Hello again! I got two reviews--and i'm happy! I was actually going to send this chapter even if i didn't get any reviews. This chapter actually has a Bankotsu/Sango interaction. Yay!

My reviewers, which i must thank for reviewing(OMGdanica, and SuperMegaGirl); were very supportive of the first chapter even when i read over it myself and saw a few errors...thank you thank you thank you two VERY much! Please keep reading, i'm rereading for mistakes as we speak!

-Diverse-Thinker

PS: Banryu is spelled with two U's (Banryuu)...so that difference will take place in this chapter. Gah--i have GOT to start looking things up!


Disclaimer: must we go over this again? No, i don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does!
Sango finished tying up her hair in a high ponytail. Clad in her taijiya outfit, Sango looked down to see the smaller version of Kirara waving her tail from side to side and staring up at her mistress with large crimson eyes.

Sango smiled down at her as she picked up the neko demon and placed her on her right shoulder.

"Kirara, we are going to find Kohaku no matter what. Or atleast find out what the hell the Band of Seven want with him."

Kirara mewed excitedly, licking her mistress's face lovingly.

Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu and adjusted the strap around her, as well as making sure her katana was in its place.

Taking one last deep breath, she emerged out of the small hut, earning a few glances from passerbys.

One even came up to her, obviously concerned about her nervous look, "Is there something wrong, taijiya? Is there a demon somewhere around here?"

Another came up next to the first villager, "Should we call for your friends?"

Sango smiled politely, "No, there is no demon. But I am going to see the Band of Seven."

That sentence said, a few more villagers came to her after staring in fright. "Then we shall go call for soldiers and your friends to accompany you, taijiya."

But Sango cut them off with a generous wave of her hand, "No, I must find some information from them. Something important. Something Personal. Please, no offense meant, but I do not with for you to interfere."

Sango looked back to her shoulder at Kirara.

"Please move back…" Sango regarded the crowd as they willingly scooted backwards. "Kirara!"

Kirara jumped off Sango's shoulder and landed on the floor on all fours, earning a few 'Aww's from the village children. Soon enough, the villagers gasped in fright as flames emitted from the cat, surrounding her. The light from the fire danced off the frightened villager's faces as their eyes adjusted from the darkness of night to the bright light of fire.

Through the fire, they saw the black shadow of an even larger cat demon, where the smaller one stood.

The fire died down as Kirara roared. Sango climbed on and bid a goodbye to the villagers as Kirara jumped into the sky and flew away.


The village was now getting smaller and smaller as she and Kirara rode high above the forest's trees.

They soared for a while as Sango relaxed her tense muscles. She had to live, for her kin and for her father. She had to live, to rescue Kohaku and avenge her village. She would not die at the hands of the cursed Band of Seven.

Sango closed her eyes and prayed for a second before grasping onto Kirara as she suddenly swooped downward into the trees.

"Kirara?"

Kirara planted her strong paws onto the floor of the forest. Sango sat on Kirara for another second as she listened around.

The sound of a stream behind the trees to her left was heard, as well as the whistling of autumn wind. Sango felt around for any demon auras, but felt none. She couldn't help but inhale the wild scent of water from the stream, and the natural smell of the trees. And even though the trees were to close to eachother in this part of the forest, she felt relaxed and neutral. Sango swung a leg over Kirara's body as she hopped off.

Sango closed her eyes, a light breeze from behind pushed her hair into her face from her ponytail. The breeze bringing in the nature's scent around her into her nostrils. Breathing deeply, she smiled as she moved her hair out of her face.

Something inside her jerked her senses as Kirara roared after nudging Sango's side. Her eyes snapped open.

Grasping the handle of Hiraikotsu as a reflex, she looked into the foliage. There was nothing. Well, nothing she could see anyway.

The moon crept out of the clouds, bathing the forest in slightly more light. The sheen from something only 6 feet away caught her eye as the moon's light bounced off it naturally.

Poising herself, about to throw Hiraikotsu, Sango squinted her eyes trying to see what exactly she was killing. It wouldn't make much difference if she cut off a leaf with water on it, shining in the moonlight.

"Well, well, well, a taijiya."

Sango froze, she knew that voice.

"Bankotsu." She said harshly through gritted teeth.

Bankotsu chuckled as he stepped closer to her, the moon now bouncing off his own features making him visible to Sango. His Banryuu was held lazily by one hand as the sword itself rested on his shoulder.

'So that was the reflection I saw…his Banryuu.'

