:Disclaimer:

Leiko: We don't own Inuyasha again.
Akana: Sure don't. It's really too bad, though, you know, because then we'd be rich and famous!
Leiko: But we don't and we're not.

:End Disclaimer:

Sorry for the delay! Internet problems. Chapter 2. There are some point of view changes, but they are marked. Enjoy, and please leave a review!

Chapter 2: He has a sister?

It was getting close to night at the end of that day, so we were all pretty tired. When we went back inside, we'd found out that Inuyasha's ramen had gotten a little burned. He still ate it, though, for some odd reason. Afterwards, we slept. We were all completely worn out, so sleep came rather easily. Inuyasha didn't go to his tree to sleep for once and instead slept against the wall. Miroku was beside him. I gave Sango a sleeping bag, and she slept on the other side of the fire as I did with Kilala curled up with her. Shippou curled up with me in my sleeping bag. It was peaceful. The next morning was, too.

At first.

I was first to wake. Sunlight was streaming through the gap in the wood that served as a window. I opened my eyes slowly, peacefully, and sat up the same way. Everything seemed surreal, like it was all just a dream. Had we really defeated Naraku, or was that just a fantasy? It couldn't have been fantasy. It was too real to be fantasy. My arms were still aching from firing all those arrows, and, as I looked around at everyone, the wounds of battle were still there. Sango's arm and leg were still bandaged up nice and tight. Miroku's chest was the same, and Inuyasha's stomach was, as well(we'd had to put up a fight just so he'd let us give him a bandage!).

Through all that, I still felt light as a feather. The fight was done. We had only to collect the shards now. That would actually be easy, though. Naraku had most of them except for ours, of course, Kouga's, and... Kohaku's shard... I thought solemnly. I shook my head. I didn't want to think about that.

I looked over at Inuyasha, noticing that he was starting to wake up, too. His eyes opened slowly, and I could tell he was savoring the taste of the most pleasant morning in the world, just as I had done when waking up before him. When he caught me looking, he immediately covered his expression with a scowl.

Next to wake up was mischievous Miroku. He looked around, looked at Inuyasha, looked at me, then at Sango, then at me again. "She's still asleep?" he asked, a slight smile on his face. I just nodded slightly and closed my eyes as a yawn escaped. When my eyes re-opened, Miroku was on the floor with a brand new handprint, Sango seething and standing over him.

It was at that very moment in which a new character entered our lives. She burst through the door, breathing heavily. "Where is he?" she demanded, her long black braid reaching to her waist. A few strands fell loose of the braid and were quite wavy. A white lily was in her hair, tucked carefully behind her ear. She wore a white kimono top and baggy red hakama pants. A sword in a deep blue sheath was at her side. When her oddly familiar blue eyes rested on Miroku, she gasped and crouched at his side. "Miroku? Is that you?"

"Hm?" Miroku looked up into the 14 year old girl's face. "Yes, I'm Miroku, but who are you?"

"Yuriko!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Yuriko?" Miroku was very surprised, to stay the least, at first. Then he sat straight up and peered into her face intently. "Are you really Yuriko?" he asked. After a minute of looking into her face, he grinned and hugged her tightly.

She hugged him back. "Oh, Miroku," she said happily. "I thought I'd never see you again! I've been searching everywhere for you!"

Sango was madder than ever now. "Miroku," she said impatiently. "Who is this?"

Miroku looked at her, blinking for a moment as if he didn't recognize her. Then he grinned and got to his feet pulling Yuriko up with him. "Yuriko, this is everyone," he said, "and everyone, this is my little sister, Yuriko!"

POV CHANGE

He had a sister. Who would've thought? It took us all by surprise. Apparently, when they were children, Yuriko had been taken away to live and work at a castle. She was only four at the time, and Miroku was seven. She'd lived at the castle for eight years. Then the lord came down with a terrible sickness, and died not too long after. There was no heir to the throne, so the servants were all released. Yuriko had immediately started searching for her brother, but before too long she realized that she stood no chance against the many demons that roamed the lands. Luckily for her, a kind swordsman took her in and taught her the trade. She caught on very quickly and set out to search for Miroku after only a year and a half. She'd listened to all the rumors and they eventually led her to Kaede's village and back to her brother.

