Ahhh, a nice relaxing chapter. This chapter is more of a 'get to know the characters' more kind of thing. Well besides the fact that Kagura--

Oh, Snap! I almost told you didn't I? MWAHA (I'm on a sugar high.)

Well, Enj-EEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP


Disclaimer: Inuyasha? Mine? Why I'd love to—(Rumiko Takahashi pops up out of no where)—MINE! (Cries)
Sango yawned silently as she sat up from her sleeping bag. It was still early morning, and the sun hadn't made a full entry yet.

Looking around, everyone still appeared to be asleep, but it had been like that for a while. Sango smiled inwardly as her eyes rested on the sleeping form of Bankotsu. It had been a little over a month since Bankotsu had banded with the group, and she had just gotten used to the image of him sleeping a little farther away from everyone else. But nevertheless, he was always there in the morning.

"Keh,"

Sango gasped sharply, Inuyasha had startled her. Gazing up at him, Inuyasha was leaning against the tree that she was sleeping beside with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I still don't get why you want him here so bad. What's so good about him?"

Sango rolled her eyes as she slipped out of her sleeping bag, getting arranged for the day. "Face it Inuyasha, he's staying and you can't change that."

Inuyasha scoffed, "I didn't say I wanted him off the team…"

Sango just smiled daintily as she continued to roll the sleeping bag like Kagome customarily does.

"I'm just wondering why."

Sango shrugged.

After waiting a whole other minute, Inuyasha plopped down beside her, abridging his voice for only her to perceive. "I smelt your tears that rainy day Sango."

Sango delayed her movements; her eyes still cast downward as she lended an ear.

"And I smelt his too." Inuyasha continued to look at her with meddlesome amber eyes. "I overheard a village man talking some rumors. That there is only one survivor of the Shichinin-tai. Is that true?"

Sango sighed, "Yes, but that's not why he's here."

"Then why?"

Finally looking to him, Sango began, "He deserves a place on this team. He's an experienced fighter, and whether you like it or not, we will need help with Naraku's collapse." Sango handed Inuyasha her sleeping bag and grabbed her clothes before disappearing into the woodland to change.

Inuyasha peered down at the sleeping back that had been shoved in his arms. There had been countless times when Bankotsu assisted Inuyasha to victory with the fights from the concluding month.

Looking to his sleeping form, Inuyasha grunted, standing back up. Bankotsu was sprawled out on his back, mouth open as he snored bluntly. Inuyasha saw the drip of drool sinking down the crack of his mouth.

'He might be a good fighter, but he is one hell of a snorer.'

Taking a glance at where the sun will be popping up soon, he fated it would be a good time to wake everyone up.

Walking beside Bankotsu, Inuyasha leered down at him as he started to kick his side. "Yo, Bankotsu, wake up!"

Bankotsu stirred, only to fall onto his side and restate slumber. It was like this every morning.

Inuyasha growled before grabbing the back of Bankotsu's head and colliding it into the damp soil he was sleeping on. "WAKE UP!"

"BEGH—GAH!" Bankotsu swatted away Inuyasha's clawed hand and sat up, wiping the dirt from his face. "I see you're quite crabby this morning, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha grunted an inaudible answer before going to go wake up Miroku and Kagome.

Miroku was quickly awoken by a shove in the back by Inuyasha's foot, already used to the rough awakening. Miroku went on trying to wake up Yunai as Inuyasha went to Kagome.

"Hey Kagome, wake up!" Inuyasha knew better than to try and even shake Kagome up. She was much more grumpy in the morning that the surplus of the day. And being Inuyasha, who got sat to the ground numerously almost everyday, that, was a frightening fact.

"I'm up, I'm up…" Kagome rose groggily.

Sango emitted from the forest, equipped in her traveling yukata. "Is everyone awake already?"

She received a series of barely-awake nods and sleepy yes'. Kirara mewed into Shippou's ear, waking him.

"I figured an early head start would be good today." Inuyasha enlightened them as they did their usual routine of waking up and packing their possessions.

"Good idea, Inuyasha. I feel today will be a prevailing day." Miroku smiled as he took a deep breath of the morning air.

Once everyone had gathered their things and weapons, the group set off North.


"Damnit—" Inuyasha slashed angrily at the low-branched trees in his way. Bankotsu beside him, using Banryuu.

The rest of the group trailed behind approximately close, not wanting to loose eachother in the heavily covered track within the deep timber.

"Let's take the short cut, we'll get where ever we're going much faster." Kagome began to whine, imitating Inuyasha. She and the rest of the group continued to raise their knees high in order to get past the now broken branches that littered the floor behind Inuyasha and Bankotsu.

"Keh!" Inuyasha cut through another branch, "I would have gotten through this damn forest by now if I didn't have any tag-alongs!"

"We could have easily just gone the normal path, but nooo—We had to go straight through the forest!"

Miroku sighed. Yunai, being her usual quiet self sojourned being quiet, only computing her commentary in her mind.

"And—OW!" Kagome bellowed as another twig scratched at her naked shins. "This hurts!"

"Here Kagome," Sango placed Kirara down, her large crimson eyes glancing up at her inquiringly.

Seeming to interpret Kirara's dubious look, Sango crouched down and patted her head. "Don't worry, I'll make room." Sango then stood back up as she orderly placed her hands on Inuyasha and Bankotsu's shoulders, immobilizing them.

Walking past them once they had indeed stopped to look at her, Sango unstrapped Hiraikotsu from her back as Bankotsu and Inuyasha stepped back seldomly.

"Hiraikotsu!" The large weapon swiftly made way for the group as it cut through the foliage like a knife cuts cake. Slowly, the trees in their way fell to timber. Creating a clean channel through the forest for the Inu-gumi.

After Sango caught Hiraikotsu, she let out a satisfied sigh and went back to the derriere of the group where she was standing previously.

Inuyasha looked back at her, "Well you could have told us you could do that." He replied wearied.

"Oh." Sango smiled apprehensively, "I actually did that so Kagome could ride Kirara…"

The group glanced to see Kirara had already converted and was carrying a tiresome Kagome.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest; "We just started! And your weak legs had already given out. Pathetic."