"Ready, taijiya?"

Sango gritted her teeth, Crouching even lower into her attack stance. "Always."

Bankotsu grinned as he lifted his sword into the air and spinned it in his fingers.

'Perfect.' Sango took no time in taking two running steps towards him and swinging her Hiraikotsu at him.

Bankotsu growled, he was about to swing his sword but Sango swung immediately.

"Stop showing off and fight me!" Sango yelled as she swung Hiraikotsu again at him.

Bankotsu stepped on the swung Hiraikotsu and jumped off it, landing behind her.

Taking her turned back as an advantage, he slashed at her back and leaped backwards, just incase she wanted to turn around and hit him with her large weapon again. Sango gasped as her shoulder bindings ripped in two, making Bankotsu grin.

Sango felt the armor on her shoulder slide off. Grounding her teeth together, Sango heard Bankotsu leap farther away from her and stop 10 yards away.

"I'm sorry, that was an accident." He snickered sarcastically.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango stepped forward and let go of her boomerang as she swung it.

Bankotsu suddenly stopped snickering as the boomerang came whistling towards him quickly. Dropping to the ground, he heard the boomerang fly past him.

"Hah, nice shot." Bankotsu stood up and ran forward, towards Sango.

Sango stood there, smug. 'He must not know Boomerangs always come back.'

Looking behind Bankotsu, she saw her weapon make its way back towards him. Noticing she was looking behind him, he stopped right infront of her, about only a few inches away from her face. He smirked at the facial expression she had. Even though they were that close, the taijiya did not cave in. She did well in pressure, while Bankotsu was a master at adding pressure.

"I'm not that stupid, taijiya." He remarked making Sango's smirk die.

Quickly turning around, Bankotsu placed his Banryuu in front of him vertically, much like Sango had done the day before against the demon. Sango heard the clash of his sword against her Hiraikotsu as he held it back away from slicing him in half.

Sango grabbed the sheath of her katana and flicked the sword's hilt using her thumb. Catching the handle with her other hand, she whipped out her katana and held it against his back, the tip cutting through the cloth of his shirt.

"Surrender Bankotsu."

Bankotsu looked over his shoulder and smirked, a small struggle of holding back her boomerang evident on his face.

"I didn't really want to kill you, taijiya. But I guess there's no other option." Bankotsu quickly discarded his sword and jumped into the air.

Sango's eyes widened as the Banryuu was being pushed by her Hiraikotsu towards her. Quick thinking led her to move her katana horizontally as one hand gripped the handle, and the other gripped the sword's sharper end.

Blood started to drip to the floor as well as stain her sword as the Banryuu continued to plow into her katana, Hiraikotsu pushing even harder behind it.

Sango gritted her teeth even harder and shut her eyes tight as her hand started to throb. The katana had already cut through her hand protector and was quickly drawing blood.

Sango yelled out loud as she let go of her katana and dropped to the ground as fast as she could.

Her katana and his Banryuu made the shape of a cross as Hiraikotsu pushed their weapons into the tree behind her, successfully cutting through half of it.

"Nice maneuvering, taijiya. Or should i say copycat?" Bankotsu said as he jumped from behind her, to infront of her.

Sango stood on her hands and knees, ignoring the pain that surged from her hand and up her arm. She was panting deeply as sweat rolled of her face.

"I have a name!" Sango yelled, surprising Bankotsu. "My name is Sango, and this Sango will defeat you! Demon or not, you are my enemy and will bring me--" Sango cringed as she tried to stand using her hands as support. "Bring me closer to Naraku!" Bankotsu noticed how she spat Naraku's name with much venom.

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed, "Shut up."

"Augh—" Sango grunted as Bankotsu kicked her right shoulder harshly, making her skid backwards earning a few more scratches from the forest floor. Landing on her back, Bankotsu grabbed his Banryuu and jumped, landing infront of her.

Sango braced herself as she sat up on her elbows, her knees bending to stand up.

"Nah uh uh…" Bankotsu stepped over her so that each foot was on either side of her hips. Sanding tall, he looked down at her over the bridge of his nose.

"Now die." Bankotsu rose his Banryuu over his head and swung it twice in the shape of a X.

Sango flicked her wrists as her two hidden daggers ripped through the cloth of her taijiya suit. Holding her upper back up without her arms, she shoved her arms protectively infront of her face. The sound of metal meeting metal was heard as the Banryuu scraped her daggers, as well making deep cuts along her elbows.

