Destruction

Near destruction of the Jewel

Inuyasha's jealousy

Inu-Yasha stalked through the woods. He couldn't believe that Kagome had done such a thing. He wanted to be angry with her, but he couldn't hold his rage. He was hurt that she'd done such a thing …after all we've been through, Inu-Yasha thought destroying another innocent tree.

"Ahh, Master Inu-Yasha."

"Myoga?" Inu-Yasha asked with as calm of a tone as he could compose.

"You look upset."

"That's none of your damn business."

"Master Inu-Yasha, I have disturbing news…" Myoga waited for Inu-Yasha's reaction. Inu-Yasha didn't really look like he could take anymore bad news at the moment. He decided that just telling Inu-Yasha would be better than Inu-Yasha torturing him. "…Mistress Yuri is back."

"What?"

"Yuri…"

"I know who she is, damn it! What the hell do you mean by she's back?"

"She and Sesshoumaru fought yesterday."

Inu-Yasha smirked. "Serves her right." Inu-Yasha knew Sesshoumaru had won; he would never lose to an impure demon.

Myoga had debated on whether to tell Inu-Yasha that Yuri had won and Sesshoumaru was now pissed. "…What's wrong Inu-Yasha? Where is Lady Kagome?"

"Like I know. Why don't you ask the hoshi? He should know where that bitch is."

Myoga disappeared. Inu-Yasha had snapped at him when he mentioned Kagome's name. Something had definitely happened.

"…and now Inu-Yasha and Sango are upset. Kiada, what do we do?"

"Sounds like you both need to find them and explain what happened."

"But Inu-Yasha won't listen… OW!" Slap. "Myoga?"

"You might be surprised, Lady Kagome."

"…About what?"

"Master Inu-Yasha."

"How would you know that, Myoga?"

"I just came from him."

Momentary sadness crossed her face before she left Kiada's hut.

"Kagome? Where are you going?" Kiada asked.

"…To find Inu-Yasha."

Shippo jumped. "But Kagome…"

"He won't hurt me." She stated confidently before crossing her arms in front of her and slightly shivering.

Shippo jumped up on her shoulder nuzzling her face.

A slight smile crept up on her face as she reached her hand up and stroked Shippo's fur.

Sango sat next to the water's edge watching her dancing reflection.

She watched intently wondering what was wrong with her. …so she wasn't the prettiest or the most feminine. She had never had to be and had good reason not to. Still the rejection was hard. Miroku's words replayed in her mind. 'It's good to see you on top of me again.' How many times had it happened before? What else didn't she know of?

Splash.

Kirara disrupted her sad reflection. She nuzzled Sango and stole the tie from her hair.

When Sango tried to get it back, Kirara knelt down and bounced just out of reach. Sango reached out her hand but Kirara rolled over and dodged her hand. In response, Sango moved her hand to follow. This time Kirara leapt over Sango's arm and bowed in front of Sango's face. Her tails flipped wildly. A faint smile crossed Sango's saddened face.

Kagome walked out to Inu-Yasha's tree. He always went there to think. He had no reason not to go there. Upon seeing the tree, she searched the branches for Inu-Yasha's red complexion. It wasn't hard to find him. He sat in the top of the tree completely distracted by the gentle breeze.

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome called.

Inu-Yasha slowly turned his head down to the strange little girl on the ground.

"Can we talk?" She called up to him.

Inu-Yasha was unsure he wanted to talk. Kagome had been the one to betray him; however, if he refused she would probably make him stay long enough to hear her out so after a moment, Inu-Yasha glided down from the treetop. He stared at her with cold eyes as he crossed his arms and dug his claws into his arms beneath his hatori. "Speak." He commanded not really sure why he shouldn't run before she could open her mouth.

She carefully worded her sentences. The slightest tempered outburst would cause Inu-Yasha to run and that was the last thing she wanted. "Nothing happened between me and Miroku."

Inu-Yasha's eyes narrowed. He knew what he saw. "Keh."

"I am sorry you saw what you did, but there is more to it than that." She sighed. He wasn't really listening to her anymore and she knew it. "When you are ready to listen, come find me. I'll be at Kiada's."

"Sango?" Miroku stated coming into sight of her and Kirara playing on the ground.

Sango simply turned up her nose at the monk's voice.

"Sango…Would you listen to what I have to say?"

Without acknowledging his presence, Sango snatched her boomerang and threw it at him.

Ducking out of the way just in time to save his skin, he waited for Sango's next move.

Sango sat up and caught her weapon on the way back then resumed her rejected thoughts with her depressed reflection.

"Sango, Talk to me." Miroku approached dangerously close.

"Why should I, you … you…two-timing hoshi?" Sango jumped up, hit Miroku in the grove of her boomerang. Then she backed him into a tree. When Sango nailed Miroku to the tree, she pushed up and elevated him off the ground.

Pinned by his neck Miroku spoke quickly and carefully. "Nothing happened between Kagome and I. Inu-Yasha would kill me. You know that."

It took Sango awhile to think of a response. "…I heard you, Miroku! I was standing right there when you…you told Kagome that…that you were glad …that she was 'on top of you again!'" Sango could barely suppress her wounded ego.

Miroku burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

Miroku's laughter only fueled Sango's rage.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Miroku only laughed harder. "It's not what you think. But before you jump to any more conclusions, will you let me down and let me explain?"

Sango eyed him cautiously, but she caved at his labored breathing and let him off the side of the tree. After all, she might never know the truth if she left him there to suffocate.

Miroku waited for Sango to put down her weapon but she never did so he strolled over to the bank and sat down.

Sango trailed behind him slamming the end of her weapon into the ground. She stood behind him arms crossed.

Miroku leaned back in the grass. He tried to relax but Sango's glare made him tense. "We all met not too long before we met you. I was a traveler when I ran into Kagome, Inu-Yasha and Shippo. I distracted Inu-Yasha and took the jewel shards from Kagome then I took off …ha ha …on Kagome's bike, no less. Inu-Yasha hunted me down in the next town. I thought Inu-Yasha was an evil demon so I drew him out of town and tried to suck him into the air void. Unfortunately, I underestimated Kagome's loyalty to him. When I opened kazana, Inu-Yasha used his sword to secure his position in the ground, but when that started to give way Kagome threw herself at me in time to save him. I closed the wind tunnel just in time to be tackled by Kagome. She knocked me out on impact. When I came to, Kagome was lying on top of me arguing with Inu-Yasha. It wasn't long before we realized that we were all after the same demon. We've been traveling together ever since. Are you still mad at me?"

"What happened today?" Sango said consumed by rage.

"Kagome wanted me to help her; unfortunately, I wasn't of much use and now Inu-Yasha wants to kill me and you're mad at me. I'm sorry for what you saw Sango."

Sango sat down next to Miroku. She hesitated before asking, she wasn't sure she wanted the answer. "What did Kagome want your help with?"

"She wanted me to help her destroy it."

"Destroy What?"

"The Shikon No Tama."

"Kagome has it?"

Miroku nodded. "She didn't want Inu-Yasha to find out. They had a hard enough time protecting the jewel the first time."

"Somehow I don't believe you. Kagome would tell Inu-Yasha if she acquired it. She would tell us all. And when would she have gained such a thing Miroku? We have been at her side for a while now. She's had no time to gather it! I want the truth, Miroku! I want to know exactly what went on today!"

Miroku's eyes widened. She doesn't believe me. He just stared as she stormed off.

Kagome arrived back at Kiada's hut.

"No luck?" The old woman asked.

"He doesn't want to listen. At least no yet."