A/N
Everyone thanks so much for the support and I really appreciate all of your positive input! Anyway, I'm pretty sure there will be at least two more chappies…which is longer than I expected it to be. Anyway, enjoy the second chapter!
Reviewer Response/s:
Raven Shinobi: Thanks so much for pointing that out to me in your review! I didn't really do my research since I was in too much of a rush to get into the story (plus I'm kinda rusty since I haven't watched the series since last year). I apologize for this error and am very sorry if I have confused anyone!
TeamRocket Sapphire: Yeah, I'm proud of what I've done so far! I think it's gotten off to a good start myself. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it should have a happy ending or a sad one..
luckynumber3: Humor is always good and since this is supposed to be am angst/romance fic I thought it wouldn't hurt to add some to lighten the mood.
Curious-George5498: I'm glad to know I inspired you and I'm looking forward to reading your sequel!
Jill1209: Well I try, thanks for noticing! Sometimes though I feel like I go over the top…
Warning: I apologize for any OOC' ness!
Disclaimer: There's no way I own Inuyasha. I do not make any profit from this. I'm simply using them for my own sick and twisted purposes.
'thought'
flashback or dream sequence
Beautiful
Chapter 2: Collide
By: Youkai Hime90
Bankotsu strolled along the path leisurely, not exactly sure where he was going. Broken moonlight passed though the ancient trees a hundred feet tall, illuminating the world in a mist of moonbeams. Tightly packed dirt was dotted here and there with weeds and plants that had grown there. It was lined with wildflowers and leafy shrubs, adding to the wild feel of the area.
'Sango…that's what I heard the monk call her right?'
Bankotsu's blue eyes stared straight ahead and unseeing as he contemplated this thought. Thoughts and mindless rambles ran rampant and wild in the mercenary's head. Wholly unwelcome ones at that.
'Sango…'
The image of a laughing and smiling little girl with large brown eyes popped inside his head and was replaced by a hot babe in skin smoothing silken black armor. In his mind he watched as she hurled a large boomerang over her head, mentally cringing as it sailed through the air and split a tree in half.
That just couldn't be possible.
Bankotsu paused and gazed up at the star streaked sky, watching as a streak of silver fell across the moon. Gazing at the heavens Bankotsu snorted. 'Heaven? God? There's no such thing.'
The mercenary was snapped out of his thoughts by the snapping of a twig. Whipping his head to the side, his eyes widened. Bankotsu watched the bushes rustle and acted quickly.
Moments later, he wheezed as he struggled to hang onto a large branch, knuckles turning white. Somehow, he managed to swing himself up. Sighing he pressed his back against the tree and glanced down at the ground.
Bankotsu didn't believe in God, and it was that simple. He knew from first hand experience there was no such thing as the afterlife. All the waited beyond the grave was oblivion and nothingness. That was why he was determined to take this second opportunity, this second chance at life.
But, he did believe in destiny. Bankotsu believed that it took you where you were to go and the end that is to end you. Perhaps, he thought wryly, a smirk blossoming on his handsome features, the hands of fate had lead him here and that's why the object of his thoughts now stood in a daze below him.
Sango glanced around at the green foliage confusedly, lowering her kantana. Mind in a jumble she paused, as if in thought. "That's strange…I could've sworn I'd heard something."
Bankotsu grinned at the thought of pulling one over the taijiya. Mentally patting himself on the back and eyes beaming with triumph Bankotsu failed to notice the subtle glance Sango sent his way. He gazed down at her, a smug grin on his handsome features, which quickly faded away into a look of pure hentai.
He drooled.
Bankotsu may have been considered a cold-blooded, heartless murderer but he still possessed the mind of a horny teenager. From where he was sitting he could see down the taijiya's white and rose colored kimono and the sight was absolutely lovely. Mouth watering Bankotsu momentarily forgot to breathe. He missed the way Sango's nostrils flared. She moved. Bankotsu silently cursed under his breath.
'Damn it!'
Sango's brown eyes narrowed in realization and her muscles tensed.
"HIRAIKOTSU!"
Bankotsu jumped out of the way just in time. Feet skidding, he landed on his feet, staring at the slayer intently. In the darkness, his cobalt eyes glittered with faint amusement.
"Careful now, for a second there I was sure you were trying to hit me."
Her body was tensed and Sango stood there motionless, exchanging surprised stares with the mercenary. "B-Bankotsu!"
His smirk widened. "Glad to know you remembered my name."
Sango's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"
'Feisty,' a voice in the back of his mind purred. He took another calculated step towards her.
"Me? I could ask the same of you. But, if you must know…" Bankotsu paused, eyes roving over her overly, curvy body suggestively, "I was simply enjoying the lush scenery."
His eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched her bristle with anger, a familiar spark igniting in her mahogany eyes that hadn't been there before. Bankotsu gazed at Sango in silence, studying her intently in the dark. 'Little Sango.'
He would've never had guessed in a million years. 'Damn she's pretty.'
Bankotsu had seen innumerable beautiful women and girls but he was sure she was the most beautiful one of all. Struggling to tear his eyes off her supple body, he looked at her face instead. Her face, framed by long, wavy black hair was simply breathtaking, her fair skin seeming to shimmer in the faint moonlight. Her full red lips were turned up in a frown, dark eyes sparkling in the near darkness.
On the outside, Sango appeared as pretty and delicate as a china doll. One that stayed out of harm's way and collected dust on a high shelf, out of children's' reach in a small little corner. However, on the inside she was a turbulent of emotion and iron will strength.