Miroku looked to Yunai; "You should get on too." Yunai nodded and straddled Kirara.

"Sit." Kagome replied lazily as she laid her head down on Kirara's delicate mane. Inuyasha was, again, sent to the floor in a hasty heap of silver and red.

Looking ahead, the trees that were so graciously carved by Hiraikotsu were now reduced to 2 feet elevated stumps while the fallen trees just made it even more fatiguing to walk. But now they could go brisker, or so notioned Inuyasha, since the brittle women were riding.

Sango glanced at the twigs and branches that cluttered the floor in addition to before, then back to Miroku's feet. "Houshi-sama, maybe you should ride on Kirara too…"

Miroku looked to his own feet, obliviously wiggling his toes, then back to Sango. "But what about you, Sango?"

Sango crossed her arms over her chest. Obviously irked. "What, because I'm a woman I can't take a clean hike through the forest?"

Kagome sweat dropped as Miroku held his hands up in defense, a meek look residing on his face. "No, no, Lady Sango—I just though maybe you were tired or your feet hurt or Maybe you just didn't feel like walking now like Kagome and Yunai—" Miroku continued rambling instantaneously, "Or maybe Hiraikotsu is too heavy for you—why don't you give it to me-" Her eyebrow twitched.

Slap.

Yunai stifled a giggle as Miroku devastatingly straddled Kirara behind herself. A dark red hand print decorating his face. He was lucky; Sango had allayed the slap since this was obviously more tolerable than a nice pet on the behind.

Inuyasha stood on the tree's residing stub, Tetsusaiga resting on his shoulder. "And I honestly thought those had come to an end. It's nice to see them again."

Bankotsu chuckled as Sango stomped past himself and Inuyasha, Hiraikotsu held above her shoulder, proudly.

And the group continued on. Miroku, Kagome, Shippou, and Yunai rid Kirara as Sango, Inuyasha, and Bankotsu leaped from stump to stump.


Finally out of the now treeless forest, the Inu-gumi protracted on their way North.

Kagome sighed as mellow as possible. Miroku, Yunai, and herself had gotten off Kirara once they exited the forest and was now afoot along the trail that resided amongst small hills in a grassy flat. The environment had completely changed everyone's mood from beleaguered to content.

Inuyasha took the head of the group with Kagome pursuing closely behind him and Bankotsu alongside her. Kirara, with Shippou on her back, was hiking a little ways behind the trio with Sango walking humbly beside her. And behind them were the betrothed couple Miroku and Yunai.

Yunai had to go slow now a days. Her stomach had swelled, but not by much. Enough to be conspicuous, though. And even though her growth rate was laggard, she was content with the sole fact that this baby was going to be born, and she was going to be its mother.

It surprised Miroku to all extents that she hadn't transformed into a…dare he say it…a bitch. Maybe the scuttlebutt around the villages he would pass by were wrong about expecting women. Maybe. But even so, he stayed chary and dare not step a foot in respectable ground. And if he thought he had worried or angered her, he would take her by the hand at night and give her a perfect view of the moon away from the group as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear, always ensuing in sweet kisses.

Bankotsu chuckled lightly at the small crack Kagome had made about Inuyasha's 'cute ears', thus starting a glaring contest once she was done chortling. Inclining his head just the slightest beyond his shoulder, he looked at Sango from the corner of his eye. Was she always this hush?

Sango had her hands clasped together behind her and was browsing to her side, staring at the evergreen that followed the hills. She looked perplexed, but restful.

Bankotsu saw her smile at something. Tracing her vision, he saw nothing but the leaves on the trees. Yes, she was unmistakably at peace. With what though? Bankotsu shrugged as he looked back out infront of him.

Without warning, Inuyasha had zoomed to the ground in a fury. Bankotsu looked to Inuyasha and lingered, watching Kagome start to yell something at his diminished figure. Taking this as an opportunity, Bankotsu walked backwards after resting his laced hands behind his neck.

Sango hadn't caught Bankotsu fall into step with her until he nudged her side saying, "Yo, Sango, you listening?"

Snapping out of her musing, Sango looked up to him, being that he was the tallest out of the two. He had fallen in place intervening the large Kirara and herself. "I'm sorry, Bankotsu. What did you say?"

Bankotsu mentally shrugged it off. "Nothing important. So what's up? You're so quiet."

Sango took a glance at where she was staring at before looking back infront of her where Inuyasha and Kagome were both walking shoulder to shoulder resolutely, both looking in different directions with squared shoulders. "Just thinking."

"No kidding." Bankotsu gagged, "I was beginning to think you had this weird fascination with the trees."

Sango smiled, though the joke jesting at her. "This place has a weird vibe to it doesn't it?" She changed the subject, trying to support a conversation.

Ignoring the stray quality of the question, "Yeah," Bankotsu agreed looking around.

They were walking in silence once more, putting Sango's advance at starting a conversation in vain.

Sango looked down at the floor again as Bankotsu adjusted Banryuu's strap on his shoulder. He felt slightly awkward walking in silence, particularly with her damned cat right next to him, intently listening to his every word and examining his every movement out of the corner of her crimson stippled eye. She was notably protective over her caretaker.

Bankotsu probed throughout his memory bank for something he had salvaged there, wanting to ask Sango about it when he got the chance.

'Ah, yes,' Bankotsu registered quickly.

"Kagome looks familiar." Bankotsu started suddenly, making Sango look at him curiously. Kagome and Inuyasha had established a discussion again. What about exactly, he didn't know, for they were still remotely ahead.

Sango nodded, "Then you've probably seen Kikyou. She's her reincarnation."

(AN: I have no idea if Bankotsu already knew that or not…bite me.)

"Really?" Bankotsu looked from Sango to Kagome. "They have a big resemblance."

Sango nodded again.

"I noticed she was just as pretty as Kikyou. I knew I've seen that face somewhere…" Bankotsu smirked, keeping his dark sapphire eyes on Kagome's small frame.

Something within Sango started to hurt at the comment. She couldn't fathom why—no, she knew why.

