Hey! I'm so hyper! I went to an anime convention on Saturday! I now have $89 worth of Sesshomaru merchandise! There's my giant plushie (that I love to cuddle!), my pillow (that's really comfy!), my model (just drool...), and my wall scroll! (It's like a big poster. It took me forever to find one with just Sesshy and no Inu! Don't get me wrong, he's cute, but not up there for me.) The guy dressed as Inuyasha was glaring at me and my plushie! Or maybe it was my Sesshomaru t-shirt. Or the pin I was wearing on my pants... His costume was good, though! And he even snarled at me like Inuyasha would! I got a picture with the guy dressed as Jaken! I held out my plushie and he bowed! It was funny! Now of course, there were a few Sesshomarus, too! I got a picture! But there was a creepy cosplay... The dude playing Sesshy sang 'I Feel Pretty.' I cried for about ten minutes. It's making me teary right now! I suppose I should get to the reviews!

Disclaimer: The guy playing Inuyasha wants to kill me, but thankfully, I don't own him or his anime counterpart. Phew!

Nightfall2525- And you think I don't wanna know? I'm writing this and I have no clue what's gonna happen! I always did like improv, though... Maybe next story I'll actually plan... Nah! This is too much fun!

Bubblefox473- I'm suing you! You promised 50 cents! And I'm not even suing you for 50 cents! I'm suing you for all the money you didn't spend at the convention! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Why did you change your name? suddenly teary WHY SESSHOMARU!

MaLeVoLeNtMe13- I saw your e-mail! And she's said she's sorry. We even had a meeting with the school guidance counselor. She thinks it's all resolved and that we believed every lie she said in there. I think I tried as hard as I could, but she won't stop lying. I even went on a lunchtime hunger strike where I don't eat or sit at the table with her. According to my friends, she said, and I quote, "I know why she's not eating. It's because of me. And if she wants to be stubborn, we should let her." HOW DENSE CAN YOU GET! Ugh... Enjoy the chapter...

silver- WAAAAAAAAAHHH! I'M SORRRRRYYYYY! I'M A FAILURE! WAAAAAAHHH! But I like speech! Though, I'll try for more detail. And I hope you're keeping up with how much time has gone by, 'cause there's a bit of a twist.

sakuryn- Wow...Me too... Jk. I'm glad you like it! I think the story is improving! Or I'm becoming a better writer... Or both! Enjoy this chapter!

SangoCoutryGirl- Oh, joy of joys! You like me! You really like me! breaks into completely obviously fake sobs I'll never forget you! Wait... Who are you again? Jk. Enjoy!

mzdeep88- Actually, that's really how I see Sesshy. If he lets someone get close, they turn him soft. Like Rin! And as for Sango, she is a bit to-the-point. I think I have an idea that will change that, though. Ah! Must get typing before I lose it!

RECAP:

He charged at her. 'Damn!' she thought. 'Why did I leave hiraikotsu! Why didn't I listen to Sesshomaru! Damn!' She whipped out her katana and pushed his hand away. It left a deep gash. They both watched as it healed within a few seconds.

"I suppose I have more abilities than I thought," the new incarnation said.

He charged again. She kept dodging and jumping backwards to avoid his blows. It was no good. She jumped back one last time and slammed into a tree that was at the edge of the clearing they had been fighting in. She slid down it and watched as the incarnation walked above her.

"Sesshomaru..." she whispered before she fainted.

On with the show!

Sesshomaru sniffed. The air carried no unusual scent but still. Sango had been gone for nearly half an hour. He decided to go after her. He walked through the thick foliage. He reached the clearing with the herbs Sango had needed. She was nowhere in sight. What was worse, the clearing smelled of Naraku. He followed the scent.

Sango woke. It was dark. Then all the memories hit her like a ton of bricks. She had been captured. Sesshomaru didn't know where she was. What if he was still mad and didn't look for her? What if no one knew she was in danger? She instinctively made a move for her katana only to find it wasn't there. She discovered that her armor had been taken away also so that she only had the black part of her outfit.

'Great,' she thought. 'Just great. Here I am without knowing where I am, no weapons, and no one even knowing I'm probably about to die. Just great.'

She explored the room she was in. It was almost too dark to see her own hand in front of her face. She felt around. The walls were slimy and felt thick with moss. She felt bars on one side and continued until she felt a breeze. She looked up and saw a window. It was so high that she was barely able to reach it. She stood on her tiptoes, grabbed the bars, and hoisted herself up. The smooth walls muffled any sound she could have made. She sat on the sill, looking out at the cloudy night. The moon was a waxing crescent. She quietly laughed to herself. That meant only a short time ago it had been the new moon. Poor Inuyasha had lost all his powers.