Hissing in pain, Sango swiped her arms horizontally as she cut Bankotsu's legs.

Bankotsu growled as he backed up. "Bitch." The bottem of his white fabriced pants were now bloodied.

Sango stood up and grimaced as the pain increased through her arms and hand.

Now that his legs were hurt, she sweeped down and kicked his legs out from under him, making him fall on his back and the Banryuu fall from his grasp.

Sango stepped over him, planting each foot on his muscled biceps as she dropped her katana and grabbed his Banryuu.

"You tried to kill me with my own weapons. Now it's your turn." Sango growled as she held his own Banryu right over his neck, a drop of blood drawing from the puncture.

"You're pretty good lookin' for a taijiya."

The sudden compliment distracted her as Bankotsu smirked.

'I knew that would work…' Bankotsu's upper arms were being held by the taijiya, but his lower arms weren't. Bending his elbows upward, he grabbed Sango's ankles firmly and pushed her forward.

Sango gasped and she fell on her stomach, her arms above her head holding Bankotsu's Banryuu.

Trying to get up on her elbows she felt Bankotsu's foot push her back down on the ground.

"Funny how you get distracted so easily." Now sitting on her lower back, he reached over her and grabbed his sword from her hands, as well as bringing her arms back and crossing them behind her, careful not to cut himself from her daggers.

"I can finally stop and rest for a second." Bankotsu joked as he relaxed. "And what a comfy little seat I have."

Sango rolled her eyes, "Don't get too comfortable, Bankotsu." She tried to squirm away from his weight, but it was no use.

Holding her hands behind her, Bankotsu look at her back to see the back of her suit was torn slightly, most likely from when he slashed at her back. Looking closer he saw the skin much darker at one part. Curiosity took over Bankotsu as he slipped a finger in the torn part and proceeded to rip the piece off.

"W-what are you doing?" Sango stuttered.

Bankotsu successfully ripped a piece of her suit off, ignoring her protests. It wasn't a big piece; he wasn't interested in ripping the whole thing off, just enough to please his curiosity.

Looking at her some-what exposed back, he saw a rather large scar amongst her skin.

Sango closed her eyes; 'He's looking at my scar.' "Damn you." She whispered barely audible.

There was a moment of silence as Bankotsu wondered where she had got it.

"Stop looking at it."

Bankotsu was purged from his stupor as she repeated what she said.

"Where'd you get it?"

"What's it to you?" Sango spat.

Chuckling, he loosened his grip on her hands for a second. "Just curious."

"I don't have to tell you anything! Kirara!"

Before Bankotsu knew it, the sound of a feminine roar came from behind him as he felt teeth bite into his shoulder.

Bankotsu yelled out in pain as he let go of Sango, letting her get up on her hands and push him off her back.

Kirara let go of her hold on him as she scooted back and growled angrily.

Also standing, Bankotsu gritted his teeth, extremely angry. He was looking at Sango, but was thinking sinisterly about the cat behind him.

With a quick horizontal sweep, Bankotsu turned 180 degrees and slashed harshly as the cat.

Being on her hind legs, Kirara felt the blade cut through her stomach as she let out loud high-pitched roar.

"Kirara!"

Bankotsu turned back to face Sango and did another horizontal sweep with his Banryuu.

Sango watched horrified as demonic aura came from his sword this time, clashing into Sango and making her fly backwards as she let out a loud scream.

Her back met the sharp branches of a tree, making the wind knock out of her temporarily and her screaming seized.

Sango went into a coughing fit, trying to find air. Instead, she felt hot blood fill into her injured lungs and now spurted blood onto the forest floor.

Bankotsu smirked at the fallen taijiya.

"Bankotsu! Oh Bankotsu!" Bankotsu looked to his left from where he was being called. It was Jakotsu.

"I'll be right there Jakotsu!" He yelled over to his comrade. Looking back to the taijiya, he found that she had fainted.

"Sweet dreams, taijiya."

Bankotsu was about to leave when he felt a demonic aura.

"BLADES OF BLOOD!" Bankotsu was pulverized as sharp red blades began to cut him numerously.

Wanting to fight, Bankotsu knew he didn't have the time and continued to run further way towards his group. "Next time, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha had barely reopened his wound creating a small trail of blood on his way to get Sango. He had smelt Sango's blood, and dipped his hand in his own so he could attack Bankotsu. But he was running away!

"Oh no you don't, bastard!" Inuyasha yelled, about to follow him.

