-Silver-
-Disclaimer- Don't own.
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5 - Innocent
XxXxX
Seeing is more than believing, somehow. Sango grasped her weaponry after finally greeting her companion, Kirara. She lifted Hiraikotsu and secured it in its normal place on her back.
"So, you are leaving." She nodded to Miroku, who had been the second one to ask her that day. It had been two days since she had talked with him in the hut.
"I am going to find out the answers to my questions." She gave a gesture to Kirara, who took it as her cue to transform.
"See ya later, Sango!" Kagome said, breaking through the trees with Sango's pack in her hands. "I packed this for you. You know, it should come in handy."
"Thanks, Kagome." Somehow, Kagome found a way to smile. This was the second time the huntress was leaving them and it was the second time she had to say good-bye.
"You will come back, right?"
"Of course, Kagome. I will come back." Inuyasha watched her silently. "And you, hanyou, know why it is important that I find out."
"Yes, taiji-ya, I know." He whispered. She gave them a ghost of a smile. That was how things had been for those two days. Sango seemed like an empty shell, waiting to be thought of as a possible home for a creature that wouldn't come. Her dreams at night were empty, filled with her thoughts of the feelings pressed around her. So palpable, so potent.
"I give you all my word as a taiji-ya that I will come back." She got on Kirara and they took off without a glace back.
XxXxX
Kirara knew what she was looking for. Before they reached him, her mistress commanded her to land. She did as she was told, naturally. She was eager to see the youkai lord again. She did not think ill of him. But Sango.. her emotions were easily described as a rainbow assortment. As they walked, Kirara noticed how tense her mistress had become. Sango approached the sound of a fire, listening to the light snores from his traveling companions. As she stepped through, his amber eyes gazed at her.
"Youkai, I want to know why you killed me." She sat down in front of him, making it clear that she wasn't leaving until she got an answer. Kirara remained in her bigger form, also making it clear that if he tried to leave, a struggle would be in order. "And I want the truth."
"Taiji-ya, you have some nerve coming here and asking me about something that I am very capable of doing once again." He leaned forward. "You are also full of foolery."
"I didn't come here to ask you what you thought of me. I came to ask you why you killed me then revived me. And I want answers." She narrowed her eyes at him and leaned forward, crossing her arms. "I also demand the truth. I mean, I do deserve to know."
"Do you?" She growled at him. He reflected that her growl very nearly resembled that of a cat's. He narrowed his eyes. "That isn't the only reason you are here, is it?"
"I will answer your question when you have answered mine."
"Blunt as ever, I see." He sighed. "I can safely say that I had no intention of killing you until I thought that it was the only way. Obviously, you had been possessed." He leaned back against the tree. "When I knocked you unconscious, I knew what had happened was inevitable." She stayed silent, listening to his soft, deep voice as he said all these things. What had she been thinking, coming here and demanding answers? He could easily just have been rid of her. "Then the half-breed showed up with all of your friends and you come out declaring that it was 'time for us to die'. When you came at me, I knew only one way to rid you of that filthy vermin."
"So, you killed me."
"Yes." He answered, his calm, cold eyes staring at her with a depthless, emotionless look. "I had every intention of reviving you but.." He looked away from her, allowing her to only see the profile of his face. "I bolted. Like a coward. The scent of your blood nearly drove me mad. I had it all over my hands and Tokijin." She nodded, satisfied for now with the story.
"What of the conversation with Inuyasha before you brought me back?"
"What of it?"
"You said you were taking your leave of us." She blinked at him, awaiting an answer.
"Yes, I did. I will not relentlessly persue Inuyasha. If we are ever to meet again, it will be out of luck or by accident." She licked her lips and leaned back, thinking. He seemed to be emotionless enough when he said it but was it sincere?
"You gave up your persuit of Inuyasha, just to bring me back to life?"
"Basically. I told him that if I was able to revive you then I would no longer seek you or him out. If he wishes to seek me, that is his decision. I do not care any longer." She found herself fighting with the concept of him just toying with her. He would not give up trying to slaughter his younger sibling, much less for a human.
"What was it you wanted from me that made you take care of me when I was.. ill?" She paused, not really sure whether or not to say 'possessed'. She didn't, though. She had much distaste for the word.