'Inuyasha! Oh, Kami, I forgot! Tomorrow is when they visit! I've got to get out of here!' There were four bars that were very spaced out. 'Perfect,' she thought. She grabbed the outer bars and kicked the center ones with all her might. They bent to almost a ninety degree angle. She kicked again and they burst free from the stone walls. It was a narrow fit, but she slid herself through the bars with difficulty and looked out. It was about a two story drop.

'No problem,' she thought. 'I've handled worse.' She lowered herself down the wall, suspended by the window she had escaped from, and dropped. Out of nowhere, her captor, Naraku's incarnation, stood beneath her. By now, it was too late. She couldn't do anything but fall straight into his arms.

"Going somewhere?" he said when he had caught her bridal style.

"Let go of me, you- you-" She was cut off by him throwing her over his shoulder. "Get off of me! Let go!" she screamed, pounding on his back like a little girl begging her father to go back to the candy store.

He walked forward. Sango eventually stop hitting him, seeing that it was no good and she was just wasting her energy. She looked around attempting to memorize every corridor and doorway he took her through, but there were so many. It was like a maze. She had a feeling of what was coming. Who would lie so far deeply within this castle? Someone that didn't want to be found; Naraku. He was taking her to Naraku.

The incarnation walked through one last doorway and her suspicions were confirmed. He dumped her onto the floor and, before she could make any move at all, grabbed her wrists. He chained her hands and feet to the wall opposite Naraku. She couldn't even stand.

"Ah, Sango. I've been waiting," Naraku said coolly. "Kurogasa, leave us."

The incarnation left. Naraku kept his eyes on Sango the whole time.

"So," Naraku said walking closer to her. She cut him off.

"What do you want with me!"

"No need to rush. You won't be leaving soon."

"Yes I will! Sesshomaru will come! Inuyasha will come! You don't stand a chance! And as I said before, why am I here?"

"You are the key element for my plan to work."

"Are you trying to get Sesshomaru's power again?"

Naraku bent over right in front of her face. She didn't draw back. He grabbed her chin and made her look straight at him. She resisted the urge to bite his cold finger and maintained her defiant glare.

"Such beauty should not have such an angry expression," he breathed, his icy breath tickling her face. She tried hard not to shudder, but failed. He gave a cold laugh and released her, turning back to his seat.

"No matter what you think," she muttered, looking at the ground. "I am not afraid of you. You are the one who is afraid if you have to chain me and steal my weapons." He paused.

"Or I prefer to avoid unnecessary trouble."

"You still haven't answered my question. Am I here to serve as bait for Sesshomaru or have you concocted another use for me in that twisted head?"

"I do indeed have another use for besides bait."

"And what would that be?"

"You will know when the time comes." Naraku clapped and her chains dropped.

"You're... releasing me?"

"You will not get out, that I am sure of."

Sango stood, wondering if she should take her chances with this unexpected freedom. She walked out the door only to find Kurogasa. He bowed. She didn't speak, but continued exploring. He followed close behind her.

"Naraku has ordered you to serve as my guard, I suppose," Sango said.

"Hai. He has instructed me to make sure you do not escape and to bring you back when he summons me," Kurogasa replied.

Sango walked down a few more seemingly endless hallways and sighed.

"I'll never find my way out, will I?" she asked no one in particular as she slid down a wall.

Kurogasa sat next to her. He had a sad expression.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked.

"I wonder," he said vaguely. "Why am I here? Why do I have no memories? I am powerful, but why must I be ordered by one such as Naraku?"

"You do not know then. Naraku made you."

"Made me?"

"Hai. You are his incarnation, meaning you were born from his putrid flesh."

"I do not understand. How did I come to be? How has Naraku made me?"

"Naraku is but a hanyou. He was made from hundreds of demons possessing the half dead bandit, Onigumo. Naraku creates his incarnations from the demons he absorbs and does not need. Have you met his other incarnations?"

"No. Naraku tells me to stay in a room. I've seen no one but him since I was born."

"I now have a question for you. Do you know what Naraku is planning with me?"

"He has told me nothing. Gomen-nasai."

"It's alright."

"I pity you."

"What?"

"I have never been presented with freedom. I have never lived that life. You know the joy of being free. That makes it more painful to be caged."

"Hai..." she breathed. They were silent for a few moments.

"We must return!" Kurogasa snapped. "He has summoned me."

They retraced Sango's futile attempt to escape and returned to the room in which Naraku sat. Kurogasa bowed and left. Sango now stood alone in the middle of the room with Naraku before her.

"It is time," Naraku began, "for you to learn your task."

