Putting the Damage On

Chapter 10 :: Strength of a Promise

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Author's Note: Hey everyone! Its been a while huh? ::hides from the angry readers:: Eh… Sorry! Please enjoy this! Please?! I'm so sorry though, I trully am. So much has happened... its crazy. Also now I've got to buy presents for everyone and their are five other people in my family! I'm poor and it sucks. ::sighs:: Oh well. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! ::hugs::

Warnings: Um, nothing to big. This chapter is sort of mellow compared to the others. : )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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Sango did not tell Kagura she knew the secret behind her duty to Naraku. She had a feeling that if Kagura knew, she would be angry. So the taijiya kept the knowledge to herself and planned to wait for the sorceress to tell her in her own time.

"Sango. What should we do? It's the first day of your relative freedom." Kagura said over breakfast the next day. "I suppose we could sneak out of the castle and go for a fly."

Sango eyes widened, "Kagura! That's perfect! That's how I can escape!"

Kagura shook her head, dimming the taijiya's smile, "It would be my neck,"

Sango sighed, she understood. "You're right. I don't want to put you in danger… but could we? I'd love it… it would really do some good I think… to my spirit. Just for a few minutes… he won't find out?"

"I doubt it. He's in a very weakened condition right now." Kagura said, but the tone of her voice told Sango that she couldn't say more.

"Alright." Sango grinned, standing up, "Let's go right now!"

"I want to finish my soup." Kagura sniffed, taking a small scoop and bringing it to her lips. Sango raised one eye brow, and grabbed Kagura's arm, yanking the youkai to her feet. Kagura blinked. Then she smirked. "I see… since you're so eager. I can make some more later."

Sango smiled and almost hugged Kagura, "Thank you! Kanna won't say anything?"

Kagura turned to the silent girl. "No." Kanna picked her eyes off of her food.

"I will speak no word of it. As long as you return in the next half hour. If Master Naraku were to find out…" The little youkai's eyes went inward, "It would be bad for all of us."

Sango glanced at Kagura, but the wind youkai just smirked, "Humph. You should join us Kanna."

"No." the youkai replied.

And Sango was suddenly reminded that this little… girl had no… no soul… Sango's happiness dimmed slightly and she frowned. "Come on Kanna…it would be fun."

Kanna's eyes turned to Sango, "…fun…" The word seemed alien to her. "I.. can not. Go and hurry."

Kagura grabbed Sango's arm, "Let's go. There's no point. She never leaves the castle unless Naraku wants her too."

Sango followed Kagura outside. She reached behind her ear and pulled out a long, white feather. "Ever road on a feather?"

"No." Sango shook her head, "Is it sturdy?"

Kagura sniffed, "Yes."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sango smiled, popping her knuckles, "Let's go! I can't wait… to be so high up and away…" The girl twirled around in, her arms spread wide, "I can forget about it all, just for the moment. It would be wonderful."

Kagura watched her in silence. A lump had formed in her throat. For that instance, Sango had reminded her of herself. The wish to be free, free and far away. So high above that no one could ever catch them and place a cold, steel cage around them. So far into the sky that… that they would be free.

"Come on." Kagura's voice sounded slightly different, and the taijiya stopped twirling around. "We should go."

"Yes." Sango nodded.

And they left. They flew so high that even for an instant; they felt that if they flew just a little bit farther, they'd be free.

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Inuyasha's nose twitched. "I can smell Kagura… and… and…" His eyes went wide, "SANGO!"

Miroku jumped up, almost knocking Shippo into the glowing embers of their fire. "You can smell Sango! How far from here!?"

"Not far…" Inuyasha grabbed Miroku, "Get on my back. I'll get us there quicker this way."

Miroku nodded and grabbed Shippo, pulling himself on top of Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha jumped into the air.

"Are we really going to get Sango back!?" Shippo cried, tears filling his eyes, "I'm going to hug her and never let go again!"

"We'll get her back Shippo." Inuyasha growled, "Nothing's going to stop us, right Miroku?"

"Yes." The monk nodded.

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Sango's eyes were wide. It was different than flying on Kilala. They went higher and faster than she'd ever gone. She smiled at Kagura's back.

"This is wonderful."

"Too bad it can't last." Kagura said without realizing it.

"Yes… it is too bad…" Sango whispered, "Kagura, when I'm free of him… you will be too… I'll make sure of it."

"Will you taijiya?" Kagura turned her face to look at Sango from the corner of her eye.

The girl's look of complete confidence and determination killed the sarcastic reply on Kagura's lips. She looked so… sure, so absolutely positive… Kagura almost believed her.

Sango narrowed her eyes, "You don't believe me?"

"Not completely, taijiya." Kagura answered honestly.

Sango reached into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled out a kitchen knife. Kagura watched her in silence. "I swear by the blood on this blade Kagura, I'll set you free. I won't leave until you and Kohaku… and Kanna are beside me. We'll defeat him. We'll be free."

