August 11, 2004

Authors' Notes - Hey you guys! Sorry we left you hangin' a while back there! Rest assured that we hadn't forgotten about you guys – mean ol' Mr. Writer's Block was rearin' his ugly head and we had to learn him a thing or two.

Wufei – Huh?!

Nataku-chan – My thoughts exactly... huh?

Miss Chang Po – I was trying to be funny (Wufei - ::snorts:: 'Trying' being the operative word.) Sheesh... tough crowd...

Nataku-chan – Anyway, seeing since we're a bit rusty at this, let's just skip dawdling and get straight down to business. ::grins:: So, minna, without further adieu (Oh yeah, I saw that Kenneth Brannagh movie, 'Much Ado About Nothing', bought it just for the hell of it – Denzel is muy sexy quoting Shakespeare...)

Miss Chang Po – Didn't you say something about not dawdling...?

Wufei - ::pouts:: I'm way sexier than Denzel Washington.

Miss Chang Po and Nataku-chan - ::both look at each other before laughing hysterically::

Don't You Dare

Chapter 17

The forest air was quiet and still, seemingly void of any signs of life. Trying her best to emulate her surroundings, the young maiden crouched down low in the bushes clenched her hands tightly in prayer. Bowing her head she begged imploringly for the deities above to keep her safe.

However, in the midst of her mantra, a low guttural grow attracted her attention. It was followed soon after by heavy, stomping footsteps leading directly towards. Startled, the young girl let out a short cry before realizing her error too late – clamping her shaking hands over her mouth to quell her sobs.

The growling she had heard stopped and for a moment she believed herself to be out of danger. However, seconds later her bushy cover was ripped away from her revealing two large youkai standing over her. They stared down at her with leering eyes and lustful intents, causing the poor girl to shriek out in fear.

Without any provocation, she dropped to her knees before them sobbing piteously. What a fool she had been! Why had she dared to believe that she of all people would actually manage to escape? A mere human girl and against two youkai? She could only hope that death would come quickly.

One turned to the other, its eyes gleaming. "What now, Aniki?" it asked.

The other growled in annoyance. "You know the plan – we can't kill any of the humans."

"Not yet at least."

"A rule's a rule." He sighed, the only sign of his displeasure. Turning back towards the girl, he ran a long, serpentine tongue over his teeth. The young girl let out a whimper in response.

"Anyways, that don't stop us from punishing the wench." His partner chortled in agreement. "Let's show her what we do to those who choose to defy us."

With that, the two closed in her while she backed away in fear. Before long, their roars of triumph drowned out her anguished screams in the still of the forest.

While it had been decided that Sango and company would be taken to see the so-called 'Baba', it had been quite some time before they had been able to do so. It seemed almost natural for Hiroshi and Misao to get into another argument. Mimiko, desperately trying to show maturity beyond her years in front of their visitors, had tried to break up the pair civilly. However, once Misao had loudly exclaimed her face had looked like a cow's behind, she too had joined the fray.

Sango, of course, did not possess any subduing charms, but she had effectively managed to put an end to the squabbling, setting everyone's minds back to the task at hand. As the group had then ventured on to meet the temporary village elder, Shippo had lightly commented to Miroku that Sango would make a good mother.

The monk had had no response for that.

After a few moments of walking further into the village, Mimiko led them to a small hut not far from a small rice paddy field. The hut itself wasn't as well accommodated as a headman's home tended to be, but despite that fact it looked to be well kept for the sake of appearances.

Mimiko instructed them to wait outside a moment while she herself pulled back the reed flap of the entrance, peering inside. Exchanging a few shushed words with the building's occupant, she then gestured for them to come in.

Sango and Shippo blinked in surprise. Kirara only mewed in response. Miroku let out a soft exclamation of pleasure.

A woman with long black hair pulled back in a modest bun stood by the fire pit stirring a pot of stew. Upon their entering, she turned towards them and bowed respectfully, her brown eyes shining kindly.

"Welcome visitors," she replied softly. "To my humble home."

Miroku stepped forward first, grinning pleasantly. "Surely you cannot be the Baba we've heard so much talk of?"

Shippo and Kirara exchanged looks.

She gave him a flustered smile. "'Tis a nickname the children have given me," she explained. "My real name is Chiharu." She paused again, chuckling nervously. "As you have probably noticed, I am the only adult here..."

"Yes, indeed we have." Replied Miroku, kneeling down in front of her. "It is a tragedy, truly."

Chiharu nodded solemnly, staring down at her hands as she placed them in her lap. "Oh, it is so kind of you to take pity on our poor village," she said. "Is it possible for us to repay you somehow?"

"Here it comes..." Shippo muttered under his breath. Sango found herself cringing at the disarming smile that had spread itself across the young monk's face. How did he live with himself?

You're just jealous he never smiles at you like that A voice in her head jeered.

She blinked, looking around in surprise. Just where had that come from?

"Dear lady," he was saying. "There's no need for such talk right now. What concerns me now is the future welfare of this village."

"Bokushi-sama..." Misao exclaimed happily.

Hiroshi snorted.

"What do you suggest we do, Miroku?" Shippo asked, eyeing him warily from his perch on Sango's shoulder. He seemed as if he was actually being serious for once, but where women were concerned you could never be sure...

"It will be no simple task, I can assure you," Miroku replied with a solemn expression. Taking the hand of a bewildered Chiharu in his own, he let out a heavy sigh. "It shall be up to Chiharu-san and I to repopulate this village."

Sango had her boomerang ready and in hand to deliver justice when Chiharu began to laugh out loud. Everyone else in the room stared at her as if she had gone mad.