He pulled a drawstring and a tapestry behind him shifted to reveal Kohaku. A pained expression appeared on Sango's face and she ran at him. To her dismay, she was thrown back a barrier. She just stared at Kohaku as though he was an exhibit in a zoo, untouchable by his audience. Memories of her old village raced through her head. It was so overwhelming she thought she might pass out. Kohaku was suspended by chains, his bangs covering his face. He looked half starved and so uncomfortable.

"Kohaku..." Sango sobbed over and over, trying to assure herself he was really there while wishing it wasn't him.

"Your little brother," Naraku said. "Sesshomaru approaches." Sango's head snapped up.

"I knew he would come. He'll take me away. And Kohaku..."

"I think not. You are to battle him."

"What!"

"You will battle Sesshomaru. If you refuse, the boy will be killed. And do not think that Sesshomaru's sword of healing will work. I have Kohaku's soul and he cannot be brought back without it."

"And that's why he can't remember me..."

"Precisely. Sesshomaru is waiting in the front garden."

Sango saw a bright flash of light. Next thing she knew, she was sitting in an entrance hall, her armor, katana, and hiraikotsu waiting. She looked down at it and cried.

'What am I to do?' she thought. She heard Sesshomaru's voice calling Naraku out. 'I love Sesshomaru and Kohaku. I do not want either to die. But Kohaku is my only brother. I've fought too hard to lose him now. Sesshomaru... Gomen.'

She strapped on her armor, crying the whole time. She fastened the katana to her waist, swung hiraikotsu over her back, and walked out the door before her. She stood in a large courtyard, Sesshomaru in the middle. She hid her face, not wanting him to see her.

"Sango..." he said, barely audible, but she still heard.

She looked up. Now Sesshomaru could see her tear stained face and her pained expression. He wondered why she was out here and why she had been released, but her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Sesshomaru..." she choked, looking straight at him. "Leave..."

He didn't have time to ponder this, for she attacked. She jumped at him and swung hiraikotsu. He was so shocked that she actually hit him. Blood spattered from his shoulder. Sango was finding it difficult to fight since she was half-blinded by tears. She threw attacks at him over and over, and over and over he dodged. Finally, he jumped back so they were in there starting positions.

"Sango, what's going on?" he demanded.

"Sesshomaru... Please! Leave! I don't want to have to fight you..." Sango sobbed.

'She has her own mind. Naraku is not controlling her with a spell. But why then is she doing this?' Sesshomaru thought.

Sango threw hiraikotsu at him, letting out a strangled cry. He jumped over it and watched as she caught it.

"Sesshomaru, leave or draw your weapon. This will be a fair fight to the death," she said trying to wipe the tears away.

"Why are you doing this Sango! What has Naraku done! Or did he tell you not to say?"

Sango suddenly realized something. Naraku had not said not to tell Sesshomaru why she was attacking. How could she be in danger by telling him?

"Alright. I'll tell you," she said. "Naraku has Kohaku. If I do not battle you, Naraku will kill him."

"Sango, if he does, I can bring Kohaku back."

"No!" Sango was crying again. "You can't! Naraku has his soul! Please! Leave!"

Sango charged again. She swung hiraikotsu with her left hand as she had planned. This distracted him so she could draw her katana with her right hand. She ran it through him, full force. The end was sticking out his back. She jerked it to the side and he gasped in pain. Sango would not look directly at his face. She feared if she saw what she had done, it might be too much.

"I told you to leave," she said, still looking down.

She withdrew the blade. As soon as she did, he collapsed. It was ironic. She defeated him when she didn't want to and lost when she had. She couldn't help but look at him. His red and white outfit barely showed any white anymore. His armor had a large hole surrounded by cracks from where she had plunged her katana. His shoulder wound was almost to the bone. Then she looked at his face. His expression made her cry harder. It was peaceful. She had betrayed him and injured him and nearly killed him. And he was content. A figure appeared next to her. It was Kurogasa.

"It seems we are both pawns to Naraku's will," he said sadly. "Come."

He grabbed her and Sesshomaru and teleported to a cell. It wasn't the one Sango had been kept in before. It was a different one with no window. Kurogasa disappeared again and reappeared a split second later outside the cell.

"Aren't you leaving?" Sango asked, not that she really wanted him to. She didn't want to be alone.

"No. I'd prefer to stay here."

Sango didn't answer but looked at Sesshomaru. She crawled over to him and laid his head on her lap. She ran a finger through his hair. She kept repeating this action. She occasionally found bits of dried blood that she tried to straighten out. Kurogasa sat outside the cell, a look of longing on his face.

"It must be nice." He finally broke the silence.

"What?"

"Knowing you have people that care about you. Having friends and family."

"I do not have family. My only family is my brother. He is under Naraku's damn spell."

"But you have friends. People that... love you..."