Kagome was everyone's favored. She was beautiful. She was resourceful. And she was a miko, with powers much like the infamous Kikyou. When they went to villages, she would continually be noticed and admired by both men and women. Could this be jealousy, Sango feels? Did she think it unjust? That such a simple girl as Kagome can one day descend into her well and come here, instantly having powers and beauty everyone would one day come to love her for? Sango had slaved so hard for her skills. Since youth, all she did was sweat and sacrifice. Sacrifice her childhood. Her image and figure. Her friends. Her everything, for the vigor she is now relying on. She had worked so hard for years…

Sango shook her head slightly and unnoticeably, trying to rid herself of these thoughts.

Smiling ruefully after expelling a slow and silent sigh, Sango looked back at the trees to her side, "Yes," She muttered audibly, "Kagome is very, pretty."


Inuyasha's head abruptly rose.

"I sense a demonic aura…" Miroku drawled slowly.

"Kagome—" Inuyasha ordained as Kagome instantly bound on his back, knowing the routine by now.

Sango jumped on Kirara's back as Miroku and Yunai piled on behind her.

Inuyasha vaulted off, not remaining for the rest of the group.

Bankotsu examined around, scratching his head. His eyes fell on Sango, then smirked.

"Here, hold my Baby, that way I could run faster."

Without hesitation, and with a little struggle, Sango brought Banryuu to rest on her back. "Go Kirara!"

And with that, everyone left in a hurry to catch up to Inuyasha and Kagome.


Inuyasha skidded to a halt, nose in the air sniffing at the wind while everyone also came to a halt behind him.

Kagome looked at him, she still on his back. "You smell anything, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha sniffed once more as if clarifying something and pivoted his heels portside before leaping into the trees. "Yeah, its kind of far away that's why I can barely smell it."

The rest of the group was following jointly.


Like Inuyasha had predicted, the demon was far away form where they were walking.

The group had ran into a larger clearing that was easily surrounded by simple forest and a lake.

Inuyasha was suddenly caught off guard as the massive stench of demons and blood filtered through his nose, clubbing his stance backwards.

Easily catching the half demon's back, Bankotsu helped him up momentarily as Sango rashly hopped off Kirara and asked what happened.

"Well I'll tell you one thing," Inuyasha brought the Tetsusaiga form its holster, "Someone's in there, and their close to death."

Sango's eyes broaden as her gaze was sent back to the large amount of demons. There seemed to be a never-ending amount of them. And they were colossal! Something Sango wasn't used to was that the demons were all diving headfirst into the huge accumulation of demons, as if wanting to try and grasp something in the center of it all.

'That's probably the person Inuyasha was talking about…'

Sango couldn't imagine how terrified that person must be, but it was strange for that undivided lot of demons just wanting that one human. Why would they all thirst for this one human so direly that they would mettle so many other demons for it?

Inuyasha held on to Tetsusaiga's hilt tightly as he dashed forward, blindly jumping into battle. This was something Bankotsu was slowly adapting to, for Renkotsu and himself would customarily go over a battle plan and devise for everything before jumping into a fight. Bankotsu suddenly felt the slender wind of Hiraikotsu rushing past him, and an equally accelerated Sango running after it, right behind Inuyasha.

Miroku pecked Yunai on the cheek before departing after Sango and Inuyasha, sutras already poised in his hand. Yunai looked after him as Shippou gathered himself in her arms. Kagome and Kirara were on either side of the defenseless human and kit as Kagome had her arrows poised ready to shoot and had stepped up a few steps.

Deciding to stay a little closer to Kagome, just in case, Bankotsu stayed behind, sending waves of energy from his halberd from where he was.


Yunai had squatted down, viewing the brawl with spacious eyes. From her vision, you could see random flashes of bright yellow beams and the booming voice of Inuyasha calling his Wind Scar. While a little more in the center you could see Sango's large weapon Hiraikotsu suspended in a loop before disappearing into the crowd of demons to where Sango would be. And on occasion there would be the loud call of Miroku opening his Kazaana as he faced away from the middle, to the surrounding woods, knowing there would be demons behind him. Yunai knew he was resisting from sucking up everything on the one chance that the person in the middle would still be existing.

Then there would be the sporadic swoops of Bankotsu's large whaling weapon, sending any approaching demons to their expiration while Kagome would shoot an arrow or two at a place she saw too many demons were collecting in one space. She wanted to keep them distanced.

There are reasons for fighting, and there are stupid excuses for fighting. The Inu-gumi's reason was one half demon named Naraku. There were no stupid excuses for fighting for them. They fought for the jewel shards, and that's all. But somehow on their seemingly endless voyage, the line between having a reason and not having a reason sort of…vanished.


Sango grunted a second time, swinging her weapon of choice without letting it fly at the demon trying to go at her face.

She was so close to the center…but the fact that she was in the middle of large demon assault was not merely a mental obstacle, but also a physical one.

Sango was already so fatigued; it was not an elementary task to get in the middle of this mosh pit. But permitting this to stop her from saving another life was unacceptable.

"HIRAIKOTSU—" Sango wailed as the bone propelled through the air.

The weapon easily sliced through the swarm of demons that dared to stand in the exterminator's way. Looking sidewise for the instant, she double looked something on the ground.

Sango dodged another demon before swiftly removing it from the ground and staring at it dubiously.

"K-Kag—"

Sango crashed in the dirt from the impact of a demon head-butting her from behind. The object fell from her hands ahead of her. The young woman's head snapped up, searching or the fallen fan. Chancing a glance behind her, Sango quickly rolled out of the way as a demon slammed into the ground where she once was standing on all fours.

Frantically scrambling and grabbing for the fan, Sango felt the same demon crash into the ground where she was passing as she crawled, making the dirt from the ground rise into the air in a sort of dirt-mist.

The same loud whistle of Hiraikotsu approached earshot as Sango predicted where it would drop anchor. Sango would have stood and attempted to catch it, if she hadn't seen a glance of an immobile hand under the floating demons facing her.