"I.." He wouldn't look at her. In fact, he stood up quickly and turned completely around so that she couldn't see his face. It didn't bother her but it did ignite her curiosity to know why he wasn't emotionless enough to face her with an answer. "I need a care-taker for Rin. I do not know what human children need.." For five minutes, they both just stayed there. The silence seemed alive for a moment. Then he turned to look at her, finally composing himself enough to see her face. She still had a calm, if not guarded, look on her face.
"You want me to take care of Rin? How?" She knew of the youkai's selfless love for the human girl. He wouldn't be able to leave her.
"I do not expect you to travel with me.. but you seemed like the right person fit enough to protect her if I were not there." She nodded in understanding. She was surprised to see the father-like concern in his eyes. This, partly, made her believe his story a little more than she had before.
"I can tell you that it will take me a while to get used to you and to trust that you will not lay a finger on me.." She glanced at the little girl, curled up by the fire, sleeping so soundly. "But I will do it. Little Rin needs a woman in her life. And I think that a nurse, or care-taker, would be the closest thing to a mother she could have."
XxXxX
Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha was still there. He knew that he couldn't be around when the edgy hanyou was there. No violence in front of Rin. It was a rule that he swore by.
"Will Inuyasha be leaving?" He asked, his voice uncertain. Sango looked up at him and raised her eyebrow.
"I don't know." She was sitting on the ground, brushing out Rin's short black hair. He could see how gentle she was handling the young girl and knew that she had been the right choice.
"I have taken my leave of him. I cannot go there."
"He's all bark and no bite." She said softly. "Inuyasha would never think of harming you for trying to be.. kind to a human." Sesshoumaru didn't like the way she hesitated and seemed to think before she said the word he would never think of being in the same sentence with.
"I am not being kind."
"Don't deny it, youkai." She put Rin's hair up in pigtails and laughed slightly when the girl continually tilted her head, the pigtails bobbing and swaying. Sesshoumaru turned away from them, his cold expression melting to an amused smirk. Perhaps Rin really was working her way to his heart through her innocent laughter and cheery nature. And he found himself not denying it.
XxXxX
Sango spent the night with them. Little Rin had insisted. Sesshoumaru claimed he wouldn't run her through with any weapon. She was satisfied with it and she laid down with Rin. She somehow couldn't find the sweetness of a good-night's rest. After a long while of just lying there, she slipped into a nightmare.
XxXxX
"NO!" Sitting up, her eyes wide and glazed with fear, Sango wrapped her arms around herself. Her breathing was quick and shallow.
"Taiji-ya?" She turned her head to see Sesshoumaru leaning against the very same tree as he had been. He seemed so alert that he almost looked jumpy. "What is it?" She was shaking so violently that she looked as if she was cold, she was so afraid, and her mouth was so dry that she didn't know if she had a voice to speak with.
"I-It's nothing.." She mumbled. She hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes. But she opened them a moment later, nearly wanting to cry.
"It does not look like 'nothing'.. or smell like 'nothing'."
"I-I had a nightmare." She stiffened and bit her lip. She heard his clothing ruffle as he shifted. She felt his hand on her shoulder.
"What could be so bad as to make you tremble with fear and agony?" He asked softly, emotionlessly. She gasped sharply and blushed, turning her head to the side so he couldn't see her.
-Sango's Dream-
Everything was dark. The light from the crescent moon barely provided even a sliver of its beautiful silver radiance. A burning red-orange flame was the only source of light in the dim room. A few candles flickered, making the shadows and light dance in a calming rhythm. Two figures sat close together, absorbing each other's warmth. One leaned down, his lips touching his female companion's in a passionate kiss. Then her brown eyes widened when she looked down at her hands. Warm, crimson blood flowed from the wound on her stomach. She looked up in disbelief. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Why..?" Her lower lip quivered. "Sesshoumaru..?" His amber eyes narrowed but he didn't answer. Her last image was of him giving her a bittersweet smile.
-End of Dream-
Sesshoumaru stared at her intently. She didn't even realize that he was watching her cry.
