Chapter 1: The Beginning, Wind, Water, and Fire

Chocolate colored eyes met a set of sickly colored green ones, with yellow slits, as a girl with dark brown hair, so dark it looked almost black, faced a very disturbing monster. The monster was about three times larger then the small, almost frail looking girl, who looked like she was at the end of her teenage years. The monster wasn't just a normal being it was a youkai, one larger then most normal ones, it was a snake youkai, it often stayed under the ground until it was ready to hunt, it's current pray: this girl, no, this young woman.

The snake would have preferred the taste of the woman's flesh filled to the brim with fear. But… the girl standing a few mere feet away, only stared at him, no fear showing in her emotionless eyes. She was use to fighting youkai that was obvious to the snake; she was a walking weapon to his kind. One whose life was spent killing any demon that dared attack any one of her kind, her people, humans. She was a Taijiya, a human with abilities that surpassed that of an average one. The snake felt fear facing this girl, whose eyes spelled death for him, but he hid the fear he felt, though he was visibly trembling. To him this was exciting, an adrenaline rush, and if he lived though this and defeated the woman, a meal that he would enjoy. But that is where he made his first mistake, challenging one who had a reputation for being the best of the best.

For facing one who did not seem the slightest bit scared of him made him a little careless. The snake struck at the young Taijiya who easily stepped aside, as fast as the wind itself, for now she had the powers of the Dragon of the White Wind to back up her already strong techniques. The Dragon of the White Wind was one of the five elemental dragons. She would have preferred to avoid this fight if she could have, for she had to find the other Guardians.

The teenage Taijiya reached to her side and drew her custom made katana, one that her tribe made from the remains of youkai they had slain. She would not waste any of her energy... time… effort on this weak demon. She sprang forward right towards the demons weak spot, she swung her katana with a quick slash and landed onto her feet. The demon, having no time to react, twitched once then fell down into two halves. She turned her chocolate brown eyes at one half of the demons remains, she closed her eyes and prayed for the departed youkai, so that she would no be cursed. She turned her eyes back foreword and walked off, continuing her search for the other guardians.

She wandered for many days going from town to town, not succeeding in finding one, or even the slightest hit of a rumor. She was started to get rather annoyed and bored with the search. She knew that they were out there somewhere, but she knew well that people with power are known to never stay in one place long. She continued onward to the next town. Fate finally decided to smile upon her.

As the girl wandered around a run down town, which was mostly in ruins and part of the buildings where smoldering, she knew that it must have recently been attacked by a youkai. She walked for awhile sighing deeply when another young girl ran around a corner and into the brown haired girl, knocking her onto her bum. The other girl had golden blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, she wore a blue tank top, and blue jean shorts, on one of her arms there was something strange, she had the mark of a guardian of a dragon. The brown haired girl noted that it looked like a water dragon, she had one hidden under her Taijiya armor, and hers looked like a wind dragon.

The blonde haired girl stood up to her feet. She bowed deeply to the other girl, in apology, her blonde hair spilling over her shoulder. "I am soooo sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going." She ranted slightly.

The brown haired girl stoop up to her feet and dusted herself off. Her brown eyes focused on the other girl. "It's okay, I wasn't either." She paused for a mere second. "You are the Guardian of the Dragon of the Blue Waves, or the water Dragon… aren't you?" She said her voice was soft, as gentle as the wind itself.

The blonde gave the girl a concerned look, though she nodded her head, all of her movements where as smooth as the calm waters of a river. "Yes I am… How did you know?" She asked, her voice filled with nervousness. Who was this girl? How did she know about the guardians?

The Taijiya laughed slightly, she seemed a little amused by the girls' question. Her eyes softened a little as she smiled. "I know…" She paused… "Because of the water dragon tattoo on your arm. For you see… I have the wind dragon." She said as she rolled up the sleeve of her outfit showing the girl her dragon. She then bowed slightly in a greeting. "My name is Sango."

The blonde haired girls' eyes widened slightly. She was lucky today; she had finally found one of the five guardians, other then herself. She had been looking for the others, for quite along time. Just to think… She had ran into her! Literally! "My name is Itsuki." She introduced herself with a slight bow. She was a head smaller then Sango, but she only smiled, she figured the girl was older then her.

Itsuki walked over to the other girl and looped her arm around Sango's. She smiled up at her. "Let's go look for the other guardians."

Sango blinked dumbfounded, she wasn't expecting a guardian to be so… hyper. She nodded her head in agreement though. "Yes, it is important that we find all of the others, that way if something happens… and we get split up that we know what each other look like."

Itsuki nodded her head in agreement. She then realized that Sango was quite wise and that she wanted to know a few things about her. "How old are you? Why do you wear such odd clothing?" She asked, cocking her head to the side like a curious kitten.

"Eighteen. I come from a village of demon slayers." Sango said simply. She then began to walk off and Itsuki followed, still hung onto her arm like a little child. Sango then decided to get to know Itsuki a little. "How old are you?"

Itsuki looked up at Sango. "I am seventeen." The younger girl smiled. "I have an idea… I will call you big sis!" She smiled wider after she commented. She watched Sango for her reaction.