Quickly grabbing the fan and tucking it into her suit, Sango punched and kicked her way through the crowd, not caring for the brutes that were clawing and biting at her skin. Hiraikotsu settled itself into the floor of the clearing after making a full 360 degrees, for Sango was not there to capture it. She was now in a stone throw's distance of the center of the demons where they were creating a small circle around the object of prey, each making it a tendency to try and smite it.

Dropping to her knees once she indeed reached the middle, Sango stared wretchedly at the image of Kagura laying on the red dyed earth, basically on the threshold of death. Demon after demon had slammed into her, striving to bite her, damage her. And it was visible with naked eyes.

Angled on her abdomen, Kagura appeared to drop in and out of awareness Sango had noticed, considering that Kagura's crimson colored eyes would shut momentarily before opening just a crack.

"Kagura—"

Sango crawled quickly over to her on her knees before descending on top of Kagura's worn figure, protecting her.

"Kagura…KAGURA!" Yelled Sango as she moved her head to see the back of Kagura's. It wasn't stirring.

Sango's endeavor to lift herself off the ground on her fours over Kagura only proved to be futile as she was pushed back down atop of the frayed demoness. A demon had crashed into her back before joining the immense group of demons encircling them.

Kagura seemed to airily grunt at the weight of Sango being pushed into her.

"…Kagura?" Sango had head the small noise and pushed off the ground successfully, "Kagura!"

Now looking at the profile of Kagura's scarred face, Sango looked her over quickly. She was so damaged…

"Sango…?" Kagura's eye opened just merely.

"Kagura, what happened?" Sango yelled over the obtrusive shouts of her group and demons alike.

There was a considerate amount of silence between Sango and Kagura as the demons continued to stare or swarm precariously close to the two females, shrieking their usual screams of danger.

Kagura's face suddenly contorted with worry as he eyes began to close.

"Be-behind…you…" Kagura passed out.

Not immediately grasping Kagura's words, Sango stared at her quizzically, her eyes roaming for any sign of why she would suddenly swoon.

Wait what—

Sango's mouth hung slightly ajar, her yes wide with terror. Beginning to croak and whimper, Sango felt the horrid, blazing, white burn of pain from the large mouth of the demon sinking his teeth into her arched back.

"Ughk—"

It felt as if there were 8 massive knives impaling her at the same time. At first, the demon was still, slowly sinking his fangs into her back before beginning to protest and shake it's head trying to rid his teeth of the woman.

Sango's vision swayed as her elbows bucked underneath her, making Sango keel into the crook of Kagura's neck. Letting out another croaked whine as the demon separated himself from her back and zoom away, Sango collapsed completely before her eyes shut entirely; her scalding blood only blanketing her in liquid warmth.


"Oh he's just so cute!" Sango pinched the small boy's cheeks, careful not to injure the tiny frail one.

Sango's father peered from above her small form, lightly smoothing her hair with his hand. "Yes, Kohaku is quite cute." Reaching for his son, Saburaji clutched him under the arm pits and lifted him in the air.

"Quite cute?" Sango asked skeptically, "He's the cutest baby in the world!" She protested firmly.

Sango's father chuckled delicately. Kohaku was brought to his father's chest, one of his father's hands under his arm and the other holding him behind the knees.

"Go! Go!" Kohaku gave Sango a wide smile as he continued to call her closer.

Kohaku was at a mere age of 1 year and 2 months, and he was giving everyone their personal nickname, judging by the last fraction of their name.

Sango giggled at his brother's silly antics, watching him wave his fists in the air as if he was howling 'Victory!' Walking closer, Sango tickled the bottom of his foot, making him laugh out loud. Thus, resulting in the surplus of the family laughing alongside him.

An elder woman maintaining a laundry basket under her arm walked in humbly, taking in the picture of the remaining Chief Taijiya's family. Rezuri, Saburaji's wife had past only a year and 2 months ago, during the birth of Kohaku.

The old woman smiled at the memory of Rezuri's last words to her husband…

'Please…don't remember me by my departure, but by my children's eyes. For they do not only hold my resemblance, but my remaining soul…I will always love our family, Saburaji. Take care, my love.'

Rezuri was never apprehensive of death. Never. If anything she feared for her family. Yohana could see it in her eyes that now were residing in her remaining children. Notably, Sango. Maybe, just maybe, Sango will hold the same strength her mother always held. Which reminded her…

"Sango, I'm sure your Sensei will be angry at you if you miss training, today." The old woman said, picking some of her clothes from a random pile near her futon.

Sango looked at her curiously through giant russet orbs; she had not noticed her walk in. Beaming, Sango nodded. Old woman Yohana was always like that.

"Ok, Yohana-sama!" Sango looked back to her father and brother; "I won't be long. Sensei said today we are just going to be learning about weapons." Sango smiled.

"Weapons?" Sango's father didn't like the sound of that.

"Be on your way, Sango." Yohana walked over and placed a fragile hand on her back, "Or else you'll be late."

Giving Sango a last smile, Yohana watched her skip away before veering to the young girl's father once he began to speak.

"Do you think this is really a good idea?"

Yohana continued to pick up Sango's clothes and toys, as well as Kohaku's. "Oh Saburaji, you worry too much." They had a conversation much like this one everytime Sango would tell her father that her Sensei would introduce something new to his humble class. It was only normal for Sango's father to fret about his only daughter going to train to be a Demon Slayer at such an early stage. Yohana had always heard Saburaji talk on about his son becoming the head of the Demon Slayers when he would grow valorous, to Rezuri, but Rezuri would always answer something questioning and trivial like, 'Yes, I suppose that might happen.'

Then Rezuri would continue to do whatever she was doing before stating something like, 'I saw Sango today in the field with a few other children.'

Saburaji would probably adjourn to eat whatever Rezuri had made that day. 'Oh really?'

'Yes, she was very cute. What amazed me was her strength…'

'What did she do?'

Rezuri would commonly chuckle or smile, 'Oh nothing unusual.'

Her husband would award her a whimsical look.

'I just thought it was very nice how Sango had ran all the way to me when a boy had injured his knee. But when I got there, it was already tightly covered in cloth, which I noticed to be the hem of Sango's yukata I always had trouble putting together. And when I asked him how it happened, he told me he was playing a game when he fell and collided his knee into a rock.'

