikata's location today. It was almost mid-day, and although they had been traveling non-stop for the past few days, all four of them were ready for the battle. Inu Yasha could see the look of determination in Kagome's eyes. Hell, her entire body was rigid with anticipation.

Kirara was already in her large form with Sango riding her. Eyes open and ready for action. She licked the mud off her paw as she and Sango joined them. They were overlooking the castle grounds and waiting for Sesshoumaru to show up so they could formulate a plan. Kirara got into her stance, ready to listen to whatever directions she was to follow. Sango hopped off her back and onto her feet, dressed in her battle gear, hiraikotsu in it's place on her back, and her sword at her waist.

Sango, who had informed him that Sesshoumaru would be fighting along side them, was visibly ready. She had that spark in her eyes that for the better part of the year had been dull, but was now shining brightly again. He could hear her heart beating steadily and strongly. She was back. Sango, demon exterminator, was no longer on hiatus. She had nearly recovered all of her former self. Inu Yasha and Kagome both knew that she would never again be the same as she once was, but then again, they had never known Sango when she was completely happy to begin with.

In fact, they had first met Sango right after her life had gone straight to Hell. She was still grieving for her brother, and was in search for revenge. Now, however, she would be fighting with the preparation and determination she had shown in their previous adventure, but for a different reason. Instead of revenge, she would be protecting. Inu Yasha knew that Sango refused to let her village, her home, to be ransacked once again.

She couldn't deal with that kind of Hell all over again. If it were to happen, and her brother's grave were desecrated and all she had worked so hard to stabilize this past year were to come tumbling down upon her once again, Inu Yasha knew it would be the last straw. No matter how strong and determined she was now, he knew she could only take so much more. People just aren't built to deal with that much grief in one lifetime.

She was ready now, however, and that's what was important. Inu Yasha could feel his own blood pumping with anticipation. His body and his mind were ready for this fight. He knew that he would have to expect anything. Especially if this guy really could shift forms. It could make for one serious bout of mind games. He could feel his anticipation come to a climax as he felt the presence of his brother enclose on them.

Sango also felt his presence and turned to see him. Sesshoumaru approached the group as he always did; quietly and calmly. His eyes, however, were not the calm that they usually shone. Instead, his golden orbs were dark; filled with determination, anger, and hatred.

The depth of that hatred nearly made Sango gasp. She had scarcely seen anything other than emptiness in his eyes, and all of the intensity of the emotions she now saw caught her unawares. She didn't know he was capable of feeling such raw emotions, be it hatred or other wise.

Eyes were the gates to the soul, and Sango was so accustomed to seeing him so emotionless, that she had deemed him to have a soul equally as empty as his eyes. 'Could he really be that good at disguising himself, or are these emotions I see newly discovered?' Sango asked inside her head.

Sesshoumaru broke the silence as he finally stopped before them, "You're ready, little brother?" he questioned, his voice a deep rumble that sent chills down Sango's spine.

She couldn't focus on the exchange between Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru. All she could think of was how strange it was that Sesshoumaru, a demon that they had despised for so long, was here, standing with them-planning and about to be fighting with them. He was the type of demon Sango's father had been talking about, and she knew it. He and Inu Yasha both. They were the most dangerous demons of them all-the ones who took on human form.

Inu Yasha is half demon, but he is still dangerous. Sango had seen him transform more times than she cared to recollect, as each time was more frightening than the last. She knew what he could become if he wished to do so, but he never had, not consciously. Sesshoumaru, however, was another story. When fighting an enemy, he was merciless, and when fighting Inu Yasha, he was even more stern. He had despised his own flesh and blood for so long, but now…

Now they were civil? Sango remembered some of the fights she and Kohaku had, before and after that horrid night, but they paled in comparison to those of the two half-brothers that stood before her. It hit her then that perhaps demons of Sesshoumaru's and Inu Yasha's kind were not that different from humans.

They were capable of all the same emotions, even though it was obvious, especially in Sesshoumaru's case, that they were very good at hiding it. Sango snapped back to reality when she noticed that everyone was staring at her, apparently expecting an answer to something she had just missed, "I'm sorry…what did you say?"

Sesshoumaru scowled, "Perhaps, Inu Yasha, if your humans can not focus, they should not be allowed to enter in to this battle."

Sango's eyes flared, "Listen here you arrogant assh-"

"Well, well, well. I see that you've all finally decided to grace us with your presence."

All five turned their heads toward the direction of the voice. Sorikata was at the foot of his palace steps, "Come, I know you are there. Show yourselves."

Kagome looked worriedly from Sesshoumaru to Sorikata. She only hoped that he was strong enough to face him. Sango had told her what happened when they had fought together. She had told her that Sesshoumaru had been taken down exactly like the first time, gripping his chest and unable to move.

Sango said she had managed to bring him back, but she hadn't disclosed how. There was something she wasn't telling her, and when Kagome asked, Sango had simply said, "It isn't important how I did it. Just that it can be done. Sesshoumaru will be fine." That was days ago. Kagome needed to focus on the present, and did so immediately.