"It was horrible.. You killed me again." She left out a very LARGE part in which she was a little too embarrassed to think about. However, she found herself wondering how it would feel to kiss him in reality.
"Well, taiji-ya, you were correct in assuming it was a dream. I had no choice but to kill you before." She sighed. Somehow, she wished that one part of the nightmare was real.
"Yes.. well.." She hung her head and stared at the ground. "Good-night." She laid down, turning away from him and curling up into a ball.
XxXxX
Sango groaned and opened her eyes. She was staring into large, innocent brown eyes.
"Rin?" The little girl clapped and smiled. "What are you doing?"
"Waitin' for you to wake up." The energetic child then raced around the entire camp, calling out to Sesshoumaru that Sango had woken up. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin's eyes lit up in glee when she saw him and he couldn't help but to smirk at her.
"Rin, quiet down."
"Yes, sir!" She exclaimed loudly. Jaken snorted and Rin hit him with a rock then danced around in glee, all the while singing that she had better aim than he did. Sesshoumaru glanced to Sango, who had a warm smile on her face and a motherly look in her eyes. He ignored the pleading in his mind and his 'male urges.'
"We will be leaving shortly. I suppose I do have a reason to go back."
"Did it take you all night just to figure that out when I told you that yesterday? If you change your attitude just a little bit and act somewhat nice around Inuyasha, even to someone else, then I'm sure he'll reconsider his grudge against you. Then maybe you won't want to kill him so much." She called to Kirara, who came at her mistress's bidding and sat on her lap while she got scratched behind the ear. "I can see how much you care for Rin. Don't be so cold to her when Inuyasha is around."
"Hn." He gave her a glare. "I will not change my attitude. Why can Inuyasha not see things from my point of view?"
"I can see your father's torment and why he gave you Tenseiga." She muttered.
"Then explain it to me." She looked up at him, a frown on her face.
"He knew that if you had Tetsusaiga, you would go around killing humans until there were none left. He knew that Inuyasha would grow up with humans, like his mother, and so be responsible enough to wield such a powerful weapon. Your father saw your distaste for humans when he had Inuyasha, obviously. He was hoping that one day, you would come to understand that humans and youkai are not so different." She said softly, satisfied with her answer.
"Perhaps you are wiser than you seem, taiji-ya."
"What is that supposed to mean?" She gave him a glare then realized that it was a compliment. "Anyway, when are we leaving?"
"As soon as Rin is ready." He said this as a way to get Rin to nod. The little girl stopped running around and attached herself to Sesshoumaru's leg.
"I'm ready, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She with a smile.
XxXxX
The walk was silent. Very silent. No one said a word. The worst part was, it was an awkward silence. Sesshoumaru was thinking of what she said to him. Sango was thinking of her nightmare.. or the first part. Neither realized that Jaken and Rin tried to come up with conversation. Sango had let Rin ride Kirara but the neko wouldn't let Jaken near her so he had to walk. When they got to the village, Sango looked around for signs that they were still there. Suddenly, a ball of brown fur landed in her arms.
"Shippou!" She hugged the kit then he climbed onto her shoulder. "Where are the others?"
"They're comin'." He answered, looking at Sesshoumaru. "Why'd you bring him with you? Or are you gonna say that I'm too young to understand?"
"With Miroku around, I don't see any reason not to let you in on adult secrets.. but it is for your own good that you don't know. Anyway, he's here because he wants me to take care of Rin."
"Does that mean that you're going to be Rin's mommy?" Sango blushed and Sesshoumaru noticed.
"W-Well.. in a way." She picked him up and set him down, patting his head. She was in a dazed state. "Go tell them we're here.."
"Inuyasha is coming with Miroku and Kagome.."
"Okay." She felt a knot in her stomach and she had no idea why.
"So, you're here." Inuyasha said, crossing his arms and glaring at his older brother. "Why?"
"Rin." Sango and Sesshoumaru answered in unison. The little girl peeked out from behind Sesshoumaru's legs.
"Rin?" Kagome asked, emerging from behind Inuyasha. Miroku seemed to notice only how close together Sesshoumaru and Sango were standing.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, who are they?" He looked down at her and put his hand on her head.