'Sango did that?'

'Yes, and when I asked him where he had hit it, he pointed to the large tree on the border of our village. Sango had attempted to carry him part of the ways, and actually becoming successful too.'

It was like that frequently. Saburaji would summon his daughter from where ever she was just to praise her, earning a confused but pleased young girl in his wake.

Of course, the boy was only 3 ½ and seldomly more than half Sango's weight, but Sango was almost 5.

Yohana glanced back to Sango's father as he set down his son onto the floor, Kohaku beginning to remonstrate with his arms flailing in the air to be picked up again.

"Yes I suppose."

Yohana nodded contently before remembering something, "Ah yes, I do believe you were scheduled for an extermination near the mountains today, am I right?"

"Oh, Yohana, I almost forgot!" Saburaji gasped, grabbing his weapon and suit before spouting out of the hut.

Kohaku looked out of the hut from where he was set down for a twinkling before crawling to the door and sticking his small head of the flapping cloth that overlaid the doorway.

"Papa…" Kohaku watched as his father almost tripped before regaining composure and turning a corner. Lifting a small childish hand, Kohaku open and closed his four fingers repeatedly. "Bye-bye Papa…bye-bye…"

Lifting Kohaku from behind, Yohana set him on the bed she was sorting which clothes were Kohaku's and which were Sango's. "Kohaku, one day you will love your sister." She began abruptly.

Kohaku looked at her peculiarly before forgetting she was even talking and stealing a piece of his clothing, flinging it on the floor and giggling as he pointed to it.

"And one day, you will come to a time when you will doubt your sister…"

Speaking out of experience, Yohana continued, ignoring Kohaku trying to reach for the fallen clothing.

"But do not doubt her, Kohaku." Catching him with informality before he fell off the bed due to the unbalanced movement, Kohaku landed on the bunk once he was set down. "She will do anything for you."

Kohaku stared at the old woman. "Go?" As if comprehending everything she had just voiced.

Yohana nodded, "Yes, Go."

(AN: No matter what you're thinking, this little glimpse into the past on Sango's part will be beneficial to the subplot…well atleast I hope so. If not, I just thought it was kinda…cute? Gosh I suck.)


Except for the cackle of the fire ignited on wood, everything was inactive. The night was windless, no soft hum of the gale to lull anyone to sleep.

The cluster had set up camp, far from the herd of demons they had seen, and gradually overcame. Due to Sango's injuries, they, again, had stayed on hiatus for a few days.

"So…" Bankotsu attempted to crack the heavy silence, not doing a very good job. "I…uh…"

"Would you quite doing that?" Inuyasha voiced aloud suddenly. "You've been making those weird sounds for a while and it's getting annoying!"

"Didn't know you were so touchy. But ok, I'll stop." Bankotsu sent him a devious grin.

"Keh."

"I was wondering," Miroku cut through, looking towards Kagura. "Why exactly were you…well I mean, why were you being attacked? By Naraku's demons, if anything?"

The group looked to her as well, wondering the same question.

Kagura was wrapped in a blanket Kagome had given her, slowly sipping her remaining tea. But even as she did, there was an evident smile on her face.

"It's quite a story…"

"I'm sure we'd like to hear it." Sango spoke, her chest, back and arms heavily bandaged.

Kagura looked around, the same questioning look on everyone's faces. Well, save for Inuyasha's. He looked like a mix of, 'bored-to-death' and 'I-could-care-less'. Always a mixture of something, wasn't he?

"Alright," Kagura agreed. "But I need to tell you something, Sango."

Sango gazed at her with alert eyes, "Yes, what is it?

"…"Kagura seemed to go through her musings of how to say this. "…Kohaku…He—"

Sango looked to the side a thoughtful look on her face. "Yes, she mumbled humbly, "I know. The shard got taken out of his body…"

Kagome gasped aloud, "Oh, Sango…" Her eyes were wide with shock.

"Damn." Inuyasha muttered under his breath. And she was so close to getting him too…

Miroku placed his hands in prayer form, sending Kohaku a farewell prayer before giving Sango a sympathetic look. Yunai also seemed sullen as she courteously brought a hand to Sango's shoulder.

Bankotsu stayed quiet.

"How did you—"

"It's a long story." Sango interrupted Kagura. "Please go on."

Kagura nodded, "I was flying on my feather. Naraku had sent me a day ago to see the surrounding area—"

"Wait! So you know where that bastard's hiding!" Inuyasha yelled, going to stand on his feet.

Kagura regarded him solemnly. "I do."

"Well why didn't—"

"Inuyasha." Sango sent him the fiercest glare she had ever given to man, empowering him back to his posterior in a quiet manner.

Kagome looked on with an amused smile. 'That seems to work just like the Sit command! How does she do that…? I wouldn't even have to waste my breath…'

After glaring at Inuyasha a little more, Sango directed her gaze to Kagura. "Go ahead, Kagura."

Kagura shifted her crimson orbs from the angrily pouting Inuyasha back to Sango. "Naraku had sent me to scour the surrounding area so he could finish what he was doing with any intruders. Though I had an inkling it was also to get me out for a few days. I don't know what happened in the castle, but when I woke up the next day I heard the screaming of a boy, and the familiar scent of Kohaku had come in with the wind…"

Sango was staring at Kagura intently, hanging on her every word.

"I had seen Kohaku being chased by probably more than 200 demons. And after we had made that arrangement," She pointed from herself to Sango for emphasis, "I decided it would be good to help him. Plus I was also wondering why he was being chased by Naraku's demons."

Kagura's eyes roved over the group, watching them listening carefully. "Once I killed off the demons, he thanked me…but I noticed his eyes were…he wasn't in Naraku's clutches anymore. Some how, he had taken the shard out by himself. But he was so damaged, there were scars all—"

"All over his face, and his weapon, hands, and legs were heavily covered in blood." Bankotsu finished for her, glancing off into the surrounding area as he stared at the horrid image in his mind once again.