Inu Yasha gripped his Tetsusaiga. Unafraid of Sorikata's challenge for them to show themselves, the stepped out of the hedges, Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru in front. Sorikata smiled sinisterly as he spoke, "To what to I owe this pleasant visit? I know. It must be the ceremony, right?"

Kagome looked to Inu Yasha, her confusion evident, "Ceremony? What is he talking about?"

Sesshoumaru knew exactly what he was talking about, and his fears were confirmed when Sorikata pulled a tattered Rin from behind him and forced her to her knees. He held her abusively by the hair, her small body, bruised and broken, shook with pain. Her eyes were a well of tears, "Sesshoumaru-sama!" her voice a broken plea.

"Rin," his voice low and rumbling, his eyes fixed on Sorikata, full of rage.

"Yes, that's right, Rin. It's your beloved Sesshoumaru-sama," he hissed at her then turned his gaze toward Sesshoumaru, "So, did you find what you were looking for? This dirty human-is she yours?"

They all heard the low growl that escaped from Sesshoumaru. His eyes became cold and he masked his emotions-all of his anger, hatred, and dare he even admit to himself, his fear. He then smirked, "It would seem you have stolen something from me, Sorikata. It's value may not be great, but no one steals from this Sesshoumaru without consequence."

These words seemed to anger the demon. He desperately wanted to see fear in those golden orbs of the Lord of the Western lands, but he was showing none. Sorikata hated him all the more for this, and angrily threw the small child from his side and next to a bound and unconscious Jakken. "Very well. You do not care for this human. You do not care if she dies! That is well, but she cares for you. She cares for your life. She loves you as a daughter loves a father. Yes…it will cause her much pain to see you suffer as you are about to."

With that, it began. Sesshoumaru felt the pain again. In his chest, his arms, his legs. He felt his body begin to lower, but he kept standing-not straight, but on his feet. He refused to be brought to his knees once again by this distasteful creature.

Inu Yasha had seen enough, "Alright, that's it!" he yelled as he launched himself toward Sorikata, "To Hell with strategies! IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!!!"

Sorikata dodged-barely. He then smirked as he jumped high into the air and began to morph. He balled his body up and charged toward Inu Yasha, "Damnable half-breed! You will die first!"

Inu Yasha raised his sword and moved into a defensive stance. Whatever came after him, he'd slice it off. However, as prepared as he was, nothing could have prepared him for what came next. Inu Yasha had Tetsusaiga fired up, and just as he was about to swipe at the attacking arms, they gripped the sword, and threw it into the far wall of the palace, Inu Yasha still attached to it.

Sorikata followed the direction he had just thrown Inu Yasha, but was cut off when Sesshoumaru stepped in front of him and released his poison straight into his face. Sorikata began to wheeze as Sesshoumaru ascended above him, drawing Tokijin as he did so.

Sorikata, still choking, dodged his first swing, then dodged his second, third and fourth. He smirked, "Do you really think you can kill me, Sesshoumaru?" Then, he raised and spread his hand in the air then abrubtly closed it, squeezing it shut causing, Sesshuomaru, again, to be overcome with pain. How could he defeat an opponent that was inside of him without killing himself?

Sango and Kagome used the opportunity to take action. Sango told Kagome and Kirara to find out Inu Yasha's condition. Kagome nodded and took off after the direction that Inu Yasha had been thrown yelling as she ran, "Be careful, Sango!"

"I will," Sango confirmed to herself before directing her gaze from Kagome's retreating form to Sorikata as he stood facing Sesshoumaru's paralyzed, but standing form. 'The pain must be great, but he is still standing. He is fighting it with all of his energy.'

She clutched her weapon behind her back and sprinted forward before drawing her weapon and pitching it to sail, "HIRAIKOTSU!!!"

The enemy was caught off guard and her weapon struck him, separating his top half from his bottom half. Sango rushed toward Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru, don't focus on the pain," she yelled as she made it to him before he collapsed to the ground. She caught him in time to keep him from falling, and helped him steady himself. Their eyes met, and the world seemed to stand still.

His eyes were not empty, yet they were no longer filled with anger or hate as they looked at her…into her. She could see…what was she seeing. Better yet, what was she letting him see in her eyes?

As they stood there, reading into each other's eyes, trying to see the other's soul, they didn't notice that Sorikata was regenerating himself. His top half was reforming his bottom half, while his disjoined abdomen and legs, began to morph into a thick liquid form that seeped speedily off after Kagome.

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Well, that's it for now. Hope it isn't as bad to you guys as it is to me, lol.

Okay, now listen carefully! I WANT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO REVIEW!! DO YOU HEAR ME??? ALL OF YOU BETTER REVIEW, OR I'M GONNA "FORGET" ABOUT CHAPTER NINE FOR A WHILE!!!!! MUWAHAHHAHAHHHAHAHAHA!!!!

*clears throat*

Pammi