"Stay quiet for now, Rin." She nodded, wide eyes going to Inuyasha. "Little brother, I did not wish to come here. Sango told me that I may." The human woman at his side nodded.
"Inuyasha, he only wishes for me to take care of Rin. But he doesn't want to be completely out of the picture." She scowled. "Just answer this question. Do you want to be completely out of Kagome's life?" The hanyou shook his head. "Then do not accuse him of anything."
"Sango, may I ask why you are standing up for him? He is the one who killed you."
"He had no choice, Miroku!" She snapped. She was getting sick of hearing and worrying about her death. Miroku blinked at her anger. "What's done is done. I'm alive now, right?" Sesshoumaru wanted to let out a heavy sigh but held it back.
XxXxX
After the arguments were over, Sango went into her hut and laid down. She was angry and frustrated. Her thoughts ranged from going out and taking her anger out on destructive demons or lying there and brooding. She took to brooding.
"This isn't working." She said to herself. She stormed out of her hut with Hiraikotsu and went to her training grounds. Anger was never a good emotion with her. It made her feel so horrible afterwards that she tried to avoid it as best she could.
"Taiji-ya."
"Just leave me alone, Sesshoumaru. I'm not in the mood for anything that would come out of your foul mouth." He scowled and watched her walk away. She just needed to blow off some steam. He decided that he would follow her and watch her train. Her anger was making him edgy. He couldn't seem to explain it. It puzzled him for some reason. She walked out to the clearing and set Hiraikotsu against a tree before doing warm-up stretches. She then grabbed the hilt of her katana and bent down, standing in position. She drew the weapon and went right into an attack. He didn't know why, but he thought she looked almost like a demon in the way she battled.
XxXxX
Sango got back, thoroughly exhausted from her training. She seemed to have stopped being angry but no one approached her. She went into a shed and Sesshoumaru hid under the window to listen to anything she said or anything she did. Sango let her eyes wander over the journals and records her people, including her father, had written. She never looked in the older ones. She was too afraid to.
"I wonder.." She pulled one off the shelf and sat down at the desk. After she wrote what happened, then she would read.
-Journal-
-Sango, the last living taiji-ya
I have not been recording for a long while. Unfortunately, a lot of things have happened. I will begin at the very beginning of where I left off. A letter had come, stating that the youkai around my village were revolting against us. They were going to start a battle against us, it said, until the very last was killed. Unfortunately, I am the last. I am beginning to think about training more people to be taiji-ya and get the village going again. Anyway, the demons were killed by Kirara and I. Then, after the battle, I was approached by the Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru. He said he came to see how the battle had gone. He was kind enough to care for my wounds but I came down with a sickness that really prevented any healing from getting done. I was told that I had been possessed by a demon spirit. I was killed by Sesshoumaru. Apparently, he ran away after my death by his Tokijin, which went through my stomach. I still have a scar.. just like the one from Kohaku. I was revived a while later, before I was buried, by Sesshoumaru and his other katana, Tenseiga. He left before I came back to consciousness. Among all of this, Inuyasha and the others came, seeking me after reading a letter written by the Youkai Lord. In any case, things are mended and Sesshoumaru told me why he had even bothered to take care of me before. He has a little human girl named Rin that needs a woman's care. I accepted so they are now staying. I wish that things would be different, however. My death somehow changed me in ways I cannot begin to describe.
-End Journal-
Sango set down the pen and sprinkled a certain kind of sand to make it dry so she could close the large book. She stared at how much she had written. The back from the last one and the front of another. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes and took out the very first book that had been written by her ancestors.
-Journal-
-Narumi
This is the beginning of a long line of different heritages. I, Narumi, leader to two youkai armies, am going to start this journal for all of my ancestors who wish to know about the truth. We are currently in a war against another group of youkai who wish only to rule over all and enslave or kill those who disagree with them. I am afraid that not only do they have a large army, but others are leaving us to join with them just so they do not get killed. I have slaughtered five traitors before they have gone and made others believe that we will kill them if they betray us. I have fought in more brutal wars before I decided to form one whole army with those who follow me and Kazuko, my mate. On this day, war was officially declared.
-End Journal-
Sango stared in disbelief. All she had believed so fondly and knew by heart was false.. She felt tears sting her eyes but she wanted to know the truth. She turned the page.