The group looked at him curiously, wondering how he had known. Even Kagura seemed bewildered.

"How—"

Sango cut her off with a wave of the hand, as if trying to grasp Kagura's attention to herself, "Please continue, Kagura…" Sango looked to Bankotsu, "You may question him later." Sango's worried stare made Kagura continue.

Kagura nodded once again before starting again, "Yes, he was heavily wounded. Kohaku was telling me as we walked how sorry he was about something…always saying he was sorry, 'Ane-ue'."

Sango's hand fisted around the fabric from her yukata that covered her collarbone. This topic was making her sensitive and overcast. Beginning to bounce her heel off the ground just an inch, the Inu-tachi knew she was nervous.

"We had only gone for 5 minutes before he fell to the floor. He was going to die right then and there if I hadn't given him a potion that I always keep with me. The potion sustains life, its powerful…and I had given it to him on such an impulse I forgot to save just a little for myself…" Kagura looked at her fingers as they clutched the blanket around her shoulders.

"But anyway, the potion works a lot like a shard of the jewel, except the jewel is much more powerful. I gave it to Kohaku, in hopes of him finding you before his destined death. It was then that I heard the small buzzing of the Saimyosho coming to check up on me when I knew I had to leave Kohaku. So I left suddenly, pointing him in the direction I knew you were heading."

"How did you knew where we were?" Kagome queried.

"I had seen your group walking as I passed in my feather."

"So we were close to Naraku all along! I knew I had sniffed that bastard out…then you had to come…." Inuyasha grunted before stuffing his hands into the sleeves of his haori, knowing there was nothing he could render about it now.

"Yes, I apologize…" Kagura directed to him before continuing. "And that's the last time I saw Kohaku. I didn't want to leave him, but I had to or else the Saimyosho would have seen him. Where he went…I have no idea…"

"This is where I take over."

Everyone looked to where Bankotsu was sitting.

"What are you babbling on about, Bankotsu?" Inuyasha spoke.

Bankotsu enlightened them of his share of the story, the side Sango had already heard. He didn't consider it good for Sango to lend an ear once again, but she seemed to keep a more stoical head than last time. Probably because it wasn't so afresh to her.

"So you had found him. My potion must have worn off by then…" Kagura muttered.

"Yeah."

There was more muteness throughout the group, all engrossed in their own deliberations.

Kagura began to laugh, through the awkward timing.

"But, I must say…" Kagura began to rummage through the small pocket within her kimono.

Everyone was watching her resolutely, wondering what she was going to take out. Would it be dangerous? But she was smiling, could it be humorous?

"Ah—" Kagura look out a small pouch. It wasn't very fancy look, nor did it look patched herself. It was good handiwork, but it wasn't perfect. There were floral designs on the pouch, only decorated in dark crimson and light hue of green.

Kagura opened the pouch and stuck three delicate fingers inside, extracting a small ebony ball.

"Wow…" Shippou bounded forward, almost touching the ball with his nose as he landed on Kagura's lap. "What is it?"

The ball was sober, but luminous and arcane. Yet, no one could detect any evil enclosing it. The group leaned in close, all pondering what the small ball was, exactly.

Before waiting for her answer, Inuyasha seized it from her hand, keeping a tight hold so it wouldn't drop.

"What exactly is th—"

"Agh…" Kagura suddenly grasped at her chest as she hunched over in her seat. All the years of this agony surging through her substance from Naraku's threats had made it routine to glare oppressively at Naraku once he squeezed on her life source.

Sending Inuyasha the reminiscing glare she was so used to giving, Kagura muttered, "My…heart…"

Finally grasping the picture, Kagome grabbed the ball from between Inuyasha's clawed fingers and let the ball roll without restraint in the palms of her conjoined hands. Closely observing the ball so it wouldn't roll out of her hand, Kagome watched it slow down, finally coming to a halt before--

"Inuyasha! SIT!"

"KAGO—GAH!"

"HOW CAN YOU DO THAT! YOU JUST GRABBED IT OUT OF HER HAND, NOT EVEN KNOWING WHAT IT WAS!"

"…Kag-gom-me…"

"SIT! SIT-SIT-SIT!"

The group watched grinning as Inuyasha continued to sink lower into the ground.

Kagura breathed in and exhaled slowly, feeling surpassed. The scorching pain was subsiding, and that would be the last time Kagura would ever have to savor that pain. Kagura smiled slightly, enjoying her freedom.

Kagome was still carrying the ball as she continued her Sit decree. Gently taking it from Kagome's hands, Kagura studied it a little more.

Her heart was in her raw hands. But not only her hands. It had been through Naraku's, Inuyasha's and even Kagome's. It wasn't anything shocking or purge-worthy, save for Naraku's segment. Her heart did not come in the form of the people around her did. It would soon though, once Kagura would put this into her body, her heart will function, beating to an existing pulse.

Kagura looked around, only to see everyone had seized what they were acting to look at her. She smiled.

"We're sorry, Kagura, please go on." Kagome sent her an apologetic smile.

Kagura nodded, holding the ball closer to her body. "Once I had reached Naraku's barrier, I had already decided enough was enough. I was going to steal my heart back no matter what it would take."

"Well that's stupid." Inuyasha voiced in instantly, making everyone stare at him in askance. "If you were preparing to sacrifice your life for your heart, then what would your heart be use for if your not even alive?"

Kagura shook her head, "No, that's not it. The fact that I would be able to steal it back was all that mattered. Whether I used it or not, I wanted what was mine. And if I stole it before I died, I would have been satisfied."

"But anyway," Kagura noticed their cross-breaded faces of resolve and morose looks. Feeling she had to lighten the mood, Kagura's smile widened, "So I stole it."

"And by guessing by how we found you, Naraku sent demons to go after you." Miroku suggested. Kagura nodded.

"If you all hadn't been there to save me…"

"Keh, if anything you should be thanking Sango of all people."

Everyone besides Sango and Inuyasha looked at him quizzically.

"What do you mean?" Kagura asked, glancing at Sango's content face.

"You guys really don't know what happened do ya?" Inuyasha smirked at the group, favoring the fact that everyone was heeding to his every word.