"In...Inu…yasha?"

Inuyasha looked to Sango to see she was slumped over on a tree.

"Sango…"

Ignoring his pain and the bastard Bankotsu, he went over to her weapons and sheathed her katana for her, as well as strapping Hiraikotsu to his back. Inuyasha picked up the small heavily injured Kirara and put her safely in the shirt of his haori, then made his way to Sango and picked her up in his arms.

He smelt a lot of blood on her, but only saw a few deep cuts. 'There must be more internal injuries, then.' Inuyasha thought.

On his way back to the village, the only thought that occurred to him was, 'Why isn't she dead, though?'


Kagome sighed; she was officially out of wrap. Having to wrap Inuyasha's stomach, Sango's hand and arms, Kirara's abdomen, then Inuyasha's stomach again, she'd have to go back to her time the next day and get more wrapping.

When Inuyasha had come back with Sango, Kagome fixed them up and Sango fell into deep sleep. So Kagome and Inuyasha followed suit afterwards.

Sango had slept through the next day, and had awoken just when the sun had set. Miroku had come by during the day to check up on them, but earned 2 angry looks from Kagome and Inuyasha. He explained he would be back tomorrow, it was obvious to where he was going to be.

So there the trio were, sitting around the fire. Everyone else in the village was sleeping.

"Seriously Inuyasha, couldn't you have been a little more careful?" Kagome looked to Inuyasha. Inuyasha sat cross-legged on the floor while his arms where stuffed in his sleeves.

"Keh, you should be saying that to Sango." Inuyasha jabbed a thumb in her direction.

Sango was sitting on a log staring at the fire while her mind was echoing Inuyasha and Kagome's words.

"Where's Miroku? Is Kirara ok?" Sango had asked after she was properly bandaged and awoken.

"Kirara is fine, don't worry." Kagome eased. "Miroku…"

Kagome looked over to Inuyasha uneasily, but he was sitting there with his eyes closed growling at the question.

"…He…" Kagome started, not knowing how to put it as she looked back to Sango.

Of course, when you run out of words, Inuyasha is always there to kindly offer a helping hand.

"The lecher had his hands busy, if you know what I mean." Inuyasha replied, not knowing the harshness of his words. "He obviously doesn't care about anything else but asking woman to bear his child."

"…You mean he was asking woman to bear his child? But if Kagome heard my scream…wouldn't he have too?" Sango asked.

"Keh. Yeah, Miroku was hearing screams all right. But obviously not yours…" Inuyasha scoffed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, a slight blush on her cheeks at the thought.

"What?"

"You're being insensitive!"

"Shut up wench, I was just sayin' the truth."

"SIT BOY!"

"...Sango?"

Sango's head snapped up, "Oh I'm sorry Kagome. Were you saying something?"

Kagome gave her a sympathetic look; "It was nothing, never mind." Kagome flashed her a smile of reassuance. 'She's probably thinking about Miroku…'

There was silence throughout the trio.

Inuyasha opened his eyes briefly and sniffed as he looked to his right.

Kagome noticed this, and looked behind Sango to where Inuyasha was looking.

There, Miroku was exiting a hut. He kissed a woman's hand and it sounded like he promised he would see her tomorrow. After she shut the door, Miroku started smiling wildly, an obvious blush on his face.

Inuyasha growled loudly, catching Sango's attention.

Sango looked up again to see Inuyasha and Kagome both looking somewhere behind her. About to turn, Kagome stood up quickly.

"Uhh…Sango! How about we go to the hot springs! I think we both could feel some relaxation for bit, right?"

Sango noticed the shifty look on Kagome's face, but agreed. She was right, a nice bath did sound relaxing.

Kagome wrapped an arm around Sango's shoulder, leading her away from Miroku as Inuyasha stood up and made his way over to the said man. An angry and irritated look on his protective face.

Looking over her shoulder, Kagome watched Miroku spot Inuyasha and smile widely, obviously unaware of his wrong doing. 'Jerk.'


Well, that's it for now! Next chapter should hopefully come out tomorrow in the evening. To tell you the truth--i already wrote a couple of chapters lol. What? I was bored! Anyway, i hope you liked it..please review! You know me--the one who is satisfied with 2 reviews...even one more supportive one would be awesome!

Well- Adios

-Diverse-Thinker

PS: LONG LIVE AP LOVERS!

AP: Alternate Pairing, for you stupids out there. But i love you anyway. :-D