Kagura's eyes watched the blood trickling down Sango's arm.

With a slow, slightly unsure hand, Kagura took the knife from Sango. "And I taijiya, swear by the blood on this blade that… we'll all be free… all of us." She drew the blade across her arm.

They stared at each other. And then Sango began to laugh. It was a light, from the soul laugh. Kagura smirked and began to chuckle.

They didn't stop until both had tears in their eyes.

"I've never felt this before." Kagura said after a moment. There was a light in her eyes.

"It's called hope, Kagura." Sango smiled, "I feel it too."

A distant yell. Kagura turned her eyes to the ground. "Heh. We've got company taijiya."

Sango blinked, not sure what she meant, "Company?" She followed Kagura's finger.

"Inuyasha!" Sango almost toppled over the side of the feather, "And Miroku!"

Kagura looked at Sango. The girl looked back at her.

"We'll stop." Kagura said softly.

"We don't have to."

"You want too, right?"

"Yes."

Kagura smiled, "Then let's do it."

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Inuyasha and Miroku slid to a halt at the sight of Sango. She stood her arms behind her back. Smiling at them.

Kagura stood off to the side, leaning against a tree.

"Sango." Both men said at the same time.

She smiled and ran to them without words. She hugged them both at the same time.

"You're back." Inuyasha grinned.

Sango broke away from them suddenly; her eyes bright and tear filled. "I can't."

"You can't what?" Miroku asked, taking her hand in his.

"I can't go back with you."

Silence.

Then…

"What the hell do you mean you can't go back with us? Have you gone stupid or something!? Of course you're staying with us! What kind of shit is this Sango!?" growled Inuyasha, his voice rising towards the end.

"Certainly you don't plan to return to Naraku, do you?" Miroku asked, staring at her face in wonder.

"No you can't leave us again Sango!" Shippo had begun to cry.

Sango nodded, stepping back farther. She looked at Kagura, and her eyes crinkled in a sad smile. The wind sorceress was silent, in slight awe. She had thought the taijiya would return with them. Even after their pact. Kagura swallowed hard, she would have…

"I'm not returning to Naraku, Miroku. I'm going back with Kagura and I'm not leaving unless she, Kohaku, and Kanna are with me. I can not abandon them." Sango stared hard at them, "I… I'll be free soon. Don't worry. We can do it."

"Sango! Shut up! You're coming back with us!" Inuyasha grabbed her arms and shook her once, "Alright!? I don't want to hear another word of that bullshit!"

"Let me go Inuyasha." Sango said softly, a hand going to his face. He stopped moving suddenly. Miroku cast his eyes to her hand, touching Inuyasha's face very gently. A slight, burning feeling washed through the monk and he looked away.

A tear slid down her face, "I'll be back. Believe in me." She walked away back to Kagura, "Let's go. We should return."

"No… Sango." Inuyasha whispered.

"Please Sango. We'll save them. Just come back with us." Miroku pleaded.

"It would be Kagura's life if I don't return." Sango snapped, "And I'm not willing to leave her to those consequences."

"Fine." Inuyasha said, staring hard at his sword, "Go. We'll attack the castle as soon as we can."

"Do that." Sango smiled, "We'll see each other then."

And then she left them standing there, in cold silence.

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Kagura and Sango entered into the kitchen. They had not spoken since the encounter with Inuyasha and Miroku.

"You fool." Kagura said coldly, "Why… why would you stay when you know you're only going back to more pain? How can you be… be so damn good…?"

Sango smiled. She had begun to cry, "It's not that easy…" She sniffled, wiping her face, "But…"

"You're a fool." Kagura stated again. "Had I been in your shoes I would have left and damned everyone else to their own fate."

Sango was silent. And then she shook her head, "I don't believe you would have Kagura."

"What!?" Kagura almost yelled, "You're an idiot! A complete and total fool! I do not understand you humans! I can not…" She choked on her words.

Sango smiled, despite the insults. "You're better than you give yourself credit for Kagura." Then she placed the knife on the table. "You remember this, right? It was a blood promise. The strongest kind. It's an old belief we taijiya's have. Once we promise something by our blood, it's as if we're promising our life to it. I will not leave here unless you, Kohaku and Kanna are with me. I will set us free or I will die trying. I swear."

Kagura stared at the knife, "No. We will set us free, or we'll both die trying. I swore by my life, did I not?" She sniffed, regaining her dignity, "Even if it is a foolish thing."

Sango grinned.

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Ahhh.

A nice, hopeful chapter. I wanted to make Sango and Kagura's bond deeper. Pretty strong now, isn't it?

The stuff with the blood oath just came to my mind one day. Eh. ::shrugs:: Its an interesting thing. Binding your life's blood to an oath or promise of the upmost urgency.

And what was that little, burning feeling Miroku got? Jealously? Maybe. Hehe.

I hope everyone enjoys this! Bye bye!