Gah! Sorry for the extra short chapter this time. It was actually part of a longer chapter, but in honor of visiting Washington D.C. over Memorial Day weekend, and finals being next week, I took some time to study, instead of write. As it is, this is only, like, two and a half pages. I'll hopefully be able to get the second half up on Sunday or Monday, but I wanted to get this up before I left on my trip, because my computers acting weird and deleting stuff, and I don't wanna lose it.

            Anywho, just a little characterization for this chapter, so enjoy it.

SMACK!

            The slap reverberated through the forest.

            Sango was distinctly, undeniably, back to normal, Miroku reflected as he rubbed the side of his hurting face. Quickly, he composed himself, and resumed the quick walking pace next to Kirara. It wasn't his fault, of course. He was walking, and Sango was riding on the great Fire-cat. This put her exceptionally tempting posterior at near eye-level. How exactly was Miroku supposed to not go after such an opportunity? Obviously, from Sango's put-out expression, he was required to do it somehow.

            Slowly, his eyes traced over to Kohaku, who was walking just a little behind him. He seemed like an almost completely normal boy. At the current moment, he was smiling lightly, and shaking his head, no doubt in response to the monk's brave actions. He very definitely didn't seem like one who had just been reunited with his sister only a month before.

            "Kohaku…" Sango's voice shot off, breaking the group's silence. "What happened to you after the battle with Morkleb?"

            Kohaku glanced at his sister, and smiled lightly. He had an odd smile. It was a fond, warm expression that gave the impression that there was nothing he'd rather be doing that being with you. "Well," He said. "Morkleb hit me with some sort of magic, and I blacked out instantly." He said with a shrug. "When I came to, I was with Atma. She got me back on my feet, and then Vadise took me off her hands." And that was all he said.

            "Just that simple?" Sango asked.

            "Atma didn't make you fight any mirrors, did she?" Miroku inquired.

            Kohaku gave him an odd look. "Mirrors?" He asked in his laughing tenor.

            The monk smiled at the boy. "Forget I said anything." He said. And made a mental note to ask Atma to heal him, instead of Vadise, should he even need it again. "So, tell me. Did Atma tell you anything about what's going on right now?"

            Kohaku blinked at the monk. "I dunno." He said. "When she handed me over to Vadise, she seemed fairly annoyed, but she didn't tell me anything. Do you think that there is something going on?"

            Putting his hand to his chin, Miroku closed his eyes. "Well," The monk said reasonably. "It seems to me that some hostilities must be going on in the dragon world. Vadise did ask us to give a message of safety to a sea serpent. One could only imagine that this is either a dragon, or the sea serpent Syldra. Either way, it would seem that there is something afoot."

            "Hai." Sango agreed from Kirara's back. "But I'm tired of all this business of dragons. I want to hurry up and get back to the good old life." She said.

            "Fighting Naraku, and looking for the sacred jewel is the good life?" Shippo asked. He had piped up for the first time this trip. Miroku had completely forgotten that the little kitsune was sitting on his head.

            "But Sango…" Miroku said, glancing at Kohaku. "You have your brother back. You could detach yourself from our quest now. You have no reason to continue."

            Sango blinked, as if the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. "Someone has to keep your hands away from Kagome-chan." She said primly. "And I don't think that you want InuYasha to do it." She said.

            Miroku shrugged, and smiled lightly. Well, that was one care off his shoulders. It was good to know that Sango was going to be staying with them. Now, they only had to worry about how they were getting back home.

            "So, how long is it until we reach Shinjuku?" Miroku asked. They had been traveling fast on Kirara all morning, and all the previous day, so Miroku couldn't even begin to imagine that it would be too much longer.

            Kohaku thought for only a moment. "Not to much longer." He said happily.
            Miroku nodded, satisfied with that. Hopefully, it wouldn't take too long.

            Before Sesshoumaru became aware of anything, he was under control. He was always under constant control. Any slips were inexcusable. He locked his mind away from his body, filtering the inner instincts through a level of cool, calm, and observation. Then, and only then did he let himself begin to feel.

He was in pain. A decent amount of it as well. Undoubtedly the after effects of the snake's venom. He could feel the fire running through the veins in his arm, and the muscles contract, then slacken, then contract again.

His nose started working first. He could smell the familiar, clean scent of his room, but only barely. There had been many bodies crammed into it, but only just recently. He could smell the dirty stench of humans, and the refined, mystical smell of dragons. And he could also smell something else… something he would recognize anywhere.

As his ears started to work as well, they confirmed his suspicions. He could hear a tiny heart beat, and little breaths run in and out of a little body. It was undoubtedly Rin.

And slowly, his amber eyes opened. They were met with the large, chocolaty brown eyes of a little girl. He blinked, and slowly sat up, taking a quick sweep over his surroundings.

He was sitting in his bed, in the middle of his room. Sesshoumaru's room was furnished with merely a desk, a heavy set, oak chair, and his bed. There was a mirror on one of the walls, but Sesshoumaru never used it. He didn't need to. His ornate haori was pulled off on his right side, exposing his good arm. The arm was wrapped tightly with bandages, and looked much healthier than it should have. Sesshoumaru strongly thought that the dragons had something to do with that.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama." Rin said. "You're awake."

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly, and slowly slid his feet off the bed, pulling his haori all the way on.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama." Rin said, concerned. "You shouldn't be up yet! You were wounded."

"It was merely a snake bite." Sesshoumaru said dismissively. "I am fine."

"You didn't look fine when I got you here!" Rin said, suddenly aggressive.

Sesshoumaru blinked, and looked sharply at Rin. Had the girl just raised her voice at him?

As if realizing her mistake, Rin instantly straitened her back, and faced strictly forward. "Sorry, milord." She said quickly.

Sesshoumaru blinked at Rin, and slowly got out of bed. "You brought me back?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes milord." Rin said submissively. "The pirate carried you, but I showed him where to go."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "And Atma is here as well, is she not?"

"Yes, Milord. There is Tiamet, and dragon that I do not know here as well. It was the third dragon who rid you of most of the poison. I wrapped your arm."

"What of the bodies of the two women?" He asked. "Where they still there when you left with me?"

Rin nodded. "They were waking up when I got there. The purple haired one almost got me." She said.

Sesshoumaru slowly walked across the room to his boa, which was lying across his desk. He picked it up, instantly noticing that it was much lighter than it should have been. "And what did you do?" He asked, inspecting the end of it. The iron chunk was gone.

Rin must have noticed his inquiry at the boa, for she pointed over at the foot of the bed. "I remembered that you weighted you're boa, and so I hit her with the rock." She admitted, almost sheepishly.

Sesshoumaru turned to look at her, fastening the boa just under his limp left sleeve, and walked forward to her, stooping down just in front of her. He took the stone form her hands, and gave her a look of approval. "You are older than you look." He remarked.

Rin nodded.

"And you are wiser than you're age." He commented, slipping the stone back into the secret pocket of his boa. With that, he rose, and walked towards the large, hardwood door. "Come." He instructed.

Rin smiled, and nodded. "Yes, my lord." She said faithfully, following the tai-youkai.