-Journal-
-Kazuko
The darkness from the clouds of doom are causing unease to settle in the camp. Narumi is currently giving orders and keeping the army calm. She is a strong leader and an honorable woman. The war seems to still be days away but the tension before battle is the worst part. With our trained troops, nothing can stand up to us. We caught another traitor and Narumi was forced to hang him. She does not show it, but she hates to kill them.
-End Journal-
Sango leaned back and sighed. Somehow, she wished that she had gone against her father's word and read them sooner. Tears now rolled down her face and her vision blurred so much that she could hardly see the pages in front of her. She closed the book and folded her arms, putting her head down and crying herself to sleep.
Sesshoumaru heard her pitiful crying and smelled the scent of her tears. He scowled. He remembered his pity for her when she had believed she had gone blind. He peered in the window to see her shoulders shaking. After an hour or so, he heard nothing and looked back in to find her asleep. He didn't understand what she was crying about. Shaking his head, he stood up and walked into the shed, picking her up with gentleness that he wasn't even aware of. She immediately snuggled into his warmth and he blew out the candle. When he found her hut, he put her inside and set her down. She didn't let go of him so easily but he managed to get out of her grasp and leave.
XxXxX
Sango woke up to a pounding headache. She sat up and her blanket fell down her chest. She blinked. When had she.. Sesshoumaru? No.. he couldn't have. Did he know she had cried? She laughed bitterly to herself. Of course he did. Those damn senses of his would alert him to the scent of tears. She sighed and changed into her green skirt with her pink kimono.
"Sango!" She looked over and noticed Kagome standing there, bow and arrow on hand. "Where did you go yesterday?"
"I went to train. It usually calms me down and gets rid of my anger." She said with a frown. Should she tell Kagome about her problems? No, she didn't want to depend on anyone else. She could handle this perfectly fine by herself.
"Oh. Want to take a walk with me?"
"Sure, Kagome." She smiled. Little Rin ran up and attached herself to Sango's leg.
"Can I go, momma?" Sango's face turned ten shades of red and Kagome laughed at her.
"Don't worry, Sango. I know that it wasn't Sesshoumaru's doing. Maybe she loves you so much that she wants to call you 'momma'." They began to walk with little Rin following along behind. "I know Shippou slips sometimes with me."
"But he has no parents.."
"Neither does Rin. Obviously, Sesshoumaru isn't so much as a father figure as you are a mother figure. Listen, Sango, it's just a child's instinct. She knows you're going to be taking care of her. That is a mother's job." Kagome explained.
"I suppose you're right." The walk went to the river where Sango watched as Rin went for a swim. The weather was warm and sunny enough. Rin then decided that catching fish with her hands was much more entertaining. "So, how is Inuyasha taking it?"
"Huh?" Kagome blinked. "Oh! He's still a bit uneasy. I tried to reassure him that Fluffy won't do anything."
"Fluffy?"
"I believe it's a suiting nickname." Kagome said with a wink. Sango just laughed.
"Don't let it slip in front of him."
"Oh, I won't. Not unless I decide that I want to die right then and there." Sango smiled. "I dare you to call him that."
"Fine." She put on a cheerful front but inside, she was still hurting. She just couldn't believe that the people she trusted most had lied to her. It wasn't fair. Part of her wished that she could scream at them and the other part wished they were still alive to do so.
XxXxX
Sango sat down in the shed once again and turned to the page she had left off. She would be strong and she wouldn't cry.
-Journal-
-Narumi
Today, we finished a three-day battle that raged on. We lost over 100 of our army but we will not back down. The other army has lost much more than we have. I have barely any time to write this and I might as well write it in my blood. I was injured.. I have a large gash on my stomach but I will recover. It will not be long before another battle. I may not write for a while.
-End Journal-
Sango frowned. This was getting interesting.
-Journal-
-Narumi
I am sick with sadness on this day. My mate, Kazuko, has been killed in battle. I had just found out from a few of our elites that they had seen him get killed. Now, I will only attack with more force and kill those who took my mate away from me. I must go now. There is shouting outside..
-End Journal-
Sango traced her finger over the water spots where Narumi's tears must have landed. She continued.