"That's a truly amazing story, Yuriko," Miroku said, smiling at his sister. They were sitting against the wall on Kaede's hut, side by side. Kagome was busy preparing breakfast while listening, and Inuyasha was leaning against the wall where the door was with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. I was sitting against the wall opposite Miroku and Yuriko with Kirara in my arms.

She beamed. "Thanks, brother," she said. "What about you? What have you been up to since I've been gone? Was it you who defeated Naraku?" She looked at her right hand. "My wind tunnel's gone, so I assume that's what happened..."

"Yes, actually, it was," Miroku replied. "I only helped defeat him, though. Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Kirara are the ones who truly brought him down."

"Nonsense!" I stepped in, my face getting a little hot. "If it wasn't for your quick thinking, we probably never would've beaten him! And you even saved my life..."

Was it just me, or had the room suddenly gotten a lot colder when I spoke? I looked at Yuriko and caught her giving me an evil glare. Did she hate me? But why would she? What had I done? I decided I was just being paranoid and imagining things, since she was smiling at me the next moment. She turned back to Miroku.

"So, my big brother's a hero now, huh?" she asked. "I have a question... How exactly did you come to meet these people? I mean, it's not exactly a normal group to travel in, you know."

"Right you are," he said. "You see..."

He went on to explain about how he'd met Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou. He talked about the rest of his journeys also, and my heart skipped a beat when he glanced at me as he was talking about how he met me. The fluttering feeling I was getting in my stomach ceased, however, when he got onto the subject of Kohaku. I sighed slightly, pulling my legs up and hugging them tightly. I layed my head on my knees and stared at the fire, watching the flames lick the air and listening to the wood crackle. Kohaku...

"Sango, what's the matter?" Miroku asked kindly.

I looked up, startled. "What? Oh, um..." I didn't know what to say. I was touched that he was concerned about me, but I didn't want him to know what I was thinking of. He'd probably just say I was worrying too much. So we sat there, just looking at each other for a few minutes. I finally opened my mouth to speak, and --

"So, what happened next?" Yuriko asked eagerly, cutting me off before I had a chance to say anything.

Miroku turned back to her and continued with his story happily. It seemed to me like Yuriko was trying to take Miroku away from me. But why would she want to do something like that? Perhaps it was all just coincidence. I was again blamed it all on paranoia and left it at that.

POV CHANGE

Just who did that Sango girl think she was? I saw the way my brother looked at her. He really loved her. I knew that she loved him, too. If I let those two alone, Miroku would stay with her and wouldn't come home with me, his own sister! I'd already been warning the girl to back off, but she couldn't take a hint. I would have to get drastic.

Once Miroku had wrapped up his tale, I turned to Sango with a friendly smile. "How long, exactly, have you been traveling with my brother?" I asked politely.

She blinked. "About 10 months, I guess," she replied, obviously somewhat suspicious. That was good. Maybe she'd pay more attention, then.

"I see," I said slowly. I pretended it to be sort of an afterthought. "Not remotely close to four years..."

Her eyes hardened ever so slightly at that point. Finally, she'd realized that it wasn't her imagination or paranoia or anything! It was about time! "No, I don't guess," she said just as slowly as I had. Now I could warn her to stay away, and she'd be paying attention this time.

"But I haven't seen him in over 10 years," I went on to say. "Whereas you've seen him everyday for all that time." First the pity approach. Maybe if she felt sorry for me, she'd back off. I'd do anything it took, though. If I had to, I'd even go so far as to actually threatening her -- without the code speak, of course. No matter what, my brother would come home with me and forget about that girl.

No matter what, I wouldn't lose my only brother.