Sango merely blinked. "Okay… if that is what you wish to do, then you may, for I cannot stop you." She said as she walked. She secretly hoped that not all of the guardians were as hyper as Itsuki, for she would probably have a never ending headache. But Sango was too nice to say such a thing.

The two teenage girls continued along the road, they left the town after buying a few supplies. They passed some people while traveling to the next town. Sango decided that it may be quicker to take the forest path, so they did. Itsuki's dragon tattoo suddenly glowed softly and it began to rain, Itsuki let go of Sango and ran around spinning and having fun splashing through puddles. Unknown to the two girls a set of crimson eyes were watching them for the trees.

Sango stopped and stood in the rain, as its pace increased slightly. She sighed deeply and moved so that she was leaning on a tree. Itsuki sat down in the middle of a clearing, not to far from Sango, she tilted her head back and closed her eyes as the rain rolled down her cheeks, and she smiled enjoying the rain and the serenity that it brought upon the forest.

Sango was the first of the two young teenage girls to notice the set of crimson eyes that were watching. She sent a slight glare in the direction of them, the male sitting in the tree didn't even flinch, which surprised Sango to no end, most youkai feared her, but yet he did not. The male in the tree had gravity defying black hair which had a white starburst in the center. He wore a long sleeve black cloak and black baggy pants. His eyes seemed to be laughing, taunting the Taijiya. She looked over him, trying to judge what he was.

She knew he was a fire demon, by looking at him, and his aura, she noted that he was a little small for his kind. While looking him over she noticed a large aura coming from one of his arms. "Hey you! Youkai in the tree!" Sango yelled suddenly, Itsuki instantly shot up onto her feet and ran over to Sango's side. The male youkai in the tree seemed unimpressed.

"What do you want." The male growled, his voice filled with annoyance and boredom. He wouldn't say anything, but he was impressed, slightly, this female could sense his aura, not many human girls could. He thought that all females were weak and beyond ignorant. He sent the girl a glare, and was a bit surprised when she sent one back in retaliation.

Sango stood there staring at the youkai her dragon on her arm responded to his aura. She realized that he must be a guardian of a dragon, and from his personality she would guess the fire dragon. She would not reveal that she knew that information… yet. "What are you staring at?" She taunted him, keeping her calm nature.

Itsuki tugged on the older girl's sleeve. "What are you doing?" She asked, in a whisper that was laced with fear. Her ocean blue eyes filled to the brim with worry.

"It's okay…" Sango whispered back. She patted the younger girls hand in an attempted to calm her down. And to Sango's delight it worked.

The demon in the tree snorted in annoyance, the blonde haired girl only proved his theory that all girls were weak, seeing as how she was scared. Except… the brown haired girl… Maybe she might be the exception to what he originally thought. He smirked slightly, realizing the aura's coming from their arms. "Two guardians of Dragons are what I am looking at. Tell me your names."

Sango glared in annoyance. "Tell us yours first youkai." She spat. "Hiei. Fire." He said simply. "Sango. Wind." Sango replied still annoyed, she nudged Itsuki. "I..It…Itsuki. W…wa...Water." The younger girl stuttered. Hiei hopped down from his tree, he jammed his hands into his pockets and began to approach the two girls.

Itsuki hid even more from him, using Sango as a wall between the two. Hiei smirked when he saw this, but Sango sent him a look, pushing any fear that she may have felt into the very pit of her soul, for her father told her to never let a demon know you are afraid. Hiei dropped his smirk, the guardian of the wind dragon definitely was his match, and to his surprise he liked that about her, she was…different.
"Three found… two to go." Sango whispered into the wind. "Let's hope that they found each other… it might make things easier." Itsuki nodded her head in agreement it would indeed make things easier. Hiei agreed silently he didn't want to spend all of his time searching.

Hiei could see why Sango made it as a guardian, but he couldn't see how Itsuki made it as one, she was weak and showed her fear. He shrugged it off as they began to walk off heading to the next town. Itsuki was still behind, and clinging to Sango as the walked along, she was very weary of the youkai that was now in their group. Sango sighed deeply and Hiei gave the guardian of water a look.

Itsuki whimpered and hid even more behind Sango. Sango glared at Hiei as she snarled. "Leave her alone. You are scaring her, moron." Hiei snarled back. "It's not my fault she is weak." Sango's glare hardened. "She is still a child in the ways of combat!" She spat at him, the two got into a glaring match.

After several long hours of walking Itsuki groaned, she was starting to get tired. "Sango-chan… big sis…" She said looking at the older girl with pleading eyes. Sango looked at her and sighed deeply. "Alright… we'll make camp." Itsuki smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you… thank you… Thank you!"

Hiei growled low. "We should travel, until night falls." Sango gave him a look. "Some of us have been traveling for hours." Sango snapped back. Hiei glared and growled in annoyance, he hopped into a tree and said nothing more. Itsuki made her self comfortable and she fell asleep. Sango sat down and started a fire, she closed her eyes sitting up, keeping her senses open. The search for the other guardians would have to wait till tomorrow.