"Oh Houshi-sama, you flatter me!" she exclaimed. "You truly are a kind man to take my mind off our troubles with your jokes."

Miroku only blinked.

Chiharu wiped tears of mirth from her eyes with her apron. "Oh my... and you with your vow of chastity—" Miroku raised his eyebrows at this. "The mere thought...why, it's been so long since I've born a child – in fact, I've seen thrice as many summers as young Hiroshi here!"

Shippo blinked this time. "Really?" he exclaimed. Sango bopped him lightly on the head.

Recovering quickly, Miroku laughed again, plastering on another one of his charming smiles. "Why, Chiharu-san... I would not have guessed so with your astoundingly good looks." Said woman tittered girlishly. "Feel free to fool me again any time."

Chiharu sighed dreamily. "Oh my... Houshi-sama you are truly something else,"

'I'll say,' Sango thought, shooting daggers at the back of his head.

Chiharu went on, "I haven't been flirted with so shamelessly since I was being courted by my husband." At that, she sighed again, this time sadly.

Miroku's expression turned serious. "Was your husband taken by the youkai that plague this village?"

"Aye," Chiharu replied. "It's been almost a fortnight since I've seen him last, my eldest child as well."

"Why is it you are the only adult left in this village?" Sango asked, stepping forward. "What happened here?"

"Our village is a small one, as you can see," Chiharu explained. "And because of that, we're often prey to youkai attacks. Lesser demons come and go, stealing chickens, chasing off cattle and the like – it's become a part of life that we've grown accustomed to.

"However, eventually, we began noticing a decline in those attacks. For awhile it made us nervous, but when nothing came of it we figured the youkai had just moved on."

"And then?" Miroku urged.

"The Hebi-jin came." Hiroshi spat. Misao nudged him urgently.

"Snake youkai have been terrorizing your village?" Sango asked.

"Not just any snake youkai!" Chiharu exclaimed. "Never in all my days have I ever seen such horrible creatures! At first they would steal our cattle and raid our crops – they made it so we barely had enough food to sustain ourselves. Eventually a group of men headed out in search of them to put a stop to them – but they never came back."

"They probably got eaten." Hiroshi pointed out.

"Hiroshi – hush!" Misao exclaimed, nudging him again.

"We have no way of being certain," Chiharu exclaimed, bowing her head. "But Hiroshi is probably right. That was over 2 months ago."

Miroku nodded solemnly, holding his hand up in prayer. "May Buddha preserve them."

"I am sorry for you loss," Sango explained. "I can only assume it got worse after that."

Chiharu nodded. "The raids wouldn't cease. It got to the point where we were afraid to leave our homes – we didn't want them to think we were trying to stop them for fear they would turn on us."

"Are they that powerful?" Shippo asked.

"We are only farmers," Chiharu explained. "Our pitchforks and spears have been nothing against the Three Brothers."

"The three brothers...?" Before anyone could ask who they happened to be, a high-pitched whistle filled the air. Chiharu and the children froze in fear.

Kirara let out a hiss.

"It's a Raid!" Misao exclaimed, clutching Miroku's robes in fear.

"What's going on?" Shippo asked, watching as Sango and Miroku rose to their feet.

"Do you sense it, Houshi-sama?" Sango replied, reaching for Hiraikotsu.

"Yes," Miroku murmured, clutching his shakujo. "A definite youkai aura." He turned back to Chiharu. "The whistle is to alert everyone of their presence, correct?"

She nodded. "We have children acting as lookouts all over the village." She replied. "No one is to go outside until we are certain they have left the village."

"Shippo, please stay with Chiharu and the others." Sango replied, turning to the kitsune on her shoulder. "See to it they are kept safe from danger."

"Will do!" the kitsune nodded, hopping down to the floor.

"We don't need looking after by no youkai," Hiroshi huffed. "We've been taking care of ourselves on our own."

"Hiroshi," Mimiko scolded. "Don't be rude."

"Bokushi-sama, wait!" Misao exclaimed, tugging at his robes. "I wanna go with you!"

"Dummy!" Hiroshi exclaimed. "You can't follow after people all the time just 'cuz you feel like it!"

"But, but, but..." she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want you get eaten!"

Miroku turned to Sango helplessly. Sighing heavily, she knelt down beside the small girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't cry, Misao-chan," she urged. "Everything will be fine."

"Not if you guys get gobbled up!" she exclaimed.

"Houshi-sama and I run across evil youkai who like to make sweet little girls like you cry all the time, and we haven't gotten gobbled up yet," Sango replied. "Right?"

Misao nodded hesitantly.

"We're going to do everything in our power to stop these youkai from hurting you." She replied. "And when we come back you can show Houshi-sama your pretty smile again." She turned back to Miroku. "Right, Houshi-sama?"

Miroku, who had been marveling how on the mark Shippo's earlier observation had been, could only smile and nod.

"So, in the meantime, we need you and Hiroshi to stay here and be brave until we come back."

Hiroshi snorted. "I'm always brave." He countered.

Sango stood up, smiling still. "Well, then, help Shippo protect the woman until we return." She exclaimed. "I expect you'll grow up to be a brave man someday." The boy in turn blushed heavily.

Miroku headed towards the door. "Are you ready, Sango-san?"

The youkai exterminator nodded. "Kirara, let's go." With that, the three of them rush out of the hut.

"Good luck!" Chiharu and Mimiko called after them.

"And be careful!" Shippo added. He turned back to the others to see Hiroshi and Misao still staring at the door, blushing heavily.

"Sugoiiii!" they exclaimed in unison.

Shippo paled slightly. "Creepy..."

End Chapter 17