Kagome glared. "Well we would have if you hadn't zoomed past everyone in the middle of the fight with Kagura and Sango in your arms!"

"Well where was I supposed to bring them! If you hadn't seen, they were bleeding to death, Kagome!" Inuyasha equated her tone.

Kagome growled, despite her humanistic self. But even so it sounded very Inuyasha-like. Making Inuyasha smirk even more.

Inuyasha took a glance at the group, expecting to see their amused faces looking at the two of them.

"H-hey!"

Everyone looked to him, as if just realizing he was there. Sango had begun to say part of the story as everyone listened to her.

"Shut up, Sango, I'm tellin' the story!" Inuyasha huffed. "So anyway, I had just gotten to the center of the large demon pack…"

(Flash to scene Inuyasha's talking about)

"WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha roared after he had faced away from the middle of the brawl, not wanting to injure anyone of his teammates or the person within.

Making his intervals to the center, the distinct smell of blood came flowing into his nose like powdered snow on a winter day.

"Sango's blood!" Inuyasha confined through the demons infront of him, killing off many in his way.

Passing the abandoned Hiraikotsu, Inuyasha began to worry after he had hauled it on his back just incase. Inuyasha's alarm sounded in his head once he reached the scene.

There, Sango lay collapsed on someone, preserving their form. She already had numerous cuts and bruises; not to mention the large bite marks on her back.

Inuyasha ran to her, checking for a pulse. Relieved that he had indeed found one, he moved Sango's hair, for it was in the person she was protecting's face.

"Kagura?"

They were both heavily wounded, Kagura more than Sango surely.

Scooping both women into his arms as they were, he bounded towards Miroku, intent on telling him to use his Kazaana.

(End.)

"As I was running towards the camp, I heard Miroku use the Wind Tunnel before telling Kagome to follow on Kirara."

"Yeah, and once we reached camp that's when I found out what happened." Kagome added.

Inuyasha nodded in Kagome's general region. "Then you guys came." He directed to the rest of the group.

Bankotsu had remembered that, when Inuyasha had rapidly leaped out of the enormous quantity of demons, both Kagura and Sango in his arms, bleeding heavily.

He had registered how his heart suddenly felt like someone had squeezed it once his mind took a picture of Sango's impaired and bloodied face. He knew he would never be able to forget it.

Bankotsu looked back to Sango. She was smiling, a small Kirara in her arms purring languidly while she fondled her, as Kagura said her many thanks for protecting her. Sango said she was welcome, continuing to smile her radiant smile, even if it wasn't that flashy.

She always put a smile on for her friends, that, he had noticed. Even if she didn't want to smile, she did. And even if she didn't like the current state she was in, she did it for her friends. She knew she had to be influential for everyone. For them. For him. And he did feel strength from her. Her smiling face made him feel……what was it? Made him feel.… Yes, that's it. It made him feel.

Kagura took a deep breath before raising the orb to eye level. "Alright well, here goes nothing."

The group hushed their mouths and thougts. 9 pairs of multi-colored eyes watching closely, including her own scarlet ones.

Opening the front of her kimono to expose her chest bone, Kagura placed the orb above her heart, holding it in place with one delicate finger.

Kagura sharply gasped in air as she pushed, feeling the orb slowly reduce itself into her.

It was almost like a countdown to how far it was going inside Kagura, the slowness making everyone on the edge of their seat.

5.

There was a little more than half left. Everyone didn't even blink.

4.

Halfway finished.

3.

Almost…

2.

Less than a quarter of the small ball was showing. Kagura felt her stomach lurch with excitement.

1.

There was only a speck left…

And in less than a second, Kagura's chest kindled to a brilliant blue. The reflection shining off everyone's anticipating faces as their eyes lingered on her.

It was over. No more light and anticipation, no more waiting.

Kagura opened the eyes she had shut from fright during the light, to expose elated flickering orbs. Without hesitation, Kagura reached a hand to her heart, doing her best to feel for something. Anything.

Kagura's expression dropped. She couldn't feel—

Bump.

Her eyes widened. Was it…

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

And faster...

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

Kagura broke into a wide smile, taking her hand off her heart only to finger her neck. Kagura felt the same sound of blood rushing through her veins.

Kagura treasured the sound; she was utterly drowning in it. The slow Bump, only to be followed immediately by an even faster one, then it repeated.

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump.

"I…I can feel the blood pulsing through my veins." Kagura let out the dragging breath she didn't know she was maintaining. "It feels…marvelous."

The group smiled at her, happy for her. Even Inuyasha smirked his casual smile.


The expanded Inu-gumi of 9 members in total had fallen asleep shortly afterwards. They wanted to leave early in the morning for reasons unknown.

"Mmm…" Bankotsu protested in his sleep.

"Bankotsu—" Sango shook him delicately again.

"…Go away Inuyasha…" Bankotsu batted her hand away before turning on his side, his eyebrows knitted together in a frustrated fashion, trying to return to his marvelous dream of being neck-deep in food…

Sango looked to Kagome, a small smile on her amused face. Kagome returned it.

Again, Sango rested her hand on Bankotsu's shoulder, pushing him on his back. "Bankotsu…" She whined.

Bankotsu grunted slightly at being rolled on his back. Sango was glad he always slept the farthest away from Inuyasha, or Inuyasha would have presumably heard that. "Bankotsu—" Sango tidied her hand on Bankotsu's chest, shaking him once again. "Wake up for a second."

One of Bankotsu's eyes opened just a crack. Bankotsu was puzzled to see Sango there, instead of Inuyasha. But his scheme of actually sleeping that night would not go deterred.

"One." He counted, and with that, Bankotsu closed his eye once again and tried to go back to sleep.

Sango rolled her eyes as Kagome giggled quietly.

Upon hearing someone giggle, Bankotsu opened both of his eyes gradually. Curious to whom else was with Sango.

Now that he had unlimited view of everything in his capability, Bankotsu saw Sango sitting on her knees to his right, with Kagome in the same position squatted to his left. And in-between them, was the lack of the rising sun. Infact, no natural light was around to any extent. Bankotsu snarled. It was way too early to be woken up.