"To love is a great risk, though." She looked at Sesshomaru. "I loved my family and lost them to Naraku. I loved my brother and hurt another that I love because of it. Love works in strange ways. I do not believe it likes me, for my love has put me through nothing but pain."

"'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. At least you are cared for by the people you love. I have no one... no friends... to care..."

"Yes you do. You have me. I am your friend."

Kurogasa looked at her. Her eyes told him it was true. He had a friend. Something he had never expected. Sango resumed combing out Sesshomaru's hair. It was oddly relaxing. She wanted nothing but to keep him next to her forever. For this calm feeling to never leave her, but she knew that was not an option. Naraku would be back for her and this tranquility would have to leave for awhile. But something told her it would be back.

Sesshomaru replayed the memory of what had just happened in his unconscious state. He couldn't make sense of it. He was convinced the world held nothing but cruelty, but then Rin came along and he learned how to care. The world was not entirely evil after all. Then, as luck would have it, Sango came into his life as a servant and turned into his first love. He had never been so open and trusting with anyone and now she had betrayed him.

What happened? She had known all the hardships he faced. Why would she, one that claimed to love him, put him through another? But what about her hardships? She had lost her family that she had loved so much. She had seen so much death and suffering as a taijiya. But did that mean she thought her difficulties in life more important than his?

He thought he knew her. He thought he could tell her anything and vise versa. He thought she had loved him more than anything. He was wrong. This event had pushed him over the edge. He had no one to turn to. No one... The world was full of sacrifice and he had made his last. This was the last straw and he would take this pain no longer. He would remove the source.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes. He looked up and saw Sango. She had fallen asleep. He sat and she stirred. By the time he had fully stood up, she was wide awake.

"Sesshomaru!" She sprang to her feet and hugged him.

He didn't move. He turned when she let go and his hand momentarily glowed yellow. Next moment, his yellow energy whip had sliced through the bars containing the two.

'Where is Kurogasa?' Sango thought. 'He probably just left when I fell asleep. That's all...'

She suppressed the uneasy feeling and walked behind Sesshomaru. He was too silent. It was unnerving to Sango. She followed, though it was harder to squash that uncomfortable feeling. Sesshomaru stopped occasionally and raised his head to the air. Sango figured he was smelling the way out. At first, she thought she was right.

They entered the breezy courtyard in which Sango had battled Sesshomaru. The sight of it made her shake. She tried walking forward and bumped into Sesshomaru. He had stopped. She looked in the direction he was facing and saw a baboon pelt covering a crouched figure. Sesshomaru was not trying to find the way out. He was trying to find Naraku.

"It's about time," Naraku said as he stood.

"Naraku, you have caused too much trouble. I will kill you now," Sesshomaru said venomously.

"But you wouldn't want to hurt your precious Sango, would you?" He clapped and she appeared next to him. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"I will do whatever it takes to kill you."

Sango's eyes got wide. He was willing to kill her so he could kill another? He hadn't even drawn his weapon before. And he still had so many injuries. But she had no choice.

"Sesshomaru!" she called. "Leave now! Save yourself! I don't want to hurt you!"

Naraku slapped her. She fell to the ground, her eyes watering. She looked at Naraku. His expression told her Kohaku was on the edge of death. She stood, defeated, and took hiraikotsu. She mustered all the strength she could, which was not very much at the moment, and threw it. He cut to the side and charged at her. She saw this, caught hiraikotsu, and jumped back. He was actually attacking her. His hands were glowing green and he was slashing at her. She held hiraikotsu in front of her for defense. Each scratch made a large dent and it got deeper every time. Finally, he formed a hole in her weapon. He punched through it, straight at her. She fell back, hiraikotsu landing almost on top of her, and coughed up a bit of blood.

'He doesn't love me anymore,' she thought. 'He shouldn't. I am not worthy of it. I have not earned it.'

She stood, knowing the end was near. Why should she even try anymore? He was ready to slay her on the spot. She half-heartedly threw hiraikotsu at him. He dodged and charged again, but an arrow intercepted his path. A staff wrapped around Sango, holing her arms to her sides and a certain hanyou intercepted hiraikotsu.

YAY! I finished! I know this was really depressing. Gomen. I cried while writing it. I almost couldn't bring myself to finish it because it was so sad. Well... PLEASE REVIEW!

IMPORTANT NOTE! You all have a right to mad at me for writing this. I'll admit I'm mad at me! But I'm taking down any flames I get for this chapter. You can say you're mad at me, but you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT insult the story. I have my own plan for what's going to happen and I think you'll like it in the end.

Language Guide:

Hiraikotsu- Sango's boomerang

Katana- Japanese sword

Kami- God

Hai- yes

Hanyou- half demon

Gomen-nasai/ Gomen- I'm sorry