Bankotsu's eyes sought out hers and he was shocked by their lack of luster. He had remembered back in her youth how large and innocent they had been, always brimming with curiosity and child-like wonder. Now, they swirled with darkness.
Wary, searching, and afraid.
Shrouded.
Bankotsu decided he didn't like this particular change in his Sango.
"You changed," Bankotsu breathed. For better or for worse Bankotsu hadn't decided yet. His eyes had darkened his voice serious.
Sango stared back at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
He paused. Maybe she didn't remember him. Bankotsu's mind was swamped with an odd exchange of both relief and loss. The only logical and possible explanation that could explain this change in Sango was both simple and complex. "You've grown up."
She nodded slowly in acknowledgement.
Sun kissed freckles and brown eyes flashed across his mind and Bankotsu paused. "You kind of look like that ninja that works for Naraku…" he stated thoughtfully, more to himself than to her.
Sango jerked. Pain filled her brown eyes and the deep, wrenching anguish was as acute and sharp as when Kohaku's sickle was thrust into her back. She looked pained by the mention of the boy and Bankotsu frowned but didn't say anything. He never was good with words.
Her voice was calm and steady and Bankotsu wondered if he'd merely imagined it. "Yes…Kohaku is my brother."
"Why are you here demon exterminator?" Do you remember..?
The taijiya hesitated. Ashamed. Confused perhaps at this sudden turn of events. "I-I had a nightmare." Yes.
Bankotsu was both overjoyed and flustered. Happy because she remembered him and angry because he didn't know what to say.
"Why do you fight for him?"
Bankotsu blinked slowly. "What?"
"Why do you fight for Naraku?"
"He promised me life." Bankotsu shrugged, as if it were obvious. Sango frowned.
"He makes a lot of promises."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really…how would you know?"
"Does it matter?" she scowled at him, clearly annoyed. She made a move to leave but he quickly blocked her path. Eyes furious Sango quickly drew her katana. It was only a hairsbreadth away from grazing the mercenary's chest and Bankotsu barely flinched.
"Where do you think you're going? I didn't say you could leave yet."
Sango's thoughts whirled, wondering what game he played, what he wanted, and why he taunted her so. She didn't withdraw instead she stood there, brown eyes narrowed as she studied her supposed enemy. His blue eyes met hers head on, silently challenging her, daring her to protest. And Sango was never one to turn away a challenge.
"What do you want?" she asked him, steel edging her voice.
"To talk," he said, as if he were talking about the weather. A total look of disbelief crossed Sango's face.
"You want to…talk?" The taijiya detected no threat but still…it wasn't usually in her nature too trust the words of a mass murderer.
"Naraku doesn't know I'm here. Look, if you think this is some estranged plan or evil plot of his its not. All I want is to talk," he paused seeing her frown, "Really."
Sango glanced around uncertainly, half expecting Naraku to jump out at any second. Curiosity peaked she ignored the rational part of her brain and turned to once again face Bankotsu who regarded her impatiently, arms crossed.
'You'll regret this later…' the voice in the back of her mind protested.
"..About what?"
Warm, grayish blue orbs fluttered open, blinking slowly as sleep left them. Kagome lay on her side, and stared up at the silvery moon quietly, stars shining brightly in the night sky. She yawned softly, stretching her arms above her head. Sitting up, the miko rubbed her eyes of sleep and noticed that Kirara was sleeping alone a couple of feet away from her. Squinting in the darkness Kagome called out quietly, confused.
"Sango..?"
Shippo stirred beside her and she froze, not wanting to wake him. His face gave off a look of innocence as he slept and Kagome felt her heart soften in the familiar way it had recently begun to whenever she looked at him. In his sleep he smiled and cuddled against her side, muttering incoherently in her shirt. Kagome managed to catch the tell tale end of the kit's last statement.
"Haha…baka hanyou…pocky's all mine..."
Giggling, she stroked the boy's hair affectionately before standing up. She was about to call out again when a gruff, familiar voice called out before her.
"Don't bother." The voice came from the direction of the tree. In the darkness Kagome met glittering amber orbs.
"What?"
Inuyasha snorted in clear disdain. "You heard me baka. Don't. Bother."
"Why?"
"Because she's not here."
Kagome huffed. "Fine than Mr. Know-it all, since you're so smart where do you think she is?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. But don't worry about it. Just go back to sleep."
"But…"
"Sango can take care of herself Kagome. Whatever she's up to it's none of our business. Let her handle it by herself. If she wanted us to tag along wouldn't she have woke us all up?"
Kagome nodded. She supposed he was right. But it was always in her nature to worry about others. Obviously, it was her mother's fault.
"Just go to sleep." The hanyou's voice was soft yet firm.
Surprisingly, Kagome obeyed. There was a shuffle of feet and another exchange of insults. Moments later her chest rose and fell gently, the soft whispering sound of her breathing indicating she had fallen back to sleep. Kagome had curled onto her side, her arms wrapped around a softly snoring kitsune. The camp was silent and pretty soon even the hanyou had followed the rest of his friends into the world of dreams, arms crossed holding his precious Tetsaiga. Crickets chirped softly into the night air, and the forest's leaves quivered. Miroku, who had awaken the first time Kagome had called out lay there quiet and cold, a million possibilities and mindless rambles running through his stressed mind.
And he worried.