-Journal-
-Narumi
The enemy base is two miles from where we made camp. We will launch an attack so deadly, no one will know what was happening before they die. I posted soldiers at the entrances so that we may know if they move to attack us. I sent a few of my trusted friends to the other army to join them so that they can report back to me with the enemy's plans. It was a hard choice but one that had to have been made.
-End Journal-
Narumi's decision had been the correct one to make. If they didn't make it, then they would lose the soldiers.. but if they did, then their enemy's plan would be in their hands. Sango gave a half-smile and turned the page, interested.
-Journal-
-Narumi
We attacked before dawn. My friends did manage to return and with the victory in our hands. It was the bloodiest slaughter that I have ever seen. We made a small peace treaty with the humans so that we wouldn't have to fight anymore. I find that we are not so different. Humans are only a weaker species but they could become stronger if they push themselves. I am glad that I have survived the war and also that we could make the treaty work. It has tired us out more than anything else. Our wounded have been treated and our forces were replenished. To what I hope, there will never be another war as long as I live.
-End Journal-
Sango sighed. How ironic. She wished the same thing but she lost everything she had. Her family, her people, once even her life.. This war was only beginning. No wonder the people in Kagome's time called this the Feudal Era, she thought to herself. She stretched and pushed the book away from her. The most she could wish for was that this war ended soon.
"Sango!" She stood up and walked outside. "Inuyasha took me to the well and I went shopping for us. I think I got you the right size. Come with me!" Kagome waved around a bag.
"Coming!" Sango was fascinated by Kagome's time and she couldn't wait to see what the girl brought. Rin ran to them when Kagome called her. Even Sesshoumaru got something.
"This had better be important."
"Shh!" Kagome grinned. "I brought all of you something. Today is such a pretty day and I think we could all use a nice swim. I got you all bathing suits from my time. They're easier to swim in than one's clothes."
"Bathing suits?" Sango asked, blinking.
"Yeah. Guys, the tag goes in the back." She handed them their things and dragged Sango and Rin with her inside Sango's hut. Sesshoumaru was dragged by Inuyasha and Miroku.
"Feh, at least make them happy or they'll harp at us." Inuyasha said, frowning.
XxXxX
"Kagome, I don't know.." Sango slid on the skimpy-looking bikini. It was just a plain blue and it tied up around her neck and tied behind her back. Kagome had one that was similar, only it was pink. Rin had a green one-piece that had flowers on it and Kagome had Sango help her into it.
"Boy, Sango.. You look great!" Kagome thought Sango looked wonderful in it. She had the lithe, pretty body and the perfect complexion. Not to mention that the fit was perfect. "I'm glad I got you the right size. Let's go see how the boys look!"
"This should be amusing." Sango muttered, wondering what guys in Kagome's time swam in. She took Rin's hand and walked with her. They went outside and their eyes widened and pink tinted their cheeks. Rin just raised a brow and shrugged, tugging on Sango's hand.
"Are we gonna swim?" The little girl asked. Inuyasha had a pair of red swimming trunks that went down to his knees with two black stripes going down each side, Miroku had a similar pair only in black, and Sesshoumaru's were blue.
"You have got to be joking." Sesshoumaru muttered in disgust. He thought it was prepostrous that he had to swim at all. His eyes caught sight of the girls, especially Sango. She looked away when his gaze met hers. She picked Rin up and settled the little girl on her shoulders.
"Shall we?" She raised a brow and they all nodded. When she turned and went in front of them, Sesshoumaru's eyes caught sight of the scar on her back. It wasn't ugly to him. In fact, it is an honor to have scars. They are to remind one that they had survived a battle or a slaughter.
"She's so worried about that scar." Kagome said to them. "Once, when were at the hot springs, she told me that she thought it was ugly and that she wished it was gone."
"Why?" Sesshoumaru asked, startling them. "A scar is an honor.."
"She got it from her little brother when he tried to kill her." Inuyasha answered. "He was under Naraku's control."
"I see." The youkai remained silent after that and just followed after her. Kagome let a small smile come to her face. They would get closer over time.
XxXxX
That's all for now. Until chapter 6! n.n