'I mean, we did talk about waking up earlier this morning…but aren't we pushing it, just the slightest?' He notioned sarcastically.

But he smirked regardless to the time, as his eyes rested closed once again. If it were anyone else, he would have socked them in the gut before going back to sleep without crime. "So how may I help you ladies in the middle of this starry night?"

"Can you accompany Kagome to the well?" Sango asked in precipitance, taking her hand off his chest. A small blush on her face went overlooked.

"The well?" He asked, opening his eyes curiously.

Kagome and Sango exchanged indecisive looks before looking back down at him.

"I'll explain it on the way, Bankotsu. But I would really appreciate it if you come." Kagome gave him a 100-watt smile, as if hoping that would coax him.

"Kagome could use the protection." Sango added, hopefully.

Bankotsu shifted his suspicious eyes from Sango, to Kagome, and back to Sango before sighing as he sat up.

Both girls beamed in triumph as he sat up. Kagome went to go get her bag, while Sango sat by Bankotsu's side, unconsciously watching him wake.

Bankotsu was rubbing his closed left eye with his hand while his other hand was propped up on his bent knee. "So how long will this take?"

Sango snapped out of her reverie a little too late, earning a skeptical glance from Bankotsu.

Infact, he was already done rubbing his eye and was just looking back at her, waiting for her to come down to earth.

"Huh?" Sango's eyes seemed to widen for a second before she returned right-minded. "I'm sorry…I mean, well I…" Sango could feel the small heat off her cheeks. Not wanting him to notice too much, Sango looked to where Kagome was packing a few things. "I'm pretty s-sure Ka-Kagome will know how long, you can ask her…"

Glad she finally finished her stumbling sentence, Sango looked to Bankotsu to see him grinning at her foolishly.

Sango's blush deepened, "Shut up, Bankotsu…" She muttered before pulling herself up.

Bankotsu followed suit, dusting off his clothes with a satisfied smirk on his face. His aura was growling with pride, as if saying, 'Hah. Caught you staring.' Catching that look, Sango huffed and seated herself on her sleeping bag.

Once she sat, she began to glower at him like a little child, only making Bankotsu snigger.

"All right, I'm ready. C'mon Bankotsu." Kagome called, already sitting on Kirara.

Sango watched Bankotsu straddle Kirara close behind Kagome as Kirara bounded off towards the well.

She could hear Kagome giggling as she told Bankotsu to stop tickling her…

Expelling a jaded sigh once they left, Sango began to think pessimistically of all the ideas Kagome and Bankotsu could do once they were alone. But why? Why was she thinking like that?

'All right. So I found myself having the smallest bit of a crush on him. But only because he's strong! He's strong…and skilled…and good-looking…and—oh, when will he come back?'


Kagome jerked out of his grip in a fit of giggles, his deep chuckles being heard behind her. Once Kirara was at a steady pace and flying evenly, Bankotsu let go of Kagome.

"So how come Inuyasha didn't accompany you?"

Kagome was fiddling with something in her bag; "It's a long story. But to cut it short, he absolutely hates it when I leave."

"Leave? To the well?"

"Yeah." Kagome zipped her bag closed before pivoting herself so she faced Bankotsu, ready to tell him her story of being from the future.

All the while she explained, Bankotsu was staring at her perplexed. But he wasn't complaining, Kagome had two trifling dimples on her cheeks when she talked. It was cute.

His eyes roved over her face, going unnoticed by the verbose Miko.

She had chestnut brown eyes, that seemed to sparkle as she talked in the moonlight, accompanied with thick eyelashes. The skin on her cheeks looked so glabrous, probably moistured by special lotions he had seen Kagome bring from her time. Each cheek securing a small dimple.

Kagome had a button nose, Bankotsu noticed. One that added to the innocent look she was sporting. Her lips were smooth, from w hat he could see and damp from her habit of sucking her bottom lip in her mouth everytime she forgot a word. They were small, cute even.

He dare not look further down; it would be too noticeable.

Concluding his venture, Kagome was much like Kikyou in looks. Kikyou was beautiful and quiet. Mysterious almost. Kagome was pretty, energetic, and very social. Something he liked in a woman. He'd have to investigate later, maybe even ask Sango a few questions afterward.

"So here I am, in feudal Japan with feudal friends that I only honestly thought only existed in tales." Kagome resolved with a bright smile.

Bankotsu looked at her smile, before returning it habitually.

Kagome's smile.

Bankotsu was deeply attracted to beautiful smiles. That was something he knew about himself since day one.

This was her everyday smile.

The Miko's smile was indeed, very beautiful.

Kagome's smile.

But even so…

Bankotsu knew.

It was nothing like Sango's.


Alright, so let me tell you why this took such a long while to update.

I tried to...'improve' on my writing skills. I'm always challenging myself here and there...on time i even tried to jump 6 six stairs after successfully jumping 4. Yeah. Ended up spraining my poor ankle.

--Anyway, i went over this chapter SO many times. I mean read it over and over and over until iw as actually...sort of happy with it. Of course, knwoing me, i got kind of lazy and just skipped the last page. (which might i tell you this whole chapter is 18/19 pages. I DO SO MUCH FOR YOU GUYS!) But i only did that(that means improving my vocab and flow of my writing, as well as giving you a long ass chapter), to thank you guys for reaching my still jaw-dropping goal of 100! Woo! thank you guys so much!

But even so, i'll bet you 300 yen (Hah. Cheap is me. Me is cheap.) that there will be atleast one reviewer saying something like, 'It was a cool chapter,...but it was too long!'. But thats ok, becuase i'll huggle anyone helpless if they complain. (...i dont know, maybe some people WANT to be huggled helpless. you never know those kind of people out there...) ('Stares directly at you.')

ANYWAY, thanks for the 100 reviews, it really means A LOT!

Please tell me if you can see a positive change in my writing, i dont really have a beta to tell me ahead of time, so you can tell me! (please.) In your review, or something.

Well, see ya next chapter.

-Monica

(Presses the argueably blue button, 'Save Changes'.)